Around the Circle This Week: July 15, 2016

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Deadly storms cause flooding, roadway damage

Horrible storms ripped through the region early in the week, causing at least two fatalities and destroying the Saxon Harbor Marina and Campground in Wisconsin, which will be closed for the remainder of the year, according to a story by the Duluth News Tribune. Thirty-two people were stranded on Michigan Island (a small island in the Montreal River) during the storms.

The Wisconsin governor declared a state of emergency for Ashland, Bayfield, Iron, Douglas, Burnett, Washburn, Sawyer and Price counties due to widespread flooding and major road damage, some with chunks of roadway washed away, leaving dangerous gullies.

As a result of the same storm system, National Park Service and U.S. Coast Guard rescue crews aided 11 capsized kayakers who overturned near Sand Island in the Apostle Islands. All were recovered and spent the night in the Little Sand Bay visitor center.

Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection sent out a press release warning homeowners with damaged properties to be wary of door-to-door contractors offering cheap and quick flood cleanup. “Turn them away and do your research to find a reliable contractor,” advises Frank Frassetto, a division administrator. The “storm chasers” as he termed them, may do only a portion of work and leave or might arbitrarily add fees. Find additional advice, including how to pick a good contractor, at the DATCP website.  

Parts of northeastern Minnesota also were hit with flooding. In the Moose Lake and Carlton County areas, flood watches continued into mid-week and some campgrounds were evacuated. Roads were washed out in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, some of which may take long repair times. WISN-TV had video of several of the washed-out roadways.

In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the storms brought high winds and the third report of a tornado this year, according to MLive. The most recent tornado was spotted near Bessemer. ABC-UP10 also reported on damage near Little Girl’s Point, washing out access to a DNR boat launch. The area was struck with 90 mph winds and 7 to 10 inches of rain in less than six hours.

+ Find current road conditions for Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario.

Viking ship may miss Tall Ships Duluth

Draken Harald Hårfagre, a recreated Viking longship that sailed to the Great Lakes from Norway, may be forced to sail home early due to a dispute over pilotage fees.

It was scheduled to spend the summer on the lakes, including a much-anticipated stop in Duluth. Owner Sigurd Aase says he was told Draken didn’t need to hire a pilot. The crew was much surprised this week, according to a Draken news release, to learn that it did need a pilot after all. That could sink their summer plans.

Pilots are local experts typically brought aboard large, foreign commercial vessels to guide captains through unfamiliar waters. At $400 an hour, a pilot would cost $400,000 for the summer – a figure Sigurd says the non-profit did not budget for and cannot bear.

Draken’s owner argues that it’s an educational vessel, not a commercial one, and shouldn’t be subject to pilotage rules.

The dispute may be the result of miscommunication, the Duluth News Tribune reports. The Western Great Lakes Pilots Association, for its part, says it never promised a free ride, SooToday writes. It’s possible that pilots could volunteer their services, however.

If it can’t raise the money or receive a waiver, Draken will depart the lakes after this weekend’s festival in Bay City, Michigan.

A petition seeking an exemption for the ship has already garnered thousands of signatures. Fans of the ship organized on the Draken Facebook page and drafted form letters to send to representatives and Coast Guard officials.

Tall Ships Duluth’s executive producer, Craig Samborski, said in a statement, “We, as a port organizer, have offered to defray some of their pilotage expenses and so have the other ports involved in Draken’s visit. Many U.S. lawmakers as well as Coast Guard officials in Washington, D.C., have been contacted to help mitigate the situation. This is our top priority and I am optimistic that a satisfactory resolution will come.”

Stay tuned.

Water for Flint exhibit aids community in need

When Ironwood watercolor artist Peg Sandin heard about the plight of children in Flint, Michigan, and the potential long-term affects from drinking lead-contaminated water, it brought her to tears. Then it brought her to a decision; she was going to help in the best way she knew how.

Thus began Peg’s fundraising project to bring in a little money and to show big support from a small northern town to the people of Flint. On Thursday, Peg was joined by more than 25 other artists who donated pieces for the Water for Flint exhibit and sale at the Downtown Art Place and the concourse of the Historic Ironwood Theatre at 111 E. Aurora St.

“In a world where people seemingly don’t care, a group of artists 600 miles from Flint have come together to donate their artwork to help the children affected by the lead water crisis,” according to the exhibit announcement.

Some artists’ names are familiar in the region: Karlyn Holman (who has a gallery in Washburn, Wisconsin), Sara Balbin, Kathleen Conover, Joyce Koskenmaki, Jan Wise, John De Mario, Doug Kikkebush and Betsy Wesselhoft. Paintings, pottery, sculptures, baskets, art prints and signed books are among the offerings.

The exhibit continues through September 5, noon to 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. Artwork can be purchased at any time or donations can be given.

All proceeds go directly to the Flint Child Health and Development Fund for critical intervention. Find more about the fund at flintkids.org. “Flint may seem far away,” says Peg, “but the need for clean water connects all of us no matter where we live.”

Sailing to Isle Royale: Fred and Jennifer Bagley are residents of Vermont who keep their sailboat in northern Michigan. Fred describes their visit to Isle Royale for Sail Magazine, concluding with: “Our Isle Royale visit was now complete, and as we sailed east and the island’s profile fell off the horizon, we decided it isn’t just some of the best wilderness cruising in the continental United States: it may be one of the best cruising grounds anywhere.”

Wolf pups get names: The International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota, announced the results of a contest to name its new pups.

Falconry program takes aim at Thunder Bay downtown seagulls, reports the CBC on efforts to drive away birds that had become a nuisance in the area.

Gotta catch ’em all: “Lake Superior State University, long known for its famous Unicorn Questing Licenses, announced today that it will be extending its permits to include hunting wild Pokemon on campus using the popular app Pokemon Go,” says SooToday.