Around the Circle This Week: July 30, 2021

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Storm Decimates Fest Artists: The Ely Blueberry/Art Festival and the vendors participating received a knock-down

blow from a violent storm last weekend. While there were not injuries, the storm wiped out completely months of work and the future livelihood of the artists. Organizers were excited to have the gathering, cancelled last year, and the Virtual Blueberry/Art Festival. The artists and other vendors are listed there along with damaged suffered, plus links to websites and info for those wishing to donate to them directly. The virtual festival will be up through Aug. 31. The aftermath, captured here in a photo by Ryan Tischer, one of the vendors, was eerily reminiscent of the damage done at the Bayfield Art Festival 15 years ago. (Ryan, by the way, has a gallery in Duluth and his work is in our Lake Superior Gift Shop.)

Recent Alder-ations: The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Alder and crew, which exited Duluth on July 7, is working its way toward Baltimore for updates and maintenance. Next year it heads off to San Francisco, but the crew returns to Duluth after delivering the Alder to Baltimore. The crew's most recent post was Monday in Boston, with a video as they left the city. Safe travels for that last leg to Baltimore!

Round-Abouts, Overpasses & Such : For U.S. visitors who can head back to Thunder Bay after the Aug. 9 one-way opening of the international border the city is going to hold some new surprises. Work has progressed on a new round-about at the corner of Edward Street and Redwood Avenue, plus there's a new overpass being put into place for pedestrians crossing Water Street. The round-about is part of the city's larger 2021 Capital Renewal Program that includes water main replacement from Ward Avenue to Ironwood, a new road base and surface, and the extension of the pedestrian corridor on Redwood Avenue - along with street lighting upgrades. You can see progress photos and access the Transportation Master Plan online. Justin Hardy of TBNewswatch.com posted a story about, and a Kurt Black's photo of, the new overpass. Canada will allow vaccinated U.S. citizens into the country after Aug. 9, but the United States has delayed opening of the border to non-essential visitations from Canada until at least Aug. 21.  

A Chef in Yooperland: Chef Gordon Ramsey took his "Uncharted" program, seen on National Geographic TV, to Michigan's Upper Peninsula this week. "Chef Ramsay dives amongst shipwrecks, helps a local monk, and hunts in the forest to discover the culinary secrets of the Michigan’s Upper Peninsula," the program notes say. There's a lovely video preview talking about the ingredients he uses – whitefish sausage, lake trout, woodcock, chaga mushrooms and thimbleberry jam (from the Jampot run by the monks of Poorrock Abbey). "I'm right on the edge of Lake Superior," Gordon says. "This is a Lake like no other." Regardless of his recipes, that statement, we agree is quite tasty and true. (From the looks of this picnic of the chef with a Poorrock monk, we suspect the filming took place last fall.)

Makers Market: A monthly popup shop pops up today and Saturday, noon-6 p.m., at 931 E. 9th St. in Duluth thanks to two local business owners, Barbara Bengtson (Perception Coaching, LLC) and Cara Overland (Lake Superior Scandinavian). The Hillside Makers Market is intended to showcase local artisans to sell in the east hillside neighborhood. The makers keep 100% of their profits without having the expense of renting their own storefront. The "cottage-like" building hosting the market was purchased by Barbara, according to Cara, who posted: "It’s been completely restored to its full potential …" See a baker's dozen list of the participating artisans in a story on BusinessNorth.com. Next month's popup will be Aug. 27-28.

Civic Holiday: Just a note … Monday is a Civic Holiday in Ontario. Local municipalities sometimes use it to celebrate a local person or event. In Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., it's " Sir William H. Hearst Day," after the former Ontario Premier during World War I and a Sault resident. The city is also hosting about 100 evacuees who arrived last week from North Spirit Lake First Nation, where forest fires have been raging. The city is noting needs and donations on its Facebook page.

Photo & graphic credits: Ryan Tischer; Betsy Saurdiff; USCG Alder; City of Thunder Bay; Gordon Ramsey/National Geographic; Hillside Makers Market; City of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

Around the Circle This Week editor: Konnie LeMay