Around the Circle This Week: Sept. 29, 2017

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What's new?: There are quite a few new or expanded enterprises and opportunities around the Big Lake neighborhood these days. We thought we'd highlight a few here, like the new place to visit at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (or NERR) officially opening on Barker's Island in Superior tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 30). Dubbed the "Lake Superior Estuarium," the new public exhibit hall's grand opening coincides with National Estuaries Day. Both residents and tourists can enjoy learning about the St. Louis River Estuary and Lake Superior. Exhibits include portraits of people working for the estuary, done by David Bowman, an independent photographer with National Geographic Creative. (Hannah Ramage, the reserve's water quality monitoring coordinator, and Education Staff member Ryan Feldbrugge are shown here.) “The Reserve has worked for nearly two years to develop and produce exhibits that help people connect to the remarkable place where we live,” says Deanna Erickson, education coordinator for the NERR. “We want to tell a hopeful story about the St. Louis River and make a space that is accessible to everyone, including young children.” Celebration runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Also in Superior: Epicurean, a manufacturer that uses wood composite materials to make cutting boards, moved from West Duluth to a 60,000-square-foot building on Connors Point in Superior this month, more than tripling its space, according to Business North. The operation employs about 50 people at the site. 

A Thunder Bay fish finder: Canadian Freshwater Fish opened its doors on 402 Simpson St. earlier this month.The fresh and frozen (and soon to be smoked) fish mart is the brain child of Brent Forsyth and Jordan Shannon. Brent, who came up to the Lake Superior region from Peterborough, Ont., for work opportunities. He ended up working to find economic opportunities for First Nations reserves northwestern of Thunder Bay and noted that the old commercial fishing jobs were dying off, in part because there was not a market for the fish. "All our fish come from commercially licensed fishermen, the majority from First Nations," Brent says. The store stocks all variety of fish available – whitefish, trout, perch, crappie, herring – including walleye, or pickerel as it's called by many in Canada. "We do get walleye in, but it sells quick." The two founders are doing the paperwork to be able to ship fish in both Canada and the U.S. via their online store, but for now U.S. citizens will need to drop by for the good stuff. "They can come up to Thunder Bay and walk into our door," Brent says. Drop in from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, or 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Also new for Thunder Bay: Porter Airlines plans to create a new crew base by January 2018 in Thunder Bay that should create at least 40 jobs for pilots and flight attendants, reports the Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal. Porter started Thunder Bay International Airport flights in 2008 and operates six daily flights to Toronto.

Goodbye summer for the season: In the Lake Superior neighborhood, we say goodbye to summer when the local seasonal food stands close up for winter. Clyde's Drive-in, in its 68th year in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, plans to shut its doors Oct. 7, reports The Sault News. Gordy's Hi-Hat in Cloquet, Minnesota, already closed for the season on Sept. 16. Luckily, World's Best Donuts in Grand Marias, Minnesota, will keep "summer" technically going until Oct. 21, when it, too, shuts its doors. What local food joint lets you know the summer has passed when it closes its doors? "Post your summer indicator to our Facebook page.

A man of fine metal: "Gordon Gerhart is a throwback, from way back. From, say, the 19th century, or the 18th century. Or earlier," starts the Word on the Street profile of a blacksmith forging his life the "old way" in Marquette. Gordon reveals that “I’m happiest when I’m making something.

Hard cider season: As the harvest comes in, it's a good time for hard cider, the making of which is somewhat new to our Big Lake neighborhood, but it's one of the oldest drinks in the U.S. (not counting water). Cookbook writer and kayak adventure guide Beth Dooley gives us a bit of cider background plus a tasty recipe for Pork Roast with Apples & Rosemary in Cider Sauce from an earlier Lake Superior Magazine "Recipe Box."