Iron Ore Up, Limestone Down … and a New Head at Port of Thunder Bay
It's iron ore up and limestone down for the September reports from the St. Lawrence Seaway cargo traffic, reports the Lake Carriers' Association. Says LCA: "Shipments of iron ore from U.S. ports on the Great Lakes totaled 5.6 million tons in September, an increase of 10.1% compared to a year ago. Shipments were also above the month’s 5-year average by 7.4%. Shipments of iron ore from U.S. ports on the Great Lakes totaled 5.6 million tons in September, an increase of 10.1% compared to a year ago. Shipments were also above the month’s 5-year average by 7.4%. Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 36.7 million tons, an increase of 25.6% compared to the same point in 2022. Through September iron ore loadings are 6.6% above their 5-year average for the first three quarters of the year." This photo by David Schauer shows a cloud formation over Duluth this morning just after sunrise as the Great Republic's departs with ore for Gary, Ind.
Limestone, however, has declined in September shipments, going down 2.6% from the same time last year and 5.5% below the same month last year. "Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.8 million tons, a decrease of 2.4% from 2022. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 651,520 tons, a decrease of 3.5%.
Meanwhile, the Port of Thunder Bay announced its new CEO to replace the retiring Tim Heney, who worked 32 years with the port authority. Chris Heikkinen stepped into the top position Wednesday. He has served as the port’s director of business development and terminal operations and has worked for the port since 2010. "After thorough succession planning and a comprehensive search process, the board is pleased to have found the best individual to assume leadership of the Port of Thunder Bay," Bonny Skene, chair of the board, is quoted in the announcement. "Chris has a track record of strong leadership and consistent development. This combined with his industry knowledge and institutional tenure makes him uniquely qualified to lead the Port of Thunder Bay successfully into the future."
"I'm honoured, and I'm grateful to the board for the confidence placed in me and for the opportunity to lead the port and the dedicated and talented professionals who make up our team," Chris said. "This is a terrific opportunity, and we have a solid track record on which we will build an exciting future for the port.”
Tim retired at the end of September and the port expressed its gratitude in a Facebook post: "Under Tim's guidance, the Port of Thunder Bay has continued to thrive and grow into one of the most prominent ports in Canada. His strategic vision and innovative thinking have been instrumental in expanding the port's capabilities, diversifying its customer base, and enhancing its reputation as a world-class transportation hub.Throughout his tenure, Tim has been an exemplary leader, mentor, and friend to all of us. His passion for the port, his unwavering commitment to excellence, and his ability to inspire and motivate those around him have been truly remarkable. His presence will be deeply missed, but his legacy will live on for many years to come."
When Wolves Answer Your Moose Call
Grand Marais, Minn., photographer Paul Sundberg's exploits with his moose-calling photo safaris have almost become the stuff of legends, from his first outing where the bull moose snuck up on him from behind (Paul is making a cow moose call and this is rutting season) to an encounter with two battling bulls. This year Paul's calls not only attracted a couple interested male moose, but also a few wolves who did not have amore on their minds in hearing Paul's "lovesick" calling.
Says Paul in his weekly photo blog: "Living next to the Superior National Forest gives a person abundant opportunity to get outside. Not only to enjoy the splendor of fall but also to appreciate the incredible amount of wildlife in the area.
"Three days this week I started my day before sunrise heading into the forest to call moose and the whole week was absolutely amazing. Last year I didn’t get a single moose to respond to my calling. This year I was fortunate enough to have moose appear five out of the nine times I called. …
"Three years ago, we had fooled a pack of seven wolves that circled us thinking I was a cow moose and were looking for breakfast. Never did we think that this once-in-a-lifetime event would happen again. But here the wolf comes. Every time I called, he or she comes a little bit closer."
Read Paul's full story and see all his great wolf and moose images here.
The Wandering Wagars Meet the Sleeping Giant
Thunder Bay's Sleeping Giant Provincial Park was recently featured in a Wandering Wagars - Adventure Family Travel's video, "Hiking and Camping at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park." Visit Thunder Bay posted about the story and added that Kevin and his family returned to Thunder Bay at the end of June for a second trip, exploring more of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park for a second time, and brought some friends along with him.
Check out the YouTube video or the article on the family's website.
Traveling around with Your Mind on Murder
Minnesota author William Kent Krueger centers most of his fictional murder mysteries in northern Minnesota near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. His main character, Cork O’Connor, a man of Ojibwe-Irish heritage, has appeared in 20 books.
Kent's work has been on the New York Times best seller list multiple times, and he's earned an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Ordinary Grace, which Kent learned just last week was selected by Time magazine as one of the 100 Best Mysteries and Thriller Books of All Times.
Besides the Cork O'Connor series, Kent has written five stand-alone novels, including his newest, The River We Remember. The novel is in 1958 in a small Minnesota town rocked by the murder of its most powerful citizen, pouring fresh fuel on old grievances and churning up troubles and haunted histories for two local war veterans.
Since the book's release, Kent has been traveling around the country doing promotions, including as far away as Texas and Louisiana. This Saturday (Oct. 14), he will be book signing and presenting in the Big Lake Region. At 1 p.m., he will be at the Bayfield Inn lounge, at an event hosted by Apostle Islands Booksellers in Bayfield. Then at 7 p.m. in The St. Louis County Depot in Duluth, he will take center stage in "An Evening with William Kent Krueger," hosted by Zenith Bookstore, the Duluth Public Library and the Duluth Library Foundation.
We sent Kent a few quickie questions to answer from the road, and you can read his responses here.
Last October, we did a story about several murder mystery writers who center their work in the Big Lake neighborhood, and Kent was one of those. Read about them here.
Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:
Michigan
Today-Sunday, Oct. 12-15: the Marquette City Office of Arts and Culture presents a weekend of arts advocacy events leading up to the annual Art Awards ceremony on Sunday. It kicks off this evening from 6-8 p.m. at the Peter White Public Library with an opening reception for exhibits of “Artful Yoga” by Steven Leuthold in the Huron Mountain Club Gallery; “Keep. Me. Posted.” by Cade Musich in the Lower-Level Lobby; and “Inside/Out” by David Schmitt and Carol Phillips in the City’s Deo Gallery. On Friday from 8-10 a.m., Innovate Marquette Smartzone offers its open house. A public walking tour is scheduled 2-4 p.m. Saturday starting at Provisions MQT. The culminating annual Arts Awards starts at 6 p.m. in the Masonic Red Room Theatre; semi-formal attire is appropriate.
Today-Saturday, Oct. 12-14: Enjoy the spooky Ghosts of Lighthouse Point tours hosted by the Marquette Maritime Museum and Lighthouse. Tours leave every 10 minutes, starting at 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Call 906-226-2006 to reserve tickets.
Saturday, Oct. 14: The Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra (KSO) will perform its first concert of the season, "Overtures!" at 7:30 p.m. in the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Michigan Technological University in Houghton. Joel Neves leads the orchestra and it's a great concert for young people or adults interested in trying out the orchestra, say organizers: "Every piece is short, dramatic and varied." You can buy tickets online, in person, and even for a live-stream of the performance.
Minnesota
Friday, Oct. 13: The grand opening of "Seven Summers: Paintings from Bøverdalen" by Arna Rennan will be 5-8 p.m. at the Nordic Center in Duluth. The center advises that "all traffic should approach Nordic Center from Superior Street, and then turn onto Lake Avenue to avoid road closures."
Friday, Oct. 13: A new business celebrates its grand opening in Duluth from 5-8 p.m. LUMstudio (310 E. Superior St.) is a curated collection of the international residential light fixtures exhibited among modern furnishings from the MillerKnoll Brand Collective and others. LUMstudio is a complement of the Duluth architectural firm, CF design. Savories and beverages will be offered.
Saturday, Oct. 14: The season's final Anyone Can Bird session will be 9:30-11:30 a.m. starting at 3980 E. Skyline Parkway in Duluth. Register in advance for the free outdoor event, planned in partnership with the Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve, Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, Wisconsin Sea Grant, Embark Supported Employment, and the Lake Superior Reserve.
Starting Saturday, Oct. 14-21: This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first modern planetarium, opened in Germany in 1923. To mark this milestone, the Paulucci Space Theater in Hibbing plans a series of activities and shows this week, including free shows. On Saturday, members of the Range Astronomy club plan to view the partial eclipse of the sun occurring that day. The eclipse will start about 10:30 a.m. and run until a little after 1 p.m. A number of telescopes will be setup to safely view this phenomenon, and eclipse glasses will be on sale for only $1.00 a pair. On Oct. 16, 18 and 20, free shows will be given each day at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. On Oct. 21, there will be a Concert Under the Stars. Rich Mattson and the Northstars, along with Christopher David Hanson, present a night of music in the space theater. Show time 6-8 p.m.; cost $10.
Wisconsin
Friday, Oct. 13: What better day for a flashlight tour of Fairlawn Mansion in Superior than Friday the 13th? Learn about Victorian superstitions and the ghosts of Fairlawn during the darkened mansion tour. Half-hour tours start at 6:30 p.m. and last tour departs at 9:30 p.m. BYOF - Bring your own flashlight.
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 13-14: Earth Rider Brewery in Superior celebrate changing colors, fall beers and polka music for its Octoberfest weekend. There will also be Polkarobics and Berserk Blondes. Live polka music features The Solkela Polkela Band, Doctor Kielbasa and more.
Saturday, Oct. 14: Get out and watch the 25th annual Memorial Medical Center Whistlestop Marathon and other races. The 5K/10K races start at 8 a.m. and the marathon and half-marathon at 8:30 a.m. The course begins in Iron River and finishes in Ashland.
Ends Oct. 31: You can support Hayward's Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame by purchasing a 50/50 Cash raffle ticket that gives half of the take to the winner. It's $5 for one or $10 for three tickets.
Ontario
Today-Oct. 28: Algoma Fall Festival official kicks off this evening with a concert by Preston Pablo in the Water Tower Inn in Sault Ste. Marie. Throughout the month there will be concerts by Rankin & Wright, Peter Katz and Cassie & Maggie, along with some cooking sessions with Christine Cushing. Find the specific events here and keep up with news on the festival Facebook page.
Friday, Oct. 13: Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra celebrates its season opener with a special twist. Guest Cosette Justo Valdés will conduct the TBSO’s own concertmaster Thomas Cosbey performing Samuel Barber’s violin concerto, a piece organizers say "celebrates the strings of the orchestra with some of the most wickedly difficult writing for violin in the entire repertoire, while at the same time, showing off deeply lyrical and passionate melodies." Concert starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium.
Saturday, Oct. 14: Sault Ste. Marie's Canadian Bushplane Heritage Center is bracing for an invasion when the12th annual Soo Zombie Walk gets underway. Perfectly Painted and Taylor's Fancy Faces will be on hand to help with Zombie face makeup. "Whether you need a quick spritz of fake blood, some painted scratches and wounds, or a full-face zombie look, we got you covered! We can even get creative and match a zombie look to your costume (Zombie Barbie, anyone???)," says Perfectly Painted. This family-friendly festival is a canned-food drive where participants dress in their zombie best (or zombie hunter garb) before hitting the streets of downtown Sault in search of treats or brains. See the full schedule of fun online. A $10 fee for those older than 5, free for 5 and younger.
Sunday, Oct. 15: Join author Marion Agnew as she introduces her debut novel Making Up the Gods at Entershine Bookshop in Thunder Bay at 1-3 p.m.
Photo & graphic credits: David Schauer; Port of Thunder Bay; Paul Sundberg; Visit Thunder Bay; William Kent Krueger; Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra/Paulucci Space Theater/ /Soo Zombie Walk