We Already Know, But … USA Today, the most prolific purveyors of "Best of" lists, or so it seems, has starting voting on the 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards for Best Lakes. Savvy ATCTW reader Allen from Troy, Mich., sent along the links to vote for Lake Superior in three categories. Usually we'd simply say, in our most humble middle-of-the-country, northern way that we don't need votes to tell us what we already know. But then we noticed Lake Superior is currently only ranked 8th on the list of 20 for 2023's Best Lake. The current leader is Lake Havasu, which is no doubt a fine body of freshwater and critical to the dry Arizona/California region … but still. So here is where to vote – apparently for each of the next 24 days (uff da) – for Lake Superior as Best Lake (currently 8th place); Best Lake for Swimming (currently 8th place) and Best Lake for Water Sports (currently 11th place). You can vote and do a fun little "I'm not a robot" puzzle for free! We hope the great images posted on the site, like this one by "Michigan Nut" John McCormick, help to sway the vote. No matter the outcome, we want to do our Big Lake proud.
In the Grain: Dan Gunderson of MPRNews did an interesting story this morning about the grain and agricultural products sent through the Twin Ports. It opens describing the 620-foot Solina, the first grain ship out of Superior (and seen at the CHS Inc. facility in this photo by David Schauer). It headed out with 720,000 bushels of durum wheat – the equivalent of about 200 train cars of grain, Dan's story notes. Of course, iron ore obviously, and literally, weighs heavier in the Twin Ports maritime activity. A recent press release from the Lake Carriers' Association showed iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 4.8 million tons in April, an increase of 55.1% compared to last year, but just slightly below the month’s five-year average. For this year, iron ore shipments on the Lakes are up 54% from the same period in 2022.
Blessing of the Port: The Twin Ports Ministry to Seafarers will host its annual Blessing of the Port tonight at 5 p.m. in the Lake Superior Maritime Visitors Center by the Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth's Canal Park. The event will include brief comments on the 2023 shipping season thus far from Deb DeLuca, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. And don't forget to put May 22 on your calendar - it's National Maritime Day.
Give with Meaning: The 2023 Leadership Duluth Class has launched an areawide campaign called “Just Breathe 988” to bring awareness to the new nationwide 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The goal is for everyone to be aware that, like 911, anyone in the nation can call or text 988 when they or someone they know is experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis. In conjunction with the awareness campaign, the Leadership Duluth class is joining forces with Duluth Rotary Club 25 to raise $50,000 for the Boys and Girls Club’s Mental Health Access program for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northland. On Wednesday (May 24), the Boys & Girls Club will launch an exhibit of works from club members. The Voices of Tomorrow opening reception, 4:30-6:30 p.m., at the sponsor North Shore Bank downtown will feature visiting teaching artists Moira Villiard and Michelle DeFoe.
Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:
Michigan
Tonight, May 11: The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation will host a social hour and presentation 7 p.m. at the Keweenaw National Historical Park headquarters in Calumet. Hear the latest on how the group plans to help “decarb” the parks with innovative approaches to renewable energy, catch updates on the latest feature in National Geographic and meet podcast host Frida Waara.
Friday, May 12: The DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University in Marquette will host a reception, 5-7 p.m., to celebrate the community's young creatives and hardworking teachers in the Annual Children's Exhibition. Artwork came from Aspen Ridge Elementary School, Birchview Elementary School, Cherry Creek Elementary School, Father Marquette Catholic Academy, Gilbert Elementary School, Graveraet Elementary School, Lakeview Elementary School, North Star Montessori Academy, Powell Township School, Sandy Knoll Elementary School, Sawyer Elementary School, and special guest Bothwell Middle School. NMU First Lady Kristin Tessman (wife of NMU President Brock Tessman) is sponsoring reception refreshments. The exhibition continues through May 26.
Saturday, May 13: Bayliss Public Library in Sault Ste. Marie hosts the U.P. Literary Hall of Fame induction starting at 2 p.m. Presenters will include April Lindala, Alex Vartan Gubbins and M. Bartley Seigel. Inductee Sue Harrison will read from her work.
Minnesota
Tonight-Saturday, May 11-13: The Cook County YMCA presents its Starry Night: Spring Dance Performances at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais. The program features dancers ages 3 and up performing ballet, tap and jazz styles, 6:30 p.m. tonight and 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Friday, May 12: The young folks at Life House in Duluth are putting on a Variety Show, starting at 6 p.m. in Wussow's Concert Cafe. The free family fun, youth-oriented event will have music, readings, writings and visual arts.
Saturday, May 13: Lake Superior Art Glass launches its first glass-marble scavenger hunt of the season at 2 p.m. Saturday in Duluth. Track the glass gang's social media for updated clues all day and then at 5 p.m. join in a glass-blowing demonstration by guest artist Alan Honn at the Canal Park shop.
Thru Saturday, May 13: The popular Duluth Junk Hunt is on now at the DECC. Vendors from around the state and beyond bring bringing in the antique finds and repurposed pieces from big furniture to tiny jewelry.
Tuesday, May 16: They may be young, but it's not their first rodeo at the Congdon Park Elementary School in Duluth. This year's Bike Rodeo from 5-7 p.m. will feature a bicycle obstacle course, bike maintenance clinics, bike safety information, a Duluth DEVO Mountain Biking demo course, a raffle, free helmets, food trucks and more activities. A bike fleet will be available for those who do not have their own bicycle. Bring a food donation and receive an extra ticket for the raffle to win a free bike.
Wisconsin
Saturday, May 13: Mt. Ashwabay Ski and Recreation Area hosts its Spring Gear Swap, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Land, water, all types of summer gear – sell your stuff or buy some cheap and 15% of the sales goes to support Mt. Ashwabay.
Saturday, May 13: We Care Douglas County Walk & Roll starting 9 a.m. at Superior High School is a chance for people to learn about the ongoing caregiver crisis plus is a caregiver job fair.
Ontario
Friday, May 12: Lakehead University Thunder Wolf Racing Team invites all to attend the unveiling of its TWR-15, the 2022-2023 car, at noon in Lot 6. Thunder Wolf Racing is Lakehead University's Formula SAE team, comprised of 20 Mechanical Engineering students who design and manufacture a Formula-style race car. Each year the student-run team creates this car to compete at the Formula SAE Collegiate Design Series, which will be May 17-20 at Brooklyn, Mich.
Sunday, May 14: Join the Sault Symphony Orchestra for Mozart at the Movies 2 in The Machine Shop, Sault Ste. Marie, at 2 p.m. This concert will feature a wide variety of movie favorites, including many that kids will recognize and with which they can sing along.
Photo & graphic credits: John McCormick/Michigan Nut Photography; David Schauer; Boys & Girls Club of the Northland; DeVos Art Museum/Life House/Mt. Ashwabay/Thunder Wolf Racing