North Shore Morning

Fred Smith is a native Iowan and retired high school athletic administrator now living on the upper Gunflint Trail with his wife Fran. Each week, he brings us his commentary “Wildersmith on the Gunflint.” This week, he brings us the latest from the Gunflint Trail.

On April 25^th, prospective kindergarten students who may attend Sawtooth Elementary school next year are invited for a special open house lunch event. Lynn Sheils shares more about the event in this edition of School News.

Next week, Cook County Middle Schools girls softball begins. In this edition of School News, we hear from a few of the coaches about the sport and getting involved.

In this edition of School News, Hazel and Gavin report on the latest learning at Birch Grove Community School in Tofte.

DARE is a long-standing, nation-wide program to help educate young people about decision making and the dangers of drugs and alcohol.  Local Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Hallberg is now our local DARE instructor.  In this edition of School News, Deputy Hallberg explains more about the new DARE curriculum.

Don’t miss the 3rd annual Fingerstyle Masters Weekend featuring artist Jim Ohlschmidt April 12 - 13 at Bluefin Bay Resort in Tofte, MN.

Click on audio mp3 above to hear an interview with musician and concert organizer Gordon Thorne.)
 
Friday, April 12 - Gordon Thorne & Jim will play a couple of informal sets at the Bluefin Grille beginning @ 8 p.m.
 
Saturday, April 13 - Fingerstyle Guitar Workshops and concert: 

• 10 am - Gordon Thorne will present  "Fundamentals of the Form: Getting Started"
• 11 am - Jim Ohlschmidt will present "John Hurt's Country Blues Guitar"
• lunch break
• 1:30 pm  - Jim Ohlschmidt will present "Nashville Thumbstyle: a look at  players such as Merle Travis, Jerry Reed and Chet Atkins"
• 7:30 pm - Evening Concert featuring Gordon Thorne and Jim Ohlschmidt

The workshop fee is $50 for all workshops and lunch. To register contact Gordon Thorne by email: [email protected] - or by phone at  218-353-7308. 
 
The concert tickets are $15, available at the door or can be reserved by calling Bluefin by phone 218- 663-6200 or Gordon Thorne at 218-353-7308.
 
All proceeds benefit WTIP!

The Grand Portage Native Fish Hatchery has been producing and rearing coaster brook trout, a native Lake Superior fish, since 2007. Their populations plummeted in the mid-1900s, and since the establishment of the hatchery, restoring coaster brook trout, or coasters, has been a top priority for Grand Portage biologists. And they've been successful, which is a rare thing in the grand scheme of issues facing Lake Superior. But the work isn't over, and there are many obstacles that biologists have to confront in their effort to restore coasters. In this edition of the Lake Superior Project, Grand Portage Trust Lands biologist Seth Moore and biologist Chad Abel of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, share some of the difficulties in restoring this native fish, the role that bands around the lake are taking in restoring native fish species, and the challenges of balancing priorities when it comes to maintaining the health of Lake Superior.

Soon, all middle school students in the state of Minnesota will begin standardized comprehension tests in math, reading, and science.  In this edition of School News, Cook County School’s testing coordinator Erica Ternes explains why.

Dr. Seth Moore is Director of Biology and Environment with the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. 

The Grand Portage Reservation is located in the extreme northeast corner of Minnesota, on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Cook County. Bordered on the north by Canada, on the south and east by Lake Superior and on the west by Grand Portage State Forest, the reservation encompasses an historic fur trade site on beautiful Grand Portage Bay.

The band engages in fisheries and wildlife research projects throughout the year, working with moose, wolves, fish, deer, grouse, and environmental issues. Dr. Moore appears regularly on WTIP North Shore Community Radio, talking about the band's current and ongoing natural resource projects, as well as other environmental and health related issues of concern to the Grand Portage Band.

In this segment, Dr. Moore stopped by the WTIP studio on his way to address the National Adaptation Forum in Denver, CO.   The Forum, April 2-4, is a national event at which the latest scientific knowledge about climate adaptation and state-of-the-art practices will be presented.  

Dr. Moore was invited to the forum to talk about the Grand Portage band's methods for adapting fisheries management strategies on the reservation.  Produced by Carah Thomas.

Adios March…it’s almost April…no fooling! The way month three has flown by makes me wonder if there isn’t some way we could slow life down.

As we greet month four, the upper Gunflint is on the brink of mud season. Serious spring warmth has not confronted us regulars, and it has been interesting to watch a tale of two seasons lately.

 The power of our new season’s sun has been turning roof tops with southern exposure from shrinking white to sparkling drippy icicles. Walking just a few dozen steps to the shady north side of the house, I find nary a drip falling and the chill of winter remaining a reality. So one can see we are in the midst of the year’s quarterly climatic tug-of-war.

That said, a reflection on territory atmospheric happenings during the past seven days has provided little excitement. It’s been pretty normal for this time of year, pleasant days and cold nights. Here at Wildersmith we have still been seeing zero to single digit temps setting a thickening crust on the snow pack after dark, which softens under sunny daytime rays.

 Along our Mile O Pine and other less traveled back country roads, you would barely notice that spring has made much headway.  Yet out on the Trail blacktop, the snow banks have been gnawed away pretty good. In fact, remnants of the winter road de-icing are making for an ugly look of urban snow, yuk!

Lately a “murder of crows” has taken over around our neighborhood. When they are not strutting around the yard scratching for nutritional elements, they are winging through the tree tops like a storm cloud. Their raucous conversation has put the silence of the woods on temporary hold.

Just a few days ago, while trekking down the Mile O Pine, we came upon two huge handsome wolves. Both these wilderness icons and the Smiths were surprised to meet each other. In the blink of an eye, the canine originals turned and galloped off into the forest.

Passing their off-road exit, I was surprised at the indentations their bodies made as they struggled through the deep snow. It became quite evident that travel off the plowed road is very difficult for them, as well as other wild critters, particularly when they break through the crusted depths.

A recent report from down at Gunflint Lodge tells of an employee having a close up meeting with another wolf. Whereas wolves most usually high tail it in human encounters, I’m told that this one did a brief stare down before turning the other direction. Knowing they prefer venison, it would still be a little unnerving if they didn’t quickly vamoose upon a close-up human juncture.

I was made aware that two fishermen came upon another downed moose carcass. This one was observed at the far east end of Gunflint Lake. Because there were enough of the remains, it was determined to be that of a cow. So it’s another one down and counting on this sad saga of moose population decline.  It might have been two MIA if she had been in an expecting way.

I’m guessing it could be blamed on the wolves once again. However, if she was healthy, that likelihood could be questioned, as the Arrowhead herd has more than wolf issues. Those canid lupis have a way of picking only on the afflicted or very young. It’s a good bet that this one’s demise may have been due to a stressed physical condition.

On a closing, but amusing note, the deer are pacing back and forth by my lower level windows stopping to peek in at me as I key this week’s scoop. A forlorn look in their big brown eyes indicates that they want a handout. Boy, do they have me conditioned!

Keep on hangin’ on, and savor the thought of coming April showers, be they solid or liquid!

Airdate: March 29, 2013