West End News: June 16

 
Every West End resident feels pain in their heart when the word comes down that another person is missing and presumed drowned near the mouth of the Temperance River. We can only imagine the shock and horror of knowing that a loved one has gone from relaxing and recreating - to leaving this world - in the blink of an eye. Disbelief quickly turns to grief and the entire West End feels it. Our little community extends our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Alec Lawrenz, who they lost at the Temperance River last week.
 
It's been a tough week for the nation in light of the tragedy in Orlando. In my humble opinion, it's well past time that we enact common-sense gun safety laws that allow hunters and collectors to enjoy their hobby, while making it difficult for deranged shooters to get their hands on military grade weapons that are expressly manufactured to kill a lot of people fast. Believe me, I know this is a politically sensitive subject, but other countries have done it and we can do it, too.
 
On a cheerier note, after several years of anticipation, North Shore Winery and Sawtooth Mountain Cider House are opening for business on the Ski Hill Road in Lutsen. Owners Chuck Corliss and Kim Schroeder have hired Rob Grubb, from Tofte, to manage the new business. The grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, July 16th from 2 until 5 pm. I admit to being pretty ignorant about wine, so I look forward to learning more from the experts at North Shore Winery. 
 
It cheers my heart to see another new and entrepreneurial business starting up in the West End. Starting a business from scratch is a labor of love and an incredible amount of work, so I urge everyone to patronize the new businesses early and often. I'm also pleased to hear that the Winery and Cider House will be a new venue for acoustic music in the West End, adding to the already rich music scene that we all enjoy.
 
I mentioned the new FIKA Coffee location in Lutsen last week. I saw that the sign went up this week, so I'm guessing that the soft opening is underway. Stop by and check it out.
 
Speaking of jobs, the creation of jobs is the most talked about reason for opening up a new form of mining in northeastern Minnesota that extracts precious and strategic metals from sulfide bearing ore. No one wants economic development in northeastern Minnesota more than I do, but I am part of the majority of people in the region who are deeply skeptical about the motives and reliability of the companies that are behind these mining proposals. In a nutshell, mining from sulfide bearing ore has been done all over the world and has, in every single case, caused serious pollution flowing downstream from the mine waste.
 
The second mine in the permitting queue, known as the Twin Metals project, was dealt a serious blow this week when the Forest Service indicated that they have serious reservations about locating a huge sulfide type mine directly upstream from the BWCA Wilderness. The issue is complicated, but the Forest Service is the landowner of the surface rights above two federal mining leases that Twin Metals obtained back in the 1960s. Twin Metals let the leases expire, but now wants to renew them with no environmental review. The leases have never been reviewed because they were leased before all the pertinent environmental protection laws even existed.
 
In the past, mining leases were renewed more or less automatically with no public process. But this time, the Forest Service has announced a public input period from June 20th to July 20th for people to weigh in, both pro and con, about the wisdom of promoting sulfide mining right on the edge of the country's premier, water-based wilderness area. I applaud the Forest Service for getting the public involved. Opinion on this subject is changing fast and the decision makers need to know what people are thinking. These are, after all, our minerals.
 
I freely admit that my mind is firmly made up that this type of mining has no place in the region, but I urge everyone, no matter what your opinion, to let the Forest Service know how you feel about this important issue. You can google "Twin Metals public input" to find news stories with links to the comment process. Or, as always, contact WTIP for that information.
 
Fishing was excellent all over the West End last week. But after a big rain storm and the appearance of mayflies, it seems to have slowed down a little bit, especially for the walleyes. Walleyes are still being caught at dawn and dusk, but smallmouth and northerns are still being caught during the day. Lake trout are also biting well, but are now 30 feet deep or maybe even a little deeper.
 
You know that you may be a blueberry fanatic when you scout the berry patches at this time of year to see how the blossoms are coming along. I've come across several sets of locals, who wish to remain anonymous, that have been doing just that. They report that the blossoms are as thick and healthy as they've ever seen them, which bodes well for a bumper crop. A little warmth and sunshine will be required to make it happen and would be generally welcomed by most West Enders just for the fun of it. Rain or shine, it's still great to live, work in play in the wonderful West End.