September 2024

Runners brave cold temps and tough terrain at this year’s Superior Fall Trail races

Not many local runners competed in this year's Superior Trail races, but one local had an outstanding finish in the marathon. Looking almost as fresh as a daisy, okay,maybe a little wilted, at the Tofte Sawbill aid station was Buck Benson, 72, who stopped to say hi, tarried little as he grabbed a drink and was on his merry way. Benson would finish one of the most challenging trail marathon courses in the U.S. in 6 hours and 35 minutes, 8 seconds, and place 110 overall, beating two-thirds of the field!

Read MoreRunners brave cold temps and tough terrain at this year’s Superior Fall Trail races

WTIP’s Radio Waves, a celebration of music and community

WTIP North Shore Community Radio hosted the 17th annual Radio Waves Music Festival in the Grand Marais Rec Park on September 6th, 7th and 8th. The three-day festival welcomed 90 local, regional and national musicians to the stage, including Barbara Jean Meyers and Mike Lewis, Splints, Eli Bentley, Emma Tweten and the Portage band. The bluegrass trio Fish Heads, and jam-funk band Saltydog, from Duluth, performed on Friday evening, as well as Rich Mattson and the Northstars from Sparta, Minnesota. The North Shore Swing Band kicked off a full day of music on Saturday, with Minneapolis singer-songwriter Dan Israel performing Saturday afternoon followed by Clearwater Hot Club, and then Annie Humphrey from the Leech Lake Ojibwe Nation, who shared a set of original songs with a packed arena of music lovers. The duo Between Howls astounded the crowd with their vocal sounds and musical reach, and John Ellison and the Carpenter Ants from West Virginia closed out Saturday evening with classic funk and R&B. On Sunday morning, the Ants were back for an R&B Gospel show, followed by Minneapolis (and Lutsen) singer-songwriter Cryote, a set by Brothers Burn Mountain and back-to-back solo performances by the gifted singers and songwriters Lojo Russo and Kenna Rose. The North Shore power-rock trio Zulu Link closed out the Festival on Sunday afternoon.

Read MoreWTIP’s Radio Waves, a celebration of music and community

Annual Fly-In Breakfast at Grand Marais Airport

The Annual Grand Marais/Cook County Airport Fly-in/Drive-In pancake breakfast will be Saturday, September 28th at the Grand Marais airport. Note the date was moved back one week to coincide with more fall colors, and to hopefully bring in more pilots from around the region. The annual event is sponsored by the Arrowhead Eagles Aviation Organization, a local 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization that seeks to support the local airport and provide aviation scholarships to local citizens. Join the Eagles for breakfast with blueberry pancakes and sausage links, and enjoy watching airplanes come and go, and see vintage airplanes on display. There will be discount airplane rides, weather permitting, and lots of fall colors to view from the air!

Read MoreAnnual Fly-In Breakfast at Grand Marais Airport

Public Hearing Notice for the Lake Superior North Watershed Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan Minor Amendment

September 10, 2024 – Over the past year, local partners have worked together to review and amend the Lake Superior North Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan also known as a One Watershed One Plan (1W1P). The original plan was approved by the State of Minnesota and adopted by local governmental partners in 2017.

Read MorePublic Hearing Notice for the Lake Superior North Watershed Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan Minor Amendment

Ask a Trooper

Question: Since I've moved to Minnesota, I've seen many drivers use right turn lanes as a bypass lane. Is this legal or does the sign reading 'lane must turn' mean exactly what it says? Answer: White signs are regulatory and failing to comply can result in a citation for “fail to obey traffic control sign/signal.” “Right Turn Lanes” are what they are posted for, not passing or bypassing.

Read MoreAsk a Trooper

Road Closures and Delays Update for the Tofte & Gunflint Areas During Upcoming Fall Color Season

The Superior National Forest will continue some road improvement projects and pause vegetation management work for the Tofte Spruce Budworm Risk Reduction Project work in the Tofte and Gunflint areas for the busy fall color season. Road improvement projects are needed to update the current transportation infrastructure to accommodate traffic patterns and vehicular use of these system roads into the future. Ellen Bogardus-Szymaniak, Tofte District Ranger says the ‘work impacting the area fall color high visitation areas will be paused.’

Read MoreRoad Closures and Delays Update for the Tofte & Gunflint Areas During Upcoming Fall Color Season

2023 small game survey results available from Minnesota DNR

The number of small game hunters in Minnesota in 2023 increased slightly from 2022 and was 5% below the 10-year average. Overall, 230,283 small game licenses were sold for the 2023-24 hunting seasons, compared to the 10-year average of 242,688 small game licenses. But similar to the previous year, hunters who did pursue the top small game species (waterfowl, grouse, and pheasants) had similar or slightly better success rates compared to the 10-year averages, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ small game hunter mail survey.

Read More2023 small game survey results available from Minnesota DNR