The Northland's week in review (Feb. 5-12, 2010)

Friday through Sunday, Feb. 5-7

• Ellen Pence, who helped found the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project in Duluth and who is credited with creating the Duluth Model of intervention in domestic violence intervention cases, was honored at City Hall Friday.

• At least three people are dead in Boulder, Colo., after a plane towing a glider collided with a Cirrus SR20 Saturday afternoon. Officials are investigating the cause of the accident.

• After wins on Saturday, both the UMD men's and women's hockey teams are in a race for first place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

• The New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in Miami Sunday to claim their first Super Bowl trophy. With 106.5 million viewers, it was the most-watched television event in U.S. history -- the first show to top the record-setting finale of "M*A*S*H" back in '83 (which had 106 million viewers).

• Long-time Twin Ports hockey advocate Dick Stewart was honored Sunday at the Duluth Heritage Sports Center.

• A Superior murder hit the national airwaves Friday night on the Investigation Discovery channel series "Main Street Mysteries." Lynnea Gran was beaten to death at Les's Grocery in Billings Park in 1986. Although her son, Rodger Gran (then 17), was a suspect from the start, it took nearly 20 years to gain a conviction for second-degree murder in connection with her death.

• More than 50 Qwest directory assistance operators lost their jobs Friday. The company is closing its call center in Duluth.

Monday, Feb. 8

• According to MinnesotaGasPrices.com, average retail gasoline prices in Minnesota rose 2.7 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.61/g Monday morning. Prices today are 67.9 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 11.8 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 6.0 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 76.1 cents per gallon higher than this day a year ago.

• Ely's North American Bear Center's Web site got more than 3 million visitors to its Web site in January after Lily gave birth to her cub, compared to a total of 467,000 page views for the previous year. Cub Foods is sponsoring a "Name Lily's Cub" contest starting Feb. 21.

• Allete announced Monday the retirement of CEO Don Shippar effective April 30. The board of directors has chosen company President Alan R. Hodnik to replace him. Minnesota Power is part of the Allete Company.

• The city of Duluth announced that tourism tax revenue for December was up 6.9 percent over December 2008. Tourism tax revenues were still down 2.9 percent compared to 2008 (not counting the new tax approved for the financing of the DECC expansion, which was effective July 1, 2008).

• A rice vendor in Haiti was rescued by friends on Monday, allegedly after being trapped under the rubble of a flea market for 27 days with little more than water and possibly fruit. He was in critical condition. Haiti's government has raised the estimate death toll from the earthquake to 230,000.

Tuesday, Feb. 9

• Duluth got more than five inches of snow Monday night and Tuesday morning. Two Harbors got approximately 10 inches.

• Two meetings Tuesday gave Duluth residents a chance to learn about and weigh in on specific parts of Duluth's proposed new zoning code, such as landscaping, signage and parking.

• Members of the Minnesota Senate voted 52-14 to pass a $1 billion construction projects package, despite threats from Gov. Tim Pawlenty to veto the entire bill. Pawlenty has a $685 million proposal.

• The Duluth Police Department issued an advisory telling people to be careful after two recent incidents involving men who reportedly tried to grab women.

• The St. Louis County Commissioners voted 7-0 to sell two parcels of county (tax-forfeited) forest land to the Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa. The decision reversed the board's previously stated opposition to selling to the tribe if the land is taken off county tax rolls and placed in federal trust.

• A student-led group presented the Duluth School Board with a range of ideas about what to name the schools and their mascots when the district goes from three high schools to two. The students asked the district to start making the transition decisions this spring, and to make sure students know what is going to happen.

Wednesday, Feb. 10

• The Northland is one of two finalists for an international wind energy company's expansion in the United States. If the area is chosen, plants making massive wind turbine systems could be built in Duluth, Superior and on the Iron Range by 2011, Rob West, CEO of the Area Partnership for Economic Expansion told the Duluth News Tribune.

• Delta Air Lines announced additional service to Duluth International Airport beginning April 6, 2010. Delta is adding two mainline DC-9 roundtrips between Duluth and Minneapolis increasing the total number of roundtrips between the two cities from 5 to 7 each day.

Thursday, Feb. 11

• Esko senior Raleigh Goessling won the Minnesota high school boys Nordic ski title Thursday afternoon at Giants Ridge.

• As of press time, 18-year-old Sylvester McCurry still had not been found. The East High School senior has been missing since Jan. 17. A "March for Sly" has been planned for 8 p.m. Sunday night in front of Superior's Stargate Nightclub, where he was last seen. There is a fund at US Bank set up to help McCurry's mother, Tammy Carter, continue to search for her son.

Want to know more about any of these stories? Look under the News tab at DuluthNewsTribune.com.
This weekend

• Minnesotans age 16 or older can try ice fishing without purchasing an angling license if they take a child younger than 16 fishing during the Take-A-Kid-Fishing weekend Saturday through Monday, Feb. 13-15.

• See "Sinatra Live," as performed by the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the DECC Auditorium. Singer Steve Lippia is simply fabulous singing hits by Ol' Blue Eyes. Purchase tickets at the door or by calling 623-3776 (ask about taking the bus there, too).

• The Lake Superior Ragtime Society will present the free "Frigid Frolics" concert at 1:30 p.m. at First Covenant Church, 2101 W. Second St. Call (715) 394-4319.

• Snowlympics starts Saturday, Feb. 13, in Duluth with an opening ceremony from 2 to 5 p.m. at Bayfront Festival Park. Snowlympic parade at 3 p.m. Lighting of the torch and skating performances by Kjerstyn Hall, Allison Hall, and Annika Hall.

• The Winter Olympics opened Friday, and the men's curling competition starts Tuesday.

More events in the Community Calendar, see link.