The Northland's week in review (June 13 - 19)

Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14

• On Saturday, Silver Bay held its second attempt to set the world record for longest ATV parade. With an unofficial total of 1,632 ATVs, organizers believe they have done it; verification from Guinness is expected to take a couple weeks.

• The Minnesota National Guard hosted deployment ceremonies for 180 soldiers from the Duluth-based 114th Transportation Company Sunday at the DECC. They will leave for training for a one-year deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, providing theatre convoy security and ground transport of mission essential supplies to Coalition Forces throughout Afghanistan.

Monday, June 15

• Mayor Ness released results of a survey the city did on major issues surrounding the city, including his approval ratings and those of the City Council.

• Brainerd resident Jammie Thomas-Rasset's retrial in the music downloading case originally tried in Duluth began in Minneapolis.

• The first H1N1 flu fatality was reported in the state. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, a Twin Cities child who had underlying medical conditions was briefly hospitalized and died late last week from the virus.

• The Duluth City Council approved a number of items at its Monday night meeting, including a $3.20 sewer surcharge that will help homeowners with the cost of replacing faulty or aging lateral sewer lines, a new midnight curfew for 16- and 17-year old teens (to take effect next month) and a plan to create 111 parking spots on wetlands near the Kohl's store. Also Monday, the Council totally banned skateboarding in Canal Park and did not pass a proposed resolution to have the community vote on the Duluth school district's Red Plan or one that would have required private property owners to mow their lawns.

• Karen Diver, chairwoman of the Fond du Lac Reservation business committee, asked the St. Louis County Board members to drop opposition to tribe land purchases that would reacquire land on its reservation. Unofficially, the board has opposed land sales to the tribe because it does not pay property taxes on trust land.

Tuesday, June 16

• Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced his unallotment plans, letting health and human services, local governments, higher education and other state organizations know exactly how much less money they'll be getting next year. See Page 23 for more.

• Duluth School Board members approved 31 layoffs and 34 terminations of positions Tuesday, mostly in response to a $4.5 million budget deficit.

• School district and Red Plan foes were in court again Wednesday at a hearing to consider a motion for a temporary injunction of the district's long-range facilities plan. Judge Hylden of the Sixth District Court set an Oct. 15 date for the trial. He has set June 30 as the date by which the five plaintiffs must present a secured bond for the case to proceed. The judge has yet to rule whether he will issue the temporary injunction.

• Midwest Energy shipped its 400 millionth ton of coal. The Superior terminal moves more coal than all the other docks on the Great Lakes combined.

Wednesday, June 17

• The Duluth News Tribune reported that the Grandma's Marathon defending champion, Lamech Mokono of Kenya, won't race this year because he is having visa difficulties.

• The cab drivers beaten and robbed last week received $50 in the mail along with a note pleading for peace.

• A pipe failure caused a sewage release of approximately 28,000 gallons near the Railroad Street Pump Station in the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District's (WLSSD) collection system early Wednesday morning. All of the spilled material was recovered and treated.

• Nine-year-old Teddy Forsythe was located unharmed but wet about 12 hours after he left home after an argument with his parents about cleaning his room and got lost in the woods. The Thomson Township boy found his way to a rural residence at about 7 a.m. and was returned to his parents.

Thursday, June 18

• The federal jury found Jammie Thomas-Rasset liable for $1,920,000 for downloading 24 songs illegally. A Duluth jury in 2007 had found Thomas-Rasset liable for $222,000 in damages for willfully committing copyright infringement, but U.S. District Judge Michael Davis granted her a retrial in September.

Coming this weekend

• Grandma's Marathon. Find a complete schedule at GrandmasMarathon.com.

• The Chmielewski Funtime 31st annual International Polka Fest will be in full swing this weekend at the Lost Isle Ballroom and Big Top in Carlton, Minn. For information, call Lost Isle at 384-4755. A three-day pass (Friday through Sunday) costs $30. Saturday admission is $15, Friday or Sunday costs $12.