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Operation Taconite, Engage!: The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie has launched its Operation Taconite, one of two Great Lakes ice-breaking task groups for the USCG. The other is Coal Shovel out of Sector Detroit. One of the Lake Superior-assigned cutters, USCG Biscayne Bay, is seen here in an earlier mission. According to the USCG, “Operation Taconite is the largest of these operations and is the largest domestic ice-breaking operation in the U.S. Shipping offers the only effective means of transporting the vast amounts of iron ore from the mines at the Head of the Lakes needed to meet the demands of steel mills in Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. Operation Taconite is primarily responsible for ensuring the successful transport of this cargo amid the harsh winter conditions of the northern Great Lakes.” The Sault News posted the USCG news release: “Tuesday, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Biscayne Bay was assigned to manage the ice-breaking needs of western Lake Superior, specifically the twin ports of Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay joined the operation, initially to work the ice in southern Green Bay before making their way to the St. Marys River. As ice coverage expands, U.S. Coast Guard officials will assign additional assets.”
Another Devasting Fire: Two landmark buildings on Superior’s north end waterfront were destroyed by fire Thursday morning, according to a report in BusinessNorth. Firefighters were called to The Superior Warehouse Co. building (formerly Sivertson Fisheries) at 1507 N. First St. at 5:50 a.m. to find flames on the exterior of the large four-story, brick-and-timber structure. The building has been up for sale for nearly $800,000. For safety reasons, a decision was made not to fight the fire from the interior. The blaze quickly spread to a building at 1515 N. First St. that housed Bayside Warehouse and Twohy Mercantile Building. Both structures had been constructed in the late 1800s and were total losses, according to the Superior Fire Department. “I can report that no one was injured or killed in these fires. Crews will remain on scene throughout the day to manage the smoldering buildings,” Fire Chief Scott Gordon said in a news release. Thirteen off-duty members were called in at 6:10 a.m. to protect the city should another fire arise. This early morning photo of the fire, taken by Kate Ferguson from Duluth, illustrates how the burning buildings are
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