New Transportation commissioner welcomed Praise from all transportation sectors followed Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s appointment of Tom Sorel as commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) in April.

Duluth Seaway Port Authority Executive Director Adolph Ojard looks forward to working with the new commissioner and his leadership team. “There are a lot of quality people on staff in this transportation department who are interested in helping us — helping all Minnesota ports — succeed by doing whatever they can to facilitate water-rail-road safety and efficiency,” Mr. Ojard said.

Most recently, Mr. Sorel headed the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Minnesota Division Office in St. Paul. He held several leadership positions with FHWA since 1978, including stewardship/ oversight group and major projects team leader at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Mr. Sorel was the U.S. DOT intermodal liaison for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and, last summer, led federal response and recovery efforts in Minnesota in the aftermath of the I-35W bridge collapse, for which he was awarded a Presidential Honor.

On June 26, Commander Michael P. Lebsack relieved Commander Gary T. Croot as commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Duluth during a formal change of command ceremony at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.

CDR Gary T. Croot (left) moves to Washington as CDR Michael P. Lebsack takes command.

Commander Croot was recognized for superior leadership and service during his term as CO from June 2005 to June 2008. Presiding over the ceremony, Captain Mark Huebschman, CO of Sector Sault St. Marie, Mich., noted that CDR Lebsack is assuming command of a highly successful and well-trained unit. “Under Commander Croot’s leadership, MSU Duluth has exceeded all expectations for safety, mission execution, mission effectiveness, and community cooperation. Commander Lebsack will certainly continue the unit’s legacy of outstanding service and further strengthen ties with all Port partners.”

Commander Croot has transferred to Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he serves as chief of the Environmental Standards Division.

Fisherman saves five from fire

Readers of this magazine might recall a story in our Summer 2007 issue about commercial fisherman Mark Howard, who owns and operates Howard Fish House in Duluth. That same Mr. Howard made headlines recently for his bravery in saving five people from an early-morning fire on July 13 in the West End area of Duluth. Showing astonishing disregard for his personal wellbeing, Mr. Howard entered a burning building and pulled and/or led all five residents to safety.

“It was very heroic — we would have had some victims if he had not been there,” Duluth Fire Department Assistant Chief Mitch Peterson told the Duluth News Tribune.

Book now, sail later

Regular cruise-ship service between Duluth and Toronto is in store for 2009 as the cruise company Travel Dynamics International prepares its designated Great Lakes cruiser, the Clelia II, and fine tunes her schedule of 14 seven-day, one-way voyages. For information or reservations: www.TravelDynamicsInternational.com (800) 257-5767

It’s all about transportation

Teachers and students participating in MnDot’s Transportation Academy spent part of their summer workshop becoming familiar with operations in Duluth-Superior. After a harbor tour aboard the Vista Star, the participants visited the Port Authority to learn more about wind-energy cargo.

It’s a stretch

A group of 20 educators participating in the CREED (Communities for Responsible Energy/Environment Demonstration) project spent July 7 in the Duluth area touring Minnesota Power’s Thomson Hydroelectric Power Generating Station and the Port’s Clure Public Marine Terminal. Participants were thrilled to get a birds-eye view of hundreds of wind turbine components being stored onsite while awaiting delivery to U.S. and Canadian wind farms. They also posed for the near-obligatory picture with a wind-turbine blade. This was just one hands-on component in CREED’S two-week intensive course on the issues of energy, environment and economic development. For more information, visit www.creedproject.org.

Duluth middle-schooler wins first Capt. Ray Skelton River Quest essay contest

Congratulations to Lauren Johnson, a student at Ordean Middle School in Duluth, for winning the first Captain Ray Skelton River Quest essay contest.

Her winning essay was chosen from 25 entries submitted by students from some of the schools that had participated in the River Quest educational cruises aboard the Vista Star harbor excursion vessel on May 14-16 (See the spring 2008 edition of this magazine.)

Lauren Johnson is all smiles after accepting her award for winning this year’s essay contest from River Quest committee members Dick Langlee (left) and Tim Velner.

The Duluth Seaway Port Authority is the lead sponsor of River Quest, a program created in 1993 to increase students’ awareness of environmental stewardship while helping them understand industrial, commercial and recreational activities in the St. Louis River basin. The essay contest was named in memory of one of the program’s founders, longtime Port employee and maritime legend, Ray Skelton.

Ray joined the Port Authority in 1990 as director of environmental and government affairs. He also managed the Port’s foreign trade zone and, after 9/11, was appointed Port security director. He died in 2006.

In his memory — and in tribute to his passion for seafaring — his family and friends have established a scholarship in his memory at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy. The Great Lakes Maritime Academy, a division of Northwestern Michigan College and a partner of Ferris State University, prepares men and women to serve as business professionals and as merchant marine officers aboard Great Lakes and ocean ships. Visit: www.nmc.edu/maritime

See Lauren’s winning essay at: www.duluthport.com/rqfs.html