Staff photo/Brian Larsen One-hundred and ninety-six runners started out at the inaugural Ham Run Half Marathon Sunday, May 4 at the end of the Gunflint Trail. They ran13.1 miles from Gunflint Pines Resort to Way of the Wilderness Outfitters via a loop around the End of the Trail Campground. First Ham Run a big fat success! Jane Howard One hundred thirty-four runners braved a cold but sunny headwind to run the first (hopefully annual) Ham Run Half Marathon and 5K at the end of the Gunflint Trail on Sunday, May 4. The races culminated with a happy throng feasting on ham, baked beans, and cole slaw to the tunes of the Trail's End Band at Way of the Wilderness Outfitters. Race Organizer Margo Furcht heard a similar comment from numerous runners: "The volunteers at the aid stations were terrific and people seemed to appear out of the woods to cheer us on; it was very encouraging!" "Everyone was so positive and appreciative, and I can't tell you how many times I heard, 'We'll be back next year,'" said Furcht. First-place half-marathoner Dan Horihan of Thunder Bay had this to say about the race: "Unbelievably well-organized race and fantastic volunteers, especially considering it was the first annual. Great course, great people, great food and great music, too. Even the weather turned out good. I will spread the word up here about the Ham Run for next year. Thanks again for a really fun day." Participants spotted moose, deer, and even wolves crossing the racecourse. Over 90 volunteers from Cook County and beyond provided assistance, including the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department, the Boundary Waters Ham Radio Club, and Cook County Northern Pine Council Girl Scouts. Maria, a volunteer, said, "The race was so much fun. We all smiled the whole way home! It was so nice to see the whole community coming together and participating in a really nice event, whether running, walking, or volunteering." Ten men and 28 women ran the 5K (3.1 miles). First-place men's finisher was Gary Olson of Finland, MN with a time of 20:52. First-place women's finisher was Michelle Weitz of Grand Marais with a time of 23:44. Dan Horihan of Thunder Bay came in first at 1:22:03 (6:15 mile pace), winning the 30-39 men's age group as well. Deb Bennett of Grand Marais won the women's race with a time of 1:37:43 (7:27 mile pace), winning the 40-49 women's age group. Jonathan Rova of Grand Marais was the first local finisher, coming in fifth with a time of 1:29:53. Bob Spry of Grand Marais won the men's 60-69 age group with a time of 1:57:46. Sharon Dorr of Grand Marais won the women's 30-39 age group with a time of 1:46:16. Staff photo/Jane Howard U.S. Forest Service employee Travis Jones demonstrates the proper planting of a tree for the Gunflint Greenup team leaders at a briefing at the Seagull Guard Station on Friday, May 2, 2008. Gunflint Green Up Snowy then Sunny Jane Howard The Gunflint Green Up tree-planting weekend May 2-3 in the Superior National Forest at the end of the Gunflint Trail was a great success, according to Myra Theimer of the U.S. Forest Service. Saturday, May 3, the day of the tree planting, started out with lots of snow and wind but ended up mild and sunny. Theimer said the organizers of the event were concerned about the cold wind when the day started and just wanted everyone to stay safe. Four hundred and fifty to five hundred volunteers dispersed over six planting areas armed with 75,000 trees and 200 planting bars supplied by the Forest Service, along with shovels from home. "We scrounged far and wide to get that many tools," said forester Travis Jones. Staging areas were set up at Iron Lake, Round Lake, Seagull Guard Station, Seagull Landing, Chik-Wauk, and Trail's End Campground. Sixty percent of the trees planted were red pine and forty percent were white pine. In the end, about 50,000 trees made it into the ground. Gunflint District Ranger Dennis Neitzke indicated that an 80% survival rate would be excellent. The Forest Service has contractors who will plant the 25,000 trees left over. The white pine are likely to be covered with mesh to protect them from being eaten by deer. Theimer said the Forest Service is thinking about offering an "adopt-a-planting-site" program to give the volunteer tree planters the opportunity to nurture the trees they planted. The event, initiated and organized by Nancy Seaton of Hungry Jack Outfitters, truly represented private-public partnership. The U.S. Forest Service Gunflint Ranger District oversaw the tree planting, with many employees serving as crew liaisons, tree and equipment handlers, and safety patrols. At a team leader briefing attended by about 100 volunteers and Forest Service employees in a cold rain at the Seagull Guard Station on Friday, a round of applause was offered for Nancy Seaton. "It's so heartwarming that you've put together this event," said Myra Theimer. Ann Russ of Tofte wrote a poem entitled Gunflint Green Up in Five-Part Harmony (sung to the tune of Pachelbel's Canon in D), which was displayed on the gunflintgreenup.com website after the weekend: Red pine, white pine, snow on May 3rd Snow boots, rain gear, warm hats, warm hearts Now the blue sky, season's promise Plant your plug at least a half inch from the surface, then walk eight feet Someday we'll come back and find these trees, remembering community, a day of grace, our wilderness. Yes! Photo by Jim Ringquist The Cook County Tennis Association Block Party was taken inside because of bad weather-but a good time was still had by all. See more on page 2A. City/county meeting on hold Jane Howard Setting up a meeting to talk about how the city and county can work together was to be the first step in developing local intergovernmental collaboration, but even that has bumped into obstacles. A tentative meeting between the city and the county had been scheduled for May 6 at the Cook County Courthouse. The county had picked that date at its April 29 meeting after the city had proposed three possible dates for the meeting. According to County Board Secretary Janet Simonen, the city has requested a later date for the meeting. She said that City Councilor Kaye Costello suggested scheduling a meeting after the Joint Powers Recreation Board meeting at the end of May. The Joint Powers Recreation Board consists of representatives from the city, the county, and the school and works on recreation issues that affect all of them. Besides potentially working together on the building of a civic center, the city and the county are considering collaborating on a new municipal pool, which could be part of a civic center. At the April 29 county board meeting, County Commissioner Bob Fenwick made reference to the city and the county having difficulty collaborating in the past. He recommended that the first meeting between the two not be about specific projects, but rather about how to work together. Border Patrol officer no show at arraignment US Border Patrol officer Maranda Marie Weber, 27, did not appear in Cook County District court on May 7, 2008, as scheduled, following a Grand Jury decision to indict her for Careless Driving and Failure to Drive with Due Care. The indictment was related to the death of Dr. Kenneth Millard Petersen, 67, who died on October 31, 2007 when he was struck by a vehicle while clearing a downed tree off the Gunflint Trail. Weber was driving the vehicle. County Attorney Scannell acted as legal adviser to the Grand Jury, which considered three potential charges, including: (1) Felony Criminal Vehicular Homicide, (2) Misdemeanor Careless Driving, and (3) Misdemeanor Failure to Drive with Due Care. The Grand Jury found probably cause to indict Weber on the two misdemeanor counts but not on the Felony count. At press time, County Attorney Scannell issued the following statement: On May 2, 2008, defense counsel DeWayne Johnston of Grand Forks, North Dakota filed a notice of intent to remove the case to federal court. And on May 5, 2008, he filed a waiver of his client's presence in Cook County District Court and requested that the matter be set for jury trial. Defense Counsel and Border Patrol authorities had earlier assured the prosecution that Weber would appear in Cook County court. However, it is not atypical for defendants facing misdemeanors violations to waive their right to appear. The defense has unfortunately and negatively characterized the opinions of Cook County residents, the efforts of local law enforcement, and the community's ability to handle this case in a just manner. I believe that these clams are inaccurate and inappropriate. Local and state law enforcement has, throughout, handled this case with the care and attention it deserves. Local concern regarding this matter is natural given that the case involves the loss of a respected and beloved community member. Such concern does not mean, however, that the defendant cannot receive a fair trial in Cook County. There is no truth to the claim that local authorities are tainted or hostile to the defendant's rights, just as there is no truth in the claim that the defendant has received special preference in this case. Unorganized Territory by Rhonda Silence At home in Branson After wrapping up a few stories for our last week's Home Improvement issue, I headed off on a long-planned vacation to Branson, Missouri. It was a fun trip, but not the place to go for peace and quiet. After our extended family spent a few exciting days-swimming and splashing at a water park, hearing a live version of Spiders and Snakes at the Jim Stafford Show, racing go-carts and bumper boats, eating delicious southern barbecue at Mickey Gilley's restaurant and more-we felt the need to get away from the hustle and bustle. We managed to find some quieter activities on the outskirts of Branson proper. The first was the Branson Zoo, which we almost bypassed because it looked like so decrepit on the outside. After spending far too much money on other attractions, we were skeptical about the geodesic dome entrance-it looked like just another tourist trap. We had a nice lunch at the picnic tables by the parking lot and debated whether we should waste more money. Finally, we decided that our granddaughters, four-year-old RaeAnne and two-year-old Genevieve, would enjoy the zoo, even if it only had a few animals, and we paid to go inside. It was a delightful surprise. The zoo is in a rebuilding phase. It was once "Predator World," and appears to have housed primarily snakes, sharks, and alligators. However, it is being renovated and expanded and now includes a great assortment of animals-a lion, tigers both yellow and white, hyenas, wolves, a kangaroo, llama, cougars and panthers, and more. But what made it one of the most enjoyable stops was the people. All of the workers spent a great deal of time talking to us about the animals and there were numerous opportunities to interact. We touched a boa constrictor and a baby alligator and feed the llama and kangaroo, sharks and manta rays. All in all, one of the best experiences of the trip. The next day, after the quiet afternoon at the zoo, we looked for another activity away from the crowded downtown area. We looked on the map for the lake that edges Branson-Lake Taneycomo-and drove along its shoreline. We found a lovely little state park with some nice trails and a great playground for the grandkids. And we saw a sign for a Missouri Department of Natural Resources fish hatchery. Noting the "Public Welcome" sign, we stopped and had another great experience. We got to see an interesting video on fish reproduction and then toured the huge tanks where breeder fish are kept-and where the hatchlings are raised. And, we got to feed tiny pellets to the little fish. RaeAnne and Genevieve were delighted when the hungry fish jumped and splashed for their treats. The fish hatchery was not only free; it was one of the most entertaining parts of the trip. On the last day, we found another free activity that was a combination of glitz and greenery. Branson has constructed a beautiful waterfront walkway along the Taneycomo. As Chuck browsed the Bass Pro Outdoor Store, the rest of us strolled along the lake walk, listening to blues and country music from the bars and restaurants across the street. The granddaughters waved at fishermen on the lake and a jet ski that whizzed by. We eventually came to a large fountain with multiple columns of water jumping about. We sat to rest on a bench and were surprised when the music changed and the fountain columns rose higher. We noticed that the music was the National Anthem and we stood along with the rest of the crowd that had gathered. As the music soared, the water went higher and circled, and then, from several large pillars in the middle of the fountain, fire shot into the air! It was an impressive display and we learned that the fountain performance took place once an hour, with different songs each time. It was a delightful find on our last evening in Branson. Overall we had a great time. It was interesting to visit another town with a tourism-driven economy, albeit on a much grander scale. It was also interesting to find that the things we enjoyed the most were not the biggest tourism draws, but were simple family activities-kind of like the things we enjoy closer to home. The impulse to travel is one of the hopeful symptoms of life. Agnes Repplier