Ready, Set, Ship

The first lakers of the season will head out of the Twin Ports this weekend to open the 2010 shipping season on the Great Lakes.  The Army Corps of Engineers decided to open the Soo Locks a few days early this year since most of the ice has already disappeared due to the recent warm temperatures.  Adele Yorde, from the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, was among today's guests on the "Dave and Dave Show".  She says the "James R. Barker" is loading coal at the Midwest Energy Terminal in Superior and will head out early Saturday morning.   Ships will have to use the Superior entry until the end of the month since the Aerial Lift Bridge remains in the "down" position for a painting project.  Everyone is hoping for a big improvement from the 2009 shipping season which was one of the worst in recent memory.

Filming will take place for the "Google-Fest" movie around the Twin Ports over the next couple of days.  The producers are looking for thousands of "extras" for a crowd shot at the DECC on Saturday.  There will also be live music and lots of activities for the whole family at the event in the Lake Superior Ballroom between 2 and 6 p-m.  There will be free parking at the DECC for the event.  Get out and show your support for getting Google to chose the Twin Ports as one of the test cities for that proposed high speed fiber broadband network.  Go to www.googletwinports.com for all the details.