In the immortal words of the great Vince Lombardi… “What the hell’s going on around here?”
OMG! Give us a freakin’ break already! First, we had a winter for the ages, highlighted by a two day storm that broke all the records. Then we had a late-arriving summer, with the usual frosty May. Or was that still spring? Who knows anymore? And that was followed by a bring-a-jacket June. Meh.
Then, earlier this week, we were reminded of the kind of extremes we can experience around here… the stuff our media meteorologists live for. While it can snow in July, and it has, it can also hit triple digits… and it did. That’ll get your attention. The weather folks love it when they’re the lead story.
Though you’d never confuse that snowstorm with the recent heatwave, there were a couple of markers common to each of those events.
Remind Anyone of the Pandemic?
Both were predicted well in advance, so at least you could prepare, and both shut a lot of things down. You could leave your house, but the options were limited. It was very pandemic-like, just not as sustained.
So, that’s what I had, ready to go, for this morning’s post. The two hotter-than-hell days were all anyone was talking about. True words on the street. And I was able to cleverly (my word) link them to the Blizzard of ’26. Print it.
Not So Fast, My Friend
Then, just when I thought it was Miller Time, apocalypse Number Three arrived. Wildfire smoke filled the air, and just like that, businesses closed, events were canceled, those disgusting masks made an unfortunate reappearance, and I had more work to do.
Did you look at the graphic above? Marquette’s Air Quality Index was literally off the chart. Literally.
I guess there’s no good time for such a consequential episode, but holy smokes… why now? Chicago at the Lake Superior Theatre, the Wednesday night Farmers Market, Music on Third, and plenty more… canceled or postponed. I understand the theatre is adding a show to accommodate tickets already sold, but Music on Third is just too big to reschedule. The worst part is, there’s no one we can blame.
Counting on predicted air quality improvement, the Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival is still a go. Smoke? What smoke?
The only way this could get any worse would be if there was an outbreak of a parasite that causes explosive diarrhea. Can you imagine?
There’s More?
On the heels of Barrel + Beam announcing their closure a couple weeks ago, the Drifa Brewing Company has followed suit with their own news of a shut down.
At their membership meeting Tuesday night, attendees were informed of the plan to cease the cooperative brewery’s operations at the end of the summer season. It seems their building’s owner isn’t going to renew their lease, scheduled to expire next spring.
Rather than stay open until then, and struggle through the less prosperous winter months, the decision was made to keep the pour going at least while the sun still shines.
Could they continue operating in a new location? Setting up shop somewhere else and starting over is a big ask… apparently too big for the co-op’s management team and membership. I get it. They started something new and made it work for as long as they could. It’s unfortunate considering the stakes they’ve put down on South Lake Street with no assurance of future occupancy.
Though they’ve had their share of challenges, they appeared to be settling in nicely. Credit the effort, and blame circumstances beyond their control.
What Am I Missing?
Geez… the pot shops on the corner closed, the Courtyards closed, and now Drifa. With a lot of condos, apartments, and hotel rooms in the neighborhood, and more on the way, you’d think South Marquette could keep a beer hall open. I know bar ownership isn’t what it used to be, but… any takers?
Okay, that’s enough for now, but it’s still early. It’s possible the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have only begun to ride. Keep your doors and windows closed and your head on a swivel.