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HowieHanson.com Winter Prep Athletes of the Year:
Boys Hockey – Tate Swanson, Hibbing-Chisholm junior forward. A rising talent, a left-handed Corey Millen comparable.
Girls Hockey – Mercury Bischoff, Grand Rapids/Greenway senior forward. Headed to Minnesota State.
Boys Basketball – Brooks Johnson, Duluth Marshall senior forward. Committed to the Bulldogs.
Girls Basketball – Chloe Johnson, Duluth Marshall freshman guard. Already one of Minnesota's all-time prep greats, and eventually the state's finest-ever player.
TODAY'S EVENTS
Section 7A Boys Hockey Championship
No. 1 Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (20-7-0) vs. No. 3 Hibbing-Chisholm (18-9-0), Amsoil Arena. Game Note: The Lumberjacks defeated the Bluejackets split a home-and-home series during the regular season, with CEC winning 8-5 at Hibbing Memorial Arena on Nov. 26 and Hibbing posting a 5-2 victory Feb. 11 in the Wood City. Players to Watch: CEC senior forwards Niko Gentilini, Grady Knutson and Bobby Thornton; Hibbing junior forward Tate Swanson and sophomore defenseman Jackson Strukel.
Section 7AAAA Girls Basketball Quarterfinal
No. 7 Duluth East (13-13) at No. 2 Centennial (6-20)
Section 7AAA Girls Basketball Quarterfinals
No. 8 Hibbing (2-24) at No. 1 Rock Ridge (21-5)
No. 5 Grand Rapids (3-23) at No. 4 Cloquet (9-17)
No. 7 Duluth Denfeld (5-21) at No. 2 Hermantown (16-8)
No. 6 Chisago Lakes (3-23) at No. 3 North Branch (15-11)
St. Louis County Board approves new floodplain ordinance
The St. Louis County Board approved a new floodplain ordinance during its meeting Tuesday. The new ordinance – officially known as Floodplain Ordinance 69 – is the result of a lengthy process and follows the recommendation of the St. Louis County Planning Commission.
It was necessary to ensure the county's floodplain management measures are in compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations. NFIP compliance is needed in order for the county to be able to issue permits within a flood plain, and for property owners in the county to be able to be eligible for flood insurance.
The purpose of the ordinance is to regulate development in the flood hazard areas of St. Louis County. It identifies when permits are required, ensures that new development does not cause increased flooding elsewhere, and contains standards to ensure that new buildings will be protected from base flood.
Last fall, FEMA updated the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) in St. Louis County. These FIRMs are adopted as part of Ordinance 69. These FIRMs are now digital and can be viewed on FEMA’s website (Flood Map Changes Viewer).
One of the most notable parts of the new ordinance relate to Lake Vermilion. A statistical analysis of the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) of Lake Vermilion was completed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in December of 2024. It resulted in the BFE being reduced by 1.5 feet. This will directly benefit Lake Vermilion property owners’ structure specific flood zone designations.
Additionally, an accessory structure that is considered minimal investment was increased to 576 square feet in the new ordinance. Previously an accessory structure that is considered minimal investment was limited to 500 square feet. These structures may be utilized for parking or storage and allow Wet Floodproofing.
The full Floodplain Ordinance 69 can be found online at stlouiscountymn.gov/pz. (Direct link is Floodplain Ordinance 69.pdf) The County's previous flood plain ordinance was more than 30 years old, with most recent updates made in 2002.
