May 5—SUPERIOR — The stories I'm going to highlight in this section of the newsletter focus on resources for people in the community who are struggling with mental health challenges or addiction, or people who know someone who is.

It's a coincidence that reporters Shelley Nelson and Maria Lockwood had these stories in this week's editions, but I think it's worth pointing them out to spread awareness.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness Lake Superior South Shore chapter

is working to open a peer crisis respite home

in the fall. The organization has also partnered with several local organizations to host activities for Mental Health Awareness Month, which is May.

Some of the events listed in this story

happened earlier this week, but there are still a few opportunities you can check out if you're interested.

Pathways to Hope is a program that helps people who are looking to overcome addiction. On Tuesday, May 2, the Superior City Council approved a marketing campaign for the program, which will be reimbursed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Shelley's story includes more information on the program.

Here's what else we've been working on this week:

An after school program at Superior Middle School

teaches students how to make crockpot meals,

and the best part is the kids get to take the meals home and cook them for their families.

Today is the first Youth Page focusing on students from Solon Springs School! Thanks to Mertz Rookey Insurance Agency for sponsoring the page. Here are the submissions featured:

*

Solon Springs art is for the bees

*

Tech ed projects meld art, function in Solon Springs

*

Solon Springs students study nature

The late Bill Strum helped put American curling on the map, and for his efforts,

the Superior man was inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame.

It was cool to learn how Strum was part of three world championship and five national championship curling teams. Talk about a resume!

* Superior's efforts to create a city-owned fiber-optic network are progressing,

as providers for the network have been identified.

* Officials have started to

assess winter damage to the Douglas County Forest.

*

The Tiger softball team swept Spooner

on Tuesday, May 2, with pitcher Ellie Peterson throwing a three-hit complete-game shutout.

* Speaking of lights-out pitching performances, the

Spartans' Haley Zembo

notched her second and third no-hitters of the season this week over Grantsburg and Cloquet, respectively.

Editor's note: Dispatches from Douglas County is a newsletter I publish every Friday morning. Please consider subscribing — it's free — and hits your inbox just once a week.

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