Catching up

I'm sure most folks know all this, but in case you missed any, here's the Cliffs Notes version: The effort to place an NAHL team in Wenatchee cratered when a lease agreement couldn't be reached. Owatonna is moving to Brownstown, MI, a Detroit suburb. A local group is trying to place a new team in Owatonna, or perhaps relocate the Fargo-Moorhead Jets. Albert Lea is close to getting an NAHL franchise, owned by Barry Soskins. Alpena head coach Kenny Miller was close to being the coach in Albert Lea, but instead accepted an offer from Marquette. San Angelo is still looking for a team, as all previous attempts stalled out. There appears to be a new effort based with a group from Minnesota. St. Louis Bandits head coach Jon Cooper is reported to be headed to Green Bay to fill that vacancy. Rob Proffitt has stepped down as head coach in Fairbanks. He will remain as GM. Assistant coach Josh Hauge is stepping up to fill Proffitt's slot. Jean-Paul Parise is the new head coach in Des Moines. The USHL failed to convince the owner of the IHL franchise in Muskegon to switch leagues. Fargo's new arena was vandalized. I've not seen any estimate of how much this sets back construction, but damage was estimated at $500k. Indiana signed a two-year lease with their arena. The latest rumor on the state of the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets has them moving to The Ice Zone in Boardman for a year until the Youngtown Steelhounds' lease expires, whereby they'd relocate there. The Mahoning Valley Phantoms would of course be displaced by such a move, and would move to Cleveland (actually, Gilmour). There may have already been a USHL decision on this, but I have yet to hear it. Despite the international financial crisis, Helena Bighorns owner Oren Koules is close to completing his deal to purchase the Tampa Bay Lightning. I'm probably forgetting something. I know I left out most US news below Tier II, and all Canadian news, but hey, I've been on vacation...