On March 26 and April 1, 1998, Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd., d/b/a United Express (Great Lakes), filed 90-day notices of intent to suspend its subsidized essential air service at Fairmont, Minnesota, effective June 24, 1998, and at Norfolk, Nebraska, and Yankton, South Dakota, effective June 30, 1998. By Order 98-5-19, May 12, 1998, the Department prohibited Great Lakes from suspending service at the communities for 30 days beyond the end of its 90-day notice period, through July 24, 1998, and requested proposals from carriers interested in providing replacement service at the three communities, and at three additional communities Great Lakes serves to Minneapolis/St. Paul—Devils Lake and Jamestown, North Dakota, and Brookings, South Dakota. We have subsequently extended Great Lakes' service obligation at Fairmont, Norfolk, and Yankton for additional 30-day periods by a series of hold-in orders; the most recent of these extended Great Lakes' obligation through December 23, 1998.