The town of Grand Marais continues its quest to find the culprit who removed a fivefoot tall seagull from a billboard on I-35 near Pine City. A reward is now being offered for the return of the bird—or for the best explanation of its disappearance. If you can come up with an epic Paul Bunyan-style tale, you could win […]
Catchin’ a musical wave!
Staff photos/Rhonda Silence Rockin’ in the Rec. Park! WTIP Community Radio hosted the second Radio Waves Musical Festival at the Grand Marais Rec. Park on Saturday, September 12. Above: Tiny Aurora Galligher, 1-year-old, was perhaps one of the tiniest—and happiest—attendees of the WTIP Radio Waves Concert. Below Right: Kit Robertsonand Bill Dahl of Grand Portage enjoy a dance while "Cook […]
No cost of living increases in county budget
After several weeks of budget negotiations with various departments, the county board has approved a preliminary budget with a levy of $6,035,189 for 2010. This represents an increase of $411, 560, or 7.32%, over the 2009 levy. The Minnesota Department of Revenue will review the request, which includes $356,575 in special levies. The proposed budget calls for using up $286,683 […]
Arrowhead Trail bridge under scrutiny
The county board voted Tuesday, September 15, 2009 to pay Erickson Engineering Company of Bloomington up to $3,300 to inspect the Pine River bridge (between McFarland and Little John lakes) at the end of the Arrowhead Trail in Hovland. According to County Engineer Shae Kosmalski, a certified bridge inspector herself, the bridge is in “below average condition,” and she thinks […]
Lightning fires common in northern forests
Lightning strike fires are more common than Northland residents may think. This burned white pine was discovered by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forester Bob Maki when he was making a visit to a timber sale near Thompson Lake in Grand Marais. Maki knew from his visit log that the lightning strike had occurred sometime between September 9 and […]
Weekly Weather
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U.S. Border Patrol arrests suspected smuggler at Grand Portage
U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a suspected smuggler on Wednesday, Sept. 9, after agents from the Grand Marais Station, Grand Forks Sector, were contacted by the Grand Portage Pigeon River Port of Entry concerning several suspicious persons exiting a vehicle near the Grand Portage State Park. The agents responded to the area and encountered the vehicle. The driver of the […]
Debbie Neitzke “paddles away”
This month the North Shore Dragon Boat Festival is saying goodbye and thank you to a woman some people call “the Queen of the Dragons” – Debbie Neitzke. Neitzke has served for five years as the Dragon Boat Festival’s director. Organizers say her enthusiastic spirit, friendly sincerity and community investment have played a central role helping shape the event’s success. […]
Lots happening at Birch Grove Community Center
At the Thursday, September 10 meeting of the Tofte town board, Supervisor D.C. Olsen reported, “There’s a lot going on at Birch Grove.” The Birch Grove Community School has 40 K-5 students and 12 preschoolers, and the new pellet boiler is ready to go when the weather turns cold. The community room at Birch Grove Community Center will be getting […]
County helps EDA make it to the end of the year
The Cook County – Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) has facilitated improvements and energy efficiency upgrades to 14 homes, with eight more in the works, as well as upgrades to Superior National at Lutsen golf course, but it continues to face crippling legal expenses and debt related to Cedar Grove Business Park. EDA Director Matt Geretschlaeger met with the […]