SFC Michael Ross to deploy to Afghanistan



Sergeant First Class Michael Ross of Lutsen, a member of the US Army Reserve, has been recalled to active duty and will be deploying to Afghanistan in a few weeks with the 309th Engineer Company. Ross, who is employed at Taconite Harbor Energy Center and is a Lutsen volunteer firefighter, served in the Army over 20 years ago. He attended […]

Weekly Weather



Representative David Dill checks in with Cook County



Although District 6A State Representative David Dill (D-Crane Lake) did not face a DFL challenger in the August primary election, he made several trips up the North Shore to visit with constituents. He stopped by a few days after the primary, visiting with the Cook County News-Herald on Thursday, August 5. In light of the news coverage of his health […]

Broadband projects getting closer to reality



The beginnings of a fiber optic communications network are making their way up the North Shore. The North East Service Cooperative, awarded Round 1 “stimulus funding” from the federal Rural Utilities Service (RUS), will be building 915 miles of “backbone” fiber optic cable that will connect more than 85 northeastern Minnesota communities, including towns along Highway 61 all the way […]

Biomass energy plant still planned for county seat public buildings



The Cook County Local Energy Project (CCLEP) is working hard on behalf of Cook County. Last year, CCLEP helped the City of Grand Marais apply for a grant for a biomass facility that would generate heat and electricity for public buildings in Grand Marais. The city did not get the grant, but CCLEP did not stop pursuing the idea. One […]

CBP officers arrest fugitive at Grand Portage



U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers apprehended a Kent, Washington man on Aug. 9 who was wanted for alleged robbery. Officers arrested Daniel Pierre, 27, upon his arrival to the United States at the Grant Portage port of entry when a name check revealed that he was the subject of a National Crime Information Center (NCIC) warrant in Olympia, Washington. […]

Forest Service wants to hear from public on sound study



In August 2009, Cook County Land Commissioner Mary Black informed Cook County commissioners that the US Forest Service was accepting comments on a proposed reroute of a 2½-mile snowmobile trail between McFarland and South Fowl Lakes in Hovland. The intent of that comment period was to gather “information and issues” regarding how the sound from the proposed snowmobile route would […]

County continues its support of Forest Service trail proposal



Diane Greeley of the Arrowhead Coalition for Multiple Use (ACMU) asked county commissioners Tuesday, August 17, 2010 to consider submitting a comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding the South Fowl Lake Snowmobile Access project, a trail reroute on U.S. Forest Service land outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). The45-day comment period opened Friday, August 13. […]

Birch Grove Community School earns Financial Excellence Award



Volunteers of America (VOA)- Minnesota, sponsor of the Birch Grove Community School in Tofte, announced this week that Birch Grove is one of its 2010 recipients of the “Volunteers of America Charter School Network Excellence Awards.” The awards honor Volunteers of America authorized charter schools that have demonstrated strength in the areas of educational programming, financial management and oversight, and […]

2010 Cook County Community Fund winners named



Cook County Community Fund 2010 grant recipients gathered at the Grand Marais home of Howard and Bonnie Gay Hedstrom in July to learn if their grant applications had been awarded. The gathering also gave recipients past and present, members of the community fund board, and community members an opportunity to learn more about the Cook County Community Fund. Recipients include […]