George Edward Sippel, 94, of Austin, Minnesota died Friday, March 25, 2011 at the Austin Medical Center. George was born July 15, 1916 to Joseph and Mary (Kolodgy) Sippel in Donnelly, Minnesota and raised in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He graduated from Albert Lea High School. George was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII. On June 10, 1937 he married M. […]
Robert Lee Frost II,
Robert Lee Frost II, October 25, 1952-March 26, 2011 Bob Frost lost his battle with cancer on March 26, 2011. Bob was born in Bethesda, Maryland on October 25, 1952 to William Prescott and Phyllis Gordon Frost. He was raised in Washington, D.C., Eugene, Oregon, and Panama City Beach, Florida. Deeply troubled by the violence and resistance to desegregation that […]
Historical Reflections
A reader has responded to our question of “Who are these folks?” in the March 19 Historical Reflection, which featured a family group at a Grand Marais Lions Club Trout Derby circa 1965. Yvonne Tofte Sabyan of Duluth recognized the group (L-R) as Albert Malner, Cindy Malner, Yvonne Tofte Sabyan (seated), an unknown child behind her, Roger Malner, Shorty Hahn, […]
Grand Marais water and sewer department showing healthy statistics
The amount of water that was “unaccounted for” after leaving the Grand Marais water plant in 2010 was 34½ percent, Water/ Wastewater Superintendent Tom Nelson told the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on February 16. That might sound like a lot, but it’s much lower than the 65% it used to be. Letting the clean water filter back into Lake Superior […]
Spending a penny to save a penny
When does a customer rebate save a business money? When the business is the consortium of 18 public utility commissions in Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) and the rebates reduce electrical usage and prevent a need to build a bigger power plant. Energy Service Representative Keith Butcher met with the Grand Marais Public Utilities Commission (PUC) March 23 and […]
Need to upgrade your sewage treatment system?
Loan funding is available for a limited time in 2011 on a first-come-first-serve basis for upgrades to existing systems. Landowners are encouraged to call Cindy Gentz in the Soil and Water office at (218) 387-3648. These funds come from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture in an effort to reduce bacteria pollution. The program is called the Agriculture Best Management Practices […]
Tofte board ponders possibilities and plans for summer and beyond
The ground outside was icy on the evening of March 10. People were straggling in to the monthly Tofte town board meeting. While they waited for everyone to get there, Clerk Barb Gervais said that she would need “two strong gentlemen” to carry in the township’s new copy machine from her car. Gervais explained that she had gotten it into […]
Down Memory Lane
10 Years Ago · April 2, 2001 At last, Cook County has edged over the magic population number of 5,000. The newly released 2000 U.S. Census figures for the county came in at 5,168. That’s a gain of 1,300 over the 1990 count, or a whopping 34 percent. Only one area of the county was down in population. The significance […]
Lutsen fire hall planning continues
Citizens at the Lutsen Township Annual Meeting unanimously supported the idea of an expansion and remodel of the town hall and fire hall. At the next regular meeting, on March 15, firefighter Larry McNealy asked, “Where do we go from here?” At the annual meeting on March 8, citizens were able to consider a preliminary sketch of the proposal. Questions […]
Vacations and fitness
Vacations and fitness are the buzz at the Senior Center this month. My assistant Kristen has been on vacation all month traveling and relaxing in Tennessee. She comes back and I leave for a vacation to Laughlin, NV. I will be traveling with my husband, two daughters and Bill and Susan Shaffer. I usually take my vacations in April to […]