From oil fields to forest floors – Gary Atwood’s circuitous journey



How does one go from conducting applied research in the “dirty, nasty, stinky business” of oil in Tulsa, Oklahoma to championing clean, renewable energy in the form of biomass in Cook County, Minnesota? Gary Atwood’s career has taken him around a few bends, and it is a journey with a theme that has taken him to his current position with […]

Request for Tech Squad participants



Cook County Higher Education has received a Tech Squad project grant from Northland Foundation. The goal is to create a thriving Tech Squad industry in the community, and you can be a part of making that a reality. Working with the local Radio Shack, CCHE will be providing high school students with training, after-school and summer activities, and entrepreneurial experience […]

Girl Scouts to head to Savannah



The journey of all journeys is coming and Cook County Girl Scouts are working on the means to go home to the birthplace of Girl Scouts — Savannah, Georgia. 2012 is a celebration of 100 years for Girl Scout founder, Juliette Gordon Low and 10 decades of changes and growth as our world evolves. Scouting strives to develop the leadership […]

Send ‘em outside!



Remember the long, luxurious summer days of your childhood? We met friends outside, played endless hours of games, felt the joy and satisfaction of being able to explore the back yard and beyond. Our kids’ world is more scheduled these days, but we can still provide those timeless summer adventures we so fondly remember. You may have heard of the […]

Celebrate the Big Lake July 17



The world’s largest freshwater lake has its own day! Lake Superior Day is Sunday, July 17. What can you do to symbolize your own connection to the lake that day? Lake Superior Day was started in the early 1990s to highlight the importance of this great water body to the basin’s environment and economy. The Lake Superior Binational Forum promotes […]

Community Calendar



Cook County AA Meetings Mondays: Open Meeting, 7:30 PM, Grand Marais Senior Center (1st Monday of the month is desserts and coffee at 7 PM and speaker at 7:30 PM.) Tuesdays: Big Book Study Group, Open Meeting, 6:00 PM, First Congregational Church in Grand Marais. Wednesdays: 12 Step Study Meeting, 6:30 PM, Arrowhead Electric Co-op building, Lutsen. Wednesdays: at Trinity […]

West End Calendar



Tofte Town Meeting Held the 2nd Thursday of each month, 7:00 p.m. at the Tofte Town Hall, 7240 Tofte Park Road. 3/12tfn Lutsen Township Monthly Meetings Held the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Lutsen Town Hall located at 116 Caribou Trail. 4 17tfn Schroeder Town Meetings Held the second Tuesday of the month at 7:00 […]

Grand Marais Playhouse offers Love Letters



The Grand Marais Playhouse opens its summer season at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 23 with Love Letters by A.R. Gurney. Starring in the unique two-person show is Lee Altermatt of Grand Marais and Maureen Bazzett of Lutsen. Bazzett has performed before, but this is her first Grand Marais Playhouse production. She decided to take on this role because she […]

Runners shine at state track meet



Three Cook County High School track athletes headed down to the Minnesota Class A track meet at Hamline University last weekend. The preliminaries for most events were held Friday, June 10 and finals were Saturday, June 11. Track is one of the toughest sports to get to state in. There are about 30 teams in each of the eight sections […]

Invent an animal




The outdoors is full of many wonderful creatures. Now that summer vacation is here, take some time to sit by a tree or in a grassy spot and simply watch and listen. What are the birds doing? Do you see any signs of deer? Get down at ground level and find some of the insects. Look under rocks and logs. […]