Investigations continue, family seeks answers
Investigations of the courthouse shooting on December 15, 2011 and the circumstances of the death of the man charged with the crime continue. Daniel Schlienz, 42, incarcerated at the St. Louis County jail since being arraigned and charged with two counts of premeditated attempted first-degree murder, died at Essentia – St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth on December 27, 2011. Although […]
Council offers water plan input
It’s time to update Cook County’s water plan, and toward that end Ilena Berg of the county’s Soil & Water Office visited Grand Marais city councilors Dec. 28 to solicit input. The current plan was adopted in 2006 and expires this year. Berg said the water plan is mandated by the state, and she expects to spend a lot of […]
County board ramps up for the New Year
On the third day of January 2012, the Cook County Board of Commissioners was busy planning its assignments for the upcoming year. With previous board chair Jim Johnson taking some time off for medical treatments out of the area, board members graciously agreed to take on numerous extra tasks. Longtime commissioner Jan Hall was designated the new board chair, with […]
Town board election filing period open
The big national news in recent weeks has been the presidential contest in Iowa. However Cook County has its own elections to think about— the filing period for all three West End townships opened January 3 and remains open until January 17, 2012. Each township is seeking candidates for a three-year term as supervisor and a two-year term as clerk. […]
The price of the news
I sincerely appreciate that our county commissioners and county staff are good stewards of our tax dollars. I am delighted when projects such as repair to the Veterans Memorial on the courthouse lawn are completed with a minimum of fuss and finance. I’m glad that the county shares some of its expenses with other counties, such as some of its […]
States should pass laws against funeral pickets
The Supreme Court decision upholding the First Amendment right of the Westboro Baptist Church, Topeka, KS to picket at the funerals of military personnel was a victory for our Constitutional rights but a defeat for morality in this country. The followers of this so-called church typically gather at the funeral ceremonies of our fallen heroes accusing them of condoning homosexuality […]
Jurors were not traumatized
Come on folks, I was on the jury. I was not fearful for my life! I was not traumatized! I do not need counseling! But I sure will be if every time I go in the courthouse I have to go through a metal detector. Or as prospective juror I have to sit through a talk on what to do […]
Economists say spending is the solution
Now that’s pretty good, a couple of months back Bob LaMettry didn’t know the term “Luddite” and now he is our resident expert. I am happy to have been such an inspiration. Alas, he didn’t follow through with the same enthusiasm with learning economics; it was the more important lesson to be explored. If he had, he could have learned […]