Pooling resources and pulling together toward a common goal can be very productive. That is the thinking behind the Grand Marais Chamber of Commerce opening its membership to the entire county and becoming the Cook County Chamber of Commerce. This was the focus of a Business Networking Luncheon at Cook County Higher Education on March 28, 2012. Higher Ed Business […]
Community Center steering committee gets tentative numbers from YMCA
As promised, Duluth YMCA CEO Chris Francis met with the Cook County Community Center Steering Committee on Monday, March 26, 2012 to present the results of the YMCA’s preliminary look at finances. Although there are still a lot of unknowns, Francis said, “When I was all done with this, it was actually kind of exciting.” Francis said the preliminary estimates […]
Cook County commissioning high-resolution aerial photography
As technology continues to develop, should the county spend money on it to enhance services to the public? On March 27, 2012, GIS Analyst Kyle Oberg, Assessor/ Land Commissioner Mary Black, Sheriff Mark Falk, Highway Engineer David Betts, and Planning & Zoning Director Tim Nelson asked the county board to authorize an expenditure of $187,000 for high-resolution aerial photographs of […]
Cook County burning restrictions begin April 2
Aaron Mielke with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Grand Marais station reminds residents that burning restrictions are set to go in effect on Cook County on April 2, 2012. Due to the mild winter and recent unseasonably warm temperatures, open burning restrictions are set to go on earlier than most years. Once restrictions are in place permits will not […]
The silliest of columns
Sometimes the silliest of columns elicit the most response. The Unorganized Territory that I wrote for the March 17 News-Herald— our St. Patrick’s Day issue—has merited more response than any other column in recent history. In my St. Patrick’s Day missive, I sadly compared the end of the rainbow with a mirage that can never quite be reached. I received […]
Zip line should be permitted
Concerning the article on the zip line. I intended to let the mayor’s comment on the zip line go by until my family asked if I was going to write. I had only read the front page so I said I wasn’t. However, when I read the rest I’ve got to say, “Mr. Mayor, you’ve got things backward.” You say […]
Community can’t afford community center
No wonder Superintendent Schwarz wants the tentative community center attached to the school—it helps her budget by removing hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses for hazardous waste removal, permits, consulting fees, demolition, repairs, site development, landscaping, and more. In the March 24, 2012 article Attach community center to School? Pros, cons and costs considered, I read, “deteriorating…be demolished,” “ground […]
Trout Derby clean and organized
In response to Phil Serrin’s March 24 letter to the editor, I would like to start by saying thank you. As a columnist, I occasionally throw a jab at my readers in search of intelligent and constructive debate. As far as granting a retraction or apology, not a chance. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. In fact the right to […]