After months of work by a multitude of construction crews and volunteers, the new playground, hockey rink, warming house, outdoor learning center and outdoor woodfired pizza oven were unveiled on Saturday, September 29 at the grand opening of the 1 percent recreation and infrastructure sales tax funded projects built at Birch Grove Community Center in Tofte The county allocated $970,000 […]
Great Expectations School earns top scores from MN Department of Education
The Minnesota Department of Education released its first Multiple Measurement Rating (MMR) scores for schools at the end of August. At the top of the list is Great Expectations School (GES) in Grand Marais. Based on measures of academic proficiency and growth, GES earned a rating of 99.58 percent, fifth highest in the state and the highest among charter schools. […]
Grand Marais approves two annexations
Grand Marais city councilors approved on second reading two annexation requests Sept. 26. Both requests came from the owners of the affected properties, and both had been approved on first reading at council’s previous meeting. The first parcel, known as the HRH tract, consists of 4.92 acres and is located west of town near the former Tomteboda property off Highway […]
New pay raise standards set for ISD 166 teachers
Cook County Schools’ implementation of Q-Comp, a state-initiated program that compensates teachers and districts for meeting quality goals, is official. The final plan that was approved by the state was approved by the local teacher’s union, the Cook County Education Association, and finally by the school board on September 20, 2012. Incentive pay will be based on school-wide goals for […]
Q&A for county commissioner candidates
After months of work by a multitude of construction crews and volunteers, the new playground, hockey rink, warming house, outdoor learning center and outdoor woodfired pizza oven were unveiled on Saturday, September 29 at the grand opening of the 1 percent recreation and infrastructure sales tax funded projects built at Birch Grove Community Center in Tofte The county allocated $970,000 […]
Deferring to democracy
Most of the time when I check my e-mail, I’m excited to see “Letter to Editor” in the subject line. I’m intrigued when I get an envelope addressed “Editor.” I never know what to expect. Sometimes the submissions are uninteresting mass mailings, obviously generated by some organization or political group. Those get a quick perusal and are then deleted or […]
Chair was a political statement not junk
Hey Jeff, please return the president’s White House empty rocking chair to where you removed it from private property on the Devil Track, South Shore Road, this past Saturday or Sunday. Unknowingly, you, Jeff, thought this chair was for you. Not so. This chair is about 80 years old and belongs to my wife’s family. It is an heirloom. As […]
Voter ID puts barriers in front of voters
Regarding the September 29 letter Photo ID makes your vote count: “Vote cancellation,” what a preposterous distortion, simply a verbal “slight of hand” to create the illusion that something is happening when it actually isn’t. To extend that argument to its silliest conclusion would be to state that all votes that are matched by votes for the opposing candidate are […]
Commissioners should choose—renewable or coal power
On July 10 the county board adopted a county energy plan. The plan’s goal is to help transition away from fossil to renewable fuels in Cook County. A primary benefit of the plan is “Decreasing our community’s contribution to harmful environmental and climatic effects of fossil fuel use.” One may or may not agree with the plan. However, the board […]