Worker injured in explosion at Taconite Harbor Energy Center
At approximately 9 a.m. on Monday, October 22, there was an explosion in a coalbunker at the Taconite Harbor Energy Center in Schroeder. Joe Fredrickson, 41, of Silver Bay, a fuels technician, was in the bunker at the time of the explosion. He was badly injured and remains hospitalized at Essentia Duluth (formerly Miller Dwan). Fredrickson was transported by Cook […]
Community outcry over hateful message on signs
During nearly every election season there is a feud of sorts over signs. Political signs for county, state and federal candidates pop up on people’s driveways and along road rights of way—and are promptly knocked down or carried off. Signs are replaced, letters are written to the newspaper and calls are made to Cook County Law Enforcement reporting the annoying […]
City and County agree to cover business park bonds
On Monday, October 22, members of the entities that support the Cook County – Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) and its board members gathered to discuss the future of the authority. For nearly two hours city councilors, county commissioners and EDA board members discussed and debated the EDA budget, the housing program, the Cedar Grove Business Park bonds, the […]
Questions for mayor and city council candidates
The Cook County News-Herald visited this week with the four people running to represent the citizens of Grand Marais. We spoke with incumbent Mayor Larry “Bear” Carlson and his challenger, Adam Harju. And we talked to the two people running for re-election to the city council, Tim Kennedy and Jan Sivertson. Both are running unopposed. Their answers follow: One of […]
Sign theft is likely not youngsters
Elections bring strong feelings. Lawn signs grow and on occasion disappear. These signs cost money; to take them is theft! Often we say it is only young people’s pranks. I believe this is not the case. At our house four signs were stolen with the odd twist of being replaced by a sign opposite to our position. Youngsters are not […]
Vandalism is a cowardly hate crime
I just returned from a drive to the west end of County Road 7. On the way, not far from the Grand Marais city limits, I saw two Obama-Biden campaign signs with the letters “KKK” in black spray paint on them. When I told a friend about this she said she had seen an Obama sign similarly defaced on the […]
Echoes of Dubuque in Grand Marais
In the early ’90s, my hometown of Dubuque, Iowa was considered one of the last remaining strongholds of white racist power in the north. Crosses were burned; an African American family’s garage was burned down. Kids that I went to high school with, who were at the center of the controversy—kids that consider themselves racially superior— appeared on a national […]
Seaplane should be in harbor
I think the seaplane taking off in the Grand Marais harbor is a good thing. It is an example of someone living here making a living. This is a business person who is putting food on the table and supporting his family. People need to leave him alone. Or they should watch when he lands in the harbor. Kids’ eyes […]