No injuries in Ford Taurus rollover



A single-vehicle accident near mile marker 75 on Highway 61 on Saturday, November 3 fortunately resulted in no injuries for a Thunder Bay man. Ivan Schutte, 71, was driving westbound when the accident occurred. Schutte told the Minnesota State Patrol that he had just put a coffee cup down and was adjusting his radio when he hit the right side […]

Deer safety: Tips for avoiding an accident



You’re driving home from work when you sense movement in the ditch next to the highway; you pump your brakes in time to avoid the two eyes now flashing in the darkness that have moved onto the roadway. You sigh in relief as the deer scampers off into the darkness. The Minnesota Department of Transportation reports Minnesota averages about 35,000 […]

Passing vehicles safely on Highway 61



A question was recently posed to the Cook County News-Herald regarding Ontario vehicle passing laws. A reader who regularly travels Highway 61 east of Grand Marais has had Ontario vehicles driving up close behind her and flashing their lights as if expecting her to move over to the shoulder so they can pass. According to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, […]

Historical Reflections



Down Memory Lane



10 Years AgoNov. 15, 2002 Plans to build a new Grand Marais power plant suffered a minor setback when it was discovered that the bids received did not exactly meet the specifications outlined by the Public Utilities Commission. The type of engine in the bids cannot meet the demands requested by the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA). “They all […]

Final planning for Lutsen Fire Hall



At press time the deadline for completion of construction on Lutsen’s new town hall/fire hall was nearing and citizens were getting excited about using the new space. However, the expansion caused a little extra paperwork when the township met in October. At the October meeting, supervisors reviewed bids for snowplowing and cleaning services, but Town Clerk Silvia Duclos asked if […]

New subordinate government service district for snowplowing in Hovland



After considerable discussion between the board and 15-20 Hovland property owners, the county board voted on November 13 to create a subordinate governmental service district (SGSD) for snowplowing on portions of the Irish Creek Road, Powers Lake Road, Tom Lake Road, Wilderness Trail, and Brumbaugh Road. The annual cost will be divided up evenly among property owners with land adjacent […]

Meaningful musical tribute to veterans at CCHS



The Cook County High School varsity gym was crowded with students from kindergarten through 12th grade, as well as a hundred or more community members—many of them veterans— on Monday, November 12 for a special Veterans Day band concert. Cook County Schools Principal Gwen Carman welcomed everyone to the concert, which was hosted in cooperation with American Legion Post 413 […]

Night Shadows



According to the experts, pugs don’t make good watch dogs, but Mr. Magoo considers himself a serious guard dog. Here he is, at two in the morning, waking me with soft woofing noises. This is his technique for letting me know that possible danger lurks nearby; low-key, quiet barks that will not draw too much attention to him. Shushing him […]

Circles of honor at Grand Portage



Veterans, friends and family members gathered in Grand Portage on Monday, November 12 for a Veterans Day ceremony. As is custom, people gathered at the Grand Portage Veterans Memorial, at the circle of flags. Because bitter winds were blowing, a brief flag raising ceremony was held. Ralph Tessor, a Merchant Marine who served in Vietnam, sang the National Anthem while […]