10 YEARS AGO · AUG. 22, 2003 City councilors unanimously gave their backing to a request for the creation of a “tax-free zone” in the Grand Marais Business Development Area that, if successful, will encourage new businesses to move into town. The proposal was put forth by John Kremer, director of the Joint Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority. Speaking […]
Tax revenues show dollars coming in
The Cook County 1 percent local option sales tax for recreation and infrastructure continues to bring in more each year since it was started. In the first six months of 2011, it brought in $433,206.98. In the first six months of 2011, it brought in $474,637.62. In the first six months of this year, it brought in $523,814.42, a 10.4 […]
Council takes no action on Total Divas filming request
No action was taken by Grand Marais City Council Aug. 14 on a request from the producer of a nationally known television show to film an episode of WWE Total Divas in the city’s campground. “At this point, there’s no need for action,” said City Administrator Mike Roth. “We’re not sure if it’s going to happen.” The request was approved […]
Ice sales down, wood sales up at Grand Marais Campground
Ice sales in July were down 38 percent from last July at the Grand Marais Campground, but the sale of firewood was up 25 percent. Campground occupancy was down 6 percent, mostly because fewer people were tenting. Boat fuel sales were down 39 percent. At the Gunflint Hills Golf Course, the greens have fully recovered from the long winter’s damage, […]
Motorcycle accident casualty
The Minnesota State Patrol reported that on July 25, 2013, Pirjo Biloski, 61, of Thunder Bay passed away from complications from the injuries she received from a motorcycle crash the month before. The accident took place just after noon of June 13 on the straight stretch of Highway 61 between Cascade River State Park and Spruce Creek. Biloski had been […]
Toppled tree causes truck to crash
A large tree toppled onto Highway 61 in the early morning rain and winds of August 21, causing a Holsum bread truck to crash into the woods near Temperance River. Fortunately the driver, Gary Wilson, 58, of Thunder Bay was not seriously injured in the crash at 6:06 a.m. Occupants of another vehicle, heading eastbound, were able to see the […]
Road restrictions finally lifted before winter returns
“All the road restrictions are finally lifted,” Cook County Highway Maintenance Supervisor Russell Klegstad told the county board on August 13, 2013. “It’s almost time to close them again!” Highway Engineer David Betts said he was trying to decide whether winter had started again or if it had never ended, but then he said he thought we had summer a […]
Highway 61 detour begins Aug. 26
Motorists traveling on Highway 61 near Little Marais and Illgen City will encounter a detour from Monday, Aug. 26 through Friday, Aug. 30. The detour is 13 miles long, on good quality paved roads and adds approximately 10 minutes to normal travel time. The detour is necessary as crews install culverts and construct a retaining wall. Motorists traveling south on […]
Schroeder’s colorful history celebrated on John Schroeder Community Fun Day
The beautiful cascade of water down the Cross River just above the bridge in Schroeder is not the way the river used to look. At the end of the 19th century, the Schroeder Lumber Company blasted the top of the waterfall and softened the pitch of the river to create a better route for logs heading down the river for […]
New book tells of Croft and Norgren families on the North Shore
A newly published book written by a man with roots in Cook County is available as a historical resource for others with local ties. An American Story by Jesse McIntyre III is a historic account of nine families who left their homes in Europe to eventually settle in southeastern Missouri and the Missouri Ozarks and along Minnesota’s North Shore. The […]