Historical Reflections



Down Memory Lane



10 YEARS AGOOCT. 31, 2003 The new power plant for Grand Marais came one step closer to completion last week when the first two diesel generators were installed at the new site at the west end of town. The large brightly painted diesel engines with generators connected to them were slowly lowered to their spots on the foundation of what […]

Tofte senior housing project moving forward



The Tofte senior housing project continues to move forward. On October 10, 2013, consultant Dick Grabko talked to the Tofte Township Board about the project. He estimated that the cost of a 10-unit development would be $1,757,000 and recommended applying for a $350,000 “public works” grant from the Iron Range Resource and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB). He said he thought the […]

Lutsen Mountains asks fans to name two new slopes



Lutsen Mountains is looking to its fans to help name two new double-black diamond slopes opening this season. Jim Vick, marketing manager of Lutsen Mountains, was a featured guest on KARE 11’s Sunrise morning show Oct. 18 and was interviewed as part of the Mall of America Ski Expo taking place that weekend. Everyone who enters the contest is eligible […]

Beaver dam haunts Schroeder township



The beaver dam causing the Cramer Road to flood has been blown up. The dam had been clogging up the culvert under the road on an ongoing basis. “I’m hoping that will discourage them,” Schroeder Supervisor Roger “Bill” McKeever said at the October 8, 2013 meeting of the Schroeder Township Board. The culvert is very rusty, McKeever said, and has […]

Viking Cross Country sends one to State



On Thursday, October 24, Viking Cross Country raced at the Section 7A Cross Country meet in Cloquet. Going into the day we knew that Audrey Summers and Joey Chmelik, both Cook County seniors, were in the hunt to qualify for state. We estimated that Audrey would have to be in 11th place or better to make it to State as […]

Kerri Bilben wins Elvis contest on radio show



Kerri Bilben, the music and band teacher at ISD 166 in Grand Marais, recently spent some time on a nationwide radio program. In Memphis, Tenn. during MEA weekend, Bilben was a participant on the Elvis Quiz Show live on Elvis Radio Sirius/XM Ch. 19. The Elvis Quiz Show is a weekly radio game show for Elvis fans. There’s no major […]

Give me a time machine



There is nothing like a visit to my daughter and grandchildren to bring back a flood of memories. I watched eight-year-old Natalie dutifully do her math and spelling homework. I observed a gymnastics class and had the pleasure of viewing my almost-four-year-old boygirl twins dropped off at preschool, one happy and nonchalant, the other not. I also met numerous harried […]

Photos



Changing times at the Grand Marais Public Library



When I moved back home to Cook County after getting my master’s degree, I walked into the Grand Marais Public Library one day to see if I could find a book. What I found was a whole lot more! I was amazed to see that our library also had videos, WiFi access, and computers for Internet use. I was totally […]