Community hears Phase 2 plans for biomass district heating system
After many years of planning, the proposed biomass district heating system for portions of Grand Marais didn’t come to fruition, at least not yet. The project was felled by a lack of grant money ($4.5 million from a 2014 legislative bonding bill) and by much higher than expected construction bids. The lowest of two bids to do the digging and […]
Funding shortfall for 1 percent sales tax projects
The start of the county board meeting on Tuesday, August 19, 2014 started with adjustments to the agenda to accommodate the absence of two commissioners and the pending departure of another. Commissioner Sue Hakes was absent for a college commitment, Commissioner Jan Hall was ill and Commissioner Heidi Doo-Kirk needed to leave to attend the final session of the Blandin […]
City council talks yard signs, beer tent and budget
Grand Marais city councilors approved the temporary placement of yard signs, a three-day liquor license for the North House Folk School, and a rain garden permit at their Aug. 13 meeting. Maren Webb, coordinator of the Moving Matters program, led off the proceedings with her request to put yard signs in the city boulevards and rights of way near the […]
Three fire departments fight fire at Taconite Harbor Energy Center
Three fire departments were called to the Minnesota Power Taconite Harbor Energy Center at 4:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 17 to fight a fire. Workers at Taconite Harbor reported smoldering coal in a dust collector at the power plant. The Schroeder Fire Department was paged first along with the Tofte-Schroeder First Responders and the Tofte Fire Department to provide mutual […]
Questions about County Highway Department
I have two questions. Can someone tell me why County Road 7 already needs thousands of dollars of work when it was just redone not even a year ago? It already has orange cones warning us of bad bumps! Which are there because of sunken culverts. Now we, the taxpayers of Cook County, will most likely eat the bill. Which […]
Neonicotinoids nasty, but not part of current discussion
The board president of Sugarloaf: The North Shore Stewardship Association wrote a letter to the editor (August 16, 2014) that any member of the Sugarloaf leadership should be ashamed of. It is an insult to Sugarloaf, an organization that has been providing education and outreach programs in our community for many years. I am stomping on my two Sugarloaf sweatshirts […]
Tackle tough conversations about aging
Discussing aging issues, such as living arrangements, finances, dating, end-of-life decisions and driving, early and often can save families years of heartache, tension and even legal battles. Yet, research indicates that about two-thirds of American families put off these conversations, either because they are uncomfortable with the topics or they just don’t know where to start. Statistics show that 34 […]
Unorganized thinking
As I write this Unorganized Territory, I’m preparing to travel to Brainerd for the final session of the program I have been participating in this summer, the Blandin Foundation Editor & Publisher Community Leadership Program (E&P). It’s been an interesting experience although I’ve had a few “What was I thinking?” moments. Two of the sessions have started on Thursday, which […]
