Fire destroys workshop in Tofte



Cook County Law Enforcement received a call at 2:34 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2015 from James King of Tofte, reporting that the workshop on his property was on fire. The Tofte and Schroeder Fire Departments were paged at 2:36 p.m. and were on scene just east of Tofte by 2:57 p.m. Tofte Fire Chief Rich Nelson said when his […]

Paint recycling now offered at Buck’s Hardware Hank



Cook County residents can now recycle old and unwanted paint during store hours at Buck’s Hardware Hank in Grand Marais. There is no charge for dropping off paint. Funding for the statewide paint recycling program is supported by a nominal fee on newly purchased house paint, stain and varnish. The collected paint will be recycled or properly disposed of by […]

County commissioners hear pros and cons of ARMER towers



The taller the tower, the better the reception. But if bigger is better, that is in the eye of the beholder. That is what the county board heard when more than a dozen people spoke at the March 10 meeting about the ARMER towers being erected by the state in Cook County as part of its statewide plan to have […]

Team Lutsen finishes season with NJRS Championship



The Lutsen Alpine Ski Team recently completed its 2014-15 season hosting the National Junior Race Series (NJRS) Championship Race on Koo Koo at Lutsen Mountains on Sunday, March 1. Of the 56 kids on the team roster, ranging in ages from 5 to 18 years old, 29 qualified for the championship race. To qualify, racers must compete in at least […]

Photos



Sure signs of spring



This year’s first spring omen came to me on top of a donut. The donut was plump, round and fresh. Its top was covered with maple frosting. “I’ll take that one,” I pointed, and the lady behind the counter picked up the beautiful pastry with a square of waxed paper, put it in bag and handed it over. The donut […]

Where do your food dollars go?



The Northwoods Food Project is conducting a survey in Cook County to pinpoint the amount of money spent on foods in the community each year. Households in the county spend an estimated $14 million on food every year, but there is no data on exactly how many food dollars are brought into the county by tourism, said Diane Booth, Cook […]

Art Colony scholarship in honor of Eric Thomas



The Grand Marais Art Colony and Leah Thomas are excited to announce the creation of the Eric Thomas Emerging Artist Award, in memory of Leah’s brother Eric (1956 – 2013). This annual scholarship will provide full tuition and cost of materials for a young Cook County artist to attend a Grand Marais Art Colony class of his choice. Eric Thomas […]

Midwest Extreme Snowmobile Challenge is on!



Excitement is building for the first-ever Midwest Extreme Snowmobile Challenge at Lutsen Mountains on April 18 – 19, 2015. But along with the anticipation is a bit of concern— will there be enough snow? Organizers say yes, get ready to come out to watch the event with three race disciplines— hillclimb, hillcross, and short-course cross-country racing. The Cook County News-Herald […]

Blue Zones: Secrets of Long Life

National Geographic team shares research on longevity

What do the citizens of Ikaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California and Nicoya, Costa Rica have in common? What is it about their daily routine that makes them live longer—healthily? Why are the people in these communities reaching 100 years of age at rates 10 times greater than in the United States? Find out the answers to […]