Marketing to begin for Tofte senior housing
Tofte Supervisor Jeanne Larson introduced the newly-hired Tofte senior housing marketing director to the town board and public at hand at the board’s April 10, 2015 meeting. Danielle Fortin will be paid $400 per month from April 1 to July 1, said Larson, subject to monthly review by the board of directors overseeing the project. Fortin will market the 12 […]
Red Flag caution and fires in Cook County
At press time on Wednesday, April 15, Cook County fire departments were prepared for the worst after notification went out from the National Weather Service that it was a “red flag” day. That means that conditions are ideal for wildland fire combustion and rapid spread. Local fire departments, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Forest Service firefighting personnel have […]
Great Place projects announced
The Cook County Chamber of Commerce and the Moving Matters project of the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic are pleased to announce the winners of the 2015 Great Place Project. Twenty-seven local businesses, nonprofits, and individuals submitted creative ideas from across Cook County and Grand Portage. A total of $10,000 in grants will be awarded to 13 recipients to help create great […]
Commissioners cover an agenda of roads
Cook County Board of Commissioners accepted with regrets the resignation of County Highway Department Assistant Engineer Sam Muntean effective April 21. Muntean, who worked for Cook County for 2½ years, accepted the position of county engineer for Lac Qui Parle County in southwestern Minnesota. County Engineer David Betts said Muntean had been with the highway department since October 2012. “He […]
Cook County needs more than mono-economy
Our reliance on a mono-economy based primarily on tourism and taxbased employment has created the core problem within our community: low wages in the private sector; lack of affordable housing; decreasing student bodies; and exodus of collegeeducated graduates and young families. Economic diversity is key to weathering economic challenges and has more ability to overcome specific climate and weather conditions, […]
Legislative funding proposals fall short for rural schools
The state of Minnesota has a $1.9 billion budget surplus, but the current education funding proposals at the Capitol fall short of what’s needed in the Cook County Public School and other schools across Greater Minnesota. In Cook County Public School, this would mean significant budget reductions. School districts across the state expect similar results. A recent statewide survey by […]
Man cannot control nature
DNR moose mortality researchers stink! They literally do. The death rate of collared moose calves by predation from this study reflects a loss that seems much higher than would typically be found in nature. Moose have evolved with effective strategies to protect their young from predation. Both bears and wolves primarily hunt with their noses and have come to associate […]
Freedom of Information Act must be updated
President Obama has routinely promised greater transparency within the federal government. Now, Congress is making strides towards achieving this critical goal. The House of Representatives and Senate are currently considering nearly identical bills to strengthen the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which provides the general public, including journalists, with access to federal government records. This legislation has received broad support […]
Out and about on Earth Day
I’ll bet that last week’s Unorganized Territory about my love-hate relationship with mud confused a few readers. I wrote about the delight of taking the first fourwheeler ride of the season, splashing through puddles on the trails. And I wrote about the joy of slogging through the mud in the Tofte Trek 10K. So, am I a motorhead? Or am […]