As his son Tim and grandson Jory looked on, Jim Schliep threw the switch to shut down Minnesota Power’s Taconite Harbor Energy Center Unit 3 coal-fired 75 megawatt electrical generator. Unit 3 was taken off line at 4:20 p.m. on May 26, 2015. It had come on line May 27, 1967 and its first job was to produce 12 megawatts […]
Hospital rejects biomass proposal
On Thursday, May 21 the Cook County North Shore Hospital board made a motion to decline entering into a contract for service from the proposed Grand Marais Biomass Heating District. Hospital Board Member Tom Spence read a motion not to participate in the district heating project and to not accept the proposed Thermal Energy Service Agreement. Before Spence read his […]
Plans for Tofte Park and Gitchi-Gami Trail taking shape
Landscape Architect CJ Fernandez got some good direction at the second meeting held to consider the future of the Tofte town park and Gitchi Gami Bicycle Trail design. With nearly unanimous consent about a dozen people attending the May 21 meeting decided Fenandez should focus on the lower portion of Highway 61 when planning to route the Gitchi-Gami bike path […]
Gunflint Trail pavement replacement to start June 1
The $2 million bituminous replacement project on County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 12 (Gunflint Trail) is tentatively scheduled to begin June 1 and be completed in mid-August. The Cook County Highway Department announced that KGM Contractors of Angora, Minnesota, will be the contractor for the 3.73- mile project, which runs from Fox Ridge Road to the west intersection of County […]
County employees didn’t ask for use of equipment
It appears that Chuck Schmit has not even tried to get to the truth of this matter. In his May 23 letter to the editor, he stated that I used or directed county equipment to be used for personal reasons. This is false. An allegation was made in April 2014. This caused an investigation to be completed in May of […]
Cook County Chamber issues in play in special session
When the clock struck 12:00 midnight on Monday, May 18, the 2015 Legislature was gaveled to a close. Under Minnesota’s Constitution, the Legislature must adjourn at midnight on the third Monday in May. It doesn’t matter what needs to pass, the midnight hour is the buzzer. Game over. For the Cook County Chamber’s issues this means we go into overtime. […]
Appreciation for governor’s veto
We thank Governor Dayton for his vetos today of the 2015 Omnibus Agriculture & Environment Budget Bill and Jobs and Energy Budget Bill. His decisions to veto these bills demonstrates his unflagging determination to protect Minnesota’s lakes, rivers, streams, and the rest of our Great Outdoors The Ag and Environment bill vetoed today rolled back many protections for Minnesota’s clean […]
Government programs are socialism or communism
The last five years have seen a dramatic and sickening shift in our attitudes towards the law. Politicians used to try to hide their dirty deeds. Now offenses against the Constitution are carried out routinely and blatantly, without fear of any reprimand. We don’t even expect a rationalization anymore. It starts with our nation’s head and trickles all the way […]
Almost instant replay
Last week I missed an all-important meeting of the School District 166 school board because it was on the same afternoon as the Cook County Girl Scouts’ Court of Awards. At the time, I wasn’t too upset. As I told School Board Chair Jeanne Anderson before the meeting, I’d rather hang out with the Girl Scouts than sit in a […]