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New gondola up and running at Lutsen Mountains



A well-timed snowfall on Wednesday, December 16 set the scene for the Gondola Dedication Ceremony that took place two days later on Friday, December 18. Snow and ice, several inches thick, slid by beneath the signature red cars as the crowd of excited visitors enjoyed their first ride on the new gondola. Windows extending around each car’s circumference afforded a […]

Budget discussions dominate school board meeting



During a five-hour meeting of the Cook County School Board on December 17, 2015, Board Member Terry Collins spoke of correcting the budget problems caused by three consecutive years of deficit spending, adding that there are “time bombs” in the budget as enrollment declines. He believes the situation should be corrected so that it is not just getting pushed down […]

North Shore Hospital and Care Center construction progressing



“It’s been an awesome fall,” said Boldt superintendent Ruth Drake to the Cook County North Shore (CCNSH) Hospital Board at its December 17 meeting. Drake was there to give an update about the hospital/ care center $24.5 million campus expansion. Scheduled to take two years, work is currently going on at the southeast and northwest portions of the care center. […]

Extracurricular programs come at a cost



I’m hearing that some people are concerned about the environmental impact of the possible Polymet mine, crude oil pipelines, additions, enhancements etc., Canadian tar sands and in general the use (burning) of fossil fuels. So, one might ask how does the ISD 166 operation fit into these concerns? Consider just their basketball program for now. The 2015-16 season requires ISD […]

Who are our elected officials?



Now that the hubbub of the holidays is waning, it is time to start thinking about issues that may face legislators when they reconvene at the Minnesota Capitol in March 2016. We’re including contact information for everyone from the courthouse to the White House. : President of the United StatesBarack ObamaThe White House1600 Pennsylvania AvenueWashington, D.C. 20500(202) 456-1414www.WhiteHouse.govVice-President Joseph BidenPresident […]

Weekly Weather



Resolving to finish




I don’t think I had trouble focusing when I was a child. From what I remember and from what my mom tells me, I was a fairly quiet kid, able to pay attention on whatever task was at hand—reading a book, coloring, cleaning my room or playing with dolls or with pets. In school, I was able to maintain focus […]

Emmanuel, God with us



Luke 2:1-20 – This is a story that we know well. So many of the details are committed to memory: shepherds, angels, wise men, the holy family huddled in humble and even crude surroundings, a crowded inn. We have heard the story from the time we were infants being dangled on grandparents’ knees sitting around a Christmas tree. We have […]

LeRoy A. Altermatt,



LeRoy A. Altermatt, age 85, of Grand Marais, and formerly of Minneapolis, passed away on Friday, December 18, 2015. Lee was born on November 18, 1930, in Minneapolis, to Bernard and Mildred Altermatt. Lee graduated from Edison High School in 1948 and from the University of Minnesota in 1952 with a degree in political science. Lee was a beloved partner, […]