Changes and challenges for Great Expectations Foundation



What is the Great Expectations Foundation? It is an entity essential to Great Expectations School in Grand Marais. Minnesota law does not allow charter schools to own their facilities, so GEF owns the school building. One of the key functions of GEF is to manage the mortgage. That means GEF develops and maintains a fund for long-term building maintenance and […]

Communicating with your child



Providing a space and opportunity for communication is a key to building an open relationship with your child. Below are ways to foster a space and maximize your opportunity to connect and hear your child. Notice when your child is most likely to share thoughts and feelings. Is it morning, afternoons, evenings, during dinner, or in the car? Identify times […]

How should history of Hovland and Colvill be preserved?



Hovland and Colvill are rich in history. History that needs to be documented and preserved, but who should undertake this task? That was the central theme of the Friday, March 18, 2016 town hall meeting attended by about 27 people. Long before the first white man arrived by boat, native people traversed the land and waterways in search of food […]

Confused about property assessments?



If you have questions about how the county’s assessment process works or what takes place at the annual Local Board of Appeal and Equalization (LBAE) meeting, you can attend one of three meetings hosted by Cook County Assessor Betty Schultz and Assistant County Assessor Todd Smith. Schultz said she and Smith will give a general overview of the assessment process, […]

County to pay 2 percent of airport expansion



Cook County/Grand Marais Airport Administrator Rodney Roy presented a breakdown of costs and the timeline for continued improvements to the airport to Cook County commissioners on Tuesday, March 22, 2016. Last year the dirt work was done, said Roy, and this year the concrete work will be completed on the $5.4 million project which will extend the runway from 4,200 […]

Ice downs power line in Tofte



Heavy snow and ice has taken a toll on northland trees this winter. Another downfall last week caused an electric power line to break in Tofte, creating a hazard in the Highway 61 ditch near the Birch Grove Community Center. A passing motorist contacted Cook County Law Enforcement at 10:52 a.m. on March 16 reporting the downed power line, stating […]

DNR sets PolyMet informational meeting



The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will host a public information meeting on Tuesday, April 19, about PolyMet Mining’s potential permit to mine application for its proposed NorthMet project. The meeting will be at Mesabi East High School, 601 North 1st St. W., Aurora, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to inform the public that […]

Cook County students learn about watershed at North House Folk School



North House Folk School was a busy place Tuesday and Thursday with third-grade students from School District 166 and students from Birch Grove Community School and Oshki Ogimaag stopping by at separate times to participate in the Paddle to the Sea class. The class is based on a book of the same name about an Indian boy who carves a […]

Right off the bat



My friend was sharing the story of her 4-year-old son who wanted a bat for a pet. She quickly suggested a puppy. He said, “Puppies just lick you and bite you.” She said what about a kitty? He said, “Kitties just scratch you and bite you.” He insisted he could keep a bat in a cage in his room. She […]

Ahna Schulte to appear on Wheel of Fortune



Mark your calendars, Ahna Schulte will appear on Wheel of Fortune on Thursday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m. on KJBR, channel 6. The daughter of Craig and Lynn Schulte of Grand Marais, Ahna said she has been a fan of Wheel of Fortune for a long, long time. “I’ve been watching it since I was little with my grandparents, John […]