The 106th commencement exercises at Cook County High School got under way on Saturday, June 4, 2016 with the traditional playing of Pomp and Circumstance by the CCHS band. After the graduates had entered, Principal Adam Nelson welcomed all in attendance and introduced them, noting that the word that comes to mind when he thinks of the Class of 2016 […]
County and Canada cooperate on wilderness rescue of ill teen
Cook County Law Enforcement received a phone call from a woman from Cincinnati, Ohio on June 4, requesting assistance in evacuating her a 17-year-old boy son from Saganagons Lake, Ontario. From information obtained via satellite phone, the woman believed her son may be having an appendicitis attack. Sheriff Deputy Julie Collman, familiar with the area, spoke with the mother to […]
School board to seek levy and bonding referendums
After months of difficult budget discussion on June 2, 2016, the ISD 166 School Board heard a final proposal on how to continue to fund Cook County Schools. A complicated spreadsheet was presented with two scenarios and Superintendent Beth Schwarz—with incoming Superintendent Bill Crandall listening in via teleconference—gave an explanation of both. After considerable discussion, the school board approved the […]
Fire damages main sawmill at Hedstrom Lumber
Exactly a month after a major fire destroyed an unused building at Hedstrom Lumber Company and about a week after a close call, local fire departments were paged to another fire at the historic lumber mill. A 9-1-1 call came from inside the mill reporting flames in the main sawmill building at 1:36 p.m. June 8 The Maple Hill and […]
Honking with concern
I honked my car horn yesterday, which is unusual for me. I’m not an impatient person. If I’m sitting at a red stoplight and the car ahead of me doesn’t take off immediately when it turns green, I don’t automatically hit the horn. Usually people realize the light has changed and they take off within a few seconds. If someone […]
Fly-fishing store impressive and inspiring
Congratulations to Scott Sorensen on his terrific addition to the downtown Grand Marais business scene. Sorensen is converting ordinary shipping containers into a quite beautiful storefront in the gravel parking lot across from Birchbark Books and Gifts. The repurposed wood the young entrepreneur is using has transformed the aesthetically challenged containers into a gorgeous space that looks like it has […]
Do we want a shipping container store?
It’s nice to see the town of Grand Marais changing. We don’t want a Big Box store in town, but we will put up a Hooverville small store to cut into small local business percentages. Packing containers are supposed to be moveable not left in place year round. If they are, where are the utilities going into the business, i.e., […]
Ecklund hoping for special session
The Cook County News-Herald spoke with Minnesota House District 3A Representative Rob Ecklund on May 27, a few days after the end of the legislative session. Asked if he was disappointed by the session, Ecklund said it was chaotic as the session came to a close, but added that he was pleased to see some Northland projects approved. Ecklund said […]
Wilderness and spirituality
When I lived in South Africa from 1974 to 1982, it was a scary place to be. Waves of people (usually white professionals) emigrated to safer places like England. Many moved back. Asked why they would go through the huge hassle and expense of packing up their worldly goods and moving to another continent, and then moving back, they responded, […]