County board discusses how to proceed with wages and benefit study



As Cook County commissioners spend much of their time working on the 2017 county budget, one item that needs attention is the long awaited employee compensation study that is being headed up by the Keystone Compensation Group. Keystone, who was hired by the county board, is an organization that works with counties and other forms of municipal government to establish […]

Public invited to an open house to discuss ShokoShoe Vegetation Management Project



The Gunflint Ranger District is having an open house on October 25 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. to hear comments from the public about the proposed action to manage forest vegetation in the ShokoShoe Project Area. Located approximately 20 miles north of Grand Marais, the project encompasses more than 100,000 acres—42,000 acres of it on federal land—and runs from […]

Historical Reflections



Down Memory Lane



10 YEARS AGO OCT. 20, 2006 Construction of a local skateboard park at the Community Center inched closer to reality Wednesday when Grand Marais city councilors voted unanimously to contribute $20,000 toward the project. To date, about $100,000 has been raised for the park, with more fundraisers planned. The total cost of the park is estimated to be between $205,400 […]

Great Expectations school board passes motion to support school levy for I.S.D. 166



On Wednesday, October 12 the Great Expectations school board took the somewhat surprising step of voting to support the upcoming levy referendum for Cook County School District 166. Surprising because the two schools compete from the same pool of students in K-8th grades. “As a public charter school, Great Expectations (GES) cannot initiate a tax levy and will not receive […]

Jes Rodne is the new Operation Family Christmas coordinator



As Program and Services Coordinator for the Cook County Senior Center, Jes Rodne has a busy job. But when she found out that the former organizers of Operation Family Christmas (OFC) needed a break, she happily stepped in to fill that role. As the new OFC coordinator, explained Rodne, “I will continue the program in the same manner as last […]

Tofte seeks partnership with EDA on housing project



Even if it’s temporary, Tofte Township is looking to partner with Cook County/ Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) in the hopes it can get its long-planned housing development off of the ground. The EDA has statutory authority to manage a housing project, something Tofte seeks but doesn’t yet have. Tofte Township Supervisor Jeanne Larson is the housing project manager. […]

Vikings beat top-ranked Carlton



The Vikings traveled to Carlton on Tuesday, October 18 to face their toughest competition of the year, the Polar League’s top team, the Carlton Bulldogs. CCHS took the first game 25-20, lost the second 25-22, and then stormed back to win the last two games 25-20, 25-19 to take the match 3-1. With the win, the Vikings upped their regular […]

Memories can’t be lost or broken



Some of my friends are already aware of a recent tragic mistake I made while arranging my china cabinet. I was placing two sets of wedding china on the top shelf and it was too heavy. This error in judgment led to the shelf breaking along with the other two shelves in the cabinet. I have to tell you it […]

Inuit throat singers perform at Sivertson Art Gallery



Concerns about everyday worries just washed away when two rays of the sunshine, Nina Segalowitz, and Taqralik Partridge took the floor at Siverton’s Art Gallery on Saturday, October 15. The two Inuit throat singers, who met in college and learned the ancient vocal technique in which a single voice produces more than one tone at the same time, performed in […]