County board sets levy at 9.9 percent for 2017
With the polar vortex pushing temperatures below freezing outside, things heated up fast inside the Cook County Commissioners’ Room on Tuesday, December 13 when the meeting opened with comments from the public. Following on the heels of the Truth-in-Taxation meeting held the week before (where approximately 100 people showed up), about 30 people attended the Tuesday morning session to voice […]
Bigby asks to postpone murder trial
The public defender representing accused murderer Kirk Lee Bigby asked 6th Judicial District Judge Eric Hylden on Monday, December 12 to delay Bigby’s trial while his client seeks a new attorney to represent him in court. Bigby, 62, of Finland, Minnesota was arrested on Dec. 9, 2015, for allegedly shooting and killing Marcus Lee Roberts, 35, from Bloomington, Minnesota at […]
Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority awarded $325,359 for Lutsen housing project
EDA Director Mary Somnis was thrilled to announce that the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) included the Lutsen housing project in its latest round of grants. DEED announced the grant awards on Wednesday, Dec. 14. Rental housing projects in four Greater Minnesota communities were approved for $2.87 million in grants from DEED. Funding was awarded under DEED’s […]
Unfortunate
The fact that citizen-elected commissioners have been tasked with reducing a state high-proposed levy of 19.88 percent by 10 percent should not be seen as an opportunity to willfully create anxiety and fear among county employees and valued service organizations within our community. Responsible leadership should not exploit people’s emotions in efforts to get what it wants. Assuming a posture […]
Senior Center to close its doors!
Is that what this community wants to hear? That is what will likely happen if our discretionary funding from the county is taken away. Many families in this community and beyond will go without services or the help they need to live a quality life in Cook County. Your family and friends will go without meals they rely on, Meals […]
Stop the effort to return the levy to 19.9 percent
Hello constituents of Cook County, my name is Greg Gentz and I am respectfully posting this response to the comments by our County Board Chair Doo-Kirk, which were broadcast on WTIP (Dec. 14) this morning, about the effects of the property tax levy increase being reduced from 19.9 percent previously to 9.9 percent at yesterday’s county board meeting. Boreal is […]
MNSure is working for Minnesota
December 3’s letter from the very right wing Center of the American Experiment writer included several points about the challenges with MNSure. While it’s true that MNSure in its current form is imperfect, and costs have surpassed what was anticipated, it’s critical to remember that it’s better than what we didn’t have for those of us who are self-employed, not […]
Two holiday paths
This year’s holiday season culminates a crazy political process that has had a profoundly disillusioning impact on me, and I’m sure for some of you. However given my faith in life’s purposefulness and belief, there are opportunities for growth in every encounter, I think it warrants some consideration. Our fellow citizens in their frustration with political nonsense and governmental gridlock […]