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Diverse speakers address county board



Grand Marais resident Terry Collins appeared before the county board’s September 12 meeting and voiced his concerns over the survey that is being sent out to Cook County taxpayers asking them if they approve—or disapprove—of the county board’s current proposal to raise the levy more than 10 percent for the next three years. There were other questions asked in the […]

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Rec Park numbers continue to climb



August was again a strong month for the Grand Marais Recreation Park with revenues of $246,566, up $10,000 over 2016. Although revenues grew, camper occupancy was actually down one percent from August 2016, reported park manager Dave Tersteeg at the park board’s September meeting. The park had 87 percent occupancy this year versus 88 percent last year. “The only category […]

Beck appears in court



Former Cook County Public Health and Human Services Department head Joshua Beck appeared in Cook County Court on Monday, September 11 facing an array of charges including felony child abuse and felony domestic assault. Beck resigned his position with the county on July 21. On August 1, 2017 Beck was charged with two felony charges and two gross misdemeanors alleging […]

Hovland dock rocks…an issue



Instead of maintaining the existing dock memorial, the Cook County Historical Society and the Cook County government left us with three large rocks last Friday, September 8, (and if that wasn’t bad enough, the rocks are really ugly!), so that no one would drive on the dock. As a resident of Hovland, I am simply overwhelmed by their concern for […]

Are refugees still welcome to the U.S.A.?



When my grandfather and many other immigrants came to this country they were greeted by the Statue of Liberty. The inscription on the plaque of the statue reads “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside […]

Writer seeks fair coverage of county budget



I’m quite sure Garry Gamble is a decent and intelligent man. That said, there is a reason that Garry Gamble lost his bid to be reelected. The voters rightly recognized that, despite his verbosity and attempts to dominate the conversation, his ideas and proposed solutions to problems were not in the best interests of Cook County and its residents. Nothing […]

Public Opinion and Government



By its very nature, the democratic process motivates citizens to form opinions on a number of issues. Almost any matter has the potential to become a public issue if a significant number of people wish to make it one. Whether public opinion is regarded as a constructive or a destructive force in a democracy, there are few politicians who are […]

New pharmacist hired at Grand Marais Pharmacy



Bob Sample’s business at Grand Marais Pharmacy has steadily picked up to the point that he needed to hire a full-time pharmacist. Several pharmacists have worked part-time, but Sample needed someone full-time, so he put out some ads seeking help. Answering the call was AJ. Cox, who hails from Sheridan, Wyoming. “I heard about the job opening here and applied […]