Not Spring Yet


The blue jay’s call is almost lost in the roaring wind and its bright blue plumage barely visible through the blowing snow. I look out the window and sigh. What happened? Only yesterday, it seemed spring was on its way. The sun was setting noticeably later. Snow on the road was melting, leaving the South Shore’s pavement bare. Winter was […]

Plenty going on at the Birch Grove Community Center


Need to get your taxes done? Learn how to play pickle ball? Play some pick-up hockey or join other seniors for a meal? All of that and more is available at the Birch Grove Community Center in Tofte. Cook County Volunteer Tax Service is open every Thursday from now until April 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the […]

Registration opens for Kakabeka Falls half marathon


The Kakabeka Falls Legion Half Marathon and 8K scheduled for Sunday, August 18, 2019 is now open for registrations. This will be the third edition of the half marathon and second running of the 8K – both races start and finish at the Kakabeka Falls Legion— with all proceeds going to the Royal Canadian Legion. There were 105 participants the […]

Community Calendar

Ruby’s Pantry Cook County Ruby’s Pantry, 2nd Tuesday of the month food distribution 5 – 6:30 p.m., $20 (cash only) Sponsored by Spirit of the Wilderness Church. You will be amazed at all the food you get at the Cook County High School. No financial or other qualifications—this is surplus food for all! Cook County Higher Education Career training and […]

Conservation Officer Tales

Although the Cook County News- Herald knows that the majority of sportsmen and women are law-abiding folks, there are a few that run afoul of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Conservation Officers. Periodically, the DNR provides a report of some of the miscreants the Conservation Officers (CO) have encountered. The News-Herald shares these stories as a reminder to […]

Photo

Middle school students at Great Expectations School (GES) are happy to take a break from their studies to explore Pincushion in their new snowshoes. The new sets of snowshoes were purchased with a grant from the Lioness Club, to further GES’s Environmental Ed initiatives.

Boundary Waters permit reservations available March 4


Beginning Monday, March 4, 2019 at 9 a.m. CST, the USDA Forest Service will reopen the process to reserve Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness quota permits on Recreation.gov. “Between now and March 4 we will continue website testing and conducting training with cooperators to ensure the website meets Forest Service and public needs,” said Superior National Forest Supervisor Connie Cummins. […]

Snowmobile riders: Enjoy great conditions, leave the booze at home


Conditions for snowmobile riding in many parts of the state are as good as they’ve been in a long time, prompting what Department of Natural Resources conservation officers call the biggest number of riders in years to hit the state’s 22,000 miles of snowmobile trails. While zipping around on a sled is a great way to experience Minnesota’s snow-covered outdoors, […]

Lots of opportunities for enjoying the snow



Snow! Lots of snow! With one of the snowiest Februarys on record, and snow that has stayed on the ground since the beginning of December, this is a real Minnesota winter. The national forest provides lots of opportunities for enjoying the winter and reminding you that winter is more than just endless shoveling and blowing. Now would be an excellent […]

In like a lion


March, my favorite month of the year, is just around the corner and soon the days will become noticeably longer. Winter is far from over but the earth-warming month ahead of us should begin to make the outdoors a little more enjoyable. The blizzard that hit Cook County last Sunday left many roads and driveways impassable with high winds creating […]