All along the shore of the big lake, the woods are speckled with snowshoe tracks left behind from folks tapping and monitoring the spring maple syrup run. Up the Caribou Trail near Lutsen, Herb Wills has been tapping trees and boiling sap since 1984. It all started out as a simple, self-taught hobby, as it is for many backyarders throughout […]
Great Place Project grants awarded
The Cook County Business and Civic Partnership, the foundation arm of the Cook County Chamber, has awarded 10 grants totaling $8,450 to 2019 Great Place Project applicants, Jim Boyd, Partnership and Chamber executive director, announced. “All of these projects will contribute to our celebration of life in Cook County and our welcome to visitors to join in that celebration,” Boyd […]
North Shore Pharmacy closing its doors
After two and one-half years of owning and running the North Shore Pharmacy, Cory Malstrom has decided it’s time to make a transition with his life and is closing the business. “It’s been pretty amazing. I feel like this is a second home to me,” said Malstrom, who is moving to Duluth to be with his spouse. The couple married […]
City looks at a proposal to redevelop city hall/ liquor store location
In response to the city’s request to find interested developers, Grand Marais City Administrator Mike Roth received a proposal to redevelop the city hall/liquor store from Theis & Talle Enterprises, Inc. which is located in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Theis & Talle was founded in 1981, and currently owns and manages 6,000 apartment units in five states, primarily in Minnesota. They are […]
County commissioners hear MnDOT rumble strip presentation
Cook County commissioners listened intently as representatives from the Minnesota Department of Transportation came before the board on April 9 with an announcement that they are about to embark on placing rumble strips on the shoulders of Highway 61 this summer. Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) plans to install shoulder rumble strips on highways with paved shoulders four feet wide […]
A show of hands, please…
Picture the commissioners’ boardroom jam-packed, wall-to-wall with local residents, elected officials, a fair contingent of county staff, and a few galvanized folks from the fringes. All mobilized to assess the Cook County Administrator’s performance after nearly four years in the position. The room is abuzz with an undercurrent of rather animated conversations, up until the point a moderator steps up […]
Writer calls for civility
While I do not know enough about the county politics and budget process to have an informed opinion, I do have some ideas about common decency. Why does this newspaper continually give a defeated (and apparently extremely bitter) county commissioner the pulpit to spew venomous hatred and rhetoric about the county administrator? The following is verbatim from “Reminder for Letters” […]
An open letter to the county commissioners
It was disturbing to hear our county administrator Monday, April 1, on WTIP. The low point of the interview was when he absolved himself of all the decisions of the county board: “I’m not responsible for any of this.” He basically told listeners that it was not his fault. That only the board is responsible for the questionable spending decisions […]
The beautiful lady of spring has arrived
Boozhoo-Greetings, People think that boozhoo is a French word, an Ojibwe greeting taken from bonjour. However, it is not. Nanaboozho was given a top notch job from the Great Spirit. Many friends tell me, that I should share many of my stories. So, I will do so. Ahkewenzee Gah Be boon ee keyn, old man winter maker is now this […]
Just say “NO” to plastic bags
You may shudder at the images of dead whales and sea birds with their guts filled with plastic. You may wonder how we got into this mess. You may even ask how we can get out of it at this late stage of the game. Good signs that you have some concern for where we all live. Here in Cook […]