Historical Reflections

The local Board of Education released this picture in November 1957 to illustrate the need for more room in the Grand Marais elementary school. The picture shows the very crowded condition of the lunch room, which wasn’t large enough to accommodate all of the students; the overflow students were seated for lunch in what was formerly the woodworking area, which […]

Down Memory Lane

10 YEARS AGOSEPT. 5, 2009 U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a deserter from the United States Army at the Grand Portage port of entry on Aug. 24. The Deer Park, Texas man was taken into custody after turning himself in upon his entry into the United States and after a check of his identification revealed he was the […]

Cook County lodging, transportation, and local 1 percent sales tax report


Cook County’s 1 percent local option sales tax through June 2019 is sailing along at a new record, up 10.3 percent for the first six months of the year over last year. Each month the 1 percent sales tax increased over the same period of 2018. In January there was a 2.8 percent bump, February saw an increase of 3.5 […]

The Life of a County Commissioner



People often ask me how I see my role as a county commissioner. Commissioners are responsible for understanding the needs of the county and supporting staff in providing community services, such as public health, human services, public safety and transportation. Carrying out these responsibilities requires attention 24/7/365. Commissioners attend all meetings of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and we […]

August revenue up at the Rec Park


Business has been brisk at the Grand Marais Recreation Park, said Parks and Rec Director Dave Tersteeg to the Grand Marais park board which met Tuesday, September 3. August park and marina revenue totaled $274,830, up 7.2 percent over last August. “It felt busier than last August,” noted Tersteeg. The year-to-date revenue stands at $1,067,638, up 5.6 percent ($56,434) versus […]

North Shore Storm boys and girls take team titles


Brenden Seipke’s win led a strong North Shore Storm boys’ team to first place in the North Shore Challenge held Thursday, August 29 on the rugged Pincushion Mountain trails. An early hard rain gave way to patchy skies and warm, but not hot, weather. A light breeze made it just about a perfect day to race cross country, and some […]

Gathering community together


This last weekend we hosted our 4th Field to Feast community dinner. Because the weather was beautiful, it was the second time we were able to host this event in the street by Pleasant Lake. Forty-two tables set up in three rows. The colors this year were white, blue and wheat representing waves of grain. Everything about the day was […]

Photo

Unplugged XVIII and the Birch Bark Bash are right around the corner, Friday, September 13 and Saturday September 14, and the full program is now available online. Meet the performers, learn about the speakers, view all the instructors participating in the Folk Artisan Marketplace, and find opportunities to make music with the people in your community!

Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour details announced


A leisurely drive along the shores of Lake Superior, combined with crisp autumn weather and the brilliant changing colors of fall serve as the backdrop for Cook County’s annual “Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour.” From Sept. 27 to Oct. 6, visitors are invited to more than 20 studios of artists who choose the beauty of Minnesota’s North Shore […]

Create Your Own Comic Character Workshop


The Arrowhead Library System is pleased to present Create Your Own Comic Character Workshop with Trisha Speed Shaskan and Stephen Shaskan, a free two-hour workshop being offered for ages grade 5 and older on Friday, Oct. 18, at 3:30 p.m. at the Grand Marais Public Library. Do you like to read graphic novels or comics? Do you like to draw? […]