The Cook County Minnesota Restorative Justice project (Restorative Justice) will officially become a program of the North Shore Health Care Foundation (NSHCF) as of Jan 1, 2020. At its Dec. 9 meeting of the NSHCF board of directors, a unanimous vote supported the adoption of the program in 2020 to give the initiative a permanent home and ensure its sustainability. […]
SMMPA approves EV chargers
In September the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) board approved installing charging stations for electric vehicles (EV) in every member community. Within the next 12 to 18 months, the city of Grand Marais and all other SMMPA member communities will receive a DC fast (level 3) charger and two dual-port level 2 chargers. SMMPA will purchase the chargers from […]
Attorneys argue over MnDOT right of way acquisitions
More than two dozen business owners and landowners have gone to court with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) over payments for their property the state says it needs to acquire for the upcoming 2020-2021 Highway 61 project. The owners contend MnDOT—who is acquiring properties and easements for the Highway 61 improvements through right-of-way acquisition (R.O.W.) and eminent domain—isn’t offering […]
Grand Portage Band wins Bush Foundation LGIA award
The Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa was selected by the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, in collaboration with the Bush Foundation as a winner of a Local Government Innovation Award (LGIA). Grand Portage is an award recipient in the “Local Government and Native Nations Collaboration” category and receives recognition through media, the Humphrey School of […]
Girls fall to Two Harbors Agates
The Cook County girls’ basketball team traveled to Two Harbors on Friday, December 6, to open their season against North Shore rival Two Harbors Agates. Early on, the Vikings jumped out to a lead and went into the locker room at the half up 21-15. During the second half, coach Kelly Hawsen said, “The girls played well the first half […]
Boys fall to Two Harbors Agates
Captains of the boys’ basketball team this year are three seniors, from L-R: Pete Sutton, Jordan Porter and Adam Dorr. The three all stand 6’2” to 6’3” and give the Vikings some height. The team’s first home game is against Cromwell on Monday, December 16. Varsity action will start at 4:45 p.m. The Cook County boys’ basketball team opened its […]
Dupre launches campaign to raise funds for film/book project
Arctic explorer Lonnie Dupre has just launched a campaign to raise funds for a film and book project in collaboration with JOOSE films called Pulling for the Planet. “The filming adventure will begin April 2021 in North Greenland, where we hope to capture the culture of the polar Inuit and how these people of snow, ice, and sled dogs are […]
Cruising on a sunny afternoon
I am writing this column while I am hours away from boarding a plane to go on a Caribbean cruise with my mom and dad. I am so excited, yet this is a hard time to get away. There are lots of Christmas bazaars, church luncheons, gift shopping to do, and Christmas cards to mail. I feel I have been […]
DNR to update Minnesota’s wolf management plan
Applications for new wolf plan advisory committee due Dec. 20 The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is updating the state’s wolf management plan and is looking to the public for input. To that end, the agency is creating a new wolf plan advisory committee to help inform the update to the management plan. Applications are now open for the committee, […]
Santa’s troop comes to town
The Girl Scout elves of Grand Marais drove down from the North Pole this weekend—presumably carpooling with the incoming snap of Arctic air—to host their annual Santa’s Workshop at the Cook County Community Center on Saturday, Dec. 7. There was a smorgasbord of trinkets, hot-buttered pancakes, and wrapping-paper covered tables available for the special event, culminating with Santa’s arrival at […]