Amazing Grace is a wonderful movie about William Wilberforce and his fight against slavery. In it, the character John Newton (who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace), and William Wilberforce, come to see clearly, what they had been blind to—the evil of the slave trade. There was no going back—”was blind, but now I see.” Many/most/all of us are blind to […]
Mary E. (Reed) Fenstad
Mary E. (Reed) Fenstad, 80, Little Marais, died Monday, January 13, 2020, at Chris Jensen Health and Rehabilitation. Mary was born February 27, 1939, to Guy and Lucille (Cox) Reed on the family farm in rural New Auburn, Wisconsin. As a young girl, she attended a one room school before graduating from New Auburn High School in 1957. Mary continued […]
66th Minnesota YMCA Youth in Government program brings youth together for the state’s largest hands-on civic education event
The YMCA, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, welcomed 1,550 students in grades eight through 12 to the Minnesota State Capitol January 9-12 for the YMCA Center for Youth Voice’s Youth in Government program. Among them were four local middle and high-school students from Cook County. At the 66th Youth in […]
The 49th season of the Grand Marais Playhouse is about to begin!
The first production of the season is Cinderella Tales, a collection of fairy tales. There are many versions of the story commonly known as Cinderella. Parts of the story go back to ancient Egypt and ancient China. The stories were mostly shared orally and traveled with immigrants all over the world. They took on the qualities of the culture that […]
Historical Reflections
March 4, 1965 Clarence Thompson, maintenance engineer at the hospital and nursing home, arranges attractive new furniture in the nursing home lounge.
Down Memory Lane
10 YEARS AGOJAN. 16, 2010 Fourteen ISD 166 teachers were called into Superintendent Beth Schwarz’s office Tuesday and given written notice that impending budget reductions might impact – or eliminate – their positions. Schwarz was contacted while at a school board association convention to discuss the action. She will meet with the school board Jan. 18 to talk about the […]
Cook County School board holds organizational meeting
On the second day of January 2020, the Cook County I.S.D. 166 school board was busy planning its assignments for the upcoming year. It was a quick and efficient meeting followed by the regularly scheduled board meeting. Dan Shirley was nominated for the board chair position. His name was the only one brought fourth, and Dan was designated the new […]
2019 Public Health and Human Services Department year in review
The Cook County Public Health and Human Services (PHHS) is made up of 27 staff who deliver and connect residents to supportive services, including economic assistance and health care programs, community health promotion and social services programs. The PHHS department mission statement, which was developed by department staff in 2013 is, “Supporting the health, safety and well being of our […]
Pincushion Winter Festival February 15
The 2020 Pincushion Winter Festival is less than one month away. If you want to take part, get your cross country skis out and start training now. This year the festival will be held February 15. It’s a day filled with Nordic ski races, skijoring events, and family fun. The 30k classic ski race will start at 10 a.m. At […]
Grand Marais city council holds organizational meeting
Grand Marais city councilors met on Wednesday, January 8, for the city’s 2020 organizational meeting. Council adopted the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 2020 optional standard mileage rate of 57.5 cents per mile, which is one-half cent less than the 2019 price. Stacey Hawkins was reappointed to the Planning Commission, and Steven Aldridge was appointed to the Grand Marais Recreation Park […]