A close friend of mine, Jill, was raised in a very posh London suburb. Her parents were delightful, ‘frightfully proper’ people. (Her wedding reception held in her parents’ yard featured a footman who announced us as we made our way into the party!) Over the years I stayed with them many times. They were well-traveled, well read, and very comfortable. […]
Commissioners approve routing traffic on County Road 7 during the Highway 61 roadwork
On Tuesday, April 28, the Cook County commissioners spent more than an hour discussing the Minnesota Department of Transportations (MnDOT’s) plans to detour traffic off of Highway 61 once the work on the Fall River Bridge replacement begins. MnDOT originally proposed routing traffic off of Highway 61 onto County Road 7 with all of the vehicles— including trucks— ending at […]
Cook County Service Reflections
Some people ask what they can do to celebrate my time working with the Cook County Highway Department. First, I’m honored that question is asked. Thank you. Second, I wish I could personally say goodbye to community stakeholders and colleagues; if not for the need to protect each other from the spread of COVID- 19, I could. So, to answer […]
Payouts delayed to non-profits
A touchy subject is close to being resolved. The Cook County Council on Aging has agreed in principal to changing course and granting 70 percent of the 2019 profits generated by sales at the First & Second Thrift Store to area non-profits. The decision came at the board’s Wednesday, May 6 meeting but it came with a caveat. “When Pat […]
Historical Reflections
This plane crashed into the rocks near the Coast Guard Station on the Grand Marais harbor. Considerable damage was done to the plane, but no one was injured. The plane was piloted by Rodney Wiley. Passengers were Don Hubert of Osseo, Minnesota, and Ralph Griffis of Chik Wauk. The plane was reconditioned and flown back to Osseo in about a […]
Down Memory Lane
30 YEARS AGOMAY 7, 1990 A group of West End residents appeared before the District 166 school board at its regular meeting to ask that fourth grade be added to Birch Grove Elementary School. School Superintendent Warren Rolek has recommended to the board not to add the additional grade because it would require a half-time teaching position at a cost […]
EOC has received over 1,000 cloth face coverings
As of April 29, the Cook County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has received 1,017 handsewn cloth face coverings for the COVID-19 preparatory effort, officials announced today. Additional donations include 143 N95 masks, 540 procedure/surgical masks, 92 face shields, 32 headbands, 23 thermometers, 12 boxes of gloves and one Tyvek suit. To date, a total of $4,650 in monetary donations has […]
Grand Marais Fire Relief fund pulls in more than $55,000
As of Sunday, May 3, 501 donors had given $56,236 to the Grand Marais Fire Relief Fund. The Go-Fund me page ended on May 5 so that the funds could be distributed to the owners of White Pine North, The Crooked Spoon, and Picnic and Pine, which all burned to the ground on April 13, 2020. When combined, as of […]
Anonymous donor funds Project Backstop and the Cook County Arts Relief Fund
On April 7, “An anonymous donor contacted Grand Marais Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux,” said Cook County Grand Marais EDA Director Mary Somnis. “They told him that they are a small 501c3 foundation – not big like McKnight and others. They wanted to do something to help, as quickly as possible, knowing that people were hurting as they waited for federal […]
Cascade Vacation Rentals linen policy in the wake of COVID-19
The entire globe has been challenged due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Let’s get that right out there. And it’s no different here in northern Minnesota. Governor Tim Walz recently extended his stay-at-home order until May 18, 2020. With that being said, Cascade Vacation Rentals is introducing a best practice as they welcome guests back to the North Shore once the […]