Minnesota State Auditor Judy Blaha released the 2019 Municipal Liquor Store report, and Grand Marais once again had a good year. The cities municipal 2019 liquor store off-sale operation was up 13.5 percent over 2018. Sales totaled $2,295,000 with the cost of sales at $1,611,242. The year ending gross profit was $683,757, and with $382,804 in operating costs pulled from […]
An Update on the Equity in Justice Initiative
Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. Maria Robinson The Equity in Justice Initiative (EJI) is an advisory group created in 2020 with a mission to discover, acknowledge and build awareness about what inequities exist in our justice system and to create equity in Cook County for all. […]
Minnesota Legislature comes together on aid package, Governor extends shutdown of bars and restaurants
Usually divided, the Minnesota Legislature came together this past week to pass a $216 million aid package to help small businesses and workers hurt the most by the pandemic. Unemployed workers whose benefits were running out or had expired will receive a 13-week extension. The Governor continued the shutdown of indoor dining for bars and restaurants through January 11. On […]
State Auditor Judy Blaha releases municipal liquor store report
State Auditor Julie Blaha has released the Analysis of Municipal Liquor Store Operations report. This report is for the year ended December 31, 2019. Via a virtual press conference, Auditor Blaha discussed the trends and underlying financial data in the report. “This is a challenging time to understand data,” said Auditor Blaha. “During this morning’s press conference, I spoke of […]
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Ruby’s Pantry Cook County Ruby’s Pantry, 2nd Tuesday of the month food distribution 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., $20 (cash only) Sponsored by Spirit of the Wilderness Church. You will be amazed at all the food you get at the Cook County Community Center. No financial or other qualifications—this is surplus food for all! Cook County Higher Education Career training […]
Hospital board approves proposed 2021 budget
North Shore Health Board of Directors received a quick tutorial about the 2021 budget before approving it. The projected 2021 North Shore Health budget is $20,671,952, up seven percent from the projected 2020 revenue. Half of that, $10,161,477, is dedicated to salaries and wages, an increase of 4.6 percent over 2020. That hike is almost entirely caused by the rise […]
ARDC creates revolving loan fund to help businesses affected by the pandemic
The Arrowhead Regional Development Commission has created a revolving loan fund to help both for-profit and non-profit businesses in the Northland survive the COVID-19 pandemic. To be eligible you must be in Cook, Lake, Aitkin, Carlton, Itasca, Koochiching, or Saint Louis County. Eligible applicants are businesses that can demonstrate a “clear, negative impact from the pandemic.” Applicants will be subjected […]
County board approves 3.95 percent 2021 levy increase
In setting the levy for 2021, Cook County Commissioners nudged their September proposed levy of 4.16 percent down a smooch to 3.95 percent. Approval came through a resolution made by Commissioner Heidi Doo Kirk and was approved unanimously at the county board’s December 22 meeting. This dropped the county board’s 2021 proposed levy of $10,765,575, by $23,500. State law requires […]
Training for Beargrease at Moetown Kennels
Frank Moe is a sled dog racer of some renown, but the Hovland musher’s racing career was in jeopardy after knee replacement surgery. The erstwhile co-owner of Moetown Kennels with his wife, Sherri, Frank wondered if he would compete again. With the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon coming up, he got on the back of his sled on Sunday, December […]
Blind sled dog still pulls his weight
When Frank Moe entered his 12-dog sled team in last year’s Gunflint Mail Run 100 mile race, his team included Indy, a blind seven-year-old Alaskan husky. Once the public became aware of the story, it went viral and Indy became somewhat of an international star. “Indy was one of our rising stars when he was two and finished the Beargrease […]