A tale of two political parties

America has a history of good success with a two party political system that has balanced us with the logic that no one political belief in its extreme can be correct. For the sake of defining the main difference in each of the parties’ positions and solutions, the overriding theme would likely be the value of a LARGE or LIMITED […]

Rep. Pete Stauber calls for Rep. Deb Haaland’s name to be withdrawn from consideration to lead the Secretary of Interior


The Grand Portage Band of Chippewa joined with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, the Leech Lake Band of Chippewa, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to oppose Rep. Pete Stauber’s attempts to subvert President Joe Biden’s effort to send Rep. Deb Haaland’s name to the senate for consideration for her […]

Weekly Weather

Being Community

During this pandemic time, some things have become clear. Gathering for meals, worship, or coffee—we won’t take that for granted anymore. At a deeper level, I believe that our need for community has become clearer. We are not meant to do this alone! As God said, “It’s not good for people to be alone…” While many of us love being […]

Virginia C. “Ginger” Cummings

Virginia C. “Ginger” Cummings, 77, Tofte, Minnesota, died Saturday, January 23, 2021, at Essentia Health- St. Mary’s Medical Center. Ginger was born June 15, 1943, to Alden and Mildred (Clow) Swenson in Evansville, Minnesota, where she grew up before the family moved to Tofte in 1953. Virginia graduated from Cook County High School in 1961 and married Thomas Cummings the […]

Peter W. Hemp

Peter W. Hemp, 68-year-old resident of Tofte, Minnesota, formerly of Edina, Minnesota, passed away, Saturday, January 23, 2021, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth. Private family services will be held immediately with a Celebration of Life Service in the near future. Peter William Hemp was born on March 15, 1952, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to the late William and Elizabeth (Long) […]

Historical Reflections

Photo provided by Albert Helmerson. In 1915, the Olson Brothers Two Island Camp included Albert Helmerson on its crew. This is Mr. Helmerson and his team of horses in front of the camp stables. There was five feet of snow in the green timber that winter! Pine logs removed were dumped on the ice and in the spring taken to […]

COVID-19 Vaccine Update



The last year has been challenging in many ways; however, we are beginning to see a little “light at the end of tunnel” with the availability of safe, effective vaccines against COVID- 19. At this point, the number of vaccine doses available to our country, state, and county is still very limited. There simply are not enough vaccine doses currently […]

Down Memory Lane

20 YEARS AGOJANUARY 29, 2001 Montana musher Doug Swingley was the heavy favorite to win his second consecutive Grand Portage Passage, and the veteran musher didn’t disappoint, cruising to a comfortable three-hour, 26-minute lead when he crossed the finish line at Grand Portage Lodge. Grand Marais electric crews were called to Third Avenue East, where a beaver caused some problems. […]

Oshki Ogimaag Charter School receives Safe Routes to School grant


The Oshki Ogimaag Charter School received some excellent news from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). Dave Cowan, the MnDOT Safe Routes to School Coordinator, sent an email to Oshki stating, “We are pleased to inform you that your Safe Routes to School planning assistance grant application for Oshki Ogimaag Charter School/Cook County SRTS was selected for funding through the […]