Good news for taxpayers who may need more time to file their taxes this year. On March 17, the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced that the federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year will be automatically extended from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. Individual taxpayers can also postpone federal income […]
American Rescue Plan may deliver $1.06 million to Cook County
This week U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said the American Rescue Plan (ARP) recently signed into law will send an estimated $1.06 million in COVID-19 relief to Cook County to help make up for budget shortfalls suffered during the year-long pandemic. Senator Smith said the pandemic has taken a heavy toll on Minnesota’s state and local governments, with many having […]
Pet of the Week
“This handsome boy is Pepe Le Pieux. He is a 9-year-old red heeler mix rescue that loves to go on walks and car rides. Pepe herds stuffed animals and likes to bury milk bones under pillows,” says Michael Stapleton, describing his wonderful dog. Do you have a favorite pet photo you would like to share? Tell us a little about […]
Viking girls win first playoff game
Using the phrase “A good defense generates a good offense,” the Vikings swept through the Hill City/Northland Storm, well, like a storm. The Vikings swarmed the Hill City players, hounding them on defense which made for more turnovers than a small French bakery could make in one day. Only these turnovers weren’t square pieces of dough with a sweet savory […]
Viking girls vs South Ridge Panthers
The Cook County High School girls’ basketball team traveled to play the South Ridge Panthers on Friday, March 19, to see which team would advance from the 7A Girls Basketball Quarterfinals into the semifinals. Unfortunately for the Vikings, South Ridge’s star guard hit five thee point baskets in a row during the second half and by all accounts, it looked […]
Ariana Poyirier named first-team all-conference
Some college coach is going to be lucky to have Ariana Poyirier play for them. The all-everything senior CCHS guard from Grand Portage capped off a stellar senior year by having area coaches name her to the first team All- Conference, quite an honor for a conference stacked with great female basketball players. At 5’8”, long, strong and lean, Poyirier […]
Some moments stand out
First the boys went in and Sunday was clear blue and white in the sugarbush. They went up the old road on snowshoes and dragged the toboggan heavy with gear and carried things and humped packs and up through the mixed woods to a high ground and slowly it turned to maple and leveled and wound and now there was […]
How do you eat an elephant?
Do you know how the saying goes? How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. There is truth in this and as I tackle huge projects this spring, I just breathe through it and repeat this mantra over and over—one bite at a time, one step at a time, and one day at a time. A new […]
State forest roads and trails
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will temporarily close some state forest roads and trails because they are not firm enough to support vehicle traffic without causing damage. Depending on weather conditions, the temporary closures could remain in effect until sometime in May. “The annual spring thaw creates wet, unstable road and trail conditions,” said Deb Pitt, roads program coordinator […]
Great Lakes water levels lower than 2020 heading into spring rise
Great Lake water levels in 2021 are tracking below last year’s levels, though Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and Erie remain well above long-term average levels, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials who track and forecast Great Lakes water levels. Lake Ontario recently fell slightly below long-term average levels. The February 2021 monthly mean water levels ranged […]