10 Years Ago • March 11, 2002
The Minnesota Department of Commerce has recommended that Qwest provide telephone service to residents living near Holly Lake, Clara Lake and Tait Lake. Residents living in the rural Tofte area had asked Qwest for telephone service in the past, but had been turned down. Along with the most recent complaint with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission was a petition signed by 70 property owners.
Grand Marais mushers Dean Gulden and Neil Rasmussen finished fourth and fifth in the 2002 John Beargrease 150, an eight-dog race, on March 4. The 150-mile race from Two Harbors to the Poplar Lake (Trail Center) finish marked the halfway point of the 350- mile Beargrease Marathon.
The Grand Marais City Council spent nearly 45 minutes discussing the parking problem in downtown Grand Marais. Specifically, the discussion centered on the worries of downtown business owners who say the current plan for Harbor Park will make truck deliveries and customer parking even more difficult than they are now.
20 Years Ago • March 9, 1992
A construction contract for the modernization of the Grand Marais water treatment plant was awarded to a Plymouth company for $735,400 by the city’s Public Utilities Commission. That amount is more than $200,000 over the estimated cost of the project as provided by engineers. Gridor was the lowest of five bidders for the project. The upgrade is needed because the present treatment plant near the power station at the Rec Park is 40 years old. It is not possible to get replacement parts for repairs any longer. It is expected the new plant will be able to meet the city’s needs for the next 25 years.
A hearing on the proposed transfer of the cable television franchise in Grand Marais to a California business organization was recessed for three weeks to give the buyers time to come up with information needed to evaluate the deal. Last week’s hearing was held by the Grand Marais Cable Television Advisory Board to determine how the sale would affect service here and whether it would be good or bad for subscribers.
50 Years Ago • March 8, 1962
A Grand Marais family suddenly became deprived of home and contents last Friday when fire struck and leveled the one-story structure in a matter of minutes. The house was owned by Mrs. E.K. Jonson of Crystal Lake, Ill., but currently being occupied by the Eugene Petersons and Pete Peterson. Mrs. Peterson stepped outside to hang some laundry on the line and when she returned five minutes later, she heard the children screaming. The fire made too much headway, and crews from the Coast Guard and fire department were unable to save the house.
E.W. Funk of Lutsen reports that his private deer yard is attracting considerable attention. Last Sunday he estimated that 100 visitors came to see the 36 deer that inhabit the area and enjoy the feed he supplies them. Only four of the deer that have been coming to the Funk place have not returned so far this year. The most recent to arrive was “Snoopy,” who has been coming for the past six years. She showed up just the other day, when Mr. Funk had all but given up seeing her again.
90 Years Ago • March 9, 1922
James Morrison Jr. and Joe Thomas ran down three timber wolves last week. They had snow shoes and the wolves had to flounder in the deep snow and soon tired.
Andrew Ketonen, brother of the champion middleweight wrestler of the world, is in Grand Marais. He has been cutting pulpwood for Hughes Bros. Timber Co. for the past two months, and is now waiting for the roads to open up so he can go to Duluth. He is also a wrestler of recognized prowess, and will give an exhibition next Saturday night at the Princess Theater. He will wrestle with John Makinen the shoe maker, also with Jack Saari. He will give instructions in the various holds practiced by the professionals. Mr. Ketonen’s brother Vano has held the world’s championship in the middle-weight class for eight years and has accumulated a fortune, his home being in Massachusetts.
John Soderstrom was a caller at the News-Herald office Tuesday. He walked in from his home on the north shore of Devil Track Lake. It is his first time in town in two months.
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