Cook County News Herald

Down Memory Lane




10 Years Ago · Nov. 1, 2002

U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone (D), his wife and daughter were killed Oct. 25 in a plane crash outside the Eveleth airport. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. The Wellstones were traveling to Eveleth to attend a funeral for the father of a longtime DFL ally and friend, Tom Rukavina.

After months of hearing rumors about drug use by high school students, Cook County High School Principal Doug Conboy made arrangements with local law enforcement officials to conduct a search for illegal drugs on school premises. The sweep was conducted Wednesday morning using trained dogs brought in from Cloquet and Lake County. The school was locked down. “We went through the school, checked lockers, bathrooms, hallways,” Conboy said. “We also checked cars in the parking lot…The dogs turned up absolutely nothing.”

20 Years Ago · Nov. 2, 1992

Bob Gruman, president of Sawtooth Housing Corporation of Grand Marais, received the deed to the city’s portion of the land for congregate housing at City Hall on Oct. 28. Gruman presented a check for $5,275 from the Janet Hansen Fund in payment for the 50-by-400-foot property. Cook County’s property deed will soon follow. Sawtooth Housing Corporation of Grand Marais, a nonprofit corporation with a volunteer seven-member board, has worked with the Ebenezer Society in submitting grant proposals to the federal Housing and Urban Development agency. Finance sponsorship of the project is through the Cook County Resource Development Council. Plans call for letting of bids for the building in February or March 1993; completion of the 24-apartment structure is by the end of the year.

The contractor has started the final gravel coat for the newly constructed portion of the Sawbill Trail. The base coat was finished at the end of last week and the finish coat should be completed with a week.

Grand Marais city and Cook County officials are talking about whether the hospital’s two ambulances and the Search & Rescue squad equipment should be located in the same building with the firefighting trucks. The city recently received a $135,000 grant from the Iron Range Rehabilitation and Resource Board to build a new fire hall.

50 Years Ago · Nov. 1, 1962

Work under the Public Works Acceleration Bill is well under way on the Superior National Forest. The official go-ahead was received late Friday and by Tuesday morning over 100 men had been assigned to various projects throughout the forest. “By the end of the week we will have 250 men employed and by the end of next week we expect the number to reach 450,” said L.P. Neff, forest supervisor in Duluth. The men will be assigned to thinning, pruning and weeding plantations, brushing roads, clearing hunter and fishermen access trails, clearing firebreaks, constructing campgrounds, disposal of slash, improving wildlife habitat, and other worthwhile forest management activities.

We have all heard of the Pony Express and carrier pigeons, but there’s a special messenger on the Cramer Road – a black and white collie named Chum, belonging to the Ed Silvers, who live eight miles from Schroeder and have no telephone or close neighbors. Last week, Ed Silver, 84, became ill and Mrs. Silver tied a note asking for help to Chum’s collar, and sent him down to their son Bob at Schroeder. Chum arrived at Bob’s without delay, and only after the message was delivered and mission accomplished did he relax with his dog friends.

The car owned by Kenneth Chevrie parked near the veneer plant Saturday night caught fire and was considerably damaged.

90 Years Ago · Nov. 2, 1922

Henry Westerlund returned from Duluth Sunday where he underwent an operation for appendicitis.

Matt Lanktree is cutting his winter’s supply of wood on his farm.

John Lob of Tofte had his wrist knocked out of joint Monday while cranking his Ford. It kicked backward. Sigurd Eide drove to town with him, where he received surgical attention.

Billy Lively is in town this week. He is starting a fox farm on Isle Royale.

Do you have an old picture or a story from years gone by that you would like to share with the Cook County News-Herald readers? We’d love to hear your Historical Reflections Call (218) 387-9100; e-mail starnews@boreal.org; or stop by our office at 15 First Avenue West.



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