10 Years Ago ·
Feb. 28, 2000
• Directors of the Cook County North Shore Hospital said at their February meeting that they will consider changing the way the facility receives its annual funding, with the most likely option being the implementation of a modest sales tax.
• The Trust for Public Land, working with the city of Grand Marais, the Minnesota Land Trust and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, has completed the purchase of the last privately owned piece of property on the Grand Marais harbor — the Gene Erickson Standard Station.
The Standard Station has been sitting on the site for 75 years, an historical piece of property in its own right, but Erickson decided to sell it a little over a year ago. Because owning the property had long been part of the overall list of priorities for the city, community members banded together to make sure the land wasn’t purchased by commercial users. The plan is to return the .643-acre parcel to a more natural state.
• If local employers are having trouble filling job openings there is a good reason. Almost everyone who can be employed is employed.
Cook County went into the millennium with the lowest rate of unemployment in the Arrowhead Region and was in the top 3 of all Minnesota counties for unemployment.
20 Years Ago ·
Feb. 26, 1990
• In a pair of meetings Tuesday with the Grand Marais Marina Committee and Park Board, a consultant for the Economic Development Authority answered questions and offered advice on the proposal to build a marina in the Grand Marais harbor.
The City Council had asked the EDA to move along with the marina plan, but David Salene said a multiple agency effort is required.
“I’d like to see the Park Board and the EDA go to the city council with a unified plan,” he said. “We’ve got to get together on something we can fight for.”
• In its second full year of operation, the Cook County recycling program handled 305 tons of assorted waste. This represents 15 percent of total estimated waste for the year, and is up 3 percent over the previous year.
• Three candidates have filed for officeto replace the late Orton Tofte on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, making a primary necessary on March 13.
Rae Piepho of Lutsen, and Eugene Utecht and Stephen Krueger, both of Tofte, will compete for the position. The top two vote-getters will square off in a March 27 election.
50 Years Ago ·
Feb. 25, 1960
• Appropriate services were conducted at Bethlehem Lutheran Church last Sunday morning as the final service for the old church building, which has been used since 1903.
Matt Johnson, who at 80 is the only local charter member of the congregation, spoke about the early history since the congregation organized in 1899.
Other charter members still living are Mrs. Aleda Holte Treptow, Mrs. T.R. Cummins, Colbert F. Holte, Harltey Holte and E.H. Erickson.
The congregation will move into its new facility this week. • Joynes store is being revamped as to fixtures.
Howard Joynes, owner, says he believes in keeping up with the very latest in merchandising. The change-over will probably take three weeks, he said.
Of course, the store remains open for business as usual. • Paul Larson, manager of the local telephone company, announces that work has begun to provide telephone service at Devil Track Lake.
The crew has already placed the 6,000-pound strand on the REA poles that will hold the new cable in place, from the corner at Devil’s Track Road to the road leading to the south shore of the lake.
Because of the number of prospective telephone users involved in the Devil’s Track Lake area and the condition of the existing wire and poles, a new cable will be placed from town out to meet the new cable at the Devil’s Track Lake Road corner.
The total cost of the work will be in excess of $25,000.
90 Years Ago ·
Feb. 25, 1920
• Olson Brothers lost a valuable horse this week. Thecause of the horse’s death is not known. • Some of our local fishermen are catching herring by setting nets under the ice. The herring is exceptionally fine this time of year.
• “The Village Choir” met for the first time on Tuesday night. Twenty persons were on hand to start work on a beautiful cantata, which will be produced on Easter Sunday.
The choir will practice again on Friday night, at the home of J.G. Scott.
• No escape! As soon as people were told to wear last year’s clothes, the price of thread and clothes brushes went up. • CASKETS: I will carry in stock a good assortment of caskets, at various prices and different sizes. Will also act as funeral director when my services are wanted.
— Aug. J. Johnson
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