10 Years Ago ·
Dec. 25, 2000
• A few northern Minnesota deer hunters found a note from the U.S. Forest Service on their deer stands this fall. The note said, in essence, move it or lose it.
“They said the stands were in violation and would be removed after deer season,” said a Twin Cities man who found one of the postings. A Forest Service spokesman said the targeted stands clearly violated the federal policy of not allowing permanent structures on national forest land.
• Despite pleas from summer residents of Hungry Jack Lake to postpone a public hearing on a proposed land exchange between the U.S. Forest Service and the county, the county board of commissioners went ahead on Dec. 12 and held the hearing.
After a brief discussion with those summer residents able to travel from their winter homes to the meeting, the commissioners voted unanimously to move the land exchange ahead. Land Commissioner Ted Mershon defended the timing of the meeting. “It was not my intent to hold a public hearing at a time of year when most property owners were not around.”
20 Years Ago ·
Dec. 24, 1990
• TheGrand Marais City Council agreed to accept a discount of $10,000 from contractor Barbarossa and Sons after expressing concern about cost overruns totaling 27 percent in the recent $2.2 million street and storm sewer project.
The council was especially concerned about the overrun resulting from rock excavation for the catch basin behind the city pool. Councilor Joyce Heiskari questioned what went wrong.
“Why did our engineer estimate there would be 30 cubic yards of rock when there was actually over 1,000 cubic yards?” she asked.
• Next month’s Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon from Duluth to Grand Portage and back will be televised in a tape-delayed hour-long broadcast on the ESPN cable sports network.
Thiswill be the first time a Duluth sports event has received national TV coverage in a special program.
50 Years Ago ·
Dec. 22, 1960
• A 26-year-old man died after he was scalded when steam filled the enclosure in which he was working at the Cloquet paper mill Dec. 13.
He has relatives in this area, and had worked on various forestry and construction projects in recent years.
• Many controversial issues involving the Cook County educational system were freely discussed at an informal meeting at the Grand Portage Community Building Dec. 13.
Although the lively discussion covered a variety of subjects, the topic of greatest interest concerned the modern approach to the teaching of basic skills in reading, spelling and arithmetic as opposed to the more orthodox methods of the past. It was generally conceded that modern students, at all levels throughout the nation, show an alarming weakness in the ability to read effectively and spell correctly.
Few conclusions were reached and no cure-all was found.
• A group of boys has arrived at the Plymouth Youth Camp at Sea Gull Lake and will begin the preliminary work for rebuilding the large dining hall lost this fall by fire.
75 Years Ago ·
Dec. 26, 1935
• Residents of lonely Isle Royale, northernmost Michigan island, had their last contact of the winter with the mainland yesterday when the Coast Guard cutter Crawford left Siskitwit Bay after delivering a cargo of supplies and medicine for the colony.
The cutter plowed its way through a five-inch ice sheet making its voyage from its base at Two Harbors.
The only communication with the island is by radio during the winter.
• Adolph Toftey, who is teaching at Sheboygan, Wis., arrived this week to spend the holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Toftey of Grand Marais.
• Substantial progress has been made of late reducing the number of incendiary fires, and in punishing the arsonist. This margin of success in combating one of the worst and most despicable of all crimes, should not cause a let-up in our efforts. Rather, it should increase them.
Thearsonist is on the run — and there should be no weakening in the forces of law and order that pursue him. Few crimes are more reprehensible.
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