It’s been 52 years since the first Earth Day Celebration was held on April 22, 1970. And a lot has taken place since that initial first step. This year the theme for Earth Day 2022 is “Invest in our Planet.” How can you invest in the planet, you ask? Small steps. Some ideas listed on the Earth Day website include... READ MORE >
A favorite readers column will be unavailable for the foreseeable future. The Cook County Law Enforcement report will not be printed for the foreseeable future because, as Sheriff Pat Eliasen said, “Due to upcoming staffing shortages and increased workload being placed upon existing staff, we will not be able to disseminate the call log. The time it takes to search... READ MORE >
After a week-long trial, a local jury acquitted Rodney Arlen Ernest, 37, Isabella, of all six charges connected to the vehicle accident that claimed the life of William J. Evans, 55, or Litchfield. The verdict came after five days of testimony in Cook County District Court on April 12, 2022. A late winter storm caused a one-day delay, allowing jurors... READ MORE >
Carpenter Broadcasting, LLC has bought 92.7 WZBY in Grand Portage and is in the process of buying AAA “95.3 The Otter” WFNX in Grand Marais. The news was announced on RadioINSIGHT on April 8, in an online article written by Lance Vendeta. Carpenter Broadcasting holds a construction permit for a third radio station for 96.9 in Grand Marais. Multi-Cultural Diversity... READ MORE >
North House Folk School’s variance request to build a new 2,400 square foot classroom on the school’s lakefront property was denied 4-0 by the Grand Marais Planning Commission. The variance request asked to use all 40-feet of the setback from Lake Superior. Still, that 4-0 vote wasn’t reached easily. It came after a lengthy hearing from the public and representatives... READ MORE >
In the commissioner’s room, Cook County Commissioners held a public hearing on Tuesday, April 12, to discuss the newly proposed voter precincts caused by the 2020 census. Every ten years, the census potentially causes precinct lines to be redrawn if the population shifts from area to area. No one from the public attended the hearing. A committee made up of... READ MORE >
The glorious sound of hearing an umpire say “Play ball” will have to wait for a while. Cook County High School Athletic Director and Assistant Baseball Coach Andy Feddemma sent out an email on Monday, April 11th that surprised no Viking sports fan. Upcoming baseball and softball games were going to be rescheduled because of impending mid- April snow. So,... READ MORE >
Former Cook County High School Principal John Engelking was selected as the 2022 Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) Region 7 Administrator of Excellence award. John has been the Proctor public school’s superintendent for the last 12 years. Engelking officially retired on September 14, 2021 but has stayed at Procter as an interim superintendent while school board has sought to... READ MORE >
Tourism remained strong in 2021, with Cook County experiencing an increase of 23.3 percent in its lodging tax over 2020. Lutsen-Tofte Tourism Association was exceptionally robust, taking in $1,186,324.14 in 2020 compared to $932,960.73 in 2020, or an increase of 23.3 percent when compared apples-to-apples. The Grand Marais Tourism Association saw an increase of 36.4 percent in 2021, bringing in... READ MORE >
Three candidates running for the same committee person at large (1) seat on the Grand Portage Reservation Council vied for votes in an April 5 primary. Under tribal rules, if more than two candidates are running for a council position, a primary must be held to winnow the race to two. Voting polls opened at the Old Log Community Building... READ MORE >
