A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 43
Come next week, Veterans Park in Cloquet will be transformed into an elite hockey facility - outdoors, the way the hockey gods intended it - with seating for 1,300. Hockey Day Cloquet promises to be unlike anything seen before in the Wood City. The homegrown hockey extravaganza will span eight days, from Jan. 8-15, peaking with the Lumberjacks varsity boys and girls hockey games on Saturday, Jan. 11. The timing couldn't be better: the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys hockey team is currently ranked...
Trinity Oakland wasn't the focus at the horrific crash scene. She was among the walking wounded. The 21-year-old had just driven her Ford Edge at least 55 mph through a stop sign at Carlton County Road 1 and Military Road, striking a Subaru Forester in its front axle. The Ford spun, and smacked the driver's side of the Subaru again as the vehicles sailed into a snow-filled ditch, southwest of the intersection south of Wrenshall. Janae Sjodin, a senior at Wrenshall High School, and her 11-year-ol...
This past month, members of the Cloquet Rotary Club were busy working together to make the holidays brighter for families in Carlton County. The non-profit group started the holiday season by offering Pet Photos with Santa during the Home for the Holidays weekend. Money raised from Pet Photos with Santa was added to the Project Elf Fund, a Rotary project to help local families struggling during the holidays. School counselors in Carlton County nominate families in need. The Cloquet Rotary Club...
Carol Elizabeth Tischer was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She passed away peacefully on Nov. 12, 2024, after a two-year battle with cancer. She was born to Bert and Dorothy Munter on June 11, 1950 in Cloquet, Minnesota. Carol was happiest when spending time outdoors. She greatly enjoyed fishing, hunting, and the countless camping trips she took with family and friends. Carol had a passion for horses and volunteered at North Country Ride in Carlton, working with special...
Shirley Jean Olson passed away on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 at her residence on Little Sand Lake, Britt, Minnesota. Shirley was born on October 9, 1940 in Sandstone, Minnesota, to Hanley and Geraldine (Jepsen) Olson. She graduated from Roosevelt High School and then attended the Minnesota School of Business. Shirley married Dennis Olson on March 3, 1962 in Virginia. They made their home in Cloquet were they raised their 3 sons and both worked in the school. They returned to Virginia in 1990 and made their cabin their permeant home. Shirley...
Janice Grangruth of Cloquet, Minnesota, passed away Dec. 25, at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s in Duluth. Christmas Eve was her favorite holiday; it was only fitting that she spent this last holiday season surrounded by her whole family. Janice had many joys over the years - summers at the cabin, camping with family, ceramics, crocheting, watching old westerns, going to the casino (especially if her hands were itching because that meant the big bucks), card games, and enjoying various pets. But h...
Maxine Lois Phelps, age 97, died on Monday, December 23, 2024, at Suncrest Assisted Living in Scanlon, Minnesota. She was born on March 4, 1927, to Ora and Inez (Mills) Acker in Raymond, South Dakota. At age five, she moved with her family to Wisconsin and lived in the Foxboro area until 1947. Maxine graduated from Superior Central High School in 1945. She was united in marriage to Coral F. Phelps on June 11, 1947, and the two were blessed with 71 years together. Maxine resided in Wrenshall the...
Arthur L. Martin, age 90 of Cloquet, Minnesota, passed away Sunday Dec. 22, 2024, at his home surrounded by loved ones. He was born July 5, 1934 in Cloquet, the son of Lester and Caroline (Peach) Martin. He married Janet Vaineo on Sept. 12, 1953. Art lived life to the fullest and had many passions, drag racing, flying his plane, fishing, hunting, golfing, blueberry picking, building, and fixing things. He loved spending time with his family, friends and most of all his grandchildren. He left us...
Lieutenant Colonel Robert "RJ" J. Hecht, Sr., U.S. Air Force, Retired, age 85, of Cloquet, passed away Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, at Aspirus St. Luke's Hospice in Duluth, Minnesota after a six-year-long battle with cancer. RJ was born on Oct. 12, 1939, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Orville and Jewell (Deeb) Hecht. After retiring as a CRNA, he cherished his time surrounded by family and friends, finding joy in music, boating, fishing, and hunting. With his quick wit, quiet strength, and dry sense of...
Dolores Hazel Johnson, 98, Two Harbors, died Monday, December 23, 2024 at Waterview Shores. Dolores was born Nov. 20, 1926 to Archie and Cecelia (Kesler) Lessor in Cloquet, where she grew up, graduating from Cloquet High School in 1944. She married Roger E. Johnson on April 22, 1950 and made her home in Two Harbors since that time. During her working years, Dolores worked at several different jobs including telephone operator, aide and bus driver for the DAC. Dolores was a member of Holy Spirit...
Marilyn Ada Steffer, 91, passed away on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024 at Diamond Willow Assisted Living. She was born Sept. 9, 1933, in Cromwell, MN to John and Ada Smith Gravelle. She lived there until she was six, when her family moved to Wright, MN. She married Harold Steffer on February 11th, 1953, in Wright. They lived there until 1955, when they moved to a farm in Tamarack. She worked in several restaurants in the area and worked 9 years at Nelson’s Store in Tamarack. She was a homemaker for A...
Rita Marie (Johannsen) Randall passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at Solvay Hospice House in Duluth, Minnesota, with her loving husband, Steven, and sons, Derek and Dustin, by her side. A loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, Rita will be missed by all who have been blessed to have known her. Rita Marie Johannsen was born on March 20, 1956, in Bemidji, Minnesota, to Rose Marie (Meyers) and Russell Louis Johannsen. Rita spent her younger years growing up in Bena,...
Nathan Ray O’Leary, 43, of Esko passed away on Dec. 29, 2024. He is survived by the children he adored, Nicholas Ray O’Leary and Olivianna Christine O’Leary, as well as his parents, and stepparents, Marty (Michelle) O’Leary of Cloquet and Tamara (Dan) Belich of Esko. He also left behind his brothers, Andrew (Jeni) O’Leary of Esko and Benjamin (Jesse) O’Leary of Duluth. He is missed by his stepbrothers, Jason O’Leary Belich and Alex Belich; stepsister, Natilie Belich; nephews, Evan, Ashton...
Barbara Ruth Anderson, 84, of Hastings, Minnesota passed away Dec. 19, 2024 at White Pine Memory Care in Cottage Grove. Barbara was born July 9, 1940, to Roy and Margaret Anderson in Cloquet. Barbara graduated from Cloquet Senior High School in 1957. She had many jobs throughout her life, including working at Diamond Match and Johnson Co. in Cloquet. She worked for more than 20 years as a blackjack dealer at Treasure Island Casino. Barbara enjoyed having friends and family in her life. She...
Loila Carlson Mickelson died Dec. 23, 2024 in St Paul at the age of 67 years, 7 months and 16 days. She was born on Tuesday, May 7, 1957, in Duluth, the third of five children born to Arthur Junior Carlson and Marjorie Rayner Carlson of Cloquet. Loila is survived by her siblings, Bruce Carlson (Kathryn Irons) of Estes Park, Colorado, Deborah Carlson (Robin Gault) of Maple Grove, Minnesota, Brigit Cousin (James) of Waconia, Minnesota, and Blake Carlson of St. Louis Park; along with her many...
June Marie Hill, 92, of Carlton passed away Dec. 28, 2024, at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. Visitation: 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. memorial service Thursday, Jan. 9 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cloquet. Lunch will follow the service. Nelson Funeral Care of Cloquet, www.nelsonfuneralcare.net....
It's a Friday morning not long before Christmas break, and several groups of Esko high school students are sitting - chatting, studying and looking at their phones or tablets - in a new "flexible learning space" built just for them in the center of school. Tables sit along the wall and in nooks in a large open carpeted area, with talking, drinks and snacks allowed. The open space is surrounded by five glassed-in conference rooms for small-group work and a coffee shop is opening soon. Esko...
A 43-year-old Esko man was killed early Sunday morning when his car spun out and rolled on Interstate 35. According to the Minnesota State Patrol report, Nathan Ray O’Leary was driving a Cadillac STS southbound on I-35 just north of the Esko exit at 2:38 a.m. Dec. 29 when the car spun out and went into the right ditch, striking a guardrail. The car overturned several times and struck an overpass bridge pier before coming to a rest. O’Leary was wearing a seatbelt, but died at the scene. Road conditions were icy and snowy. The Minnesota Sta...
A Sturgeon Lake man was treated for non-life-threatening injuries on Dec. 26 after he lost control of the 2005 International garbage truck he was driving. Nathan Randel Bichler, 48, was driving westbound on Minnesota Highway 73, near the intersection with Jon Brown Drive in Moose Lake, around 2:28 p.m. Dec. 26 under wet conditions. He lost control of the truck, and it flipped on its side. Carlton County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene, along with the Minnesota State Patrol. According to the Minnesota State Patrol report, a...
A Cloquet woman was charged with first-degree driving while impaired on Dec. 20, after being found guilty of at least six other DWIs over the past 27 years along with four convictions for felony test refusal. France Margaret Smith, 61, faces new charges of first-degree felony DWI, felony refusal to submit to a breath test, not carrying proof of insurance and lack of illumination for rear license plates. According to the criminal complaint, Carlton County Sheriff’s Office deputy Jon Stracek observed a truck stopped for a long time at the f...
Nearly eight babies were born per day at Essentia Health’s Minnesota hospitals in 2024. Entering the final week of the year, 76 babies had entered the world at Essentia Health-Moose Lake. Here are the most popular names at Essentia Health-Moose Lake. Each name was chosen two times. Top boy names were Henry, Mason, and Waylon. Top girl names were Riley and Sophia, or Sophie....
Wrenshall’s John “Sandy” Dugan is attending the Minnesota Organic Conference in St. Cloud on Jan. 9-10, with hundreds of farmers from across the state. One of the featured events will be a 45-minute listening session so legislators, local and elected officials and state Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen can hear from farmers. Dugan is asking for input from local farmers and others to share during the session. What policies and programs help or hinder your business and how? Email your thoughts to johnsdugan...
Jamie Lund Moose Lake Star Gazette Joyce Hibke made history when she became the first female fire chief at the Moose Lake Area Fire District on Wednesday, Jan. 1. The 60-year-old has been inundated with congratulations on her achievement everywhere she goes and online. Former fire chief Jim Michalski, who is her brother, said he has faith in her abilities to run the department after working with her since she began 21 years ago. Hibke decided to put in the paperwork for the position when...
The Carlton County board approved a 2025 budget of $84.9 million on Dec. 23, but not before lengthy discussions on pay increases for the elected county sheriff and attorney. Sheriff Kelly Lake, in her 19th year in elected office, was approved for a nearly $20,000 pay increase, from $142,937 in 2024 to $161,387 in 2025. Twice-elected county attorney Lauri Ketola was increased from $152,734 to $163,800. “I do think it matters that you have people in positions who really care about what they do and commit themselves to doing really good w...
Roughly 40 miles of Carlton County roadway surfaces will receive new pavement in 2025, part of 17 projects costing $12.1 million. “It’s a big year,” said county engineer JinYeene Neumann, who joined assistant county engineer Rick Norrgard near the end of 2024 to discuss the upcoming projects. “Last year was a big dollar amount but a lower number of projects, because of the fact that the projects were more entailed,” Neumann said. “[This] year, we’re doing a large number of projects, but they’re paving projects and not as detailed. We do...
