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
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The University of Minnesota made public this week plans to give the 3,400-acre Cloquet Forestry Center to the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The transfer of land was included in Thursday's University of Minnesota Board of Regents finance committee meeting docket, a meeting held in Minneapolis after this issue of the Pine Knot News went to press. It appears to be an informational notice only - with no action required by board members - but the docket notes the "real estate...
There was a time in America when going to the movies was a favorite pastime for people of all ages. Then, enter television, home theater systems, movie rentals and now streaming services, and the moviegoing experience can seem antiquated. There are survivors, and Premiere Theatres in Cloquet is one of them, even after a pandemic emptied theaters for many months. Major corporations are cutting away. Cineworld is selling all of its 500-plus Regal theaters. Despite all the dire news, Premiere...
The late Jack Finberg (center) is pictured, at right, training to make "slabs" for the Carlton County Vidette newspaper with two unidentified men. Finberg worked at the Vidette, then took a printing job at the Pine Knot newspaper in the mid-1960s. His son, David Finberg, shared some photos with the Pine Knot News. David's grandmother, Ruth Finberg, below, had a radio talk show in the 1970s called "Memory Lane," about the history of Carlton. David said the old Finberg house on Slate Avenue in...
A special school board meeting Feb. 1 featured an inquiry into rising technology costs, and revealed in startling detail “glaring security holes,” server updates that were missed, and antivirus packages purchased but not installed. “Nothing was done for four years,” contractor T.J. Smith told the board. “I’ll be point-blank honest and blunt: your previous tech director, I don’t know what that person did.” As if on cue, Wednesday’s committee of the whole meeting featured business manager Angela Lind announcing she couldn’t access budgetary in...
Mark your calendars for 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18 at 3 p.m. at the Moose Lake Community School auditorium to enjoy a concert by Musicians of Lyra. Agate Encores Community Concerts and Moose Lake Community Education AGE to age are pleased to say “thank you” to area residents by sponsoring this free event. Long before jazz music, rock, and country, the world lived in a golden age called the Baroque Era. From 1600-1750, the musical style was considered radical — highly decorated, exaggerated, and dramatic. The Lyra Baroque Orchestra, based in St...
The Kingdom Builders Ministry will hold its sixth annual ice fishing contest 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18 at Chub Lake. Rules meeting at 9:30 a.m. Find concessions and prize areas near the landing. Bring your own auger and fish anywhere on the lake. Tickets sold on the ice: $25 for adults, $10 for under 12. Concessions by Holy Smokes BBQ. For more information, contact Bruce Matuszak at 218-591-0362. Editor’s note: This is a corrected version of last week’s notice....
The United Way of Carlton County is accepting applications through Feb. 24 for the 2023/2024 grant cycle. Funding is available for all eligible nonprofits who are committed to achieving at least one of United Way of Carlton County’s target goals: health, education and basic needs. For more information or to apply visit www.unitedwaycarltoncounty.org. Final funding decisions will be made this spring....
The 21st annual Blue Jean Ball brought lots of fun and lots of dollars for educational opportunities Saturday, as close to 400 people attended the fundraiser for the Cloquet Educational Foundation. An event that involves lots of games, dinner and both a silent auction and a live auction, the Blue Jean Ball is the largest fundraiser for CEF, said director Jody Acers. They raised an estimated $42,000 this year. That's money to fund grants submitted by school district staff for educational...
During the final quarter of 2022, Duluth’s Northland Foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $431,000 to support people and communities for a thriving region. Funding included $30,000 for the Li’l Lumberjacks Learning Center in Cloquet, a child care program expansion with funding provided by the State of Minnesota with support of the Northland Foundation. The REACH Mentoring Program Youth Adult Partnerships based in Cloquet received $25,000 to support mentoring and enrichment programming to youth across Carlton County. Funding of $81,000 wen...
Esko Community Education will hold a Winterfest celebration 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18. The event combines fun for kids and families along with food and a business expo. Enjoy all kinds of fun and games for $1 each, from carnival fun to face painting, ring to...
After a load of residential trash containing lithium batteries caught fire in a garbage truck last week, Western Lake Superior Sanitary District is asking residents to follow safe practices when disposing of rechargeable batteries. The Carlton County Transfer station on Highway 210 accepts rechargeable batteries and other hazardous materials, as does WLSSD’s Household Hazardous Waste facility just off 27th Ave. West in Duluth....
The Thomson Township board of supervisors has scheduled a followup public hearing on the proposed private road and private shared driveway ordinances for 5 p.m. March 9. Following a large turnout for the initial public hearing — with many township residents giving feedback critical of the proposed ordinances — the township’s attorney, David Pritchett, strongly recommended scheduling another public hearing as soon as possible to give the public ample time to review the edited ordinance and be aware that there will be another hearing. At issue...
Republicans are outnumbered at Minnesota's Capitol. And so far, they've been unable to stop an early onslaught of DFL-backed legislation on abortion, energy, voting and more. As the Legislature tilts toward an upcoming debate over a new state budget, Republicans are approaching their minority role this session with a focus on branding the DFL majorities as going well beyond what voters expected when they gave Democrats total control of state government. "You want 'One Minnesota'? You want help?... 
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After 21 years without a section win, the Esko High School One Act play is now returning to the State One Act Play Festival Friday, Feb. 10, for the second year in a row. After placing second at subsections on Jan. 28, Esko took first place at the Section 7A competition on Feb. 4. The 19-student cast and crew performed "The Inexplicable Chaos Factor of Mia Gregory" by Emily Hageman. The play tells the story of Liv, a brilliant teenage mathematician, who struggles to understand the one person...
The Carlton Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) native plant kit and seed mix sale is back. Last year, people in the region helped convert more than 40 acres of mowed lawn to pollinator habitat by purchasing seed mixes and kits. The SWCD event has been the largest sale in Minnesota for the third year in a row. That's something to be proud of. We are keeping the pollinator powerhouse momentum going with a fourth sale. The native plant kits come in monarch, pine mulch, rain garden,...
My family moved to Cloquet 17 years ago. In that time, our property taxes have more than doubled, with an increase of 129 percent. This is before the pending new firehall gets added onto the bill. The valuation of our home has increased 98 percent, which plays a role in how much our property taxes are. I like an optimist as much as the next person, but I am highly skeptical that we could sell our home for what the assessor is valuing it at. Thoughts of appealing the value of our property sounds like a waste of time, as I have to believe the suc...
Brent Eugene Kulaszewicz, 37, of Cloquet passed away on Feb. 5, 2023, in Baudette. He was born on March 17, 1985, in Cloquet to John and Ginger Kulaszewicz. He graduated from Cloquet High School in 2004 and went on to earn his bachelor's degree at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Brent worked as an electrical engineer for USG, where he began as a vacation replacement in 2004, and worked in most, if not all, the departments over the years. Brent also worked as a locksmith and a safecracker...
It has come to my attention that the Thomson Township board of supervisors recently changed the time of regular board meetings from its long-established 6:30 p.m. to a much earlier 5 p.m. This will make it very difficult for many working folks to attend without having to take off from work early — costing them precious time and money. This move certainly smells to me of trying to restrict citizen participation. I would strongly suggest to the board that they reconsider, and go back to the 6:30 time slot for their regular meetings. And, for t...
A recent television news report of Exxon Oil’s annual profit for 2022 was $55.7 billion. Wow! If I recall from college accounting classes, business profit is what remains of revenue after all business expenses have been paid. In other words, profit is the free money left over not obligated to any other expense. Reasons Exxon gave for this may be questionable: The economy is improving (strong markets); strong production; and the one that really had me baffled, they are doing a better job at controlling prices (good cost control). What?! I think...
Who grows our food? Where is it grown? How is it grown? How long will production last? Folks with ready answers to these questions probably know a member of the Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association (LSSFA). For three decades, residents of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin have benefited from the more than 120 farmers with modestly sized operations who commit to organic and regenerative methods that LSSFA advocates. Forty of those producers gathered for the association’s a...
Beverly Jean (Hoel) DeLacey, 87, of Cloquet passed away on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023 at Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet. She was born on May 30, 1935, in Des Moines, Iowa to Louis and Vivian Hoel. Beverly married David Allen DeLacey on April 8, 1972. Beverly worked at Cloquet Memorial Hospital for 11 years. She sold pull-tabs at the Labor Temple in Cloquet for 12 years and she worked for Dairy Queen for 22 years. Beverly liked bowling, watching softball games, and going dancing on Saturday...
Arvin Alfred Anderson, 83, of Duluth, passed away peacefully on Feb. 2, 2023, at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center. Arvin was born Aug. 23, 1939, to Arvid Wilfred Anderson and Lillian Erika Pearl Anderson at Waseca Memorial Hospital in southern Minnesota. He attended Waseca County country schools in District 48 (Otisco Township) and 35 (Woodville Township) and then attended Cromwell High School. He married Bonnie Tomporowski, and they lived in Cromwell, where he was a dairy farmer until retiring in 2000. They then resided in Duluth. H...
Roger Henry Rehkamp, 87, of Cloquet, and formerly of Monticello, died on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023 at Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet. He was born on March 13, 1935, to Al and Frances (Wehlage) Rehkamp in Melrose. Roger graduated with the Melrose High School class of 1953, and from St. Cloud State University in 1957 with a degree in education. He also served in the National Guard and was active in the Lions Club. Roger spent most of his career teaching social studies at Monticello High...
Steven Lee Backus, 61, died Saturday morning, Feb. 4, 2023, at his home in Cloquet. He was born on Feb. 24, 1961, to Jan and Lloyd Backus. He married Teresa Wohnoutka, and together they raised and loved three children, Jennie, Henry and Joe, and a grandson, Fletcher Lee. Steve is survived by his wife of 30 years, children, grandson, parents, and siblings, Ann, Kathy, and Mark, who all adore him. At the time of death, he was continuing his lifelong work of getting free and getting others free....
Janelle M. Bryant, 64, of Cloquet died Feb. 5, 2023, at St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth, while surrounded by close family. She was born on March 7, 1958, to Arne and Mary (Anderson) Jarve. Janelle was married to William "Scott" Bryant on Feb. 14, 1993, and they had been married for 29 years at the time of her passing. They resided in Cloquet and together had one daughter. Janelle enjoyed playing bingo, cribbage, darts and bowling, and going to the casino. She also enjoyed going out with the "ABC...
