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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It may look and sound like a toy, but Carlton County's newest device promises to be a boon to local public safety efforts. The new Autel Robotics EVO II Dual drone has a high-quality camera with two sensors - one visual, one thermal - that can be used for everything from search and rescue to finding a hot spot in a fire. The new drone was donated to the county by Frandsen Bank and Trust, which offered a new drone to every county sheriff's office where they have a branch. "Eight of them accepted... Full story
With daylight in short supply, a host of holiday lighting displays are brightening the nighttime hours in Carlton County. Whether glimpsed from a car window while crossing the St. Louis River or more deliberately, the displays offer a taste of Christmas-as-usual with pandemic distancing built in. At Cloquet's Spafford Park hockey players, a snowmobile, and deer among pine trees mingle with the mythology of the modern Christmas in a drive-thru display. A few blocks away, people walk through... Full story
Steve Brown of Minneapolis tells us that his dad Francis Brown is kneeling at the far left in the photo we printed last week. Steve says his father was in the Carlton High School class of 1947. Judging from the style of clothing and age of the people in the photo, we are surmising that this is a 30th reunion photo from 1977. We called around to some relatives of people in that class but didn't get much more information. We still don't know for sure where this was or the other people in the... Full story
While the Cloquet city council passed the city’s 2021 budget and tax levy Tuesday, the Cloquet police department got a one-time boost from unspent funds in this year’s budget. Police chief Derek Randall presented the council with a list of requests, mostly for equipment and technology upgrades, to be paid for out of the department’s 2020 budget surplus, which Randall estimated at a minimum of $139,200, including planned expenses through the end of the year. Many of the items are urgently neede...
For years, the Sixth Judicial District has wanted more space at the Carlton County Courthouse in Carlton, which houses both the courtrooms and myriad county departments. Lawyer-client conferences happen in public hallways and stairwells, plus the district needs additional space for courtrooms and court administration. During last week's board of commissioners meeting, county coordinator Dennis Genereau recommended the Community & Family Initiatives Department led by Donna Lekander be moved to...
Carlton County saw exactly two recounts following the Nov. 3 election. The Carlton County auditor’s office completed a recount of votes in the special election for Wrenshall council member, and got the same results, with just two votes separating winner Joyce Gvesrude (116) from Kevin House (114). On Wednesday, Dec. 2, votes were recounted for three Esko School Board seats with the same numbers coming up. Sixteen votes separated the third- and fourth-place candidates: Leona Johnson received the third-highest number of votes with 1,347 votes a...
With the approval of a final stormwater permit by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on Monday, the Enbridge Energy Line 3 project has all the permits it needs to begin construction in Minnesota. Line 3 begins in the Alberta oil sands in Canada and crosses a corner of North Dakota before crossing Minnesota on its way to Enbridge’s terminal in Superior. The new Line 3 would replace one that has been in use for decades and currently clips the northeast corner of Carlton County. The new line route was originally shifted to avoid reservation l...
Every week that they can - pandemic permitting - the staff and students involved in the REACH program meet at the Common Ground coffee bar and deli. They do a little homework, various activities, enjoy some snacks and simply spend time together. Over time, the staff at the Christian coffee shop have grown pretty fond of the kids, so they were looking forward to hosting them for a Thanksgiving dinner last week. But Covid-19 got in the way. "I couldn't let it go," said Common Ground cook Jeana...
Covid-19 cases in Carlton County are still rising rapidly, although the increase over the past week is lower than the previous week, with 327 new cases from Nov. 25 to Dec. 2, versus 407 from Nov. 18-25, according to daily numbers provided by the Minnesota Department of Health. Deaths from Covid-19, however, show no sign of slowing. Carlton County went from a total of two deaths on Oct. 27, to 15 deaths attributed to Covid by Friday, Nov. 27. Another two deaths were reported earlier this week. N... Full story
Find out how to get tested locally, symptoms to watch out for and more in this roundup of Covid-19 information provided by Pine Knot News staff and Minnesota Public Radio. Covid symptoms, local testing Anyone who has symptoms of Covid-19 or who has been exposed to someone they think may have the disease is encouraged to seek testing. Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, fatigue, congestion, or loss of taste or smell. Other less common symptoms include gastrointestinal symptoms such... Full story
Jerry Anderson, the last surviving starter on the first boys basketball team from Carlton County to reach the state tournament, died Tuesday at age 83. Anderson was a star on the 1955 Esko team that won the consolation championship. The success of the Eskomos preceded runs by Cloquet and Carlton in subsequent tournaments in the late 1950s and 1960s. Pine Knot News writer Steve Korby wrote about Anderson this past October, after fellow starter Don Terwey died on Sept. 30. Anderson said he met...
Cheers: To the patrons of small, local businesses during the pandemic shutdowns. It’s hard enough for small businesses to compete against the larger corporate stores that use their clout to dominate the market, but we know that small business helps create a community’s unique identity. So we applaud those who support small businesses in our community, and the patience of the community in adjusting to the many changes to the way small businesses now have to do their thing. It’s appreciated. Cheers: To the larger business in town and their employ... Full story
Now that dining rooms are closed due to the state shutdown order, many restaurants are shifting to takeout and delivery. As a guy who spent the last 25 years delivering pizza and sandwiches — first in Two Harbors and then in Esko — I have some tips for both restaurant managers and customers. First, everyone, please be patient. Most restaurants are experimenting with delivery, and they don’t have the years of experience that some places have in delivering their product. It’s great that patrons...
A good economist colleague and friend of mine, University of Minnesota professor Deborah Levison, has spent more than 20 years studying child labor around the world. Despite many laws formally forbidding child labor, Levison's research finds that children are working all around the world, including in our own region. She's teamed up with photographer David Parker who has, over many years, captured hundreds of them on film. Levison and historian MJ Maynes have curated a virtual exhibit of the... Full story
In response to last week’s letter accusing the governor of trampling people’s “God-given” rights in the name of protecting them from the coronavirus, I’m sure glad the author doesn’t control my life. Because I want a life, post-pandemic. Some folks who get Covid-19 and live will still struggle with long-lasting effects. They can get small blood clots that end up in the lungs, heart, liver and brain. Some have lost limbs and fingers because of this virus. Who knows what other long-term effects may come as a result of getting it? Is that the ki...
Clifford Leroy Svedahl, 80, of Cloquet passed away Nov. 29, 2020 at Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet. He was born March 26, 1940 in Crookston to Leonard and Regina Svedahl. Cliff graduated from Crookston High School in 1958. He was still in high school when he started working at Cretex, a company he would work at for the next 45 years except for two years, 1960 to 1962, when he served in the U.S. Army. Cliff married his best friend, Kay Fingalso, in Detroit Lakes in 1966. In 1968 they... Full story
Gerald K. Anderson, 83, of Esko passed away Dec. 1, 2020 at Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet. He was born April 3, 1937 in Cloquet to Howard and Dorothy Anderson. Jerry graduated from Esko High School. He was the last surviving member of the starting five from the 1955 Esko state consolation championship basketball team. On Oct. 13, 1956, he married his high school sweetheart, Lois Duzan. Jerry worked at the Wood Conversion company and Elliott Meats before starting his own commercial... Full story
On Monday, Nov. 23, 2020, Kyle Burggraff lost his battle with the struggles of this life and passed away at his home. Kyle was born on June 5, 1991, in Duluth, the son of Kelly Burggraff and Craig Hopp. From the day of his birth, Kyle brought great joy and love to the lives of all who loved him. Kyle had a genuine kindness, a loving heart, a sense of humor that had everyone around him smiling, and he touched the lives of many. We are left with many special memories of time spent with Kyle. Growi... Full story
Irene Elizabeth (Baresh-Grendahl) Andrews passed away of natural causes on Nov. 11, 2020, at her home in Laurel, Montana. Irene was born into the Joseph and Anna Baresh family in 1922 in Duluth. She graduated from Barnum High School in 1939. At age 16, she left home to work as the bookkeeper for Charlie and Viola Hecker in DeGraff for three years. While in DeGraff, Irene met Clifford Grendahl at a roller skating rink, and married him on Nov. 25, 1942. They moved to the Grendahl family farm in Sw... Full story
Mark Allen Klejeski, 61, of Carlton passed away Nov. 24, 2020, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth. A private service was scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Atkins Northland Funeral Home, with a videorecording of the service posted on the funeral home website Thursday afternoon. Harold Louis “Bampa” Ruhnke, 89, of Wrenshall passed away Nov. 30, 2020 at Inter-Faith Care Center in Carlton, surrounded by his loving family. Due to Covid-19, a memorial service will be held at a later date at the SonLife Community Church in Wrenshall. Arran... Full story
For generations, families have bundled into layers and wandered in a winter wonderland in search of the perfect Christmas tree. The snow crunches underfoot, breaking the sound of silence as they walk between the trees before making a selection. The traditional tree hunt continues unhindered this year, despite the many changes brought on by the pandemic at tree farms across Carlton County. Perhaps the oldest family farm in Carlton County selling trees is the Butkiewicz Family Farm, established... Full story
Gauge your sports knowledge with Pine Knot News writer Steve Korby’s quiz. 1) Minnesota Wilderness hockey roster players with ties to Cloquet/Esko include: a) Christian Galatz b) Dominkis Marcinkevics c) Gavin Rasmussen d) Dane Stoyanoff 2) the winner of the November 2020 Masters golf tournament was: a) Dustin Johnson b) Jason Day c) Bryson DeChambeau d) Rory McElroy 3) the champion at the 2020 and 89th Cloquet Invitational golf tournament was: a) Jamie Langenbrunner b) Brent Smith c) Alex Kolqu... Full story
In the movie "Groundhog Day," Bill Murray's character, Phil, is destined to live the same day over and over again. To local high school activities directors and coaches it must seem like they are living life on repeat as they deal with another statewide shutdown. The old adage "hurry up and wait" is the way of the AD's world. Cloquet AD Paul Riess said the Minnesota State High School League was scheduled to meet Thursday to determine what the start date for winter season practice and games will... Full story
Congratulations to Katy Hakala on the shot of a lifetime when she recently bagged a huge buck Nov. 14 near their home. Her husband Matt helped her track the deer and she was glad he was there when they found it. This was Katy’s fourth deer, and first buck. A full story can be found in the Nov. 24 issue of the Voyageur Press newspaper. Also bagging really nice-sized bucks this hunting season were the Hutar/Mattson siblings, and Siiena Anderson shot her first buck this fall. Clothing Depot n...
Cloquet, CEC athletes named to all conference teams: Cross country First team Miles Fischer Josh Sanders Harmony Tracy Lauren Sertich Second team Ben Bauer Jake Mertz Sam Buytaert Victoria Nelson Amelia Allen GIRLS TENNIS Kylie Mckeon Carley Maslowski GIRLS SOCCER First team Katie Turner Alexa Snesrud Brenna Mattson All state Katie Turner Essentia Health all stars Gracie Meagher Brenna Mattson Katelyn Kelley Mireye Moose Brooklyn Simmonds BOYS SOCCER First team Drake Schramm Spencer Rousseau Logan Dushkin Second team Paddy Genereau Tyler... Full story
