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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Amidst all the fear and uncertainty caused by the coronavirus, there's a movement afoot to make life more fun, more beautiful, or both. Suddenly, there are bears - of the stuffed variety or two-dimensional, not hungry-just-out-of-hibernation live ones - appearing in windows and on porches in Cloquet and beyond. It's not limited to bears, though. Other windows feature Easter eggs or original artworks for all the world to see as people walk or ride past homes, businesses and even City Hall....
Can you imagine pastors Jeff Walther and Tom Brinkley preaching from the roof of St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Esko on Easter Sunday? Below them in the parking lot are parishioners in their cars dialed into an FM frequency on their radios, listening and reciting the Lord's Prayer. A few months ago, there would be laughter about such a stunt. Today, in a pandemic world, the plans at St. Matthews seem ingenious and hopeful. "It has forced us to be creative but stay within the guidelines,"... Full story
Spring really is here, because Gordy's Hi-Hat is opening Wednesday, April 8. Owner Dan Lundquist made it official on April Fool's Day, changing the sign to reveal the new opening day. The now 60-year-old restaurant - famous for its burgers, fish, fries, malts and more - will be open for takeout and car hop, when servers take orders from vehicles outside and bring the order back out. Lundquist said staff has been working hard to get a safe plan in place before opening for the season. "I really...
Historic Minnesota events with anniversaries this week. April 3 1970 A former Greyhound bus station in Minneapolis opens its doors as a music club, the Depot. Twelve years later it would be renamed First Avenue by Steve McClellan, the booking agent for the club, and Jack Meyers, the club's financial manager. A cornerstone of the city's music scene, First Avenue has hosted local and national acts and was featured in Prince's movie "Purple Rain." April 4 1893 The Minnesota state flag is adopted,...
As the numbers of confirmed cases of COVID-19 have grown across the state, from one case on March 6 to 629 on March 31, it was only a matter of time until the virus reached Carlton County. It's here now. The first case here was confirmed over the weekend - when an inmate at the Moose Lake prison tested positive - but not widely known about until Monday evening, March 30, and not reported by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) until March 31. At this point, the exact numbers of confirmed cas... Full story
Super One Foods cashier Pam Line talks with a customer Sunday through a protective plastic shield that the company has installed at its stores to protect employees and customers from some accidental transmission of the coronavirus. Grocery stores are considered essential businesses, but the regional grocery store chain is doing everything it can to be safe, said Cloquet manager Bob Waltenburg, including putting up the shields, supplying gloves and masks to employees, deep cleaning every night... Full story
As the coronavirus marches across the United States and Minnesota, officials have been telling the public to leave the N95 masks to healthcare providers on the front lines of the pandemic. For the rest of us, a homemade cloth mask - whether sewn from a pattern or a T-shirt cut and tied to fit - is better than nothing in the fight to stop the spread of the virus. Cloth masks can help prevent both the wearer from spreading disease - remember, a person might not even know they have COVID-19 in some... Full story
Compiled from reports via Pine Knot News partner Minnesota Public Radio. Afflicted age range is 0 to 104 The median age of Minnesota’s confirmed COVID-19 cases is 47, but the median age of those who’ve needed hospitalization is 64, and it is 84 for those who’ve died of the disease. The age range for all confirmed cases has run from 4 months to age 104. Community spread is climbing Thirty percent of identified cases are now considered tied to community spread, the largest single category of exposure listed by the Health Department. Inter... Full story
The city of Cloquet closed all its outdoor play structures on Wednesday, including playgrounds, the skatepark and other athletic facilities as part of its ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. City administrator Tim Peterson said the decision to close parks was not specifically due to one park, but rather the safety and well-being of residents throughout the city. “Avoiding groups of people congregating needs to be a priority for all of us and this closure reflects that,” Peterson told the Pine Knot News. “We now need help from the publi...
A house fire in Barnum Township Sunday put three people in the hospital for smoke inhalation, and destroyed the home, killing several pets that were inside. According to a press release from the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, a 911 call reporting the structure fire at 4120 County Road 6 in Barnum Township came in just after noon Sunday, March 29. The initial report was that the water heater inside the residence had started on fire and the flames had spread to the residence. Members of the Barnum Fire Department, Moose Lake Police D...
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act authorizes stimulus payments to those who qualify. As a result, scammers may target Minnesotans and try to steal their personal information. Government agencies, including the IRS and the Minnesota Department of Revenue, will not call, text, or email requesting information for stimulus payments. The Minnesota Department of Revenue does not have a role in issuing these or other federal payments. Be aware of phishing calls, emails, or texts that include language such as: “In order to r...
As COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to rise, Minnesota officials on Wednesday said they were still working to secure needed testing supplies and get unemployment checks to people as quickly as possible. And with religious holidays approaching, they again pleaded with Minnesotans to keep their distance to help check the disease’s spread. Gov. Tim Walz said he would decide next week on whether to extend his stay-at-home order beyond April 10. He did say this year’s open water fishing season will go on, the Governor’s Fishing Opener weeke... Full story
It’s difficult to see the effect COVID-19 has had on our county. Businesses are closed. Schools are closed. People are staying home. But people are getting creative to stimulate their need for social interaction: using social media, teddy bear hunts, video chats, walks and other means to socialize while social distancing. The fear of spreading the virus reminds us that, even up here in our little corner of the world, the world’s problems can come to infect us. So far, so good. There have been few reported cases of the virus in Carlton Cou...
Like many of you, the coronavirus pandemic has brought plenty of questions and extra stresses to our office and our homes since the governor began taking measures to try to limit the impact of a disease he knew was coming soon. Weird, isn’t it, that we just got our first case here in Carlton County, yet there have been so many dramatic changes to our everyday lives? Our goal here at the Pine Knot News has been to make sure our readers have the information they need to get through this time, b...
For many of us, the normal routines of work, life, and play are sidelined. Which means more free time or new situations (kids home all day, for example). The natural reaction is to resent all this. It’s a total pain, brings about new inconveniences, and drives stress levels up. How about directing focus on what’s been building on the to-do list? I’m not referring to the small duties like cleaning the stove or shaking out rugs. I’m talking about the big plans. The real projects that you shrug off because there’s no time after work and the summer...
It’s been called the “Overnight Recession” by some economists. Just weeks ago, the economy was humming along. Suddenly, stock values dropped; people are out of work; and economic uncertainty is scaring the pants off many. So the government’s reaction to pump $2 trillion into the economy is an interesting tactic. It’s welcomed by most, which explains why the stimulus bill passed with huge support from both parties. I am concerned. This is not some rich Uncle Sam handing out quarters to his nephe...
Our town, your town, my town. There are many small communities with a history which are questioning the future. Public television in Duluth recently aired the documentary “This Town,” which highlighted regional towns that have had economies falter, populations decline as a result, and are now shadows of the cornerstones of rural America. It is a story that has been repeated too many times across the country as family farms falter, young adults seek better pay in larger cities, and the ent...
It’s Sunday morning and your most recent edition sits open to page six on our dining room table. Because we enjoy reading and digesting the articles slowly, we are rationing the paper so it lasts until the next issue arrives. We have come to trust your reporting and enjoy your coverage of our little corner of the world. Your presentation of Carlton County’s response during this pandemic is both informative and reassuring. When you offer historical reports of similar hardships you remind us of our resilience and when you caution us to hold ourse...
The Pine Knot News has a new page designed to provide some light in these troubling times for the community. It’s called “Life During a Pandemic.” How are you coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures put in place to stop its spread? We’ve already heard some encouraging words from readers and want to hear more. Do you have a moment of kindness to relate? Or do you have a simple observation as we, in essence, shelter in our homes? Is there any advice you’d like to offer Pine Knot News readers – coping mechanisms that have worked for...
I was struck this past week by a surprising contrast. One day I walked several miles around town to get some outside exercise, and was impressed by how diligent other walkers were about maintaining social distance. In spite of the sparse density of people outside, most were impressively conscientious, even to the point of crossing the street when another walker approached so as to keep considerable distance. The following day, I visited a local grocery store. My partner and I are now planning ou... Full story
Anthony Fell went to the skate park in Cloquet after the snowfall earlier this week to shovel it off, allowing skaters like Walker Lindberg, behind Fell, to enjoy the outdoor attraction while the state is in lockdown. As has been the case in a changeable pandemic world, Cloquet's parks were deemed off limits by Wednesday to promote better social distancing....
The Pine Knot News contacted Lyz Jaakola and asked her to describe her life at home after staff members discovered her family in humorous musical performance on Facebook. The Jaakola family joins a growing trend near and far of people offering their talents for all to see while "stay at home" edicts remain. Every night after dinner, I ask the kids: "So what song are we going to livestream tonight?" Being a music teacher and having a bit of a music habit, of course my family has a band. We...
Robert Thomas Bureau, 69, died from complications from open heart surgery on Thursday, March 26, 2020, at the University of Minnesota Health hospital in Minneapolis. He was born on October 17, 1950, in Iron Mountain, Michigan. Bob was known as "Packer Bob" by his family and friends for his passion for Green Bay Packers football. He worked several seasons as a fireman and oiler on various Great Lakes freighters. Bob was a volunteer firefighter and EMT for the Carlton Fire Department. He ended... Full story
B&B Market is the epicenter of giving in the Cloquet area right now, as many residents grapple with losing jobs or income as the state responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to owners John and Kim Lind, it all started last week when Lenny Conklin bought 100 pounds of ground beef to "pay it forward" on Tuesday, March 24. They posted a photo on social media to get the word out, then Tom McConnell from Cloquet Flooring came in and chipped in $500 toward the cause. The donations have been...
There are several free book boxes in the area, including a Book Barn and Kitchen Cabinet outside the Jadeke family’s house at the corner of Sixth Street and Selmer Avenue in Cloquet, where both books and food supplies are free for the taking (or giving). The Cloquet Police Department also has a book box outside the joint City Hall and Police Station at 101 14th Street in Cloquet and there’s one on Brevator Road near the Fond du Lac school, among others. Contact [email protected] or call 218-878-9332 with the address of any that we mis... Full story
