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 49
One could easily mistake a northeastern Minnesota meteorologist for a sadist these days. Just two days after the messy April 4-5 snowstorm, followed by some slight signs of an actual spring, the National Weather Service in Duluth issued a report on the likely flooding that will occur in the region. It seems the winter of 2022-23 just won't relinquish its hold on the public conversation during a non-existent spring that had any children on an outdoor Easter egg hunt tromping over snow deeper... Full story
With the possible exception of 22-month-old Callahan Broneak, the Broneak and Kalash cousins were thrilled with their celebrity ice skate Saturday in Cloquet. "They were excited when we told them they would get to skate with the Easter Bunny. We still believe," said April Kalash, telling how her middle son, 6-year-old Luke, even brought a dyed Easter egg to Northwoods Credit Union Arena as a gift for the Easter Bunny. His cousin, Callahan, on the other hand, gave the tall white bunny a hard star... Full story
Carlton County officials are poised to make some significant changes to the zoning ordinance, specifically addressing cervid farms, residential and commercial kennels and future cemeteries, with a public hearing set for May 3 to receive public input. The commission held three working sessions through the fall and winter, approving proposed changes on March 1 and finally setting a hearing date at their April 5 meeting. Cervid farms (deer, elk, moose or reindeer) have been under a county moratorium on establishing or expanding an operation while...
The city of Carlton moved closer to adding a pair of full-timers to its ambulance service at the council meeting Wednesday. Fire chief Derek Wolf reported roughly $206,000 in commitments from municipalities that use the service. The goal is $250,000 annually, which would be used to add two full-time emergency medical technicians beginning in 2024. “I’m super-happy with the support,” Wolf told the newspaper afterward. “It really shows people understand the need.” In February, the city asked surrounding municipalities to help fund the addition...
Firefighters responded to a home on one of Cloquet's shortest streets after a resident smelled smoke around 9 p.m. Saturday, April 8. The response was quick and damage was minimal, thanks to the early notification by the resident, said Cloquet Area Fire District battalion chief Jason Maki. Police arrived first at the home on 6 ½ Street and doused the flames with a fire extinguisher. Cloquet Area Fire District firefighters extinguished the fire a second time when it flared back up. Due to...
A crash between two cars Friday morning ended with one car upside down after the other driver ran a stop sign. The Carlton County Sheriff’s office received the report of a two-car motor vehicle crash at the intersection of East Stark and Canosia roads in Thomson Township, north of Esko, just after 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 7. The investigation revealed that the vehicle driven by Arlyn Shabiash, 34-year-old man from Thomson Township, was eastbound on East Stark Road when he failed to stop at a stop sign. Shabiash’s vehicle struck a vehicle tra...
The Cloquet Police Department, in collaboration with Carlton County and neighboring veterinarian clinics, will be issuing spay/neuter vouchers from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 19 at the Cloquet Police Department on a first come, first served basis. The voucher is a credit worth $250 for dogs and $150 for cats at participating clinics, which include the Moose Lake Veterinary Clinic, Crow-Goebel Veterinary Clinic and Cloquet Animal Hospital. Vouchers will be issued to owners residing in Carlton County; bring a driver’s license or state I... Full story
The cost of a postage stamp is expected to go up soon for the fourth time in two years. The price of a First-Class Forever stamp will increase to 66 cents, up from 63 cents. The United States Postal Service filed notice this week with the Postal Regulatory Commission of a series of price changes to take effect July 9. If favorably reviewed by the commission, the proposed increases will raise prices approximately 5.4 percent to offset the rise in inflation, the USPS said. The price changes have been approved by the governors of the U.S. Postal...
According to the Old Farmers Almanac, the Lyrids meteor showers reach their peak on the night of April 21. The moon will be only 9 percent full during the Lyrids’ peak, setting early. This means that if the sky is clear, it should be an excellent show.... Full story
The Moose Lake Area Historical Society will host a Victorian High Tea at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29. Wear your best bonnet for a traditional high tea with good conversation, treats, tea and entertainment. Advance-purchase tickets only, $30 each. Call 218-485-4234.... Full story
If you're wondering about the military jets flying over Cloquet this week, they may be honoring one of their own. Noah Feehan, a master sergeant in the Air National Guard who spent 18 years as a jet aircraft technician, was in hospice care and has now died after a two-year battle with brain cancer likely caused by exposure to toxic burn pits during deployment overseas. Feehan was featured in the Pine Knot News last fall as part of a story by Public Health Watch about military members or... Full story
Rachel Eryn (Matuszak) Weizenegger, age 56 of Duluth, Minnesota passed away under hospice care on Thursday, December 8, 2022, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth. Rachel was born on May 22, 1966, to Russell and Gretchen (Himango) Matuszak in Duluth. She was raised in Esko, Minnesota and graduated with the class of 1984. Following graduation, she studied at UMD earning her degree in Elementary Education. Rachel then moved to Montana where she began her teaching career on the Cheyenne Reservation. T... Full story
Early this year, the Gallup organization came out with a survey of Americans on how they view the ethics of various professions. Nurses ranked at the top. Doctors, pharmacists, and high school teachers did well, too. Real estate agents and bankers were considered about average. Down at the bottom? Telemarketers. And members of Congress. So you can imagine how our representatives in Washington feel, knowing that a proven liar in their midst, George Santos, continues to garner headlines and... Full story
The Esko school board is once again being asked to consider changing the school mascot's "Eskomos" nickname. The call for change from some community members comes as the Minnesota State Legislature is considering a bill that would prohibit the use of American Indian mascots and logos for all schools in the state. As the bill is currently written, school districts may not "have or adopt a name, symbol, or image that depicts or refers to an American Indian Tribe, individual, custom, or tradition t...
A barn fire in rural Carlton County left numerous miniature goats dead and two farmers suffering from burns and smoke inhalation. Jody and Fast Eddie Westerberg of King Creek Hobby Farm, located on M T Nelson Road between Mahtowa and Barnum, don't know what started the fire. By the time they got to the barn, it was burning too fiercely to enter. They were able to save seven of their miniature silky fainting goats in a pen next to the barn. A total of 16 goats and two rabbits died inside the...
The city of Carlton adopted first-time ordinances related to short-term vacation and camping rentals during its March city council meeting. The unanimous approvals mean vacation and camping rentals will need to be permitted. Vacation rentals will be capped at five and feature quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. Camping rentals must be on lots of 10 acres or more with no more than two sites. The applicant must also live on the property. A maximum of two short-term camping locations will be allowed in the city. The locations must also have campfir...
Carlton School District officials are working hard to reduce next year’s projected budget deficit, as the small school faces the consequences of years of declining enrollment leading to lower state revenues. Superintendent John Engstrom outlined budget reduction targets for the 2023-24 school year Monday at the Carlton school board committee of the whole meeting. Likely savings would result from not replacing a retiring custodian; non-renewal of full-time building substitute teachers; and combining two current third-grade classrooms into one f...
When a group of community members formed in 2022 with the goal of bringing a million dollars’ worth of artificial turf to Bromberg Field, they could not have predicted that the Cloquet school board would approve a nearly $5 million project to overhaul the outdoor athletic facilities at the high school a year later. But that’s exactly what happened. Cloquet school board members voted unanimously Monday to approve a $4.99 million project. The plan includes replacing the current grass football and... Full story
The Minnesota Department of Health is extending its long-Covid work this year with the aim to increase knowledge, awareness and resources for the condition among the public and providers. The effects of Covid-19 can vary greatly, from cold and flu-like symptoms to life-threatening complications. Recovery can be similarly complicated. Not everyone who contracts Covid-19 makes a fast or full recovery. Tens of thousands of Minnesotans face ongoing or new symptoms such as shortness of breath, extrem... Full story
Those enticing ads depicting people immigrating to a better life in the USA sponsored by Ancestry.com have succeeded in convincing millions of people to submit DNA samples as a means of finding their roots. We search for stories of the past, details about where we came from, health histories and more. In all of this, we hope to learn how our ancestors survived to pass their genes on to us, but we need hard facts to establish the basis of our stories. The New York Library website says,... Full story
There are a few state road construction projects planned in Carlton County this season, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced this week through its District 1 office in Duluth that covers northeast Minnesota. The Minnesota Highway 210 project in Cromwell will be finished with sidewalk, turf, striping and sign installations. Four culverts from Cromwell to Interstate 35 on Hwy. 210 will be replaced, a project that was on the docket last year but wasn’t completed. The I-35 bridge over Carlton County Road 61 in Twin Lakes Township w...
Sometimes lawyers have to argue in favor of issues they are opposed to. For example, a lawyer dedicated to First Amendment rights may defend a pornographer on constitutional grounds, although he’s opposed to the proliferation of smut. Or a criminal defense lawyer may feel icky defending a child molester but will still vigorously defend his client because he believes in our system of “innocent until proven guilty.” And sometimes a lawyer has to defend a county board’s right to declare their c...
The Minnesota Wilderness tuned up for the upcoming Robertson Cup playoffs by exorcizing a demon last week. Following eight straight losses to Midwest Division regular season champion Wisconsin Windigo, including a 1-0 loss April 6 in Cloquet, the Wilderness pulled out a 3-2 win on April 7. The team scored a goal in each period, from Kevin Marx Norén, Oliver Stümpel and Sawyer Scholl. Isak Posch tied the team record for wins by a goalie, getting 25 saves for his 24th victory of the season. P... Full story
Winter has officially worn out its welcome in the Baker household, and we decided to do something about it over spring break. Half our crew - Jamie, Josh and I - traveled to the Osage Arm of Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri to chase prehistoric monsters. I first got the itch to chase spoonbill, aka paddlefish, last winter. We tried unsuccessfully to battle one in northern Oklahoma last year, but our luck would shift dramatically in the late March sunshine and muddy waters of southern Missouri.... Full story
Following a 17-7 season last year, the Esko softball team will need to overcome the loss of five starters, including two pitchers, if they are to contend for a section title. Coach Jeff "Huff" Emanuel is optimistic - he just has to puzzle out where players fit best. "We did lose a lot, but I think we have some very athletic and talented players who can take those positions," Emanuel said. There is an old baseball adage that a team needs to be strong up the middle, which means the catcher,... Full story
