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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You just can't cancel Memorial Day. After initially announcing there would be no ceremonies by the Combined Cloquet Honor Guard because of coronavirus concerns, events to honor the nation's fallen soldiers came together anyway. At Cloquet's Veterans Park, a prayer was said, wreaths were laid - representing each branch of the military - and Marine Lance Corp. Bryce Moe played taps on his trumpet, as a crowd of nearly two dozen people stood silently Monday morning. At Hillcrest Cemetery, above...
Congratulations to the Class of 2020 on graduating from high school. Your achievement will not go unnoticed, even though you’ve missed the traditional ceremony and all that surrounds it. You’re still graduates and we’re still proud. Plus you got to experience something unique. As you go off to jobs, college, the military, trade school, gallivanting or however you choose to begin adulthood, we at the Pine Knot News would like to offer some words of advice. You may have heard some of them before. But we’re still happy to give them to you again....
Historic Minnesota events with anniversaries this week. May 29 1916 James J. Hill, the "Empire Builder," dies in St. Paul. A man of enormous influence, he moved to St. Paul in 1856 from his native Ontario, began work in the shipping business, and became owner of the Great Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railroad companies. His interests were widespread: he helped develop the Iron Range, had a fleet of ships on the Pacific Ocean, pushed for modern farming techniques in the Northwest, and...
With the permanent closure of the Salvation Army store last week, Cloquet is now officially a thrift store desert. The Salvation Army Northern Division blamed "the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic" for the closure of the thrift store at 316 Carlton Avenue in Cloquet, along with stores in Morris, Faribault and Fairmont. "This is the type of decision that is tough to make, because it has an impact on staff and the communities we serve," said Lt. Colonel Lonneal Richardson, commander of The Salvatio... Full story
School board members got a glimpse this month of what a budget for a Carlton and Wrenshall consolidated district might look like. Some rough data project a significant fund balance increase for school operations in a consolidation. With current enrollment staying intact, savings in administrative salary costs would drive a $786,200 balance of revenues over expenditures. Representatives from Arrowhead Regional Computing Consortium presented the numbers during a joint meeting of the district school boards online last week. ARCC’s Jennifer S...
After closing public access to city facilities since March, the City of Cloquet is opening back up, one step at a time. City parks reopened last week, with cautionary signs posted to let residents know that playgrounds aren’t sanitized and park users (including the skatepark and basketball court) should follow social distancing recommendations. Pinehurst Pond and indoor rental space remain closed at this time. The library also reopened for staff but is offering curbside pickup of material. To request materials, call 218-879-1531 or emailing c...
The filing period for county elected offices ends on June 2. Three county commissioner spots are up for election in November for Districts 1, 3 and 5. Three Carlton Soil & Water Conservation District seats are up in Districts 1, 4 and 5. Sixth District Court Seats 3 and 14 in Carlton County are also on the ballot this fall. File for state and county offices at the Carlton County Auditor’s Office, Room 205 of the Carlton County Courthouse, 301 Walnut Ave, Carlton, Minnesota 55718. Candidates may file in person or by mail, as long as the f...
Following a lengthy discussion during the work session Tuesday, Cloquet school board members voted 4-2 to give high school students an "incomplete" grade instead of an "F" if they failed a class during the fourth quarter, when the district switched to distance learning. Getting an "I" on their report card means students will have to make up the class in order to receive credit for the course. Cloquet high school principal Steve Battaglia initially proposed that failing students receive an asterisk instead of a grade for any classes they...
Washington Elementary School held a "reverse parade" Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Retiring teachers sat in special personalized parade floats outside the building, while other school staff found a place to stand or sit so they could wave and chat with students who were driven (clockwise) past the school building. Teachers made signs with messages for students, and the weather cooperated. There are a number of retirements in the district this year. Cloquet Schools: Retirements... Full story
Following interviews in April that resulted in a renewed and somewhat altered search for a new leader, Cloquet Area Fire District board members interviewed two new fire chief/CEO candidates on Wednesday. One of them, Brian Fritsinger, is familiar to Cloquet residents, as he led the city for nearly two decades as city administrator before taking a job as deputy county administrator in neighboring St. Louis County in 2017. Candidate George Esbensen currently works as the director of sales and...
After more than a year's wait, two Carlton County departments are being moved from the Courthouse to the former city hall building in Cloquet. At the regular meeting Tuesday, May 26, the Carlton County board of commissioners unanimously approved moving the Economic Development office and the county coordinator/human resources/property management office led by Dennis Genereau to the old City Hall office space at the corner of Cloquet Avenue and 14th Street. "This is a first step," Genereau said....
The Cloquet City Council will hold a special meeting at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 2 via teleconference, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 13D.021 in response to the COVID-19 emergency, to conduct Police Chief interviews. To submit a question or comment regarding the interviews, email [email protected] prior to the meeting and include “Police Chief Interviews” in the subject line, along with your name and address. All comments are considered public data....
There are three Cloquet city council positions up for election: Ward 4, Ward 5 and At-Large. Because Cloquet City Hall is currently closed to the public, affidavits of candidacy will be accepted by appointment and curbside, Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Make an appointment by calling 218-655-1501 or emailing either [email protected] or [email protected]. The filing period ends at 5 p.m. on June 2....
The Cloquet Public Library will be offering limited computer access starting Monday, June 1. Patrons can reserve one 45-minute session per week. There are three computers with printing capability available 3:30-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 3:30-5:30 p.m. Friday. To reserve your session, call 218-879-1531 on the day you would like to use the computer. Come to the library at your scheduled time. Wear a mask, and wait in the library lobby until a staff member brings you inside....
The Carlton County Farmers Market will open Saturday, June 6 in Cloquet, running 9 a.m. to noon in front of Premiere Theatres, 904 Hwy. 33 S. The Carlton market will open Tuesday, June 16, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., in the parking lot of the Four Seasons Sports Complex and Event Center, 90 West Chestnut....
Pastor Lyle "Bud" Irving Twite, 92, of Cloquet passed away May 21, 2020, in Sunnyside Health Care Center in Cloquet. He was born Sept. 18, 1927, in Veblen, South Dakota to Lewis and Ida Twite. He grew up in Claire City and worked on the family farm. Lyle eventually took over the family farm and for a short time he owned a roller skating rink in Claire City. On Nov. 8, 1951, he married Alda Peterson in Sisseton, South Dakota. In 1954 they moved to Kansas and in 1956 they moved to Cloquet. Lyle wo... Full story
Kevin Craig Cartwright, 65, of Esko passed away peacefully May 24, 2020. A private family memorial service will be held. Donations to Essentia Hospice in Duluth preferred. Letters and cards of condolence may be sent to the family in care of Atkins Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th St., Cloquet MN 55720.... Full story
Local photographer Dan Malkovich likes to photograph woodland wildflowers and shared these two with the Pine Knot News this week. According to Malkovich, several varieties of trillium grow in Minnesota. The largest, the Trillium grandiflora, grows in profusion along the Munger Trail in mid-May each year. Next to the trail, opposite the Thomson reservoir, is a hillside covered in these lovely woodland wildflowers. Trillium is slow to mature - it can be several years between the time seed is...
Justin Krych of Esko once told me that political compromise is essential to good government. Everyone agrees we need to raise taxes: the Democrats want to raise them by 5 percent, but the Republicans think 2 percent is enough. Eventually, the two parties meet somewhere in the middle, and we move on to the next issue. But you can't convince the other side you are right when the other side is arguing about something else entirely. This fervor over wearing masks reminds me of similar fights we've s...
Not being able to get a hug from family members is the hardest part of living in a senior care facility during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing. "The residents with dementia don't understand," said Natalie Zeleznikar, owner of Diamond Willow Assisted Living. "The families are frustrated. They are doing window visits, but it is not the same." Federal and state government guidelines have directed residential care facilities to restrict visitors - including family and... Full story
One thing is certain: the Class of 2020 will have lots of stories to tell future generations about their final school days. Last Friday marked the beginning of the high school graduation season with three ceremonies - for Carlton, Cromwell-Wright and Cloquet graduates - each one organized differently but taking into account the COVID-19 pandemic and state guidelines to avoid large gatherings and maintain social distancing. In Cloquet it was a true drive-in movie experience. Cars started lining... Full story
4 scholarship recipients • Jordan Allen: Myhrwold/Kayser Scholarship • Taylor Anderson: Cloquet Community Scholarship • Tasia Beatty: Cloquet Community Scholarship • Kiana Bender: Education Minnesota-Cloquet Scholarship • Rachel Blais: Community Memorial Hospital General Scholarship, Duluth News Tribune General Scholarship, Cloquet Community Scholarship • Sophia Brenner: Sons of Norway Scholarship, Ludwig and Delores Hiti Memorial Scholarship, Anway Memorial Scholarship, Tim Stark General Scholarship • Ryan Conway: Education Minnesota-Clo... Full story
The Clothing Depot in Cromwell is back open on a limited basis. The hours and days are still the same — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday — but they are allowing only eight people in at a time, and no children under the age of 12. All purchases will be put in their new shopping baskets, and the staff will bag the items at the counter. Please wear masks and be respectful of other customers and the workers at the Depot. Also, all donations will be put in the shed outside before the...
It has been a historic time these past couple of months. Many of our programs have been halted due to the COVID-19 spread. I know people who are infected with COVID-19, or who have died from it. While many people, fortunately, have no or very light symptoms, it is devastating for others. I want to recognize all the workers who have stayed with our child care programs during this time. This vital service allows medical workers, law enforcement and corrections staff and other emergency workers to...
May is a spectacular month for birding in our part of Minnesota. Not just in numbers, but variety, artistry and antics. In April, the early birds touch down for a visit on their way north: snow buntings, pine siskins and fox sparrows among them. And sandhill cranes, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, and trumpeter swans, some remaining. May welcomes the colorful warblers, ruby-throated hummingbirds, diving snipe and speed-demon swallows swooping over water for insects we cannot see. On mornings not... Full story
