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 36
Ready, set, sparkle. With less than a month until the Fourth of July holiday, Cloquet organizers say plans are in place for a full day of community fun. In Cloquet, there will be a parade and fireworks, plus the Sawdust 5K and 1-mile race in the morning, a car show at the Northeastern Hotel and Saloon and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament at Pinehurst Park. There will also be activities in Veterans Park following the 11 a.m. parade and an outdoor movie in the park before the fireworks, also at... Full story
Pamela Joy Wait, 65, of Carlton, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2023, in the comfort of her home surrounded by family and friends after a brief battle with cancer. She is survived by her daughter, Angela Loven (Joel Heaslip); sons, Gerald Novacinski and Jacob Loons (Zeb Petersen); her "man friend" of 17 years, Jim Schiff, who cared for her like a princess, and his daughter Lonna Leghart (Jonathan) and grandson Alexander; the absolute joys of her life, grandchildren Alex Loven, Jazzy... Full story
Often, lifetime residents bring joy, humor and learning to their communities. Two weeks ago, Cromwell-Wright area residents celebrated the life and work of Margaret Webster. Born and raised in Wright, Margaret Webster taught home economics for years at the school in McGregor. She organized community events, including humorous plays that she wrote and directed. Margaret also wrote and illustrated several books: "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Cemetery," "Are All the Heroes Gone?:...
People of all ages turned out for the USG ice cream social Tuesday, in honor of the local mill's 100th anniversary in Cloquet. There were plenty of young ones eager for frozen treats, face painting or balloon creations. Others waited their turn to spin the wheel for prizes, which included water bottles, sunglasses, flashlights and USG T-shirts. There were even jobs to be discussed. And then there was Ben Anderson, a dapper 92-year-old wearing a red flat cap and swapping stories with current... Full story
Minnesota state legislators and Gov. Tim Walz came through in a big way for the city of Cloquet, judging by the list of benefits shared by city administrator Tim Peterson during Tuesday’s council meeting. Top of the list was an increase to Local Government Aid, or LGA, which is set to increase statewide by $80 million annually starting in 2024, translating to an additional $500,000 for the city of Cloquet. Peterson told councilors some of the money will help put the city on more solid footing. “Let’s just remember that our budget looked really,...
Head to Barnum Spring Fever Days this weekend to find all kinds of fun. The three-day event kicks off today, Friday, June 9, with the annual steak fry 4-7 p.m. and fireworks after dusk. Check out the rodeo at the Carlton County Fairgrounds grandstand at 7 p.m. both Friday and Saturday. Saturday highlights include a fishing contest at Hanging Horn Lake at 7 a.m., a free 5K run/walk at 8 a.m., a car show at the high school 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and the superb Spring Fever Parade at 11 a.m. (9:30 a.m.... Full story
Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota DNR are encouraging Minnesotans to get out in nature and enjoy the state’s outstanding outdoor opportunities by proclaiming June 2023 as Great Outdoors Month. June 9-11 is the annual Take a Kid Fishing weekend, when Minnesotans 16 or older who take a child 15 or younger fishing don’t need a fishing license. More information is available at mndnr.gov/takeakidfishing. June 10-11 is also a no-registration riding weekend on motorized state and Grant-in-Aid trails. This weekend allows Minnesotans with ATVs registered for...
Get your art fix Saturday by taking part in the Roundabout Art Tour. This northern Carlton County event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 10 and features nine unique vendors across northern Carlton County. Admission is free and each stop will offer refreshments and art for viewing and for sale. Stop by the following: Encore Performing Arts Center, Carlton County Historical Society, Common Ground Coffee Bar & Deli, Pine Knot News, Adam Swanson's studio, Woodfire Candle Company,... Full story
Minnesota Highway 210 is closed in both directions between Interstate 35 and Cologne Road until at least June 30. The detour route will take I-35 to Frontage Road to Carlton County Highway 26/Moorhead Road to Carlton County Road 5/University Road. The detour is expected to last until June 29. Access to Black Bear Casino will be maintained from I-35. Visitors to the Carlton County Transfer Station will need to use the detour.... Full story
Hospital visitors to Essentia Health won’t be faced with limits on visiting hours any longer. Saying it wanted “to acknowledge the vital role that family and other support persons play in the care and well-being of our patients,” the Duluth-based hospital announced its decision Tuesday. “We no longer will enforce limits on the number of visitors in most hospital inpatient units, nor will there be set visitor hours in our hospitals,” a statement said. “We will encourage care teams to make decisions based on their patients’ needs or current ci...
Although they weren't always the most well-behaved students, the Esko Class of 2023 garnered high praise from school administrators and each other during Friday's commencement for the way they embraced life in many different unique ways, learning yet also teaching lessons along the way. Four students and principal Greg Hexum shared their thoughts before the 82 members of the Class of 2023 walked across the stage one by one and graduated. "My journey to getting here was not always easy," student... Full story
The first days of the City of Cloquet-sponsored storm damage brush cleanup have been going well, according to 3-D Construction owner Dustin Follett. On the second day of the cleanup, Follett, operating the mini front loader, and truck driver Dave Tack were in the Valley View neighborhood. Follett and his crew started in neighborhoods in the southern part of Cloquet - which suffered more damage than other parts of the city - and on primary routes through the city, working 12-hour days to remove...
Barnum seniors celebrated their graduation last Friday in the high school gym. In addition to the 57 official high school seniors, principal Jodi Fanth took the opportunity to award an honorary cap and tassel to Oliwia Sekowska. Sekowska came to Barnum as a foreign exchange student and has since graduated in Poland. Returning to Barnum for the graduation ceremony, she was given the tokens of American graduation to signify her time spent as a part of the Barnum community. Valedictorians Kathryn... Full story
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has revoked a key permit for the proposed NorthMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota, formerly known as the PolyMet project. The Army Corps rescinded the permit, known as the Clean Water Act “Section 404” wetlands permit, because the agency said the it could not “ensure compliance with the applicable downstream water quality requirements” of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, whose reservation lies downstream from the proposed mine on the St. Louis River. The decision does not deal a...
How fortunate can one town be? That’s a question we can all ask ourselves as Cloquet’s two manufacturing plants celebrate milestone anniversaries in 2023. With the USG ceiling tile plant celebrating its 100th anniversary and the nearby Sappi pulp and paper mill reaching its 125th consecutive year of operation, it’s the right time to reflect on what those businesses mean to the city and its people. They’re two of our most prominent employers and have been throughout their timelines here. Working at the plants has supported generations of empl... Full story
It was disappointing to read a recent letter to the editor that missed the mark so widely regarding a Carlton County bonding project. The letter writer failed to recognize or understand the crucial role Rep. Jeff Dotseth played in delivering funding for this project and what he accomplished for the people of District 11A. I am a past chair of the House Capital Investment Committee and currently serve as the lead Republican on the committee. The Capital Investment Committee receives requests for billions of dollars more than we appropriate for... Full story
With University of Minnesota president Joan Gabel on her way out, people are wondering if the future of her initiative to hand over the Cloquet Forestry Center in its entirety to the Fond du Lac Band is still steaming ahead. I have been following the issue closely and I do not have any new information. I assume the non-transparent discussions are still ongoing. I suspect there will be a co-management agreement signed similar to what recently occurred with the national forests in Minnesota. The Chippewa National Forest signed a management... Full story
I would like to thank the city of Cloquet and the contractor for doing a good job picking up the large brush pile at the end of my driveway. Job well done. Vic Gaines, Cloquet... Full story
The Cloquet boys and girls track teams had impressive showings at the Section 7AA meet held at Hibbing High School on Saturday. The Lumberjacks boys team took second place behind Rock Ridge and will compete in the state track meet. The 'Jacks girls team finished third behind North Branch and Chisago Lakes and did not qualify as a team for state. That wasn't necessarily the goal, said Cloquet head coach Tim Prosen. "We do not try to win as a team," Prosen said. "This meet is about getting... Full story
Esko is the Section 7A boys track champion this year after beating runner-up Crosby-Ironton by 10 points. Two Harbors took the girls title with International Falls taking second and also qualifying for the team state track meet. Cromwell-Wright had a solid meet for the boys with a seventh-place finish as a team and a number of top finishes by individuals. Boys state qualifiers Noah Foster of Cromwell- Wright was the winner of the 3,200-meter run. He also ran in two relay teams that finished... Full story
As the defending Section 7A champions, the Moose Lake/Willow River girls softball team had a target on its back the entire season. The Rebels handled the pressure of the compacted season and last week did the same by going undefeated in the sectional tournament to make the state tournament for the second time in a row. "We told the girls we needed to be ready for that, because every team we played was going to give us their best game," said ML/WR coach Kelly Goeb. "We were ready for that. We... Full story
Since the days of T-ball, Ben Haugen has been coaching his son, Cale, how to throw, catch, hit and run. Tuesday was evidence of just that. Cale, now an Esko senior and do-it-all pitcher, hurled a complete-game two-hitter and struck out 10 batters in leading his Eskomos to a 7-1 victory over Rock Ridge during a Section 7AA baseball game Tuesday afternoon at Wade Stadium in Duluth. Esko was propelled into Thursday's championship against Mora. Not only did the flame throwing righthander deal on... Full story
After a first-round loss to Grand Rapids last week in the Section 7AAA boys baseball tournament, the Lumberjacks responded by pounding out wins last week over Hibbing and Duluth Denfeld. On Tuesday, Cloquet kept things rolling by beating North Branch before being ousted from the tournament in a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to the same team that beat them in the opener: the Thunderhawks. "I am proud of the way these guys battled," said Cloquet coach Tyler Olin. On Tuesday, the 'Jacks opened the day -... Full story
Over the last four years the Section 7A baseball tournament has run through South Ridge. The road this season got a whole lot tougher on Tuesday when the Panthers lost their first game of the day, 6-4, to Cherry, sending them into the losers bracket. “Noah Sundquist is a good pitcher and he pitched well against us,” said South Ridge head coach Aaron Weber. “He kept us from getting any momentum and he pitched well enough to win that game.” Following the loss, the Panthers faced Ely in the nig... Full story
Brett Skinner is headed back to the league where he began his coaching career. After leading the Minnesota Wilderness to a Midwest Division playoff championship in his first season as a head coach, Skinner has accepted the same position with the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League, a Wilderness news release said. In his lone season behind the Wilderness bench, Skinner finished with a 35-18-7 regular season record. He then led the squad on a playoff run that extended to the Robertson Cup championship, where it fell to the eventual lea... Full story
