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Articles from the June 28, 2024 edition


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  • 42 days around the lake ... by kayak

    Jana Peterson|Jun 28, 2024

    It looked like Cale Prosen was going to end his 42-day kayaking trip around Lake Superior paddling in pouring rain through the Duluth Ship Canal. But the rain lifted and, just like that, part of a rainbow appeared on the horizon. "There are some gnarly currents," the 20-year-old told his dad, who was standing above him on the Aerial Lift Bridge, as the waves roiled between the concrete walls of the canal. Cale handled it easily. After all, he'd had six weeks of practicing navigating in his sea...

  • Prepare for frolic on Fourth

    Jun 28, 2024

    Past visitors have relished the small-town flavor of the Cloquet July Fourth celebration. From the races to the 11 a.m. parade down Cloquet Avenue, to an afternoon of family fun at Veterans Park, ending with fireworks over the St. Louis River, the Independence Day recipe doesn't change much. There's pie eating and wiffleball, in the same spot that kids used to play baseball decades ago. Inflatables and mini-train rides, a magic show, balloon animals. So much food. Find times and places on Page...

  • Obituary: James Prusak

    Jun 28, 2024

    James Prusak, 71, of Duluth and formerly of Cloquet, passed away peacefully on June 22, 2024, after a brief and valiant fight with cancer. Jim was the city engineer for Cloquet for 40 years, from 1975 to 2016, where he made many lifelong friends. Jim is survived by Dona, his wife of 43 years; a son, Matthew (Christine); a daughter, Lynzi (Tim); and six adored grandchildren, Morgan, Cole, Levi, Mason, Julia and Creed. A private family memorial will be held at a later date. In honor of Jim, plant...

  • Obituary: Janet Ann Adkins

    Jun 28, 2024

    Janet Ann Adkins, nee DeCaigny, 68, of Barnum and Sebring, Florida, passed away peacefully and unexpectedly in her sleep at her winter home in Florida on May 16, 2024. Janet was born on Dec. 13, 1955, in Duluth to George DeCaigny and June Galatz. She is survived by her loving husband, William; her children, Jefferey (Heather) Adkins and John (Tara) Adkins; her grandchildren, Danielle, Dillon, Haley and Amelia; her sister Cindy (Jon) Ketola; and brothers-in-law, Steve (Joyce) Tierney and Donald...

  • Obituary: Jamie K.DeRusha

    Jun 28, 2024

    Jamie K.DeRusha, 65, of Cloquet passed away after a brief battle with her third cancer. She was born June 21, 1958, to Dorothy and Michael Derusha, and graduated from Cloquet High School in 1976. Jamie worked at the Sawyer Store, several liquor stores and Goodwill. She was a very hard-worker who truly enjoyed working with customers — who adored her — and loved spending time visiting family and friends. Anytime you went somewhere with her, you knew she would know at least one person there and...

  • Dan Gunderson|Jun 28, 2024

    Minnesota has long collaborated with tribal governments on water quality issues. But a new federal rule could give tribes a stronger voice in that process. The new Environmental Protection Agency rule is designed to protect the reserved rights of tribal members. Reserved rights are the rights to hunt, fish and gather resources. Tribes commonly reserved, or did not give up, those rights when they signed treaties ceding land to the federal government. “This rule is laying out a standard and a way for the EPA to require states to protect those r...  Website

  • Obituary: Josephine "Josie" G. Prevost

    Jun 28, 2024

    Josephine “Josie” G. Prevost, age 94, of Cloquet, Minnesota passed away peacefully in the presence of loved ones on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at Essentia Health – St. Mary’s Campus in Duluth. She was born on April 3, 1930, to Norbert and Hattie (VerBetan) Behl in Detroit, Michigan. During her early years, Josie moved with her family to the Cloquet Area and resided there for the duration of her life. She attended Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School and later graduated from Proctor High School....

  • Updated: Celebrate the Fourth of July all day long in Cloquet

    Pine Knot News|Jun 28, 2024

    July Fourth festivities are thundering toward the big day. In Carlton County, both Cloquet and Moose Lake put on a communitywide celebration. "Fingers crossed for good weather," said Cloquet co-coordinator Jana Peterson. "We have a full slate of activities planned, and a nice summer day would be the icing on the nation's birthday cake." Fireworks will cap a full day's worth of activities, beginning at 8 a.m. with the Sawdust 5K at Pinehurst. A second footrace, the LaVonna 1-Mile, starts at...

  • Band is the hit in this year's parade

    Jana Peterson|Jun 28, 2024

    The Cloquet Community Band will be the grand marshal of the Cloquet Fourth of July parade next week. The volunteer band will still play in the parade, like they have every July Fourth parade held over the past 25 years — including two years ago, when the parade was canceled due to lightning. They had to head back to a garage in the West End of Cloquet anyway, so the band and the VFW float “made a parade of two” going down Cloquet Avenue, said music director Lynne Putzke. “The people who were sti...

  • No film festival in barn this year

    Jun 28, 2024

    You may have noticed something missing in the summer calendar this year. There will be no Free Range Film Festival in Wrenshall, the unique showing of films in a barn. One of the organizers, Annie Dugan, said last year's festival proved to be a challenge when juggling family time and work at the Food Farm nearby the old barn. Other key organizers are taking a vacation in England. "We figured it was a good time to hit the pause button," Dugan said. "We have some really enthusiastic volunteers so...

  • Cloquet council meeting canceled

    Jun 28, 2024

    The Cloquet City Council meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday, July 2, is canceled for lack of agenda items. The next regularly scheduled council meeting starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 16 at Cloquet City Hall....

  • Breakfast at farm returns Saturday

    Jun 28, 2024

    The Laveau Grandview Dairy in Wrenshall, Carlton County, will host Breakfast on the Farm from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 29 at 508 Cemetery Road in Wrenshall. The event includes a breakfast, farm tours, milking demonstrations, wagon rides and hands-on activities for all ages. The event is free, including breakfast. Donations will be accepted....

  • PFAS web meetings scheduled by MPCA

    Jun 28, 2024

    The Minnesota Polution Control Agency has scheduled two public webinars in July to provide updates and answer questions via chat on Minnesota’s new PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances or “forever chemicals,”) law, which takes effect in stages between 2025 and 2032. MPCA staff will make presentations on preliminary rule writing for the PFAS in products reporting, fees, and currently unavoidable use rules at 10 a.m. July 18. A webinar at 11 a.m. July 25 will deal with how the PFAS in products prohibitions will affect retailers and manuf...

  • Board formed to battle housing crisis

    Brady Slater|Jun 28, 2024

    Christopher Henagin wanted to have a say in how Carlton County addresses its housing crisis, and on Monday the county board granted his wish. Henagin and three others were unanimously appointed to the oversight board of the county's first Housing Trust Fund. "I've used real estate myself to get a leg up," Henagin, 36, said. "I was raised in poverty, and I brought myself up to middle class." A resident of Cloquet, Henagin was once a member of the One Roof Community Housing board in Duluth. One...

  • Two Harbors firm will handle township engineering

    Noah Beardslee|Jun 28, 2024

    Bollig Engineering, with an office in Two Harbors, was selected to be Thomson Township’s new engineering firm by unanimous vote at the township board’s June 20 meeting. AE2S, the township’s latest engineering firm, had worked with Thomson for about three years, but its contract had expired. Thomson Township board of supervisors chair Ruth Janke said the board reassessed its needs and decided Bollig would be a better fit. Although representatives from Bollig were unable to attend last Thursday’s meeting, they were excited to hear they were se...

  • Cloquet schools: Stop moving kids, parent pleads

    Jana Peterson|Jun 28, 2024

    Valerie Bronniche made an emotional plea to Cloquet school board members Monday to reconsider the district policy of moving elementary students between the two elementary schools, Washington and Churchill, when class sizes fluctuate. Her child just completed kindergarten at Churchill, and they were recently informed that he would be attending the first grade at Washington. “I just want to be the parent who says, ‘this doesn’t feel right,’” she told the board, before tearing up. “We’re gonna have lots of kids who feel unwelcome and scared an...

  • Fourth of July volunteers wanted

    Jun 28, 2024

    Volunteers needed July 4-5 to help with community celebration at Veterans Park on Thursday and clean up Friday morning. Call Jana or Ivan at 218-878-9332 or 218-213-1231 or stop by the Pine Knot office at 122 Avenue C for more information....

  • Sign up for local emergency notices

    Jun 28, 2024

    Cloquet area residents who want to receive text messages or emails with public safety news should register with the Cloquet Police Department’s Nixle service. Nixle was created for local law enforcement, designed to notify the public of community updates, public advisories and emergency alerts. To sign up for notifications and alerts using the Nixle messaging system, text the city’s zip code (55720) to 888777 and follow the prompts, or follow the link https://local.nixle.com/register. Nixle also offers an anonymous tip line for the public to...

  • Community band seeks musicians

    Jun 28, 2024

    The Cloquet Community Band is seeking new members. If you have played an instrument, please check out the band. Practice is 7-8:30 p.m. Mondays at the Cloquet Presbyterian Church, 47 Fourth St., Cloquet. The band provides sheet music, and you bring your instrument. The band performs at a variety of community events (spring and winter concert, Cloquet Memorial Day service, parades, nursing homes and other events as requested). Questions? Contact Becky at 218-206-4441....

  • Dial 988 for mental health support

    Jun 28, 2024

    Minnesotans facing mental health crises can dial or text 988 to connect to Lifeline support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The 988 code serves as a universal entry point, so callers can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help regardless of where they live. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. People should call 911 if they suspect a drug overdose or need immediate medical help. The change is part of a nationwide effort to transition the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline,...

  • Barnum woman accused of assaulting woman in her care

    Jana Peterson|Jun 28, 2024

    An 18-year-old Barnum woman faces charges after allegedly abusing a young person to whom she was a caregiver. Jasmine Melissa Collins was charged in Sixth District Carlton County Court last week with felony first-degree criminal sexual conduct with penetration, of a victim who is mentally or physically impaired or helpless. She was also charged with fifth-degree misdemeanor assault. According to the criminal complaint, the case has been under investigation since March, when the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office received a report of alleged h...

  • Changes made outside and in at college

    Brady Slater and Jana Peterson|Jun 28, 2024

    Brady Slater [email protected] A pair of major projects took over the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College campus this spring and summer. One, the renovation of the commons area, is ongoing, while the other wrapped up earlier this month. As part of the Forest Stewardship Project, the college underwent a significant tree-thinning effort, dubbed a selective harvest. Built on the remnant timber plantation, the college’s tree thinning effort sought to improve fire safety and ...

  • Letter to the Editor: Commissioner endorses Dan Reed

    Jun 28, 2024

    It has been an honor for me to serve you as a Carlton County commissioner for the last 12 years. We have made many positive accomplishments, but there is still much work to be done. I have known Dan Reed and his family for many years. Dan served on the Barnum school board with my father when they built the new school. Dan and I have worked together on many county projects. We went to St. Paul and lobbied for funding for the new Justice Center and Highway 73. He assisted in helping keep the county’s Kettle River shop open. Dan represents the t...

  • Letter to the Editor: Get out the vote, all Republicans

    Jun 28, 2024

    We are getting closer to another election labeled again as “the most important of our lifetime.” Every election is important, and with every office fought for, it is imperative that we elect those who represent our convictions. Thousands of registered Republicans do not take the time to vote, and the offices won by Republicans are won by very slim margins. This shouldn’t be. We can’t assume that “We’ve got this, they don’t need my vote,” or that “It’s hopeless, why vote?” The only way to make a difference is to pick up the pencil and fill in th...

  • Letter to the Editor: Vote for wolf control beyond idle words

    Jun 28, 2024

    As another spring has arrived, the same story repeats itself: Wolves decimating deer herds, wolfing down farm livestock, and devouring pets. This past winter saw a renewed exposure of these nefarious activities of our exploding wolf population. Hunters and farmers have been silently steaming for years about this depredation, but it was the Hunters4Hunters group that brought this story to the forefront. With meetings all across northern Minnesota, this group united these voices with a real push to finally get some legislative action on wolves....

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