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 29
A petition duel continued this week on the website Change.org considering the use of the nickname "Eskomos" for the Esko school district. Both begun by students at Esko High School, one petition says a name change should be considered while the other says to leave the name alone. It joins a chorus of debate in a time of great social upheaval and awareness. This month, the Canadian Football League team in Edmonton announced it would stop using its Eskimos nickname. Earlier this year, the company...
There's been at least one unexpected side effect of coronavirus in the city of Cloquet and nationwide: new single-family housing projects are already significantly higher than last year's total. Cloquet Community Development director Holly Hansen said the increase was somewhat unexpected but a welcome surprise. She credits the low interest rates for at least part of the boom. "We scratch our heads sometimes," Hansen told the Pine Knot last week. "We know there's a Covid recession going on right...
There was a celebratory feel in Carlton last weekend as a Carlton Daze "light" version took place amid the Covid-19 pandemic that shut the annual event down officially. But some regular events went on. There was a paddle event near the Thomson Dam on the St. Louis River. In town, there was a car show with car enthusiasts showing off, discussing, admiring, and revving cars of all ages and models. Others played bingo, volleyball and a horseshoe tournament. Music at the VFW and other bars took...
Minneapolis Public Schools students will not go back to school in a traditional manner this fall, instead starting out the school year virtually. District officials announced their plan to resume full distance learning at a board meeting Tuesday. A final vote is set to take place in August. The decision comes ahead of a delayed statewide announcement that Gov. Tim Walz was expected to make Thursday. By comparision, many schools in more rural areas, like in Carlton County, are considering plans that would combine distance learning days with...
Members of the Cloquet Combined Honor Guard stood on an overpass over Interstate 35 in Cloquet Friday, July 24 as the body of a Korean War veteran from Superior was being brought home after his remains were identified. After 70 years, Francis Rochon was laid to rest at Summit Cemetery in Foxboro. Wisconsin governor Tony Evers announced Friday that U.S. and state flags would be flown at half-staff on Saturday. According to the governor's office, Army Cpl. Francis J. Rochon of Superior was buried...
A 4-year-old girl driving an ATV was injured Thursday, July 23 after being hit by a pickup on Stenman Road in Esko, just south of Interstate 35. According to the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, dispatch received a 911 call at 1:39 p.m. Thursday about a girl hit by a northbound pickup at 45 Stenman Road as she came from a driveway on a child-sized ATV and entered the roadway. Carlton County deputies, Esko and Cloquet Area Fire District responders were dispatched to the scene along with the Minnesota State Patrol. A report states a Chevrolet p...
The Cloquet Area Chamber of Commerce is expecting a shipment of 12,000 disposable masks from the state this week and expects to distribute them to northern Carlton County businesses to help customers comply with the recent order for Minnesotans to wear masks in indoor public settings. There is no charge to businesses to receive the masks, which will be distributed in lots of 100. Distribution will take place at the chamber office. The expected pick-up day is Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those who want masks should email the chamber...
Emily Tracy and her family are trying to change the rules around chickens in Cloquet city limits. She has written a petition and it is circulating the internet and gaining traction in the community. The petition explains the many blessings chickens can bring to a home, while still expressing an urge to change the current ordinance allowing farm animals on large lots only in certain parts of the city. "When it comes to the benefits, well, they are endless," Tracy said. She has had her chickens...
Trail rider groups and local homeowners concerned about noise from disrespectful ATV and dirt bike enthusiasts who literally roar onto the access road of the Moose Lake Old Soo Line pit mostly approved of the ordinance passed unanimously by the Carlton County board on Monday. About 15 people came to give their input on the issue. Eric Senarighi of the Carlton County Riders ATV club addressed the board, offering to pay for a portable decibel reader to check machines that have loud mufflers....
Being a victim of or witness to a crime is something we all hope to avoid. But should that situation befall the residents of Carlton County, it is reassuring to know there is an individual working in the Victim/Witness Services Division who will offer support and guidance throughout the judicial process. John Parenteau, the most recent person to hold this position stepped into the job in January. Parenteau carries a wealth of experience to this office, having spent 28 years as sheriff’s d...
Summertime means more people are out and about, and we are urging drivers to be extra careful around town, as pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers are enjoying the summer weather too. In a time of Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people out in the fresh air has only increased since this spring. You’ve probably noticed the number of dedicated bike lanes and pedestrian crosswalks has increased in our area over the past few years. Cloquet, for example, has new bike lanes and bump-outs throughout downtown. And Esko’s “Safe Routes to Schoo...
Suddenly, we’re talking about changing the nickname in Esko to avoid making an indirect negative reference to Eskimos, a historical name for the Inuit in Alaska, which some people seem to think is derogatory. Some don’t, however, and the idea that the word “Eskimo” is a pejorative term is not universally accepted. A little research shows that the term “Inuit” or “Native Alaskan” is preferred, but there doesn’t seem to be consensus that calling someone an Eskimo is insulting. Now, calling some...
From a health care perspective, a mask ordinance is a good idea. Multiple studies have shown that wearing masks helps reduce transmission of Covid-19. There are many tools in our toolbelt to help us combat this virus. Examples of these tools are contact tracing, physical distancing, testing, and wearing masks. A vaccine will ultimately change everything in a big way, but that is still over the horizon. Contact tracing has proved challenging in this case. The fact that so many of us are asymptomatic for so long while we are contagious makes it...
I have often come upon deaf ears, maybe it’s because I was silenced as a child. Over time I have learned that silence is golden. My practice of meditation and prayer are now a daily ritual I look forward to. We are in a battle over a lovely little piece of paradise on Big Lake, the sandy point. Definitely a destination spot on the lake. Especially on weekends, the sandy point is full of watercraft, people and an occasional dog or two. They are there for not only a quick dip, but all day long. The point is being pressured by too much boat t...
Dennis R. Van Guilder, 75, of Makinen passed away July 26, 2020, at home, with his family at his side. He was born Nov. 8, 1944, in Carlton, the son of Harry and Colleen (Berge) Van Guilder. Dennis graduated from Wrenshall High School in 1962. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in December of 1965 and served for 13 months in Korea, being honorably discharged in December of 1971. Dennis started working for U.S. Steel in 1968 and retired after 35 years in 2003. He was united in marriage to Gayle...
Renee E. Crotteau, 71, of Cloquet, a resident at Pine Ridge Homes, died peacefully with family at her side July 28, 2020. The daughter of Harold and Justine (Schake) Crotteau, Renee was born Aug. 26, 1948, in Cloquet. Renee loved to dress up and to be told she was beautiful. She enjoyed visiting with people, listening to music, and watching birds and all animals. She loved babies and all things beautiful. Renee was preceded in death by her mother and father, and brother-in-law, Kirk Simi. She is survived by her brothers, Ken (Vicki) Crotteau,...
Jeanne M. Waller, 79, of Carlton passed away March 14, 2020 at Inter-Faith Care Center in Carlton. Visitation: 2 p.m. until the 3 p.m. memorial service Saturday, Aug. 1 at River’s Edge Church (formerly J.M. Paine Memorial Presbyterian Church) in Carlton. A luncheon reception will follow. Masks and social distancing are required. Visit the family online guestbook at www.nelsonfuneralcare.net. Patricia Ann (Oja) Jukich, 81, of Hermantown, formerly of Esko, died Nov. 6, 2019 in her home after a brief illness. Pat’s family will be holding a com...
My husband, Bob, came home last week after six weeks away. He reached his physical and occupational therapy goals and was ready to be discharged. He will now be doing therapy at home as the nurses and therapists will be coming to the house. He thanks everyone for the many, many cards of encouragement. It is great to have him home again. Now, I will be home for a week before my knee replacement surgery, which is scheduled for Aug. 5, but I’m not holding my breath, as it has been postponed t...
Near ballfields across Cloquet this weekend, cars lined streets and packed into parking lots for youth baseball. The ping of a bat or dugout chatter was welcome in a summer of pandemic that has halted many regular activities. Fans tried to physically distance themselves as much as they could, or cared to. Teams from the area faced off in Cloquet's Mettner, Pinehurst and Braun Park fields. The tournament featured teams ranging from U10 to U14. Cloquet teams took the U10 and U11 championships...
Despite having his high school golf season wiped out due to the coronavirus, this summer has been nothing short of a whirlwind for Cloquet-Esko-Carlton golfer Sam Baker. The senior played in the Minnesota State Junior Boys' Golf Championship at Pine to Palm Golf Course in Detroit Lakes Monday and Tuesday and finished in a tie for third place. "I played well on Monday, but on Tuesday I struggled off the tee," Baker said. "It's pretty hard to win when you're playing a lot of punch outs off the...
Remember William Cadreau? He was featured in a Pine Knot story last fall. He's the baseball player who grew up, and is buried, on the Fond du Lac Reservation and pitched one game in Major League Baseball. Cadreau was the starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox in October of 1910 in the team's final game of the season. The game was at what was then the new Comiskey Park in Chicago against the Detroit Tigers. In a tribute to Cadreau's accomplishment, a display is being developed in his honor...
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will use a $1.1 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to support the work of Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program, fund three significant local projects and continue the program’s quarterly Short Term Action Request grants. Project funding includes: • An assessment of shore protection structures along the shoreline. The assessment will examine the effectiveness of structures like seawalls and breakwaters, and their performance under different lake level and s...
Effective Saturday, Aug. 1, anglers can fish for walleye on Mille Lacs Lake and use live bait. The walleye fishing closure and live bait restrictions during the month of July were the result of record ice fishing pressure this past winter that resulted in a harvest of almost 30,000 pounds of walleye. July was selected for the closure because it’s generally the period when warm water temperatures cause the highest rates of hooking mortality. The planned closure reduces, but does not eliminate, the likelihood of an unplanned closure later in t...
The last couple of weeks, I’ve been on several lakes all across the upper half of Minnesota. One thing they have in common, they register the highest surface temperatures I’ve ever encountered. On the Canadian border, mid- to high-70s are pretty common, and around Cloquet, water temps in the 80s are the norm. The heat hasn’t shut down fishing, but adjustments need to be made. Some fish, such as largemouth bass, have no problem with the heat and can be found ultra-shallow all summer long, espec...
Here is a small sampling of the comments found on both Change.org petitions regarding the Esko nickname. Change it Cassi Paszak I grew up in Esko. I remember when our actual mascot was an Eskimo. It was painted on our gym and it was a patch on our jackets. That was offensive enough where they changed the logo to use an igloo instead. If they knew then the logo was wrong and changed that, the name should have changed at the same time. Ethnicity and cultures shouldn't be made into mascots. Please...
