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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Fall sports are in full swing and the $4.9 million Cloquet High School athletic complex is complete. Inside Members Cooperative Credit Union Stadium, the grass football and soccer field was replaced with turf, and the field is wider, making it more suitable for soccer. A brand-new eight-lane track is also wider, and facilities for field sports are also new, including shot put and discus pits. A new electronic scoreboard not only keeps score, it also plays video and music. The bleachers are also...
Sam Godbout (in the boom) and Drew Ristinen of Archkey Solutions work Monday to level and add outlets to a new streetlight on the 100 block of Avenue C in Cloquet. A total of 26 new streetlights will now illuminate the streets of Cloquet's Historic West End Business District, yet contribute less to light pollution than the old models. The new streetlights match the existing lights along Broadway Avenue, installed during previous work on Broadway Avenue and the city's Dunlap Island and Spafford...
Family and friends of Peter Martin continue their efforts to find their missing loved one. But as months have gone by, the number of those who gather on Sundays to search areas on the Fond du Lac reservation has dwindled. This week, looking for more tips and keeping the public aware that Martin remains a missing person case, those friends and family organized a walk along Big Lake Road west of Cloquet, where banners can be found with his picture, stating "Bring Peter Home." Kayla Jackson was...
The first returns on the popularity of the new four-day week at Carlton schools showed only a slight dip in enrollment. It amounted to good news for a district entering a new era by not having classes on Fridays. Early childhood to 12th grade saw the student count reach 304, according to superintendent Donita Stepan, compared to 317 on a report generated by the school in March. “We lost some, we gained some,” Stepan said. “We budgeted for 295 and are at 304. We are optimistic that the numbers will keep rising as the year progresses.” Nearby...
Cloquet's historic West End will again become the bustling community center it once was on Saturday, replete with more than 30 vendors selling their wares, bouncy houses, free yoga classes, live music and three food trucks. The West End Flourish event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday on Avenues C and B and Vine Street, which will be closed to traffic for the one-day street market. Organizer and Pine Knot advertising director Ivan Hohnstadt promises a pedestrian-friendly festival with plenty...
As of next year, Essentia Health will no longer accept Medicare Advantage insurance plans administered by UnitedHealthcare and Humana. According to a news release, Essentia Health has started to inform patients that it no longer will serve as an in-network provider for Medicare Advantage plans administered by UnitedHealthcare (UHC) and Humana, effective Jan. 1, 2025. The release stated that UHC and Humana delay and deny approval of care for patients at more than twice the rate of other Medicare Advantage plans. This can cause unnecessary...
The Sweetly Kismet Candy Store is hosting a hot air balloon festival this weekend. Gates open at 4 p.m. until after the "night glow" display both Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13-14. The candy store property is located behind the Kwik Trip near the intersection of Highway 210 and Interstate 35. This year's event will include food trucks, bounce houses, face painting, hay rides, a ventriloquist, pilot meet and greet, a candy drop for kids, along with music and lights for the night after dark when...
After a few winters of abnormal, the weather experts are seeing perhaps a good old-fashioned winter ahead this year. The National Weather Service forecast office in Duluth has provided a preliminary look at what winter might have in store for the region. The office expects to have a more defined outlook in mid-October when its Climate Prediction Center releases information. 0 For now, the Duluth office is looking at a weak La Niña weather pattern developing later this fall and winter. Historically, such a weather pattern creates a dry and...
The Carlton County Farmers Market will celebrate the bounty of the season during Harvest Fest 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Sept. 14 in the Premiere Theatres parking lot at 904 Highway 33 in Cloquet. The first 50 kids can decorate free kid-sized tote bags with fabric pens or try their hand at making zucchini cars starting at 9 a.m. There will be free tomato tastings all morning, and bratwursts available for purchase....
The Fond du Lac Band’s Resource Management invites all community members to the Ganawenjigewin Maawanji’idiwin, or Taking Care of Things Gathering 1-6 p.m. today, Friday, Sept. 13. This event, dedicated to environmental stewardship, sustainability and holistic community wellness, will take place at the Fond du Lac Pow Wow Arbor, located behind the Fond du Lac Ojibwe School, 49 University Road in Cloquet. The gathering promises a fun-filled day for all ages. Highlights include information tables, diverse vendor booths, exciting raffle giv...
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is updating its fall color finder every Thursday now with the latest estimates for peak fall colors across the state. Last week’s map put most of the state at zero- to 10 percent of leaves changing, with slightly more change in an area along the North Shore of Lake Superior. The map can also be used to predict peak colors. DNR officials said this year’s rainy growing season means trees have the potential to maximize their color production in the fall, although September weather also plays a rol...
The Esko board approved a trip to Florida for the varsity baseball team. Coach Ben Haugen planned to take 18 players and said the itinerary was still in flux. Two years ago, the team did some practice and scrimmages and had time for touring, including a trip to Cocoa Beach. “The last time we did this, we won the state championship,” Haugen said with a smile. After laughter in the boardroom, Fischer asked if he was promising a repeat. Haugen said it was a hope. The trip is self-funded. The team will have fundraisers and the players’ famil...
A 32-year-old Carlton County man was charged last month for allegedly groping a teenage girl known to him. Jake Alan Gould, of Tamarack, was charged with criminal sexual conduct, first-degree, penetration or contact with a person under age 14 in Sixth District Carlton County Court Aug. 26. According to the criminal complaint, Gould repeatedly and with sexual intent put his hand in the pants of a 13-year-old girl known to him, at a social gathering at his home in June. Initially too scared to say anything, the girl told her mother and grandmothe...
Students, staff and supporters of Cromwell-Wright School gathered Friday to celebrate progress on nearly $7 million in improvements to the school. The summerlong construction projects marked the first substantive changes to the existing school building since it was constructed in 1995. Work included security updates throughout the building, a new, second competition-sized gymnasium, bathroom facelifts, improved commons areas, and rehabilitation and expansion of the parking lot. The parking lot...
Enrollment at Cloquet Schools is up from the end of the previous school year, but lower than numbers at the start of last year, superintendent Michael Cary told school board members Monday. Cary said he has been digging into birth rates in the Cloquet area going back four to eight years, and it seems the decline in numbers is more about fewer babies being born and less about students choosing other school districts. “We appear to be bringing in smaller and smaller cohorts of young children each time,” Cary said. “It looks like the number of ki...
The Esko schools superintendent had good news for taxpayers Monday. Superintendent Aaron Fischer told school board members the maximum levy for the Esko district would be an increase of only 0.77 of 1 percent. “And that means … you will have an under-1-percent levy increase for the taxpayers,” he said. After the meeting, Fischer explained the almost-zero increase was due to loans that were paid off and, “we just didn’t add a lot onto the new debt,” he said. The total planned levy will be around $2.3 million from district taxpayers. Local gover...
A longtime practice by the Wrenshall School's construction course was temporarily stopped last week, after school officials were advised to develop a legal agreement between a property owner and the school. The construction course is still planning on constructing a small garage project off site this fall, but not before a liability agreement is formalized. "This current project needs a legal agreement ... to mitigate the risk we are taking in supporting this - the risk for everybody [including...
The Thomson Township board of supervisors followed the recommendation of both residents and an auditor when it voted to pay off a $400,000 loan in its entirety at its meeting Sept. 5. In turn, that vote led to a much less rambunctious adjourned annual meeting Tuesday, Sept. 10, when residents came together a second time for a final vote on next year's tax levy. Normally a quick meeting with just a final vote on the levy, last month's adjourned annual meeting was contentious following news from...
Hayashi No Dojo in Saginaw offers family-oriented classes for ages 5 to 55, providing children, their parents and grandparents the opportunity to participate in the same judo or jujitsu class. It is very powerful to be a part of a young person's growth as they learn about hard work and standards instilled through family tradition. My school is a place where young and old can challenge themselves mentally and physically in a safe environment. Hayashi No Dojo was established by Gene Esala in the...
After watching Tuesday’s presidential debate, we’d like to propose that moderators abide by soccer rules if there is a next one and award “added time” at the end of the debate. In soccer that means extending the game past regulation time to make up for lost time due to injuries, substitutions, disciplinary penalties, arguments and other delays, a common practice. In a debate with clearly defined speaking limits, moderators should have the ability to award added time to a candidate who received less speaking time because their opponent did not...
Like many other Carlton County veterans, I take offense at the way some Republican leaders, especially Donald Trump, have disrespected veterans over the years. John Kerry ran as a presidential candidate against George W. Bush 20 years ago. Kerry, a combat veteran who received several military honors, including three Purple Hearts, had his military service falsely discredited repeatedly by Republican “Swift Boat” ads, contributing to his defeat in the 2004 election. In 2015, Donald Trump criticized John McCain’s military service in the Vietn...
Since our eldest son, Doug, died by suicide 17 years ago this month, September has been a difficult time. But it’s also a month that gives me hope, because of how many things have changed since then, nationally and in our own county. Doug’s death was devastating to our family and friends. At the time, things were kept pretty “quiet” about suicide deaths. We really didn’t have much direction on where to go for help or support after his death. It was more of a taboo subject and wasn’t talked abou...
Entering this season, the Cloquet volleyball team had three straight runs to the Section 7AAA finals, finishing as runner-up each time. If the Lumberjacks are going to the championship game this year, they will do so with a much younger and unproven line up. "We graduated five seniors from last year's team," said coach Heidi Anderson, whose team blanked Moose Lake/Willow River at home on Tuesday. All five of Cloquet's graduated seniors started for at least two seasons with Ava Carlson, one of th...
Thursday, Sept. 5 Volleyball North Branch 3 Cloquet 0 Crosby/Ironton 3 ML/WR 1 Carlton/Wrenshall 3 Barnum 2 South Ridge 3 McGregor 0 Boys Soccer CEC 4 Hermantown 1 Girls Soccer Cloquet/Carlton 1 Bemidji 0 Girls Swimming Hibbing/Chisholm 97 CEC 88 Friday, Sept. 6 Football Hermantown 35 Cloquet 6 Esko 56 Proctor 0 Cromwell/Wright 60 Hill City/Northland 8 Barnum 49 Chisholm 16 Deer River 41 South Ridge 6 ML/WR 32 Aitkin 14 Bertha-Hewitt 55 Carlton/Wrenshall 0 Saturday, Sept. 7 Volleyball Tournament matches Two Harbors 2 Fond du Lac 0 Esko 2 North...
The Cromwell/Wright football team picked up its second win of the season Friday by throttling Hill City/Northland 60-8. For the second straight week the nine-man team had strong individual and team performances. "I was very happy with how we performed on both sides of the ball, but especially offensively," said Cards head coach Jeff Gronner. "Our offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and our backs were able to do a lot of damage on the edge." Cromwell/Wright led 20-0 after the first...
