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
Expect to see children in a school near you very soon. School districts across Carlton County will have students back to in-person or hybrid learning as soon as next week, thanks to a change in state guidelines for Covid-19 precautions. While the previous guidelines required districts to rely on county-level data on the level of virus transmission in their communities, the latest plan allows schools to bring students back as soon as Jan. 18, provided they meet certain requirements. Those... Full story
Loyalty means a lot in the hospitality industry, especially during a pandemic. So does the ability to adapt. At area restaurants that has meant surviving without indoor dining for months at a time, in part by creating other ways to serve customers. Magnolia Café built a new walk-up window in the front. Pedro's invested in a new online ordering system, after using Facebook messenger to take online orders in the early days. And Ryan Lindstrom and Zach Zezulka of Carmen's Bar and Restaurant... Full story
Photographer Mark Cline found himself in a frosty wonderland last weekend in Jay Cooke State Park. He captured these crystals on the swinging bridge there, which required a steady tripod when no one was actually moving on the bridge. All month there have been delightful morning scenes across the county as foggy and clear nights have left frosty blankets on everything outside. Rime ice is formed when water droplets in fog freeze to solid surfaces like trees. Hoar frost often forms on clear...
Ginger Spiess, a former Moose Lake resident who now lives in Ramsey, Minnesota, had just 10 minutes to prepare for a trip to Washington D.C. on Jan. 4 for what turned out to be an infamous week after protestors stormed the Capitol on her second day there. The backlash led to the impeachment of President Donald Trump Wednesday, the second time the U.S. House of Representatives has done so. For Spiess, the events that led to her proximity to the actions on Jan. 6 were an accident. "It had never...
With the help of Wrenshall writer Annie Dugan and relatives, we have a host of information and photos on the subject of last week's History Mystery, Tim and Nellie Pappelis and their restaurant on Minnesota Highway 23 east of town, Evergreen Hites. David Bellert owns part of the former restaurant site and wanted to know more about the history there. Joan Koski Johnson, a Pappelis granddaughter, told Dugan that Evergreen Hites was in operation from 1951 to 1963 and that her grandfather built it...
Three Esko Girl Scouts are hoping to make the world a safer place for pedestrians, starting in their own backyard. Annika Halvorson, Claire Fontaine and Carli Bloom, along with Troop 4079 leaders Sybil Halvorson and Joe Fontaine, reached out to the Thomson Township Board of Supervisors in a letter last week, asking for the board's support to make two particular crosswalks safer. Esko and Thomson Township as a whole are active places, the scouts said, "with people of all ages out walking,...
Minnesotans on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other food assistance programs who are receiving the maximum amount will soon see a 15-percent increase in monthly food benefits. They do not need to do anything additional to receive this increase. The federal Consolidated Appropriations Act in Congress increased the maximum SNAP benefit amount by 15 percent starting Jan. 1 and running through June 30. It means a family of four receiving the maximum benefit will receive $782, an increase of $102. Minnesota provides state-funded...
Minnesota wolves are managed solely by state and tribal authorities after a change effective Jan. 4. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Oct. 29 that it would remove the wolf from the federal endangered and threatened species list, which directed control to the state. The DNR will continue to manage gray wolves in compliance with state statute and the Minnesota wolf management plan. The plan, completed in 2001, ensures the long-term survival of wolves and identifies strategies to resolve conflicts between wolves and humans. Delisting...
The mother and son who fled following the shooting death of Joseph James Peterson on Dec. 28 were apprehended last week. Alleged shooter Joseph James Fohrenkam, 18, and his mother, Little Fawn Fohrenkam, both made their initial appearances in St. Louis County Court in recent days: Joseph on Friday, Jan. 8, and Little Fawn on Monday. Both had shaved their heads to alter their appearance after fleeing the scene more than two weeks ago, and Little Fawn told police she drove her son away from the scene to protect him and hid him from law...
The FBI says members of a far-right group that wants to foment a second civil war scouted out the Minnesota State Capitol ahead of a pro-Trump rally planned for this weekend. A memo to law enforcement from the FBI's Minneapolis field office says that "a few Minnesota-based followers of the Boogaloo movement" identified police sniper locations and said buildings with snipers would "need to be blown up" to protect Boogaloo fighters. The Dec. 29 memo says the group did not plot a specific attack, b... 
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Minnesota Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber says he wants to move forward and heal the nation after this week's violent storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump. On MPR News last Friday, Stauber, who represents the 8th District in northeast Minnesota, called the attack "unacceptable," saying Trump bears some responsibility for his heated rhetoric ahead of the incident. But the Republican congressman stressed that the tone of politics on both sides needs to "calm... Website
Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet is now the owner of a rapid testing device which can produce Covid-19 results in approximately an hour. Once a sample is gathered from a patient using a nasopharyngeal swab, the BioFire diagnostic tool identifies and replicates genetic material to produce a positive or negative Covid result. This instrument can also be used to test for 20 other respiratory diseases, including influenza and strep. The purchase of this equipment was made possible with funds... Full story
Public health staff from 11 county and tribal public health departments have partnered on an intiative called Project Blue Light to honor frontline workers who have been working to keep the community safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the week of Jan. 24-31, public health staff from Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis counties — along with Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe — are asking businesses and individuals to light up the exterior of their home or business with a blu... Full story
Carlton County Public Health and Human Services is working with state and federal agencies on vaccine distribution. Residents can call for updates and ask questions at 218-499-6312. A message will share relevant information about the vaccine and an option to talk to a person. County officials are not collecting a list of community members for the vaccine. It is working with employers within the identified vaccination groups on vaccine distribution. They will continue to work through the priority groups until they are able to vaccinate the... Full story
A public vaccine data dashboard was launched this week to track the progress of Covid-19 vaccine allocation, distribution and administration across Minnesota. The dashboard provides what designers call a “visual and user-friendly way to view key vaccination data for our state.” It includes information on the number of doses promised to the state by the federal government; shipped to Minnesota providers; and administered to Minnesotans. The dashboard will be updated daily. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has promised 541,100 dos... Full story
Finally. After a holiday season where restaurants and bars were closed for indoor dining, the state has finally allowed them to open dining rooms for dine-in customers, following a few guidelines to keep patrons and staff safe from the coronavirus. We are pleased that Gov. Tim Walz and health experts, who have relied on science and facts in making difficult and unpopular decisions, see that the spread of the virus is slowing just as a new vaccine is being rolled out. That combination, plus the public’s awareness of safety precautions, means t...
The Supreme Court took a hard turn to conservatism when President Trump appointed Amy Coney Barrett just a few months ago. Despite the disappointing way she was confirmed to the court, she exhibits the finest qualities we should look for in a Supreme Court Justice: moderation and restraint. Coney Barrett has been portrayed as a deeply conservative legal advocate. You may be surprised that many on the liberal spectrum are satisfied with her on the bench, even though the Senate confirmed her... Full story
The coronavirus pandemic continues its assault on our bodies and the economy. On the bright side economically, restaurants and bars reopened Monday, Jan. 11, at 50 percent capacity with a mandatory closure time of 10 p.m. as cases of Covid-19 ebb in Minnesota, but remain relatively high compared to early 2020. To make it easier for folks who’d like someone else to cook tonight — and to support local business owners — the Pine Knot News offers this guide to Carlton County restaurants and bars.... Full story
Duane Putnam, 90, passed away Jan. 8, 2021, at The Waterview Shores in Two Harbors. He was born on Aug. 23, 1930, to Aaron and Katherine (Nathan) Putnam in Linton, North Dakota. Duane enlisted in the U.S. Army and was a Korean War veteran. Following the war, he returned home and married Evelyn Shotley on Feb. 12, 1955, in Cloquet. He was employed for many years at the Wood Conversion plant, later Conwed, and at Potlatch until his retirement. Duane was a member of the Queen of Peace Catholic... Full story
Joyce E. Angell passed away on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 in the arms of her daughter, her guardian angel at Inter-Faith Care Center in Carlton. Joyce was born in Minot, North Dakota on April 27, 1928 to Cecil and Jessie Compton. She was the second oldest of 11 siblings. After graduation from Superior Central, she moved to the Cloquet area to work at Diamond Match. While at the employee picnic at the Big Lake Resort, she met the love of her life, Jalmer Angell, and they shared the next 55-plus... Full story
When I was young I remember my mom telling me a story about a guy whose car had broken down on a country road with a flat tire. It was late at night and bitter cold. He had helped his wife with a blowout the week before so he was left on the side of the road with no jack and no sign of help. This was before cell phones so his only option was to start walking. He could see a light on in the distance so he pulled his coat tight and set out. As he trudged along he started to worry. Surely he would...
Sue Walli Shelerud has retired after 31 years of teaching nursing at Lake Superior College in Duluth. She graduated from the St. Luke’s School of Nursing in 1980. She worked on the surgical unit at Miller Dwan and later went to St. Luke’s Hospital in the intensive care and obstetrics units. For the past 31 years she has been teaching nursing at LSC, a rewarding career, she said. She truly loved working with the students at LSC. Her husband, Tom, is excited to have her join him in ret...
Cromwell-Wright Oh what could have been! Last year Cromwell-Wright was on the precipice of what could have been a state title. The Cardinals were loaded with talent and had two of the top players in the area. They advanced to the state tournament and were an odds-on favorite for the championship game. Then? The Covid pandemic hit and the Cards season ended without a chance to play in their semifinal game and move on to the championship. Gone are eight seniors, including two players who scored... Full story
Cromwell-Wright If Cromwell-Wright is going to contend for a section championship this year, they will have to overcome the loss of five seniors who graduated from last year's state-ranked 20-5 team. After going 10-0 in the conference, the Cards were shocked in the subsection quarterfinals by Hinckley-Finlayson, but that does not diminish just how truly good that team was. Led by Polar League MVP Micah Pocernich, the Cardinals will need to find a way to replace his 25.3 points per game, along... Full story
Gamradt makes dean’s list Ellie Gamradt of Wrenshall has been named to the Southeast Missouri State University dean’s list for academic achievement during the fall 2020 semester. Students named to the list earned at least a 3.75 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, completed at least 12 hours of standard graded credit and achieved no grade below a B. Androsky makes dean’s list Hamline University student Caelyn Androsky of Cloquet was named to the College of Liberal Arts dean’s list for the fall 2020 semester. To qualify, students must earn a... Full story
