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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Sigfred Johnson considered himself the "black sheep" of his family. It was likely because he liked to drink beer while most of his relatives were teetotalers. And there were a lot of them. Born in 1909 to Severin and Anna Johnson, Sigfred was in the middle of a pack of 12 children growing up on 22nd Avenue in Cloquet, where the city rubs against Scanlon's west side. Sig, as he was known, worked for the city of Cloquet's sewer and water works department and had an outsized personality. He drank h...
The fact that Cloquet Area Fire District taxpayers have been paying more than their share of ambulance expenses for over a decade didn't pacify Thomson Township residents Thursday during the CAFD truth-in-taxation hearing. Close to two dozen people attended the CAFD hearing, nearly all of them township residents, most of them shocked and angry that their proposed ambulance district taxes showed a more than threefold increase from the previous year. "I look at my proposed tax statement and I see...
Cloquet postmaster Todd Manisto gazed at the piles of boxes - some towering over even the tallest letter carriers - stacked in carts clustered in the mailroom at the post office Monday. "This is nothing compared to yesterday," he said. Add all the gifts and holiday cards to everything else that people started ordering online during the pandemic, and these are busy times. The Cloquet office delivered 1,695 packages on Sunday alone, Manisto said. On Monday, they were at it again. Manisto had...
Last week's photo from the Carlton County Historical Society, at right, had many people chiming in on where the photo was taken. It was obviously Scanlon, and readers pointed out that it was most likely taken near where the Rendezvous Sports Bar & Grill is today (1) at Jefferson Avenue and Scanlon Way. Using Google Earth technology, below, we found that two homes in the old photo, just below the school building off Washington Avenue, appear to still be standing (2). And the Google Earth image...
More than 30 people spoke Monday in a last ditch effort to convince Carlton School Board members to keep the high school open and the district a preK-12. Ostensibly, the public hearing at Carlton High School was about a proposed tuition agreement with Cloquet High School that both boards appear to favor. Under the terms of that agreement, Cloquet would guarantee acceptance of any Carlton student in grades 9-12 when the high school is closed there, possibly next year. But the meeting was really... Full story
A Kettle River woman was allegedly shot and killed by her husband Friday, Dec. 10. Raymond Arthur Julian, 65, allegedly told police he killed his wife, Tracy Ellen Julian, 62, when they came to his house Friday. Raymond made his first appearance in Sixth District Carlton County Court Monday afternoon on charges of murder in the second degree, with intent-not premeditated. Bail was set at $1 million. Carlton County County 911 dispatch received a call at 2:35 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, requesting a...
Community Memorial Hospital CEO Rick Breuer confirmed that the Cloquet hospital has been at capacity for much of the past month, but said Covid is not the only cause. Probably between one-quarter and one-third on the inpatient side of things are Covid patients,” Breuer told the Pine Knot Wednesday. He stressed that people should not be tempted to minimize the impact of Covid, saying they are seeing a lot of patients coming in for many reasons. “If we have to divert and can’t care for more patients, it’s because of the [additional] Covid cases.... Full story
Only a few people attended Tuesday’s Carlton County board of commissioners Truth in Taxation hearing. The commissioners held the hearing to talk about the property tax levy they are proposing for the 2022 budget year and how the individual county departmental proposed budgets affect the overall county financial picture. Of those who came, several complained about their property tax bills, which by law are not addressed at this hearing. A handful came with a few questions. Auditor/Treasurer Kevin DeVriendt reported that he received no c...
The mask requirement for students was discussed at length during the working meeting of the Cloquet School Board Monday, Dec. 13. Superintendent Michael Cary presented data from the Minnesota Department of Health and Carlton County Public Health comparing the number of people that have been vaccinated versus the number that had not been vaccinated in the different age categories. The data was not available for children 5-11 years old, but data for older children showed that 22 percent had started the vaccination process, and that 17 percent...
An Onamia woman who crashed into a tree in Cloquet last year in an accident that killed her 3-year-old son was sentenced in Sixth District Carlton County Court Monday, but won’t serve any time in prison. Misty Louise Mattinas, 27, pleaded guilty in October to criminal vehicular homicide, a felony, for driving while under the influence of alcohol. Twelve other charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. The Cloquet police responded to the single-vehicle crash on the 1500 block of White Pine Trail on the afternoon of Nov. 8, 2020 and f...
Esko administrators and school board members know there will be at least one certain resident at their annual truth-in-taxation hearing. John Luomala didn't disappoint; he was the only resident there Monday. The board didn't disappoint Luomala either, eventually adopting a levy increase of 1.7 percent. Esko superintendent Aaron Fischer went through budget and tax levy highlights with the board. Esko School district taxpayers will see an increase of 1.7 percent in their school tax levy in 2022....
The number is big, but not a real surprise for residents of the Wrenshall school district. Taxes for residents and business owners will go up 26 percent next year. The school board approved the increase Monday at its regular meeting after a truth in taxation meeting and audit report Dec. 8. There was no public comment about the increase at either meeting. It is fueled by the continuing building improvement projects in the district the past year. The levy is increasing by $311,202, at $1.5 million for payable taxes in 2022 after $1.2 million...
The popular Bentleyville Tour of Lights was born in Carlton County in 2001 and is now the biggest Christmas season event in Duluth’s Bayfront Park. We are proud of its Carlton County heritage and with how the display seems to get better and better every year. Last year Covid kept visitors in their cars for a drive-through experience, but the high number of vaccinated people in Minnesota, along with the cold weather, has allowed the event to return to its stroll-through format, letting people linger as long as they want, mingle, and tour the dis...
The loud, disruptive protest at a recent Cloquet School Board meeting by a local resident of the school district was a shameful display of chutzpah, ignorance and entitlement. People seem to think that government officials work for them. They don’t. Cops work for the police department; highway maintenance crews work for the county, and teachers work for the school district. The school district is led by members of the school board, who are elected to the job. They don’t work for you. It’s a com... Full story
Annella C. Clasemann, 85, went to heaven to be with her Lord and Savior Dec. 9, 2021, surrounded by her family at the Solvay Hospice House in Duluth. She was born to Roman and Adelaide (Terhaar) Kulzer, the fifth child of nine. Annella grew up on a dairy farm in Sauk Centre and graduated from St. Francis Catholic high school. Shortly after graduation, she met the love of her life, Alois Clasemann, and they were married July 2, 1958. Together they raised seven children on their dairy farm in... Full story
Mary Ann Randall, 93, of Cloquet passed away Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021 in her home. Mary Ann was born in Duluth on June 22, 1928 to Anthony and Ann Vafias. She attended Jefferson Elementary in Duluth and then attended Cloquet High School. She married Chester L. Wilson, and after his death married Joseph W. Randall. Mary Ann worked at Diamond Match for 26 years as a match inspector. She was a member of Journey Christian Church in Cloquet. She was also a member of the VFW Cloquet Post 3979. She... Full story
Julie R. Weiler, 57, of Cloquet passed away Dec. 13, 2021, at Community Memorial Hospital. She was born Jan. 10, 1964, in Cloquet, the daughter of Warner and Janet (Pohjala) Bodin. Julie worked as a nursing assistant for more than 25 years in private care and assisted living. She had a great love for caring for people. Julie won numerous blue ribbons at the county fair for her gardening, flowers and vegetables. She enjoyed making candles and cardamom bread, and had a love for pets and her... Full story
Ronald Edward Laminen, 86, of Carlton passed away Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, at Inter-Faith Care Center in Carlton, where he was a resident for many years. A memorial service was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Inter-Faith Care Center. Interment will be at Atkinson Community Cemetery, Carlton. Arrangements provided by Whispering Pines Funeral & Cremation Service. Pine Knot News, Dec. 17, 2021... Full story
Naomi J. Brigan, 86, of Cloquet died Dec 13, 2021, at home with her loving family by her side. Naomi was born June 9, 1935, in Dayton, Oregon to Raymond and Margaret Brigan. She grew up near Park Lake in Mahtowa. Naomi was a lifelong Christian, leaning on Christ for guidance and comfort. She served Him with leadership roles in St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Cloquet, spearheading the program for developmentally challenged children and adults. In later years, she was active with the Celebrate... Full story
Under the instruction of Community Memorial Hospital nurse practitioner Greg White, far left, eight students from the Veteran to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the College of St. Scholastica are completing a five-week clinical rotation at the Cloquet hospital. Every Tuesday evening, his students are at CMH rotating through a variety of specialties, including intensive care and medical/surgical. It is their first time being in a clinical setting and getting to put their classroom...
Veterans don’t let a little thing like a closed dining hall stop one of the biggest community meals of the year. When the Carlton County Disabled American Veterans chapter learned that the usual site of the annual Christmas dinner in Cloquet was a no-go because of the pandemic, they sprang into action. Instead of just cooking the annual meal, the DAV is now running it and hosting it from a new base of operations at the Cloquet VFW, 210 Arch Street. Everyone is invited to enjoy a free sit-down or pickup meal from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on C... Full story
It took a little while, but the Esko boys basketball team started clicking early in the second half and came back to win 66-63 over the Lumberjacks Friday night at Cloquet Middle School. "For us, we were a little sluggish on offense in the first half," said Esko coach Derek Anderson. "We had too many guys watching one guy dribble or try to create. There was no flow or movement, which is why we struggled." Cloquet played its way to a 32-25 halftime lead, with five players scoring in the opening s... Full story
Thursday, Dec. 9 Girls Basketball Carlton-50 Silver Bay-38 Crosby-Ironton-63 Esko-54 Barnum-63 Aitkin-43 Cromwell-Wright-79 Wrenshall-12 Grand Rapids-60 Cloquet-42 Girls Hockey G. Rapids/GW-4 CEC-1 Boys basketball Carlton-51 Silver Bay-44 FDL Ojibway-59 Hill City-50 Boys Hockey Duluth Denfeld-6 CEC-2 Greenway-7 MLA-0 Friday, Dec. 10 Girls Hockey MLA-7 Superior-1 Boys Basketball Esko-66 Cloquet-63 ML/WR-78 Aitkin-45 Cromwell-Wright-65 Wrenshall-55 Cherry-67 Barnum-49 Boys Hockey Mora/Milaca-7 MLA-1 Saturday, Dec. 11 Girls Basketball Esko-55... Full story
Friday, Dec. 17 Boys basketball Cloquet at Hibbing, 7:15 Esko vs. Superior, 7:15 Carlton vs. McGregor, 7:15 Barnum vs. S. Ridge, 7:15 ML/WR vs. Cook County, 6:15 Wrenshall at Silver Bay, 6:30 Girls basketball Cromwell-Wright at Floodwood, 7:15 ML/WR vs. Cook County River High School, 4:45 Wrenshall at Silver Bay, 4:45 Skiing CEC Nordic at Denfeld, Grand Avenue Nordic, 11 a.m. CEC Alpine at Virginia, Giant’s Ridge, 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 18 Boys hockey CEC at Champlin Park, 3 MLA at North Shore, 7 Girls hockey CEC at Sartell, 2 MLA vs. Int. F... Full story
Entering Tuesday night's home game against Cloquet, the Cromwell-Wright girls basketball team was undefeated and sported a 4-0 record. The Lumberjacks came in with a 3-2 record, trying to reverse a two-game losing streak. After the dust cleared, Cloquet came away with a 61-47 road victory over the Cardinals. "It was just a great atmosphere, and it always is at Cromwell," said Cloquet coach Heather Young. "The fans are right on top of you, they're vocal, and they just make it a great place to... Full story
