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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The thrilling ride by the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton girls hockey team finally came to a close Saturday in a 6-0 loss to Breck in the championship game of the Minnesota State Class A Girls Hockey Tournament. The win by the Mustangs gave the private school its third-straight Class A title. The Lumberjacks brought plenty of thrills to the hometown fans by winning their first two games of the tournament to gain the title match. After the 'Jacks dispatched Hutchinson 2-0 in the quarterfinals last...
This past week the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton girls hockey team provided the Pine Knot News area with an abundance of emotional moments, from winning a section championship for the first time in 11 years all the way to the state title game. For me the wins, and the final game loss, are great, but there will be other memories that I will cherish far more as a sports fan. There will be no bigger moment than the way senior goaltender Lauren Maslowski supported freshman goalie Araya Kiminski. The two... Full story
The Cloquet school district has a mystery it needs solved: Who really created the school's ubiquitous grizzled lumberjack mascot logo? The subject came up as part of a discussion over rights to the logo, as a new sporting goods store is opening on Cloquet Avenue and the Lumberjack logo figures large in the Cloquet Sporting Goods' decor and marketing. "They've essentially done all their branding using the lumberjack logo," superintendent Michael Cary told the Cloquet school board during its... Full story
Historic Minnesota events with anniversaries this week. Feb. 29 1844 Albert Sieber is born in Germany. Sieber would move to Minneapolis in 1856, join the First Minnesota Regiment in 1862, and after the Civil War become a U.S. Army scout in the American west. Sieber was severely wounded on July 2, 1863 in the Battle of Gettysburg, at Cemetery Ridge. He fought in several key engagements, including Battle of Antietam, Battle of Fredericksburg, Battle of Chancellorsville, Battle of Gettysburg,...
Esko High School students partnered with the Carlton County Soil and Water Conservation District to create six videos highlighting conservation programs. The competition addressed the challenges of outreach and public awareness by using the talents of local students in technology and creativity to create the videos. Sophomores in Chris Evavold's and Laura Zimny's science classes got word in October about the competition. Interested students then joined for a tour of a local conservation...
While Tuesday, March 3 is the day set aside for voting in Minnesota’s first presidential primary in decades, some residents are ahead of the game. According to the Carlton County auditor’s office, more than 500 Carlton County residents have already cast their vote in the Minnesota presidential primary via a combination of mail-in and absentee ballots. Earlier this week, Minnesota Public Radio wrote that close to 40,000 Minnesotans have already voted. Local residents who received mail-in ballots or absentee ballots have through March 2 to get...
In the Feb. 21 editorial, “As lacrosse makes inroads, stay tuned,” the Pine Knot incorrectly stated that the Cloquet school board was “less than receptive” to the idea of making lacrosse a school-sponsored sport. We apologize for the error. According to school board members and Superintendent Michael Cary, the idea of making lacrosse a school sport has never reached the board. District administration reviewed information shared by the lacrosse club and shared initial concerns with them. “We have doubts about the sustainability of lacrosse...
Tuesday's Republican and Democratic-Farmer-Labor party caucus meetings were substantially more subdued than the last time presidential candidates were on the ballot. Local party leaders on both sides agree: that's mostly because Minnesota is now holding a primary election for president, rather than using local caucuses to choose a candidate. "I've had people ask me why we're even having precinct caucuses," said Carlton County DFL chairperson Patty Murto, as she waited for results to come in...
After deleting several portions of the tobacco ordinance that passed in December, the Carlton County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a reduced version of the ordinance with a May 1 enforcement date. The ban on the sale of all tobacco products, flavored and unflavored, and on vaping products to anyone below the age of 21 remains. Language included in past drafts to restrict sales of all flavored tobacco products was omitted completely. Chairman Marv Bodie said there had been enough discussion on the ordinance and there was no need to...
Things are back on track for the school consolidation moves by the Carlton and Wrenshall school districts after the Wrenshall board held a special school board meeting at 6:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21. The board revised two resolutions it passed Monday: removing a sentence in each that made the resolutions contingent on “the full support of the Carlton Board and Superintendent.” The special meeting was called after Carlton Board member Tim Hagenah voted no on the resolutions during Carlton’s meeting Tuesday. The revised resolutions referred to “c...
Members Cooperative Credit Union has announced that Tammy Heikkinen will be retiring as president and CEO of the credit union. Heikkinen, who has been with MCCU since 1978 and in her current role since 2008, will support the transition led by the board and executive leadership team. Under Heikkinen's leadership, the credit union has grown to almost $800 million in assets, and over 55,000 members, with 12 branch locations across the state of Minnesota. "It has been an honor and a privilege to...
A 34-year-old Bayfield man who was found guilty of murder and attempted murder last month was sentenced to life in prison Monday in Sixth District Carlton County Court. In January, a jury found James Francis Montano guilty on all three of the charges against him: first-degree premeditated murder and intentional second-degree murder for the shooting death of his uncle, Andrew Gokee; and the attempted premeditated first-degree murder of his cousin, Hudson Gauthier. Judge Leslie Beiers sentenced...
The annual Carlton County Emergency Medical Services awards were presented at the Carlton County board meeting Monday. EMS chairman Steve Trenhill presented Andrea Peterson, left, of Mercy Ambulance with the "EMS Person of the Year" award, and Mike Peterson, right, received the "Lifetime Achievement with EMS" award. Mike Peterson has been active in the Cromwell-Wright fire and ambulance district since 1984. When asked about his service to EMS, he said he could think of many others who also...
Although there are some of us who'd love to keep Pine Valley our own little secret, it's too much of a good thing not to willingly share with the world. Which is why we applaud efforts by Tim Krohn, the city of Cloquet and others, to seek regional designation for Pine Valley with the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission. Such a designation would only make the park better, with access to more funding and hopefully better signage so folks from out of town can find their way to Cl...
It’s fun to strategize the run for President. On one hand, we have an incumbent who is wildly popular with his base supporters, and intensely reviled by others. On the other hand, we have a group of nominees who are wildly popular with their respective bases, and reviled by others. That’s why Bernie Sanders is leading the pack (for now) of Democrats who are running. Bernie has a hard-core base, who believe his brand of popular consumer politics will be great for the country. In fact, it’s a wild...
After three failed referendums in Wrenshall school district — the last one by a larger majority than the previous — School Perceptions survey results are in: showing 80 percent in favor of consolidation of the two failing school districts. This 80 percent in favor is based upon 33 percent of returned surveys mailed to all residents in the two districts as well as open-enrollee parents unable to vote in referendums. This leaves 66 percent of unreturned surveys, people who have not chimed in on the issue tearing two communities apart once aga...
To all those folks born on Feb. 29, a very special Happy Birthday to you this year. Congratulations to Paul Johnson and Lorraine Guentzel who were crowned the Valentine’s Day King and Queen at the Villa Vista and Cardinal Court on Feb. 11. They both were surprised and thrilled to be chosen by their friends and the staff. Send cards to them at: Villa Vista, 1220 Villa Ct Drive, Cromwell, MN 55726. Happy 86th birthday to Leo Dahlberg on March 1 and Judy Miller (turning 100) on March 4. They b...
Winters can be snowy, cold and gloomy in the Northland. But March usually comes with signs of spring and new life. March is also the month we Finnish-Americans celebrate St. Urho’s Day. March 16 is a day when the wacky reigns, where you can eat grapes and pet grasshoppers, and wear purple and green in honor of St. Urho, the Finnish saint created right here in northern Minnesota. Here are the St. Urho’s Day events that will be celebrated in or close to our area. It’s the 45th annual St. Urho... Full story
Christel Connor, former longtime resident of Wrenshall, passed away peacefully Feb. 18, 2020, while residing in Stockton, California. Christel was born May 5, 1922, in Krames, Germany and was married to Junior Connor of Wrenshall, whom she met while he served with the U.S. Army in Germany after World War II. They were married on June 29, 1948, in Assmannhausen, Germany, where Christel worked as an administrative clerk for the U.S. occupational forces. Christel would tell us kids that had Junior... Full story
Mildred "Millie" Miller, 83, of Cloquet went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020. She was born April 28, 1936, in Johnstown, New York to George and Mildred (Flanders) Gardiner. Millie lived in upstate New York and worked for the Daniel Green shoe company for 26 years. She moved to Minnesota in 1998. She loved reading, especially her Bible, and going for walks, putting together jigsaw puzzles and spending time with her family. She was preceded in death by her... Full story
William “Bill” Compo, 79, of Esko passed away on Feb. 5, 2020, of natural causes. In accordance with his wishes, no services were held. The family thanks all for their prayers and cards. Jean B. Houle, 89, of Superior, Wisconsin passed away Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth. Visitation: 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 in the Atkins Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th St. in Cloquet. Private family burial will be in New Holy Family Cemetery. Lunch will follow at the Cloquet Community Center (ENP). Pine Knot News, Feb. 28, 2020... Full story
Kettle River is the only small town in Carlton County to be featured on the WDSE documentary, "This Town," to be shown at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 2 on the Duluth station. Three other northern Minnesota towns - Sandstone, Ball Club and Grand Portage - are included in the documentary, which describes how the towns started and how they are looking to their futures. Kettle River, like so many other small towns, started when a rail line came through in 1909. A depot was built, and farmers would...
Is the defendant guilty or innocent of murder, after allegedly selling oxycodone pills to a man who later died of an apparent opiod overdose? The Cloquet high school mock trial team is taking its arguments - for both sides of the hypothetical murder case - all the way to the state tournament next week. The team qualified for the state tournament, held at Ramsey County Courthouse in St. Paul March 5-6, after participating in four meets with different schools, then winning the case at regionals... Full story
The second annual Local Food Fair will take place 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 7 at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. This free, family-friendly event brings together local farmers, bakers, and other food producers to sell their products and provide information about the upcoming growing season. Farms that offer community supported agriculture boxes will also be on hand to provide ordering information. Vendors will be offering bread and other baked goods, sauerkraut, kimchi, jam, pickles, meat, eggs, and more. The Magnolia Caf...
Master Gardener volunteers have tested popular flower and vegetable varieties and want to share. Each year, the seed trial gardeners test six vegetables and two flower varieties. They look for the best return on investment. They’ve tested heirlooms, seed saved from generation to generation, and varieties that promise high yield, ease of growing, space saving and simple beauty. The list is updated each January. To get a copy of the full list with the current updates go to extension.umn.edu/planting-and- growing-guides/master- g...
