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Carlton County is experiencing a steady flow of early voters and absentee ballots in advance of the Nov. 5 general election. “Since early voting started Sept. 20, we’ve been getting 50 to 100 voters each day,” said county auditor/treasurer Kevin DeVriendt. “The mail-in ballots are rolling in, too — 150 to 200 by mail every day.” Early voting is taking place at the auditor/treasurer’s office on the second floor of the Carlton County Historic Courthouse (Room 205). Also called “in-person absentee voting,” early voting is available for all...
When I was a young boy and brought home a tall tale from a school mate, my mother said, “Don’t believe everything you hear.” In my Barnum High School English class, Mrs. Docken cautioned us, “Don’t believe everything you read.” When serving in the U.S. Army, we were taught to evaluate information and seek to understand what is true or not true based on current evidence and critical thinking. If we are truly seeking truth, we can test allegations by gathering information, seeking all points of view, and then apply logic and commonsense...
Thursday, Oct. 3 Volleyball Cook County 3 Fond du Lac Ojibwe 0 Esko 3 Floodwood 1 Cromwell-Wright 3 Carlton/Wrenshall 2 Cloquet 3 Superior 0 Moose Lake/Willow River 3 Silver Bay 2 Barnum 3 McGregor 0 Girls Soccer Esko 2 Cloquet/Carlton 1 Friday, Oct. 4 Football Denfeld 38 Cloquet 22 Ogilvie 2 Carlton/Wrenshall 0 (Forfeit) Braham 52 South Ridge 0 Esko 35 Hibbing 0 Barnum 29 Mille Lacs 0 Moose Lake/Willow River 38 International Falls 33 Cromwell-Wright 22 Verndale 8 Saturday, Oct. 5 Volleyball Esko 2 Crosby-Ironton 1 Milaca 2 ML/WR 0 Forest Lake...
Thursday, Sept. 26 Volleyball Cloquet 3 Duluth Denfeld 1 Esko 3 Barnum 0 Floodwood 3 Cromwell-Wright 0 South Ridge 3 Cook County 1 Girls Soccer Cloquet/Carlton 1 Duluth Marshall 1 Girls Tennis CEC 7 Duluth Denfeld 0 Football Barnum 49 East Central 6 Friday, Sept. 27 Football Cloquet 49 Proctor 0 Two Harbors 55 Esko 26 Bigfork 66 Carlton/Wrenshall 0 Nevis 48 Cromwell-Wright 8 Moose Lake/Willow River 37 Hinckley-Finlayson 14 Mille Lacs 74 South Ridge 0 Saturday, Sept. 28 Boys Soccer CEC 3 Hermantown 0 Girls Soccer Cloquet/Carlton 2 Hermantown 1...
A year ago, Barnum football coach Rob Minkkinen had a feeling his Bombers would be a good football team. This year? Minkkinen knew they had some unproven talent, but after four games even he is surprised by the 4-0 squad. "We lost a big and talented group of players last year," Minkkinen said. "The group this year has waited for their chance to play and they've spent a ton of time in the weight room and in practice. They are ready to show what they can do." After picking up a close win in their...
Thursday, Sept. 19 Volleyball Rush City 3 Barnum 0 Cloquet 3 Greenway 1 Two Harbors 3 Carlton/Wrenshall 1 Cromwell-Wright 3 McGregor 0 Esko 3 Moose Lake/Willow River 0 Floodwood 3 South Ridge 0 Girls Soccer Duluth Marshall 3 Esko 2 Boys Soccer CEC 6 Proctor 0 Friday, Sept. 20 Football Moose Lake/Willow River 41 Mesabi East 6 Barnum 34 Braham 8 Cromwell-Wright 21 Ogilvie 6 Pequot Lakes 47 Esko 6 East Central 20 South Ridge 13 Rock Ridge 18 Cloquet 15 Hill City/Northland 94 Carlton/Wrenshall 0 Saturday, Sept. 21 Boys Soccer CEC 3 Princeton 0...
Entering Tuesday's night volleyball match, Cloquet and Esko were on opposite ends of season records. Esko entered the game with a record of 13-2 while the Lumberjacks came in with a 6-8 record and a much younger team than the team that had made it to the section title match the last few seasons. In the end, it was Esko that came away with an impressive 25-11, 25-12, 25-18 home win. "I was a little surprised at the scores, but when we are on our game we are a pretty good team," said Esko coach...
Thursday, Sept. 12 Volleyball ML/WR 3 Carlton/Wrenshall 2 South Ridge 3 Cromwell-Wright 1 Two Harbors 3 Barnum 2 Proctor 3 Cloquet 2 Football ML/WR 38 Crosby-Ironton 20 Boys Soccer CEC 2 Duluth East 1 Girls Soccer Cloquet/Carlton 6 Two Harbors 0 Esko 2 Hermantown 1 Friday, Sept. 13 Football Cloquet 46 Duluth East 22 Esko 27 Mora 14 Cromwell-Wright 33 Bertha-Hewitt 27 Barnum 38 Deer River 13 Sebeka 66 Carlton/Wrenshall 0 South Ridge 18 Ely 14 Saturday, Sept. 14 Boys Soccer CEC 2 Grand Rapids 1 Volleyball South Ridge 2 Menahga 1 Barnum 2 East...
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...
Of the 27 Carlton County 4-H members with demonstrations and exhibits at the Minnesota State Fair that began in August, 19 purple or blue ribbons were brought home by the time the fair ended on Labor Day. Purple is the top award, for entries deemed to have "met and far exceed the average standards established for that particular class. The exhibit or workmanship is outstanding with minimal flaws." Here is a rundown on the Carlton County participants who won purple ribbons: • Laura Rubesh of C...
There are many reasons why people go to the Minnesota State Fair. The food, carnival rides, exhibits, livestock barns, music, educational demonstrations and, of course, people watching, bring nearly two million fairgoers to the fairgrounds each year. But very few get invited to perform on one of the four major stages scattered across the 330 acres of the fairgrounds. Count me as one of them. Doctor Kielbasa, a band with longtime ties to Cloquet and Carlton County, performed two days on the...
Districtwide, Cloquet saw a 3 percent increase in Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments scores in the 2023-24 school year. Superintendent Michael Cary was happy to see the numbers mostly improving, four and a half years after the pandemic shut down Minnesota schools, but only three since students were faced with at least partial online classes. "As we move further past the pandemic, we appear to be seeing the impacts slowly diminish," Cary said. "The turnaround has been slower in our upper grade...
Rural schools in Carlton County showed marginal progress in the results of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments released by the state Education Department last week. Students mostly eclipsed statewide averages at the Barnum and Cromwell-Wright districts, but, overall, the drop in scores since Covid-19 in 2020 was still evidenced with some lackluster performances in reading and math — the two subjects that are the primary focus of the tests. To better understand the proficiencies of rural-most students and the recovery arc since the p...
Thursday, Aug. 29 Football Duluth East 24 Esko 14 Barnum 9 ML/WR 6 Verndale 62 Carlton/Wrenshall 0 Mesabi East 52 South Ridge 6 Volleyball Cromwell-Wright 3 Cook County 0 Girls Soccer Cloquet/Carlton 4 Alexandria Area 0 Boys Soccer Benilde-St. Margaret’s 3 CEC 2 Friday, Aug. 31 Football Two Harbors 37 Cloquet 14 Cromwell-Wright 48 McGregor 8 Volleyball Barnum 3 ML/WR 2 Tuesday, Sept. 3 Volleyball Princeton 3 Cloquet 0 Esko 3 Rock Ridge 2 Mora 3 Barnum 0 Two Harbors 3 ML/WR 0 Carlton/Wrenshall 3 Nashwauk-Keewatin 0 Boys Soccer CEC 5 Duluth M...
An early season volleyball matchup between neighboring towns is always exciting. It was no different Aug. 30 when Barnum and Moose Lake/Willow River did battle in Moose Lake. In the end, the Bombers overcame a slow start in the first game to notch a 3-1 road win. "Moose Lake/Willow River came out flying in that first game," said Barnum coach Amanda Nordstrom. "It's always a big rivalry game when we meet them, and they were ready." The Rebels took Game 1 by a 25-16 score. "We came out and our...
Cross Country Carlton/Wrenshall Thursday, Sept. 5 vs Superior at Pattison Park, 4 Tuesday, Sept. 17 vs Northwestern at Norwood, 4:30 Thursday, Sept. 26 at Hibbing, 4 Thursday, Oct. 3 at Ely, 4 Thursday, Oct. 10 vs Cook County at Pincushion, 1 Tuesday, Oct. 15 at Proctor, 4 Thursday, Oct. 24, sectional tournament,TBD Saturday, Nov. 2 state tournament, TBD Cloquet Tuesday, Sept. 10 at Mora, 4:15 Tuesday, Sept. 17 at Grand Rapids, 4 Tuesday, Sept. 24 at Hermantown, 4 Thursday, Sept. 26 at Hibbing, 4 Thursday, Oct. 3 at Ely, 4 Tuesday, Oct. 8 at...
Ten months ago, the Pine Knot News reported on concerns Carlton County officials expressed about the potential for runaway health care costs for county employees starting in 2025. A high number of claims had forced the county to use 5- and 10.5-percent caps on premiums in 2023 and 2024, with the county facing an uncapped future. At risk was a higher tax levy and the hard decisions that could have resulted from trying to contain other costs. But based on what transpired Aug. 13 during the county board meeting in Cloquet, it’s safe to say, ...
TThumbs up to another great Carlton County Fair. The 4-H projects and other exhibits were well done, the grandstand events were highly entertaining, the music was wonderful. As usual, it was wonderful to see so many people of all ages just out enjoying themselves and exploring everything the Barnum fairgrounds has to offer. Of special note: kudos to the fair board and director for the attention paid to the new additions at the fair. In addition to regular live music we have the Little Italy promenade and its snazzy neon signs, plus the...
Friday, Aug. 23 Volleyball Esko vs Hibbing, 7 p.m. Boys Soccer CEC vs Two Rivers, 2 p.m. Girls Soccer Cloquet vs Two Rivers, 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 Girls Soccer Esko vs Proctor 2 p.m. Boys Soccer CEC vs Columbia Heights, 12 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26 Tennis CEC at Longview, Duluth East quad Tuesday, Aug. 27 Girls Soccer Esko at Cloquet, 7 p.m. Tennis CEC at Hibbing, 4 p.m. Swimming CEC vs Grand Rapids, 5 p.m. Volleyball Esko at Hermantown, 7 p.m. Barnum at Ogilvie, 7 p.m. Carlton-Wrenshall at Deer River, 7 p.m. Cromwell-Wright at Crosby-Ironton, 7...
Folks thinking that all the Carlton County fair judges are local folks sharing their expertise are only partially right. A lot of judges - every livestock judge, in fact - come from outside the county, said Ora Mord. Mord drove nearly 200 miles from Clearwater County (west of Bemidji) to judge dairy goats for Carlton County 4-H last week. "You cannot judge in your own county," Mord said. "That's because you know the animals, you know the kids and you know the people. We want to make it as...
Car racing has been a part of the Carlton County Fair in Barnum for as long as most people can remember. This past week, the tradition continued as nearly 6,000 fans watched local drivers compete for $40,000 in prize money. "I've been either involved with the fair or coming to the fair for a long time and these events draw many people who might otherwise not attend the fair," said Steve Loucks, president of the Carlton County Fair Association. According to Loucks, more than 150 drivers...
Cecelia Anderson and Ron Johnson were humbled and surprised to be honored as the latest recipients of the Calton County Outstanding Senior award. They celebrated the honor at the county fair in Barnum last Friday. "It's amazing," Anderson said. "It's a great honor," Johnson said. That the two received notice for their work volunteering was no surprise to those on the receiving end of their work. Anderson calls bingo games at Inter-Faith Care Center in Carlton. She said she takes pride in...
A home in Skelton Township was completely destroyed by an early morning fire Tuesday, Aug. 13. The Carlton County Sheriff’s Office received the 911 call reporting a structure fire at 2:28 a.m. Tuesday on the 3500 block of County Road 157 in Skelton Township, northwest of Barnum. The initial report indicated a house was on fire and all occupants had made it safely outside. Deputies from the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office responded with fire departments from Barnum, Moose Lake and Mahtowa. Upon arrival, the house was found to be fully inv...
Deborah Kaye Hage, 68, of Duluth passed away on July 12, 2024. She was born Sept. 1, 1955, in Cloquet to Kermit and Irene Carlson. She was raised in Mahtowa and graduated from Barnum High School in 1973. She married Tracy Hage Jr. on July 11, 1981. They made their home in Duluth and together raised their son Nick there. Deborah was preceded in death by her husband, Tracy; parents, Kerm and Irene, in-laws Tracy Sr. and Elma Hage; sisters Colleen Fetters, Cari Taipale and Diane Gilbey; brother Sco...
Filings for local school boards as well as municipal and township races closed at the end of the day Tuesday, Aug. 13. Those candidates will appear on the General Election ballot, along with the top two candidates from any primary races detailed on Pages 1-19. Find the listing of local filings below, according to the Secretary of State website: School Board filings Barnum (elect 4): Louis Bonneville, Beth Dinger, Stephanie Ferrin, Mike Orn, Patrick S. Poirier Carlton (elect 3): Julianne Emerson, Ryan M. Leonzal, Ben Nilsen, Dan Solarz, Eryn...