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 challenge has vexed Jason Amundsen for a few years. He’s brought in engineering students from the University of Minnesota Duluth and St. Thomas University in St. Paul. He’s hired one of them full-time to tackle the problem. At Farm LoLa in Wrenshall, the mission is capturing water from the air — in a sense, making the concept of the indoor humidifier work outside. Amundsen said the world is starving, and he wants to find a way to better water crops. He cites endangered citrus crops in Texas...
THUMBS UP to Carlton County and the city of Cloquet for staying competitive when it comes to pay for law enforcement officers. Both jurisdictions saw their board and council, respectively, approve pay increases recently aimed at keeping wages comparable to those of surrounding departments and the local labor market. Nobody likes budget increases that stress tax levies. But, the alternatives are stark — losing peace officers to better-paying outfits and leaving our communities vulnerable. “The bigger issue is, if we can’t get qualified law e...
There are no term limits for Reservation Business Committee members, once elected by the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa band members. That does not guarantee a lifelong career for those who hold office when band members decide to make a change, as happened with two of the three seats in the June 11 election. Newly elected RBC chairman Bruce Savage and returning District I Cloquet representative Wally Dupuis were officially sworn into office Friday, July 5, while Earl Otis, the new...
I am frequently asked whether or not the University of Minnesota’s Cloquet Forestry Center is now under the operation of the Fond du Lac Band. No, it is not. There has been no land transfer, although rumors and misinformation continue to be abundant. The following is based on my knowledge, which is l imited because all of the meetings are still held with no transparency. In the recent legislative session, bills were introduced in the House and Senate to satisfy the state’s obligation to settle the bonding debt involved and transfer the lan...
By the time most of you read this, July Fourth will have come and gone. Weather permitting, the parade, family fun, car show, races, basketball, movie in the park, and fireworks will have brought great joy to thousands once again, a national birthday party that's been celebrated in Cloquet for more than a century. "July fourth was the best summer day ever. It always will be," wrote Cloquet native and local poet Patrick Stevens of his 55-year-old memories of the holiday. Many of us share some...
July Fourth festivities are thundering toward the big day. In Carlton County, both Cloquet and Moose Lake put on a communitywide celebration. "Fingers crossed for good weather," said Cloquet co-coordinator Jana Peterson. "We have a full slate of activities planned, and a nice summer day would be the icing on the nation's birthday cake." Fireworks will cap a full day's worth of activities, beginning at 8 a.m. with the Sawdust 5K at Pinehurst. A second footrace, the LaVonna 1-Mile, starts at...
Brady Slater [email protected] A pair of major projects took over the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College campus this spring and summer. One, the renovation of the commons area, is ongoing, while the other wrapped up earlier this month. As part of the Forest Stewardship Project, the college underwent a significant tree-thinning effort, dubbed a selective harvest. Built on the remnant timber plantation, the college’s tree thinning effort sought to improve fire safety and ...
For 36 years, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College has fulfilled its mission of providing higher education opportunities for its communities in a welcoming, culturally diverse environment. As an institution, we have much to be grateful for. In reflecting on our history, my thoughts go back to what took place behind the scenes in 1987, and years prior, to officially establish our unique institution. We are the only college in the nation that is both a Tribal college and a state community...
Edward “Skip” Philip Pelerin Jr. died June 6, 2024, in his wife’s arms at his home in Cloquet. He was 88. Skip was born on April 14, 1936, to Edward Philip Pelerin Sr. and Cecelia Catherine (Douglas) Pelerin on the White Earth Reservation. He graduated from Cloquet High School and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving four years as an airborne radio operator in the Korean War. Following his service, he met Mary Jo Gooler, and they were married May 14, 1960, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church...
Two of three incumbents were upset in Tuesday's elections for leadership of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Bruce Savage will be the new chairman of the Reservation Business Committee, defeating two-term incumbent Kevin Dupuis Sr., by 52 votes, 478 to 426. Earl Otis defeated Roger Smith 104 to 69 for District 3 (Brookston) representative. District 1 (Cloquet) incumbent Wally Dupuis defeated Michelle DeBolt, 343 to 233. All three were elected to four-year terms that will begin in...
Edward "Skip" Philip Pelerin Jr. was born on April 14, 1936, to Edward Philip Pelerin Sr. and Cecelia Catherine (Douglas) Pelerin on the White Earth Reservation. Skip graduated from Cloquet High School and enlisted in the United States Air Force. He served his country for four years as a radio airborne operator in the Korean War. Following his service, he met Mary Jo Gooler, and they were united in marriage on May 14, 1960, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Duluth, Minnesota. Skip and Mary Jo...
RC JP Mary Jane Diver, 73, of Cloquet passed away on June 6, 2024, at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. She was born on July 5, 1950, to George and Emma (Reed) Diver. Mary Jane gained a second family with the staff and other residents at Pine Ridge Homes, where she resided for many years. She was always up for an adventure and loved to observe the goings-on of those around her. Mary often spent time beading bracelets and other items and loved to barter her work for her f...
The candidate filing period for political races subject to a primary election ended on Tuesday, yielding a ballot with more than a few surprises. In Cloquet, councilors Lara Wilkinson, Iris Keller, Kerry Kolodge and Lyz Jaakola will all run unopposed, barring a write-in campaign mounted against any of them, on the Nov. 5 ballot. In Carlton County, the commissioners’ races are a tale of three different outcomes. To replace outgoing Dick Brenner in District 1, representing west Cloquet, Scanlon and Sawyer, Sarah Plante Buhs and Caleb Dunlap will...
Members of the Carlton County board and the Fond du Lac tribal council are scheduled to meet in June. The entities meet twice annually, and the topic of how the county ought to host the meeting came up during the board’s March 14 meeting in Carlton. When Fond du Lac conducts the meetings, attendees are greeted with a catered meal. Historically, that has not been the case when the meetings are hosted by the county. “When they come here, we get them donuts and strawberries,” said county coordinator Dennis Genereau, who sought state guida...
Dick Brenner knows how to win an election. Eight of them, amounting to 32 years on the Carlton County board alone, to go with 17 years as a Cloquet school board member. "I have a philosophy," he said. "When you run you have to have a visible name and the best way to do that is to put out lawn signs. I had over 500 lawn signs in my district. Particularly, you need to get all the corners." Brenner also knocked on doors in his district twice each campaign season, receiving sandwiches, cookies and...
I just finished reading the May 3 edition of the Pine Knot. I reside in Florida now but lived and worked most of my life in Cloquet. I was very disturbed by the business article written by Brady Slater, entitled, “Tribe projects include cannabis.” I worked for more than 20 years as a guidance counselor at Washington and Churchill elementary schools in Cloquet. As part of my job duties, I taught students about drug education, peer pressure, decision making, and consequences for actions. I have taught thousands of Cloquet kids during my car...
The Thunder Film Fest welcomed a regional celebrity to its screening of the "Bad River" documentary Saturday afternoon at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. Mike Wiggins Jr., former chairman of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, was the guest of honor and featured in the movie. "Bad River" tells the story of the Wisconsin- based Bad River Band and its ongoing fight for sovereignty - not only its recent legal battle over the 70-year-old Enbridge Line 5 pipeline and the threat...
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced 19 workforce development grants totaling over $2.9 million to eight Minnesota educational institutions that are partnering with Minnesota businesses to develop and deliver customized workforce training programs. Grantees expect to train more than 4,000 workers through these programs. Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College received a $30,654 predevelopment grant for a partnership with Fond du Lac Band Cannabis Corp., a startup company opening a cannabis cultivation...
Longtime Carlton County commissioner Dick Brenner announced Tuesday he will not seek another term on the county board. Brenner is serving his 32nd year on the board, dating back to 1992. Prior to that he served on the Cloquet school board. "I am not running," Brenner said during the board's monthly committee of the whole meeting. "I've been hounded about it. I am done at the end of December." "I'm happy for you," board chair Susan Zmyslony said. Brenner resides in Cloquet and serves District 1,...
I would like to echo the remarks made by Mark Cline’s recent letter calling for support of our local newspaper, the Pine Knot News. We are fortunate to have a local paper to help us keep informed of local happenings and events. The Pine Knot has an excellent, competent and friendly staff. This is evidenced by the many awards that they have received. The recent articles on the status and description of the new county jail, the status of the Cloquet Forestry Center, future building plans for the Fond du Lac band among other stories are very i...
A renovated hotel and casino, a new tribal justice center and a cannabis facility near the intersection of Minnesota Highway 210 and Interstate 35 are among the projects in development by the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The cannabis facility follows the direction of three other tribes - the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and Red Lake and White Earth nations - since marijuana was legalized in the state in August 2023. Caleb Dunlap, spokesman for the Fond du Lac Band, declined to...
Although University of Minnesota administrators say the transfer of the Cloquet Forestry Center is essentially a done deal, Carlton County legislators say they won't vote for bills proposed in the Minnesota House and Senate that would support the land transfer to the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. In response to questions posed by the Pine Knot News, Rep. Jeff Dotseth (R-Kettle River) and Sen. Jason Rarick (R-Pine City) both said they would "not support" any measures to move this...
Jason Eckenberg and Adam Swanson walked through the home of Cloquet resident Ed Enlund on a routine home safety visit Monday. The Cloquet Area Fire District firefighter/EMTs took note of which rooms needed smoke alarms, pulled out a ladder, and got to work. "I'd say it improves my living spaces and probably my life - more my life than living spaces," Enlund said. The lifespan of a smoke alarm is about 10 years. The CAFD's home safety visit program and American Red Cross's Home Fire Campaign...
Touted as "the future of indigenous cinema," the Thunder Film Fest offers a free day of indigenous film May 4 at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet. The day begins with a free breakfast at 9 a.m., followed by an opening ceremony and a sneak peek of an international documentary and Q&A with Ojibwe and Karelian casts until noon. At 1 p.m. is the community showcase, a local short film competition. The recently released documentary film "Bad River" starts at 3 p.m. Chronicling the W...
After weeks of searching, Fond du Lac Reservation Mahnomen neighborhood resident Peter Michael Martin is still considered missing. The 31-year-old Fond du Lac Band member was last seen and heard from March 8. He is described as approximately 5-foot-10, 185 pounds with dark brown eyes. He has a small scar on his forehead and a number of tattoos across his left and right arms, shoulders and chest. Anyone with tips or information on Martin’s whereabouts is asked to call 911, the Fond du Lac Police Department at 218-878-8040, or the St. Louis C...
