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The Barnum Area Community Club announced this week that Bill and Irene McKay from Mahtowa are the grant marshals for the Spring Fever Days parade on June 8. Bill and Irene moved to Mahtowa when a hobby farm with acreage became available. The couple raised five daughters - Jenny, Amy, Heidi, Colleen, and Maurita - and now 10 grandchildren come to visit often. Bill has held jobs at Diamond Tool, USG, Inter-Faith Care Center, and ended his career when he retired from Mercy Hospital in Moose Lake. I...
Chad Richard Timonen, 43, of Apple Valley, Minnesota, passed away at Fairview Ridges Hospital on March 28, 2024, with his family by his side. Chad was born June 14, 1980, at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and was raised in Beaver Township. He graduated from Moose Lake High School in 1998. Chad worked in various industries, including farming, the railroad, truck driving, logging, over-the-road heavy haul, driving tow trucks and, most recently, for Castle Rock Contracting and...
Observed on the last Monday of May, Memorial Day was originally set aside to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting and decorating cemetery graves or holding family gatherings. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season. Local honor guard members and other veterans groups treat Memorial Day — and their stops at various cemeteries — as a sacred duty. Cloquet Combined Honor Guard Captain Rich Chassé said...
For birding enthusiasts, it's hard to beat May in northern Minnesota. There was a day last week that we'll remember for a long time. Often, we plan an extended trip to go explore and look for birds in May, but we're just too busy this year. So, instead, we stayed close to home. And it was amazing. We decided to see what would happen if we looked for different species of birds all within a 15-mile radius of the farm here near Barnum. We awoke at dawn to a slight drizzle, but put on our rain gear...
With rain looming Tuesday, proactive school officials rescheduled Section 7 softball action for Monday afternoon to keep things set for semifinal action on Thursday. Several local teams had byes in the opening round of action in both sections 7A and 7AA. In Class AA, Moose Lake/Willow River, South Ridge and Proctor had byes as the top teams in their respective sections, while Esko, Carlton/Wrenshall, Cromwell-Wright, and Barnum all opened victoriously on Monday afternoon. Section playoffs contin...
The filing period for elected offices opened this week, and two Cloquet city councilors are already on the list to run again. Ward 4 councilor Kerry Kolodge and Ward 3 councilor Iris Keller both filed affidavits of candidacy at City Hall on Tuesday. The Ward 3 race is for two years only. Keller was appointed to fill the seat until the next election when former councilor Chris Swanson moved outside of Ward 3; this election will determine who represents Ward 3 for the remainder of that four-year term. Other Cloquet City Council positions up for...
A 32-year-old Moose Lake man is in Carlton County Jail awaiting sentencing following a guilty plea in March to felony criminal sexual conduct. The charge is related to a 2023 incident involving a vulnerable 15-year-old girl. Justin Eugene Arbuckle pled guilty March 6 to third-degree penetration of a victim under 18 — impaired/incapacitated/helpless. The victim is on the autism spectrum and requires use of an individualized education program in school. She was considered vulnerable, “easily manipulated,” and in need of supervision, accor...
This year, the Memorial Day program has been expanded. Please join us at 9 a.m. Monday, May 27 at the Kettle River American Legion building for a brief program and taps, with a three-volley salute honoring our veterans by the Moose Lake-Kettle River Honor Guard. Mark your calendar for the Holy Trinity/Faith Lutheran Jump into June early sale, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, May 31 at the Kettle River Senior Center. This will be a plant and bake sale. The Ma & Pa Kettle Days Mud Bog committee is holding a fundraising event 12-6 p.m. Saturday, June 1 at...
Public libraries in Cloquet, Carlton and Moose Lake will be providing mosaic art take-and-create kits through May. This art experience, created by Chisholm artist Rebekkah Anderson through Diletto, combines the art of storytelling through both mosaics and barn quilts....
A notice on social media last week from the Moose Lake Police Department indicated that the office would no longer be “open on a daily basis.” It was the sort of thing that can cause consternation in a community. In February, the city contracted with Carlton County for its law enforcement — a decision which meant disbanding its long-standing police department. The contract between the city and Carlton County is still being negotiated, as the county works toward bringing aboard the four deputies agreed upon to cover the city. But Carlton County...
Defending Minnesota Class AA baseball champion Esko will carry a 15-0 record into a split doubleheader against Pequot Lakes and Moose Lake/Willow River Friday afternoon in Moose Lake. "We defeated Pequot Lakes 2-0 last season and expect another competitive game against them, and Moose Lake is improving with some veteran leaders," said Esko head coach Ben Haugen. Ranked No. 1 in Class AA, Esko will face a greater challenge next week, with a home game against Duluth Marshall on Monday, May 20,...
There will be a car show 1-3 p.m. Sunday, May 19 at the Suomalainen Kirkko Cultural Center on Highway 73 and County Road 6 West. The next City council meeting is 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 21 at the Kettle River Senior center. The next Ma & Pa Kettle Days meeting is 6 p.m. Sunday, May 19 at the Kettle River Senior Center. The next Finnish Luncheon is 12 p.m. Tuesday, May 21. Everyone is invited to attend. Come and visit with your friends as you enjoy lunch. Mark your calendar for the Holy Trinity/Faith Lutheran Jump into June early sale, 9 a.m. to 1...
A study released last month on Minnesota's "civil commitment" policies regarding people convicted of sex offenses says the state has failed in proving the worth of programs run in Moose Lake and St. Peter, under the umbrella of Minnesota Sex Offender Program, or MSOP. "Minnesota's uniquely aggressive civil commitment program threatens basic constitutional rights while exacerbating the very problem it is intended to solve," said Eric Janus, director of Sex Offense Litigation and Policy Resource...
Donald Kenneth Magnuson, 88, of Cloquet passed away Thursday, May 2, 2024, at New Perspective Assisted Living. He was born June 18, 1935, in Cloquet, the son of Carl and Ann (Lance) Magnuson. Don graduated from Cloquet High School and then served in the U.S. Air Force. He married Shirley Ann Watson on Sept. 6, 1958, in Barnum. Don worked in the chemical lab for Potlatch until retiring. He was a longtime member of Zion Lutheran Church, where he served as usher, volunteered for lawn mowing for man...
Private family graveside services for Charles H. Roatch, 86, of Fairmont, Minnesota were held this week at Lakeside Cemetery in Fairmont after a service at Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont. Charles passed away Monday, May 6, 2024, at the St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center in Blue Earth. Charles H. Roatch was born March 8, 1938, in Cloquet, the son of George and Martha (Heikkila) Roatch. He attended school in Barnum and graduated from Barnum High School with the class of 1956. Charles worked as a millwright at Potlach for 43 years, retiring in J...
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,...
The Cloquet girls golf team placed second in the Lake Superior Conference golf meet Wednesday, falling to Grand Rapids but beating Hermantown by four strokes at the Pokegama Golf Course in Grand Rapids. Top 10 Cloquet finishers were Abigail Steinert 91 (fifth), Addison Johnson 93 (eighth) and Kortney Kavanaugh 96 (ninth). Twins Abigail and Julie Steinert are the team’s only seniors and both qualified as individuals for last year’s Class AA Minnesota State High School League state meet. Both are...
When the Northern Lights Academy was created seven years ago by the 12 school districts served by the Northern Lights Special Education Cooperative, it gave those schools a place to send students they couldn't serve on their own. It also gave the students - who might have autism or significant emotional and behavioral disabilities and/or mental health needs - a place where they could be surrounded by classmates with similar needs and teachers specially trained to help them. Northern Lights...
The Cloquet Police Department is investigating a mail theft April 8, when the drop box outside the Cloquet Post Office was broken into, and the contents were stolen. In an April 26 news release, police said they believe people involved in the mail theft may have attempted financial crimes in other areas. The Moose Lake PD received a report of an attempted withdrawal from a local financial institution by someone using another’s identity. Police urge anyone using the mail dropbox in Cloquet on or around April 8 to take additional security m...
The Arrowhead Library System is providing mosaic art take-and-create kits for member public libraries to distribute May 7-31. This art experience, created by Chisholm artist Rebekkah Anderson through Diletto, combines the art of storytelling through both mosaics and barn quilts. “Mosaics are an art form we don’t typically access in our area as a community, but they are so much a part of our regional history of storytelling,” Anderson said. Take-and-create art kits will include supplies to create a unique mosaic tile coaster, including tiles...
Esko hosted one of the largest local track meets of the year last Thursday at the Esko track and field complex. Eleven schools competed at the varsity and junior varsity boys and girls divisions at the Esko Showcase meet. "Every year our Esko Sports Alliance puts this meet on as one of our three big fundraisers to go along with the Bob Thompson golf tournament and the Coaches Classic over the holidays," said Esko girls coach Matt Peterson. "Bill Hudspith is the meet manager and Dennis Rengo...
Polka celebrity, farmer and retired Minnesota state senator Florian Chmielewski died Tuesday at his home in Sturgeon Lake at the age of 97. He should be buried with his accordion, which he played for nearly 80 years and famously played on the steps of the Minnesota Capitol building in his first Minnesota Senate term in 1971. "Freshman senator stages 'polka protest' at Capitol," a newspaper headline shouted, the story detailing how Chmielewski had broken out his accordion and performed a special...
In announcing he won’t seek reelection in November, Gary Peterson unofficially kicked off the local election season Monday during the Carlton County board meeting. “It’s time for me to graduate from my county commissioner job,” said Peterson, a longtime educator who still substitute teaches in the area. Peterson, 71, will have served 12 years, or three full terms, on the board by the time his term representing western Carlton County wraps up at the end of the year. “Twelve years is long enou...
Florian W. Chmielewski Sr., 97, of Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by his family. Florian was one of 15 children born to Tony and Tillie Chmielewski on the family farm in Sturgeon Lake on Feb. 10, 1927. He was a dairy farmer, a world-renowned Minnesota musician, and a state senator for 26 years. Florian's special legislative concerns focused on employment, education, health care, housing and veterans. He was a member of a wide range of committees and...
A former psychologist at the Minnesota Sex Offender Program in Moose Lake broke her silence last week, two months after felony sexual assault charges against her were dropped on the precipice of a court trial originally scheduled to start this month. While relieved to no longer be facing criminal charges, Michelle Brownfield, 41, of Duluth, had counted on the trial for vindication, she told the Pine Knot News. “One of the most compelling aspects of this is how easily this can happen to anyone in a licensed profession,” she said. “An angry...