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Marilyn Ada Steffer, 91, passed away on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024 at Diamond Willow Assisted Living. She was born Sept. 9, 1933, in Cromwell, MN to John and Ada Smith Gravelle. She lived there until she was six, when her family moved to Wright, MN. She married Harold Steffer on February 11th, 1953, in Wright. They lived there until 1955, when they moved to a farm in Tamarack. She worked in several restaurants in the area and worked 9 years at Nelson’s Store in Tamarack. She was a homemaker for A...
Jamie Lund Moose Lake Star Gazette Joyce Hibke made history when she became the first female fire chief at the Moose Lake Area Fire District on Wednesday, Jan. 1. The 60-year-old has been inundated with congratulations on her achievement everywhere she goes and online. Former fire chief Jim Michalski, who is her brother, said he has faith in her abilities to run the department after working with her since she began 21 years ago. Hibke decided to put in the paperwork for the position when...
The Carlton County board approved a 2025 budget of $84.9 million on Dec. 23, but not before lengthy discussions on pay increases for the elected county sheriff and attorney. Sheriff Kelly Lake, in her 19th year in elected office, was approved for a nearly $20,000 pay increase, from $142,937 in 2024 to $161,387 in 2025. Twice-elected county attorney Lauri Ketola was increased from $152,734 to $163,800. “I do think it matters that you have people in positions who really care about what they do and commit themselves to doing really good w...
Thursday, Dec. 26 Boys Basketball Deer River 81 Fond du Lac 47 Esko 69 East Central 37 Boys Hockey CEC 4 Luverne 1 Friday, Dec. 27 Boys Basketball Cloquet 82 Cromwell-Wright 48 Warroad 72 ML/WR 42 Proctor 51 Fond du Lac 50 South Ridge 63 Chisholm 62 Esko 74 Duluth Marshall 53 Girls Basketball Melrose 48 Carlton/Wrenshall 20 Hermantown 68 Esko 50 Cloquet 59 Mesabi East 43 Cromwell-Wright 63 Pine City 29 Boys Hockey St. Cloud 2 CEC 1 Girls Hockey Mankato East 5 MLA 1 Saturday, Dec. 28 Boys Hockey CEC 6 Mankato East 0 Girls Hockey Pine City 5 MLA...
The 2024 version of the Wood City Classic boys basketball tournament was held last Friday and Saturday at Cloquet Middle School, and the venerable tournament did not disappoint local basketball fans. "It is always a good tournament and we love coming to play here," said Cromwell-Wright coach Bill Pocernich. "There's always good competition against good teams." The host Lumberjacks took on Pocernich's Cardinals in the opening game for both teams. Cloquet came out on top 82-48. "We started well...
The Wood City Classic girls basketball tournament is in the books, and both local teams went 1-1 in the tournament. Cloquet opened with a win over Mesabi East and then lost to Pine City, while Cromwell-Wright started with an easy win over Pine City, but then fell to Mesabi East in their second game. A year ago, Cloquet entered the tournament with an 8-0 record and looked to be the favorite in Section 7AAA, but Mesabi East put a stop to the win streak. That loss kickstarted a downward spiral for...
I hope you’re having a great 2025. Happy New Year. We all wonder what this year will bring — it seems that 2024 went by too fast, but with all the election stuff, I’m glad that part is over. Bethlehem Lutheran church in Wright will have its final worship service at 10 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 26. The service will be followed by a catered meal. If you have any special memories from the church, please send them to me at [email protected] or mail a note to me at my new address: P.O. Box 211, 1242...
More than 400 people turned out for the annual community Christmas meal in Cloquet on Dec. 25. Carlton County Disabled American Veterans member and lead organizer Raffy Johnson said it’s important to keep the tradition going for him and for all the people who enjoy having their Christmas meal together, recalling the days that his late father, Dave, organized the meal with other Zion members. The meal has been served at the Cloquet church for more than 30 years. Johnson said volunteers help m...
Bethany/Bethlehem Lutheran Parish www.bethanybethlehem.org Bethany Lutheran Church 5660 Hwy 210, Cromwell 218-644-3640 bethany55726@ yahoo.com Worship 9:30 a.m. with Sunday School Women’s Bible study 9:30 a.m. first Wed. Bethany Beacons women’s ministry 9 a.m. second Wed. Bethlehem Lutheran Church Hwy 210 & Third St., Wright 218-357-2593 [email protected] Worship 8 a.m. Holy Closure service 10 a.m. Jan. 26 Bethel Lutheran Church Pastor Rob Larson 1012 29th St., Scanlon 218-879-9723, 763-957-2990 [email protected] Facebook:...
A story in last week’s Pine Knot, “County explains 3% tax increase,” raised the eyebrows of Carlton County assessor Kyle Holmes. “Market values are independent from taxes and vice versa,” he said, correcting a passage in the Pine Knot report that suggested the factors were intertwined. “Rising property values and rising taxes are not intertwined, and should be kept separate,” he said. Levy increases are a function of spending, he said. Holmes attended the Dec. 11 Truth in Taxation hearing, at which the county heard from audience members and pre...
Thursday, Dec. 12 Boys Basketball Moose Lake/Willow River 0, North Woods 48 Cloquet 71, Denfeld 68 Girls Basketball Barnum 55, Moose Lake/ Willow River 22 Esko 59, Carlton/ Wrenshall 25 Boys Hockey International Falls 11, Moose Lake Area 1 Girls Hockey Rock Ridge 3, CEC 2 (OT) MLA 0, Hopkins/Park 0 Friday, Dec. 13 Boys Basketball Cromwell-Wright 67, Cook County 42 Esko 70, Superior 49 Willow River 71, Two Harbors 42 Mille Lacs 58, Carlton/ Wrenshall 51 Barnum 102, Ogilvie 31 Girls Basketball MIB 84, South Ridge 21 Esko 40 Pierz 37 Rock Ridge...
It’s not the greatest Christmas hymn, but it sure resonates when I think of Christmas Eve services at my old church back home: “I Am So Glad Each Christmas Eve.” With each passing year, I rue more and more about not being able to attend a service at St. John’s Lutheran in Montgomery. But it’s three hours away, and there is no longer a farm 8 miles away for the opening of presents afterwards. I recall constantly thinking on those nights, especially on the dark ride home, rounding the curves at Lake Dora, about the comfort in knowing where eve...
Christmas is almost here. I'm wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. It's this time of year that we take the time to reminisce about the past and our favorite Christmas memories. We celebrated Christmas as I was growing up on Christmas Eve. My dad would take us to town in Cromwell or Wright to get us out of the house while my mother made all the last-minute preparations for the evening. Dad would take us to the Co-op store in Wright, and we would look around at all the...
Special Bulletin — We are hopefully having a white Christmas this year, and it certainly won’t be blue for area children. The North Pole News is pleased to announce that it has once again teamed with the staff at the Pine Knot News to deliver letters to Santa at the North Pole — on time, with room to spare. Santa has released statistics from his lists and it was reported that 99.99 percent of the children and pets in Carlton County made it on the nice list, making them eligible for speci...
Thursday, Dec. 5 Boys Basketball Barnum 68 Hinckley-Finlayson 32 Bayfield 104 Fond du Lac 90 Cherry 96 South Ridge 45 Girls Basketball Northwoods 32 Carlton/Wrenshall 30 ML/WR 58 Hinckley-Finlayson 44 Cromwell-Wright 79 McGregor 17 Boys Hockey Moose Lake Area 6 WSFLG (Wisconsin) 5 Girls Hockey CEC 5 Hibbing/Chisholm 1 Superior 4 Moose Lake Area 2 Friday, Dec. 6 Boys Basketball Esko 86 Cloquet 69 Northwoods 80 Carlton/Wrenshall 48 Cromwell-Wright 73 McGregor 45 Girls Basketball Moose Lake Area 4 St. Paul Highland Park 1 Saturday, Dec. 7 Boys...
There’s not much time left now before Christmas, so please try to take part in some of the following events around our area. The students at the school will be celebrating Jolly Days next week. Each day the kids will wear designated outfits. Monday, Dec. 16 is Merry Morning, Holiday Pajamas day; Tuesday is Elf Yourself, dress like one of Santa’s helpers day; Wednesday is Christmas Spirit colors day; Thursday is Ugly Sweater day; and Friday is Dress Your Best day. Hope all the people at sch...
Friday, Dec. 13 Wrestling Cloquet-Esko at Brainerd Invitational, 4:30 p.m. Boys basketball Ogilvie at Barnum, 7:15 p.m. Mille Lacs at Carlton/Wrenshall, 7:15 p.m. Cromwell-Wright at Cook County, 6:15 p.m. Esko at Superior, 7:15 p.m. Moose Lake/Willow River at Two Harbors, 7:15 p.m. Girls basketball Cloquet at Rock Ridge, 7:15 p.m. Cromwell-Wright at Cook County, 4:45 p.m. Pierz at Esko, 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 Boys hockey Cloquet-Esko-Carlton at Blaine, 2 p.m. Girls hockey Sartell at CEC, 3 p.m. Hayward at Moose Lake Area, 1 p.m. Alpine ski...
Saturday, Nov. 30 Boys Basketball Cloquet 95 Chisago Lakes 88 Boys Hockey CEC 10 Princeton 0 MLA 7 Ely/Northeast Range 2 Monday, Dec. 2 Girls Basketball Esko 60 Superior 53 Carlton/Wrenshall 46 Greenway 37 Cromwell-Wright 50 Floodwood 38 Tuesday, Dec. 3 Girls Basketball South Ridge 76 Cook County 24 Duluth East 52 Cloquet 47 Littlefork-Big Falls 60 Carlton/Wrenshall 50 Barnum 82 Northwoods 52 Boys Basketball Cloquet 76 North Branch 46 Hill City 79 Fond du Lac 78 Esko 88 Rock Ridge 60 Cromwell-Wright 87 Floodwood 25 Cherry 91 Barnum 58 Boys...
Times are p.m. unless noted Friday, Dec. 6 Girls hockey MLA at Two Rivers, 7 Boys basketball Carlton/Wrenshall at North Woods, 7:15 Cloquet at Esko, 7:15 Cromwell-Wright at McGregor, 7:15 Girls basketball Barnum at Mille Lacs, 7 Cloquet vs. St. Francis, 7:15 Esko at Jordan, 7 ML/WR vs. Two Harbors, 7:15 Saturday, Dec. 7 Boys hockey CEC vs. East Grand Forks, 3 Wrestling Cloquet-Esko at Lakeville North, 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 9 Boys hockey MLA vs. Barron, 6 Girls basketball Barnum vs. McGregor, 7:15 Carlton/Wrenshall vs. Bigfork, 7:15 Cromwell-Wrig...
After more than 105 years, the Farmers Co-op in Wright is now for sale. It was a difficult decision for the board of directors, but future plans need to be made. The store is still up and running as usual, but things may change if a buyer steps forward or a new manager can be hired. Just stop in the store if you need more information, and remember to shop locally. Our community depends on it. The Young Old Timers group will meet at the Cardinal Court at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec 10. RSVP with...
November is National Education Month, so try to send your children’s teachers a thank-you note. If you are an educator, thanks. Community bingo will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, at the Villa Vista and Cardinal Courts. The Villa/Cardinal will celebrate its 50th anniversary at Family Night starting at 6 p.m. Dec. 4. All area folks are encouraged to attend. Don’t forget the show at Cloquet’s County Seat Theater in December. They are always great productions, and “A Goblins’ Christmas...
Nearly 40 people filled the Carlton library for Monday's Carlton School Board meeting as superintendent Donita Stepan continued her advocacy of a merger with Barnum. But not before a large group of students stood to address the school board, most of them members of the Raptors cross country team, which competed at State earlier this month. Wrenshall junior Isabel Riley addressed the board on behalf of her team, pointing to the success of the Carlton/Wrenshall sports teams and what it has meant....
Marilyn Olesiak Keihl has a recipe for rhubarb cake in the last Lake Country Power newsletter. Sounds delicious. Volunteers are needed for Wednesday, Nov. 27 at the school for playground duty from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. so the entire staff can enjoy the annual Thanksgiving dinner. Contact the school if you are willing to help at 218-644-2727. Congratulations to Ari Dahl on her State cross-country race. She placed ninth at the Section 7A meet and 39th at State. Dylan Nyberg was named Offensive Player of the Year in the 9 North All District team an...
All times are p.m. unless noted Friday, Nov. 22 Girls basketball Barnum vs Hinckley- Finlayson, 7:15 Cromwell-Wright at Ely, 7:15 Saturday, Nov. 23 Boys hockey MLA vs Red Wing, 11 a.m. CEC vs Bloomington Jefferson, 3 Girls hockey MLA vs Fort Frances, 1 CEC at River Lakes, 3 Girls basketball Cloquet vs Hermantown, 1 Monday, Nov. 25 Girls basketball Carlton/Wrenshall at Denfeld, 7 Tuesday, Nov. 26 Boys hockey CEC at Hibbing, 7 MLA at Greenway, 6 Girls hockey CEC at Orono, 7 Girls basketball Esko at Cloquet, 7:15 Barnum at Floodwood, 7:15 South...
Virginia Wright-Peterson reads from her book, "A Women's War, Too" at the Cloquet Public Library on Veterans Day. Wright-Peterson shared stories of the many women from Minnesota who played a role in World War II, from Mayo Clinic biophysicist Julia Herrick who was loaned to the war department for radar research, to Cloquet native Gertrude Esteros, a nurse in New Guinea during the war and in charge of creating recreation programs there. Others were spies, entertainers, pilots, factory workers...