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
Sorted by date Results 751 - 775 of 1087
The Esko school board decided this week that the district won't have all students in classrooms as planned at the start of the school year Sept. 8. Based on the number of coronavirus cases at the time of the meeting in both Carlton and St. Louis counties - as they pull students from both - the board decided to start at Level Two of the state's guidance on re-opening. While case numbers in Carlton County remain low enough to allow for in-person classes as Esko had planned earlier in the month,...
Congratulations to Brad Koivisto of Cromwell, who recently won the first Brainerd $10K Bracket National at the Brainerd International Raceway. This big payout attracted nearly 200 amateur racers and Brad outlasted them all. He raced his 1974 Chevelle GTO and usually races in the BIR’s stock/super stock class. Brad said he considered himself a longshot to win and was there to support the track and enjoy the weekend. But he soon found himself in the winner’s circle. After getting into the fif...
The filing period for the most local of political offices — school board, cities and township positions — ended on primary election day last week with one exception. In Carlton County, Cloquet city candidates filed by June 2 and there was a primary election for the Ward 5 City Council spot last week. Staff at the Carlton County Auditor’s office said residents may request absentee ballots by calling the auditor’s office at 218-384-9127 (leave your name and address if you get voicemail) or register online at mnvotes.org. It’s not urgent th... Full story
A sloppy kiss between a moist, unstable air mass and a veering cold front led to a stormy afternoon and evening last Friday, Aug. 14, across Carlton County. Strong downdraft winds snapped trees and unrooted others. Power lines went down, causing outages, particularly in the Carlton area and south although there were also lines down in Thomson Township. In the western part of the county, near Wright and Cromwell, low-level tornadoes were suspected but unconfirmed by the National Weather Service.... Full story
As I’m sitting here in front of my computer typing this week’s news, it is not without pain. I finally had my left knee replacement surgery on Aug. 5 at the hospital in Cloquet, after having it postponed twice due to Covid-19. Yes, I was happy to get it done and over with, but now the hard part, which includes therapy and recovery at home. It’s not that the exercises are hard to do, but I really have to push myself to stretch these muscles back into the best mobility as possible. I want to th...
There are outliers among Carlton County schools, those that won’t be coming back this fall with all of their students. So far, students in Esko, Carlton, Cromwell-Wright, Moose Lake and Barnum will likely go back to school en masse next month if the number of positive Covid-19 cases remains low. Decisions have already been made by some boards or have been recommended. Cloquet won’t make a final decision until Aug. 24, when more numbers come in on the number of coronavirus cases in the county. Wrenshall, by virtue of a delayed construction proje... Full story
With all the cancellations in the state, there is, sadly, another one we have to report. The annual Wounded Warriors United Minnesota event has been canceled. It was to have taken place at the Cromwell Park and Pavilion on Aug. 22. I talked with Logan Shiflett, one of the organizers, who said some riders might do the ride on their own, but there is no organized event this year. So, if you have a mind to donate to this worthy cause, please send your donations to Wounded Warriors United Minnesota,...
Pine Knot News intern Caleb Swanson asked Carlton County students how they feel about plans to reopen schools this fall: "I don't want to go back because online was easier for me. But on the other hand, I do want to go back to be with my friends and just be in school again. The one thing I do not want Esko to do is to keep kids in the same classroom every day." Caden Grayson, Esko sophomore "I for sure want everything to go back to normal but I doubt that will happen. I'm hoping Esko still has... Full story
As is everything in this year of Covid-19, the election season is also changed. Far more people have voted absentee this year than ever before, and more mail-in ballots are being cast in Carlton County for Tuesday's primary election than in the past. Additionally, a state rule change giving mail ballots an extra two days to reach the courthouse will likely delay results in any close races until the end of the week. But polling stations will also be open as usual (sort of) on Aug. 11. According... Full story
New, for those voting by mail: you no longer need a witness to sign your ballot. Ballots need to be returned to the courthouse by Aug.11, or at least postmarked by then to be counted. Also, remember that you must choose a political party and vote only that party. You can’t cross over in a primary election. There are three 4-year Cromwell-Wright school board positions to be filled beginning January 20, 2021. The terms of Angela Anderson, Tim Homstad and Brian Granholm are up. If you are i...
Renee E. Crotteau, 71, of Cloquet, a resident at Pine Ridge Homes, died peacefully with family at her side July 28, 2020. The daughter of Harold and Justine (Schake) Crotteau, Renee was born Aug. 26, 1948, in Cloquet. Renee loved to dress up and to be told she was beautiful. She enjoyed visiting with people, listening to music, and watching birds and all animals. She loved babies and all things beautiful. Renee was preceded in death by her mother and father, and brother-in-law, Kirk Simi. She is survived by her brothers, Ken (Vicki) Crotteau,... Full story
My husband, Bob, came home last week after six weeks away. He reached his physical and occupational therapy goals and was ready to be discharged. He will now be doing therapy at home as the nurses and therapists will be coming to the house. He thanks everyone for the many, many cards of encouragement. It is great to have him home again. Now, I will be home for a week before my knee replacement surgery, which is scheduled for Aug. 5, but I’m not holding my breath, as it has been postponed t...
In what normally would be a summer filled with parades and town celebrations, Wright, on the western edge of Carlton County, stands alone. It was filled with normal sounds of summer fun - such as a parade Saturday - as a scaled-down Wrong Days went off during the current coronavirus pandemic. It was bittersweet for many, as most regular summer events have been stored away for next year when it is hoped that large gatherings of people will be a safer prospect. We've got a whole page of Wrong...
The filing period for school board, cities (except Cloquet) and township positions opens Tuesday, July 28, for residents looking to serve by leading at the most local levels. The filing period runs through 5 p.m. Aug. 11. In most cases, the filing fee is $2. Applicants can generally pick up an application and/or file at school, city or township offices, although people should call ahead for hours because of pandemic protocols. The general election is Nov. 3. Following is a list of school board,... Full story
FDLTCC releases spring dean’s list Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet announced that 149 students attending the college during spring semester achieved high academic standing and earned dean’s list honors. Requirements for the list include maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher while completing 12 or more course credits during the semester. A total of 1,358 full-time and part-time students were enrolled at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College this past spring. The following students from the region earned dean’s list honor... Full story
The 55th annual Wrong Days in Wright took place last weekend with a somewhat scaled back list of events. The events were not as well attended as in the past, but at least folks got a chance to get together in a safe and socially distanced way. Friday night’s fireworks concluded just as the storm’s fireworks began. There was a lot of thunder and lightning, then the rain came down in torrents for a few minutes, along with some pretty strong winds. I had an emergency bag packed just in case I had...
Lengthy discussion, followed by two attempts to vote for a Carlton County mask policy, ended with no clear choice for a majority of the Carlton County Board of Commissioners at their regular meeting Tuesday, July 14. “I believe the board should set an example supporting the wearing of masks in public,” explained commissioner Dick Brenner. “The safety of our employees is our responsibility and all visitors to a county facility should wear a mask if social distancing is not possible.” To this point, each department head has set mask and social...
A summer of closed pools, canceled activities and less face-to-face contact leaves many kids seeking a little normalcy. Luckily, for some students and mentors in Carlton County, REACH is still finding safe ways to bring Carlton County adults and young people together. "REACH" stands for Recreational Experiences Achieving Community Harmony. The nonprofit organization's mission and vision is to provide supportive mentoring relationships to the youth of Carlton County. They work toward their... Full story
The folks in Wright are holding the 55th annual Wrong Days in Wright celebration this weekend, July 17-19. Friday events start with the rummage sale at St. John's Church from noon-6 p.m., with a steak fry from 4-7 p.m. at the Big Top, OGNIB (BINGO spelled backwards) starting at 7:30 p.m. Hang around for fireworks at dusk and free popcorn in the Cook Shack at Big Top. Mixed softball and volleyball tournaments kick off Saturday and last all weekend. Pick up scavenger hunt information at the Big...
The summer of COVID-19. In northern Minnesota, pandemic responses have canceled most local festivals (but not Wrong Days in Wright, and only part of Carlton Daze) and many of the sports leagues that occupy so much time in the summer. Concerts? Largely on hold for now, even outdoors. County fairs are mostly on hiatus as well. But they can't cancel the great outdoors, and that is where many people have fled in the wake of coronavirus. We've seen them walking around town, or taking up different... Full story
Three-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Jason Line, formerly of Wright and now based in North Carolina, will retire from driving after the 2020 drag racing season. He reached a goal last weekend with his 51st pro stock win at the NHRA Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana. Line has had a tremendous career, but this win in his 17th season was really special because it meant he has won at least once in every season of pro stock racing since he started in 2004. Line has the longest career season win... Full story
The 55th annual Wrong Days in Wright will be taking place this weekend, Friday through Sunday, July 17-19, in Wright with a somewhat scaled back list of events. Wrong Days will start out with the annual steak fry 4-7 p.m. Friday in the Big Top Pavilion, O-G-N-I-B (bingo spelled backward) at 7:30 p.m. in the Big Top, and fireworks at dusk with free popcorn at the Cook Shack. WD buttons are available at area businesses and events, as there will be no door-to-door selling or king and queen...
While many other summer festivities have gone by the wayside during the coronavirus pandemic, the folks in Wright will hold the small town's trademark celebration July 17-20. This year's festivities will mark the 55th annual Wrong Days in Wright celebration, where people challenge each other to a game of O-G-N-I-B (Bingo spelled backwards) and play to lose in a cribbage tournament. This year's poster aptly announces: "We're still Wrong in Wright in a World Gone Awry." While it's fun to mix... Full story
Cromwell-Wright Superintendent/Principal Nathan Libbon reflected recently on his team’s response to the order to close schools and educate from afar this past spring. To me, it sounded incredibly creative, a plunging into the unknown and doing the best you can. Libbon and his team put in many extra hours and tons of creativity in delivering instruction, food, and graduation to a community of at-home students and their parents. “At first it seemed surreal,” Libbon said. “But it became real during...
“It was the second week of April,” recalled Amber Collman, a senior at Cromwell-Wright High School. They had only a couple of days to decamp and prepare for remote schooling, time that their teachers spent scrambling to adjust to remote instruction and learning. Amber was a member of the girls basketball team that had its season cut short after reaching the semifinals of the state basketball tournament. She figured then that distance learning was imminent. “That was a shock,” she recalle...
