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 1937 - 1961 of 3909
The Cloquet American Legion Auxiliary donated Halloween safety coloring books for kindergarten and first-graders to both Cloquet public elementary schools recently. Here, auxiliary president Penny Buran delivers the coloring books and suckers to Churchill School principal David Wangen and Washington School's Tara Fast. "Our Country's Flag" comic books are delivered to Cloquet Middle School for fifth-graders to read during American Education Week by American Legion Auxiliary president Penny...
Check out the special Veterans Day section inside this week's Pine Knot News print edition or the online pdf pages....
Although the Cloquet Ford Chrysler Center is no longer, a lot of people have unfinished business with the former car dealership. Cloquet police chief Derek Randall confirmed Tuesday that his office has received 14 complaints since June from people who bought vehicles from Cloquet Ford. "They're all somewhat similar," Randall said, reading through a list of issues. "People trading in vehicles and the business didn't pay off the loans. Paid for a vehicle, didn't receive the registration or the...
Bil Nicholson is no newcomer to the art of the scare. As a middle school student, he built himself a coffin out of plywood, dressed up as Dracula - or his interpretation of the blood-sucking vampire - and laid out on the front porch of his house, ready to scare the bejesus out of anyone who dared to trick-or-treat there. He's upped his game since then. Now he creates an entire Halloween world in the front yard and porch of their home at 330 Fourth St. in Cloquet. Each year the house is suddenly...
Keith Martin wants to know who everyone is in this picture of local Boy Scouts taken in the mid-1960s. Keith, who is 65, is second from the left in the front row. The photo was taken at the Cloquet Forestry Center, back when the fire tower had a person working in it, Keith said. He can name most of the kids here, all but two. In back, left to right, are Don Sparring, Bill Gerardi, Craig Fergusson, Joe Rautio and Mark Osvold. In front are Gary Schmidt, Martin, unknown, Billy Ferguson and...
Masks will be mandated and the policy guidelines will go into effect Monday, Nov. 1 in any county-owned buildings, as ordered by the Carlton County Board of Commissioners at its meeting Monday. The vote was four to one with commissioner Mark Thell voting no. “The infection numbers — which are falling at this time — do not justify masks,” Thell said via phone. “Community members I have talked to are not supportive of the move. I question whether a majority of the departments in county governmen...
A Cloquet woman was sentenced Monday for fleeing with her 18-year-old son, Joseph James Fohrenkam, after he allegedly shot his friend accidentally in December 2020. Little Fawn Fohrenkam was convicted of aiding an offender to avoid arrest, a felony, and sentenced to 12 months and one day with credit for six days already served. The sentence was stayed for three years and instead she was placed on supervised probation. According to the criminal complaint, Joseph Fohrenkam was drinking with four other young men — Joseph Peterson was the y...
The relocation of the popular Pedro’s restaurant to the corner of Cloquet Avenue and Eighth Street has been well received, with one notable worry. Cloquet police report that there has been an uptick of wrong-way drivers on Eighth Street. Eighth Street is a one-way street going north with parking on both sides of the street, which means there’s no space for traffic in both directions. The CPD said it will be doing directed patrols in the area. They ask for the community’s support in following traffic laws. Customers are also asked to not park...
Just under 20 community members attended a community listening and input session at the Esko school auditorium Monday, Oct. 25 to share what they like about the school and their concerns about what is lacking or needs upgrading. Educational consultants Lynn Dyer and Glenn Chiodo of ICS of Duluth have been conducting sessions with stakeholders of the school to determine needs as the school board prepares to develop a comprehensive strategic plan for the next 10 years. "Always focus on what's best...
While the final 2021 audit brought news of a $556,000 surplus for the Cloquet school district, superintendent Michael Cary cautioned board members that the extra money will eventually be spent on curriculum. “That’s not new money that will stay in the coffers forever, it’s already assigned to a purpose,” Cary said. Cloquet got an “unmodified opinion” on its audit, the best allowed for financial statements, according to the auditor from BerganKDV. Cloquet’s healthy fund balance acts as a good shock absorber, he said. Members of Carlton and C...
The Thomson Township Board of Supervisors and community members continued discussion about the Wood City Riders Snowmobile trail at their meeting Thursday, Oct. 21. The board received a large response from the community after approving the trail in September, due to concerns of safety and confusion of where the trail would run. The Wood City Riders — the nonprofit snowmobile club that proposed and is creating the trail through the Esko area — has been working with concerned community members directly in order to decrease the uncertainty on the...
Participants in Saturday’s 16th annual Pumpkin Run & Walk were greeted with a beautiful brisk morning for the 5K race, which started and ended at Cloquet’s Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. A total of 211 runners and walkers finished the oldest Halloween-themed race in northern Minnesota. Race participants celebrated the theme of the Pumpkin Run by wearing creative costumes or orange and black clothing. Competition was keen for the coveted Best Costume awards, with the winners cov...
Sixth District Court judge Jill Eichenwald set a trial date of May 16 during a settlement conference Wednesday for a Cloquet man accused in the murder of a pregnant woman and her child. Sheldon James Thompson is accused of killing Jackie Defoe, her unborn child, and her 20-month-old son in March 2020. Thompson faces two charges of murder in the first degree each for the deaths of Jackie Ann Defoe and her son Kevin Lee Shabaiash Jr., and one charge of murder in the first degree of an unborn...
The field across the street from Holy Family Church on the Fond du Lac Reservation was busy Saturday, filled with modern people practicing a very old game in the same place their ancestors played possibly hundreds of years ago. They were playing Baaga'adowewin, or Great Lakes style lacrosse, a game played by Ojibwe, Dakota and other regional tribes long ago. It's similar but different from the kind of lacrosse made popular in East Coast prep schools or modern athletic leagues. "All tribes have...
Investigators are still working to figure out exactly what happened last weekend, when a father and his grown son were shot and killed at a home in Culver township by the son's best friend, who later took his own life. According to a press release from the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, Cody Pirila, 31, confessed to shooting Skylar Hunter, 31, and his father, Jamie Hunter, 51, in a call to a 911 dispatcher while he was being pursued by a state trooper. Pirila also told the dispatcher he...
A semi-truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene after his truck rolled into a ditch on Highway 210 just after 5 a.m. Friday, Oct. 15. According to the Minnesota State Patrol report, 49-year-old Dallas Clinton McCloud of Baudette, Minnesota, was driving an International semi eastbound on Highway 210 near Corona Road when the truck rolled into the ditch. Road conditions were dry and McCloud was wearing a seatbelt; no other vehicles were involved. The accident happened on a sharp corner on the two-way highway. The semi hit a power pole,...
Cloquet City Council chambers were packed Tuesday, not with irate citizens, but with proud parents, spouses and children. In a followup to the oath of office for officers hired during the pandemic given during the Oct. 5 meeting, officers who were promoted over the past 18 months had their moment in the sun on Tuesday. The administration at the department has seen a large amount of turnover over the past two years, from the chief at the top to at least two of the sergeants. Judge Robert...
St. Luke’s and Gateway Clinic are partnering on a multi-million dollar project that will bring more healthcare resources to people who live in the Moose Lake area. On Wednesday, the two groups announced a partnership to build Northern Lakes Surgery Center. It will be located in the former Shopko building on County Road 10 in Moose Lake. The surgery center will use approximately 9,000 square feet, with the additional 16,000 square feet available for additional tenants in the future. Gateway Clinic has clinics in Moose Lake, Hinckley and S...
Lake Country Power is seeking applications for the Touchstone Energy Community Award. Any nonprofit organization that has helped make northern Minnesota a better place to live and work through its community service is eligible for the $500 cash award. Community members may nominate an organization by completing an application form, available at Lake Country Power or online at www.lakecountrypower.coop. Questions may be directed to Tami Zaun at 1-800-421-9959. The application will require a description of the community service project, program...
The Wrenshall school board completed its do-over on the appointment of a new school board member last week. Eight candidates applied for the spot, including Ben Johnson, Karola Dalen, Cindy Bourn, Tony Sheda, Brandon Burt, Caroline Johnson, Janaki Fisher-Merritt and Ethan Harvey. The second appointment came after more than 200 community members submitted a petition to recall Bill Dian, the person the board appointed in August without holding any public interviews or extended board discussion. This time the board held public interviews in a...
As Covid case counts continue to rise here, Carlton County commissioners say they will vote on a mask mandate at the board meeting Monday, Oct. 25. The mandate would apply to public spaces inside county buildings, not the county as a whole, and is being considered after some county departments requested it. Other departments are not thrilled with the idea and the board itself appeared split on the idea Monday. Some parts of the courthouse are already under a mask mandate after Minnesota State Supreme Court chief justice Lorie Gildea required...
One of Amy Louhela's favorite places is Jay Cooke State Park, and that is often the setting for her clients at Amy Louhela Photography. "I go to Jay Cooke every day," said Louhela in an interview in her studio. "I love taking photos of animals and rainbows and owls." Louhela just celebrated 13 years in business. She had a previous career as a counselor. She quit a solid government job 13 years ago to start her own photography business. "I had no schooling and no experience, but that's what I...
The lost chickens of Carlton County have been found. And they've been adopted. This week, for the second time in a month, people exploring the woods off Carlton County Road 4 between Interstate 35 and Hay Lake - along the border of Blackhoof and Twin Lakes townships - discovered hundreds of chickens roaming wild. And for the second time since Sept. 12, a call to action on social media has raised outrage and compassion as people have taken the birds in. It isn't difficult to ascertain where the...
Some parents in the Esko school district are not happy with what they perceive as the “woke” culture at Esko High School, according to Kara Kangas, a parent in the district. Kangas expressed frustration at Esko’s decision to elect its homecoming candidates based on personal character only, without requiring a set number of boys and girls. The results of the vote had two boys with the most votes, followed by two girls. “What happened to our homecoming,” Kangas said to the board. “We had two mal...
A former Barnum girls basketball coach pleaded guilty Friday to having sex with a player. Andrew Palmer, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. Two other third-degree counts will be dismissed as part of the plea deal. Carlton County Attorney Lauri Ketola said Palmer “provided a factual basis that he had intercourse with the victim,” adding that there was no agreement on sentencing. According to the criminal complaint, a 17-year-old Barnum student’s parents contacted local law enforcement in January, regar...
