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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I enjoyed Steve Korby’s article about Angelo Pergol in last week’s paper, especially the part about him experiencing “historical nirvana” as he read through our collection of Pergol’s scrapbooks. When you walk through the door at the Carlton County Historical Society, you see the museum exhibits, which are just the tip of the iceberg of our collection. We have thousands of documents, books, letters, ledgers, reports, newspapers, and scrapbooks in storage. These items are waiting for someone passionate about a topic to explore them and find...
Early on Monday, March 11, Cromwell-Wright High School singers boarded a big yellow bus headed for the Crosby-Ironton School to participate in the annual Minnesota State High School League choral contest. The students had been preparing for months, receiving solo, duet, and ensemble instruction from MaryRose Varo, Cromwell-Wright's energetic and accomplished vocal teacher. On the piano, Cromwell-Wright's Macie Lind and I served as accompanists, rehearsing with soloists and singers of duets and...
It’s no secret rural ambulance services are struggling. Called a “quiet crisis” by the state health department as far back as 2002, rural ambulance services across the state are being confronted with their own mortality: Continue forward in the face of endless budget deficits, or fold, and let neighboring or private ambulance services take over, sometimes coming from much farther away. It all makes what the city of Carlton has accomplished so impressive. Instead of waiting for legislative solutions, city officials and leaders in Carlton spent t...
What Sen. Jason Rarick failed to mention in his article last week is that the testing locations that the Driver and Vehicle Services department is proposing closing are open only one day a week, at most, for limited or inconsistent hours, and run by examiners who are stationed full-time elsewhere. He mentioned losing Moose Lake, a testing center that is open for road tests from 12:30 to 3:30 on Thursdays. At 20 minutes per appointment, the lone examiner who travels there from Duluth can usually give six Class D skills tests before they need to...
I was at the Thomson Township annual meeting last evening, March 12, and proposed a resolution for the town board, staff, and attorney to lobby the Minnesota Association of Townships and our state representative and senator to consider changing state statute to again have township board elections held “at large,” as was done a number of years ago. The state, a number of years ago, mandated township boards be elected “by seat” instead. The only thing that this accomplishes is to give re-election advantage to the incumbent due to severel...
He gave it the old college try. But, they say, when you take on the bull, you get the horns. Or, in social media circles, and toned down for a family newspaper: Mess around and find out. There may be a new old saw: Take on the Iron Range and its taconite money, and you get the tailings. Alas, Sen. Jason Rarick, Carlton County’s representative in the Minnesota Senate, was awash in all of these sentiments last month when he dared to change the way of life on the Iron Range. If you recall, Rarick penned a bill this session that would expand the ...
It’s time to shine a light on an annual week of mindfulness in the journalism industry. March 10-16 is Sunshine Week, a nonpartisan collaboration among groups in the journalism, civic, education, government and private sectors that shines a light on the importance of public records and open government. At the Pine Knot, we are proud of our role in watching out for our readers. As you have read in the past, we are bullish on freedom of information issues and proper behavior by elected officials. It isn’t easy covering more public bodies tha...
The Department of Vehicle Services continues to be an issue throughout the state, specifically when it comes to accessing behind-the-wheel drivers tests. Families have grown frustrated with the current backlog that seems to be growing every year. To make matters worse, when families are lucky enough to find open appointments, it oftentimes means driving across the state. DVS representatives came to the Senate Transportation Committee a few weeks ago to offer an updated solution to this problem: closing half of all testing locations. In 2021,...
Wrenshall High School English teacher Ted Conover said students in his College in the Schools composition course were eager to add to local discourse. So they revised and shortened their long-form problem-solution essays on local issues into print-length editorials, and shared those with the Pine Knot News. Topics range from addressing issues in local schools, arts, athletics, all the way up to state funding and the Legislature — and we are sharing them with you. Enjoy these writings. The first batch appeared in last week’s Pine Knot The fig...
George Bernard Shaw was riffing on Thomas Jefferson when he once wrote: “Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.” Are we deserving? There is one way you might answer that question this month. You can take part in an annual township meeting on March 12. Yes, national politics gets all the ire and fire these days, but don’t take your most-local government for granted. Townships are the epitome of democracy, the oldest form of representation in the country. At the annual meeting you can learn about the l...
On Feb. 14, after a previous public hearing and discussion, the city council of Moose Lake voted to contract with the Carlton County Sheriff’s Department to provide law enforcement protection for the residents of Moose Lake. It was not a decision made lightly. It was a vote to ensure that the residents of Moose Lake will be provided affordable, quality, consistent law enforcement protection. It will provide more coverage for less costs. Since that time I’ve noticed that some of the people quoted, who are in favor of keeping the Moose Lak...
Patty and I would like to thank the moms and dads, grammas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, school officials, coaches and past coaches and the many boys basketball players from the Fond du Lac Ojibwe School, past and present, for all the enjoyment you’ve given us for the many years we’ve followed you. We’ve gotten to know a lot of fine boys and we wish them all good luck in their future years. The seasons go by so fast. Good luck to you all. Doug and Pat Anderson, Barnum...
We’re stuck with each other. All of us. All of us Trumpsters and all of us Biden-Buddies and everyone wishing there was some sane Other Option and all of us Christians and all us Muslims and all of us Jews and Palestinians and all of us short, fat idiots and all of us tall, lean geniuses and all of us Cops and all of us Robbers and all of us addicted to chemicals and all of us addicted to religion and exercise and gambling and shopping and eating and all of us Having and all of us Wanting and a...
Wrenshall High School English teacher Ted Conover said students in his College in the Schools composition course were eager to add to local discourse. So they revised and shortened their long-form problem-solution essays on local issues into print-length editorials, and shared those with the Pine Knot News. Topics range from addressing issues in local schools, arts, athletics, all the way up to state funding and the Legislature — and we are sharing them with you this week and next. Enjoy these thought-provoking writings from Wrenshall. Book b...
THUMBS UP to the Moose Lake city council for its unpopular but fiscally responsible decision to contract with Carlton County for its law enforcement needs. The months-long saga ended last week, in what many considered disappointing fashion, with a 3-2 vote. Choosing the Sheriff's Office to provide four deputies and a part-time clerk to cover the city meant dissolving the city's long-standing police force. But the force had dwindled to one, a result of disgruntled officers resigning and early...
The Power of Karma By Juliauna Nygaard I believe in karma. I believe in good karma, but I also believe in bad karma. I believe the things we say and do will come back to us. I believe karma reflects on personal responsibility and ethical behavior. We are responsible for our own actions, and they can influence our own life’s trajectory. Our deeds, whether good or bad, will eventually return to us. Karma, like a boomerang, throws back what we give and teaches us many of life’s valuable lessons. Growing up, my parents always taught me the imp...
I was mystified to read a revisionist history in the Pine Knot News op-ed article with local representatives offering a legislative session preview. Rep. Jeff Dotseth was actually taking credit for “delivering” $10 million for the Carlton County female offender and judicial facility. Carlton County taxpayers were supposed to receive $23 million, but Rep. Dotseth bungled the money, refusing to support the bill with the funding. Democrats had to ask Rep. Dave Lislegard from Aurora, not Dotseth, to sponsor the smaller amount primarily because our...
Urban legends and conspiracy theories are sometimes difficult to overcome, especially when they are often repeated. This appears to be the case with the $10 million funding for the Carlton County female and judicial facility addressed in the bill HF 3101. According to bill tracker, on March 23, 11A’s Rep. Jeff Dotseth introduced the bill as chief author. On May 10, HF 3101 was again presented by Rep. Dotseth and amended to include Rep. Dave Lislegard as chief author. This move was initiated by concern that with the Democratic trifecta in power,...
he Moose Lake City Council to disband the police department in the name of funding concerns. Many questions abound, foremost those of security to the populace of the surrounding citizens as well as conscientious use of the resulting “freed up” hundreds of thousands of dollars. I had the privilege, as a citizen of the Moose Lake area (I live in a township just outside), of attending the city council meeting in January at which the decision was debated. As an observer, I tallied the viewpoints of the citizens whom I saw: 10 of 13 in favor of kee...
In regard to the “Sticky letter” article in the Feb. 9 edition of the Pine Knot News, the very next morning a U.S. Postal Service mail van pulled up to my house. The postmaster of the Saginaw post office stepped out of the van and introduced herself. She told me that she had learned about a letter being repeatedly delivered incorrectly to my address. She asked me if I still had the letter. I did, and I gave it to her. She said she was going to personally make sure the letter got delivered to the correct address. Well done, Pine Knot News. You...
I attended the Minnesota Highway 33 meeting on Feb. 1 at the Cloquet Library. Here are some things I can say about the discussion. I heard someone say the roundabout at Washington Avenue and 14th Street doesn’t work. I live close to that intersection, and when it first opened up, I took a walk along the sidewalk to the intersection and stood there for 10 or 15 minutes to observe the traffic flow. I saw cars, trucks, buses, and the big semi-tractor trailers, with the trailer, traversing it without difficulty. It worked smoothly. I use this round...
I’m writing on behalf of Rep. Jeff Dotseth’s bid for reelection as representing Minnesota House District 11A in the state legislature. Jeff has firmly stood behind and represented the values of voters in our district. Unlike the ruling party in St. Paul, Jeff advocated to control state spending. He fought to return the $17.5 billion budget surplus to the pockets of the taxpayers. Instead, the Democrat-controlled legislature voted to increase state spending by a significant amount, eliminating the surplus. As a business owner, Jeff knows the...
The Feeling of Family By Merissa Witte When I was younger my dad would play bands on the radio like Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Guns N’ Roses. I’d sit there in the car with my siblings trying to figure out who the band was and what song of theirs it was. Truth is I never really knew the names of the bands; I just loved listening to music with my siblings and Dad. When I was about 10, I remember one Christmas where we were at my aunt and uncle’s house, playing “Apples to Apples.” It was my grandpa’s turn and the card was “something chewy.” Well,...
Following the Cloquet City Council meeting Tuesday, a few of us were standing around talking about the Highway 33 public meeting last week. And one of the complaints — among many — was the lack of public notice about the meeting. How are we supposed to know, one person asked. “We had it in the newspaper,” I told her. She doesn’t get the paper. Granted, we didn’t run a giant story, but the notice was there on Page 3 of the Jan. 26 issue, with all the details a person would need to attend the...
When politicians meddle with nature, trouble can happen. But people, such as Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wildlife manager Kelly Straka, seem to be a voice of reason when it comes to managing the population of Minnesota wildlife. As a hunter and a wildlife expert, I feel she can be trusted when she states wolves are not the only reason for the decline in deer populations. Over the course of a couple centuries, the wolf population in the United States declined from the millions to mere hundreds. The last survivors in the...
