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 626 - 650 of 1239
I’m disappointed the county has decided to put the new jail out in Olsonville, where the transportation building is now. Sure, it’s just three miles away from its current location, but I think it’s going to leave a big hole in downtown Carlton, and that’s a shame. By law, the courts will need to be included in the jail site plan. Add the likely end of Carlton High School and Carlton suddenly has some gaping holes to fill. Other county offices will remain, and the businesses aren’t going any...
The guy in the wheelchair and Chicago Bulls basketball shorts and no shirt with the shiny, sun-tanned watermelon belly and aviator sunglasses waits at the stoplight for the WALK sign at the bottom of the hill on Carlton Avenue, where it intersects with Highway 33. The other guy, 20-something, with much better sunglasses and much worse taste sidles up to wait with him. “Headed to the pool?” The aviator glasses spin to the right, over the shoulder, to see who’s that, and the eyes behind the glass...
Internships have become increasingly important and sought after in the last decade or so. At universities, most majors require them to graduate. They offer hands-on experience in their field of study. Additionally, many students are able to jumpstart a career once they graduate because of contacts or work they did as an intern. As a journalism major at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, I am required to complete either an internship or a journalism practicum class. Most students I know picked...
I strongly encourage all community members to attend the Thomson Township public comment meeting on the proposed comprehensive plan 6-8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 9. This plan will affect residents for the next 20 years. The public comment session will be immediately followed by the steering committee meeting, also worth your time. I write because I’ve recently had my appointment to the committee finally confirmed by the town board after a six-month delay in filling the vacant committee seat of my deceased predecessor. Although I‘ll only be able to ful...
Well, here we are again. Before the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control this week for mask wearing, there were already telltale signs that the pandemic we prefer to talk about in the past tense just isn’t over yet. Because of the Delta variant that has been spreading among mostly unvaccinated people in pockets across the country, including in Minnesota, masks are back in our lives. It didn’t have to be this way. The dangerous variant is feasting on the unvaccinated. And it is...
After thinking about it for months, my husband, Rod, and I decided to install solar power at our home. Rod researched the options. We chose to go with a small company, Wolf Track Energy of Duluth, recommended by Jeff Corey of One Roof Community Housing. We decided against putting the panels on our roof, concerned about potential damage. We opted instead to install them in the yard south of our home. More than a decade ago, we installed ground source heating and cooling, using an extensive...
Late summer means community festival time all around Carlton County. We have Brickyard Days and the Free Range Film Festival in Wrenshall; Carlton Daze in Carlton; Wrong Days in Wright; Esko Fun Days in Esko; West End Flourish in Cloquet’s West End and, of course, there’s the Carlton County Fair. We encourage everyone to participate in these community-building events, especially as we emerge from isolation due to the recent pandemic. It’s a good chance to meet with your neighbors and have a little fun at the same time. There’s very little...
Maybe you’ve noticed the “Hidden Gems” series on Facebook or seen them on CAT-7 more recently. You can also find them on their website, TheHiddenGemsofCloquet.com. It’s a salute to local small businesses, produced by Holly Hansen and Shelly Peterson, focusing on the small businesses of Cloquet that make up the backbone of our local economic vitality. Each segment is about two minutes long, featuring a local small business. Holly Hansen is Cloquet’s economic development director, and also the administrator of Cloquet’s Economic Development...
A loyal reader stopped into the Pine Knot News office to chat the other day, and pointed out how few motorists understand the concept that a pedestrian has the right of way. We would like to remind all drivers that it's state law to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk. But it's not just the law that we are promoting, it's common decency. When you see someone at a crosswalk, it's smart to slow down. If they step off the curb, you should stop. Pedestrians have to participate, too. It's...
I love newspapers, and always have. It's common for me to pick up a copy of the local paper at every little town I may be traveling through, and it's fascinating to learn that every town has its issues - there's often a story about a local tax increase or public construction project, and there's always coverage of local government meetings. You can figure out who are the local sports heroes of the day, and it seems people are getting married all the time. Even the obituaries provide a nice...
Last month, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar entered a statement into the Congressional Record lamenting the loss of yet another newspaper in Minnesota, this time the Journal in International Falls. Klobuchar holds a special place for the industry, as the daughter of revered longtime Minneapolis reporter and columnist Jim Klobuchar, who died in May at age 93. “I grew up knowing just how important local newspapers like the International Falls Journal are,” the senator wrote. “Local papers played an irreplaceable role in my father’s life, as they conti...
The Carlton and Wrenshall school boards refuse to make what I see as a responsible decision to combine. Another demonstration of political failure. I sit here and wonder, whose fault is it? Is it the voter, is it the school board, or is it the system? I think some of each. The voter becomes accustomed to others making decisions for us; we use them to remove our responsibility. School board members bring their biases, prejudices and personal desires to the meetings and then vote based on them (or are strongly influenced by them). Then there’s t...
My wife forgot our wedding anniversary last week. I am not sure I can forgive her. Shocked? So was I. Not a card; no flowers, candy, fancy dinner or beer. Nothing. Well, she didn’t completely forget; she did wish me a happy anniversary that morning as she started packing for our 5-day family camping trip. She organizes it every year, and this year she invited all my brothers and sisters and their families too. I guess she was too busy with all that to do anything special for me on our anniversar...
We can’t help noticing that many people are starting to celebrate Independence Day a little early, as more and more fireworks are being lit as we get closer to the Fourth. We have no problem with people enjoying the holiday with all its traditions, including fireworks. The problem is that exploding fireworks are noisy and disruptive to many in the community. By their nature, fireworks are rarely lit before dusk, which is after 9 p.m. this time of year. But many people go to sleep before then, even in the summer months. Add in those who work ear...
Like any good organization, it's important for the U.S. Postal Service to keep up with modern times. It's the only way it can survive. Some of my more crazy ideas to save the USPS won't work in this political climate. Or in any sane climate. I've suggested the USPS act as a kind of national bank, issuing credit cards and handling more financial transactions. It already sells money orders, so that's not too much of a stretch. I've also suggested it sell cellphones and provide internet service....
There’s that Russian-born fable that everyone’s heard, about the Scorpion and the Frog in which the scorpion convinces the frog to ferry him across the river despite the frog’s reticence about the likelihood of being stung, which the scorpion logically mitigates with the sound point: “Why the hell would I sting you? Then we’d both drown, dumb-dumb. Just give me a ride across, for God’s sake.” The chagrined frog nods assent, the scorpion climbs aboard and they’re off. In mid-river the s...
I have thoroughly enjoyed the half-dozen grad parties I attended the last few weeks. It's always sweet to see how the featured grad beams at you and answers your "what's next?" questions. And I love the photo displays where you can trace the grad's trajectory, from lovable baby through finding himself or herself with the guidance and joy of strangers and siblings. A good party also involves sitting down, forking up yummy food, and visiting with neighbors and strangers. It struck me this year...
The $7.5 million waterline that will run along Minnesota Highway 210 from Carlton to Twin Lakes Township is a wonderful example of government done right. For 20 years, township officials have been working to resolve issues of water quality and quantity in part of the township, especially the areas around Highway 210 and Interstate 35, like Olsonville, Schmitz Road and the hotels and businesses along 210. There isn’t enough water there, and what water there is, isn’t very nice. It can smell like rotten eggs, some wells contain arsenic, and the...
There's clearly an employee shortage right now. As the pandemic wanes and the economy improves, we're seeing it harder and harder to find people to fill many job openings. Some blame the state and federal unemployment programs, which essentially paid people (mostly lower-end workers) to stay home during the pandemic. It worked, as the toll of the coronavirus was bad enough without it spreading even more through the workforce. That's not the only cause of the employee shortage. Our country's...
Thanks to the Pine Knot for the great summary in the June 11 issue on the Ministry in Medical Missions’ work with Dr. Manno in Haiti. We now have an active web page. Anyone interested in more information can go to MMMHaitiMN.org. Thanks. Mary Krohn, Cloquet...
What would you like to see in an upgrade of Cloquet's Pine Valley recreation area? The city of Cloquet recently hired a team of consultants to consider options and survey the public on our priorities. On June 21, the consultants presented an overview and received feedback from a couple dozen community members at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. Many participants proposed improvements for Pine Valley. Cross-country skiers, ski jumpers, snowshoers, trail runners, mountain and winter...
As we predicted at the end of 2020, this year we’ll celebrate the Fourth of July as a normal event with a parade, sporting activities, and fireworks. Well, almost normal. Uncertainty of the pandemic’s effects by midsummer have affected planning for the annual event, and lingering pandemic restrictions have limited the group gathering size and scope. Unfortunately, another side effect is the economic fallout from the pandemic has made it difficult to raise enough money for the fireworks display. There will still be the parade down Cloquet Ave...
A picture is worth a thousand words, it's said, and I agree. This article is about more than half that, and there's no way I can adequately explain how beautiful my mother is, even if you read to the end. But if you look at her picture here, you'll know whether I'm full of natural pride or if my mother is not beautiful at all. You can see for yourself. In the criminal justice system, we didn't always have that option. Until recently, the testimony or report of law enforcement officers was all...
While watching Minnesota’s legislative committee and floor sessions, some debate arose in my mind about the discussions. One surrounded small businesses. As legislators are drafting legislation, it is important for the public to know what the “small business” definition is. In an email exchange with a house member, the member was reluctant to relay the exact definition. It’s important to know who lawmakers are talking about because it affects a large percent of Minnesota businesses. It all means various businesses were eligible for federal...
I find it interesting, and maybe fun, to reflect on just what the world is like now, after the heart of the pandemic seems to be over and daily life gets back on track. With pandemic restrictions easing, hopefully we can return to enjoying the events that we missed during the past year. Most are open to the public. Many offer complimentary food, beverages, sweet treats, information, trinkets, samples and door prizes. I think it’s interesting to see what one tiny microbe can do to put a stop to so many events. I welcome the return of Fourth o...
