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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Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen visited the Food Farm just south of Wrenshall on May 24. Petersen spoke to a gathering of about 30 people, drawing attention to Food Farm’s participation in the MDA’s Minnesota Grown and Agricultural Water Quality Certification programs, as well as the farm’s status as a certified organic farm. Petersen highlighted the Minnesota Grown website, a directory of local farm products, farmers markets, pick-your-own and Community Suppo...
Last week, I was able to attend a two-day workshop on stormwater practices geared towards teaching the best ways to inspect and maintain green stormwater infrastructure. No doubt, the workshop is tailored to a niche community which I happily take interest in but understand that many others do not. This meant getting deep into the weeds about various runoff management devices and techniques that help us alleviate the problems with uncontrolled runoff while also examining the nuances between...
Work on an extensive habitat restoration project will take place this summer in the St. Louis River estuary, where the river enters Lake Superior. The two-part project will restore 240 acres of coastal wetland habitat in the upper St. Louis River estuary, a wetland complex between Duluth and Superior. The Kingsbury Bay and Grassy Point project areas were identified in 2013 as two of 17 sites located in the St. Louis River "Area of Concern" in need of habitat restoration. Construction is expected...
Jamie startled me awake in the middle of the night. She nonchalantly informed me, “You have something in your trap.” We peered shoulder-to-shoulder into the backyard. The moon illuminated a rectangular silhouette just off the back steps. Sure enough, the live trap I had set was tripped. The trap door was slammed shut, and the skunk we had been after for weeks was locked inside. Great, now what? Admittedly, I hadn’t played the scenario completely through. When we decided the skunk had to go, n...
Do you love to go for walks to see the emerging wildflowers, to hear the call of frogs in our ponds, to listen to the songs of the birds newly arrived from the south? Perhaps you find joy in nature all year long. If so, the Minnesota Master Naturalist program may interest you. It is an opportunity to learn about our woods, waters and wildlife, to meet others who share your interests, and to encourage people to appreciate nature's gifts at our door. The Master Naturalist program is sponsored by t...
This past fall, cross-country skiers performing trail maintenance in Carlton County's Fond du Lac State Forest came upon a mess. Loggers earlier in the year had obliterated our sturdy ski trail marker. A tenth of a mile of trash wood smothered our trail. We asked the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources forestry office in Cloquet to require the logging company to remove the trash wood. We were told the contract was closed. It took several of us on two daylong trips to restore a makeshift...
I don’t know if anyone else has noticed, but the morning routine outside sure has changed from just a month ago. No more does it seem to be solemn and dark, and still past 6:30 a.m. Far from it, in fact, as I’m getting woken up by bickering birds and the intruding sun comes much earlier. Indeed, everything is stirring sooner than before, and hues of green are taking back the landscape. A welcomed invitation to me, and others, to get outside for morning activities, with going for a run or wal...
Minnesota fishing opener morning, my son Joseph and I arrived at Boy Scout Landing on the St. Louis River just past 5 a.m. The lower parking lot was already packed. We pulled in and found ourselves stacked a dozen rigs from the landing. We unbuckled our transom straps. Pulled forward one spot. Lifted the Honda 90 off the transom saver. Crept forward two spots. Fired up the graph. Nobody moved. Put the boat plug in. Slid forward one more spot. Grabbed the rest of our gear, loaded the boat and...
Work on an extensive habitat restoration project will take place this summer in the St. Louis River estuary, where the river enters Lake Superior. Staff from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will host a public open house May 21 to share information and answer questions about the Kingsbury Bay/Grassy Point habitat restoration project. The two-part project will restore 240 acres of coastal wetland habitat in the upper St. Louis River estuary, a wetland complex between Duluth and...
The Minnesota season is open for walleye, northern pike and trout in lakes Saturday, May 11. Out of the 1.4 million licensed anglers in Minnesota, about half a million anglers take part in the tradition of the fishing opener. Make sure to buy your fishing license, available at any DNR license agent, online using a mobile or desktop device, or by phone at 888-665-4236. Mobile buyers receive a text or email that serves as proof of a valid fish or game license to state conservation officers. There are about 3,000 public water access sites...
If you want peace and quiet, wait till Monday. Minnesota’s fishing opener congregates more fishermen per square acre than any other time of year on productive post-spawn walleye locations throughout the state. Anglers often pack so tightly that with a little coordination and agility you could jump from boat to boat. Over the years I’ve targeted other species or fished smaller bodies of water to avoid the masses. Recently I’ve grown to embrace the chaos and enjoy the spectacle, knowing opene...
As warm and dry weather continues to spread throughout the state, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has added more northern Minnesota counties to the burn restriction list, which now includes Carlton, south St. Louis, Pine, Wright and Aitkin counties in the Pine Knot News coverage area. The state will not issue burning permits for brush or yard waste in these counties until the restrictions are lifted. “Warm and dry conditions are key factors for wildfires, so we have to remain vigilant about restricting open burning,” said Casey Mc...
The feedback I receive on my angling articles covers the spectrum. Most people appreciate my stories along with the technical information I share. Others enjoy my articles, but the minutiae of specific techniques can be hard to follow. It’s a good reminder angling doesn’t always have to be overly complicated. With the Minnesota fishing opener fast approaching, this week I will focus on Angling 101. I will discuss species, locations and simple methods for angling success. The first decision is...
Wow, what an April, lots of snow and a ton of maple sap. Just as Twins fans remember 1991, ricers remember that great crop with no rice worms, and skiers remember the year of perfect snow, I will remember 2019 as a great year of maple sap flow. This season of tapping maple trees was blessed with the perfect combination of freezing nights and above freezing days lasting for a few weeks, at least where I was tapping. I had a ball, snowshoeing with a sled the first part of the season and ending up...
"April is the cruelest month," T. S. Elliot penned in his masterpiece, "Four Quartets." When I moved back to Minnesota in 1999, my brother warned me that November, March and April were the worst for outdoors lovers. But I've found my consolations: ice skating and trail clearing in November and spring cross-country skiing in March and April. April is the month that great birding commences. Northwestern Carlton County hosts wonderful viewing sites during April waterfowl and May warbler and...
Stone Ridge Press and author Larry Weber recently won the prestigious silver Benjamin Franklin award from the Independent Book Publishers Association for Weber's latest book, "Web Watching: A Guide to Webs and the Spiders that Make Them" in the Nature & Environment category. Now in its 31st year, the indie book award program recognizes excellence in books published during the calendar year. From close to 1,500 entries, one gold winner and 2-3 silver winners were named in each category. Weber is...
It’s official, ice-out season is in, and open waters are coming our way! Dedicated water enthusiasts are ready to pry their way out the door and itching for their chance to get out to enjoy the season. But with all the time we spend enjoying our waterways, how many of us think to give back to help preserve our favorite escapes? Cliché as it might sound, with great enjoyment comes great responsibility. And, more than ever, we really need everybody’s participation to help maintain our wate...
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comments until May 17 on applications related to the Enbridge Line 3 Replacement Project. The DNR is accepting comments on applications for several different licenses and permits needed to construct and operate the Line 3 Replacement Project across northern Minnesota. Line 3 is one of six Enbridge oil pipelines that cross Minnesota. Enbridge is proposing to replace the existing Line 3 with a new, higher capacity line. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has granted Enbridge...
With waterways across the state clearing of ice, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds eager boaters that wearing a life jacket is a critical safety necessity during the spring “cold water” season. While boaters should always wear life jackets no matter the water temperature or season, public safety officials stress wearing a life jacket — not just having it on the boat — is the one action that significantly increases the chances of surviving a fall into cold water. “The shock of falling into cold water triggers your gasp reflex...
The moon was perched high above, casting long shadows across the front yard. I quickly gathered all the information I needed. The skies were clear, and the limbs silhouetted against the horizon stood motionless. Warm and clear and calm. I shut the alarm off; it would prove redundant. I was up. Soon I would rouse my youngest son Josh from his slumber. This morning he would experience the turkey woods firsthand. Chasing turkeys is uniquely suited to introducing youngsters to hunting. The weather i...
Homeowners are reminded to be aware of bears this spring and check their property for food sources that could attract bears. “Bears are roaming around now with the loss of snow and warmer weather, so interactions with people have started in many areas of Minnesota,” said Eric Nelson, wildlife damage program supervisor for the Department of Natural Resources. As bears emerge from hibernation, their metabolism gradually ramps up and they will begin looking for food at a time when berries and green vegetation can be scarce. Remove attractants suc...
My life in high school revolved around the circus. Not the traveling, professional, three-ring type of circus that may come to mind. But rather Circus Juventas, a nonprofit youth performing arts program in St. Paul. I would walk down to a large permanent “Big Top” structure every day after school. I trained with hundreds of other youth in circus arts like juggling, acrobatics, and trapeze. Between practices, I would lay on the thick floor mats doing my homework. Circus Juventas was my second home. In the summers, my involvement with Circus Juv...
Well, I did it. I took the plunge! The water's great and I aim to help keep it that way! No, I didn't literally jump into the water, especially this time of year! Brrrrrr! But after thinking about it for several years, I decided that now was the time to put away "all talk, no action" and jump into being a citizen water monitor (CWM) volunteer. As with any job, especially volunteer work, you have to learn what to do and how to do it, where to do it, why it needs to be done, and why you should do...
Johnny Cash startled me awake. My eyes tried to adjust to the ray of light pouring onto the ceiling. Sometime during the night, my phone had fallen halfway under the bed, adding to my confusion. "I bet there's rich folks eatin' in a fancy dining car ...." My mind searched for order and meaning. "They're probably drinkin' coffee and smokin' big cigars ...." My hands fumbled to silence Mr. Cash. 3:55 in the morning. Late April. "But I know I had it comin' I know I can't be free." In an instant,...
A couple of weeks ago my oldest son Joseph passed his driver’s test. Elated, he took his first officially licensed cruise through Cloquet. Atop the bridge over the St. Louis River, our Suburban’s transmission decided it had had enough, leaving our new driver unceremoniously stranded on the side of Highway 33. As we all know, these types of annoyances just happen. This particular breakdown occurred heading into our spring break. Over the years, spring break has provided us time to travel and fis...
