If Essentia expands to Cloquet

Rumors that Essentia bought the former Applebee’s site and surrounding properties were not exactly squelched when their public relations officer vaguely told the Pine Knot News that they are evaluating multiple sites for possible expansion.

That Essentia has spread throughout northeastern Minnesota is no secret, as the former St. Mary’s-Duluth Clinic has expanded admirably in the past 20 years. But this expansion has not affected Cloquet yet, mostly because of the excellent local hospital and clinic we have in our community: Community Memorial Hospital and the Raiter Clinic.

While competition is always welcome in a community (by most consumers, at least) we must not lose sight of the significant contributions our local hospital has made to our community.

With two substantial expansions of its own, Community Memorial Hospital has added birthing suites, day surgery, specialty clinics and updated emergency room service. It’s a significant employer in the region, and has not only survived, but thrived, as more and more rural hospitals are swallowed up or shut down.

As a draw from the regional communities that have no medical services, the hospital brings commerce to Cloquet, which is one of the reasons the hospital has been supported wholeheartedly by the local business community.

So, while we wait for confirmation of the rumors that Essentia is coming to town, we would be wise to reflect on this valuable asset we already have in the current local medical community.

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