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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Decorated with major state awards and beloved for his leadership both in-house and across the public health sector, Dave Lee conducted his final all-staff meeting on Jan. 9. The roughly 150 employees in Carlton County Public Health and Human Services left him with a standing ovation. The 66-year-old director is retiring at the end of the month after 25 years with the county, with the last 20 in the department's top spot. "I have been director for 20 years," he said. "I feel like I have had my...
Scott Wesley "Pops" Nelson, 74, of Wichita Falls, TX, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 4, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and a lifetime of cherished memories. Born on February 7, 1950, in Duluth, MN, to Kenneth Leroy Nelson and Joyce (McDonald) Fuller, Scott dedicated his life to serving others. He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force and later dedicated his career to the US Postal Service, where his mechanical expertise and problem-solving... Full story
Mary J. Baxley, 93, passed away Jan. 11, 2025, at Diamond Willow Assisted Living in Cloquet. Mary was born Jan. 22, 1931, in Cloquet to Einar and Ruth (Olson) Nygren. Mary was raised in Blackhoof Township and graduated from Carlton High School in 1949. She married Ellsworth Selen in 1949. He preceded her in death in 1974. Mary married John Baxley in 1986. He preceded her in death in 2001. In her later years, Mary enjoyed the companionship of Bob Schultz, who preceded her in death in 2021. Mary... Full story
It was a "build it and they will come" moment ... Minnesota style. The Hockey Day Cloquet headlining Lumberjacks varsity boys and girls hockey games took place Saturday in front of roughly 2,000 people. They packed the metal bleachers (with seating for 1,300) and stood three and four deep at each end of the outdoor hockey arena built especially for the event. Clusters of mostly young men and boys stood on the hillside, respectfully placing hands on hearts as a giant American flag waved in the... Full story
Larry Joseph Crotteau, 70, of Saint David, Arizona, passed away Dec. 1, 2024, after a battle with cancer. He grew up and went to school in Cloquet. He worked at the Potlatch paper mill in Cloquet until his medical retirement and eventual move to Arizona. In Arizona, Larry helped those in need with his handyman skills. He always was up to a challenge and loved to help. Those who knew him well would say he wasn't afraid to share his political views. Larry is survived by the mother of his... Full story
Couples hoping for a Valentine’s Day wedding will get some help from the Minnesota Judicial Branch, as judges throughout the state offer free weddings on Feb. 14. It includes the Sixth District Court in Carlton as well as judges in Duluth. This year, 11 district courts will offer free Valentine’s Day weddings — that’s up from just one a few years ago. Hennepin County District Court has offered free Valentine’s Day weddings since 2013, and last year Ramsey and St. Louis counties joined the festivities. The success and sheer joy of the Valentine...
According to the National Weather Service, dangerous wind chills are forecast Sunday night into Tuesday, Jan. 19-21. Sunday and Monday's high is forecast at minus 8, with lows around 19 and 17 degrees below zero. Wind chills will approach 30 to 45 below zero. People exposed to extreme cold are susceptible to frostbite and can succumb to hypothermia in a matter of minutes. Areas most prone to frostbite are uncovered skin and the extremities, such as hands and feet. Hypothermia occurs when the... Full story
A sort of musical chairs has come to the region’s schools this year as several open superintendent positions are scheduled to be filled in the coming days and months. Barnum, Moose Lake and Wrenshall, along with nearby McGregor and Proctor, are all in the market for new leaders atop their district administrations. Wrenshall appears closest to filling its superintendent post, scheduling a round of community-led interviews next week after the school board narrowed its candidate list to two on Monday. “We’re currently out ahead of those other sear...
It took nearly two weeks, but Essentia Health-Moose Lake hospital welcomed its first baby of 2025 last weekend. Eloise Arae Fogt was born at 5:15 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 11. Her parents are Brianna Childers and Gunner Fogt. Eloise was born weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces. The Moose Lake hospital is the only hospital in Carlton County offering birthing services, since Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet "paused" its obstetrics services in the summer of 2023 due to staffing issues and a decreasing...
Workers removed nearly all of the brick on the east wall at the former Hotel Solem building in downtown Cloquet last week. Developer C&C Holdings of Cloquet purchased the building - and former Mexico Lindo restaurant - from the city and is renovating the historic building into market rate apartments over the next year or two. Want to know more about this project? Search for "Hotel Solem" on this website....
Take a Kid Ice Fishing weekend is Saturday, Jan. 18 through Monday, Jan. 20. Any Minnesota resident can go fishing for free if fishing with a child 15 years old or younger, who don’t need fishing licenses any time of the year. “Ice fishing is lots of fun and this weekend is a great time to share the experience with a kid in your life,” said Benji Kohn, volunteer mentor program coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “If you’re new to ice fishing, check out the helpful how-to and ice safety information on our website or e... Full story
The post office, Cloquet Public Library and most city and county offices will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 20. In 1994, Congress designated the holiday as a national day of service, marking the third Monday in January every year as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service — a “Day On, Not a Day Off....
Glen Erickson, a kind and generous soul, passed away Dec. 15, 2024. Born and raised in Cloquet, Glen graduated from Cloquet High School in 1985. He later moved to Dallas, where he co-founded Erickson & Erickson Construction with his brother Keith, building fine homes across the area. A proud veteran, Glen served in the U.S. Navy Reserve for 16 years. A humble yet highly skilled builder, Glen’s talents were evident in every project he undertook. During his time with the Seabees he was offered a... Full story
Winter parking is in effect now through March, so don’t leave your cars parked on the streets of Cloquet overnight. According to city code, cars cannot be parked on the streets or in alleys between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. from Nov. 1 through March 31, to allow snowplow drivers and others to clear the streets. The only exception is a vehicle parked at an open business establishment between midnight and 2 a.m. “unless ordered to be moved at the direction of a peace officer....
Cloquet city councilor and local funny guy Warren "Bun" Carlson passed away Sunday, Jan. 12, from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic heart disease. In his second term on the council, Carlson was first elected to the Ward 1 seat in November 2018. Well known for his involvement in local hockey programs - as player, coach and radio personality - Carlson easily won reelection in 2022. Carlson grew up playing hockey in Cloquet, graduating from Cloquet Senior High in 1974. He served as senior clas... Full story
Mary Louise Kantonen, 75, of Cloquet passed away peacefully at her home on Jan. 10, 2025, surrounded by loved ones. She was born July 15, 1949, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Brice and Beatrice Parnin. As a teenager, Mary moved with her family from Fort Wayne to Cloquet, where she graduated from Cloquet High School in 1967. Mary was first married to Michael Langenbrunner, with whom she had three children, Mark, Milissa and Miles. Later, she married Gary Kantonen, and together they blended their...
State Rep. Jeff Dotseth (R-Kettle River) took the oath of office and began his second term on Tuesday after a swearing-in ceremony on the House Floor. Dotseth represents District 11A, which encompasses all of Carlton County and parts of Pine and St. Louis counties. Before the session began, Dotseth was appointed to the Commerce Finance and Policy Committee and was named vice chair of the Housing Finance and Policy Committee. “I am honored to continue serving the residents of District 11A and t...
A good-sized crowd turned out for Monday's open house highlighting Esko high school's new flexible learning space for juniors and seniors, a place students can gather to study for their various College in the Schools classes. Guests at the open house got a bonus on Monday: free samples of coffee from the new student-run Kahvia Coffee shop opening soon inside the learning center. Kahvia means coffee in Finnish, and is a little more straightforward than Esko's "sisu" motto (which has no direct tra...
Caecilia E. (Podgejsek) Ringat, 90, Cloquet passed away Jan. 9, 2025, in her home with her family by her side. She was born in Germany and raised by Alfred and Cecilia (Podgejsek) Spendler, with her siblings, Manfred “Manny” and Melanie “Lonnie.” Growing up in Europe during World War II presented many challenges, but Caecilia persevered. She married Herbert Ringat on May 5, 1957, in Dorsten, Germany and five days later they set sail for the United States. They lived in Mahnomen, Minneso... Full story
The St. Olaf Band, conducted by Dr. Henry L. Dorn, will perform at Cloquet High School at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, during its 2025 winter tour. Founded in 1891, the St. Olaf Band, from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, performs compositions and transcriptions for symphonic band and was dubbed “one of America’s preeminent bands” by The New Yorker. Dorn leads the St. Olaf Band in his second year as conductor. Local residents are invited to support this world-class music made in Minnesota. Tickets are $10 and free for students and educa...
While we are now halfway into the month of January, we still don’t seem to be immune from the pressures the coming of the new year has brought into our lives, namely that of new year’s resolutions. Most of us are familiar with these, the commitments and pledges that we make at the beginning of the year stating, “This year will be better!” Most of us have made these at one point or another in our lives. They’re usually not life altering, but something simple and something good, as we commit to things like losing weight, working out more, resting...
Hockey Day Cloquet could not have gone any better last weekend. "Happy Hockey Day," Cloquet resident Catherine Loeb said. "Best day ever!" Among the best, for sure. The stands were full and easily 2,000 or more people descended on Veterans Park throughout the open air extravaganza Saturday which featured Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys and girls varsity and junior varsity hockey games. The weather cooperated and even graced the day with snow fit for a Hallmark film. Certainly somebody was falling in... Full story
“With hope waning, horse is found,” was a heartwarming story, written by Wendy Rockvam Johnson, about the disappearance, search and recovery — after two long months — of my horse, Taz. It was published in the Pine Knot News on Dec. 6. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the people, many unknown to me, who helped by posting flyers and/or participating in our search: on foot, on horseback, online and on ATV. When we brought him home, Taz was grossly underweight, dehydrated and with an injury, so following the advice of my vet, I ad... Full story
Felix Raymond Montez, 48, of Henderson, Nevada passed away from a long-term illness on Dec. 21, 2024. Felix grew up in Holyoke and attended Wrenshall High School. He went on to get multiple degrees and licenses, including a master’s from Capella University. During his professional career as a licensed counselor, he worked with clients all over Minnesota. He was preceded in death by his father, Frank Montez; and grandparents. He is survived by the love of his life, Melissa; mother, Sharon W... Full story
When my dad passed early Sunday morning (Jan. 5) I was scrambling to write and proofread an obituary for him, and, when it was finally satisfactory, I started looking to publish it. My dad always wanted his obituary in the Pine Knot and another local publication. So I first contacted the larger local publication and they wanted $1,767.69 to publish it and, on top of that, they said I had missed the deadline for the Wednesday print edition by 90 minutes, so the only paper they could get it in was Saturday, the day after the funeral. I called... Full story
