Articles written by Ann Markusen
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There's a magic to outdoor skating
Finally, the lakes froze three or more inches deep. So deep that, with temperatures in the teens or lower, snow did not stick to the surface. It seems magical to me that water I swam and paddled in...
On The Mark: It's time to consider prison rates
Once again, husband Rod Walli and I headed out to clear the Fond du Lac Forest cross-country ski trail of annual downfalls and upstart saplings. Once again, the Willow River Challenge Incarceration...
On The Mark: Child labor offers lessons for life
A good economist colleague and friend of mine, University of Minnesota professor Deborah Levison, has spent more than 20 years studying child labor around the world. Despite many laws formally... Full story
On The Mark: Family memories bring comfort this holiday
Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on family history. Covid affords us, regrettably, more time to do so. To pore over old photo albums, view what our parents and grandparents and great-uncles...
On the Mark: Companionship of cousins is a blessing
I feel lucky to belong to a huge extended family on both my parents' sides. I'm an "only girl" with two brothers. Our first, second and third cousins have made up for that. I just spent part of a...
On The Mark: Exploring the Buddhist way
It’s surprising how important Buddhist beliefs and practices have been to evolving world communities and their ability to live together in peace and mutual respect. I first learned about Buddhism...
On the Mark: Online options are a saving grace during pandemic
Since Covid-19 crept into our communities, many of us have descended into a strange solitude. Neighbors, co-workers and merchants whom we love to patronize hunker down the way we do: behind closed doo...
On The Mark: Finding out what makes politicans tick
Have you ever wondered why our neighbors decide to run for office? What life encounters led them to do so? Here are my endorsements for three local candidates - Michelle Lee, Mike Sundin and Quinn...
Sawyer native wins Minnesota Sings contest
Due to Covid-19 and social distancing mandates, the 11th annual Minnesota Sings competition took place virtually this year. Participants submitted videos of their performances via YouTube. Sawyer...
On The Mark: Scarecrows bring a fall flair to Cromwell
If you've driven through Cromwell this past week, you'll have glimpsed the 10 scarecrows lining the main street downtown. Because the usually annual Harvest Fest had to be canceled, the Cromwell Area...
On The Mark: There are always surprises when putting garden to bed
Three nights of frost propelled us into motion. Our roomy veggie garden still had lots growing in it: squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers, chard, kale, basil and other herbs. Green beans that have bee...
On The Mark: DFL makes best of Labor Day
Labor Day turned out windy and rain-free but cold - 57 degrees in Cloquet's Veterans Park. Lots of people showed up for chili, music and rousing speeches in front of a cheeky sign saying to "elect an...
Drifting Into Watercolor
Cloquet's Lyn Jutila is currently exhibiting her watercolors at the Pine Knot office. She recently sat down with us to talk about her work and how she became a watercolorist after hanging her...
On The Mark: Cromwell-Wright plan uses small school size to its advantage
Over the past month, our area schools have had to redesign their spaces and curricula to cope with Covid-19 and submit their plans to the Minnesota Department of Education. Thanks to the size of the...
On The Mark: There are better ways to cut prison costs
In early August, the Minnesota Department of Corrections announced the pending closure of two of its prisons due to the state’s budget crisis. Both are among the smallest of our prisons. They are...
On The Mark: Gershwin comes alive with close listening
Music and film have long offered “outsiders” — immigrants, women, African Americans — opportunities to tell their stories, use their talents and earn a living. Often pigeonholed into...
County has a berry cornucopia
As children, we'd pile into our family car and head north from Minneapolis on Highway 65 for Cromwell to visit my grandfather. After 30 miles or so, leaving the suburbs behind, my father began to scou...
On The Mark: Jazz, al fresco, is a delight
It was a balmy evening, perfect for sitting outside and listening to high-energy jazz. We'd brought our lawn chairs and positioned them near the front of the tent, to the left of the stage. We were...
On the Mark: Up north swimming vacation hits the spot
Tired of staying home and not hosting friends and family for meals, music evenings and overnights, my husband and I provisioned our small motorhome and set out for a week in the Northwoods. We'd...
On The Mark: School made things work
Cromwell-Wright Superintendent/Principal Nathan Libbon reflected recently on his team’s response to the order to close schools and educate from afar this past spring. To me, it sounded incredibly cr...
Senior offers perspective on school year cut short
“It was the second week of April,” recalled Amber Collman, a senior at Cromwell-Wright High School. They had only a couple of days to decamp and prepare for remote schooling, time that their...
On The Mark: Violence against Black Americans has deep roots through history
Why are African Americans so often the victims of police killings? A history of enslavement, violence-enforced exploitation and often killing labor, followed by decades of industrial exploitation and...
Watercolorist finds joy in plein air painting
For the next two months, the Pine Knot Gallery will exhibit Julia Jaakola's watercolors, with an opening and in-person (socially distanced) reception on Thursday, July 9. How did Julia become an artis... Full story
On The Mark: Police trainings pit 'warrior' vs. 'guardian'
I’ve been so sad since George Floyd’s murder. It’s sad and enraging. I keep wondering how it could have been different. For years, my son has been teaching me about police brutality against...
Artists get a boost in pandemic dearth
In this pandemic, artists are among the most financially vulnerable. At the last full Census count, 65 percent of writers, 57 percent of visual artists, 41 percent of musicians and singers, and 36... Full story
