Articles written by Jana Peterson
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 1022
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Churchill school gets 'blue ribbon' for closing the gap
Nothing changed at Churchill Elementary School on Friday when U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced the 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools - and the Cloquet school as one of 297 to make...
Township seals appointment discussion, skirting state law
The Thomson Township board of supervisors defended itself this week after closing a public meeting to discuss applicants to fill an open seat on the board. The board went into what it termed “closed meeting” on Sept. 8 to discuss what was... Full story
Hoax 911 call disrupts Cloquet high school, middle school
What turned out to be a false 911 call reporting “an active threat of violence” at Cloquet High School Wednesday morning sent law enforcement racing to the building, where students and staff were unaware of any problems. “The phone call was a... Full story
Public safety grant frees up funds
News that the police department secured a $110,000 grant to pay for a DWI enforcement officer came as welcome relief to Cloquet city officials Tuesday. Not only will it bring an increased focus on driving-while-impaired arrests and education, police...
Ward 3 gets first write-in candidate
Cloquet Ward 3 city council candidate Pete Erickson has a unique challenge this fall: he has to get voters to do more than fill in a box next to his name. For Erickson to win, voters will have to actu... Full story
Music Man
Jeremy Gardner plays the piano in the "Ivory Garden" outside Wood City Nutrition on Avenue C in the West End of Cloquet last week during a break from work. Gardner's wife, artist and photographer... Full story
West End celebration imagines what could be
The West End of Cloquet was the first part of town rebuilt after the Fires of 1918 and has the most historic buildings, but it's also the area with the most vacant storefronts. It's a relatively...
Teachers, students greet the new school year
There were more smiles than tears Wednesday morning at Cloquet's Washington Elementary School, as students arrived for the first day of school. The atmosphere was almost celebratory among some... Full story
Council passes max 6.5-percent tax increase
Cloquet city councilors unanimously voted for a preliminary 2023 levy increase of 6.5 percent Tuesday, following advice of staff to build a little "wiggle room" into the budget. Ward 2 councilor...
Despite rising graduation rates, Cloquet alternative school flagged
The Cloquet Area Alternative Education Programs, a small alternative school for grades 6-12 which draws from 12 school districts, made a list of 371 schools that will receive extra support by the state department of education last week. The program...
Cloquet goes big for Labor Day
It would be difficult to determine who had the starring role - politicians or candy - in Monday's Labor Day parade, but there was a plethora of both. And the kids were open to either, plastering polit... Full story
Politics to star on Labor Day
With only a few days left until Labor Day, Central Labor Body president Chad Tuura is bouncing between excitement over what he’s predicting will be a large parade and worry, because this important... Full story
Blacksmith finds inspiration at the fair
Warren Hietala came full circle last month while working in the blacksmith's shop at the Carlton County fair. It was there that the Cloquet High School junior once escaped as a youngster while his... Full story
City asks residents to weigh in on stormwater
Remember the 500-year flash floods that ripped across the Northland 10 years ago, and the drought that had farmers and others praying for rain last summer? Cloquet city officials are hoping to make a plan for future climate change and they need help...
Wrenshall board fires technology director
Following a closed meeting Wednesday that lasted three hours, the Wrenshall school board fired the school’s information technology director, Jaime Hopp, the Pine Knot News learned Thursday. Hopp had been the subject of a personnel investigation whi...
Wrenshall board fires tech director
Following a closed meeting Wednesday that lasted three hours, the Wrenshall school board fired the school’s information technology director, Jaime Hopp, the Pine Knot News learned Thursday. Hopp had... Full story
Fired cop loses federal lawsuit
A federal judge last week dismissed the remaining claims in a $4 million civil lawsuit filed by a former Cloquet detective, but left open the door for continued action in state court. Scott Holman, a detective and K-9 officer who had worked for the...
Get steamed up about Lakehead Harvest show this weekend
The Lakehead Harvest Show returns Friday for its 61st annual show with daily activities from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m Friday through Sunday, Aug. 26-28 at 70 E. St. Louis River Road near Esko. Bring the whole... Full story
Meet Delta, the new fire district K-9
Hawaii's loss was Cloquet's gain this summer, when a dog being trained as a backup accelerant detection K-9 for the island state became available in June. Cloquet Area Fire District battalion chief... Full story
Fire district staff shuffle settles
After close to 10 months of musical chairs, the Cloquet Area Fire District staff and board members celebrated a slew of promotions and other moves that have the district almost on stable ground in... Full story
Heather's Cafe now hopes to open Aug. 29
Where there's smoke, there's fire ... except when it's electrical and firefighters turn the power off. That's what happened at Heather's Cafe in Cloquet Thursday, Aug. 18. Firefighters from the Cloque... Full story
Former Wilderness coach won't face charges
Former Minnesota Wilderness junior hockey coach Brendan Phelps won’t face charges after two men in an online video alleged that Phelps had traveled to Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, for an intimate...
Campground sale brings Knife Island history to light
For decades, Marcie Stolberg has kept the island next to her campground as sacred space, aware of the stories of long-ago Native American battles and tragedy. It was there, according to the 1937...
Kettle River Days brings neighbors, visitors together
Kettle River's main street was bustling Saturday, as the small town celebrated its annual Ma & Pa Kettle Days event. Politicians, vendors and others – including the Moose Lake Historical...
Council votes yes to sidewalks, considers levy hike
Cloquet city councilors and Mayor Roger Maki voted unanimously Tuesday to uphold the city’s subdivision ordinance requiring sidewalks in any new subdivisions, despite a planning commission recommendation to the contrary. City planner/zoning adminis...
