Articles written by Lois E. Johnson
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Music legend marks 94th birthday
When Florian Chmielewski carries his accordion into the VFW in Cloquet, he can't help but smile. "I told someone that I have been doing that for 76 years, bringing my accordion into a place and... Full story
All students return to classrooms
Students went back to the Barnum elementary and high schools Tuesday, Jan. 19. “It was great to hear their voices in the halls again,” said Barnum superintendent Mike McNulty in a telephone interview later that day. “I hope that lasts a long...
Former county resident witnesses D.C. chaos
Ginger Spiess, a former Moose Lake resident who now lives in Ramsey, Minnesota, had just 10 minutes to prepare for a trip to Washington D.C. on Jan. 4 for what turned out to be an infamous week after...
Local shopping options abound
The holidays are fast approaching and gift buying is in full swing, but don't forget your local businesses as you search for that perfect gift for someone on your list. There is a wealth of unique... Full story
Bringing rubbed grub to Moose Lake
Dinel and Lance Hollerbach were asked to smoke a whole hog for a birthday barbecue years ago, but they didn't have a smoker that was big enough. "One man said that he had a big roaster," Dinel said...
Barnum sees some budget daylight
The Barnum school district got some good news recently, in a year that saw the small rural school district facing financial woes and then a pandemic. In this case, however, two negatives made a positive. The fund balance for the Barnum school...
Car dealer revamps with old and new faces
Changes at the Cloquet Ford Chrysler Center have been noticeable the past few months since it has been under new management. Owners Al and Renee Birman have stepped back to a more silent role and the... Full story
Senior care facilities adapt to pandemic
Not being able to get a hug from family members is the hardest part of living in a senior care facility during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing. "The residents with dementia... Full story
She has five decades of teaching tales
A stock water tank and a giant Coca-Cola bottle replica contained most of the one million pop can tabs Wright Elementary School students collected back in the late 1980s. The collection was to be recy...
Superintendent still weak after COVID-19 bout
Barnum superintendent Mike McNulty felt chilled the afternoon of April 1 after leaving his office at Barnum High School and returning to his rented cabin near Sand Lake. "I felt like I was coming down... Full story
Community spirit thrives in Mahtowa
Just before Easter, a single chick-in-an-egg toy was left at the end of the day after a customer brought in a birchbark basket of 30 of them. The toys were free. Another woman brought in homemade...
His flu elixir was cognac
Elmer Lindholm was buried in straw and in a coma inside a barn in France in 1918. He was one of the American troops sent to fight in World War I. For most of a week, Lindholm would be in the grip of...
Barnum school board votes to cut staff
The Barnum school board voted to cut positions from the school staff for the next school year at its monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 17, despite a plea at a community meeting a couple of weeks ago to cut the positions slowly. “We are where we...
Dialogue begins on Barnum budget woes
A community meeting brainstorming solutions to financial issues in the Barnum School District aimed to bring people together Wednesday, March 4. A circle of 21 stakeholders, made up of three members of school personnel, students, parents, community...
Cloquet Community Band plays on
It had been decades since Becky Dooley of Cloquet had played a clarinet, but she brushed off her rusty skills and joined the Cloquet Community Band after she retired a couple of years ago. "I hadn't... Full story
Kettle River lands spot in documentary
Kettle River is the only small town in Carlton County to be featured on the WDSE documentary, "This Town," to be shown at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 2 on the Duluth station. Three other northern...
Conversation roils on Barnum school deficit
Students, parents and teachers talked to the Barnum school board at its monthly meeting Tuesday, Feb. 18 to express their concerns about proposed staff cuts following news that the district needs to make significant cuts or it will go into the red....
Barnum school district faces painful budget decisions
The double whammy of fewer students and state and federal mandates that aren’t fully funded has the Barnum School Board looking at major cuts to keep the budget in the black. The issues aren’t new, nor are they unique to the Barnum school...
Polka music, dancing create 'family' vibe at senior dances
Dancers twirled to the music of Florian Chmielewski at the Cloquet VFW last Wednesday afternoon, like so many other Wednesdays before. The dance floor fills up for every song played by Lindy's Band,... Full story
A visit to a cramped county jail
A group of Carlton County senior citizens got an inside glimpse of the Carlton County jail last week. It provided a better understanding of why county officials are so eager to replace the aging...
Kettle River tree lighting fosters community spirit
The first tree lighting ceremony in Kettle River on Friday, Dec. 6 was a big success. "Kettle River needed this," said Morgan Yeats, one of the organizers from the Ma and Pa Kettle Days committee in...
A touch of Sweden at Carlton County farm
Shoppers for Christmas trees can experience a Swedish Christmas in Minnesota at the Jansson Tree Farm of Gunilla and Goran Jansson north of Mahtowa just off of Highway 61 at the end of Carlson Road....
County jail population deals with mental health
Heather Giancola said mental health issues among the inmate population are a big problem at the county jail. Giancola, a social worker from Carlton County Public Health and Human Services, gave a report about services provided to offenders at the Car...
Couple swoops in to keep TJ's open
The fate of TJ's Country Corner in Mahtowa spurred Glenn and Renee Gaffney to action after the sudden death of Tom Bislow late in January. The couple bought the store and took possession April 17....
Winning formula?
The Moose Lake school district will be holding a bond referendum election Tuesday, May 14, to ask voters to approve the sale of bonds to complete the athletic field complex and build practice fields at the new school. There will be two questions on...
