Articles written by Lois E. Johnson
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New jail efforts come to fruition
Carlton County will break ground on the new justice center/jail this summer, a massive undertaking. "This is the largest project Carlton County has ever undertaken since the courthouse was built,"...
Wish list is at $8 million; paying for it is up in air
At a special meeting Dec. 7, the Barnum school board approved, by a 4-3 vote, specific facility maintenance projects totaling more than $8 million. However, board members tabled anything to do with funding those projects this week. Some of the items...
Cloquet mask debate lingers as cases climb
The mask requirement for students was discussed at length during the working meeting of the Cloquet School Board Monday, Dec. 13. Superintendent Michael Cary presented data from the Minnesota Department of Health and Carlton County Public Health...
Board gets a look at new jail cell option
The Carlton County Board of Commissioners examined a model jail cell as part of a regular meeting on Nov. 22. The board met in the Carlton County Transportation building and a jail cell was mounted...
New Barnum building combines city services, muni
Changes are underway for the city of Barnum. A new building houses the Barnum Municipal Liquor Store, a spacious event center and the city offices. The 100-year-old Barnum Community Center - once the Legion Hall - was demolished last week. The brick...
County promises to keep Carlton buildings bustling
The next steps toward annexing land from Twin Lakes Township into Carlton were approved by the Carlton County board of commissioners during its meeting Tuesday, Nov. 9. Carlton County attorney Lori...
Esko residents talk about school's future
Just under 20 community members attended a community listening and input session at the Esko school auditorium Monday, Oct. 25 to share what they like about the school and their concerns about what is...
Photo studio owner inspired by place
One of Amy Louhela's favorite places is Jay Cooke State Park, and that is often the setting for her clients at Amy Louhela Photography. "I go to Jay Cooke every day," said Louhela in an interview in... Full story
Volunteering is this senior's gig
Shirley Goodwin of Barnum was honored as the Outstanding Senior Citizen at the Carlton County Fair in Barnum last month. "It was quite the experience," she said this week as she prepared to head to...
No roundabout at highways 210 and 61
The idea of a roundabout is no longer under consideration for the intersection of Minnesota Highway 210 and Carlton County Road 61, county engineer JinYeene Neumann said Monday at the board of...
Former dairy hangs on to farming roots
It has been 100 years since Finland natives John and Hannah Konu bought and moved to land west of Moose Lake near the Kettle River. Their grandson, Gerry, and great-grandson, Mark, are carrying on... Full story
Barnum schools: Districts discuss shared bus routes
Barnum school officials are meeting with officials from the Moose Lake and Willow River districts to discuss schedules and busing changes for the next school year. “We are discussing the parts of the school bus routes that we can share,” Barnum...
County, band team up to jab hundreds
People streamed in and out of the convention center at Black Bear Casino Resort last Thursday, eager to take another step toward a post-pandemic life. By the end of the day, another 455 residents of... Full story
Sturgeon Lake residents rue reality of covered bridge: It's beyond repair
People in the Sturgeon Lake area are experiencing bittersweet feelings about losing a much-loved landmark, the Sturgeon Island covered bridge. "It will be replaced this fall if the state funding...
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...
