Articles written by Mike Creger
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Tax case hits keep coming
The erroneous property tax evaluation monster has struck again, and this time the bite is big. Two decisions in March, in favor of Enbridge and its pipeline that cuts across the state, in Minnesota Tax Court mean that Carlton County will need to...
Flags using F-words raise ire
Political flags flying in Scanlon underneath an American flag have caused a lot of consternation in the community. At the corner of 22nd Street and Doddridge Avenue, which runs along the border...
Hitting the skids on Covid
For a year I've been begging Stockholm syndrome to kick in. To get used to the Covid-19 pandemic holding us hostage. Find a groove and take it through the murky tunnel. Find that a world turned... Full story
Ice racers take to the river
It's always hit and miss when it comes to hosting motorcycle ice racing on the St. Louis River in Scanlon. But the mid-February cold snap allowed Jeff Berg to rally racers online for an event last... Full story
Supreme Court backs band on groundwater
The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency was justified in arguing that pollution seeping into groundwater from the Minntac mine tailing basin...
Carlton Wrenshall: Schools 'pause' merger wrangle
The on-again, off-again talks between the Carlton and Wrenshall school districts regarding consolidation are officially off again. Superintendents and school board members agreed last week that it...
Newspaper people can certainly dream big
Jana and I were doing the math. It’s a common game to play after the awards ceremony at the annual convention that draws newspaper people in from across the state each January. We win this, enter that, carry the one … we could have a trophy.... Full story
Husband, wife die hours apart in virus fight
"You're grounded." That's what Judy Proulx told her 60-something son last week when the thermometer he had purchased for her went on the blink. The impish gesture defined Jim Proulx's mother. "I'm... Full story
2020: A rollercoaster of Covid realities
At the start, it was as if no one really knew how or whether to panic. So they cleared shelves of toilet paper and anything that could be used to kill germs on surfaces. As the state ordered places...
DeFoe leaves a historical legacy
It was a cold morning at the edge of the Old Holy Family Cemetery. This is where LeRoy DeFoe was put to rest on Dec. 28. It's important to note that fact, since DeFoe spent many years discovering... Full story
2020 Year in Review, part 1
A fly on the wall at the office of the Pine Knot News, during a meeting of the minds discussing year-in-review stories, may not have contained itself in screaming: "Covid. Done." But, being a fly...
Husband rues not getting Covid help earlier
Gene Shank most often got up before his wife, Linda, did. She had allergies, and at night it could keep her from getting to sleep right away. Gene would let the dogs outside at their home next to the... Full story
District financials stay the course, good and bad
The good news for the Carlton school district is that there were no surprises and things stayed pretty much the same as years before in the annual audit released Monday night. That’s also the bad news as the district continues to face rising costs...
Carlton heading toward consolidation cliff
The Carlton school board this week firmed up its position when it comes to the current standoff with the Wrenshall board and possible consolidation between the two neighboring districts. On Monday, the Carlton board agreed in a committee of the...
Last of Esko's 1955 starting five has died
Jerry Anderson, the last surviving starter on the first boys basketball team from Carlton County to reach the state tournament, died Tuesday at age 83. Anderson was a star on the 1955 Esko team that...
Carlton looking at school options
The Carlton school board voted Monday night to hire a company to provide construction cost estimates on transforming South Terrace Elementary into a facility that could serve three more grades, up to grade 8, or serve all students through 12th...
History mystery not quite resolved
There’s good news and no news regarding the two History Mystery photos from last week. David Haugen submitted pictures of a fireplace sitting alone in a woods in Cloquet and a “gondola cable... Full story
History mystery: outdoor fireplace and gondola cable car
Reader David Haugen admits he’s lived in Cloquet for only 15 years, so may have missed an era of general knowledge about some physical structures in the area that have puzzled him for some time. He... Full story
Esko pastor dies after Covid battle
When Jeff Walther was transferred to the intensive care unit at Essentia-St. Mary's Hospital in Duluth, he was greeted by nurse Amanda Valentine. She would spend 16 hours with him that day as the... Full story
After long slog, bonding bill is signed
After five special sessions since the regular session ended in May, the Minnesota Legislature last week passed a $1.9 billion bonding bill. It was signed Wednesday by Gov. Tim Walz. The bonding will allow for public works projects across the state, i...
Highs, lows found in state funding
As the Minnesota Legislature breathed its last gasps of air of the 2020 session, Carlton County can find some wins and some big losses when contemplating what became a session extended by five months with mostly unproductive special sessions since... Full story
Mail-in, absentee ballots abound
The dynamics of this year's general election brings to mind a question: Is it the pandemic or the rhetoric? Minnesotans are requesting absentee ballots in record numbers for the Nov. 3 election -... Full story
Sub shortage still crippling schools
People coming down with Covid-19 is not the problem handcuffing the Cloquet school district. It’s the waiting for test results when someone shows symptoms. That was the assessment this week from superintendent Mike Cary as the district continues...
Covid regulations stress schools
Wrenshall superintendent Kim Belcastro didn’t need to say it. Her face told all. “It’s been a tough week,” she told the school board Tuesday night during a special meeting. The day before, she announced that the school would be going to full... Full story
Carlton, Wrenshall schools report smooth starts
Reports to the school boards at Carlton and Wrenshall this week showed that the two small districts had relatively drama-free starts to the year despite intense pressure due to Covid-19 pandemic protocols. In Wrenshall, the major hitch remains the...
