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Articles from the February 14, 2020 edition


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  • Cloquet teen battles kidney disease

    Jana Peterson|Feb 14, 2020

    Nearly a year ago, they thought the swelling in her face and ankles was caused by allergies. But the allergy shots didn't help. When her face was so swollen she couldn't open her eyes, the emergency room doctor told them to get a second opinion. It was following that referral - to an allergy specialist in the Twin Cities area - that 15-year-old Eva Flovick and her family found out she had kidney disease. Things moved quickly, and not in a good direction. By December, only nine months later,... Full story

  • Obituary: Adrian J. Sturgeleski

    Feb 14, 2020

    Adrian J. Sturgeleski, 83, of Cloquet passed away Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020 at Sunnyside Health Care. He was born May 30, 1936 in Sturgeon Lake to Theodore and Gertrude (Mikrot) Sturgeleski. Adrian worked for Wood Conversion, Conwed and USG in Cloquet. After retirement, he worked for the Calvary cemeteries in Cloquet. Adrian was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Carlton. He spent many years of life on his farm in Sturgeon Lake. He raised beef cattle and spent many hours working the land.... Full story

  • Girls hockey: Lumberjacks head to state for first time in 11 years

    Kerry Rodd|Feb 14, 2020

    Just a couple of weeks ago, the Proctor/Hermantown Mirage hung a 6-1 loss on the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton girls hockey team, the first loss in 17 straight games for CEC. On Wednesday night the two teams met in the Section 7A title game and it was CEC coming away with a wild 3-2 win to claim the championship. The Lumberjacks had been on a record-setting win streak prior to the loss at the end of the regular season. In that game freshman goalie Araya Kiminski was knocked out of the game. Flash... Full story

  • State bound! After 30 years, the CEC boys are going back to State

    Jana Peterson|Feb 14, 2020

    For the first time in almost three decades, the Lumberjacks boys Nordic ski team is headed to State. With almost perfect conditions - the snow just right, and temperatures in the low 20s - four Lumberjacks skiers finished in the top 15 at Thursday's Section 7 meet at Giants Ridge in Biwabik. Benjamin Bauer finished in third place, while Josh Sanders took ninth, AJ Maijala 12th and Cale Prosen finished in 14th place. The combined scores of CEC's top four skiers added up to 366 points, good enough... Full story

  • Swanson wins election, will continue to represent Ward 3

    Jana Peterson|Feb 14, 2020

    The only thing Chris Swanson lost in Tuesday's special election was the "interim" title for the Ward 3 Cloquet City Council seat. Swanson garnered 84 votes to 14 for Uriah Wilkinson on Tuesday, out of a possible 1,299 registered voters in Cloquet's Ward 3. Swanson was pleased to win, but also praised Wilkinson, father of five and a Realtor in the area for the last 15 years. "I have Uriah's sons in class right now. They are wonderful and lovely human beings," said Swanson, a history and...

  • Consolidation survey: A resounding 'yes'

    Mike Creger|Feb 14, 2020

    Sue Peterson had some choice words about the survey results released this week regarding how residents feel about the possible consolidation of the Carlton and Wrenshall school districts. “Atypical.” “Shocking.” “Surprising.” Peterson works for School Perceptions, the company hired by the school districts to guide the survey. The school boards wanted a clear idea of where residents stood on consolidation and the costs to accomplish it. They want it. And they seem willing to pay for it as well....

  • Northern Pacific Railroad started in Carlton County 150 years ago

    Mike Creger|Feb 14, 2020

    It was supposed to be an "impromptu" act, a quiet ceremony more for employees than the general public. There was likely good reason to keep things on the down-low. While the Northern Pacific Railroad had been buoyed the month before by a cash infusion from Jay Cooke, it really was nowhere near ready to begin the Herculean task of laying a rail line from Lake Superior to the Pacific Ocean. But word got out. People traveled by rail from Duluth and Superior on the new Lake Superior & Mississippi...

  • Historical society director wants to connect with region

    Jana Peterson|Feb 14, 2020

    The first time the new director of the Carlton County Historical Society saw the massive old library desk that has been returned to its roots there, it sparked her imagination. The stories that desk could tell, Beth Lyle thought to herself. Lyle, who started at CCHS in mid-January, enjoys telling and hearing stories, and has a personal passion for history. “I love the family stories we tell in our own family on my mom and my dad’s side, those stories you can hear hundreds of times and still wan...

  • Barnum school district faces painful budget decisions

    Lois E. Johnson|Feb 14, 2020

    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 district. However, after five years of deficit spending, the school board now needs to make $750,000 in cuts or risk going into statutory operating debt. A large crowd of concerned residents attended the working meeting of the Barnum school board Feb. 4. It wasn’t so much a presentation from staff to audie...

  • Cloquet Board OKs move to new emergency communication system

    Jana Peterson|Feb 14, 2020

    On Monday, the Cloquet school board took a vote that made students and staff safer AND saved the district money. Instead of spending between $100,000 and $180,000 to replace the district’s aging walkie-talkie system — many of the devices are failing and often don’t work throughout the buildings — board members voted to switch the district to an emergency cellular network. Rather than walkie-talkies, the district will purchase FirstNet iPhones (at a cost of 99 cents each) with a Push-to...

  • Chill Winterfest brings people out to Carlton

    Feb 14, 2020

    At a balmy 18 degrees Saturday, the weather was perfect for Carlton's annual Winterfest festivities. Outside the Four Seasons Sports Complex, about 65 people of all ages played a round of Mini Hook and Slice using their own "clubs," which included broken shovel handles, hockey sticks, brooms, actual golf clubs and more. "Last year I tried a croquet mallet, but that didn't work the best," said Esko's Carol Conway, playing a round with her husband, Roger. The holes were sponsored by different... Full story

  • Mobile food bank helps feed Carlton County

    Steve Korby|Feb 14, 2020

    On the third Thursday morning of each month (10:30-11:30 a.m.), the Second Harvest Mobile Food Pantry comes to the Our Savior's Lutheran Church parking lot in Cloquet to distribute food. What is unique about this food bank operation? The patrons stay in their cars and have - if you total it all up at the end of the day - tons of food put into their cars, vans, and pickup boxes as they parade by local volunteers who load it up, 50-75 pounds at a time. It's quite the operation. Dan Wilson, Second... Full story

  • State sets date for county jail closure

    Dan Reed|Feb 14, 2020

    The state of Minnesota has set a closure date for the Carlton County jail of July 31, 2023. The deadline came in a letter from the Minnesota Department of Corrections, dated Jan. 28, 2020, delivered to Carlton County sheriff Kelly Lake and county coordinator Dennis Genereau. Tim Thompson, inspection and enforcement director of Minnesota Corrections, detailed numerous deficiencies in the current Carlton County jail “impacting the safety and security of the facility, the staff, and the citizens of Carlton County” during Tuesday’s regular meeting...

  • OUR VIEW: Refugee discussion deserved better

    Feb 14, 2020

    We’re all for more public information and discussion of the issues that affect us all. That’s why we were pleased to hear that the Carlton County Republicans had arranged a public information meeting with an expert on refugees, to inform the public on facts and research. We even heard from the presenter, Ron Branstner, who told us he had 15 years experience studying the issue of refugees and immigration in the United States, and that he had compiled facts and data and was willing to travel here to share his research. “I’ve been studyin...

  • HARRY'S GANG: Odds and Ends

    Feb 14, 2020

    Lacrosse It’s one fast growing sport in our area: lacrosse. Kids seem to be drawn to the speed, precision, and competition. It’s an exciting game to watch too. Sean Hall, among others, created the Northern Siege team a few years ago to give Carlton County children their own team; prior to that, players played with the Arrowhead Titans based out of Hermantown. The sport is growing, and the girls’ squads just landed a great coordinator team in Lisa and Bryan LaCore. Lisa excelled in lacrosse at UMD, and they both coached some of the girls...

  • Polka music, dancing create 'family' vibe at senior dances

    Lois E. Johnson|Feb 14, 2020

    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, named in honor of the late Lorren Lindevig, and led by International Polka Association Hall of Fame accordionist Florian Chmielewski. At the age of 93, the former state senator and lifetime musician is still playing and still drawing crowds for his old-time accordion music. Terry Solquist, Florian's... Full story

  • ON FAITH: Thanking the past and serving the future

    Feb 14, 2020

    In 1922, Monsignor D.W. Lynch, pastor of St. James Church in Duluth, wrote a letter to Minnesota Senator Frank B. Kellogg regarding Father Elais Lemire and the (then) Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Cloquet. “I know something about the work done by Fr. Lemire in his parish and the difficulties he has had to contend with, especially because of the fire. The parish is large and is made up of a considerable number of poor people, many of whom are employed in the Cloquet Mills. At various times the influence of this local Church has been v... Full story

  • Sports Ticker

    Feb 14, 2020

    Thursday, Feb. 6 Boys Basketball Hibbing-84 Cloquet-56 The Lumberjacks fell behind by 16 points at halftime and struggle to defend the Bluejackets who got a 24-point night from Ayden McDonald and double-digit scoring from three others in pulling out the win over Cloquet. Adam Schneider led Cloquet with 16 points, Dylan Heehn scored 14, both Markus Pokornowski and Alec Turnbull finished with eight points. Also scoring were Nathan Blatchford (4), Jack Sorenson (3) and Tyler Issendorf (2). Northwoods-109 Moose Lake-Willow River-104 In one of the... Full story

  • Out in It: Castle Siege

    Bret Baker|Feb 14, 2020

    I shouldered my way through the early morning crowd at Hi-Banks Resort on Fish Lake. A patron glanced my way, unimpressed, through a forest of celery sticks jutting from his Bloody Mary breakfast. I plopped $5 on the bar to access the lake out front. The bartender scooped up my cash and thanked me. No receipt, no dashboard tag, just an honor system and an agreement. They plow the road and I pay. I like that. I shuffled my way back to the Suburban. The whole vehicle shook from our dog, Mogli,...

  • Carlton High School Quarter 2 Honor Rolls

    Feb 14, 2020

    A Honor Roll Grade 12: Alaina Bennett, Alisha Broneak, Madelyn DeCaigny, Spencer Hoeffling, Abigail Mickle, Brynne Mickle, Taylor Nelson, Austin Parker, Annabell Pearson, Matthew Santkuyl, Benjamin Soderstrom, Jessica Sutter, Justin Swanson, Benjamin Talarico Grade 11: Haley Adkins, Shea Campbell, Kristian Herman, Elizabeth Hey, Annabeth Johnson, Samantha Matarelli, Seth Mlodozyniec, Trevor Ojibway, Johnette Ostlund, Ella Palmer, Spencer Rousseau, Jairid Ward Grade 10: Olivia Anderson, Alaina Kiehl, Morgan Laveau, Sarice Northrup, Joseph... Full story

  • Wrenshall Second Quarter Honor Rolls

    Feb 14, 2020

    A Honor Roll Patrick Ankrum Liam Bruce Sage Fernquist Hunter Holmes Kaylie Lammi Elliana Lattu Hannah Lattu Joel Lembke Katarina Mattson Tyler Mills Sujata Mumma Alex Murray Alexis Nelson Samantha Nyberg Owen Resberg Jack Riley Zeke Rousseau-Sheff Magdalene Sowada Kaya Stark Alexis Swanson Hailey Tauzell Randy Wimmer B Honor Roll Emma Andrews Connar Ankrum Gavin Beetcher Joseph Bergman Keely Bergman Megan Carlson Lillian Eckdahl Easton Everett Ashley Hart Brie Hoglund Eathen Johnson Elizabeth Johnson Gracelyn Johnson Natalya Kacer Wyatt Kelley... Full story

  • Cromwell-Wright First Semester Honor Rolls

    Feb 14, 2020

    A Honor Roll Grade 12 Taye Thomas Anderson Raisa Garik Avagyan Jacob Charles Bellinger Arnon Chaiboot Amber Jo Collman Cameron Seth-Linh Dickey Sydney Aniele Goranson Shaily Ann Hakamaki Taya Joyce Hakamaki Emmalee Grace Hoover Jordan Jennifer Jokinen Joselyn Leah Jokinen Bertie Gene Korpi Micah Daniel Pocernich Anja Marie Schoenberg Maria (Paula) Silva Cajas Lisa Vasile Chassandra Susan Ward Christopher Paul Ward Grade 11 Eliana Nicole Anderson Daniel Aaron Belden Elisabeth Trinity Kachinske Andrew Michal Kosloski Katherine Sophia Libbon... Full story

  • Wright-Cromwell News

    Jennie K. Hanson|Feb 14, 2020

    I’ve had some pretty strange things happen to me lately. On Feb. 6, I motored to McGregor to visit a friend and take another friend out to lunch when a strange, feral cat appeared in my van. I was in the parking lot at the Fireside and when I backed up and started to head for the highway, a cat jumped from the back seat into the front seat, then onto the dashboard, snarling and hissing like it wanted to take our heads off. It happened so fast that we opened a window and the cat took off like a... Full story

  • Wrenshall celebrates homecoming and reading this month

    Anne Dugan|Feb 14, 2020

    It’s homecoming week for Wrenshall! Monday kicked off the festivities with a rally featuring a family feud game show with the homecoming court as contestants, as well as a scooter relay race. There were dress-up days throughout the week, with Friday’s basketball game against Floodwood the culmination of all the fun and games. The JV boys team plays at 4:45 p.m. and the varsity game is at 6:15 p.m. Friday also marks the 100th day of the school year. It’s a day that many schools mark with fanfa...