A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
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Get used to it, Carlton County. Things may have been pretty quiet the last two weeks since Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they're only going to get more quiet between now and April 10. On Wednesday, the governor issued a "stay at home" order effective at 11:59 p.m. Friday, March 27 through April 10, for people living in the state. All Minnesota residents are ordered to stay at home except for trips out for food, groceries and... Full story
The following historical account on the flu pandemic in 1918 comes from the Minnesota Historical Society and its MNopedia project that tracks Minnesota history online and includes the history feature the Pine Knot News publishes weekly. Reporter Mike Creger added information about how the flu hit fire-ravaged Carlton County. The 1918 influenza pandemic, often referred to as the "Spanish flu," caused an estimated 50 million deaths worldwide. In the United States, an estimated 675,000 deaths...
Historic Minnesota events with anniversaries this week. March 27 1905 The Aerial Bridge, spanning the Duluth shipping canal, carries its first passengers across the harbor inside a carriage suspended from the bridge framework. The system would be replaced with a lift bridge in 1930. March 28 1992 William Maupins, Duluth’s prominent civil rights leader, dies. He served as president of the Duluth NAACP chapter, and, when a black family was prevented from moving into a Duluth neighborhood, he launched the campaign that led to a city f...
The order Wednesday by Minnesota governor Tim Walz that schools remain closed and transition to distance learning through May 4 didn't surprise many educators, since they were told to be ready for this moment on March 15. Not to worry, the Cloquet school district - like every other district in the county and the state - has a plan. "For elementary it's all paper and pencil via delivery or pickup," Cloquet superintendent Micheal Cary said. "For secondary, we'll go digital for as many students as... Full story
While news media paint the situation in Italy with COVID-19 as truly dire, a former exchange student thinks the government there is taking the correct actions to turn the tide of infection. Giorgio Petri, 19, went to Carlton High School and lived with Chris, Heidi, Scott and Spencer Rousseau during the 2017-18 school year. He was a top player on the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton soccer team during his time here, and is now a student at the University of Milan. Like most college students in the United Sta... Full story
In Wrenshall, superintendent Kim Belcastro updated the school board this week on where the district was since the closure order March 15. “I will admit it did feel like the last week of school for the students,” Belcastro wrote in her memo about the final day of school March 17. She said teachers prepped for distance learning last Wednesday through Friday. The district is on spring break this week, allowing for a bit of a breather for staff, she said. “Once the teachers had the assurance that they were going to be able to work from home (it)... Full story
Don’t even think about flushing that down the toilet. Western Lake Superior Sanitary District officials warn residents and businesses about the hazards of flushing any products except toilet paper. Wipes, paper towels, facial tissue and other paper products are not flushable and must be disposed of in the trash. “Toilet tissue has been in limited supply in local stores and we’ve heard some folks have substituted paper towel, facial tissue, wipes, napkins, and more,” said Al Parrella, WLSSD’s man...
The workings of government have changed as the pandemic spreads at an unknown rate throughout the nation. Physical participation in Carlton County meetings and whether any County building should be open to the public were two of many public safety issues discussed at the Carlton County Board of Commissioners meeting Monday, March 23, when commissioners passed a resolution declaring Carlton County in a peacetime emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During Monday’s meeting, Commissioners voted on a number of measures to protect county staff a... Full story
We live in an era of overwhelming information. And you’ve heard it before in this current micro-era of divided politics: Be careful where you get your news. Perhaps you are. Or perhaps you’ve chosen to remain in a comfortable bubble where your political inclinations are massaged and confirmed. But this is deadly serious. We are living in a pandemic the likes no one alive today has seen before. The swiftness of the coronavirus spread, and its devastating effects on not only the medically compromised but also the relatively healthy, calls for... Full story
Winter started early, with snowstorms over Thanksgiving I wasn’t expecting. No one was, really. Over 2 feet of heavy, wet snow that clogged the streets caused most of us to “shelter in place” for a while. It took months to get the roads in decent shape and many people blamed the government for doing a poor job of snow removal. Of course, they did an excellent job of snow removal considering the volume and density of the snow, but people still complained. A lot. It’s easy to blame the governm...
For more than 60 years, the United Way of Carlton County has been fighting for the health, education, basic needs and financial stability of every person in every community in Carlton County. As we collectively navigate our way through these uncertain times, the United Way remains committed to helping our friends, neighbors, and family members access the items they need to weather the storm of COVID-19. Across our community, commerce is suffering as people remain in their homes. Hourly and tipped workers with little to no savings are already lo...
We all know that a key to our health and well-being in this pandemic is "social distancing." While I can feel totally helpless against an enemy that is invisible, powerful, global and doesn't care a whit about what a nice guy I am, I like the idea of social distancing (SD). The practice of SD puts a great deal of power over my personal health back into my own hands, and even enables me to care responsibly for those around me. In this war, distance is power. The trouble is, most of us are social...
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our daily lives in unimaginable ways. This is a time of tremendous uncertainty with the situation evolving hour by hour and workers, families, and businesses are working to adapt to the new landscape in which we find ourselves living. If there’s anything to find comfort in during such a challenging time, it’s that Minnesota is a leader when it comes to public health. With world-class labs at the Minnesota Department of Health and innovation at ins... Full story
Mamie Katherine Seppanen, 86, died Thursday, March 19, 2020, at St. Luke's Hospital Hospice in Duluth. She was born on May 7, 1933, in Kettle River to Peter and Alma (Wimpari) Wiitanen. She married Robert "Bob" Seppanen on Oct. 15, 1955, and they resided in Kettle River, Proctor, Cromwell and Esko over their 58 years of marriage. Mamie was employed as a secretary at the air base in Duluth until it closed. Mamie was a member of the Cromwell Young Old timers and the Minnesota Finnish American... Full story
Local governments have closed many offices to the public in response to the coronavirus pandemic and governor's orders, although vital staff continue to work in buildings and from home and can be contacted by phone and email. Following is the latest guide to what's open and what's closed, and other vital information for Carlton County residents. Contact each department at the phone numbers listed below or by visiting the county website at www.co.carlton.mn.us. Find updates on the homepage under... Full story
Kenneth Vincent Joseph, 83, of Findlay, Ohio died at 5:05 p.m. Friday, March 20, 2020, at The Heritage in Findlay. He was born April 27, 1936, in Cloquet to Walter and Ruth (Olson) Joseph. He married Diane (Snyder Bell) on July 5, 2008. Surviving are his wife, Diane; his five children, Julie (Mike) Salentine of Chanhassen, Tom (Carla) Joseph of Marion, Illinois, Jill (Jamal) Ghandour of Eden Prairie, Jennifer (Deb) Joseph of Big Lake, and Jane (Ed) Kozich of Avon, Ohio; and his eight... Full story
Ellen Delores Larsen, 92, of Esko passed away Thursday, March 19, 2020, in Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet. She was born March 10, 1928, in Cloquet to Waino and Impi Johnson. Ellen grew up in Esko and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1946. She married Clarence Larsen Sept. 4, 1948 in Esko and together they raised five children. Ellen worked at Diamond Match for several years before attending cosmetology school in the mid-1960s. She had her own beauty salon, Ellen's Beauty Shop, in... Full story
Ralph Charles Fairbanks, 71, of Sawyer District Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, died Monday, March 23, 2020, in his home.] Ralph was born August 24, 1948, in Cass Lake, the son of William John and Alvina (Robinson) Fairbanks. Ralph was raised in Bena and Duluth and graduated from Hermantown High School in 1967. He earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts from University of Minnesota Duluth in 1978. Ralph worked as a founding instructor of the Ojibwe language program at the University... Full story
David E. Myllymaa Sr., 77, of Cloquet passed away Saturday, March 14, 2020, at the Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet. He was born May 20, 1942, to Einar and June (Mullen) Myllymaa in Cloquet. David was the owner/operator of numerous retail stores in the Cloquet area over the years. He was never afraid to give it a go when a new opportunity came his way. David enjoyed target practicing and shooting in his younger years, and he also found pleasure in gardening later in life. David was... Full story
Clinton Robert Hawkinson, 94, of Superior, Wisconsin, and formerly of Scanlon, passed away peacefully Friday, March 20, 2020 at Twin Ports Health Service in Superior. A private family funeral service will be held March 27. A future celebration and memorial of Clint’s life will be planned. Arrangements by Atkins Northland Funeral Home.... Full story
CAT7 TV must have at least seven lives. Following a year (2019) when the community access television channel was black almost as much as it was broadcasting, the station is black again following the dismissal of its only remaining employee on March 5. Cable coordinator Eric Lipponen was present and the subject of a closed meeting with the Cloquet city council that night. Immediately after the meeting was reopened, councilors voted unanimously to terminate Lipponen's employment with the city, on...
At approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 21, Carlton County dispatch received a call from a resident in the 3100 block of Maple Drive in Sawyer, stating that their neighbor's seasonal cabin was on fire. First arriving law enforcement personnel noted visible flames and smoke coming from the structure. The property owner was notified of the fire and confirmed that nobody was at the cabin. There was extensive damage but the exact amount wasn't immediately known. The incident remains under...
The Kettle River Christmas tree lights have been turned on again to provide a light of hope during these darkening days of the coronavirus pandemic. The Ma ’n’ Pa Kettle Days committee, with the electrical support of the Federated Co-op of Kettle River, have made this possible. The lights will remain on through the Easter season. The idea of putting up lights has been spreading throughout the nation, according to news reports. Duluth has bathed its iconic Enger Tower in purple light this week. Last year’s Ma ’n’ Pa Kettle Days parade grand mar...
The United Way of Carlton County created an emergency fund called the COVID-19 Local Relief Fund to provide immediate support for Carlton County residents who need basic, everyday survival items by sending grocery cards through the mail to families who request help. United Way director Ali Bilden Camps said people requesting help can fill out a short form on the website at www.unitedwaycarlton county.org. Call 218-879-8404 if you don’t have internet access. The COVID-19 Local Relief Fund is open and accepting donations. To donate, text U... Full story
The Cloquet-based Community Access Television channel, CAT7, has taken some big hits in recent months. Its broadcast services were off the air for most of 2019 before being restored late in the year. And now, the station has “gone dark” once more. This comes at a time when our community needs every public resource available to provide critical local information about the current COVID-19 pandemic. If it is to become a real asset to our community in crisis, CAT7 must get back on the air. Now...
