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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Families who desire their children graduate with a Catholic education now will have that option in Cloquet, following the arrival of a high school program beginning this fall. Mater Dei Apostolate is moving from Duluth into the Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Cloquet at 102 Fourth St. "The idea that now in this area we can offer our people access to pre-K through 12th grade Catholic education is something I'm excited about," Father Nick Nelson said. "You want to be able to provide what you... Full story
When Justin Harriman went to check on the hockey arena over Memorial Day weekend, he knew immediately something wasn't quite right. "I went in and checked on things and found an issue with the ice plant," said Harriman, the facilities manager and association director for the Cloquet Amateur Hockey Association, which operates both the Northwoods Credit Union Arena and the older Pine Valley Arena next door. He got on the phone to Jay Koenig from Gartner Refrigeration. "After they were able to get...
While the drought is taking its toll on lawns, frequent irrigation is keeping the berry plants at Spectrum Farm Strawberries healthy. There are plenty of flowers offering a hint of a good crop. Farm operator Steve Schulstrom anticipates that picking will not begin until July....
A dramatic emergency landing on Interstate 35 last week did no damage to the plane or the pilot, Daniel Blace of Saginaw. The emergency landing on the northbound lanes of Interstate 35 between Barnum and Mahtowa took place around 1 p.m. Friday, June 16. After landing successfully, Blace drove the plane off the interstate and into the ditch. The pilot, who was alone in the plane, told the Pine Knot News it was a forced landing. "The engine quit. You can't stay in the air when that happens," he... Full story
It’s a dynamic time at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, where the church at 612 12th St. in Cloquet is undergoing a capital campaign and a search for a permanent pastor. The results of the capital campaign are already in bloom, as contractors work to replace the roof over the fellowship hall. “It’s more than 20 years old and we’ve had a couple of leaks,” Larson said. The roof is one of several roofs that make up the church located across from Washington Elementary School. The church is looking to raise $200,000 to cover the costs, said member Ja...
The Esko Historical Society announced summer hours for the Esko Museum (12 W. Highway 61) this week. The museum will be open from 2-5 p.m. on Sundays throughout July and August. Admission is free and donations are accepted. A historical society meeting will be 4 p.m. July 20 at Thomson Township Hall (25 Harney Road). Visitors are encouraged to attend.... Full story
Emerging farmers looking to purchase their first farm will soon have another opportunity to apply for grant funding to support their efforts. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Rural Finance Authority has announced that a second round of funding for the Down Payment Assistance Grant Program will open for applications on July 1....
On Monday, June 12, the Esko school board heard a presentation from the Esko Hockey Association about hosting the Esko Fun Days street dance at the district’s sports complex next to the football field. The hockey group is looking to relocate the event, away from the parking lot at the firehall out of concern for the safety of those walking across the street in the dark, the blocking off of access to the hall, and noise issues. The board was hesitant to consider allowing an event with alcohol sales to be held on school property. “I’m a littl...
The elementary education program at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College will host its first Ed Fest on June 26. With a theme of “Bringing Indigenous Teachings into the Classroom,” the Ed Fest will include presentations and workshops for educators throughout the day and a free community feast in the evening. The keynote speaker, James Vukelich, will talk about the Seven Grandfather Teaching. Teacher of the Year Sarah Lancaster will also speak. For more information about Ed Fest 2023, visit https://link.fdltcc.edu/EdFest2023. Educators wil...
Current and former Esko football players will host a special youth football camp next week for boys and girls in grades K-8. The camp is open to kids from around the county. The camp features three sessions every day from Monday, June 26, to Friday, June 30, at the Esko football field. Group 1: ages K-3 and meets 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Group 2: grades 4-6 and meets 12:30-1:45 p.m. Group 3: grades 7-8 and meets 2-3:15 p.m. The camp will be hosted by future and current collegiate athletes who have helped develop and lead Esko’s football program to b... Full story
The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities named Anita Hanson to serve as president of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College on June 21, effective immediately. Hanson has served as interim president since her predecessor, Stephanie Hammitt, passed away in November. "Anita navigated the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College community through an immensely difficult time with empathy and grace," said Devinder Malhotra, chancellor of Minnesota State. "Anita's...
Carlton County's $75 million justice center is 28-percent complete, jail administrator Paul Coughlin told Carlton County Commissioners at the June 13 meeting. Crews are putting in 2,000 hours each week on average. The wells for the ground-source heating and cooling pumping system are all drilled and the piping into the building is done, Coughlin said. The insulation and the rubber roof is installed, with most areas covered with wash rock to hold the rubber in place. Overall, the highest-cost ite...
Visitors have said words can't really describe what it's like to camp at Allure of the Woods Rustic Retreat in Carlton, but they use the guestbook to try their best: "A cozy, peaceful getaway." "We made memories here." "(It) made me feel like a kid in a really sweet way." "You have sparked our love for nature." For proprietor Denise Coleman Lyng, the words fill her with joy. "My heart's desire is to have a place people can come to feel like it's private, feel like it's safe, and embrace what's... Full story
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced Wednesday that it has received a proposal from Talon Metals for a nickel mining project near the Carlton County and Aitkin County border. The proposed project, known as the Tamarack Nickel Mine, would involve construction of an underground mine and supporting facilities approximately 1.5 miles north of Tamarack in Aitkin County, 36 miles west of Cloquet and six miles from Wright in far western Carlton County. The project would have an 80-acre footprint on the surface that would include an...
One driver's failure to yield caused a four-car crash Monday morning, at the busy intersection of Minnesota Highway 33 and Cloquet Avenue in Cloquet. Two people were transported to a hospital with minor injuries, said Cloquet Area Fire District battalion chief Michael Garberg. According to the call for service report from the Cloquet Police Department, Gerald Koslowski, 62, failed to yield while making a left turn onto Cloquet Avenue from southbound Highway 33, causing the four-vehicle crash,...
With the appointment of new police officer Jacob Bubb at Tuesday’s Cloquet City Council meeting, the Cloquet Police Department is nearly at full strength — 24 sworn police officers — after being decimated by a wave of disability retirements several years ago. Police chief Derek Randall said Bubb was the top candidate, and will be a good fit for the department, which he said is young and passionate about community policing. Bubb was born and raised in Esko, and attended Hibbing Community College to get his degree in law enforcement. He is close...
In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the Carlton school board ratified a letter from superintendent John Engstrom the ended with the firing of American Indian Education coordinator Kevin Kot, who had been with the district for close to three years. Ratification of the document was a part of the consent agenda, a portion of the meeting reserved for actions with no debate. Of the five active board members, four voted. Eryn Szymczak was absent. When asked for a copy of the letter the board endorsed, board chair Julianne Emerson said it was not available....
I sure learned a lot at the two town hall meetings I held in Moose Lake and Scanlon earlier this month. The big issues, such as abortion rights, gun restrictions and taxes were not the top priority for most people. No, much of the discussion revolved around trains, lunch, and jails. (There were a few conspiracy theories bantered about, but that was mostly just for fun.) That passenger train line we are about to build from Minneapolis to Duluth sure drew the ire of conservatives and liberals both... Full story
Farming teaches you that nothing stays the same. Everything is in flux. In early spring in Minnesota (meaning it's still winter), we look for any signs that spring might be coming. As the bird migration begins, we keep a list of the different warblers and other migrating birds passing through our farm. As the days grow warmer, we welcome the return of the birds who spend the summer nesting and raising young at the farm: the tree swallows occupy the nesting boxes along our fence; the bobolinks... Full story
A few months ago, one of our librarians noticed that some of our children's books were taken off a display and randomly placed in the different areas of the children's bookshelves. Sometimes they were placed backwards so we couldn't see the spine labels or hidden behind other books. Other times they were replaced with children's bibles. Those books were exclusively Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ (LGBTQ+-inclusive titles.) June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Pride is a joyful celebration of... Full story
Again this year, the Dugan family and friends host two nights of films in their Wrenshall barn. I’ve been enjoying this year’s slate of films on my computer. I can’t review them all in this slim column, but I’m sharing my favorites. The most spectacular is “Finding Her Beat,” a film made by Japanese, Canadian and American women learning and performing Taiko, a Japanese male art form that combines dance movements with banging a large vertical drum. The film opens with a Korean adoptee rai... Full story
When AJ Kazel applied the tag on the runner for the final out of the state championship game last week, the Esko senior first baseman knew exactly what his next steps would be. "I put that ball in my back pocket," said Kazel. "And all I wanted to do was go celebrate." Rushing to the mound with his Esko teammates, celebrate they did as the Eskomos earned the school's first ever baseball state title June 16 with a 9-0 shutout over Perham in last Friday's Class AA state championship game at St.... Full story
Reflections. After their fifth-straight boys Section 7AA golf championship and Minnesota Class AA state tournament appearance, Cloquet head coach Aaron Young and senior captain Karson Patten shared their thoughts on the reasons and maybe even secrets of the team's success. Young, a Cloquet golf alumnus himself, has been the coach since 2020. "We've been fortunate at Cloquet to have a string of gifted and dedicated student athletes who also happened to have a passion for golf. It became a pride... Full story
The Minnesota Wilderness drafted 13 players and added another through a trade in the 2023 NAHL Draft held last week. The new additions include one goaltender, seven forwards and six defensemen. Eleven of those acquired hail from the USA, while the team also brought in one each from Switzerland, Latvia, and Canada. Goaltender Loris Uberti from Martigny, Switzerland, became the Wilderness’ first pick when he was selected 14th overall in the first round. The Wilderness acquired that pick from Anchorage due to a trade completed last February. At ju... Full story
A wonderful worship event was held at the Cromwell Pavilion Saturday, sponsored by the United Methodist Church in Cromwell. More than 200 people attended, including 100 folks at the worship service and meal. A dance followed, with many more in attendance. We thank God for over 100 years of ministry to the community from the Cromwell United Methodist church. The community club will be having a special meeting to plan for this year’s Harvest Festival. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, J...
