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
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 31
The dining hall and kitchen at Cloquet's Zion Lutheran Church were filled with the Christmas spirit Sunday, as volunteers and community members came together to celebrate. Joanne Lehrke was dressed for the occasion, wearing an elf hat to top off her red and green Christmas sweater as she enjoyed some antipasti with Mae Line and Lillian Abrahamson, in advance of the ham dinner. Abrahamson couldn't believe how much food was on offer. "This is the Italian way," said Rosa Johnson, whose husband,...
As 2022 came to a close, Rep. Mike Sundin left the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul one last time on Wednesday. But not before the Esko Democrat cleared out his office after 10 years as a representative for District 11A. "I'm going back to help Mary Murphy pack up, and that's going to be tough," Sundin said of his fellow DFL lawmaker and longtime friend. "I'll be helping her vacate an office she's held for 46 years. But it's a changing of the guard." It's been that kind of year throughout...
Kermit Nielsen of Cloquet had some interesting recollections spurred by the Dec. 16 History Mystery item about a pulpwood fire at Northwest Paper in April of 1963. News reports at the time said a lightning strike may have been the genesis of the fire, though there was no definitive cause of the fire that ate up at least 11,000 cords of wood. The loss was recorded as $250,000, or $2.4 million in today's dollars. Kermit said the lightning explanation may have been a ruse to recoup losses through i...
The wet snowstorm that fell on the region two weeks ago - causing many headaches with power outages - was followed by subzero temperatures and howling winds just before Christmas, making for slick roads. There were a handful of crashes around the region leading into the holiday weekend. Because of the conditions, most drivers were going slowly enough to avoid any serious injuries. Expected power outages caused by blizzard-strength winds did not materialize as winds kicked up on Dec. 22 and into...
What a difference a year makes. Last December, nearly two dozen upset Thomson Township residents attended the Cloquet Area Fire District truth-in-taxation hearing, many of them to address the board about a more than 300-percent increase in their proposed ambulance taxes. This month’s fire district truth-in-taxation hearing saw only four audience members, with only one — former CAFD board member Eric Rish — from Thomson Township. While Rish used the Dec. 8 meeting to ask several questions about how other communities supplement coverage of ambul...
The 2022 Christmas Lighting Challenge results are in and the community has chosen their favorite homes and businesses in Duluth, Superior, Cloquet and Hermantown. Hundreds of votes are in and over 10,000 people viewed the online map leading up to the holiday. The favorite Christmas City award went to Duluth, not surprisingly. In Cloquet and the surrounding area, the home winner was Anthony Gist, 327 Freeman Road, for his “Christmas in the Country” display. The business winner was Lakehead Harvest Hayrides, at 70 East St. Louis River Road, in...
All Carlton County offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 2, in observance of the New Year’s Day holiday. This includes County Courthouse offices, County Government Services Building, County Transportation Department, Human Services, Public Health, Motor Vehicle License Bureau, Veterans Service Office, and the University of Minnesota Extension Service. The Hwy 210 Transfer Station will be closed on Sunday, Jan. 1, and open on Monday, Jan. 2....
The Pine Knot News office at 122 Avenue C in Cloquet will be closed Monday, in observance of the New Year’s Day holiday, reopening Tuesday for normal business hours....
This month’s snowstorm that dropped heavy, wet snow across much of the state has significantly affected ice conditions, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Slush adds weight to the ice and its effects can be unpredictable. In some areas, slushy conditions are impacting travel on the ice, while in others — especially where ice was in the early stages of forming — the conditions are not adequate to support ice shelters and vehicles, resulting in breakthroughs. When on the ice, people should check the thickness for thems...
Holiday greenery and Christmas trees bring joy throughout the season, but they can also hide dangerous hitchhikers. Diseases and invasive species can make their way into our landscapes on trees and boughs brought into Minnesota from other states. To protect the environment, the state of Minnesota is asking residents to properly dispose of greenery and trees after the holiday season. The best option is to bring trees to a designated dropoff site. After removing ornaments, lights, stands and bags, Carlton County residents can dispose of trees...
A fire in rural Cloquet has left North State Services garbage haulers - often referred to as "the one with the pink bins" - scrambling, but determined. "We take it day by day," said Lynnette Hansen, who owns the company alongside her husband, Gerald. "We're trying to do the best we can. We're trying to service our customers. We're not concentrating on anything else but our customers right now." The fire to the company's shop and garage at 7018 Maple Grove Road started at 10 p.m. Dec. 21, and...
Budget discussions for the 2023 Carlton County fiscal year finally culminated at the board of commissioners on Tuesday, Dec. 27 with a 4-0 vote for a 6.55-percent increase in the county’s property tax levy. Commissioner Tom Proulx was absent. A preliminary 6.9-percent levy increase was set in September. As has been the case the last few years, the preliminary tax levy has been reduced when the final decision is made in late December. Chairman Gary Peterson noted that he had asked that the levy proposal reflect cuts in funding for new staff h...
Cloquet High School head football coach Jeff Ojanen faces a pair of impaired driving charges filed Tuesday in Sixth District Court in Carlton. Ojanen had been arrested and finger-printed by Cloquet police early in the morning on Dec. 23 and was later charged with driving while intoxicated. Cloquet Public Schools superintendent Michael Cary confirmed the incident, and said district administration planned to review details and “address the situation when we return from (holiday) break.” Ojanen, a math teacher, declined to comment when rea...
The following are select new laws passed during the 2022 session — and one from 2021 — of the Minnesota Legislature that take effect Jan. 1. Commerce • Annuity sales law updates best interest standards in annuity sales to help protect consumers, especially older adults. Insurers may not put their financial interests ahead of the consumer. When recommending an annuity, insurance agents should follow revised National Association of Insurance Commissioners standards, satisfying four conduct obligations: care, disclosure, conflict of inter...
County commissioners set the salary rates, per-diems, meal reimbursements and mileage for the next year at its final regular meeting of the year Tuesday. Department heads, confidential, and other non-union employees received a 2.75-percent increase in their wages for 2023. Sheriff Kelly Lake’s salary was set at $131,352 for 2023 based on a 40-hour work week at $63.15/hour. The county attorney, Lauri Ketola, the only other county elected official, was set at $144,227 at $69.34/hour based on a 40-hour work week. Peterson originally made a m...
Minnesota's environmental review process will now require developers of new highways, industrial plants, livestock feedlots and large housing developments to calculate their project's carbon footprint and consider how to reduce their impact on the climate. Climate activists say the changes, which have been in the works since 2019, are long overdue. "This is a really big deal for Minnesota," said Amelia Vohs, regulatory attorney for the nonprofit Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, which... 
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'Tis the season for making, at least at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. While school was not in session, the Thirteen Moons Extension Program, Ashi-Niswi Giizisoog, and the Environmental Institute at FDLTCC hosted several fun events for community members. Attendees learned how to make handmade tortillas and tamales, along with birch bark drum ornaments during events over the last month. Next up for the extension program is the 2023 Gichi Manidoo Giizis Traditional PowWow Jan. 13-14 at...
As a hyper-local newspaper, the Pine Knot News is a lean and keen newspaper. There are no unnecessary additives or sweeteners in the product you enjoy each week. And that includes the back of the paper, often filled with public notices. These notices are the key to open government and an informed public. Yes, publishing them at a cost helps keep the lights on here at the office, but they also serve a valuable service to readers. Newspapers have fought hard in recent years against the idea that notices should be self-published by government...
Stroke. I never thought I'd be speaking from experience, but I had a stroke on Oct. 7. It was frightening, but, so far, I haven't become disabled. While we're publishing more than two months later, I started typing this opening from my Duluth hospital bed. I hoped that if I shared what happened to me, and the knowledge I've gained, it could benefit other Carlton County residents. Stroke is one of the leading causes of American deaths following cardiac incidents. Can it be eliminated? Probably no...
George E. Hughes, 96, passed away Dec. 23, 2022, at New Perspective in Cloquet. He was born Jan. 24, 1926, in Crow Wing, the son of Loren and Ellen (Kile) Hughes. George had resided in the Cloquet area since 1950, and worked for the Conwed Corp. and was a member of the Conwed 25 Year Club. He was a former member of the Solway Township volunteer fire department, and of Hope Lutheran Church in Munger, where he served as a trustee for many years. George enjoyed square dancing, old-time dancing,...
Cheri Crane, 92, tap danced her way to heaven to sing with the angels on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022. She was born Nov. 15, 1930, in Aitkin County, the second of five girls. She grew up in the Kimberly and McGregor area. She will be fondly remembered as such a sweet lady with a beautiful smile and graciousness, politeness and kindness that we should all aspire to have in our lifetime. Her love of family, sunshine, flowers, dance and music were a constant in her life. Her God-given talent in singing...
Lois Marie Johnson passed away Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022, after a 10-year courageous battle with cancer, surrounded by her family. She was born April 22, 1952, in Duluth, the second daughter of Oscar and Ailie Sunnarborg. Lois graduated from Cloquet High School in 1970, and married the love of her life, Ronald Leslie Johnson, on Dec. 16, 1972. Although Lois had aspirations of having a career, once she had children, her purpose in life changed to being a stay-at-home mother. Once Derek and Natalie...
Randall "Randy" D. Luing, 71, of Cloquet passed away in his home on Dec. 25, 2022. He was born May 18, 1951, in Mahtowa, the son of Kenneth and Isabelle (Patton) Luing. Randy graduated from Moose Lake High School and worked as a registered nurse for Miller Dwan Hospital and Essentia. He was an avid Minnesota sports fan, especially the Minnesota Vikings and Twins. Randy enjoyed bowling in leagues and with his brothers, going to tournaments throughout Minnesota, and had bowled a perfect 300 game....
Vernon Johnsen Jr. Dec. 30, 1957 - Dec. 27, 2022 Vernon Johnsen Jr., 64, Carlton, Minn., died Tuesday, Dec. 27, in his home. Visitation: 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, January 5, 2023 at St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Esko. Visitation will continue from 10:00 a.m. until the 11:00 a.m. funeral service, Friday, January 6, 2023 also at the church. Burial will be in St. Matthews Cemetery in Esko. A luncheon will follow in the church fellowship hall. Arrangements entrusted to Atkins Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th Street, Cloquet. To sign the...
Laura Mills Anderson was ordained Dec. 17, surrounded by friends, family and an extended church community who came together at Cloquet's Zion Lutheran Church to celebrate with joyful ceremony the next step in her journey. Zion was the church home to her and her parents Mike and Kathy Mills, and siblings Rachel and Dayle, while she was growing up, and later when she was the youth director there for several years before going to seminary. Asked when she knew she wanted to be something in the...
