December 2022

Lake County Press Lake County Breaking News

Katya’s Corner

Around the Solstice, I always find myself in awe of the physical and mental endurance of all who lived here before electric light and central heating made it so cushy. This year I’ve been thinking of the Anishinaabe, or Ojibwe, people, who migrated from the north and east and settled when they found “food that grows out of the water.” Yes, the wild rice. If you have read “Wild Rice, a History” in this week’s Press you know that wild rice is a plant that is in danger of disappearing. The sulfate-turned-sulfide chemical process that occurs downstream of discharging plants is one cause of decline.

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Watershed management expands to Cloquet River headwaters

Tara Solem, District Manager of the Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District (Lake SWCD), was on hand at the Lake County board meeting on Tuesday, December 20 to update the board of commissioners on the St. Louis River and Cloquet River Watershed updates. In 2015, Minnesota moved from counties making decisions about all the watersheds encompassed in the county, to creating a “One Watershed, One Plan (1W1P)” entity for each watershed that would be the primary decision-making and watershed-maintaining organization. Since watersheds do not follow county lines, this approach was deemed more effective in maintaining and restoring natural watersheds. The St. Louis River and Cloquet Watersheds, combined into the Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (termed St Louis River 1W1P) has now been created but not yet adopted by each participating county. Since the request to adopt these watershed plans was on today’s Action agenda for the board, Solem was there to explain the plan and answer any questions the board might have about it. If the county does not adopt the “One Watershed One Plan” plan for these watersheds, it must come up with its own independent plan.

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Lake County Press Lake County Breaking News

Those little things at Cedar Coffee Company

It has been a little more than six years since one of the coolest coffee shops in the state opened up in Two Harbors, and now with many avid fans, the shop is entering a new phase. Erin Currier has been the manager since the inception of Cedar Coffee, and under her good guidance many happy customers have made Cedar their go-to stop for great coffee or a bite to eat. A simple menu carried out under Currier’s kindly eye and always with sustainable principles in mind has gained attention from locals and visitors alike. In a friendly atmosphere surrounded by art that draws one’s interest without being imposing, and intentionally nestled in cedar trees, creek and trails, Cedar Coffee has built a following that just continues to grow. Owner Kirsten Cruikshank says that it is a time for mixed feelings. She has appreciated Currier’s educational experience with a Master’s degree in nutrition that has kept an eye towards a healthy foods approach and locally sourced products as much as possible that has built the brand that is Cedar Coffee. “Erin’s leaving is super sad like it’s the end of an era, and she’s done such a wonderful job getting us started in the coffee shop,” said Cruikshank. Currier says she is leaving because she wants to have space to pursue her own ideas and dreams, but she appreciates the years with Cedar. “I am super grateful for my time here where the setting is peaceful and Dan and Kirsten are amazing, I’ve learned so much about work and life,” said Currier, whose final day at Cedar was last Tuesday.

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Lake County Press Lake County Breaking News

Knife River Julebyen by the numbers

Amazing that a dilapidated depot in danger of falling down 3 ½ years ago could greet 1,416 Julebyen train riders and board them for a total of 2,832 rider contacts! Plus keep them warm and serve them cocoa. The stats are in. The Julebyen Express brought 444 folks to the festival over the two-day event from Duluth. While here, the train carried 972 people in five scheduled trains to Troll Canyon in search of trolls. All trains departed and returned on schedule and all riders safely boarded and disembarked. Many thanks to the depot “Platform Agents” (I am learning Rail Road jargon) who sold the tickets and kept those arriving and departing from bumping into each other, and off the 24’ railroad right-of-way. Carolers, organized by Sam Black, welcomed Julebyen Express riders and sang at intervals throughout the festival. huge thanks to the North Shore Scenic Railroad for allowing the Julebyen Express to serve as Troll Trains during Julebyen at no cost to us!

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Lake County Press Lake County Breaking News

Is Julebyen becoming a Minnesota destination festival?

One could think so judging by the zip codes of the 444 who rode the Julebyen Express over the weekend. The North Shore Scenic Railroad shared the following info with the Knife River Historical &Cultural Center, and it is quite revealing. The stats within the colored slices of the pie chart may be too hard to read, so here they are: Amazing just over half lived 100 or more miles away. They may have been in the area for other reasons, of course, but nevertheless Julebyen was something they wanted to experience. People from out of the area spend money locally and that speaks well to the charge given the Knife River Historical & Cultural Center by the Rail Authority – that our activities support economic development.

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Northern Long-eared Bat protected under Endangered Species Act

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is making a last-ditch effort to keep the Northern Long-Eared bat from becoming extinct. The Service published a final rule on November 29, 2022, to reclassify the northern long-eared bat from “threatened” to “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act. The rule will go into effect on January 30, 2023.

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Lake County Press Lake County Breaking News

Masked Fan Speaks

Just how far can the Minnesota Vikings go this year? It is a question that a lot of Vikings fans avoid asking, or do not really wish to know the answer to. You see, we've been to the dance before. We've been left at the football altar. Along with some of the highs, this team has provided us with, the disappointments have been tremendous too. This club has had us hitting our heads on the ceiling of joy and smacking our chins on the floor of defeat. Sometimes in the same season.

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Runoff Report

Reluctant Editor’s note: Well, that snowstorm and then heavy winds sure put a hold on the Big Fire being prepared by Wind Fire Lady and the Dodd sisters, Lottie and Hubadeedoodle, also known as Doodles. The able-bodied among the throng for the Great March for Community Newspapers had been shoveling snow for the past two weeks and finally had the four little towns of Nickerson, Duquette, Kerrick and Bruno dug out and moving again.

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