More Madonna of the Ice Subscriber Irene Ronning called the Lake County Press this week to share what she remembered about the Madonna of the Ice. Ronning, “going on 89”, owns one of the photos that she thinks might be an original.
VA Travel Pay Reimbursement I recently wrote about a new invention, the internet, and the increasing popularity of online tools and services. If you read that article, then I hope you followed my recommendation and created your va.gov account.
It’s been said, “when life closes a door, just open it. It’s a door, that’s how they work.” Sue Bott at Re/Max Prodigy has been doing just that, not only for countless homeowners but for herself and the community as well. A Two Harbors grad, Bott wanted to be a teacher, but the door that opened for her was to an entirely different field. She attended an informational meeting about real estate sales and had her “a-ha!” moment. “I’ve never looked back,” Bott says. “I have been doing Real Estate for twenty-five years and I LOVE it.” Her motivation is in helping people make life-changing decisions. “People come to me during those life-changing moments. It may be the death of a loved one, marriage, divorce, a growing family… each is a life-changing event, and I love being a part of that and helping them.” She also helps out more than just through Real Estate. Bott is very active in the local Moose Lodge as the Vice President, and as Senior Regent for the women’s chapter. There she helps give back through hosting community events, donating to local charities, and helping others host events locally. Bott also is very active on the Winter Frolic Committee and donates to THHS Agate Pride, Lakeview National Golf Course, Two Harbors Area Food Shelf, the Lake County DAC, and is active in other events in Lake County. When asked why community involvement is so important, she responds, “The only way to get things done is if you get involved and get them done.”
In a new work experience program the Lake Superior School District is connecting high school students with job experiences that are more than just a paycheck. Superintendent Jay Belcastro says that everywhere he goes he hears the drumbeat of need for more workers and more housing in Lake County.
There is good news on the housing front in Lake County. A shortage of nearly every kind of housing has been an ongoing problem but efforts in both Two Harbors and Silver Bay may ease the crunch in the next few years. In Silver Bay, the city’s Economic Development Agency (EDA) and the Lake County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) have been working to bring an affordable income apartment complex to a site on Penn Blvd. The city had also been offering subsidies to individuals interesting in building in town and the idea of housing near the golf course has been bandied about. In Two Harbors, an affordable senior apartment project has gained traction under the watchful eye of the city’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and the recent news that One Roof Community Housing out of Duluth will work with the Lake County HRA to bring affordable homes to empty lots in the city.
Soccer has been a favorite summer activity of Silver Bay and Two Harbors students for years. The kids are able to exercise, see friends, and experience the fulfillment of participating in a team sport. Normally, this experience would come to an end in early September, but not this year!
A public hearing in Two Harbors had over a dozen speakers opposed to a proposed townhome and restaurant development on Lighthouse Point, bringing to mind the fight to stop development there almost 20 years ago.
