News

An Explanation of the life of a home from abandonment to new inhabitants Housing issues in Lake County inevitably give rise to the question, why isn’t anyone living in the empty home down the street? No one likes to see abandoned living spaces, especially through the winter. One of two things is happening if a home is abandoned: it is foreclosed, which is when mortgage payments go unpaid, or it is tax-forfeit, which is land that has been forfeited to the state due to unpaid taxes.

Friday, April 7 “Morning News and Conversation” at the TH Public Library from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Good Friday Service at Bethlehem Lutheran at 1:00 p.m.

Expanding the tiny but mighty community radio station in Two Harbors into a more robust version of itself is well under way. With approval by the FCC to pursue building out from a low-power to a full-power noncommercial station the three-year plan has moved through a new phase with the work of a consultant hired to map out the steps toward that goal.

Introduction by Morris Manning, editor Friends of the Tettegouche State Park newsletter: As much as many of us enjoy, or even revel in, in winter, the urge to once again experience the warm breezes of spring, the smell of fresh rain, aroma of flowers and greening of the landscape grows increasingly insistent. Before we leave winter behind mentally, let’s take a look at one of nature’s marvelous adaptations to winter, the Snow Bunting, as well as its vulnerability to a warming climate.

Minnesotans eager to preserve the vitality of our hunting legacy will be glad to know that Lake County actively partners with non-profit agencies and others to do just that. The Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment, which became law in Minnesota in 2008, has been providing funds to, among other things, “protect, enhance, and restore wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat.” Agencies or non-profits can apply for these funds through a competitive process. The Ruffed Grouse Society in its 60-year history has learned, according to Scott Johnson, Forest Conservation Coordinator for the Ruffed Grouse/ American Woodcock Society, that the best way to maintain and preserve populations of ruffed grouse and other hunted species is to enhance forest health in general. In the past, Legacy funds have been used for large-scale land acquisition from companies like Potlatch that were divesting large tracts of lands. Public land acquisitions like this allow state and county land agencies to improve health and efficiency for wildlife and other purposes.

Elevated levels of sulfate are present in waters downstream from utility plants and mining operations. Learn why this is concerning at a free panel presentation that will explain how this chemical compound impacts wild rice, human health and the ecosystems of northern Minnesota.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) older adults face unique challenges in today’s healthcare ecosystem. Whether due to access issues, previous poor experiences and/or trauma related to healthcare providers or a system simply not set up to serve our aging population regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, the barriers to care for LGBTQ older adults can feel overwhelming to patients, the patients’ loved ones and healthcare providers themselves. Rajean Moone, PhD, LNHA, LALD, FGSA, with the College of Continuing & Professional Studies, the School of Public Health and the Minnesota Northstar Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), discusses how older adults, older adults’ loved ones and healthcare providers can work together to ensure LGBTQ older adults are receiving high quality care. Q: What are health risks for LGBTQ older adults?