Reprinted from the Northland Connection This December, the American Community Survey (ACS) released its 2021 five-year estimates. This data release offers the first glimpse into trends since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and provides some evidence on population trends that have long been subject to speculation.
While northlanders know that wild rice is a valuable natural resource, understanding how sulfate polluted waters impact its health can be complex. Emerging technologies to reduce sulfate in lakes and rivers may soon be available to clean water at an affordable cost.
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.
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.
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.
People do love their houseplants and are responsible for their survival. However, sometimes TLC (tender loving care) can turn into TMC (too much care) especially when it comes to watering. Overwatering or letting plants sit in water can result in root rot, yellowing leaves or a fungus gnat invasion.
According to the State Auditor’s office, the Grand Marais Municipal off-sale Liquor store reported $2,453,321 in sales for 2021, a 12.9 percent increase over 2020. Two Harbors, population 3,864, municipal off-sale took in $3,086,004; when factoring revenues versus expenses, only $1,832 was transferred to the city’s general fund.
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.
This little flying squirrel is my choice to 'post ' this week. We only get to see them at our feeder in the dark of winter when they never fail to light up our lives. I am hoping that some Lake County Press readers will follow my lead and 'post ' some of their favorite photos in the paper.
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!