North Shore News Hour

Community members gathered on the Cook County courthouse on Monday, May 28 for an observance of Memorial Day. About 80 people were in attendance under bright sunny skies. 

Commander Bob Mattson welcomed all and invited Liz Hall of Grand Marais forward to sing the National Anthem.  

Mattson introduced guest speakers -- Pastor Kris Garey of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hovland and School District 166 Counselor Kris Hoffman. Paster Garey shared an opening and closing prayer. Hoffman spoke of his time in the U.S. Army with the 1st Minnesota Division and the significant history of that unit. 

Commander Mattson then read names of veterans with connections to Cook County, in what he noted was "their final Roll Call." There were 32 names on the list. Each name was followed by a solemn peal of a bell and then two students from School District 166 played Taps in a stirring echo format.

WTIP's Rhonda Silence was there and she shares this report. 

After years of operating the Waters Edge Trading Post in Tofte, Jeanne Rysdahl has stepped down. The new owner is Hans Krengel, who has been at the helm since February. 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence talked with Krengel about his new role as owner of Waters Edge. 

Housing is an ongoing issue in the community and rental housing is in short supply. The Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority partnered with One Roof Housing on a workforce rental project west of the Arrowhead Cooperative in Lutsen.

Rhonda Silence spoke with  Cliff Knettel of One Roof Housing to learn the latest on the Lutsen housing project.

For more information about this and other EDA projects, visit prosperitynorth.com.
 

The National Weather Service offers training for volunteers who are interested in being part of the Skywarn program. The next opportunity for training is Monday, May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Cook County Community Center in Grand Marais.

Anyone can become a Skywarn spotter for the National Weather Service. No special equipment is needed and each training session lasts up to two hours.

Participants will learn about detection and reporting of life-threatening thunderstorms, large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes. This includes information on types of clouds associated with severe weather, funnels, and rotation.

There are about 2,000 Skywarn spotters across the Northland who report to the National Weather Service.
This local training is sponsored by Cook County Emergency Management.
 

A new nonprofit has formed in Cook County, a "friends of avaition" organization, the Arrowhead Eagles.

The group welcomes anyone interested in flying--or anyone who hasn't seen the Cook County Airport since its recent renovation--to an Open House at the airport on Saturday, May 19. The Open House starts at 3 p.m. and continues with a gathering at Skyport Lodge at 5 p.m. 

Rhonda Silence learns more about Arrowhead Eagles in this interview with local pilot, Mike Raymond.   
 

"Celebrate Recovery," is a national faith-based program aimed at helping people find healing from addiction and other "hurts and hang-ups." There is a vibrant Celebrate Recovery group in Duluth and recently some Grand Marais residents started a group here in Grand Marais.

Sponsored by the Evangelical Free Church, the group gathers every Thursday night, starting with a dinner at 5 p.m. 

Rhonda Silence spoke with two of the organizers, Inger Andress and Cory Wilson, to learn more. 
 

The School District 166 school board has a very full agenda for its May 17 meeting–the board will hear an update on bond projects such as the culinary arts and science rooms and will consider curriculum budgets for physical education, music, and culinary arts.

Renaming the School District 166 gym is once again on the agenda. In the board packet is a letter from Michael McHugh, president of the Cook County Education Association, requesting that the school district dub the gym as the Pam Taylor Gymnasium.

McHugh pointed out that it would be fitting to honor her legacy as a coach, teacher, mentor and colleague, cancer survivor and friend in this way. The association added that it would be especially meaningful if the designation were announced at this year’s commencement exercises.

According to the agenda, the board will review and possibly approve updates to its Indian Policies and Procedures.

A number of personnel matters are on the agenda, including accepting resignations of four paraprofessionals, Bruce Johnson, Jennifer Sutton, Erin Petz and Anna Ross. According to their resignation letters, all appreciated the opportunity to work at the school. Petz is leaving to pursue her Master’s degree in education at the College of St. Scholastica.

Johnson and Sutton both expressed interest in sometimes serving as substitutes if the school wanted them to do so.

Other personnel matters include possible hiring of Megan Trumper as school counselor; Autumn Hood as early childhood special education teacher, Mila Horak as art teacher; Andy Feddema as social studies teacher; Sharon Van Ruiswyk as special education paraprofessional and Amanda Biehl as language arts teacher.

The board will also talk about how – or if – it will be involved with the city and county’s plans for trails from the Sawtooth Bluffs area to the Cook County YMCA on school grounds.   

Again, the School District 166 school board meets May 17 in the Jane Mianowski Conference Room at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts. The meeting convenes at 5 p.m., starting with a brief time for public comment at the start of the meeting.
 
 

There has been a great deal of activity on the site of the former Tomteboda Motel, later known as Gateway Motel, over the last year. The City of Grand Marais cleared and constructed its new public works facility at the site. Many of the former motel units were sold and removed from the lot. And at the end of April, local fire departments conducted a controlled burn exercise in the remaining units. 

Community members are now wondering what will happen at the site. WTIP's Rhonda Silence talked to Grand Marais Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux to find out more. 

With all the crazy weather we’ve had this year, cloud watching has been good for seeking weather clues. WTIP’s Jay Andersen talks with North Woods Naturalist Chel Anderson about clouds.
 

One of Cook County’s own, Brennan Hawkins, is opening a new business in Superior, Wisconsin. Hawkins is the operator of 100 Octane Aviation, an airplane maintenance and repair business near the Richard I. Bong International Airport.

There will be an Open House at 100 Octane Aviation, 4804 Hammond Avenue, Hanger A1, Superior, on Saturday, May 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to tours of his facility, in a nod to his hometown, Hawkins will be offering World's Best Donuts and Sydney's Frozen Custard. 

WTIP’s Rhonda Silence talks to him to learn more about his new venture.

Photo: Brennan Hawkins in Glenwood Springs, Colorado with a 1956 Cessna 182. Brennan completed the paint and interior work on the classic plane.