North Shore News Hour

On February 5, the Cook County Republican Party held its county convention via Zoom. At that meeting, the local GOP elected Trent Spry of Hovland to serve as its chair--the youngest person to take on that position in Minnesota.
 

Spry is a 2020 graduate of Cook County High School, who has joined the Minnesota Air National Guard, assigned to the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth. Spry is currently completing Air Force training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. 
 

When he returns to Minnesota, he plans to go to college in the Duluth area so he will be able to take part in his Guard training, as well as fulfill the role as Cook County's GOP chair. 
 

Spry agreed to speak to WTIP Community Radio from Texas to talk about why he decided to become involved with politics as a Republican. He said while he doesn't agree entirely with all issues in the Republican Party platform, he agrees with "99 percent of them." 
 

Spry also shared his thoughts on the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and about the results of the 2020 election.  Spry firmly stated, "I think it was totally unacceptable."
 

Spry added that he does not know anyone who is a "true Republican" who has supported the people who stormed the Capitol. 
 

Spry also talked about this summer's visit to Cook County by Minnesota GOP Chair Jennifer Carnahan, sharing his thoughts on some of Carnahan's comments at that gathering. 
 

WTIP asked Spry for his thoughts on the wearing of masks at Republican events, about the unrest that followed the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police, about mining, and about the pro-life/pro-choice debate. 
 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence talked with Spry in Texas about all this. Here's their conversation. 

The city of Grand Marais met on January 27 and the meeting included
a lot of discussion of walking, biking, and snowmobiling.
 

Andrea Orest, the local State Health Improvement Program (SHIP) representative joined the city's Zoom meeting to talk about active living matters. 
 

The council heard an update on the city's "Bike Friendly Community" status. Grand Marais currently has a "silver" rating in the program. The city agreed to renew its participation in the program, which does not cost anything to the city. It is basically another way to promote the city as a welcoming municipality. 
 

Orest also gave an update on the Safe Routes to School Plan, which has been somewhat stymied by the COVID-19 pandemic and distance learning. Orest gave a historical overview of the program and reminded the council that the local SRTS goals are to grow opportunities for all students to walk or bike to school safely. She shared data from a parent survey about student walking/biking behavior and shared information on the various programs that have been conducted in the past, such as the Walking School Bus, May Birke Rodeo, Walking Wednesdays, and more. The council passed a motion to continue to work with the Safe Routes to School team. 

Snowmobile club responds to trail reroute

Added to the agenda was a discussion of the snowmobile trail entering Grand Marais along the Gunflint Trail. This was a continuation begun at the last council meeting in response to a business owner's concerns about a change to the snowmobile route. The business owner asked the council to revisit the change made during the recent Highway 61 work. At that time, it was decided that the snowmobile route would be moved to the lower (south) side of Highway 61. 
 

There was discussion amongst council members who said they were not aware that the change had been made to move the snowmobile trail into the city to the lower side of the highway. The council considered the difficulty of using the lower side and about potential confusion about this change without public information. Councilor Kelly Swearingen said she would like to hear from the Cook County RidgeRiders Snowmobile Club about this. 
 

The snowmobile club responded with a letter, confirming the concerns of the business owner. The club said it was unaware of the change and asked the city to return to the original layout that they say has worked for years. 
 

They gave a number of reasons, noting that the snowmobile trail groomers are nine feet wide--wider than the path they are supposed to take, which is 8.5 feet wide. The club said, in addition, there are mailboxes and signs on that route that would further hinder grooming. 
 

The club expressed concern that snowmobile use on the lower side, on the new concrete path could damage the sidewalk. 

In the letter, the snowmobile club noted that it had been using the north side of the highway, packing it for snowmobiles and foot traffic for over 15 years with no known accidents. The club shared concern about snowmobilers passing at the corner of the Gunflint and Highway 61 where the 40 mile per hour zone begins. They said it is not safe for snowmobiles to cross at that point. Snowmobiles have historically crossed inside the city proper where there is a lower speed limit and both motorists and snowmobilers are more aware. 
 

The club wrote, "The multi-use path should be for multi-use. The sidewalk should be used as a sidewalk."  
 

The council thanked the snowmobile club for getting back to them and agreed to leave the snowmobile route where it has been in the past for this year at least. It was agreed more discussion was needed, including a conversation on signage to help snowmobilers know where they are supposed to travel. 

Zoning ordinance changes available online

At the last city council meeting in 2020, the city council gave its final reading of changes to the city's ordinance on residential housing. That was the final step in a years-long process looking at the residential areas in Grand Marais and subsequent changes to density, lot setbacks, and more. The zoning changes were approved unanimously. 
 

At this January meeting, the board discussed how to distribute the information as required by law. The city must publish ordinance updates in the legal newspaper, including all pages of the ordinance, not just the pages on which changes had been made. The council acknowledged the length of the ordinance and noted that it would be very expensive to do so. The council instead decided to publish a summary which then directs readers to the city website for the full ordinance. The city will also have copies available for viewing at city hall. The summary of the ordinance changes was reviewed and approved unanimously. 

A copy of the Grand Marais residential zoning ordinance can be seen here. 

Still vacancies on Planning Commission, Library Board

The council again reviewed commissions and boards that need citizen representation. Ben Peters submitted his name for one of the vacancies on the Planning and Zoning Commission. He was appointed to that seat. 
 

There is still another vacancy on Planning and Zoning as well as one position on the Grand Marais Library Board. 

The next council meeting will be Wednesday, February 10 at 6:30 p.m. The agenda for that meeting can be seen here. 

**This article was corrected on February 8. Statewide Health Improvement Partnership Coordinator Andrea Orest was seeking renewal of "Silver" status in the Bike Friendly City program. 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence spoke with Grand Marais Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux after the council meeting to learn more. 

When the Lutsen township candidate filing deadline passed on January 12, there was no name on the ballot for a three-year supervisor seat. A call went out to citizens, asking someone to consider running as a write-in. Chris Homyak decided to take on the task. 
 

Homyak said he had been thinking about running but was conferring with family before deciding to seek the supervisor seat. 
 

Homyak is already very busy, having recently purchased the Clearview building. He also recently became a member of the Cook County Chamber. 
 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence talked to Homyak about his decision to run in this interview. 

There are hundreds of people in the Northland who donate blood on a regular basis. Some of those generous folks also go an additional step and donate plasma, which is used in a number of medical therapies--in emergencies, for cancer patients and those with bleeding disorders. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, another use has been developed--convalescent plasma. 
 

The antibodies from convalescent plasma--which is plasma from someone who has had a positive COVID-19 test and has recovered--is being used to treat patients with COVID-19. 
 

While the efficacy of convalescent plasma is still being studied, it appears that this could be a lifesaving treatment. 
 

According to Wendy Capetz of the Memorial Blood Center, since the beginning of the pandemic, the Memorial Blood Center has collected and distributed 1,000s of units of convalescent plasma. 
 

Capetz noted that convalescent plasma is not new--it was in fact used during the 1918 Spanish Flu. For anyone who would like to learn more about the origin of convalescent plasma, she suggests reading this article. 
 

There is a criteria for donating convalescent plasma. Not everyone who has had COVID-19 is eligible. The donor must meet the regular FDA guidelines for giving blood. However, Capetz said anyone who has recovered and is generally healthy and feeling well should be eligible. 
 

To learn more, visit the Memorial Blood Center convalescent plasma website. 
 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence spoke with Wendy Capetz about all this. 

The release of a former Lutsen resident from the Moose Lake Correctional Facility has raised public concern. Benjamin Louis Dobbelmann, 41, was released Feb. 1 after being incarcerated since July 2015 for criminal sexual conduct and probation violation. 
 

Dobbelmann has been convicted of criminal sexual conduct in Itasca and Cook counties. The initial charges were in Itasca County in September 2011, with an additional charge in Cook County in June 2012. In July 2015 he was convicted of violating registration requirements and was committed to the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud, with a conditional release after five years. He ultimately ended his incarceration at the Moose Lake Correctional Facility. 
 

A family member of one victim in these cases shared a social media post sharing their concern that Dobbelmann would be returning to Cook County, where he grew up. 

WTIP reached out to Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen to ask if Dobbelmann's release would be announced by the sheriff's office. Sheriff Eliasen replied in an email, stating, "This is not something that would be announced to the public due to data privacy laws. 
 

"Dobbelmann is registered and will be released upon supervised probation. This means he will need to meet certain probationary requirements to maintain his freedom from incarceration," said the sheriff.
 

Sheriff Eliasen explained, "As an investigating agency, we are notified of the release of offenders from the MN Dept. of Corrections, and in the case of a registered offender, they are assigned a priority level from 1 – 3, with 1 being the least likely to offend and 3 being the most likely to offend. When a person is given a level 3 status, the investigating agency does a public notification, and they are usually assisted by a representative of the MN Predatory Offender Unit. When someone is given a level 1 or 2 status, no public notification can be made according to state statute."
 

WTIP asked Sheriff Eliasen about the numerous comments on personal and community social media sites. One post includes the "Offender Information" poster from the Minnesota Department of Corrections website. 
 

Sheriff Eliasen replied, "The information which is being shared on Facebook is public and can be found on the DOC [Department of Corrections] website. Members of the public are free to share any information they like, but as a government agency, we are restricted."

 

 Sheriff Eliasen added, "As with anything else if someone witnesses what they believe to be a crime or violation, please call us and we will respond." 

The Minnesota Department of Corrections offers some information in this document: Safety Tips for Parents
 

 

A page went out to the Grand Marais Fire Department at 3:55 p.m. on January 30, reporting a garage on fire at 110 8th Avenue in Grand Marais. The garage was in close proximity to the home, as well as several other residences. 

 

The Maple Hill Fire Department was also paged and when a Cook County Sheriff's Office deputy arrived on scene at 4 p.m., a request also went out to the Lutsen Fire Department.
 

Firefighters entered the garage and were knocking down the flames by 4:15 p.m. The fire was brought under control and the Lutsen Fire Department was canceled. 
 

The Maple Hill Fire Department was released from the scene at 5:14 p.m., with some members of the Grand Marais Fire Department standing by to ensure the fire was out. By 5:33 p.m., all responders were clear from the scene. 
 

The garage suffered some damage from the fire, but should be repairable. The suspected cause of the fire is a faulty wood stove. 

Grand Marais Fire Chief Ben Silence expressed appreciation to all who came out to assist--his department, Maple Hill, Lutsen, the North Shore Ambulance, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers, and the sheriff's office. 

One thing that has become commonplace--perhaps even crucial--during the COVID-19 pandemic is online communication. Every day citizens are using computers to work from home. Students are doing their studies online. And computers have become a way to connect with friends and family while maintaining social distance. 
 

But not everyone can afford a brand new device and that is where a Cook County Higher Education program "PCs for People" comes in. 
 

Through PCs for People, Cook County Higher Ed has distributed 179 laptop computers to community members at a great discounted price. Higher Ed's Executive Director Karen Blackburn told WTIP that the program has gotten computers to students and teachers for distance learning programs, to business owners needing some additional technology, and to community members who need a computer to connect to friends and family during this time of isolation. 
 

Blackburn also told WTIP that the program was originally funded by personal donations from  Cook County Higher Education board members and continues to be sustained by community contributions. 
 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence learns more about this very successful Higher Ed offering in this interview. 

The Minnesota Sixth Judicial Branch is holding a "Virtual Warrant Resolution Event" on Tuesday, February 2, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
 

The event is being held to simplify the process of resolving an outstanding warrant, with the goal of helping people avoid being arrested or detained for having an outstanding warrant.  
 

WTIP spoke with Nora Huxtable of Grand Marais, an assistant public defender in the Sixth Judicial District, which includes Cook County, about this event. She noted that sometimes a warrant can result from something as simple as having an address change and missing an important notification. 
 

Huxtable said regardless of the reason, it is not good for a person to have the concerns of a warrant hanging over their head. It is also not good for the court system as it creates a backlog. Huxtable said at the event, local justice partners will make their best efforts to resolve an individual’s case or cases during the event. 
 

Logging into this event online will be the same as appearing at such an event in person at the Cook County courthouse. To log in, use this Zoom link. 
 

Huxtable said that anyone wanting to take part should download Zoom onto their computer or device ahead of time for best results.
 

Anyone who wants to take part, but has questions may call 218-733-1027 
 

Huxtable said she is not sure how many people are eligible to have warrants resolved, but she added that these events are intended to help people get their cases back on track, but also to reduce the backlog of cases that are on hold. She said if they help someone and help reduce that backlog, the event would be "a resounding success."
 

"Even if there is one person in the listening area we can help, we're happy to help that person," said Huxtable.
 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence spoke with Assistant Public Defender Nora Huxtable to learn more. 

As WTIP reported after the Jan. 13 Grand Marais city council meeting, Councilor Michael Garry created some controversy during the first few minutes of the meeting when he inserted a line about the president while taking the oath of office. See the related story here. 
 

Following the line in which the oath-taker pledges to uphold the Constitution, Garry added, "Unlike my president.” 
 

There was no mention of the addition to the oath during that January 13 council meeting, however, Councilor Garry sent an apology to his board colleagues and assured them he does take his position seriously. 
 

Garry also spoke to WTIP Community Radio on January 15 and gave an apology on-air. 
 

At that time, Garry said he would retake the oath of office at the next city council meeting. 
 

However, a few minutes into the January 27 city meeting, it appeared that would not be the case.  Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux noted that oath of office was the first item on the agenda. He asked City Administrator Mike Roth if that was just a carryover from last month. Roth said it was and the mayor began to move on to the next agenda item, the open forum. 
 

Councilor Craig Schulte spoke up at that point, asking if the oath was to be repeated. He said he had heard from numerous members of the public, asking him if the oath would be repeated "properly." 
 

Councilor Garry said he would be "perfectly happy" to recite the oath again.  
 

The council asked city attorney Chris Hood for his opinion. Attorney Hood said it is not necessary. Hood said if a person takes the oath and signs an affadavit, that is what it takes to be a councilor. 
 

Despite the fact that it was considered legal by the city's attorney, Garry again said he would like to properly recite the oath, which he did, with no additional language. He did not, as is normally the case while reciting the oath, raise his right hand. 
 

The councilor appeared to all be on the same page regarding working together as the usual round robin councilor reports wrapped up. When it was her turn, Councilor Kelly Swearingen asked to share a letter she had written to her colleagues and the public. Swearingen read this prepared statement: 
 

   Thank you very much.
 

Mayor Arrowsmith DeCoux thanked Swearingen for her "meaningful" words and new City Councilor Garry responded that he appreciated her comments as well. 
 

 WTIP's Rhonda Silence shares more in this report. 

 

The summer of 2020 brought controversy to a strand of Lake Superior shoreline in Grand Marais. The beach and surrounding area, known as “Passion Pit” encompasses about 35 feet of shoreline owned by Cook County and an additional, larger, parcel owned by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. 
 

The beach adjacent to what was once a MnDOT gravel pit has been the site of family gatherings--and sometimes late night celebrations—for decades. The area is very close to nearby homes, which has led to conflict. 
 

Nearby property owner Dave Homyak spoke to the Cook County Board of Commissioners during public comments last June, asking for clarification of the use of the beach and the area where visitors park. He also asked the county to manage the approximately 35 feet of waterfront under its ownership. He expressed concern about littering, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use, and late night gatherings. Homyak asked the county to consider placing porta-potties and trash receptacles at the site and creating barriers so ATVs could not get to the beach. 
 

The county board acknowledged the difficulties for the nearby landowners, but also recognized the importance of the beach to the community, as a recreation area, and as well as a remnant of the historic Chippewa City. 
 

Talk turned to possible solutions, including the idea of the county purchasing the MnDOT property, which would offer more beach space and possibly beach access away from the private land. However, according to Homyak, that is not a viable solution as the MnDOT property does not give access to the beach. Homyak asserts that beach visitors would still need to cross his property and that of a neighbor.
 

Ultimately a small task force was formed and on Monday, January 25, that group presented a report to the Cook County Parks & Trails Commission. The report details short and long term considerations. 
 

In the short-term, the task force noted that something should be done as soon as possible regarding maintenance of the site, such as suggested by Dave Homyak last June—placing porta-potties and trash receptacles, and dog waste bag dispensers in the area. The task force said those short-term actions could give the county time for considering a long-term vision for the Passion Pit beach. 
 

Regarding the long-term vision for the area, the task force said it had reached a consensus that further research and community input is needed. It was noted that if nothing is done, MnDOT could move ahead with auctioning off its property to a private party, reducing public beach access to just 35 feet of shoreline. 
 

The small task force suggested engaging a larger group to evaluate options for the purchase of the MnDOT land; to study the ownership of the surrounding land; and to try to determine what the general public would like to see done with the Passion Pit area. 
 

There was public comment during the Parks & Trails meeting. Myron Bursheim, vice-president of the Cook County Historical Society, said the society wanted to work to ensure the historic significance of the area was preserved. He said the historical society would like to be included as it maintains the Francis Xavier Church near the beach.

Two property owners spoke in favor of a larger task force looking for a solution. Linda Steinworth said her family property was nearby and they had been watching families use the beach for years. She said a recent visit she observed a couple with a young child tossing rocks into the lake. Steinworth said it would be a shame for the public to lose that access. She said, “I really hope an agreement can be reached.” 
 

Property owner Dave Homyak reiterated his concerns, including his belief that the MnDOT property does not provide access to the beach without crossing private property. He said he respected the history of the area and noted that the Anishinabe people who once lived there meant for the lakeshore area to be a residential area. He said the current activity on the beach is “abhorrent.” He summed up his comments by saying he was not anti-park, but added, “I don’t think anyone wants to live next to what I did last summer.”
 

Staci Drouillard, a Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa descendent, said she was one of the task force members and she stated that this should not become a property war. She said the goal of the task force was to look at the area, to see if a longer, public, planning process should take place. She said there was consensus to establish another, larger, group to do that work. 
 

The Parks & Trails Commission agreed that more research was needed and passed a motion to establish a committee to consist of one county staffer, one county commissioner, one representative of the City of Grand Marais, one representative of the Cook County Historical Society, one Parks & Trails Commission member and four members of the public, with at least two of them property owners in the vicinity. The commission agreed to set a nine-month deadline for the new task force, stressing that earlier would be better.
 

Land Use Director Tim Nelson will facilitate the establishment of that committee.  
 

See the preliminary task force report on pages 11-14 of the meeting agenda.