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North Shore News Hour

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The North Shore News Hour includes up-to-the minute weather, North Shore happenings in local news, sports and entertainment, as well as a variety of features from WTIP staff and volunteers. If you miss the North Shore News Hour at noon, tune in for a replay Monday through Thursday beginning at 5:00 p.m.


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Snowmaking at Lutsen Mountains will proceed as planned in 2021. File photo Rhonda Silence, November 2014

Lake Superior to Lutsen Mountains waterline ready for snowmaking

The water line that runs from Lake Superior to Lutsen Mountains to provide water for snowmaking operations at the ski hill has been in the news in years past. Questions have been raised again recently when it appeared there were some new problems with the pumphouse and pipe. There were also questions of whether the waterline will be sufficient if the U.S. Forest Service gives its approval for a special use permit for a proposed ski hill expansion.

WTIP’s Rhonda Silence reached out to Lutsen Mountains for answers to those questions, as well as for a reminder of how the pipeline from Lake Superior to the ski hill came to be. In November 2011, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) told Lutsen Mountains that it had to stop drawing water from the Poplar River for snowmaking by October 2016.

Lutsen Mountains Co-President Tom Rider told WTIP the actual construction for the waterline started in October 2013.  

It was a complicated project made more so when the firm hired to do the work went out of business. And the project made news in September 2014, when the company pulled out for the season, leaving behind one of the 200-foot-long, three-foot diameter pipe sections on shore, partially in the water. A major storm hit and waves washed the huge pipe into Lake Superior. It was later retrieved from the lake and taken by barge to Taconite Harbor, where it waited to be re-installed the next spring.

Unfortunately, problems were also discovered at the pump house that houses the equipment to feed the pipeline—three pumps, 450 horsepower each and two small 50 horsepower pumps. To connect with the large pipe going out into Lake Superior, it was necessary to dig the foundation of the pump house 30 feet into the ground. In June 2014, cracks were noticed in the foundation and the construction of the pump house was not only halted, but it also had to start all over with removal of the concrete footings and the building in progress.

Lutsen Mountains and its waterline partners-- Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) and Superior National at Lutsen golf course; Caribou Highlands Lodge; Lutsen Resort on Lake Superior; Mountain Inn; Village at Lutsen Mountain Condominium Association; Eagle Ridge Resort; Papa Charlie’s Restaurant, and several other businesses were relieved when the $1.3 million project was completed. The waterline project also received approximately $3.6 million in state bonding.

 The first full year of use of the waterline was in 2017-2018. In addition to snowmaking, water drawn from Lake Superior will be used for irrigation of Superior National at Lutsen golf course, as a water source for local fire departments, and eventually for drinking water. However, additional funds are needed to complete the water plant and drinking water phase of the project.

However, an unforeseen problem occurred in March 2018, when algae plugged the pipeline. Rider said that was unexpected as Lake Superior is considered an “oligotrophic” lake, which means it does not produce a great deal of algae. Rider said the pipeline needed a bit of engineering to prevent that from happening, but said the waterline worked well once that was done.

Asked about current problems, Rider said those had been taken care of as well. He said the waterline became plugged by sand in the inlet pipe and the vault in the pumphouse. A contractor who specializes in mining operations was hired to work in the vault which is 30 feet under the ground, as well as out in Lake Superior.

Rider said it was a pretty significant project, but he said it worked out. He said it seems that this will be an ongoing maintenance matter, something that may need to be done every three or four years. He said the problem is resolved and will not delay snowmaking operations. It is not known yet how much snow can be made before the anticipated opening of skiing on Thanksgiving, but Rider believes there will be some terrain with snow by that time.

WTIP asked Rider about the ski hill’s request to the U.S. Forest Service for a special use permit to expand onto approximately 500 acres of federal land adjacent to the current ski hill. Will the current waterline be sufficient for additional ski runs? Rider said yes, adding that the expansion plans include the construction of retention ponds. He said the existing system would fill big ponds to hold water. The design of these retention ponds can be seen in the US Forest Service draft environmental impact statement.

Asked for final thoughts on all this, Rider noted that an interesting discovery came about after the ski hill started drawing water from Lake Superior. He said the snow is much whiter from the lake than from the Poplar River which is tannic, or tea-colored. He also said the snow made from Lake Superior water “skis better and is much more durable."
 

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American Legion Post 413 at a past Veterans Day concert at the school. File photo Rhonda Silence

Messages and music for our veterans

Because it is Veterans Day, WTIP reached out to some of our community members who are veterans or who work with local veterans. We asked them if they had a message for those who served in the Armed Forces.

We also spoke with School District 166 Band Instructor Mikkel Haas, along with band member Lola Rohl and choir member Aurora Gallagher about the special Veterans Day concert at the school at 2 p.m. today.

Those we spoke to also invited veterans to a meal hosted by American Legion Post 413 and Post 413 Legion Auxiliary at the Birch Terrace at 4 p.m. Veterans and their spouses are free. Community members are invited to join them.

Click below to hear this report from Rhonda Silence with some Veterans Day messages and music. 
 

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Becky Bystrom Bocklund has made good progress in her recovery from a severe case of COVID-19. Photo by Rhonda Silence

COVID-19 survivor Becky Bystrom Bocklund tells her story

Cook County has been fortunate. Our county has had a relatively low count of COVID-19 cases. And most of those cases have been relatively mild. That is not the case for former resident Becky Bystrom Bocklund who contracted COVID-19 and spent weeks in the hospital.

Bocklund has few memories of the worst time of her illness when she was on a ventilator. But she clearly remembers how confused she was when she woke up in the hospital in Brainerd, not knowing where she was or what had happened.

She has slowly been recovering, but still tires very easily. She is not sure when—or if—she will be able to return to work.  

Bocklund’s husband, Kevin, is still hospitalized in serious condition. Bocklund said she is very, very concerned for him.

Unvaccinated Minnesotans are 15 times more likely to require hospitalization for COVID-19 and 30 times more likely to die from the disease than vaccinated residents, Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm recently said.

“This really does just show, again, the key point that the current wave of COVID infections is concentrated heavily among people who are not fully vaccinated,” Malcolm told the Associated Press and other reporters. “And it shows that the infection risk is there for all age groups, not just older Minnesotans.”

Bocklund is very forthcoming about her illness and the fact that she and her husband chose not to be vaccinated. She said it wasn’t for any political reason, they just weren’t sure about getting a vaccine that seemed so new. However, Bocklund is now an advocate for the vaccine. She said the experience of being on a ventilator is one that should be avoided at all costs.

WTIP’s Rhonda Silence sat down with Bocklund to hear her story. 

Click here to register for a vaccination event in Cook County.

 

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The damaged electric meter at the antenna site. Submitted photo

Vandals cause power outage and tamper with radio equipment

Sometime in the early evening on Sunday, Nov. 7, vandals damaged equipment at the antenna site on the hillside overlooking Grand Marais. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office learned of the damage when Verizon notified law enforcement that they were running on back-up power because of an outage.

A sheriff deputy inspected the scene and found that parties had removed not just the Verizon meter, but another at the antenna site. The meters were tossed into the woods.

The sheriff’s office also found the door from the WTIP equipment building left at the base of the tower that carries the WTIP signal, 90.7 FM Grand Marais.

The vandals apparently squeezed through the security fence and pulled open the door of the WTIP structure. The culprits not only removed the door, but tossed it over the security fencing. Once inside, they tried to open a piece of equipment. They were unsuccessful in opening the electronics case, but they did punch out the display lights on the front.
WTIP Engineer Jeff Nemitz was able to make repairs to the lights and the door was reinstalled.

WTIP contacted Rowan Watkins, the management information systems director for Cook County, who said none of the damage affected the ARMER emergency communication system.

Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen said this was not the only incident in vandalism. There was another that caused a power outage. Eliasen told WTIP the "acts of vandalism resulting in power outages over the weekend showed blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of others. The actor could not have known if electricity was needed by the homeowners to render medical aid or otherwise."

The sheriff added that "the vandal, or vandals, took considerable risk in performing these senseless acts and could have easily ended up as victims of their own foolish behavior."

Eliasen asked anyone with information on these events to call the Cook County Sheriff’s Office at 218-387-3030. Eliasen said parties sharing information can remain anonymous.
 


 
Officials gathered for this historical recognition of 1854 Treaty boundaries. Photo courtesy of 1854 Treaty Authority

New highway signs honor 1854 Treaty boundaries

At a gathering hosted by the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa on October 30, the need to work together and to understand treaty rights was mentioned many times. The meeting was an opportunity to speak with legislative representatives, but it was also a time to share exciting news from the county, state, and the Grand Portage Band. At the end of the day, Grand Portage Tribal Chair Bob Deschampe shared the news of new highway signs being installed at the boundaries of the 1854 Ceded Territory.

In his closing remarks at that gathering, Chairman Deschampe encouraged everyone to attend tribal-state training. He said Grand Portage takes its treaty rights very seriously and is doing its part to educate the public on the Treaty of 1854.

A few days later, on Monday, November 1, Deschampe, along with Tribal Council members John Morrin, April McCormick, Bill Meyers, and Marie Spry, was part of the contingent that put up the first sign of 12 to mark the 1854 Treaty boundaries in the State of Minnesota.

They were joined by Minnesota Department of Transportation officials, including Levi Brown, who is the MnDOT Tribal Liaison and MnDOT Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher.

They were also joined by officials from the 1854 Treaty Authority, the inter-tribal natural resources agency. In a news release, MnDOT gave special thanks to 1854 Resource Management Director Darren Vogt for his work. The statement said, “It took 11 years and six months to get these into being.”

Deschampe added that this is something that is long overdue. Deschampe said, "When people enter the 1854 Treaty area they will know where they are and, hopefully, educate themselves about treaties."
 


 
City Hall building banner - File photo Rhonda Silence

Grand Marais to revisit plans for renovation of city hall and liquor store

At this week’s meeting of the Grand Marais City Council, there will be a review of the 2020 proposal for the renovation of city hall and the municipal liquor store. The council, which had several discussions that went as far as preliminary drawings developed by LHB Engineers, put all planning on hold when the COVID-19 pandemic made meeting in person difficult. At the Wednesday, November 10 city council meeting, those plans will be revisited.

Community members can learn more about the planning to date on the city’s website: LHB Predesign Summary.

The council meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Grand Marais City Council Chambers. Meetings are also live-streamed on the city’s youTube channel.

WTIP checks in with Grand Marais Mayor Jay DeCoux after each city council meeting to learn more about actions taken on agenda items. Below is an interview after the last council meeting at the end of October.  Listen as WTIP’s Rhonda Silence learns about city bond refinancing, jobs in the City of Grand Marais, as well as other city news.
 

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Grazing goats at the Cedar Grove Business Park in Grand Marais. Submitted photo

Landscaping goats not allowed in the city of Grand Marais

A local landscaping and tree removal service in Grand Marais started an experiment on its Cedar Grove Business Park lot in October. Business owner Gary Nesgoda brought four goats owned by a coworker in Hovland to the lot to see how grazing goats could be used to clear vegetation. 

It worked well, Nesgoda told WTIP, but a short time after bringing the goats to the business park, he was notified that livestock is not allowed within city limits under the city’s current ordinances. 

Nesgoda said he appreciated the city’s handling of the matter. He said City Administrator Mike Roth was very professional when informing him that the experiment had to be halted. The goats were taken back to their Hovland home, but Nesgoda said he would like to see an ordinance change to allow the use of goats for vegetation management. He acknowledged that many city lots are too small, but suggested allowing the use of goats on lots that are an acre in size or larger. 

Nesgoda notes that goats are a low-impact way of clearing land. They do less damage to soils and they are more environmentally friendly than the use of herbicides. Plus, Nesgoda said, they are just fun to watch. 

He explains that the goats are kept in a portable pen, which is moved about in the property owner’s lot. He said most people enjoy watching the goats as they go about their grazing. 

WTIP spoke with Nesgoda about how goats can be used and about the removal of the goats from the business park. WTIP also spoke with City Administrator Mike Roth whose job sometimes requires him to inform people they are in violation of city ordinances. 

Roth said the city’s animal ordinance was updated sometime in 2012. Before that time it primarily covered dogs and cats. The latest overhaul added the chapter that says no livestock, which of course, includes goats. 

Noting that it seems that more people are seeking an agricultural lifestyle, farming, raising chickens—and possibly having goats—WTIP’s Rhonda Silence asked Roth what it would take to make that a legal activity in the city. 

Roth said citizens wishing to raise goats would have to approach the city council and make their case. 

And for the record, WTIP asked Roth if he personally had anything against goats. His answer was a definite no. 

Listen to this report from WTIP's Rhonda Silence to learn more about goats and city ordinances. 

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School Respect banner - Photo Rhonda Silence

Superintendent speaks about need for demographics in student survey

Students at School District 166 were recently asked to complete a survey about their school experience last week and some parents have asked why the survey was necessary—and what it will be used for. The first four questions, related to ethnicity and gender identity, surprised some families and led to some social media conversations. WTIP reached out to ISD 166 Superintendent Chris Lindholm to learn more. 
 
The survey is titled simply Fall School Survey. Lindholm explained that the survey was put together by a group of teachers to learn how students were feeling about the school, whether they feel included and if they were experiencing bullying. He said this teaching team is passionate about making sure every student feels valued and supported by the school. 
 
The survey of about 40 questions went to students in fifth through 12th grades. Lindholm said this is not the first time such a survey was done, but it was not done last year during distance learning. However, he said the teachers who compiled the survey wanted to do it again. Lindholm said they did share the survey with him before it was conducted. He stressed that the survey is anonymous.
 
Social media comments from parents focused primarily on two of the first four questions.  Question 2 pertains to gender and asks students to choose from the following options: female, male, non-binary, or other. 
 
Question four asks students to check a box to answer the survey question of how they identify—LGBTQ+, straight, or undecided. One concerned parent asked why there was no option of “Prefer not to answer.” 
 
Superintendent Lindholm said that option, to not answer a survey question could possibly be added in any future surveys. 
 
Overall, parents questioned the need for these questions and Superintendent Lindholm said the purpose of the survey is to ensure that all students at School District 166 feel safe and cared about. The questions on gender and ethnic background will be studied, to see if there is a correlation between students feeling safe—or not safe. 
 
Lindholm spoke to the concerns, “On that fourth question, ‘identify as LGBTQ or undecided’ - 25 percent of our students have identified as that. So, it is a significant percentage of our student body who identify on their own as not straight and working through or gender fluid or some other part of being in the LGBTQ community. “
 
He said it is important to know if people in that particular demographic are not feeling safe or connected. He said that is why questions are also asked about ethnicity. “So those demographics are really important to tease out and then and say, 'Do all of our students that come to us feel safe and welcome?'” said Lindholm.
 
There was some parental concern about the survey going to fifth-graders, with some parents questioning whether that was appropriate. Lindholm was straightforward in his response. “For people who are in the LGBTQ community, it is very, very common for youth to be wrestling with the questions they have about their gender identity, as young as fifth, fourth, third, even second, first, kindergarten. It's very common. That's what our mental health experts tell us. That's what our medical community tells us.”
 
Lindholm said if the school district has LGBTQ+ kids in fifth or sixth grade that don't feel connected, then there is a problem.  And that is one of the things the school is attempting to address by surveying students. 
 
Lindholm reiterated that the survey is anonymous and cannot be tied to a particular student. He said the hope is that the survey will provide a general idea of how students feel about school. 
 
The majority of the other questions are about the student’s perception of school, such as “I have plenty of time to learn,” “Teachers and students care about each other,” and “I feel safe at school.”
 
There are a few questions specifically about bullying, asking students how often they had been bullied in the last month, with choices ranging from “never” to “more than once a week.” 
 
The survey asks for student perception of adult behavior at school with questions such as “If you reported bullying, it was handled appropriately” and “Adults at school think all students can do well.” 
 
WTIP asked a question that is on some parents' minds—why doesn’t the school focus on education fundamentals, the proverbial 3 Rs? To that Lindholm said, “There's a mountain of research that says, students can't learn reading, writing, and arithmetic if they don't feel safe; if they don't feel cared for. And if they don't come in a mental state where they can learn what we know now, we know more now today than ever before about how trauma, how home situations, about how violence and fear, get in the way of student learning, and then ultimately caused significant achievement gaps that plays out in all kinds of different ways. 
 
“So we have to start with a safe, caring, loving environment, and then we can get to learning. So this is the level one work that all schools have to do to be successful with students,” said Lindholm. 
 
Finally, Lindholm mentioned a second survey of both students and teachers, which is not anonymous. This survey asks school staff members about students they feel they have a relationship with. Then it asks students, what school staff do you have a good relationship with?
 
Lindholm explained, “We truly want to connect the dots and make sure we aren't missing students. And it's all with the intent of loving kids and making sure we can very intentionally reach out to them and make sure they are connected.”
 
Lindholm said he applauds his staff for doing this work and being intentional in trying to connect with students. 
 
Lindholm said anyone with questions about either survey or about anything at school may contact him or Principal Megan Myers. The school district office phone number is 218-387-2271 and the school high school office is 218-387-2273. 
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Lutsen - the juvenile eagle rescued on the North Shore in August 2020 is now living at The Raptor Center. Photo courtesy of UMN

The Raptor Center shares an update on Lutsen eagle

Back in August 2020, WTIP shared the story of a young bald eagle that caused quite a stir at Cascade Lodge. The juvenile eagle wandered around on Highway 61, landing on the emergency vehicles that were called to protect the bird from traffic and from a crowd of onlookers.

After several hours, the eagle flew off and many thought it would never be seen again. However, some US Forest Service staffers spotted the young raptor in Schroeder the next day and they were able to capture it. At that time, the eagle was taken to Wildwoods Wildlife Center in Duluth.

The eagle was eventually transferred to The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota, where it has remained. Although not physically injured, the young female eagle, which has been named Lutsen, had come to view humans as its food source, so would it would not survive in the wild.

Lori Arent, assistant director at The Raptor Center, tells WTIP that this is, unfortunately, a common occurrence. She says when people find a young eagle that they believe has been abandoned, often the first instinct is to feed it. Doing so can break the bond between the juvenile bird and its parents and lead to just what happened with Lutsen. 

Arent encourages anyone who finds an eagle--or any bird that seems to be injured or abandoned--to reach out to The Raptor Center or Wildwoods Wildlife Rehab in Duluth for advice before interacting with the bird. The Raptor Center can be reached at 612-624-4745. Wildwoods Wildlife Rehab can be reached at (218) 491-3604.

When the young eagle was wandering along the highway near Highway 61 in Lutsen, she was probably just looking for food. Arent tells WTIP that she was about 4 ½ pounds underweight when she was captured. She was down about a third of her body weight. Arent says she was “physically and emotionally hungry.”

Lutsen is now an “education ambassador” at The Raptor Center.

Lutsen can be seen by visitors to The Raptor Center, which offers tours, both in-person (on a limited basis due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and online. Learn more on The Raptor Center website

WTIP’s Rhonda Silence learns more about Lutsen’s condition in this interview with Lori Arent, assistant director at The Raptor Center
 

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Two of the stamps bearing the art of George Morrison. Photo courtesy of U.S. Postal Service

Postal Service issuing 2022 stamps honoring the artwork of George Morrison

The U.S. Postal Service has revealed a list of new stamps to be issued in 2022. Among the upcoming stamps are those that honor important historical figures, such as folk singer Pete Seeger and sculptor Edmonia Lewis, the first African American and Native American sculptor to achieve international recognition, and more. Among the honorees is the acclaimed Ojibwe artist George Morrison. 
 
Making the announcement, the U.S. Postal Service explains that the agency is honoring Morrison (1919-2000) with a pane of 20 stamps showcasing five of his abstract artworks. The selvage (the additional artwork that comes with a sheet or book of stamps) will feature a photograph of Morrison in his home studio. 
 
The George Morrison Forever stamps will be unveiled by the U.S. Postal Service at a release ceremony sometime in 2022. 
“The new 2022 stamps are miniature works of art, designed to be educational and appeal to collectors and pen pals around the world,” said USPS Stamp Services Director William Gicker in the news release. 
 
“As always, the program offers a variety of subjects celebrating American culture and history. The vivid colors and unique designs of this year’s selections will add a special touch of beauty on your envelopes,” he said.
 
In addition to the abstract expressionist paintings included in the U.S. Postal Service commemorative set, Morrison’s works include wood collages, such as The Totem in the atrium of the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic in Grand Marais. 
 
Morrison grew up outside of Grand Marais in the Ojibwe village called Chippewa City. He attended the Minneapolis School of Art in Minneapolis in the early 1940s and went on to study in New York. A 1952 Fulbright scholar, Morrison continued his studies in Paris and Antibes, France.
 
Morrison taught art at various colleges, including Cornell, Dayton Art Institute, Rhode Island School of Design, and Pennsylvania State University. In 1970, he took a position at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, where he taught Native American studies and art.
 
Although he lived most of his adult life in a variety of large cities – he eventually returned to Cook County in his later years, working at his Red Rock home studio until his death in 2000.