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.

What's On:

A look at the Law Enforcement Log, April 9-15

Rhonda Silence-

Each week the Cook County Sheriff’s Office provides a brief report of calls made to the Cook County Law Enforcement Center in the past week. This week’s report provides details logged by law enforcement dispatchers from April 9-15.

There were two reports of vehicles in the ditch. On April 11, a vehicle slid on ice on East Highway 61. A tow truck was called. Another vehicle slid on ice and went into the ditch on West Highway 61.

Another vehicle became stuck in the snow on April 12. A tow was requested for that party.

An extra patrol was assigned to monitor the crosswalk in front of the school during the lunch hour in Grand Marais on April 10. Sheriff Pat Eliasen said this is a common duty.

A vehicle was struck in the Birch Terrace parking lot on April 14. Both parties were located and information was exchanged.

There were three reports of car/deer crashes, two on East Highway 61 and one on West Highway 61.

There was a traffic complaint of a person driving on the road shoulder on the Gunflint Trail on April 14.

On April 13, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office activated a search warrant for drugs in Grand Marais. Bret Tyson Berka of Grand Marais was arrested for drug possession.

There was a call involving a juvenile on April 12 in Grand Marais. No further information is available.

There was a report of a former employee sending threats via email on the Gunflint Trail. The matter was referred to the county attorney.

Sheriff deputies made a death notification to a residence on West Highway 61 on April 10, and another on the Cramer Road in Schroeder on April 14.

Just after midnight on April 11, a party in Grand Marais reported suspicious activity. The caller said there was an individual on a power pole near her residence. It was determined to be a worker from Mediacom, checking lines.

The sheriff’s office was informed of a family eviction matter in Grand Portage on April 11.

A report came in to the sheriff’s office at 5:20 p.m. on April 9, reporting a cow walking on Schoolhouse Road in Grand Marais. The owner was notified.

Calls about power outages came in to the sheriff’s office, the first on April 10 on Second Avenue in the city. The Grand Marais Public Utilities Commission was notified. There was another power outage outside of the city on the Gunflint Trail later that day and Arrowhead Electric Cooperative was notified. There was another outage on Cliff Cove Road at 6:08 a.m. on April 11 and again on April 12 on Bay Road in Grand Portage.

There were several animal disturbance calls. On April 11, on Walter Road in Grand Marais, there was a report of a wolf hit on the road. On April 13, there was a dead deer on the highway by Naniboujou Trail in Hovland. A loose dog was also reported on April 13.

And on April 15, there was a report of dead deer at Artists Point. Grand Marais Public Utilities was contacted to handle that call.

A party on County Road 60 in Grand Marais reported a telephone scam on April 10.

A wallet was found and turned in to the sheriff’s office. The owner was contacted. Another party left their purse at the South of the Border.

A welfare check was requested on April 11 on Wisconsin Street for the kids from Cooperation Station Daycare. All was fine.

Deputies gave assistance to the U.S. Forest Service on April 12 and April 13.

Deputies checked the batteries on a Project Lifesaver alert system in Grand Marais.

A hazard was reported on April 13, a hole in the bike path on West Highway 61. The Minnesota Department of Transportation was notified.

A party called for help because they were locked out of their house on East Highway 61. Law enforcement gave the party the phone number for a locksmith.

A welfare check was conducted on April 14 after law enforcement dispatchers received a 911 call. The person was located and they were fine. Dispatchers handled 10 other crank or misdialed 911 calls.

A party came in to the Law Enforcement Center to be fingerprinted.

There were five medical calls during the reporting period.

Sheriff deputies checked that 30 business and residences were secure. Five traffic stops resulted in citations and six motorists received warnings or reprimands.

If you need help from Cook County Law Enforcement, dial 9-1-1.

For non-emergency calls, contact the Cook County Sheriff’s Office at 218-387-3030.

Program:

North Shore News Hour

Vallen Cook is running for the committeeperson seat on the Grand Portage Tribal Council

Talking with Grand Portage Tribal Council candidate Vallen Cook

Rhonda Silence-

The Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is holding a primary to fill two vacancies on the Tribal Council, the position of chair and a committee person.

The Grand Portage community lost its long-time leader when Chair Norman Deschampe died on February 9, 2019. A special election was announced to fill that vacancy.

Tribal Council Vice-Chair Marie Spry is serving as Interim Tribal Chair and she filed to run for the chair position. To do so, she resigned from her committeeperson seat, creating an opening for a committeeperson.

That means there are two Tribal Council positions on the ballot for the April 29 primary. The primary will narrow the candidate field to two people on the ballot for the July 1 special election.

WTIP has reached out to all of the candidates to offer the opportunity to be heard. The interviews will be aired in the order we hear from candidates.

Click on a candidate's name below for a link to their interview when it becomes available.

Candidates for Committeperson are:
Rick Anderson
Jason Burnett
Vallen Cook
Rob Hull.

Candidates for Chair are:
Marie Spry
Beth Drost
Tony Swader
Donavan Dahmen

Here's WTIP's Rhonda Silence with candidate for Tribal Council committeeperson, Vallen Cook.

Listen:

Program:

North Shore News Hour

Beth Drost is a candidate for Grand Portage Tribal Council Chair.

Speaking with Grand Portage Tribal Council candidate Beth Drost

Rhonda Silence-

The Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is holding a primary to fill two vacancies on the Tribal Council, the position of chair and a committee person.

The Grand Portage community lost its long-time leader when Chair Norman Deschampe died on February 9, 2019. A special election was announced to fill that vacancy.

That means there are two Tribal Council positions on the ballot for the April 29 primary. The primary will narrow the candidate field to two people on the ballot for the July 1 special election.

WTIP has reached out to all of the candidates to offer the opportunity to be heard. The interviews will be aired in the order we hear from candidates.

Click on a candidate's name below for a link to their interview when it becomes available.

Candidates for Committeperson are:
Rick Anderson
Jason Burnett
Vallen Cook
Rob Hull.

Candidates for Chair are:
Marie Spry
Beth Drost
Tony Swader
Donavan Dahmen

Here's WTIP's Rhonda Silence with candidate for Tribal Council chair, Beth Drost.

Listen:

Program:

North Shore News Hour

Dr. Jodie Murphy-Oikonen, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay - Photo courtesy of Lakehead University

Lakehead University researcher studies "unfounded" sexual assault reports

Rhonda Silence-

Dr. Jodie Murphy-Oikonen, assistant professor in the School of Social Work at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, recently received a grant from Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for a meaningful research project.

Dr. Murphy-Oikonen’s research will explore unfounded sexual assault reports to police.

For the research project titled “Unfounded Sexual Assault: Women's Experiences,” Murphy-Oikonen will receive $57,090.

Joining her in the research, are two Lakehead University colleagues, Dr. Lori Chambers from Women’s Studies and Dr. Karen McQueen from the School of Nursing. The research team will spend two years conducting interviews with survivors to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of women who have had their sexual assault deemed unfounded by police.

In a news release, a Lakehead University spokesperson says Dr. Murphy-Oikonen’s work represents a first step towards filling knowledge gaps regarding women’s perceptions of their sexual assault and their experience when their reports are disbelieved by the institutions designed to protect them.

WTIP’s Rhonda Silence reached out to Dr. Murphy-Oikonen to learn more about this research.

Listen:

Program:

North Shore News Hour

WTIP talks sidewalks, seagulls and city business with mayor

Rhonda Silence-

The Grand Marais City Council had a full agenda for its Wednesday, April 10 council meeting, as well as several community members in attendance to speak during the public comment period at the start of the meeting.

Plenty of public comments

First up was Andrea Orest, who asked for city support for the continuation and revision of the Active Living Committee. After brief discussion, the council agreed unanimously to lend support to the efforts of the committee.

The second person to speak was Mickey Brazell, who expressed concern about the condition of the city’s sidewalks. Brazell said on some streets there are no sidewalks at all, and in other areas, bushes block the walkway.

City Council members noted that his concern nicely followed the comments from Orest of the Active Living Committee and the work that committee has done and hopes to do. Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux also referred Brazell to the city’s work to create a pedestrian plan for the city. Information can be found on the plan here.

Brazell also asked if the city could come up with a plan to deal with the overabundance of seagulls in the city. He said he believes there are more of the gulls than ever before.

Councilors agreed that the seagull population seems to be larger than it has ever been, but noted that they are a historically protected species. However, Mayor Arrowsmith DeCoux said he believes the city could get a permit to remove abandoned nests, which would encourage the birds to build their nests away from the downtown area.

Councilor Kelly Swearingen noted that the city reduced the problem with Canada geese by advising the public not to feed those birds. She said perhaps the same should be done for seagulls.

The council agreed to do more research into the seagull situation.

A final speaker during the public comment period was North Shore Health Administrator Kimber Wraalstad, who gave an update on hospital activities.

Energy innovation encouraged

George Wilkes, of the Grand Marais Public Utilities Commission, also a member of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby, gave a presentation to the council on the “Energy Innovation & Carbon Dividend Act.”

Wilkes said to date, 135 other cities and counties have passed resolutions for what he described as a “national, revenue-neutral, carbon pricing policy.”

Wilkes said that this bill is well aligned with the “Carbon Fee and Dividend” policy that the PUC and the city supported with a resolution in 2017.

Councilor Tim Kennedy, the city’s representative on the PUC, said he is familiar with, and comfortable with, the legislation. He said he would be ready to vote to support a resolution endorsing the act, but said he would understand if his colleagues wanted to take time to consider the resolution before voting.

Councilors Craig Schulte and Kelly Swearingen both said they would like more time and the matter was tabled to a future meeting.

City Hall/liquor store redevelopment still up in the air

The council reviewed the one packet it received in response to its request for proposal (RFP) for redevelopment of the building that houses Grand Marais city offices, the municipal liquor store, and offices of the Cook County Chamber and Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority.

The council said the information provided by Thies & Talle Enterprises was interesting, with its concept of a three-story structure consisting of the liquor store and office space on the first floor; workforce apartments on the second; and short-term, higher-end rentals on the third. However, councilors said the proposal did not have enough cost/benefit analysis for any decisions to be made.

Mayor Arrowsmith DeCoux said that was understandable, as the city was just putting the idea out there to gather suggestions for use of the site. He said one thing the council learned was that the project is actually too small for most business developers.

No action was taken, but the council said it would reach out Thies & Talle Enterprises for more information.

City hall rental

In a somewhat related matter, the council considered a request from an individual who would like to rent or lease the unused space in the city hall, formerly the “Office Outpost,” an office-share offering and before that, the city’s tourist information center.

The space would be used for a retail home interior furniture/case goods shop. The party would like to operate the business on a trial basis.

The council approved leasing the space, contingent on finalization of a lease agreement by city attorney Chris Hood.

In other business

In other business, the city granted use of a 14-foot wide section of public right-of-way adjacent to their property. The right-of-way was designed to be an alley, but was never constructed and is just vacant space. The property owners, John and Evonne Halvorsen, asked to use the space as an entrance to their property so they are able to have off-street property on 8th Avenue West.

The city granted the Halvorsens a variance to construct a single family home on their lot in January 2017.

And finally, the council followed the recommendation of Grand Marais Fire Chief Ben Silence to hire Justin Rexrode as a firefighter.

WTIP’s Rhonda Silence talked to Grand Marais Mayor Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux about all of these matters in this interview.
Part 1 includes public comment and discussion of the
“Energy Innovation & Carbon Dividend Act.”
Part 2 continues with discussion of the housing study and redesign of city hall and more.

Program:

North Shore News Hour

North Shore Adventure Park nearing completion in Silver Bay

Rhonda Silence-

There is a lot of activity at the corner of Highway 61 and Outer Drive in Silver Bay as the North Shore Adventure Park comes closer to reality. Developer Phil Huston says the park’s grand opening will be May 24.

The project started in the summer of 2017 when the old gas station and gift shop on Highway 61 were torn down to make way for the first phase of the North Shore Adventure Park: an outdoor climbing gym.

The demolition took two days, with some additional time to clean up petroleum pollution from the former gas station, which had been constructed in 1956 and never upgraded. The pollution cleanup was funded with a $147,000 grant from the State of Minnesota, with a cost-share grant and a demolition grant of $50,000 through Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board and staff assistance from the City of Silver Bay.

The adventure park opened in July 2017 with a basic climbing wall, using the rocky cliff that had been hidden by the gas station all those years. Developer and climber Huston said the “small cliff with big cliff features” is perfect for teaching beginning climbers.

The climbing wall was also used by the Lake County Rescue Squad to practice climbing rescues.

Meanwhile, plans continued for an aerial ropes course, a zip line, and a climbing tower.

Huston and partners purchased two parcels of land adjacent to the corner lot for $20,900 in November. Along with the sale, the Silver Bay City Council approved a development agreement for the site.

Conditions of the development agreement secured the allowance of a 40-foot-wide ATV trail and utility easement on the property.

The project is now nearing completion and WTIP’s Rhonda Silence contacted Phil Huston to learn more.

Listen:

Program:

North Shore News Hour

Leah Lemm: sharing northern voices

Rhonda Silence-

WTIP Community Radio shares Minnesota Native News on Tuesdays and Fridays and listeners may have come to know some of the voices on that program. WTIP’s Rhonda Silence recently had the opportunity to talk to Leah Lemm, a contributor to Minnesota Native News and the creator of a series “Northern Voices: Celebrating Ties to Minnesota’s Northland" for KAXE Radio in Grand Rapids. Here’s their conversation.

To hear some of Leah Lemm’s “Northern Voices: Celebrating Ties to Minnesota’s Northland," click here.

Listen:

Program:

North Shore News Hour

A look at the Law Enforcement Log, April 2-8

Rhonda Silence-

There was a call of a pedestrian hit by a car outside of a business in Lutsen at 6 p.m. on April 4. The motorist entered the parking lot at about 5-10 miles per hour and hit a 33-year-old male in the right leg. The male had an abrasion to his leg. The driver, John Laine of Lutsen, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.

A 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor driven by Casey Deschampe went into the ditch on the Gunflint Trail just before 3 a.m. on April 3. The car was not damaged and was towed out of the ditch.

There was another report of a vehicle in the ditch on Devil Track Road at 8 a.m. on April 3. The call was second-hand information and the sheriff’s office was not sure of the exact location.

There was a report of a speeding vehicle on the Ski Hill Road at 6:39 a.m. on April 3.

Damage to a vehicle was reported on April 6 after some youths threw rocks at a vehicle.

Law enforcement received a call of an intoxicated party at the Gunflint Tavern at 6:25 p.m. on April 6. A deputy gave the person a ride home.

Oshki Ogimaag School reported that someone broke into the garage behind the community center and broke the window of a vehicle parked in the area. The damage occurred months ago. There are no suspects.

The sheriff’s office was asked to conduct extra patrols at Grand Portage Construction to reduce incidents of theft and garbage being dumped there.

A counterfeit $20 bill was found at the Grand Portage Casino. The bill was turned over to the Secret Service for investigation.

There were numerous car/deer crashes; two on West Highway 61 on April 2 and April 6, as well as a report of an injured deer. Deputies also moved the carcass of a dead deer on April 7. Another car/deer crash was reported as a civil call as it was a report of a car hit previously.

On April 5, a party reported an injured raptor on Highway 61. The call was referred to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

There was a report of a dead wolf on the Gunflint Trail near the Pincushion Mountain overlook on April 7. Deputies removed the deceased animal from the traffic lane.

There were reports of juvenile trouble in Grand Marais on April 2 and on April 6, however no further information is available because the incidents involve a minor.

A report of theft through Ebay was reported to the sheriff’s office. The matter was referred to the FBI. Another party reported telephone fraud on April 3.

A “drug incident” on April 2 was actually the emptying of the drug takeback container in the Law Enforcement Center lobby and another call in Grand Portage on April 3 was someone turning in some prescription medications.

There were a number of public assistance calls such as an abandoned vehicle in a private lot on Clearwater Road on April 2; help with a custody issue on April 5; and a report of debris on the highway by Naniboujou Trail.

There was a security system false alarm call in Grand Marais on April 2 and on East Highway 61 on April 4.

Sheriff deputies checked an address for a warrant for Mille Lacs County. They were unable to find the party.

Deputies also assisted the U.S. Forest Service with some tree cutting; the Minnesota State Patrol with an arrest and helped with an adult client of Cook County Public Health and Human Services.

A miscellaneous fire call turned out to be a monthly emergency pager test.

A power outage was reported on Bents Road in Grand Marais on April 5 and on Croftville Road on April 6.

There was a call of a loose dog on Pike Lake Road on April 5.

A party called asking the sheriff’s office to check the welfare of someone who they said “looked down.”

On April 6, there was a report of a lost wallet.

There was a report of graffiti on April 2. “Wrong way” was written in the middle of 3rd Avenue East. There are no suspects.
There were two medical calls.

Deputies conducted 16 check business or residence checks. There were four traffic calls in which the motorist was ticketed and eight drivers were reprimanded.

There were daily check status calls from deputies to the dispatchers. There were two crank or misdialed 911 calls.
If you need help from Cook County Law Enforcement, dial 9-1-1.

For non-emergency calls, contact the Cook County Sheriff’s Office at 218-387-3030.

Program:

North Shore News Hour

MnDOT plans to install Highway 61 rumble strips--on shoulders only

Rhonda Silence-

Back in 2013, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) installed rumble strips on the centerline of Highway 61 on the east side of Grand Marais. The effort was MnDOT’s “Toward Zero Deaths” initiative.

However, after public outcry over the noise of vehicles crossing the rumble strips, MnDOT completed sound studies and in 2014, ultimately decided to fill in the rumble strip cuts in the pavement in both Cook and Lake counties.

To see MnDOT information on the 2013 noise impact study, click here.

The plan to install rumble strips on Highway 61 is back on MnDOT’s schedule, to begin in August 2019. MnDOT is not planning to install centerline rumble strips, but will be filling in “gaps” along the shoulder of the highway. MnDOT spokesperson Morrie Luke says the rumble strips are installed outside of the white fog line on the highway.

The rumble strips will be installed starting at mile marker 117 and will continue to the Canadian border, with an alternating style of strips. MnDOT plans to install sections of rectangular rubble strips, which are larger cuts in the pavement and which make a louder sound when driven over. There will also be sections of sinusoidal rubble strips, cut in a smaller pattern that is quieter when vehicle wheels pass over. The sinusoidal rumble strips are also considered to be more bike-friendly.

The rumble strips will not be continuous, but will be installed in stretches of 48 feet with breaks of eight-feet. Rumble strips are also not installed right next to driveway entrances or pull offs, they are installed 150-feet before and after.

Luke stresses that the reason for the rumble strips is safety. He said the goal is to help prevent road crashes due to vehicles running off the road.
Anyone who would like to speak to MnDOT’s Morrie Luke may call him at 218-725-2778.

WTIP’s Rhonda Silence reached out to MnDOT to learn more about this August project. Here’s that discussion.

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Program:

North Shore News Hour

Park board preparing for golf, softball

Rhonda Silence-

The Grand Marais Park Board meets monthly and after those meeting WTIP’s Rhonda Silence sits down with Park and Recreation Manager Dave Tersteeg to learn more about happenings at the campground, marina, and other park areas overseen by the city.

That of course includes the Gunflint Hills Golf Course, a nine-hole municipal course open to everyone. Parks Manager Tersteeg said new Superintendent of Golf Paul Jones is now on the job.

The photo above shows the Gunflint Hills driving range on April 4 showing almost-green grass on the southwest corner in a sea of white.

Tersteeg also reported that the ball field at the Recreation Park is now snow-free, but he said he isn’t sure that the Cook County Vikings softball home opener will be played there on April 9. Tersteeg said he’s hopeful warmer weather will allow that first game to take place as planned.

Earth Day is April 22 and the Grand Marais Parks Department is celebrating early with a Beach Sweep and Clean Up on Saturday, April 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anyone interested in taking part is invited to meet at Harbor Park in downtown Grand Marais.

The Parks Department will provide trash bags and gloves and there are a number of fun prizes, for whoever collects the most trash, the most unusual trash found and so on.

Tersteeg said the parks department is also working on a citizen tree planting effort. The parks department is working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to plant 200 trees. One-hundred trees were planted last year, so another 100 will be planted this year. Tersteeg said “stay tuned” for more information on that opportunity.

Finally, Tersteeg reminded Grand Marais citizens that there is still a vacancy on the Grand Marais Park Board. Anyone interested in serving on that board is encouraged to stop by Grand Marais City Hall to apply or call 218-387-1848 for more information.

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North Shore News Hour