North Shore News Hour

With the numerous wildfires across the United States, the U.S. Forest Service needs helps managing these incidents. Sometimes, they end out a call for assistance from Forest Service retirees. One such retiree is Steve Schug of Tofte, who serves on the Minnesota Incident Management Team.

Most recently Schug was deployed to the Pacific Northwest. 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence learns more about what it's like to be part of this incident management team in this interview with Schug. 

Photo: Steve Schug (on upper left) and the Minnesota Incident Management Team on their latest deployment to Davenport, Oregon. Photo courtesy of Steve Schug

Hearing that it can be a challenge to find childcare in Cook County is not a suprise to the people at Cook County Public Health and Human Services. That county department has been working with local daycare providers and parents for years. 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence talks to Heidi Akins and Grace Bushard of Public Health to learn more about the county's role in the local childcare situation. 

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Heidi Akins can be reached by phone at 218-387-3620. She also shared links to the following resources that could be helpful for someone considering becoming a home childcare provider: 

Minnesota Department of Health & Human Services - Family Systems. This site includes rules and forms for becoming a licensed for childcare or foster care. 

Attorney Tom Copeland, specializing in representing childcare providers
 

The Girl Scouts of Minnesota/Wisconsin Lakes & Pines - Cook County unit has a long history here on the North Shore. And Girl Scouts will tell you, scouting is about much more than selling cookies. 

Local Girl Scouts have traveled to Savannah, Georgia; Seattle, Washington; New York City and more. Girls have learned cooking skills, first aid, about the arts and business. They've organized community events such as Santa's Workshop and they've been flag bearers at events and in parades. They've been empowered to help others by planting community gardens, helping the homeless in Duluth, assisting literacy programs at the school, supporting animals at the local shelter and so much more. 

And girls have had a lot of fun along the way. But none of this happens without caring adults.

Cook County has girls who want to be scouts, but not enough leaders. Service Unit Coordinator Arvis Thompson asks anyone who may be interested to talk to one of the current leaders to learn how you can become a "leader of girls." 

Co-leaders/helpers are needed for all ages, but in particular, leaders are needed for kindergarten and third grade. There are currently no troops for these girls. The local service unit leaders 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence talks to Service Unit Coordinator Arvis Thompson to learn more about the status of Girl Scouting in Cook County. 

To learn more, visit the Girl Scouts of Cook County Facebook page. Information is also available from Thompson at 218-387-2487  or from Christine Kunze at 218-370-8338. 

After several months of gathering information, the Grand Marais Planning Commission met at city hall on Tuesday, August 21 to again consider whether or not lodging should be allowed on the first floor of the city’s downtown waterfront area. It appears the answer may soon be no.

Under the existing city ordinance, lodging on the first floor of a business in the “core downtown waterfront district” is allowed. However, after speaking with business owners in that district and seeking feedback in a variety of ways, the planning commission decided it should change the language to exclude lodging as a permitted use on the first floor.

There had been some discussion about allowing first floor lodging if the property owner brought forward a plan for the space and requested a conditional use permit. However, that language did not make it to the final ordinance revision suggestion.

Planning commission members agreed there was more refining of the ordinance to be done, but ultimately agreed that the ordinance change restricting lodging on the first floor should be made.

The matter is not completely settled. The planning commission recommendation now goes to the Grand Marais City Council for approval. It takes two readings of an ordinance before a language change is adopted, so members of the public will have two more chances to weigh in on this if they wish.

The next city council meeting is Wednesday, August 29 at 6:30 p.m.

The latest report from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officers included the news of a mother bear with two cubs entering structures in the mid-Gunflint Trail area. 

WTIP's Rhonda Silence checked in with local Conservation Officer Darin Fagerman to learn more about what can be done about  "nuisance bears." 

It's happened to all of us. We pick up the phone to hear an unwanted -- and often unfriendly -- voice seeking money or wanting access to our personal information. Is there anything we can do about this? 

WTIP's Bob Padzieski spoke with Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen to learn more. Sheriff Eliasen shared some tips to avoid being scammed. And he said to report scams, he advises the public to visit the federal scams and fraud website. Calls may also be reported by calling (844) USA-GOV1. 

North House Folk School offered a youth sailing program this summer, giving local youths the chance to learn about sailing about the Hjordis. The program wrapped up with a family sail--the youth crew members were able to invite friends or family along on a sail. 

Before that though, Hjordis Captain Matthew Eklund and crew members--Robin Henrikson, Jack Willis and RaeAnne Silence--came in to the WTIP studio to talk about the sailing program. Here's WTIP volunteer Shawna Willis with more. 

Photos by Rhonda Silence

The Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival is held at Barker's Island in Superior, Wisconsin in August. The Twin Ports is gearing up for this year's event on August 24-25. 

WTIP volunteer Sally Dunn learns more about the event in this interview. 

Whether you're trying an activity for the first time, or you consider yourself an expert, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources would like to help you gain new skills and improve your techniques in a relaxed, fun, and supportive atmosphere though its Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) program.

Coming up in September, there is a BOW weekend at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland.

WTIP volunteer Brian Neal learns more about this workshop in this interview.

Photo courtesy of Explore Minnesota
 
 

The Cook County-Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) was pleased to welcome a new lot owner to the Cedar Grove Business Park on Wednesday, August 15. Nesgoda Services, Inc. is the latest business to move into the business park. 

A small dedication celebration was held on Wednesday, August 15 and WTIP's Rhonda Silence caught up with Gary Nesgoda to learn more about plans for the business park lot and Nesgoda Services. 

Photos by Kirsten Pederson