Down Memory Lane

10 Years Ago · Nov. 22, 1999 • A 48-year-old Duluth truck driver was found dead in his vehicle last week after he pulled off the road for unknown reasons near Cascade State Park.

A deputy found the rig parked along Highway 61 just before 6 p.m. Tuesday. An autopsy will be performed. • After three years of talk, meetings and hired consultants, county commissioners officially washed their hands of the ski hill development deal they have pursued with the city of Grand Marais.

The reason the commissioners took the action at their Nov. 16 meeting was simply that the city apparently was never officially in the deal. County Attorney Bill Hennessy said the city never approved the terms of a joint resolution, thus retaining control over their portion of the land. • TheGrand Marais City Council made a decision at its regular Nov. 17 meeting regarding the fees for charter captains at the Grand Marais Marina. Council had discussed the charter boat fees for over a month after two captains approached the park board and city asking for a review of the fee policy at the marina.

After much consideration, the park board recommended to the council that charter captains pay the same rate as any other boater. Until now, the charter captains paid a flat rate of $1,080 for a stay — no matter how long that stay was. Now, a captain who spends less time in the marina will pay less, and vice versa.

20 Years Ago · Nov. 20, 1989 • The Grand Marais City Council discussed the possibility of turning over the marina expansion project to the county Economic Development Authority at its last regular meeting.

The Marina Committee has come up with a plan that would entail moving the existing marina breakwall in order to accommodate more slips. It would not affect the adjacent city recreation area. However, EDA consultant David Salene said the park cannot be considered a sacred cow, because that could impede the marina project. • Thenew Tomahawk Trail Sled Dog Race will be held Dec. 16-17, and will have both six- and 10-dog classes. The race will begin at Trestle Inn at Crooked Lake and will run to National Forest Lodge near Isabella. • The Cultural/Recreational Committee has sent many local organizations a survey form to determine needs and level of commitment regarding a Cook County Community Center. The committee concluded that a complex, built in phases, is the most feasible approach.

At this time the Curling Club and the Fair Board have displayed both the need and the financial backing for facilities and will therefore be given prime consideration on phase 1.

Potential building plans have been reviewed by the committee but no final decisions will be made until the surveys are collected.

50 Years Ago · Nov. 19, 1959 • Sam-Sam, the 3-month-old black Lab pup lost three days, returned yesterday to the Don Anderson home. His nine brothers and sisters now live in many sections of the county.

Had he been visiting? • In observance of Education Week in Grand Portage, Nov. 13 was set aside as visiting day at Grand Portage School.

Several guests were members of the community with no children in school, and of the parents regularly represented in the school, approximately 60 percent of these responded to the school’s invitation to visit school in session.

Coffee and cake were served by Mrs. Paul LeGarde, cook at the school. • Susan Sundquist dressed as Queen of Hearts and won first prize at the sixth-grade elementary school dress-up Halloween party. • A 15-year-old boy who was born in Grand Marais was found dead in a fume-filled car parked in a farm garage 11 miles from Bemidji.

Police say he was riding home from school on his motorcycle late Friday and evidently became cold and stopped to warm up in the car. He was thinly clad in blue jeans, black leather jacket and cap.

The property owner, who found the body, told the sheriff that the ignition on the car was on and the gas tank was empty. He said he had filled the tank earlier that day.

90 Years Ago · Nov. 19, 1919 • Sidney Woods shot his deer yesterday. • Two Superior girls, 16 and 18, who started out to see the world by running away from home, were picked up by police in Hibbing. A police matron escorted them home. • Harold Nornberg of Crystal Lake and Dr. A.O. Lillihei of Minneapolis each brought in their moose yesterday. They were hunting with the Croft brothers near Northern Light Lake.