Grand Marais City Councilors approved a 7.19 percent preliminary 2023 tax levy payable in 2024 at the councilors' September 13 meeting. The council has until late December to set the final levy, and as Mayor Tracy Benson noted, “Hopefully all we can do is go down from here.”
Fall has arrived. It is a time when the days get cooler, the colors brighter and the morning air has a crisp fresh feel to it.
The North Shore Land Company’s (Lutsen Resort) request for a variance to allow a side yard setback relief for a new hotel and lodge addition was put on hold until they get an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) due to the project exceeding the minimum thresholds for a project requiring an EAW.
Cook County isn’t alone when it comes to having a shortage of housing. Just released this week, Minnesota Housing Projects 2023 Housing Profiles took an interesting look at data trends “at the county level in critical housing areas.” The study looked at data demographics of cost-burdened households paying at least 30 percent of their income for housing, changes in rent and home prices, eviction filings compared to pre-pandemic rates, racial disparities in home ownership, a comparison of top-indemand wages compared to current housing, and more.
Attendance at the many events held at North House Folk School last week was high as the school was a hub of activity. The two-day Unplugged concert drew about 1,100.
Referees took away a first quarter touchdown by MaCoy Fairbanks on a kickoff return in the Vikings' matchup against Littlefork-Big Falls last Friday that had it counted, would have won the game for the Cook County Vikings. However, the other Viking team prevailed 18-16 in a defensive battle that saw defenses bend, but rarely break.
Ski trails to Minnesota legends, generosity to community connections - even in a small town chance encounters can be filled with discoveries. As the head coach of the Cook County High School Nordic ski team, I sometimes receive a call from someone interested in donating ski equipment to the team. This time it was Nancy Simkunas, sister of Kim Carlsted-Gillis. Kim, and her husband, Burt, homesteaded just east of Grand Marais, and they were enthusiastic cross country skiers to say the least.
Team Grand Portage raised nearly $1,600 on Saturday, September 9th in memory or to honor a loved one with dementia, or walked to support a dementia free world. Some thirty-five folks donned purple shirts and joined together to walk three miles to end Alzheimer’s and show there support for a dementia-free world.