At the recent Committee of the Whole Meeting on February 20, one of the agenda items was a Capital Improvement Plan Information Session. Two staff from CRBPS, the firm that developed the county’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for buildings, provided a review of the process that it and Cook County undertook to develop the plan. Then, they responded to questions posed by our county commissioners.
Northwoods Volunteer Connection (NVC), a nonprofit organization based in Tofte, MN, announces its new executive director, Joanna “Jo” Swanson. Since 2014, Northwoods Volunteer Connection—a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit— has been dedicated to recruiting, training, and delivering volunteers to work in and around the Superior National Forest of Minnesota.
Get them while they’re hot! The 125 tickets available for this event sell out every year. Attend the E.A.T.S. Fundraiser on Thursday, March 7th, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., to enjoy sampling fare from local eateries, listen to music from local ensembles, and to bid on silent auction items. Tickets cost $30 and can be purchased at Subway in Grand Marais and at the ISD 166 main office. Tickets must be purchased prior to the event, and with a limited supply, they sell out fast!
Grand Marais Toastmasters Saturday, March 16, at ONE P.M. (Please note time change!) We're starting a Toastmasters Club in Grand Marais! Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that builds confidence and teaches public speaking skills.
Arrowhead Transit, the primary provider of public transportation in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, proudly commemorates its 50th anniversary of service to the community. Established in 1974, Arrowhead Transit has been an integral part of the region's development, fostering connectivity and accessibility across ten counties spanning over 20,000 square miles.
What have you done? This week, Beyond Reason is going to try something new. I am going to ask a question and I’m hoping you, The Loyal Reader, will provide the answer.
“If something is not done before next year, somebody is going to get killed. With more queer students coming into our school every year, they would probably not feel safe with the way it currently is on campus” That quote is from a student at Cook County High School (CCHS) who has been subjected to gender and sexuality- based violence from their peers. Not a month after this student shared these concerns came news of the death of Nex Benedict, a 16 year old Two Spirit student, following a transphobic assault on an Oklahoma high school campus. At the same time the world is grieving Nex, who was attacked in a school bathroom, transphobic complaints about the CCHS’s trans-inclusive bathroom/locker room policies were published in a Letter to the Editor in last week’s CC News Herald. All of this is in the context of 460 anti-LGBTQ bills entered into the 2024 legislature nationwide - 14 of which are in Minnesota (ACLU). So, the Cook County Pride Committee has entered the chat (as the kids say).
Spoken exclusively in the Native American voice To improve lung cancer survival on reservations, A Breath of Hope Lung Foundation is pleased to announce the release of two free storytelling resources spoken exclusively in the Native American voice. Lung cancer is a leading cause of death in Native American communities and is usually caught late when it is difficult to treat.
Horsetail Lore & Medicine This time of year in late-winter and early- spring, my cabin fever begins to fall away and becomes replaced by an excited eagerness. Although I still require a jacket to go outside and it is generally wet and mucky, lacking any robust plant life, I want to spend all the time I can in the spring sunshine and simply will the plants to start growing aboveground once again! Soon, this eagerness, tempered by many months of patience, will be rewarded.
LINDSEY GAU, VIOLENCE PREVENTION CENTER DIRECTOR Recently in Oklahoma, Nex Benedict, a 16-yearold non-binary indigenous youth, was attacked in a school bathroom and died the following day. All 2STNBGD—Two Spirit, transgender, non-binary and other gender diverse— people deserve safety from violence, but across the country it is becoming increasingly difficult for 2STNBGD youth as they face escalating targeting that drives 2STNBGD hate.