National Rural Education Association (NREA) and Minnesota Rural Education Association (MREA) are excited to announce and introduce the 2024 National Rural Teacher of the Year – Minnesota’s very own Melissa Oberg! Melissa, a special education teacher at Cook County Schools in Grand Marais, was a 2023 MREA Educator of Excellence. Melissa began her work in education as a paraprofessional.
‘Shroom Safety As we fall into autumn, excitement about mushrooms and foraging rises. This has actually been a surprisingly good mushroom year, with plentiful foraging opportunities throughout the entire season. As soon as we get some rain this autumn, the ‘shrooms will likely pop up plentiful again! Mushrooms and mushroom foraging is a topic I am still quite the novice in, so rather than talking about specific mushrooms, I want to discuss safety and the proper preparation of mushrooms. From my own observations, this is an aspect of mushroom consumption that is misunderstood and glossed over, but of the utmost importance for your own health and a happy belly.
Let’s All Wave the Flag My husband Jerry recently mounted a bright new American flag above our mailbox (our house is tucked off the Devil Track Road). His old one had faded from its original glory to nearly gray and awaits burning the next time we have a bonfire.
On Monday, Sept. 16, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., the Arrowhead Center for the Arts (ACA) hosted the third annual World Press Institute International Journalists community discussion. As always, the event was informative and exciting. Public members asked questions to the ten international journalists on hand, who deftly answered some tough queries.
On Tuesday evening, September 17, at 8:29 p.m., the Cook County Sheriff 's office received a call that a 2019 Blue Highlander carrying two people had gone Highway 61 on the north side of Tofe, crashing through a bike path fence.
Two paintings have come home. Two of Alfred (Ade) Toftey's paintings, deeply rooted in the local community, were recently donated temporarily to the Cook County News-Herald by Jon Skibbe. Jon, whose father, Eugene was an art collector, purchased these two paintings from Ade in the 1960s. It was his father’s wish to ensure that the work of Ade, a talented painter and journalist, returned to Grand Marais. Ade worked in the building that is now, once again, the current newspaper building after several relocations.
Q- Can you tell us a little bit about your background, family, work experiences, and time serving the community as a county commissioner? A- I married my high school sweetheart–whom I met while performing in the Bloomington High School musical “Brigadoon.' We have been blessed with five talented children who are all raising gifted children of their own. We lost our daughter Jessa to cancer in 2021 at the age of 42 years.
Cook County is set to receive a substantial $1 million grant from DEED, a significant boost for the community. This grant will be utilized for the redevelopment of the Taconite Harbors Energy Center and the construction of a county waste transfer station, marking a pivotal moment for the county's economic and environmental future.
Cook County Commisisoner Board Chair Ann Sullivan is running to keep her commissiooer seat as the District 4 representative. Ann agreed ot answer a few quesitons for the the Cook County News-Herald. Below are her responses.
