Moving on
Is it Over? After Fisherman’s Picnic my husband said, “Well, I guess summer is over.” WHAT? In your dreams, buddy. My childhood friend Lynda had the same attitude, though she announced summer waning after July 15th.
Opinion
Read MoreMoving on
Stop the name calling
Letters to the editor are the opinions of the writer and don’t necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper. Letters should be 300 words or less but exceptions will be made for longer letters in some cases.
A call to artists
Dear North Shore Artist/Crafter/Maker: We invite you to participate in this year's Spirit of the Wilderness Episcopal Church Art Show! We will be holding our annual community art show at the Johnson Heritage Post from November 1 to December 8, 2024. For over a decade, our congregation has been exploring the intersection between spirituality and creativity through this art show.
Outdoors
Theory and didactics about tying flies and fly fishing The most fundamental correlation in the building of the fly-fisherperson's armory begins, on one minuscule side, with the size of the fly to be fished - the size of the fly to be cast and worked to entice the targeted fish; and on the other, multifaceted side, all of the tackle components of the system employed: lines, rod, reel. The little fishing fly determines the composition of the arsenal.
Wellness
An often overlooked part of the healing journey for the self and when aiding others in their healing process is the importance of listening. In this case, listening becomes a dynamic and multifaceted thing. Just as there are different levels of truly listening in a conversation, there are different levels of listening to the body. This week, I invite you to tune in with your senses and begin to listen.
Opera We Relate To
version reconditioned for the space age. Nearly 200 folks brought their camp chairs and blankets to Sweetheart’s Bluff at the City’s Rec Park.
BEYOND REASON
A Talk with The Torch Olympic Torchbearer #3,799,999 jogs, comfortably, proudly carrying The Olympic Torch. She approaches Olympic Torchbearer #3,800,000, who comes to a stop, exchanges pleasantries, an awkward hug, and passes The Torch to Olympic Torchbearer #3,800,000.
CONNECTIONS
Cook County, through a committee established in January called the Cannabis Regulation Committee, has recently been exploring whether and how to impose local controls on the use, possession, and sales of cannabis. State law made effective in August 2023 recently legalized Adult (21 and over) use of cannabis and established the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management which will begin licensing cannabis businesses in 2025. While local governments may not prohibit sales or use of cannabis that the State allows, the City of Grand Marais and Cook County may pass laws which regulate the “time, place, and manner” of cannabis use and sales within their jurisdictions. This article describes the work of the committee, summarizes the content of the proposed ordinance, and lays out the public’s opportunities to give feedback on the subject of cannabis use and sales in Cook County.
Writer proposes simple language change in the proposed cannabis ordinance
As part of Minnesota's cannabis legalization movement, counties can establish ordinances to further regulate its use. In Cook County, the sheriff and county attorney requested that county commissioners form a commission, which they would co-chair, to discuss and draft such an ordinance. The result of their work is now before us in Cook County Ordinance 66. If adopted as drafted, this ordinance would allow minors to be charged with cannabis possession as a misdemeanor. Here's the alarming part: The county attorney confirmed to Commissioner Mills that if a judge orders a minor into a chemical dependence treatment program, the lack of such programs in our county could result in the minor being removed not only from their home but also from the county entirely. Consider this: If county commissioners vote for this draft, their decision could tear children from their families due to a legalization action taken in St. Paul. Removing kids from their homes because the state made something legal seems like the wrong approach for our community,violates the spirit of the state law, and is frankly bewildering. Fortunately, there's a simple solution. The commissioners could either eliminate this language and allow parents to handle discipline, or they could modify the ordinance so that minors face only a petty misdemeanor - akin to a traffic ticket - rather than a criminal misdemeanor charge like prostitution or driving under the influence. This change would protect our children from potentially being forced out of their homes and out of Cook County by a judge's order. If you believe this draft ordinance is misguided, I urge you to contact the commissioners, county attorney, and county sheriff. Tell them not to risk displacing our youth from the county over something their parents' generation has made legal. Thank you, Bryan Hansel, Grand Marais
As I See It
Dear current and prospective residents of Grand Marais, I write to introduce a new townhome housing development planned for your community called Bjorkberg. I am a residential architect and the designer of Bjorkberg, and also a housing advocate focused on creating the next generation of attainable housing.