Other 61 Voices
My church, First Congregational UCC of Grand Marais, publishes the Shining Light Newsletter each month. The November issue had two columns that moved me to treat them as a joint guest column here.
Opinion
Read MoreOther 61 Voices
Experienced trainers can work with aggressive dogs and their owners
In recent days, Go Dog North Shore received a report of an incident involving an aggressive dog at the Grand Marais Dog Park. While we have not been able to verify all sides of the story of this particular incident, we thought this would be a good opportunity to remind dog park users of proper park etiquette. First and foremost, if your dog has ever exhibited “aggressive” or reactive behavior towards other dogs or humans, please do not bring your dog to the park. Doing so puts other people and pets in harm's way and could result in medical treatment and/or legal consequences. In addition, avoiding situations that cause your dog to be in a reactive state of mind is simply healthier for your dog.
Moving on
As I write, sunbeams stream through my window and I revel in our snow-free yard, a mid-November rarity. We’ve had a balmy few days, and my husband Jerry has both biked and kayaked this week. I’m a little jealous. My activities have been limited to long walks and running around the thrift store. We still have our dock out, a favor for a few friends who’ve stationed their fishing boat on it for easy access to their whitefish nets, which have to be checked every twenty-four hours. We might make it another week before the ice sets in. Hopefully. It would be a challenge to pull our dock out after the ice sets in, which I remember happening quickly the past few years.
LEAP for clean energy
On October 10th the City of Duluth, Ecolibrium3 and the Department of Energy (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) co-hosted a historic meeting in Duluth which highlighted Duluth’s participation in the DOE Community Local Energy Action Program (C-LEAP). Duluth is one of 16 US cities initially participating in this project, developing plans to achieve a 50 percent reduction in 2005 Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) by 2030 and a “Net Zero“ level of GHG by 2050 to meet our 2015 UN Paris Climate Accord commitments.
Wildlife Matters
Beaver: Adaptations Beaver are far more than just another warm blood mammal. They are very well designed for their lifestyle and have numerous adaptations that help them survive in their aquatic habitat.
Homage to Librarians
I probably shouldn't be writing my first letter to the editor with this brain fog, but write I must. I find myself a week+ into COVID. Zero stars. It's my first time so I know I'm lucky on many levels.
Thank you, grocers!
November is the month of Food and Gratitude! This makes it the perfect time to thank our local grocers for their support of supplemental food programs. You may be familiar with SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), but have you heard of WIC (Women, Infants, & Children)? Do you know about the Produce Vouchers that are funded by the Grand Marais Food Shelf?
North Shore Health Responds to Community Concerns
The Board of Directors and Administration at North Shore Health would like to thank everyone who has shared their concerns about our quality of care, our commitment to the community and the sustainability of our facility. We have heard the concerns about the change in Dr. Bruce Dahlman’s employment via email, text, social media, phone calls, and from those who attended today’s board meeting. We know it is not easy to take time from your busy schedules to share your comments, and we appreciate it. We want you to know that we hear you and we care. As a long-standing pillar of this community, North Shore Health is firmly committed to our mission: “Community Access to Compassionate Care”. That is no small task in these challenging times for rural healthcare.
Former hospital employee speaks out
Although I no longer live or work in Cook County, I feel compelled to speak out about the troubling situation at North Shore Health and the arbitrary dismissal of a dedicated, compassionate physician, Dr. Bruce Dahlman. As a former employee who worked under both the previous and current administration, I will no longer remain silent. I can immediately recall at least twenty people who were either terminated for fabricated reasons or resigned due to the toxic environment created by the current administrator. There is no EMS staff member who has worked there for longer than three years because everyone has quit. All of the laboratory staff is temporary, having resigned because of the dreadful working conditions. The nursing staff has decreased to only a third of what it was seven years ago when I worked there. Anyone can verify this by looking at the job openings.
Writer calls for administration changes at North Shore Health
It became clear at the recent NSH board meeting that NSH administration was involved in the firing of Dr. Dahlman, despite their repeated denials otherwise. It also became clear that he was not dismissed for medical reasons, nor for anything that merited his dismissal.