Other Features
Canoe Country Trapper Traveled by Dog Team
About a year ago, veteran dog musher Tim White of Colvill graciously shared an interview he conducted with the late fur trapper Mike West, a patriarch of Minnesota mushing, which was published in Winter 1972-73 issue of Northwoods Journal. West ran long, canoe-country traplines and trained sled dogs and drivers for the Army during World War II. The entire interview was a bit long to reprint, so, with full credit to White, a paraphrased version follows here.
KIDS PLUS brings together Cook County youth, builds leadership skills
Since its beginnings in 1990 as a pilot program of the Northland Foundation, KIDS PLUS has worked to increase opportunities for Cook County youth. Now, the Cook County KIDS PLUS is one of 26 KIDS PLUS organizations in northeastern Minnesota, all focused on connecting local youth with community adults to help youth build important life skills.
At Okontoe, 'Welcome' is a Mission Statement
If your auto were to break down of a winter night along the Gunflint Trail, you'd be very fortunate if Mark and Nancy Patten happened along. They'd immediately offer good food, a warm home and guileless friendship. Even on the Trail – where most everyone would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it – the Pattens are special: Their calling is to offer refuge to waifs and strays, providing shelter, food and fellowship to people in need of just those things.
Joan Farnam: NorthShore ArtScene
January Arts!
January is music and snow, art and festivals.
First up, of course, are New Year’s Eve parties, and there are plenty to chose from with a wide selection of music this year.
Welcome to our Table
Good Food and Good Karma at Our Place
If you’d like to see a moose, but are having difficulty doing so, the next best thing may be a visit to Our Place in Finland. The restaurant has perhaps the largest collection of moose memorabilia on the North Shore, including a collection of moose antlers, antler carvings and moose artwork.
Home and Property
Best Home Insurance is Preparation, Prevention
Is your home well insured? You might think that’s a question for your insurance agent, but, in actuality, it might be better to pose the question to yourself.
A house is most people’s largest investment and getting home insurance is more often than not a no-brainer, said Jeff Berquist, local State Farm agent.
Feeding Birds: A Winter Indulgence
For some Cook County residents, winter’s arrival is signaled as much by the flutter of songbirds landing at the feeder as by the rumble of the snowplow. While we might think we’re helping the birds survive the long winter months when we fill our feeders, really, it’s the other way around.
Health and Wellness
Pump House Fitness Center: Back In Black
From the outside, the Pump House Fitness Center might appear unchanged. It’s the same gas pump in front of the door, the same sign hanging on the wall. But inside, new owners Mark and Mary Black are working to adapt the center so it can better assist local residents in meeting their fitness, nutrition and wellness goals.
Whooping Cough Makes a Comeback
When six cases of pertussis, commonly called “whooping cough,” were reported in Cook County recently, it was a big deal, claiming a front-page spot in the News-Herald and significant coverage on WTIP. There was good reason for that: While pertussis can bring prolonged discomfort to adults, it can be very serious for infants, who are not yet immunized. And adults who contract the highly contagious disease can pass it on before they know they even have it.
