Conversation with Mike Prom
The Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department is eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new “tactical tender” truck, says chief Mike Prom. Custom built to the department’s specifications, the new truck will carry 2,000 gallons of water and have advanced pumping capabilities, including a remote-control turret allowing firefighters to spray a structure with water or fire-fighting foam without leaving the truck.

A Conversation with Mike Raymond

On the North Shore, you might say Mike Raymond is the godfather of jazz. Not because he’s a dazzling musician, but because he had the vision to begin the annual Grand Marais Jazz Festival, now entering its seventh year.

“Jazz is a good fit for our community,” he says. “The Jazz Festival was founded as a way to bring new visitors to Grand Marais and to help out during the tourism shoulder season.”

A Conversation with Dennis Nietzke
Some of the stimulus money in the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will trickle down to the furthest reaches of Cook County, literally. Dennis Nietzke, Gunflint District ranger for the U. S. Forest Service, says about $550,000 is available for trails and Minnesota Conservation Corps crews will begin work on hiking, ATV and ski trails, including the Kekekabic Trail just as soon as the snow melts.

A Conversation with Mayor Sue Hakes
After two months in office, Grand Marais Mayor Sue Hakes says that she and the four-member City Council are starting to address municipal infrastructure, economic development, and inevitable budgetary constraints. On March 2, the mayor, councilors, and municipal department heads will attend a day-long strategic planning session to prioritize their efforts for the next two years—the length of a mayoral term.