Lake County Press

08/30/2024

Woman with north shore ties swims the English Channel with team. Lisa (Lind) Weispfenning, 51, credits her love of swimming and willingness to push her comfort boundaries to Two Harbors coaches.

08/29/2024

08/28/2024

08/26/2024

Keeping her cool in the steamy weather. MPRs Kerri Miller near the corner of Nelson and Judson warming up for Rural Voices conversation.

08/25/2024

Kitty at the Fair. Tomorrow Monday August 26 with Kerri Miller and friends to talk about Rural Voices. Check it out 10:20 am

08/22/2024

Two Harbors takes bold step to voluntarily protect waters of Agate Bay.

Two Harbors initiated a legacy of Lake Superior stewardship this week with an historic unanimous decision by the city council to voluntarily move ahead with a green infrastructure project to protect the waters of Agate Bay.

08/21/2024

Silver Rapids Lodge resort latest update following August 19 meeting.

An old resort with new owners and plans for expansion on the edge of the Boundary Waters near Ely and lying within Lake County is hearing from residents about concerns related to adding docks, fractional ownership cabins and people to the area.Over 300 people brought a petition to Lake County reques...

08/20/2024

Repairs have been made and thus alert lifted.

On Lake Superior's Beautiful North Shore

08/20/2024

On Lake Superior's Beautiful North Shore

08/19/2024

The city of Two Harbors has just voted unanimously to move forward with the project for Agate Bay to protect it from runoff pollution.

08/15/2024

UPDATE: There will be a special meeting about the Agate Bay biochar project of the Two Harbors City Council at 5 PM on Monday, August 19, 2024, in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and reconsider authorizing ex*****on of a memorandum between the City of Two Harbors and Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District to declare support for the installation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative green infrastructure project and acknowledgement of an agreement between the DNR and the Lake County SWCD for the installation of a two staged ditch with biochar prior to discharge in Agate Bay to be located on the parcel to be conveyed from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to the City. (This property is located along Agate Bay between Lighthouse Point Road and Waterfront Drive.)

The Council will also consider proposed amendments to both the Grant Agreement between the U.S. E.P.A. and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Grant Number (FAIN): 00E03023 (with Assistance Amendment dated May 19, 2023) including EPA General Terms and Conditions effective October 1, 2022 or later; and State of Minnesota Grant Contract (Swift Contract No. 204189) between the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District (with Grant Agreement Amendment #1) and all attachments.

A project that has been more than four years in the works to reduce E.coli in the waters of Agate Bay was voted down at Monday night’s city council meeting.Fully grant funded at $750,000 and readied to be let for bids in order to be completed yet this year, the Lake County Soil and Water Conservat...

08/14/2024

Anybody home? This cub is taking a look around 9th Ave and 5th St. neighborhood this morning. Maybe take those bird feeders in.

08/13/2024

Primary Election Day. Your vote matters, get out and vote.

08/11/2024

🎉🎈ONE WEEK OUT! 🎉🎈

Come celebrate our 13 Year Anniversary! Next Saturday, Aug. 17th all day at the taproom! We will have Live Music, Food Trucks & Specialty Beers! It's an entire day of fun at Castle Danger Brewery! Can't wait to see you there!

08/08/2024

Organic blueberries grown With Love by Shary Zoff 's Berries.

08/08/2024

Starts today-Lake County Fair!

08/08/2024

Still got that summer feeling with this warm weather? Relive a little of the summer with Fair Days memories! Here's the complete "Old Fair Days" article (you may have wondered if the piece got cut short on the front page this week-it did-sorry about that!)

Old Fair Days remembered

Fair season has waned but the memories of sun and all the fun that goes into enjoying whatever county or state fairs you visited this year lingers. Here’s a look at some of the history of Lake County’s fairgrounds

By Kitty Mayo

Up on Fairgrounds Road just on the edge of Two Harbors there are several buildings that were put up in the 1980s. An outdoor arena and space and stands for exciting outdoor events like mud drag races, barrel racing and just about anything the Lake County Fair board and others can imagine.

How those facilities came to be lies just outside of the recent memory for many of us, but some still remember that a few devoted folks helped bring it into being back in the 1980s.

Tom McGregor was one of those dedicated souls, and when he died this July 31st, some of his friends and family wanted to tell the story of what a small group of individuals accomplished to make the county fairgrounds what they are today.

Tom’s surviving wife, Carmen McGregor, says that his work on the fairgrounds meant a lot to him.

“The fairgrounds was a big accomplishment, Tom would mow the whole area every year where the carnival is,” said Carmen.

Joe Klinker was Tom’s friend and former neighbor up on County Road 12, and he recalls that a group of four men cooperated to bring about a scenario that supported the kind of childhood they wanted for their children.

“In 1971 I bought my little farm and Tom lived across County 12 from me, we both had children and wanted to raise them raising critters and being in 4H,” said Klinker.

Klinker says that Dennis Prestidge, who worked with him at Reserve Mining, was a mutual friend, and neighbor. Prestidge also died in 2023.

In 1973 Howie Solem joined the farmer-quartet when he moved to Westover Road outside of Two Harbors.

“Tom and Dennis taught me to farm. Dennis told me what tractor to buy, Tom welded what I needed welded, and they both helped me pick out my hay baler,” said Klinker, “Howie joined us foursome and became the ‘Barn Boss’,”

Prior to that point the Lake County Fair was located on the property where the Lake County Sonju hockey arena now stands, and animals were no longer part of the fair. 4Hers in Lake County who wanted to show their animals had to do so at the St. Louis county fair.

McGregor and his pals set about to change that.

The four of them worked together farming, working cattle and hogs, and then eventually worked together on bringing the fair to its present location.

The first fair barn went up around 1985, with the big blue building and the 4H building built soon after.

Everyone in the foursome pitched in to volunteer their time and labor, building stalls for the animals and endless other tasks.

“It was quite a community project, what we built, we built to last,” said Klinker.

Then their children got busy over the years with their 4H projects. They showed their animals at the Lake County Fair. Sometimes they won blue ribbons, and sometimes they went on to show at the State Fair.

(photo of Tom McGregor and eldest son, Jeff submitted by Carmen McGregor)

08/06/2024

Shary's Berries reports rapid-ripening blueberries!

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08/05/2024

Thank You! Emergency Responders for being there for all of us.
Update from Lake County Sheriff's Office, MN:
Tettegouche State Park High Falls, Medical Emergency

On August 4, 2024 at 1225 hours (12:25 pm), Lake County Dispatch received a call of a 70-year-old male who had fallen down the steps going to the High Falls at Tettegouche State Park and was bleeding from the head. At 1259 hours (12:59 pm), a Tettegouche Ranger arrived on scene and was notified by a nurse on scene that the patient was stable with multiple cuts.

At 1300 hours, Lake County Ambulance and Lake County Rescue arrived on scene. At 1338 hours (1:38 pm), Lifelink was requested to assist in transport of the patient.

At 1408 hours (2:08 pm), Lake County Ambulance transported the patient to the landing zone, and at 1456 hours (2:56 pm), Lifelink had the patient loaded and was in the air.

Agencies assisting the Lake County Sheriff’s Office during this incident were Lake County Rescue, Lake County Ambulance, Silver Bay Police Department, Silver Bay Fire Department, Tettegouche State Park Ranger, and Lifelink.

No additional information is available at this time.

Sometimes things don’t go as planned, yesterday was one of those days. We pride ourselves in adaptability and sometimes we take others along with us. Life Link III’s crew didn’t hesitate to head into the bush with our teams to help a patient, along with their pilot relocating his landing zone to put the patient first. Silver Bay Fire Department did a great job relocating and securing both landing zones. Lake County Ambulance Service, Lake County Sheriff's Office, MN, and Silver Bay Police Department once again hiked into the backcountry with us to provide top notch care. We absolutely love our Lake County residents, who at a moments notice let our crews access their properties to quickly extricate a patient and land a helicopter in their driveway. These people do amazing things everyday, we’re just happy to share their story with you. Stay safe out there!

08/04/2024

Sensory Friendly Day Out With Thomas is This Monday in Two Harbors

Thomas the Tank Engine welcomed near record crowds on the first of his two weekends in Two Harbors. The response was incredible as the #1 Engine from the Island of Sodor entertained his many friends with full size train rides, live entertainment, a magic show, bounce houses, face painting, mini train rides, games and lots of bubbles.

However, not everyone can enjoy a loud, enthusiastic crowd of people with noises and distractions. Families with a member who has autism can find the excitement of a Day Out With Thomas off putting. This is why the North Shore Scenic Railroad premiered a FREE Sensory Friendly Day Out With Thomas.

Monday August 5th from 8:30am to Noon, families with a member on the Spectrum will be able to experience the fun of Thomas without all the crowds, noise, confusion or interruptions. It’s a toned-own event designed in cooperation with Autism Speaks Minnesota to give maximum enjoyment with minimal disruption. The North Shore Scenic Railroad was the first in the nation to offer what is now a regular part of every Thomas appearance.

Tickets are FREE for a family member with autism and FREE for one adult. The FREE tickets are made possible by Mattel, the Thomas Brand Manager, the LaBounty Family Fund, through the Duluth/Superior Area Community Foundation and the Depot Foundation. The railroad acknowledges their support and is very appreciative.

The Sensory Friendly Day has all the elements of a Day Out With Thomas but confined to a much smaller number of guests, lower noise levels and customized events held in an orderly progression that is comfortable and welcoming. Two Harbors Mayor Lew Conner will continue a tradition by hosting the event and welcoming these special guests to his community.

08/02/2024

Masks Required at North Shore Health and North Shore Living - North Shore Health - August 1, 2024

07/31/2024

Have you personally been affected by flooding in Lake county? Here is some new information that can help you get assistance.

07/29/2024

Yappy Hour? Brilliant.

07/28/2024

Sleepy Bones Allison setting up for a set at bandshell Park right now. And the ice cream is here!

07/26/2024

Holiday Station at 4th St. in Two Harbors under construction for the next 8 weeks for new tanks and pumps upgrade. Store's still open!