Steve Fernlund and The Long Way Home

The handwringing over the mess in the public hospital in Cook County brought back a memory from my days living in Sin City. We moved to unincorporated Clark County, referred to as Las Vegas, in 1999.  Those heady days of rapid growth in the early 2000s meant many people relocated from other parts of the country to live in the desert under the neon lights. A common question newcomers asked of those of us who lived there a while was, “Where do you go when you need to go to a hospital?”  We’d answer, “California.” The publicly owned North Shore Hospital's (NSH) elected board announced a special meeting on Tuesday, December 5. Open to the public, part of the meeting will address some strategic planning issues. But the board will go into a closed session, citing “attorney-client privilege” to “discuss litigation regarding defamatory statements made against the Hospital.” The brouhaha over the termination of Dr. Bruce Dahlman by his employer, Wapiti Medical Staffing, was covered in artic

Cook County Commissioner Debra White (Dist 1) is hosting a meeting on Saturday, December 16, at 10 a.m. in the Colvill Townhall to discuss the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) underway for Cook County.  Specifically, Commissioner White will present and discuss the proposed improvement plans for both the Colvill Townhall and the Hovland Townhall and receive feedback from the public that she can share with the county board and staff. Both town halls are simple buildings that are more than 70 years old. They are each anchors for their respective unincorporated communities, hosting weddings, dances, birthday and anniversary celebrations, and other community events. The Hovland town hall is the venue for the bi-annual Hovland Arts Festival, and the Colvill town hall is the meeting location for a local Girl Scout troop. Although owned by the county, most of the maintenance and management of these historic buildings has been done by community volunteers over the years. Among the improvements pr

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help identifying the owner of an overturned pontoon boat resting under 25 feet of water at the bottom of Pike Lake in Cook County.  The boat was discovered by fishermen last summer who were using an underwater camera to discern the bottom structure, presumably to aid in catching fish.  Cook County Search and Rescue used its new side-scan sonar equipment to determine the boat’s precise location and capture video of its condition. The side-scan sonar equipment is a recent addition to the water-based work of the Sheriff’s Department. Side-scan sonar is ideal for search and survey operations because it can quickly scan large areas. Gunflint Trail Search and Rescue, led by Michael Valentini, raised the funds to cover the $100,000 cost of the equipment. The pontoon appears to be of an older vintage. It may have been scuttled, without its motor, many years ago. “I’m guessing that it has been on the bottom for quite some time,” Sheriff

I don’t think this is the first time I’ve done this here, so here’s another mea culpa. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a time-honored practice of leaving on a high note that gave the impression that the bohunk, our crew of animals, and this old hoot were moving to the small town of Carlton. That may happen someday, but not now.  In that column, I was doing something I often do: thinking out loud on my keyboard. My recent supervisor at SWCD, the best manager I’ve ever worked for, suggested I shouldn’t think out loud in a newspaper column.  The confusion about us moving is all my fault. Not the thinking-out-loud part. But giving the impression that a move was imminent. MEA CULPA. So here’s the deal. Since we first met on that fateful blind date when we were two misfit 16-year-olds, the Bohunk and I had regular and deep conversations about our future together. From how many kids we would raise (I favored nine to field a baseball team) to where we’d live and how we’d make a living. We

Over four dozen citizens crowded the Board Room at North Shore Health (NSH) on Thursday morning, the 16th, to attend the regularly scheduled meeting of the hospital’s board of directors.  The people attended to voice concerns over the November 1st termination of ER doctor Bruce Dahlman by Wapiti Medical Staffing as they chose not to renew his contract. This for-profit business provides ER doctors and other professionals to NSH. A Cook County resident since 1984, Dr. Dahlman has practiced medicine here since 1986. He has been under a contract with Wapiti since they essentially took over the ER physician staffing for NSH. Despite the long-term relationship, limited due process, and a solid reputation in the community, Wapiti ended its agreement with Dahlman effective November 1.  Judging by the people speaking during the “Public Comment” section of the meeting, Dr. Dahlman is a community pillar who has been treated poorly by hospital leadership and Wapiti.  Just before the public comment

Sometimes, it takes a dramatic and personal event to energize people to rise up and demand change.  On November 16, I did something I dread almost as much as going to the dentist. I hopped in Miss Daisy, the family Chevy, and drove to the local non-profit hospital to attend a meeting of its board of directors. I went because the county had a fervor over the summary dismissal of a beloved local physician who worked in the North Shore Health (NSH) ER. I confess to getting some joy from seeing people energized to stand up and demand accountability, especially when they are shocked by the actions and deceit of local elected officials and the bureaucrats who try to lead them by the nose.  Such accountability is rare, especially in a small Minnesota county like ours. Dr. Bruce Dahlman has practiced medicine for almost 40 years, nearly all in Cook County. According to the press release issued by the hospital board following the meeting, his performance is above reproach. Everyone I talk with,

Seeing athletes, politicians, and other celebrities retire at the pinnacle of their careers has always inspired me. Knowing when to step aside is a badge of honor. Sadly, most people deny the inevitable decline for far too long, ending up as a sad shadow of their best selves.  In my life choices, I have tried to step away when I was peaking. Like selling a business or two that was ready to move beyond my limited talents. Leaving a job or consulting assignment when I passed the point of adding value. Even giving up my prized Red Rock Democratic Club in Las Vegas after leading a compelling and energetic organizing effort from 2005 through the big national election of 2008. With the invasive aquatic species work over that I’d done during the boating season and the firewood put up for winter, I’ve been reflecting on where the Bohunk and I are at these days. Half of our offspring, all four in their 40s now, proposed to Becky that we should leave our refuge on the ridge that overlooks Lake S

Probably one of the worst questions a potential employer ever asked me during a job interview was, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”  Judging by the outcomes, answering, “I see myself as your boss, and I will delight in terminating you,” never leads to a job offer. It's a good thing I’ve been self-employed most of my life. There is some merit to thinking about the future. It’s pretty tough to get where you’re going without a destination in mind.  After all these years, though, I haven’t seen a five-year plan, business or government, strategic or otherwise, come to fruition. Sometimes the outcome was better, sometimes worse, but not often did things end up according to plan.  That’s not to say taking a long-term view of the future is a bad idea. Regarding almost any issue, from climate change to the Middle East, getting anyone to view much past the next 24 hours is nearly impossible.  Today, politicians are accusing each other of corruption and treason. Rather than working