Steve Fernlund and The Long Way Home

What a winter. The Sierra mountains in California and Nevada have seen snowfall that would cover a six story building. Ski resorts have had to close because the snow is up to the bottom of chairlifts.  Those of us on the North Shore had a second year of a whole lot of snow.  Complaining about the weather helps us cope, I suppose. In a couple months we can complain about the humidity, black flies, and tourists. But coping isn’t the same as changing things. We can’t change the weather. But we can do something to resolve another complaint. Twice a year, lives are disrupted, some like mine for several days, with the inconvenience and annoyance of Daylight Saving Time (DST), springing ahead and falling back. Prior to 1883 the USA had 144 different local times. This created a great deal of trouble for fledgling railroads trying to serve a growing nation. It was pretty hard to write and post departure and arrival schedules with any time consistency.  In November 1883, Canadian a...

The manager of our office in Sioux Falls, SD, back when I was a corporate guy, used to say,, “Nothing stays the same except rocks.” Like rocks, the problems facing our country and our community seem unchanging. Food security, vulnerable infrastructure, and affordable housing among others seem permanent, and intractable. They’ve been around since well before I was born, seven decades ago, and I fear they will be around long after I’m gone. They are the rocks of ages.  There are countless nonprofits and government bureaucracies, federal, state and local, striving to address these problems, with varying degrees of success. It seems like a new group pops up every year. Addressing the food security issue, a new group called Cook County Food System Network held its kickoff meeting in Grand Marais this week (after the deadline for this paper). In its press release announcing the get together, the Network wrote that its aim is, “to connect organizations and engaged caring community members...

Jacob Keech and his brothers, Steven and Tyler, started Clear Vue Power Washing on a small scale last year. This Spring they are kicking it into gear and offering services to customers along the North Shore and on the Iron Range. Clear Vue cleans everything from driveways, sidewalks, and decks, to  windows, siding, and roof gutters. Its website proclaims, “Revitalizing Residential Exterior Surfaces Is Our Specialty.” Jacob, a graduate of Two Harbors High School, is a committed entrepreneur. In high school he thought about a military career and had several ideas for businesses he’d like to start. He is currently a dedicated member of the Minnesota National Guard.  A few years ago, he bought his first pressure washer and was fascinated by what it could do. “I’m always learning,” he said as he went on to explain that he went online to absorb as much information as he could about power washing. “I saw videos of concrete sidewalks and walls being cleaned, so I went outside and star...

Public Health and Human Services (PHHS) and the Economic Development Authority (EDA) of Cook County are joined together in a series of efforts intended to strengthen and expand local childcare systems for the county. Alison McIntyre, Director of PHHS, said, “The PHHS department is proud to be a partner in the ongoing collaborative efforts and infusion of new resources to support existing providers and expand access to care.” The two agencies received a $180,000 grant from Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to fund initiatives to support new and existing childcare providers. Specifically, the grant includes funding for five initiatives:     A recruitment campaign for childcare workers that includes hiring bonuses     Cover the time and cost of childcare providers to receive continuing education toward a Child Development Associate credential     Create a subsidized slot program for new or expanding child care businesses to o...