County News

Attorney tells county not to ‘stoop’ to level of Falls City Council

Koochiching County officials said they are disappointed in accusations made by the Falls City Council Monday about county officials conspiring with Minnesota Department of Transportation officials about the outcome of a hearing involving a proposal to realign Minnesota Highway 332.
County officials called the Falls City Council’s actions “a publicity stunt,” which caused the county board to refuse to negotiate with the city on the Highway 332 issue.

RECAP study moving forward

A feasibility study for a plasma gasification project planned for Koochiching County is expected to be completed by early next spring.
The study is moving forward, board member Mike Hanson told the Koochiching Economic Development Authority Monday.

The Koochiching County Board is scheduled to discuss the highlights of the local 4-H program during its meeting Tuesday.
The 4-H discussion with Jan Derdowski, 4-H Extension educator, is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
The board meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in the courthouse boardroom.
The board is expected to approve the 2009 county board salary and per diem and, at 10:30 a.m. to discuss canister site contracts during Environmental Services Department business.

The reality of the poor and homeless in Koochiching County

For many people in rural areas, the image of a homeless person is the ragged and lost soul who sleeps with all his belongings in the alcoves of metro businesses, or under city bridges in shanties made of cardboard.
While Koochiching County’s homeless don’t fit that stereotype, their numbers are startling.

Borderland residents who rely on an antenna for television should continue to recieve programming even after a Feb. 17 deadline.
Koochiching County’s Minneonto TV system is expected to continue providing television signals in analog after TV systems switch to digital broadcast television next year.

The installation of new 911 signs around Koochiching County is nearing completion, according to Koochiching County Sheriff Brian Youso.
Youso asks county residents to check their signs to ensure that it features the correct house address of the residence. If the number on the sign is not the same as the residence’s house number, contact Youso at 283-1147.

Koochiching County has improved the water quality of Rainy Lake with a sewage collection project.
Matthew Julius, professor of biological sciences at St. Cloud State University, presented that finding to the Koochiching County Board Tuesday.
He recently completed a water quality study comparing the quality of areas with sewers with that of areas without sewers on Rainy Lake.
“You’ve had an impact on the water quality and it’s getting better,” Julius said.

In the Northome race for city council, write-in candidates Jack White with 56 votes, and Larry Salmonson with 48 votes, will serve four-year councilor terms. Candidate Ann Lievsay received 38 votes and Hope Bonar received 34 votes.
Serving the council in a two-year term will be write-in candidate Carmen Lindley.
Serving as Northome mayor will be uncontested candidate James Schneider.

A newcomer is filling the Commissioner District 3 seat on the Koochiching County Board while an incumbent will continue for another four years in the Commissioner District 5 seat.
In District 3, Brian McBride received 720 votes and Paul Eklund received 419 votes.
In District 5, Mike Hanson received 1,087 votes and Louis Kurhais received 176 votes. Write-in candidates received seven votes.

Voter turnout in Koochiching County
A majority of registered voters turned out to the polls in Koochiching County Tuesday. Of the total of 7,671 voters registered by 7 a.m. Tuesday when polls opened, 6,820 voted, or about 89 percent, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office Web site.

How Koochiching County voted