The Shore Thing Podcast

Arrowhead Electric Power Outages: Conversation with John Twiest

John Twiest is the CEO and general manager at Arrowhead Cooperative. He spoke to the Shore Thing Podcast about recent power outages in Cook County and aging infrastructure holding some of the local utility lines in place. Twiest also talks about spirited callers who phone Arrowhead during power outages, and the history of power outages in the county.
Also, The Shore Thing is on Patreon! Support the independent podcast if you appreciate straight talk on local issues impacting the community. As Steve says: “We don’t have time for any bullshit on this podcast.”

Jason Hale Talks About Leaving the HRA

The Nov. 8 resignation of Jason Hale as the director of the Cook County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) is the latest example of stalwarts in local government resigning from their positions.
For example, in August, former Cook County Economic Development Authority (EDA) Director Theresa Bajda wrapped up her tenure leading a local government entity, which lasted for less than a year.
Following Bajda’s resignation, Hale stepped in as the interim EDA director, essentially serving as the top official for both organizations. This arrangement follows what some community members and county officials, including Bajda, feel was a missed opportunity to merge the HRA and EDA in 2023.
In this exit interview, of sorts, Hale says he is going to be working on housing projects in northeastern Minnesota, indeed starting his own company where he will work with municipalities and contractors across the region. Hale also talks about the EDA/HRA merger that was voted down in 2023, and what it was like working in a small town where his role was very public.

Lutsen Resident Tom Christiansen After Hurricane Helene Flood

A Cook County resident is in Marion, North Carolina, helping people impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Lutsen resident Tom Christiansen arrived in North Carolina in early October, not long after the East Coast was impacted by flooding from the hurricane. Tom says he is “assisting in my small way to help people with desperate needs. We are sheltering a man who was trapped in his home with a tree on his chest. His five horses were washed away. Although he has internal bruises he is recovering and thanks me every day for our help.”
Tom is volunteering with the Red Cross at a YMCA building currently operating as a shelter for people displaced by the flooding and other events caused by the storm. Tom reports that “a family is here with mom, dad, grandma and three children. They escaped with the clothes on their backs and grandma’s wheelchair.”
Tom said many of the people he’s helping are in an unimaginable situation because of the hurricane.
“Many of our clients have lost everything,” Tom said. “Please help.”
Tom spoke with Joe Friedrichs Oct. 8 for this episode of The Shore Thing Podcast.
To help the people impacted by Hurricane Helene, follow this link: https://www.redcross.org/donate/dr/hurricane-helene.html/

Garry Gamble District 2 Candidate

Garry Gamble is running unopposed for District 2 on the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
He last ran for office in 2016, losing the election to Myron Bursheim. Gamble lost in 2016 by a count of 307-227.
As of Sept. 20, there have been no official write-in candidacies announced to challenge Gamble.
Two local issues that Gamble says are important for him are government spending and housing.
Joe Friedrichs spoke with Gamble for this episode of the podcast.

Dean Berglund District 4 Candidate

Dean Berglund is running for the Cook County commissioner seat in District 4.
Born and raised in Cook County, Dean has been a business owner for more than 40 years. This is the second time Dean has run for this seat on the county board. He was defeated in 2020 by incumbent Ann Sullivan. The vote total was 476-407, in favor of Sullivan.
In 2024, Dean says two local issues that made him want to run for county commissioner include housing and government spending.
Steve Fernlund spoke with Dean for this installment of the podcast.

Ann Sullivan District 4 Candidate

Ann Sullivan is running for the Cook County commissioner seat in District 4. She is the current board chair.
Ann has won two elections for this seat on the county board. She defeated Dean Berglund in 2020 by a count of 476-407. She won again in 2022 (redistricting led to an election that year), defeating Theresa Luther-Dolan 494-243.
Joe Friedrichs spoke with Ann Sullivan about why she is choosing to run for a third term on the county board.

Episode 16: Visiting Journalists From World Press Institute

Ten journalists from the World Press Institute who are in the United States on a fellowship tour visited Grand Marais and Cook County this week. The journalists met with local media, traveled up the Gunflint Trail, to Grand Portage, and met with community members throughout the county.
Two of the journalists, Xhemajl Rexha from Kosovo, and Gugulethu Mfuphi from South Africa, talked with Joe Friedrichs for this episode of the podcast. Topics covered include the values of community journalism, the role of journalists in a community, and other news items of local, national, and global relevance.

Episode 15: Arrowhead Electric Board Member Gunflint Trail

There is a new person on the Arrowhead Electric Cooperative Board of Directors.
Matt Schuerger is the new appointee. He joined the board Friday, Aug. 16. Schuerger is a resident of the Gunflint Trail and will represent District 3 on the board. Schuerger has a vast and longstanding connection with the utility and electric industry in the state, including serving from 2016-2023 as a commissioner of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Schuerger was appointed to the state PUC most recently by the appointment of Gov. Tim Walz.
Schuerger was appointed to the local board following the July resignation of Michael Valentini from the Arrowhead Cooperative Board of Directors. Valentini is planning to move back to the Iron Range at some point, and said he felt it was the right thing to do to essentially pass the torch to Schuerger, particularly given his experience with the industry.
Joe Friedrichs from The Shore Thing Podcast met with Valentini and Schuerger at the Mid-Trail Fire Hall to discuss their experiences with Arrowhead and other related topics.

Update On Lutsen Resort Fire Update With State Fire Marshal

Lutsen Resort, a historic lodge on the North Shore of Lake Superior, burned to the ground early in the morning Feb. 6. Since that time, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s State Fire Marshal division has been investigating the blaze that torched the iconic resort.
State Fire Marshal Daniel Krier and State Fire Marshal Chief Investigator Jim Iammatteo traveled to The North Shore July 9 for an exclusive interview with the Shore Thing Podcast. The investigation into what started the fire remains ongoing, the fire officials said.
Krier and Iammatteo were direct as they explained that there’s little that can be released at this time while the investigation remains active.
“Sometimes we can get the truth quick and easy,” Iammatteo said. “And sometimes it takes time. But either way, we want the truth.”
In this episode of the podcast, we get a full report and update on the Feb. 6 fire from Lutsen Resort.

Episode 13 Arvis Thompson On Election Snafu

A technical error is complicating the prospects for a candidate for the Cook County Board of Commissioners in the upcoming election.
Arvis Thompson is a longtime resident of Cook County. She filed to run for commissioner in District 4 during the 2024 election. Thompson filed the necessary paperwork to be a candidate June 3, one day before the filing deadline, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
It turns out Thompson does not live in District 4, according to Cook County Auditor Braidy Powers. The error is a result of a mistake by the county’s computer-mapping system that calculates who votes in what district. The modeling is based on where people live in the county.
Listen to the accompanying audio to hear the most recent episode of The Shore Thing Podcast with Joe Friedrichs and Steve Fernlund. In this episode, they talk with Thompson about her candidacy, the county’s mistake in redistricting, and what comes next for her campaign.

Cook County Newspaper Editor Brian Larsen

Brian Larsen is one busy individual. In addition to writing most of the local newspaper, he also sells most of the ads and delivers the Cook County News-Herald to local businesses and to the post office.
He's been involved in local journalism in Cook County dating back to the 1970s. Brian is from Cook County and continues to live in Grand Marais.
In this episode of the podcast, Steve and Joe talk with Brian about changes in covering local news, why so many people are quick to read the letters to the editor in the local paper, and what to expect for local news in an election year.

Doctor Dahlman Update And Other Cook County News

Dr. Bruce Dahlman has moved on, at least in terms of his career. After his dismissal from North Shore Health, the hospital in Grand Marais, Dr. Dahlman is now working in healthcare in International Falls. Dahlman told Steve Fernlund from the Shore Thing Podcast, in an interview for the North Shore Journal, that he would like to continue working in healthcare in Grand Marais, if possible.
Meanwhile, a petition was started by Chuck Heller and the Concerned Citizens for Cook County Healthcare to bring "justice for Dr. Dahlman and all employees at North Shore Health."
In this episode of the podcast, Steve and Joe discuss the latest on Dr. Dahlman. Other topics discussed in the "traveling episode" include a stalled discussion with the superintendent at ISD 166 focused on locker room policy at the local school district and the passing of Nex Benedict, a non binary student in Oklahoma. Steve and Joe also talk upcoming elections, including at Arrowhead Electric Cooperative and the District 3A seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Cook County GOP and DFL party leaders talk with Steve and Rhonda

Guest host Rhonda Silence teams up with Steve to talk local politics in this episode of the podcast. Joining the two longtime journalists are Cook County GOP Chair Andrew Smith and DFL Chair Kevin LeVoir.
It's an election year and the local caucuses took place Feb. 27. Hear from the local political party leaders about what's important at the grassroots level in 2024.

Sarah Jorgenson From Java Moose On Instagram Fame And Local News

Sarah Jorgenson works at Java Moose, her family's coffee shop in Grand Marais. She is a local celebrity of sorts, known by many for her daily weather updates that she posts on social media.
In this episode of the podcast, Sarah talks with Joe and Steve about why she started the weather updates, the challenges of sharing PG-style content in an R-rated world, and what life is like in a small town that is not lacking controversies and spirited individuals.

Lutsen Resort General Manager After Fire And Community Response

Lutsen Resort burned to the ground during an early morning fire Feb. 6.
In the week following the fire, the owner and management team at Lutsen Resort have shared multiple comments in the press and on social media explaining that there is no connection between the fire and financial challenges the resort is facing.
"Shame on so many of you. The damage that has been done is going beyond a building. This tragedy should only be about the loss of such an important icon and the people affected by it including so much of our team," Owner Bryce Campbell shared Feb. 10. "Instead the site has become a spectacle in the likes of a roadside attraction for photos and the tragic loss has become a source of enjoyment for gossipers and headlines to sell news subscriptions."
Edward Vanegas was Lutsen Resort’s general manager for several years in the lead up to the Feb. 6 fire. Lutsen Resort currently has no employees following the fire, according to Vanegas.
Vanegas was among the first people to be notified of the fire at Lutsen Resort on Feb. 6. After being called with the news of the fire, he drove from his home east of Grand Marais and to the scene, watching the resort as it burned to the ground.
Vanegas spoke with Steve and Joe on the podcast about his experience watching the resort burn, and the community's reaction to fire.