Historical Review

Jan. 12, 1901-Judge Holland has retired and Judge W.S. McClenahan began his office duties in this district in Grand Rapids.

Jan. 12, 1901-Wilson Dow, about 20, was killed by a falling tree at the camp of A. Paupur near Floodwood.

1911

Jan. 11, 1911-The estimated yield of potato crops in Itasca County in 1910 was 70,000 bushels.

Jan. 11, 1911-State Sen. D.M. Gunn of the 52nd District is a member of eight committees in the Legislature.

Jan. 11, 1911-About 30 representative farmers met in Grand Rapids to discuss plans of erecting a potato warehouse and creamery,

Jan. 11, 1911-The liquor lid has been lifted by the Supreme Court. An injunction has been placed against agents of the Interior Department. A national farce is ended as the court holds that Minnesota has the right to regulate its own affairs. Pussyfootism must go.

Jan. 11, 1911-Mrs. E.J. Anderson is the new postmaster in Coleraine.

1921

Jan. 12, 1921-The Theodore Roosevelt Highway Association conducted a meeting at Cass Lake. The meeting was important to Itasca County as Grand Rapids is located on the road.

Jan. 12, 1921-Ismail Memet Marinoff, a Bulgarian miner, was killed in an accident at the Canisteo Pit in Coleraine.

Jan. 12, 1921-A bill has been introduced into Congress that would give federal aid to the Deer River school district to reimburse the district for the teaching of Indian children.

1931

Jan. 14, 1931-A plan is in the works to remove all poor aid from Itasca County’s general revenue fund.

Jan. 14, 1931-John Hatala, 72, Trout Lake, was killed by a hit and run driver while walking near his home.

1941

Jan. 8, 1941-Harry Holmes was elected chairman of the Itasca County Board.

Jan. 8, 1941-Two local physicians – Dr. J.O. Meyer and Dr. D.E. Stewart – were called to military duty.

Jan. 8, 1941-Elmer W. Bark is now sole owner of the Grand Rapids Food Mart, having purchased the interest of W.J. Lutgen.

1951

Jan. 11, 1951-State Sen. George O’Brien of Grand Rapids has been named chairman of the Public Domain Committee.

Jan. 11, 1951-Corporal Garlynn Tupper of Coleraine has been listed as missing in action in Korea since Dec. 1.

1961

Jan. 12, 1961-A delegation from the Itasca County Bar Association urged the Grand Rapids Village Council to ask for legislation to establish a municipal court.

Jan. 12, 1961-A two-month old controversy over a new grading system for junior high school pupils apparently came to an end. Chief objection to the new report cards was the proposal for rating the minimum ability of students.

See History, page 6D

Jan. 12, 1961-Art Silvis was elected chief of the Grand Rapids Volunteer Fire Department.

Jan. 12, 1961-Blandin Paper Co. directors approved an estimated expenditure of more than $2 million for additional construction.

Jan. 12, 1961-Dorian Serfling, Deer River police chief for the past 20 years, died.

Jan. 12, 1961-The Rev. J. Clifford Marshall was installed as pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church of Bovey abd Trinity Lutheran Church of Coleraine.

Jan. 16, 1961-A 32-year-old Braham man who shot and killed his brother-in-law by mistake on the opening day of the deer season was free after a jury trial. Harold Engberg was found not guilty of second degree manslaughter.

Jan. 16, 1961-Municipal liquor store net profits fell sharply from $93,959 in 1959, to $60,400 in 1960.

Jan. 16, 1961-FBI agents have charged a Calumet man and another man with stealing 100 tons of grain. Percy C. Anderson of Calumet and Lester C. Pope of Pickering, Mo., are being held under federal charges in Minneapolis.

1971

Jan. 7, 1971-A sparkling little blonde from Deer River, Rene Horner, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Julian Horner, is the 1971 March of Dimes poster girl for Minnesota.

Jan. 7, 1971-Chosen as administrator and central purchasing officer for Itasca County was outgoing commissioner Lloyd Nesseth. In another move, T.O. Pederson was named chairman of the board of commissioners and Norbert Harms was named vice chairman.

Jan. 7, 1971-District 318 School Board members elected Ronald K. Bailey of Bigfork chairman.

Jan. 11, 1971-Property tax rates in most parts of Itasca County will be down for taxes payable in 1971. But many taxpayers will find the tax bills they must pay will be somewhat more than last year.

Jan. 11, 1971-Sp. 4 Randy Oberg of Grand Rapids received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds he received in action in Vietnam.

1981

Jan. 8, 1981-George Predovich of Coleraine, a longtime county board member from District 3, will represent Itasca County on the Mississippi Headwaters Board.

Jan. 8, 1981-Bob Herbst became the chairman of the Itasca County Board when the board reorganized.

Jan. 8, 1981-Morris Hursh, 74, a former Grand Rapids resident who headed Minnesota’s Welfare Deparatment for almost 17 years, died in Arizona.

Jan. 12, 1981-Market value of agricultural products sold by the 572 farms in Itasca County in 1978 totaled $5.1 million for an average of $8,925 each, according to a preliminary report.

Jan. 12, 1981-Eighty Marines from bases in Florida and Texas are expected to arrive at Sugar Hills for winter survival and ski training.

Jan. 12, 1981-John R. Miller, 20, and Kenneth Cullen, 23, appeared in district court. The men are accused of kidnapping, robbing and killing William Cocker, 24, in Texas. The men were apprehended in Itasca County.

Jan. 12, 1981-Mary Teresa, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mick Metzer of Coleraine, is the 1981 New Year’s Baby.

1991

Jan. 9, 1991-Russ Johannsen retired after serving for 16 years as sheriff of Itasca County.

Jan. 9, 1991-Listening to claims that the 1990 spring Wawina fires were “still smoking,” Itasca County commissioners voted to deny a conditional use permit which would allow the construction of a waste tire loading and salvage facility in Wawina.

Jan. 9, 1991-Greg Taylor is the new chief of the Grand Rapids Fire Department.

Jan. 13, 1991-The three individuals being held in connection with the Dec. 12 robbery of the Calumet branch of the Itasca State Bank were indicted by a federal grand jury. They allegedly stole approximately $50,000 from the bank. They are Shirley Ann Phillips, 51, her son Kenneth W. Long, 22, and Richard Sims, 25, all of Indianapolis, Ind.

Jan. 13, 1991-About half of the air intake filters on a turbine used for pumping fuel caught fire at the Great Lakes Gas Transmission Co. in Deer River. Losses are expected in excess of $10,000.

Jan. 13, 1991-The Greenway school district is working on a special operations plan to reduce its operating funds deficit to the amount allowed by state law.