Minnesota briefs: Another community replaces a lost newspaper

Another northern Minnesota community that lost its newspaper is now getting a replacement.

The Lake County Press in Two Harbors is set to publish its first edition as soon as this week under the ownership of CherryRoad Media, a New Jersey-based company that now owns eight newspapers in Minnesota. It's a welcome arrival for the North Shore region, which lost the Lake County News-Chronicle when it closed in 2020.

"It is fabulous. It's been long enough that I think people appreciate that this is coming back," said Jackie Rennwald, operations director of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce. "This is a huge benefit.

"There's not a lot of ways other than social media to share information or news, or to find out what's going on in the area," Rennwald said. "I think a newspaper is more reliable. It's old school; it's got a credibility to it."

Last year, CherryRoad launched the Rainy Lake Gazette in International Falls after the hedge-fund owner of the International Falls Journal closed that newspaper after 110 years of publication. Later in the year, CherryRoad bought seven Minnesota newspapers from the media giant Gannett, promising to invest in improvements to the news operations, which had been "stripped," according to a prominent Minnesota news industry official.

CherryRoad's first Minnesota acquisition was another North Shore paper, the Cook County News-Herald in Grand Marais, which it bought in 2020.

JOHN REINAN

Schools chief Tim Lutz announces resignation

The superintendent of the Bemidji Area Schools is resigning after nearly four years in the job. Tim Lutz made the announcement at the Board of Education's regular meeting last week.

"After a rewarding career of 18 years in public school administration and after much careful reflection and conversation with my family, I've decided that it is time for me to retire," Lutz said. "I've greatly appreciated working with a supportive school board and would like to thank you all for the opportunity to serve as a leader of such a dynamic and excellent school district."

Lutz will remain as superintendent through the current school year.

JOHN REINAN

DNR fields complaints of anglers dumping sewage

Sewage dumping by ice-fishing anglers is a growing problem on Minnesota lakes, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reports.

"Sewage and litter continue to be an issue on area lakes," DNR conservation officer Nicholas Prachar said in a report filed last week. Prachar, who works out of the Blackduck North station, said his office has received "numerous complaints" about anglers in wheeled, RV-style ice houses who dump their sewage tanks on the ice as they leave a lake.

JOHN REINAN