If you are looking to further your education or need information on going back to college, Destination College 2012 is an event for you.
On March 7 and 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., you will hear from college students about what going to college is really like, find out how to select and apply to colleges, and learn the nuts and bolts of financial aid.  These two-hour events are for anyone, no matter what their age, who is looking to further their education, whether going to college for the first time or to finish a degree.
Destination College 2012 will be held in two locations.  On March 7, the event is in Grand Portage at the ENP Building with keynote speaker Anna Deschampe, graduate of St. Olaf College.  On March 8, the event is being held in Grand Marais at the North Shore Campus with keynote speaker and LPN student Timothy Young. From 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. the focus is on selecting a college and the admissions process. From 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. the focus will be on paying for college and financial aid. 
This event is free of charge.  Destination College 2012 is sponsored by Cook County Higher Education, Cook County School District 166 and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Department of Education.  For more information and to pre-register for the event, call 387-3411.

Before its regular meeting on February 21, 2012, the county board participated in the Human Service Board meeting, primarily hearing updates on Public Health and Human Services activities. One action taken was accepting the resignation—with regret—of Amy Lacina, RN, a PHHS Public Health Nurse and Care Coordinator.
PHHS Director Sue Futterer explained that Lacina had submitted her resignation to take a position at North Shore Hospital. Futterer said Lacina had done a “fantastic” job getting the care coordinator program going. The care coordinator works with elderly clients serviced by Minnesota Senior Health Care Options. Futterer said Lacina currently visits 22 nursing home patients and 10 other community members who are able to stay in their homes because of her help. The care coordinator also provides services to the youngest community members, making prenatal and postpartum visits to mothers and babies. The number of clients varies, depending on the number of babies born and the families requesting visits. However, Futterer said the caseload likely averages 15 moms and babies.
“I know a job is not supposed to be about the person,” said Futterer. “But Amy’s shoes will be hard to fill.”
Futterer asked to advertise to fill the position, increasing it from a 20-hour to a 30-hour job. The job would be a C42, with a salary ranging from $19.07 to $23.88 depending on education and experience.
A motion passed authorizing Futterer to hire a new staff member at the increased hours.

Yesterday, Frank Moe and his team of sled dogs arrived in Duluth's Lester Park, marking the fourth day in their journey from Grand Marais to St. Paul in protest of sulfide mining in Minnesota. WTIP’s Kelly Schoenfelder has this report from the rally.

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Members of the Schroeder town board were getting a little worried as the March 2012 election neared. Longtime Schroeder Clerk Carol Tveekrem had repeatedly stated that she was not running for reelection. Supervisor Ross Willson announced that he was moving away from Cook County. And no citizens filed to run for office before the January 15, 2012 deadline. So it was with some relief that they learned at the February town board meeting that two citizens had stepped forward to run as write-in candidates. Running for supervisor is Deb Johnson and running for clerk is Doug Schwecke. Township elections and annual meetings are held the second Tuesday of March. In 2012, township citizens will gather on Tuesday, March 13.

Now the goal for U.S. Forest Service Gunflint District Ranger Dennis Neitzke is to lose the pink. For the last couple of weeks, Neitzke has been collecting donations for Mush for a Cure by agreeing to dye his silver locks pink. Yesterday the goal of $2,500 was met and Dennis’s wife Debbie, the mastermind of the “Color Me Pink” challenge, got out the pink dye. Neitzke is now sporting a neon pink coiffure.
Mush for a Cure organizer Mary Black said thanks to Chuck Ensign and Charlene Tooley for the final donations that pushed the “Color Me Pink” total to $2,543.39.
Now the challenge is to raise enough money to shave off those pink tresses in The Bald, The Brave, and the Beautiful.” Neitzke is facing Don Kufahl, the Food and Beverage Manager at Gunflint Lodge. Kufahl, a Gunflint Trail Fire Department firefighter is bravely stepping in for Bruce Kerfoot, who is out of the country.
Whoever raises the most money will have his head shaved. Or, if enough money is raised both Neitzke and Kufahl will have their hair shorn in front of the crowd at Windigo Lodge on Friday, March 9.
Black said, “You can keep pledging to Dennis or Don Kufahl as they won’t be getting shaved until Friday night!”
You can donate to try to see Kufahl shaved by visiting the www.mushforacure.com website!
To donate to Dennis Neitzke, visit: http://www.active.com/donate/MushforaCure2012/DennisNeitzkeColorMe
It’s all for a great cause—proceeds of the event go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. http://www.active.com/donate/MushforaCure2012/DennisNeitzkeColorMe.

Frank Moe of Grand Marais, will leave Duluth today behind a team of dogs pulling for the state Capitol. His sled will carry petitions signed by about 10,000 people concerned by the threat of water pollution due to sulfide mining near the BWCAW.

The petitions call on the Legislature stop plans to develop copper-nickel mines in northern Minnesota, unless contamination concerns involving sulfides and heavy metals can be satisfactorily addressed.

Moe and his dog team sledded into Duluth’s Lester Park shortly after 3 p.m. Sunday, where they were welcomed by a crowd of 100-plus like-minded opponents of copper-nickel mining.

PolyMet, the company first in line to develop nonferrous mining in Northeastern Minnesota, shares the same concern for protecting water quality, according to Brad Moore, the company’s executive vice president for public, governmental and environmental affairs.

PolyMet has pointed out that the rock in the proposed mine area is unusually low in sulfur for a copper deposit. PolyMet also contends that it can take precautions when digging and storing rock and by using new technology to minimize acid runoff while treating any runoff that occurs.

Despite assurances, opponents of nonferrous mining have stepped up their campaign.

Supporters will gather once more in Duluth from 9-10 a.m. today to wish Moe and fellow musher Adam Harju, safe travels on the final leg of their journey. The send-off will occur at the Willard Munger Inn.