(Local View from 4'2; Lake County Press, Octoer 2, 2026) We are holding on to too much. I really resonate with the saying of, “I have too many tabs open (in my brain) and I can not find where the music is coming from.” This reference is about searching the web and keeping so many websites running in the background so you don’t forget to do something. But for me, even the open tabs, the organizing by tab groups, and the putting of emails into folders…none of it is currently wo

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, September 18, 2026) Season changes bring about times of reflection for me and this season I have lots of gratitude for my dad and the wisdom he has passed down since my childhood. A few weeks ago I came home at dusk on a beautiful early fall evening where I wanted to enjoy more of the warmth on my skin and the smells of the gentle breeze. I said goodnight to several neighbors who were going in and out. It was finally quiet as I sat and

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, September 4, 2026) Seasonal changes in life can be challenging. We as humans are more dependent on the sun and weather than we many times realize. As we begin the change into fall, I know my body is not the biggest fan of the damp and cool weather. However, my taste buds love all things apple and harvest. My ears love the crunching leaves under my wheels as I adventure on paved trails. My eyes love seeing naturely spaces again from the

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, August 21, 2026) Is it a flower or a weed? I am in the thick of gardening season and in the thick of a season of grief. My garden is full of cucumbers, flowers of all colors, as well as carrots, onions, potatoes, gourds and more. My garden is busy with spiders and bees doing their things. I have friends visiting to enjoy it and to help with the workload of sustaining a growing garden. My garden always teaches and reminds me of life le

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, August 7, 2026) Even though Disability Pride month is officially over, (where did July go?) we continue to lift up the voices and lived experiences of people with disabilities. We at Above & Beyond With U are excited to partner with the Two Harbors and Silver Bay Public Libraries to bring to the North Shore, the Gealynn Lea Book Tour. On Tuesday, August 18th from 5-7pm at the Two Harbors Public Library and on Friday, August 21st from 1

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, July 24, 2026) Disability Pride Month 2026 has not disappointed. We have had a great community conversation about disability related topics at the Two Harbors Public Library and also a great afternoon watching a documentary called Everybody Dance with more conversations and community art. On July 26th at 5pm Zeitgeist Duluth and Above & Beyond With U are partnering to bring Crip Camp to the big screen with a community discussion to fol

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, July 10, 2026) This summer I have noticed the lack of accessible porta potties around Two Harbors, so I went on an accessibility adventure. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that there have been great bathroom renovations to the public bathrooms in the Lakeview Park pavilion building. There are now stalls that can fit wheelchairs next to the toilets, grab bars at usable heights, handles on the stall doors and soap dispensers folks

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, June 26, 2026) As we say goodbye to June and hello to July- Disability Pride Month, there are many celebrations to join locally. The Two Harbors Public Library and Above & Beyond With U are partnering on July 2nd for Civic Conversation: Disability in Our Community in the library meeting room from 12 noon until 1pm. No surveys. No comment box. Instead, a real conversation — with your neighbors, in your community, about the things that m

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, June 12, 2026 by Jaime Head) Looking Ahead to Disability Pride Month Did you know that July is Disability Pride month? It always sneaks up on me so this year I’m trying hard to get ahead of it. There are still many folks who don’t really know what Disability Pride month is or that it exists at all. With that, I’d love to help us all get to know more about what it is so we’re prepared to celebrate it together! The modern Disability Rig

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, May 28, 2026) Recently Above & Beyond With U had the honor and adventure of partnering with the National Outdoor Recreation Conference (NORC) hosted at the DECC in Duluth. We began working months in advance with two amazing leaders and event planners, Candace and Rachel. Through this process we did site audits of a couple hotels in downtown Duluth and in Canal Park as well as the skywalk system. We learned a lot about these spaces, eve

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, May 15, 2026) May is mobility awareness month. It’s a time to spotlight and celebrate various forms of adaptive equipment and their importance to increasing inclusion and accessibility in everyday lives. Oftentimes, we see adaptive equipment as big expensive purchases that are out of reach for many. While it’s true that adaptive equipment is often expensive, there are many things that every day people create and adapt out of necessity

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, May 1, 2026) Starting from a place of gratitude. First I need to thank Kitty Mayo, our fearless editor, and you the readers for embracing my guest writer, Jaime Head-MacAlister. Jaime is not only the president of Above & Beyond With U but she is my dear friend from childhood and my disability mentor. So thank you for all of your wonderful feedback on her writings here. This past month has been full of really cool work, community events

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, April 3, 2026) I had the great opportunity to talk with many of you readers at the recent Cabin Fever Reliever brought to us by the Two Harbors Community Radio- KTWH 99.5. I truly appreciate these interactions with you, the readers, because in the current world so much of the feedback writers or creators receive is virtual. In the virtual space it is hard to read the inflection and sometimes intent of the commenter and it is often a on

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, March 20, 2026) Disability community and culture in the news. The 2026 Paralympics wrapped up their two weeks of being on the global stage on Sunday, March 15th. Team USA had seventy-two Paralympians which included four guides and a Duluthian, Blake Eaton. Eaton is a Para Alpine Skier who grew up in Proctor, graduated from Denfeld in 2022 and now attends UMD while training in Utah. Eaton got his start in adapted sports with Courage Ken

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, April 17, 2026) In many ways it feels like we (the disability community) are preparing you. We’re preparing you for tomorrow, for next week, for next year, for 30 years from now. We’re raising our hands, using our voices and advocating… for you. I know it seems easy to look the other way when something doesn’t affect us right now, I get it. I’m not all that different in this way. I just have a perspective that you might not have, yet.

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, February 20, 2026) A memory recently popped into my head about an experience I had at summer camp as a kid. Maybe it’s due to the brief reprieve of cold temps and a promise of warmer weather to come. Maybe because this time of year brings a deeply ingrained muscle memory of the start for planning for summer camp. As Sophia Petrillo would say “Picture this...”, it’s July in Minnesota at summer camp, it’s the 1980’s and I’m 13 years old

Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, March 6, 2026 “Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Let’s be real, raw and vulnerable. This past week I lost my composure in a community leadership space. My mind, heart, and spirit had just finally had enough. So in this safe space of a Zoom meeting with leaders I have worked with for years and some for only months, I ugly cried in response to the topic of accessible events. Leading up to this conversation I had a hor

Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, February 6, 2026 As I begin my fifth year of writing Local View from 4 foot 2, I really never thought I would be talking about the fight for keeping Section 504, IDEA and ugly laws. Ugly laws are city ordinances in the late 19th century to late 20th century in US cities that prohibited people with “visible disabilities, diseases, or deformities” from being in public spaces. Violators were fined, imprisoned or involuntarily sterilized. “

Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, January 23, 2026 During these past weeks or, if I am honest, months of chaos in our state and beyond I have been challenged on how can I, a disabled activist in rural Minnesota, be of help. I hate to admit it but I spent days being overwhelmed by all of the horrible stories of disabled friends having their support systems immediately terminated through no fault of their own. I saw the life changes family and friends had to make to keep

(Local View from 4'2, Lake County Press, January 9, 2026) New Year, newer me. I am not one for resolutions but I am one for being intentional and self reflecting. This new year finds me processing things from 2025- loss of family members, grief loved ones carry for a variety of life reasons, new relationships personally and professionally, and old projects that have lingered too long. Oh and my needy body that seems to have more interesting needs as the aging process marches