Author: Andrew Kirov

Community Rallies Against Proposed Closure of Willow River DOC Facility

Willow River facility is minimum security boot camp program for non-violent offenders

MOOSE LAKE, Minn. – People rallied in Moose Lake Thursday protesting the closure of the Department of Corrections facility in Willow River. This comes after it was announced both the Willow River and Togo facilities would close by the end of the year because of a Department of Corrections budget shortfall caused by the pandemic. The Willow River facility is…

Republican Candidates Rally Supporters in Hinckley

Rep. Pete Stauber, Jason Lewis among Republican candidates to speak at rally

HINCKLEY, Minn. – Republican candidates spoke to voters at a rally in Hinckley Tuesday. Rep. Pete Stauber and senate candidate Jason Lewis were among Republicans rallying supporters to vote in the upcoming general election. Despite recent statewide races having been won by Democrats, Minnesota Republicans believe they have the momentum needed to turn the state red this fall. Rep. Pete…

Hibbing Native Scott Perunovich Honored at Hobey Baker Award Ceremony

Before Perunovich heads off to the NHL, the former UMD standout was honored at a special golf outing and banquet to celebrate his 2020 Hobey Baker Award win.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. – Thursday was a reason to celebrate for former UMD defenseman Scott Perunovich as he finally received his 2020 Hobey Baker Award trophy. “It’s definitely exciting that the day is finally here,” Perunovich said. The former UMD men’s hockey star was the guest of honor at a special golf outing and banquet to honor his 2020 Hobey…

Denfeld Class of 2020 Celebrates Graduation Together

Class had fun and said goodbyes at grad party at Mont du Lac Resort

SUPERIOR, Wis. – After a graduation that didn’t feel like the real thing by any means because of the pandemic, the Duluth Denfeld Class of 2020 figured out a way to celebrate together. Denfeld graduation usually includes hundreds of people gathered in the auditorium cheering on the new grads. This year’s commencement was a lot different because of COVID-19, but…

Ashland County Reports First COVID-19 Death, Gov. Evers Provides Statewide Update

More than 960 Wisconsinites have died of COVID-19, 56,000 have tested positive since pandemic began

ASHLAND COUNTY, Wis. – Ashland County reported its first COVID-19 related death Tuesday. As of August 4th, the virus has killed more than 960 people across Wisconsin, and more than 56,000 have tested positive since the pandemic started. “We were in a pretty good place a few months ago, but we’ve hit some serious setbacks, folks, and we will continue…

Duluth Superintendent Recommends In-Person Learning for Elementary, Hybrid for Secondary

Recommendation subject to change before school year begins September 8th

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth School District’s new superintendent, John Magas, has presented his education strategy for the fall. In his plan, elementary students would return in-person and middle and high school students would return in a hybrid manner, with each student walking through school doors for in-person classes one day per week. “Making this more safe quite often means…

Nurses Picket for New Contract at Essentia Health-Virginia

Nurses say they've been without a contract for more than a year, they're asking for safety language in contracts and 'safe staffing levels.'

VIRGINIA, Minn. – Nurses who work for Essentia Health’s hospital in Virginia aren’t on strike, but they picketed outside the healthcare facility Monday. Nurses say they want to get a deal done now after working there without a contract for more than a year. 103 Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) nurses work at Essentia Health-Virginia. The union is asking the healthcare…

Fond du Luth Casino Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19

DULUTH, Minn. – A Fond du Luth Casino employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The casino sent the following statement about the positive test: “A Fond du Luth employee has tested positive for COVID-19. Immediate action was taken by the Fond du Luth’s management including an internal process to determine who was in contact with the employee. Fond du Luth is…

Duluth Shop Sees Decline in Business, Attributes Dip to Less Tourism

Yarn Harbor says, despite lower sales numbers, people are still knitting in pandemic

DULUTH, Minn. – The pandemic has been tough on small businesses across the region. One local shop in Duluth says business has been slower than usual since it reopened to in-person shopping. Summer is usually the slower season for Yarn Harbor on East Superior Street in Lakeside. But, according to the owner, the store usually gets more tourists stopping in….

Annual Car Show Returns in New Location, Pays Tribute to Local Drivers

Smalley-Moen Memorial Car Show brings hundreds of car lovers to Buffalo House

MIDWAY TOWNSHIP, Minn. – Every year, a memorial car show honors a local car racing legend. Kyle Smalley is usually celebrated at Spirit Valley Days, an event he helped organize. That gathering is canceled this year, so friends, family, and car lovers came together outside the Buffalo House restaurant and bar to honor Smalley’s life. Car people love talking about…

DNA, Public Genealogy Databases Lead To Arrest In 1986 Chisholm Cold Case

Suspect Michael Carbo Jr., 52, of Chisholm was arrested Wednesday just hours after the DNA match.

CHISHOLM, Minn. – Three decades since the rape and murder of Nancy Daugherty in the close-knit city of Chisholm, a 52-year-old man, Michael Carbo Jr., living in that very community was arrested for the crime Wednesday on probable cause of second-degree murder. “This is the day Nancy Daugherty’s family and all of Chisholm have waited for, for over 34 years….

Skaters Shred at Superior Skate Park

Skate park open every day until 10 p.m.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Skaters are having a blast at the Superior Skate Park on Hammond Avenue. Skateboards, scooters, and bikes whizz by each other on the pavement. Kids and adults perform jumps and tricks on the ramps and pipes there. One skateboarder we talked to says he goes to the park every day. “I just like it because it’s an…

Local Campgrounds Busy This Summer

All sites are full at Buffalo Valley Campground

MIDWAY TOWNSHIP, Minn. – Local campgrounds are having what could be their busiest summer ever. One campground manager tells us it’s tough to get a site between Duluth and Canada. All 130 campsites are full at Buffalo Valley Campground. Manager Darrell Eckenberg says weekend sites are filling up weeks in advance. “My phone doesn’t stop ringing now. It starts at…

Ashland City Council Votes to Urge County to Issue Mask Mandate

City attorney says it's unclear if the city has the authority to require masks directly

ASHLAND, Wis. – The Ashland City Council is choosing not to create its own mask mandate, but is instead urging the Ashland County Health Department to require masks in places open to the public and to restrict large gatherings. At the council meeting on Tuesday, the city attorney said it’s unclear if the city has the legal authority to require…

Cloquet’s County Seat Theater to Perform Play in August

Theater will have 47 of its 140 seats available for production of 'The Boys Next Door'

CLOQUET, Minn. – Arts organizations around the Northland have shut down for months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Live theater has been especially difficult to restart because cast, crew, and audiences are all needed in venues at the same time. But now, Cloquet’s County Seat Theater is planning to perform a live show in August. Actors are back onstage for rehearsals,…

Ivanka Trump to Visit Duluth Monday

Image Courtesy: Associated Press DULUTH, Minn. – Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump and U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt will be in Duluth on Monday, July 27th. They will visit a local manufacturing facility where the company is expected to sign the Pledge to America’s Workers, a Trump administration initiative that “calls on job creators and trade…

NAACP Gives Away More Free Masks After Statewide Mandate Announced

Organization gives away around 300 masks every week in the Twin Ports area

DULUTH, Minn. – The need for masks is even higher after the state of Minnesota and some Wisconsin cities like Superior have started requiring masks in indoor public places. The Duluth branch NAACP has been giving away free masks to the community since April, helping Northlanders protect themselves and others from the coronavirus. On Thursday, the organization was outside the…

Little Mariners Child Care Center to Open in Silver Bay

Center aiming to open this fall in the William Kelley School

SILVER BAY, Minn. – A childcare shortage across much of the Northland has become even more urgent during this pandemic, especially in less populated towns. Now, a childcare center is expected to open in Silver Bay to help with the growing demand. Little Mariners Child Care Center is on course to open this fall. The center is expected to greatly…

UWS Awarded Grant for Lake Superior Microplastics Research

SUPERIOR, Wis. – A UW-Superior professor has been awarded more than $40,000 to study microplastics in the St. Louis River and Lake Superior. The grant is from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. It awarded research money to three UW campuses: Madison, Eau Claire, and Superior. UWS students and chemistry professor Lorena Rios will use the grant money to study how…

Superior City Council Votes to Require Masks in Indoor Public Areas

City Council passed resolution 9-1, it takes effect July 27th

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Superior City Council has voted to require masks in indoor public areas across the city. Masks will be required in places like restaurants, bars, retail stores, public transportation, gyms, fitness studios, and entertainment venues. The city council passed the resolution with a 9-1 vote. “In the middle of a global pandemic we have to take some…

Sen. Tina Smith Visits Duluth Businesses, Discusses COVID-19 Response

DULUTH, Minn. – U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (DFL-Minn.) visited with small businesses in Duluth about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted them. Smith met with leaders in the Lincoln Park neighborhood about efforts to make personal protective equipment locally. Duluth-based Ecolibrium3 has brought various organizations together to manufacture hundreds of thousands of face shields. The senator says that kind of…

Thousands Pick Strawberries This Season at Spectrum Farms

Strawberry season drawing to an end, but Northlanders still finding delicious fruits

CARLTON, Minn. – Thousands of people have picked their own strawberries this year at Spectrum Farms in Carlton. This year’s season was a strong one. Even though it’s now winding down, many people came out to Spectrum this week to get their last bucketfuls of the summer. “They are so perfect,” said Spectrum co-owner Steve Schulstrom. “Red, juicy, sweet, they…

New Childcare Center Opens in Duluth

Hope for Kids is located in Hope United Methodist Church on St. Marie Street

DULUTH, Minn. – A new childcare center is now open in Duluth. It’s hoping to offer an in-demand service to families during the pandemic. “Hope for Kids” is located in Hope United Methodist Church on St. Marie Street near UMD. There are only about 10 kids registered there now, but the center is looking for more children ages six months…

Minnesota Nurses Association Shoots Down St. Luke’s Proposed Delay to Wage Increase

Nurses wanted St. Luke's to honor MNA contract should the hospital be sold

DULUTH, Minn. – The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) tells us they recently shot down a proposal from St. Luke’s that would have postponed scheduled pay increases for nurses. This comes less than a year after nurses voted to strike during the last round of negotiations with the hospital before the current contract was agreed upon. Healthcare providers across the country…

Sen. Simonson Previews Upcoming Special Legislative Session

Bonding bill among proposals state lawmakers could vote on

DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota lawmakers will return for another special legislative session starting on Monday, June 13. Sen. Erik Simonson (DFL-Duluth) tells us one likely focus of the session will be on a state bonding bill. The proposed bill includes millions of dollars in funding for Duluth seawall reconstruction, renovations at the Duluth Depot, and many other projects across the…

Itasca County Healthcare Providers Encourage Wearing Face Masks in Public

Itasca County has 68 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths

ITASCA COUNTY, Minn. – Healthcare providers are encouraging everybody to wear face masks in public to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. According to Dr. Dan Soular, a primary care physician at Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital in Grand Rapids, masks allow air to flow through them and stop viruses from passing out of a person’s mouth and nose…

City of Duluth, St. Louis County to Consider $2 Million in Tax Abatements for Proposed Costco Store

DULUTH, Minn. – Costco may move forward with a new store in Duluth if the retailer gets tax abatement money from local government. This news comes after the international chain had ended a previous agreement to build a store at the same site because of high project bids. The site, located at the intersection of West Arrowhead Road and Haines Road,…

‘At Sara’s Table’ Among Duluth Businesses Requiring Customers to Wear Masks

Duluth City Council expected to take up mask ordinance on July 13th

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth City Council is expected to vote on requiring masks in some indoor public places on July 13th, but some local businesses have required mask-wearing for weeks. At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Cafe tells us many customers have been happy with the restaurant’s mask requirement, but it has upset some. Staff say the cafe-goers do not…

Essentia, St. Lukes Speak Out in Favor of Duluth’s Proposed Mask Ordinance

DULUTH, Minn. – Both Essentia Health and St. Luke’s are speaking out in favor of Duluth’s proposed ordinance that would require masks to be worn in many public indoor spaces. St. Luke’s sent a letter to the Duluth City Council. It reads in part: “Many people are weary of COVID-19 and all the changes that have come with it. It’s…

Two People Injured in Jet Ski Accident

FRENCH TOWNSHIP, Minn. – Two people were injured in a jet ski accident Friday afternoon on Little Sturgeon Lake in French Township. According to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, a 38-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman from Hibbing were riding on a jet ski traveling eastbound on the lake. A second jet ski driven by a 37-year-old Chisholm man…

Superior Cancels July 4th Fireworks

Mayor Jim Paine says he hopes the city can have the fireworks later in the year or have an even better celebration next Fourth of July.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The City of Superior has canceled its 4th of July fireworks display scheduled for Saturday night. The city made the announcement in this news release sent Friday: “Due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Douglas County, the City of Superior has chosen to cancel the Fourth of July fireworks show scheduled for tomorrow night. This…

Fireworks Displays Scheduled to Happen in Wisconsin Towns

Solon Springs still planning annual fireworks, Gordon's Buckhorn providing display

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Wis. – While the pandemic has forced many cities to cancel their fireworks shows, some towns in Northern Wisconsin aren’t backing down. But that doesn’t mean the events still won’t be canceled if officials expect too much of a risk. “I struggle with this decision every day to be frank, and I’ll probably never feel completely a hundred…

YMCA Gives Thousands of Meals to Duluth Area Kids

Summer Food Service Program is available to everybody age 18 and younger

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Area Family YMCA is giving out meals to local kids over the summer. The Summer Food Service Program is available to everybody age 18 and younger. Meals include healthy items like sandwiches, yogurt, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Over the last few months, the YMCA has given out 9,000 meals. “A lot of families depend…

Duluth-Based IKONICS Corporation Announces Employee Furloughs

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth-based IKONICS Corporation has announced it will furlough about 40 percent of its 81-employee workforce through the end of July. Furloughed employees will continue to receive benefits, but the company is suspending retirement plan contributions. The furloughs are designed to offset revenue lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Glenn Sandgren, IKONICS CEO, released this statement in regard to…

Superior Home Heavily Damaged in Fire

SUPERIOR, Wis. – A fire heavily damaged a Superior home on Friday evening. The Superior Fire Department responded to the blaze at 609 Grand Avenue just after 7:00 p.m. Fire crews arrived to heavy smoke and fire coming from the rear of the home. All occupants were reported out of the building. The Superior Fire Department is asking citizens to…

Birkie Plans to Buy Telemark Property, Attract New Development

American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation plans to demolish existing lodge and work with private developer for new opportunities

CABLE, Wis. – The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation is hoping the Telemark Resort property will become a prime destination again. The iconic Birkebeiner ski race starts at Telemark every February. Now, the race foundation wants to buy the resort property, and could close on it as early as September. It will cost the Birkie about $2 million to buy the…

Lincoln Park Farmers Market Opens for Season

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s Lincoln Park Farmers Market is open for the season. The market happens every Thursday from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m at Harrison Park. It gives families a chance to buy healthy fruits, veggies, and other creations in their community. At the first market, the Duluth Community Garden Program gave away free broccoli seeds for kids to…

Maurices Brings Back Furloughed Employees

6,000 retail employees and 54 corporate office employees were temporarily laid off during shutdown

DULUTH, Minn. – Maurices has brought back almost all its employees who were temporarily laid off during the shutdown. The Duluth-based women’s clothing chain has already reopened most of its stores. The remaining stores are opening in the next week or so. 6,000 retail employees were furloughed in March. Maurices tells us they are all being hired back. The store…

Paddlers Hit the St. Louis River Near Oliver

OLIVER, Wis. – Paddlers hit the water near Oliver Wednesday. The Northland Paddlers Alliance brought a group on the St. Louis River. The group gives opportunities for fans of all paddle sports like canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boarding. Members say it’s a great way to see the water because you can get places power boats can’t. “I actually last week…

Local Food Truck Serves Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Grilled cheese fans tasted some gourmet creations while listening to live music at the Cedar Lounge in Superior. Guests enjoyed culinary creations from the K&B Grilled Cheese Food Truck. The local business serves several original sandwiches like a bacon and cheddar grilled cheese, a spinach and artichoke grilled cheese, and a buffalo chicken grilled cheese. “No one…

Central Hillside Farmers Market Opens for the Season

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s Central Hillside Farmers Market is open for the season. This year, the market is located outside the Damiano Center. It will host around eight local vendors every week selling fruits, baked goods, ceramics, and more. Kids will get $4 at each market to buy healthy veggies. Purchases made with EBT cards will be matched up to…

Superior School District Hopes to Open for In-Person Learning This Fall

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction issued guidelines for how schools can best reopen Monday

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Superior School District hopes to open schools for in-person learning in some capacity this fall. That announcement comes after the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction issued guidelines for how schools can best reopen during the pandemic. Wisconsin’s Education Forward plan includes examples for how schools may have to change scheduling this fall. Plan examples include four-day…