Author: Andrew Kirov

Teamwork Celebration to Mark Heritage Sports Center’s 10th Anniversary

Event will feature Vikings hall-of-famer and former Minnesota Supreme Court justice Alan Page

DULUTH, Minn. – The Essentia Duluth Heritage Sports Center is turning ten years old. To celebrate the milestone, the center is hosting an all-city teamwork celebration featuring Alan Page, a Vikings hall-of-famer and former Minnesota Supreme Court justice. The ceremony will celebrate values like teamwork and dedication that are displayed on the Heritage Sports Center’s walls. “What’s worth celebrating is…

New Bill Would Help Local Law Enforcement Fight Opioids

SALTS Act would make it easier to prosecute the sale and distribution of synthetic drugs

DULUTH, Minn. – A new bill is awaiting the President’s signature that would help local law enforcement fight the opioid epidemic. It’s called the Synthetic Abuse and Labeling of Toxic Substances (SALTS) Act. It passed the senate last week. The bill sponsored by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (DFL-Minn.) would allow law enforcement to pursue drug charges even if the specific…

Postal Service Workers Rally Against Privatization

Superior rally was one of hundreds across the country

SUPERIOR, Wis. – United States Postal Service employees are rallying across the country to protest the Trump Administration’s proposed plan to privatize the agency. “U.S. Mail Not for Sale.” That slogan written across the t-shirts and signs of postal workers lined up along Tower Avenue in South Superior. Post Office employees are asking for public help. They want people to…

Students Tour Factory for Manufacturing Week

The Pathways to Prosperity program aims to get more women in manufacturing jobs

DULUTH, Minn. – Governor Mark Dayton declared this “Manufacturing Week” in Minnesota. Some prospective workers had the chance to tour a manufacturing facility in Duluth. Students in the Pathways to Prosperities program through Lake Superior College took the tour. The program is aimed at getting more women working in manufacturing careers like machine operation. “The one thing I really do…

Bayfield Apple Festival This Weekend

Businesses are getting stands and booths ready for the thousands of tourists

BAYFIELD, Wis. – Shops in Bayfield have been spending the week preparing for the Apple Festival crowds. Booths, tents, and stands are going up all around town. The Fat Radish will be serving shrimp tempura, fish tacos, hot drinks, and plenty of pie for all the tourist passing by their restaurant. “The last week or two we’re just prep, prep,…

Orchards Ready for Apple Festival

More than 50,000 expected to attend Bayfield festival

BAYFIELD, Wis. – The Apple Festival is October 5-7th in Bayfield. More than 50,000 people are expected to attend the 55th annual event. October is here. That means it’s apple season in Bayfield. “We have Courtland, McIntosh, the Honeycrisp and the Paula Reds are the main ones,” said Jim Hauser, owner and operator of Hauser’s Superior View Farms in Bayfield….

Great Outdoors: Fall Colors

CARLTON, Minn. – Fall colors are near their peak in many places across the Northland. In this week’s Great Outdoors, we take you to the colorful landscape at Jay Cooke State Park. “You’ve got to love the crisp fall air, the beautiful variety of the colors, the bright reds, the greens, the yellows, it’s just a great time of year,”…

New Superior Fire Station Under Construction

Station is expected to open in early 2019

SUPERIOR, Wis. – A new fire station is being built in Superior. The $5 million building will be about twice as big as the current fire station. It’s expected to be completed next summer after years of planning and months of construction. Crews expect to have the exterior of the building complete by the time the weather becomes very cold…

Poverty Simulation Held in Superior

Professionals and community members learn the struggles of people living in poverty

SUPERIOR, Wis. – A program in Superior showed the community what living in poverty can be like. It’s sometimes difficult for people who didn’t grow up in poverty to understand what it’s like on a daily basis. At the Billings Park Civic Center, the Douglas County Fostering Futures Initiative gave community members the chance to experience a month of poverty…

Imagine Canal Park Pilot Project Comes to an End

City expected to release a preliminary report in late October, full report in November

DULUTH, Minn. -Duluth’s Imagine Canal Park plan, a pilot project to rethink the neighborhood, is coming to an end. The city received more than 600 submitted forms and hundreds more comments for and against September’s pilot program. Buchanan Street has been re-opened after being shut down for a community space, and Lake Avenue’s lane changes will be changed back to…

Grandma’s Marathon Registration Opening

The 2019 race will happen June 22nd

DULUTH, Minn. – Registration for the 2019 Grandma’s Marathon, Gary Bjorkland Half Marathon, and William A. Irvin 5K will open at 7 p.m. on Monday. Last year, registration for the 7,500 person half marathon filled up in about four and a half hours. In 2019, marathon staff is extending their “Controlled Queue” to all races. That allows runners to keep…

UMD Students Learn About Climate Change Impacts on the Northland

Field trip took them to the UMD Land Lab, Hawk Ridge, and a research vessel

DULUTH, Minn. – UMD students took a field trip to learn how climate change could be impacting the Northland. Students learned about sustainable farming practices on the UMD Land Lab farm, went to Hawk Ridge to learn about changing bird migration patters, and took a ride on a research vessel to learn how water has been impacted. “Things are happening…

Wolf Dies After Capture for Relocation to Isle Royale

HOUGHTON, Mich. (AP) – Officials say a gray wolf captured in Minnesota for relocation to Isle Royale National Park has died. The National Park Service plans to move 20-30 wolves from the U.S. and Canadian mainlands to the Lake Superior wilderness park in the next few years to rebuild a once thriving population. A 4-year-old female and a 5-year-old male…

With a Hard Freeze Coming, It’s Time to Cover Outdoor Plants

Many plants should be taken indoors for shelter

DULUTH, Minn. – With the season’s first hard freeze in the forecast, it’s time to cover your plants or bring them indoors. At the UMD Land Lab, students and staff members are rushing to get squash, tomatoes, and peppers off the farm and into shelters. They already had a minor frost and say it helped them prepare for the hard…

Duluth Considers Changing Policy Requiring City to Clear Sidewalk Snow

Ordinance now requires city crews to clear snow plowed onto sidewalks

DULUTH, Minn. – If a plow pushes show onto shoveled sidewalks, it’s the City of Duluth’s responsibility to clear it away, but city officials say it’s impossible to clear all that snow. City crews don’t clear every sidewalk a plow covers in snow. They never have. But according to officials, Duluth is the only city they know of with an…

Monthly Art Walk Shows Off Duluth’s Culture

Walk takes participants to 26 art spaces in the city

DULUTH, Minn. – Every month, the Downtown Arts Collective hosts a Duluth Arts Walk. Everybody is welcome to join in on the free night of galleries, studios, eateries, bars, and performance spaces. Individuals, groups and even kids can find something for them along the walk. “It’s a nice way to support local artists for one thing, but it’s also a…

Chisholm and Hibbing Teachers Rally for New Contracts

Teachers say they want the districts to negotiate raises with them

CHISHOLM, Minn. – Teachers in the Hibbing and Chisholm school districts rallied. The teachers’ union is asking for a new contract but, so far, they haven’t gotten one they find suitable. Teachers in Hibbing and Chisholm are fed up. Their unions are asking for new contracts from the school districts but they say so far the districts have refused to…

Range Regional Airport Drills for Emergencies

Airport staff partnered with local organizations for an aircraft fire drill and active shooter drill

HIBBING, Minn. – The Range Regional Airport is making sure they are prepared for the worst. Airport staff had an aircraft fire emergency drill with are fire and EMS departments. Crews battled flames on the runway near a training plane cabin. The airport also held an active shooter drill inside their terminal for the first time ever. “This could happen…

Bomb Threat Exercise Held at St. Luke’s

55th Civil Support Team held training simulating a bomb and radiation threat

DULUTH, Minn. – Meanwhile, a bomb threat exercise brought National Guard soldiers to St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth. Fifteen members of the 55th Civil Support Team responded to a fictional bomb and radiation threat that included several sites at the hospital. The St. Paul based anti-terrorism team holds training sessions every month with different civilian partners. “It’s the training that…

Finding Zeb Part 2

Ely, Minnesota, a city at the edge of hundreds of miles of wilderness. It’s a place as far removed from society as you can get while still maintaining a connection to the real world. My friend, Zeb Butterfield, went to Ely six years ago. After learning more about what he’s meant to people’s lives, I went to find him. “Finding…

Finding Zeb Part 1

The story of real-life legend, Zeb Butterfield

ELY, Minn. – What is a legend? A tall tale? A myth? Does it have to be a story about King Arthur or Paul Bunyan, or can a legend be real? I think we all know someone who’s larger than life; someone who everyone’s got a story about. I have a friend like that. His name is Zeb. “There’s this…

Reusable Bags Collected for CHUM Food Shelf

'Bag It Duluth' organization aims to move the organization away from using plastics

DULUTH, Minn. – The organization ‘Bag It Duluth’ held a reusable bag donation drive at the Great Lakes Aquarium. The bags are being collected for the CHUM food shelf so they can move away from plastic and spend less money on containers. The event also had a screening of the film “Bag It” which calls attention to the way plastic…

Virginia Chili Cook-off Raises Money for St. Michael’s Foundation

34 different chilis competed in three divisions for the title of best on the Iron Range

VIRGINIA, Minn. – The 9th Annual St. Michael’s Foundation Chili Cook-off was Thursday in Virginia. The Miner’s Memorial Building was filled with hundreds of people tasting thirty-four different chilis made by cooks competing in three divisions for the title of “best on the Iron Range.” “This is the range’s biggest gas because with all the chili and beans, of course…

Urban Search and Rescue Team Coming to the Iron Range

Virginia Fire Department got a grant to pay for training and equipment for the team

VIRGINIA, Minn. – The Virginia Fire Department has received a federal grant of more than $700,000 to get urban search and rescue training and equipment. The group based in Virginia will be the only team with that training in Minnesota outside of the Twin Cities metro area. Urban search and rescue includes situations like building collapses, trench collapses, and confined…

Zoomobile Visits UWS

Animals interacted with students and taught all about their species

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Animals from the Lake Superior Zoo visited the library at UW-Superior Wednesday. The Zoomobile program traveled with a python, hedgehog, bearded dragon, plus much more. Students could hold and touch the animals and ask educators any questions they could think of. “For the snake, how they go to the bathroom is a great question that we get…

Bird Migration Nears Peak at Hawk Ridge

Some days, counters see thousands of flying overhead

DULUTH, Minn. – Bird migration is at its peak for many species flying over the Northland. At Hawk Ridge Observatory in Duluth, counters are keeping track of exactly how many birds and dragonflies pass overhead. They have counted birds for the last forty-seven years, submitting the data they gather for wildlife information and studies. Though Wednesday was slow, on some…

Superior Repeals Panhandling Ordinance

Action comes after Superior and seven other Wisconsin cities received a letter from the ACLU

SUPERIOR, Wis. – It was back in July when Duluth repealed its panhandling ordinance. Now, the Superior City Council has voted unanimously to do the same. Last month, Superior and seven other Wisconsin cities got a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union (ALCU) addressing why the organization believes panhandling laws are unconstitutional and asking the cities to repeal those…

Civilian Bosses Take Off with 148th Fighter Wing Employees

Supervisors tour the base and take flight during a refueling mission

DULUTH, Minn. – Most service men and women employed at Duluth’s 148th Fighter Wing also have civilian jobs. When they’re gone for deployments or training, it can put stress on their civilian employers. More than five-hundred members of the 148th recently returned home after a deployment overseas. Because their civilian bosses were so understanding of their time away, the airmen…

National Juicy Lucy Day Celebrated

The holiday is observed on the anniversary of the first Crooked Pint Ale House opening

DULUTH, Minn. – September 12th is National Juicy Lucy Day. It’s celebrated on the anniversary of the first Crooked Pint Ale House opening in Minneapolis. Juicy Lucys are a Minnesota tradition. They’re two burger patties filled with melted cheese and topped with other goodies. Even though they’re mostly found in the Midwest, local restaurant managers would like to see them…

UMD Office of Sustainability Aims to Limit Food Waste

School is studying how much is composted by their dining services daily

DULUTH, Minn. – About a third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted every year according to the United Nations. The UMD Office of Sustainability is trying to cut down that waste on their campus. To build awareness, they had students scrape all their excess food into bins. Those bins were weighed to determine how much…

Sexual Assault Initiative Conference Brings Nationwide Professionals to Duluth

Officials discussed best practices in dealing with rape and sexual assault crimes

DULUTH, Minn. – In 2015, the City of Duluth had nearly six hundred untested sexual assault kits in the evidence room that hadn’t been sent in for DNA testing. Earlier this year, they cleared the backlog and got that number down to zero. But thousands of backlogged kits still exist across the country. Duluth is hosting a national conference at…

9/11 Remembered at a Ceremony in Duluth

Victims and first responders were honored at the program

DULUTH, Minn. – Everyone who was old enough to understand what was happening remembers where they were and what they were doing on 9/11. Seventeen years later, the tragedy is far from forgotten. “Our nation changed that day,” said Duluth Police Department Chaplain, Fr. John Petrich. “We now have a new normal and part of that new normal is that…

Kids Thank Duluth Firefighters On 9/11

As part of 9/11 day, kids at the Valley Youth Center made a card for firefighters

DULUTH, Minn. – Kids at the Valley Youth Center said thanks to the Duluth Fire Department. The kids made a poster for the firefighters of their neighborhood Station 8 to thank them for protecting them and their families. The poster was part of a city-wide 9/11 day, where kids at every school learned about the terrorist attack that happened before…

Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Conference Comes to Duluth

Representatives met to discuss sexual assault reform efforts

DULUTH, Minn. – After submitting all their backlogged sexual assault kits for testing, Duluth is hosting the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Assembly of Cities. About a hundred-twenty representatives from twelve different cities are meeting in Duluth to talk sexual assault reform efforts. Duluth officials have attended the conference in other cities and say coming together is a great way…

Super Big Block Party Rocks Downtown Duluth

Annual outdoor concert is all about bringing the community together

DULUTH, Minn. – Downtown Duluth was rocking on Saturday night for the Super Big Block Party on East First Street. Red Herring Lounge owner and event producer, Bob Monahan, says the outdoor concert is all about bringing the community together around art and music. “Bringing next level artists to Duluth, people that maybe tour internationally, people that play massive festivals,…

Living History Walk Moves Through Douglas County’s Past

Actors portrayed real historical figures buried in Superior's Greenwood Cemetery

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Visitors took a tour through the past at the annual Living History Walk in Superior. The Greenwood Cemetery became a learning space featuring actors telling the stories of real people buried there. The event is put on by the Douglas County Historical Society. Their executive director tells us the Greenwood Cemetery has twenty thousand people buried in…

Stabbing in Superior Leaves One Man Hospitalized

Two were injured in the attack early Friday morning

SUPERIOR, Wis. – A man is hospitalized and another is injured after a stabbing in Superior early Friday morning. Just before 2 a.m., police responded to a local hotel where two men reported that they had been attacked in the area of Belknap Street and Poplar Avenue about an hour before. One man suffered minor injuries and the other was…

Jersey Mike’s Coming to Duluth

It is Expected to Open by the end of the Year

DULUTH, Minn. – A popular sandwich shop is making its way to Duluth. Jersey Mike’s will be moving into Duluth’s Stone Ridge Shopping Center near Shopko and Cub Foods by the end of the year. The chain is known for treats like their variety of cheese steaks and their fresh baked bread. Categories: News, News – Latest News

Lawsuit Filed Against Husky Energy by Contract Workers

The workers allege they heard a knocking noise prior to the explosion but were told to return to work

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Another class action lawsuit has been filed against Husky Energy; this one by contract workers performing maintenance work at the Superior refinery at the time of the historic explosion in April. The civil lawsuit alleges that because of Husky’s negligence workers suffered significant injuries and emotional distress during the disaster. Seven contract workers employed by two outside…

Local Steelworker Unions Vote to Authorize a Strike

Strike could come if union officials call one after upcoming negotiations with U.S. Steel

KEEWATIN, Minn. – After months of negotiations, no deal has been reached between U.S. Steel and the United Steelworkers union. Now, local unions are voting to authorize a strike. Monday, workers from the MinnTac mine in Mountain Iron voted unanimously to authorize a strike. Tuesday, workers at the KeeTac mine in Keewatin voted to do the same. If a strike…

Stolen Ruby Slippers Worn in ‘Wizard of Oz’ Recovered

The Shoes Were Insured for $1 Million

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. – The ruby red slippers worn in the Wizard of Oz have been recovered. The slippers were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids in 2005. On Tuesday, they were unveiled in public for the first time in thirteen years. Dorothy’s ruby red slippers are one of the most iconic pieces of Hollywood memorabilia. We’ve…

Haunted Mansion Brings the Scare to the State Fair

Attraction is open to people of all ages

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. – One Minnesota State Fair tradition gives guests the scare they crave. The fair’s Haunted Mansion at the corner of Judson and Underwood is open to all ages. One employee tells us adults are sometimes the most scared at the attraction, while kids can get through it unaffected. “Some go through here four, five times sometimes,” said…

Fun for Families at the Great Northern Classic Rodeo

Hundreds of fans filled the stands watching cattle roping and other events

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Cattle roping, bull riding and more exciting events brought hundreds out to the rodeo in Superior. Horses, cattle, cowboys, and rodeo clowns are all part of the spectacle at the annual Great Northern Classic Rodeo. “It’s the best family entertainment you can find,” said Great Northern Classic Board Member Wayne Lehr. “Good clean fun.” Stands full of…

Vulture Day Celebrated at Lake Superior Zoo

Birds of prey are migrating over the Northland now

DULUTH, Minn. – Vultures and condors are being celebrated at the Lake Superior Zoo for International Vulture Day. Guests can learn all about the birds, meet a vulture named Morticia, and find out how much they could eat if they were a vulture. Zookeepers say birds of prey are important because they clean up carcasses and help keep people healthy….

No Agreement Between Union, U.S. Steel as Deadline Approaches

If no deal is done by midnight Saturday, workers will decide the next steps, including a possible strike

KEEWATIN, Minn. (AP) – U.S. Steel and the United Steelworkers union have not reached a labor deal as the deadline on their contracts approaches. United Steelworkers Local 1938 says if a deal is not reached by midnight Saturday, workers will decide the next steps, which could include a strike. Workers believe the wage increases being offered aren’t enough after years…

Enbridge and Fond du Lac Band Reach Line 3 Agreement

Agreement gives new 20 year right of way to Enbridge for their six pipelines on the reservation

MINNESOTA – An agreement has been reached assuring the construction of an Enbridge Line 3 replacement pipeline through the Fond du Lac Reservation. The confidential agreement reached between Enbridge and the Fond du Lac Band includes a new twenty year right of way for the Line 3 replacement and five other existing pipelines on the reservation. Categories: News, News –…

Proctor’s Welcome Back Grill Out Held at New Sports and Event Center

Annual event welcomes back school district staff for the academic year

PROCTOR, Minn. – The new St. Luke’s Sports and Event Center in Proctor opened their doors to Proctor School District staff getting ready for the academic year. The new ice arena and gathering space hosted the annual “Welcome Back to School Grill Out” for three hundred staff and community members. School administration served up hot dogs, brats, and burgers to…

Grand Slam at the Wade Raises Funds for Salvation Army

Last year's event raised $6,000. This year organizers hoped to raise close to $10,000

DULUTH, Minn. – The Salvation Army filled Wade Stadium with a carnival fundraiser for their programs in the greater Duluth area. Grand Slam at the Wade may not have had the sunshine and beautiful weather everyone had hoped for, but the Salvation Army’s fundraiser wasn’t completely dampened; it will still be helpful to thousands in need. Games on the turf,…

Lakeland Harvest Show Teaches Thousands About the Past

Activities and old machines fill 20 acres in Esko every year

ESKO, Minn. – Thousands of visitors were transported back in time at the annual Lakehead Harvest Show in Esko. The show has been keeping the past alive for fifty-seven years. The educational non-profit shows families what the Northland was like a hundred years ago. Every August, twenty acres north of Esko fills with displays and activities for thousands to enjoy….

Art Exhibition on Display at Free Range Film Barn

The modern art is designed to bring the art world and farm world together

WRENSHALL, Minn. – A new art exhibition is on display at the Free Range Film Barn in Wrenshall. The art work is designed to bring the art world and farm world together. Contemporary artists took over the top and bottom floor of the century-old barn and used the unique space to showcase their artistic voice. “I certainly enjoy it as…