Author: Dan Hanger

Superior Family, Pets Escape Burning Home; Firefighters Credit Working Smoke Detectors

SUPERIOR, Wis. — For the second time in a week, the Superior Fire Department is crediting working smoke detectors for allowing residents to safely exit burning structures. The latest fire happened around 7:47 p.m. Friday on the 800 block of North 19th Street. Fire crews arrived four minutes later to find fire in the kitchen of the home, according to…

Maple School Dist. Plans To Eliminate Teacher Positions Amid $575K Deficit

MAPLE, Wis. – More than a half-dozen teacher positions are planning to be eliminated within the Maple School District next school year because of an anticipated $575,000 deficit, according to Supt. Sara Croney. As of Friday’s announcement, a full-time math teacher, social studies teacher and part-time library aide are being eliminated at the high school. At the middle school a…

Duluth’s Amazing Grace To Host ‘Last Hurrah’ After 27 Years In Business

Amazing Grace Cafe & Grocery, a staple in Canal Park for 27 years, will close the doors for good at the end of February. The decision to close, according to the owner Connor riley, was very difficult to make but the right one after trying to fight through the pandemic and its aftermath. Amazing Grace has been providing locally sourced,…

Fire Destroys Two-Story Home Near Cook

Courtesy: St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office BEATTY TOWNSHIP, Minn. – Fire ripped through a two-story home north of Cook Friday evening. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said the fire broke out around 4:50 p.m. on the 8700 block of Raps Road in Beatty Township. When firefighters arrived, the structure was fully engulfed in flames. Nobody was inside the home…

Bent Paddle Turns Original Tap Room Into THC, CBD ‘Cann-A-Lounge’

DULUTH, Minn. – Gov. Tim Walz declared Feb. 16 Beer Day in Minnesota.  That means breweries in Duluth were celebrating with specials. The Minnesota Craft Brewers Associations said it’s a day to celebrate not just the past of beer in the state, but also how far it has come, and what the future holds. In the past 20-plus years, more…

UMD, UWS Offer Support After Fatal Michigan State University Shooting

UMD and UWS sent emails to students, faculty and staff to offer support and guidance following the fatal Michigan State University shooting. The following message was sent by UMD Interim Chancellor Dave McMillan: “The events of last evening at Michigan State University are horrifying. UMD shares in the sadness and sorrow of the Michigan State University community. We honor the…

Jungle Gym Announces March Pro Boxing Match In Duluth

FOX 21's Dan Hanger will be the event's ring announcer

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth’s Jungle Boy Boxing has announced a pro boxing match at The Garden in Canal Park next month. Zach Walters, head coach of Jungle Gym in downtown Duluth told FOX 21 Wednesday that he’s more than pumped to get this fight night in front of hundreds of people March 10th. And if you’ve never been to a…

Duluth Police Ask For Public’s Help Locating Kwik Trip Robbery Suspect

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a robbery suspect who they say targeted the Kwik Trip on the 4200 block Grand Avenue at 1:15 a.m. Wednesday. The following is a post on DPD’s Facebook: “The reporting party stated that the suspected male passed a note to them and demanded money from the till….

Klobuchar Applauds 148th Fighter Wing In Object Shootdown, Releases New Details

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) provided new details Tuesday from the U.S. Military involving the 148th Fighter Wing’s involvement in shooting down one of three mysterious objects recently spotted up above. “Today at our classified briefing, the Joint Chiefs and other military members specifically acknowledged the Minnesota National Guard and the Duluth airman who shot down the object over Lake…

Complaint: Duluth-Area Man Sexually Assaulted 2 Girls, Possibly More

Clint Franklin Massie DULUTH, Minn. — A Duluth-area man is accused of sexually assaulting at least two children, and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office believes more victims have yet to come forward. Clint Massie, 48, is charged with four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving young girls. The investigation started in January after a woman came forward with…

Superior School Dist. Considers Consolidating Schools

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Superior School District is beginning discussions to potentially consolidate its elementary schools from six to five. Superintendent Amy Starzecki said a 2022 district study showed the elementary schools are being underutilized — sitting at only 71 percent capacity. So, because of that and a significant budget shortfall coming in 2024, the district believes downsizing into five…

Cohasset Mayor: Loss Of Huber Timber Plant Development ‘Devastating’

DULUTH, Minn. – “Frustrated, disappointed and angry.” Those were the words from Cohasset Mayor Andy MacDonell Thursday after learning plans for a $440 million timber plant have fallen through. Huber Engineered Wood said in a statement the company can’t handle any more delays in getting approved for the new Oriented Strand Board facility. “Due to delays that jeopardize our ability…

Musical Bingo Fundraiser In Superior Supporting Local Artists

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Tuesday night people who love music and games came together in Superior for one big musical bingo fundraiser. The Mackie Brothers performed live, and each ball drawn represented a number like usual, but that number was attached to a well-known song. The Mackie Brothers then played that tune, and everybody checked their bingo card for the name…

‘Very Scary Stuff:’ Resident Describes Police Standoff At Greysolon Apartments

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DULUTH, Minn. – There were tense moments Monday at the Greysolon Apartments in downtown Duluth when a man with a sword caused an hours-long standoff with police. The incident ended safely after Duluth’s Tactical Response Team breached the apartment door, according to officials. While the alleged threats of violence from the man made residents feel uneasy, police said the end…

Don Ness, Dan Hanger Among ‘Singing With The Stars’ Contestants At NorShor Theatre

The competition is March 3!

DULUTH, Minn. — You’ve probably heard of “Dancing With The St’ars,” but what about “Singing With The Stars?” And what if some of the singing contestants included former mayor Don Ness and FOX 21’s Dan Hanger? Well, it’s happening March 3 at the NorShor Theatre! Tickets are on sale now. It’s a 100-percent fundraiser for the Duluth Playhouse. Tickets to…

Family Dog, Daughter Credited For Saving Duluth Home From Fire

DULUTH, Minn. — A Duluth Heights man is crediting his 12-year-old daughter, Zoe, and the family’s 3-year-old lab, Dudley, for saving their home after the nearby garage went up in flames Wednesday night. 12-year-old Zoe Radzak “If she didn’t come down screaming, it would have definitely gotten to the house, and it would have been a different story. So Dudley…

UPDATE: Ashland County Inmate Likely Died Of Overdose

UPDATE: An inmate’s death at the Ashland County Jail was likely caused by a drug overdose. That’s according to the Bayfield County Sheriff’s Office, which is handling the investigation to avoid any conflict-of-interest with the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office. The overdose is information coming from the preliminary investigation. The full toxicology report is still pending. —————————————————————————————————– ASHLAND, Wis. — An…

Hobbs, Anderson Won’t Seek Reelection To Duluth City Council

DULUTH, Minn. — Two Duluth city councilors are not running for reelection in 2023. First District Councilor Gary Anderson announced Tuesday he is proud of the work he’s been able to accomplish over the past eight years. At one point, Anderson served as council president. He started in politics in 2012 as an organizer for the Minnesotans United For All…

Feb. 1, 2018: Historic NorShor Theatre Reopens With ‘Mamma Mia!’

DULUTH, Minn. – Tuesday marked the historic NorShor Theatre’s five-year anniversary since its $30 million re-opening in downtown Duluth. Opening night was Feb. 1, 2018 with the popular musical “Mamma Mia!” It was a special moment after 19 months of construction and renovations. The NorShor first opened as the Orpheum Theatre in 1910. The building ran into trouble in the…

Brutal Wind Chills Mean Brutal Firefighting Conditions

SUPERIOR, Wis. – With wind chill temperatures at 30, 40 or 50 below zero, it’s probably safe to say nobody likes that type of weather, especially firefighters. The dangerous conditions happened just two days ago for Superior firefighters who were fighting brutally cold air during the Wasabi restaurant fire on Tower Avenue. Battalion Chief Steve Miner described what it’s like…

Duluth Police Department Releases First-Ever ‘Stop Data Report’

DULUTH, Minn. — For the first time, the Duluth Police Department released a stop data report for 2022 Tuesday. The report shows 5,944 traffic and subject stops were conducted between January and December last year. Of that number, 61 percent were moving violations, 36 percent were equipment violations, and 3 percent were suspicious activity. 4,686 of those stops ended in warnings….

Wasabi Restaurant In Superior Destroyed By Fire; Owners: ‘We Will Be Back’

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Wasabi Restaurant building was declared a complete loss after an early Monday morning structure fire, according to the Superior Fire Department. Crews were dispatched to a report of a structure fire at 3333 Tower Avenue at 12:27 am. First arriving fire crews found heavy smoke coming from the back of Wasabi, the department said. Interior attack…

Police Chief Thankful For Community’s Support After Deaths Of Superior Officer’s Daughter, Retired K-9

K-9 Marik died one day after Hailey Eastman's unexpected death from an undiagnosed cardiac condition

SUPERIOR, Wis. – It has been a painful and challenging time over the past couple of weeks for the Superior Police Department with the unexpected losses of Sgt. Nick Eastman’s teenage daughter and his retired K-9 Marik. Late Friday, Police Chief Nicholas Alexander expressed his thanks to everyone who has helped his department through this difficult time. Hailey Eastman In…

New Billy’s Bar Owner Excited, Ready For Beargrease Sunday

DULUTH, Minn. – Excitement is building for Sunday’s John Beargrease Sled Dog marathon. And that’s especially true for the new owner of Billy’s Bar. Billy’s is the starting line for Beargrease. It’s the prime spot to see all the dogs and mushers getting ready for the big race. For owner Brian Larson, he’s beyond ready to experience his first-ever Beargrease….

St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office Launches Crime-Mapping Tool

DULUTH, Minn. — The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office officially launched its new crime-mapping tool online Tuesday for residents to view. The crime map shows all types of crimes pinpointed to the street where they occurred. People can filter the results by date, location and type of incident, like arson, burglary, sex offenses, assault and homicide, among others. Information is…

Superior Police K-9 Marik Dies One Year After Retirement

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Superior Police Department is mourning after the death of police K-9 Marik. Marik recently became ill from a gastrointestinal condition, according to the Northland K9 Foundation. Marik was partnered with Sgt. Nick Eastman. During the 7.5 years together, Marik was deployed 541 times and is credited with 91 arrests, including helping apprehend a man in a…

Question To Duluth City Councilors: Are You Running For Mayor?

DULUTH, Minn. – As a third candidate says he’s running for Duluth’s next mayor, FOX 21 is confirming if anyone on the Duluth city council – current and former – is up for the challenge. Over the past week, we’ve heard back from all but one city councilor on whether they are running or thinking of running for mayor this…

DEDA Denies Duluth Business Owner’s Proposal To Redevelop Former Kozy Building

DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth business owner has been shot down with his proposal to restore and develop the condemned former Kozy building in downtown Duluth, also known as the historic Pastoret Terrace. The city of Duluth issued a press release Friday about the decision: “The Duluth Economic Development Authority (DEDA) has declined a recently submitted proposal in response to…

Musical Bingo Fundraiser Approaching To Support Local Arts, Music Community

SUPERIOR, Wis. — A unique Musical Bingo fundraiser is coming up to support the local arts scene. It’s happening Tuesday, Feb. 7 at VIP in Superior. You encouraged to sing along to well-known songs sung by the Mackie Brothers while dabbing away on your bingo cards to help raise funds for free community music provided by Siggy’s Musical Garden and…

The DECC To Host Free ‘Big Movies’ In February

Parking will also be free for the event nights

DULUTH, Minn. — If you like free and enjoy movies, the DECC is ready for you every Thursday in February for Big Movies @ The DECC. “This event features family movies on a big screen in Harbor Side Ballroom, a BYO -Blanket or Bean Bag affair,” said Lucie Amundsen, DECC communication director.  Big Movies at the DECC is part of…

20-Year Sentence For Duluth Man Who Stabbed Pregnant Girlfriend

DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth man was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in prison for stabbing his pregnant girlfriend more than a dozen times. The sentence against Anthony Holloway, 36, is the maximum allowed under state law for attempted second-degree intentional murder. The stabbing happened last March in an apartment on the 1700-block of Kenwood Avenue. The 32-year-old victim was…

Janet Kennedy Becomes Duluth Council’s First Black President

DULUTH, Minn. – Councilor Janet Kennedy is making history as the first Black president of the city council. It was a unanimous vote by the council to elect Kennedy for the top spot. She replaces Arik Forsman, who remains on the council. “This is an historic time for all Duluthians and this election lifts up the voices of our African…

All Aboard! North Shore Scenic Railroad Opens Summer Ticket Season For Excursions

DULUTH, Minn. — Believe it or not, the North Shore Scenic Railroad is already thinking summer and fall excursions. Tickets went on sale Monday at DuluthTrains.com and at the Depot ticket office. Train lovers can now reserve a spot for dinner trains, dome car rides and the Pizza Party Express. And in the coming weeks, tickets will open up for…

Say What? A January Day Of Rain, Puddles In The Twin Ports

DULUTH, Minn. – What a weird day for the Twin Ports, right?  Rain and giant puddles were all over the place. Vehicles on London Road in Duluth were making a splish-splash that looked more like a spring melting event. Makes you wonder if we’re going to pay for this warmer air in February with a deep freeze, or if all…

Mayor Emily Larson’s Full Statement On Roger Reinert Entering Mayoral Race

Larson: "I am the better candidate for the job."

DULUTH, Minn. — After the official announcement from Roger Reinert about his campaign for Duluth mayor, Mayor Emily Larson release the follow statement, as well as highlights of her accomplishments over the past two terms: “Who leads the city matters. How they lead it matters more. Duluth needs a leader focused on solving problems. A leader with good, consistent values…

Minneapolis Man Charged In Duluth Girlfriend’s Stabbing

DULUTH, Minn. – A Minneapolis man is accused of stabbing his girlfriend in Duluth’s Lincoln Park while threatening to kill her. Joshua White, 19, is charged with second-degree assault and threats of violence. The stabbing happened around 4:15 a.m. Monday in a home in the area of North 24th Avenue West. The 20-year-old victim was found in the living room…

Mayor Emily Larson Issues ‘Proud’ Year-End Progress Report

DULUTH, Minn. – Mayor Emily Larson held a news conference Tuesday to provide a year-end progress report.  (Click here for the city’s press release on the report) Her priorities fell into four categories this year, as she outlined in her State of the City address earlier in the year: Economic development, public safety, connectivity and sustainability. While she said she’s…

Katie Lowes of ‘Merry Kiss Cam’ Talks Filming In Duluth, Local Talent Pool

DULUTH, Minn. — It’s been about a month since the romantic comedy “Merry Kiss Cam” debuted on Hulu. The movie was shot in Duluth showcasing the city, UMD Bulldogs, Carmody Irish Brew Pub, The Heritage Sports Center and other locations. FOX 21’s Dan Hanger recently chatted with Katie Lowes, one of the lead actors in “Merry Kiss Cam” who is…

Owner Of Carmody’s Talks ‘Merry Kiss Cam’ Filming In His Duluth Pub

DULUTH, Minn. – One of the main locations where “Merry Kiss Cam” was filmed was at Carmody Irish Brew Pub in downtown Duluth. Carmody owner Eddie Gleeson with actress Katie Lowes There were multiple shots filmed outside and inside the pub on East Superior Street during the summer. So set crews, of course, did their magic to make it look…