Author: Dan Hanger

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…

City Of Duluth ‘Prepared To Respond’ To Upcoming Storm, May Request Amsoil Arena As Warming Center

DULUTH, Minn. — The city of Duluth issued a news release around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday outlining how they are prepared for the upcoming storm. Phil Jents, the city’s communications and policy officer, said the city is particularly concerned about the extreme cold combined with the potential for wide-spread power outages from high winds. Jents said the city could be forced…

‘Godfather’s Pizza Express’ Joining Northland KornerStores

KornerStore owner Derek Medved says pizzas will be made from scratch, just like at the restaurants.

DULUTH, Minn. – Godfather’s Pizza — a one-time beloved restaurant chain in the Northland — is returning in an express format. Duluth business owner Derek Medved has purchased the franchise rights to launch Godfather’s Pizza Express within his KornerStore locations in Duluth, Hermantown, Sturgeon Lake and Chisholm. Medved told FOX 21 Wednesday that sections of the stores will be modified…

Minnesota Power, SWL&P ‘Ready To Respond’ To Second Multi-Day Storm In One Week

DULUTH, Minn. – With another major winter storm on the way Wednesday, crews with Minnesota Power and Superior Water Light and Power are once again on standby for whatever the multi-day storm will bring. A Wednesday arrival means crews will be back at it just three days since they wrapped up four days of power restoration for nearly 20,000 customers….

Road-Rage Incident Ends In Gunfire In Morgan Park

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth police are investigating a road-rage incident that ended in gunfire Monday evening. The call for help came in around 7 p.m. on the 1000-block of 87th Avenue West in the Morgan Park neighborhood. The reporting party told police a driver followed them to their home and began smashing their vehicle’s windows out with a baseball bat,…

St. Louis County Plow Drivers Among Teamsters To Authorize Intent To Strike

  DULUTH, Minn. — Teamsters Local 320, which represents plow drivers and other public works employees with St. Louis County, voted Monday night to authorize an intent to strike. Union President Erik Skoog told FOX 21 the vote was 99 percent in favor for the potential strike. Skoog said the only change in the offer over the weekend by email…

FedEx Addresses ‘Weather-Related’ Service Delays In Duluth Area

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) DULUTH, Minn. — FedEx is addressing delays within the Twin Ports by attributing the issue with the recent snow storms. The following statement was sent to FOX 21 Monday evening: “We apologize for the inconvenience to our customers as we work to address temporary weather-related service delays in the Duluth area. The safety of all…

St. Louis County Releases Statement On Teamsters Vote To Pursue Strike

St. Louis County released the following statement Monday night after the Teamsters union voted to go ahead with an intent to strike. We are disappointed and discouraged to hear the outcome of the vote by members of Teamsters Local 320, who have rejected our contract proposal as part of labor negotiations for contracts effective January 2023. For the last couple…

City Of Duluth Posts Plowing Update On Social Media Amid Complaints From Residents

Council President Arik Forsman asked for feedback from his followers on Facebook Friday.

DULUTH, Minn. – Snow removal continued for the city of Duluth Friday, four days after the two-part storm hit. There have been complaints about missed streets, delayed plowing and high snowbanks. A spokesperson for the city told FOX 21 Friday that no one was available for an on-camera interview to talk about the city’s clean-up efforts. But the city did…

Minnesota Power Calls In Outside Resources; Power Outages To Last Through Sunday

DULUTH, Minn. –  Minnesota Power held a press conference Friday afternoon to update the media and public on its continued efforts to restore power to thousands of customers on the 4th day since the two-part winter storm moved into the Northland. As of 7:30 p.m. Friday, Minnesota Power reported under 3,000 customers still in the dark, which was down from…

Duluth’s Marshall Hardware Busy Before Approaching Blizzard

DULUTH, Minn. — As you might imagine, hardware stores were busy during the day Tuesday before the blizzard arrived. Marshall Hardware in Lakeside was one of those places. Owner Steve Marshall said his team was ready for the increase in business, with inventory at solid levels. “You just have to stay on it — order, order, order. But we’ve been…

Whistleblower Lawsuit Considered By Fired Duluth Chamber Staffer

DULUTH, Minn. – A Twin Cities law firm says a whistleblower lawsuit is being prepared against the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce.  This comes after a longtime staff member, Martha Bremer, was fired last month, according to David Schlesinger, an attorney representing Bremer. Bremer was with the Duluth Chamber for eight years as the director of FUSE and Leadership Duluth. …

Train Slams Into Vehicle In Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. – A train slammed into a vehicle Friday in Superior. The crash happened around 1 p.m. The vehicle was stopped on the tracks as the train was approaching, according to police. The impact was not severe, but it was enough to push the vehicle from Tower Avenue down the tracks two blocks to John Avenue behind the Thirsty…

‘Lake Effect Restaurant & Bar’ To Open On Island Lake

ISLAND LAKE, Minn. — The co-owners of Lake Avenue Restaurant & Bar in Duluth’s Canal Park are expanding with a new restaurant on Island Lake called Lake Effect Restaurant & Bar.  The menu will be similar to Lake Ave.’s, but the vibe will be centered around the Northwoods.  Click the video above to see the progress of the new location,…

Duluth Mayor Emily Larson Elected To National League Of Cities Board

DULUTH, Minn. – Mayor Emily Larson said Thursday she’s “excited and honored” to represent Duluth on a new national level as a board member for the National League of Cities. The organization is the largest of its kind in the U.S. It’s made up of thousands of leaders from cities across the country. Their goal is to improve the quality…

UPDATE: Arrest Made After Tuesday Stabbing In Gary-New Duluth

UPDATE: Duluth police arrested a 45-year-old suspect just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday in connection to the stabbing. He faces a charge of first-degree assault. The 42-year-old man who was stabbed is in “stable” condition at a hospital. The father of the victim tells FOX21 that his son was stabbed at least ten times. ———————————————————————————————————————————————— DULUTH, Minn. —  Duluth police…

Broken Ice Chunk Traps 200 Anglers On Northern Minn. Lake; All Rescued

(FOX 21) –  An estimated 200 anglers became stuck on a broken chunk of ice Monday, according to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office. Courtesy: Kelliher Fire & Rescue, Beltrami Sheriff’s Office The incident was reported around 11:30 a.m. on Upper Red Lake. The sheriff’s office originally reported about 100 people stranded, but officials updated that number to 200 after all…

Sickness, Lack Of Subs Force Wrenshall School To Close Monday

WRENSHALL, Minn. – Sickness and a lack of substitutes forced the Wrenshall School District to close Monday. The outside of the school in the small community was very quiet Monday, and there were only a few employees inside answering phones. If school did open Monday, the building would have been 15 staff members short with only two available substitutes, according…

Ramsay Joins ‘Legal Complaint’ Against Former Employer City Of Wichita

DULUTH, Minn. – Newly elected St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay is part of a legal complaint against his former employer, the city of Wichita, claiming internal corruption and cover-ups within city hall and retaliation against him when he was police chief there. According to The Wichita Eagle, Ramsay has joined three deputy chiefs in the complaint. For Ramsay, he’s…

‘Lake Avenue Restaurant & Bar’ Expanding To Island Lake With ‘Lake Effect Restaurant & Bar’

ISLAND LAKE, Minn. — The owners behind Lake Avenue Restaurant & Bar in Duluth’s Canal Park is expanding into Island Lake, and in a familiar location to many in the area. The new establishment is called Lake Effect Restaurant & Bar. It’s being constructed in the former Boondocks Saloon and Grill on the south end of Island Lake on Rice…

Duluth-Filmed ‘Merry Kiss Cam’ To Hit HULU Thanksgiving Day

DULUTH, Minn. — It may be Thanksgiving Thursday, but for some it will be a celebration of the movie release of “Merry Kiss Cam,” which was shot entirely in Duluth. Production was shot over the summer at places like Carmody Irish Pub, the Heritage Sports center and Fitger’s. “Merry Kiss Cam” is a romantic comedy set during the Christmas season….

Bluebird Foundation To Host ‘Christmas By The Lake’ Concert Dec. 1

DULUTH, Minn. — Tracy Lundeen, founder of the Bluebird Foundation, stopped by the morning show Monday to talk about the annual Christmas by the Lake Scholarship, Christmas by the Lake Concert and this year’s Christmas by the Lake music album.  Click the video above for more, and check out the Bluebird Foundation’s website. Categories: Coffee Conversation, Community, Minnesota, News, News…

Superior’s Jamrock Cultural Restaurant To Relocate In Duluth

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Jamrock Cultural Restaurant has announced it’s leaving Superior to reopen a bigger location in Duluth. Owner Antonio O’Neil made the announced late Friday on the restaurant’s Facebook page. O’Neil said he is more than appreciative of Superior’s support to help get his business up and running, but that the success simply grew out of the space he…

Live Look: Opening Night At ‘Bentleyville Tour Of Lights’

DULUTH, Minn. — Bentleyville Tour of Lights turned on for the first time this season Saturday at 5 p.m.  Check out this live camera over Bayfront Park courtesy of DuluthHarborCam.com!  FOX 21 will have highlights from opening night tonight on FOX 21 Local News at 9. Categories: Community, Entertainment, Minnesota, News, News – Latest News

Duluth Schools Superintendent Gets New Three-Year Contract

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth School Board is sticking with its top leader for another three years. Supt. John Magas joined the district in 2020, just days after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and schools across the state would face major challenges to continue education among the virus. Magas will make $205,000 for the 2023-2024 contract year followed by $209,500…

Longtime Superior City Councilor Resigns Following Investigation

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Longtime Superior City Councilor Warren Bender has resigned from his 3rd District council seat, citing medical issues. Bender sent his resignation letter to Mayor Jim Paine’s office late Monday. The resignation became effective at 8 a.m. Tuesday, and it comes after a police investigation involving Bender’s communication with a woman through Facebook messenger. In his resignation letter,…

‘BRUCE IS BACK!’: Black Woods Replaces Its Mascot; Original Head Still Missing

DULUTH, Minn. – Black Woods Grill and Bar in Duluth has its beloved mascot, Bruce, back in the lobby welcoming guests once again – but it’s not the original, which has been around since Black Woods opened in 1997. The new Bruce is a replacement after the head of the original was stolen from the lobby just before Halloween.  Black…

Native-Owned Farm In Sawyer Celebrates Arrival Of Buffalo

SAWYER, Minn. – A native-owned farm in Sawyer celebrated the arrival of a dozen buffalo to its land on Friday. Native Wise farm sits on 380 acres. Community members gathered with a welcoming song for the buffalo and a meal for all to enjoy. The Nature Conservancy’s preserves in Nebraska helped make the delivery possible to help preserve Native American…

City: Reconfigured Parks Fund Referendum Critical, Equals $94 Annually For $200K Home

The Parks Fund levy referendum would replace the current levy from 2012 and will be voted on at the ballot Nov. 8.

DULUTH, Minn. – The November 8th election is just around the corner, and Duluth residents will be voting on whether to approve a new Parks Fund levy that would replace the current levy that took effect in 2012. Jim Filby Williams, the city’s Property, Parks and Libraries director, told FOX 21’s Dan Hanger Wednesday that many of Duluth’s 120 invested…

Turkeys Out, Hams In For CSS Thanksgiving Buffet At DECC

Supply chain issues are to blame for sidelining the turkeys.

DULUTH, Minn. — Imagine Thanksgiving without a turkey and only ham. Well, that is the reality for this year’s Thanksgiving Day Buffet at the DECC. Organizers say supply chain issues are to blame for pushing the birds to the curb. The traditional turkey buffet has been put on by the College of St. Scholastica for more than 30 years, serving…

Update: UMD Teamsters Workers Reach Tentative Deal Before Planned Strike

(10/22/22) Update:  University of Minnesota workers with Teamsters Local 320 have reached a tentative deal, which avoids a strike planned for next week, according to the union. The three-year agreement was made early Saturday morning at the negotiating table. “Next week’s strike has been called off, and the agreement will be voted on by the membership. More details will be…

St. Louis Co. Plow Drivers Among Teamsters Workers Moving Closer To Strike

Teamster Local 320 represents 165 county public works employees.

DULUTH, Minn. — St. Louis County Public Works employees with Teamsters Local 320 are not seeing eye-to-eye with the county involving a new three-year contract, and that means a strike could happen again in the heart of the upcoming winter plowing season. “As it stands right now, we’re poised to if we have to hit the streets again in January….

Duluth Police Dept.: School Resource Officers Are Coaches, Mentors, Social Workers

DULUTH, Minn. — Whether it’s building relationships with students, attending community events or after-school programs, the Duluth Police Department says that’s the majority of its focus for school resource officers. The Duluth City Council and Duluth School board recently approved a one-year contract for officers at Denfeld and East high schools, and Ordean and Lincoln Park middle schools. While safety…

Mascot Bruce’s Head Stolen From Black Woods Restaurant; ‘He’s Been Kind Of An Icon For Us’

Bruce has been greeting guests at the London Road location since it opened in 1997.

DULUTH, Minn. — Halloween is just around the corner, but tricks are already happening — and not in a fun way for the staff and customers at Black Woods in Duluth. The restaurant’s beloved mascot has been beheaded. His name is Bruce, and he’s been in the lobby of Black Woods on London Road for the past 25 years when…

Labor, Supply Shortages Postpone 2022 Taste At Fitger’s

DULUTH, Minn. – The labor and supply shortages that don’t seem to be going away anytime soon have forced next week’s Taste at Fitger’s fundraiser to be postponed. Organizers said too many local restaurants that make the event possible are continuing to struggle, especially with staffing. All purchased tickets will be refunded. The plan now is to try the event…

Man Charged In Cloquet Home Invasion, Assault

CLOQUET, Minn. — A Cloquet man has been charged in a home invasion and assault from earlier this year. Brendan Smith, 43, is accused of breaking into a house on Boulder Drive in Cloquet before strangling a woman inside while she was sleeping. The victim’s husband confronted Smith before he took off. Smith was never identified until recently after Cloquet…

Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Killing Ex-Girlfriend

VIRGINIA, Minn. — A Virginia man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend last year pleaded guilty to the crime Thursday in St. Louis County Court. Derek Malevich, 42, accepted charges of second-degree intentional murder and and witness tampering. Malevich repeatedly stabbed Kristen Bicking, 32, in his apartment May 12, 2021 on the 100 block of Fifth Street South in Virginia. Malevich…

Duluth Police Release Details About Weekend Downtown Shooting

DULUTH, Minn. — Four days after a shooting in downtown Duluth, the Duluth Police Department released details about it Wednesday evening, and the announcement came with news of an arrest. A 23-year-old man was arrested by Cloquet police Wednesday in connection with the shooting. The victim is a 19-year-old man. He suffered non-life threatening injuries. Police said the shooting happened…

Duluth Parking Meter Rate Hike Hits Duluth’s Medical Dist. Months Late, Concerns St. Luke’s

St. Luke's calls the increase a "significant financial burden on our staff."

DULUTH, Minn. — St. Luke’s spoke out Tuesday about a recent rate increase to about 400 parking meters within the Medical District in downtown Duluth. But city officials told FOX 21’s Dan Hanger, the increase was actually supposed to happen months ago in January when a city wide increase took effect after 13 years of that rate standing still. A…