Dan Hanger, Author at Fox21Online

Duluth Council Forgives Spirit Mountain’s $900K Debt As Part Of Larger Plan

May 24, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth city council voted Monday to forgive $900,000 of Spirt Mountain’s $1.2 million line of credit after tabling the vote weeks ago. Councilors Derek Medved and Joel Sipress voted against the resolution. Mayor Emily Larson has previously said she agrees with the outside consultant’s recommendation to forgive most of Spirit Mountain’s debt to really move forward…

Duluth City Councilors Officially Lift Mask Mandate; City Hall Closure Update Wednesday

May 24, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth city council unanimously voted Monday to officially end the city’s mask mandate. Councilor Terese Tomanek was absent. The vote comes after Gov. Tim Walz announced earlier this month the statewide mandate was lifted per guidance from the CDC. The city of Duluth followed up by saying it would not enforce the ordinance any longer. Councilors…

Weekend Shooting in Duluth Now City’s First Homicide of 2021

The suspected shooter is a 17-year-old male from Duluth.

May 23, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – A man who was seriously injured during a shooting in Duluth Saturday has died, making his death the city’s first homicide of 2021. A spokesperson for the city said the victim is a 22-year-old male from Duluth. His name was not released Sunday pending notification of family members. The suspected shooter is a 17-year-old male from Duluth…

DHS Official: Herd Immunity May Come This Fall in Wisconsin

May 23, 2021

Dan Hanger,

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A key state health department leader is hedging on whether Wisconsin can attain COVID-19 herd immunity by mid-2021. Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk has previously said that 70% of Wisconsin’s population would need to be vaccinated to attain herd immunity and the state could reach that benchmark by July. But vaccination…

Floyd Killing Prompts Some States to Limit or Ban Chokeholds

May 23, 2021

Dan Hanger,

(AP) – At least 17 states have prohibited or severely limited the use of chokeholds and neck restraints by police officers in the year since George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis after being pinned under an officer’s knee. Data provided to The Associated Press by the National Conference of State Legislatures shows most of the actions were taken in states…

PCA Paper Mill in I-Falls Catches Fire

May 23, 2021

Dan Hanger,

INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. – The PCA Paper Mill in International Falls caught on fire Sunday around the same time the city experienced a city wide power outage. The mill is located on the 400 block of 2nd Street. According to Mayor Harley Droba, the power outage happened right before the fire started at the mill. Power was restored to the…

Gone Forever? Superior Police, Fire Chiefs Evolve Mask Policies For Departments

While Superior police officers will wear masks when wanted by the public, masks may be the future for Superior firefighters under certain circumstances.

May 20, 2021

Dan Hanger,

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior’s police and fire chiefs are thankful to see the faces again of their men and women in uniform. But masks aren’t completely leaving while on the job in the community, as FOX 21’s Dan Hanger reports. The city of Superior and its employees are no longer mandated to wear a mask. But Mayor Jim Paine is…

Duluth’s Tourism Tax Revenue Continues Rebound Ahead of Pre-Pandemic 2019

May 20, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – Signs of a strong tourism comeback are continuing for Duluth. The city’s tourism tax revenue just in for the month of March is up nearly $290,000 or 27 percent compared to March of last year at $1.3 million. And that number is even more than pre-pandemic March of 2019 at $1.1 million. As for the year-to-date, the…

Grandma’s Sports Garden Now ‘The Garden’ Wedding & Event Center

May 20, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – Grandma’s Sports Garden in Canal Park is officially no more and has transformed into the business of love and fun. The venue’s Facebook page has changed to its new name — The Garden. The 20,000-square foot building is now a wedding and event center for all types of occasions big or small, including reunions, private parties and…

Standoff In Superior Ends Safely With Arrest

May 19, 2021

Dan Hanger,

SUPERIOR, Wis. – A standoff situation in Superior ended peacefully with a felony arrest of a man. The call for help came in around 5 p.m. Wednesday for a disturbance at a residents on the 1600 block of Cumming Avenue. During the investigation, authorities learned a male suspect with several warrants for his arrest, including one for a felony charge,…

City of Duluth Employees Still Mandated to Wear Masks, City Hall’s Reopening Date Not Clear

May 19, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – It’s been nearly a week since the city of Duluth said it would no longer enforce the citywide mask mandate following Governor Tim Walz’s announcement to do the same across the state. But that doesn’t mean Duluth city employees have been allowed to ditch their masks while on the job. Chief Administrative Officer Noah Schuchman released a…

Pro-Palestine Demonstrators March Through Downtown Duluth Amid Middle East Violence

May 19, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – Roughly 100 pro-Palestine demonstrators marched through downtown Duluth Wednesday to make their voices heart involving the bloody Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East. The Duluth march comes as Hamas officials are hoping for a ceasefire soon as world leaders dial up pressure on both sides to end the fighting. And what’s happening thousands of miles away is…

BWCAW Wildfire Grows To 1,500-Plus Acres

May 18, 2021

Dan Hanger,

Photo is from Monday when the fire started SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST, Minn. – A wildfire continued to burn Tuesday night in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Forestry officials believe a lighting strike ignited the fire Monday evening. The fire has grown from 10 acres Monday to more than 1,500 acres and was located about 16 miles north of Tower….

City of Superior Drops Mask Mandate

May 18, 2021

Dan Hanger,

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Superior City Council voted Tuesday night to immediately lift the city’s mask mandate. Councilor Craig Sutherland said it was a unanimous decision by councilors. This comes as the state of Wisconsin hasn’t had a mask mandate for more than a month, and after the CDC announced last week that fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks…

WITC To Become Northwood Technical College

The college will also have a mascot named Blaze the Bear.

May 17, 2021

Dan Hanger,

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, also known as WITC, will soon be called the Northwood Technical College, and Northwood Tech for short. The college took name and mascot submissions from the public last fall, with the board approving it all this past spring. Hundreds of students and staff members voted on their favorites. The new name, logo,…

City of Duluth Begins Installing ‘Snow Emergency Route’ Signs

May 17, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. — It may be warm out, but the city of Duluth is already getting prepared for snow emergencies. City crews are right now installing 2,300 snow emergency signs along 120 miles of streets that are considered critical to keep clear of snow during a big weather event. The signage means whenever the city declares a snow emergency by…

Blacklist Brewing Co. Moving To Bigger Downtown Duluth Location

May 16, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – The Blacklist Brewing Company has announced it’s moving to a new and bigger location but staying in the heart of downtown Duluth. The new location is across the street from the NorShor Theatre on East Superior Street, which is just blocks away from its current location in the former Last Place on Earth building. Blacklist says the…

Cigarette Believed To Be Cause Of 1.3-Acre Fire At Forest Hill Cemetery

May 16, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – Officials believe a cigarette is to blame for a 1.3-acre fire in the woods within the Forest Hill Cemetery in Duluth. The fire started around 3 a.m. Wednesday. It took an hour to put out. Nobody was injured. Fire officials stress conditions continue to be very dry. They urge caution with recreational fires and to always be…

Sheriff’s Office: NERCC Inmate ‘Walked Away’ From Saginaw Facility

May 16, 2021

Dan Hanger,

Jesse Crabtree SAGINAW, Minn. – The search is on for an inmate who escaped from the Northeast Regional Corrections Center in Saginaw Sunday. He’s Jesse James Crabtree, 48, of Hibbing, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office. Officials say he “walked away” from the facility around 2:30 p.m. It’s believed Crabtree had contacted someone to pick him up prior…

Soon-To-Retire 148th Fighter Wing Member Killed In I-35 Crash Near Hinckley

Master Sgt. David Greiner was on his way to the Duluth base when the accident happened -- just months away from retirement after 20 years of service.

May 16, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – The 148th Fighter Wing announced Sunday that one of their own was killed in a automobile accident near Hinckley, Minn., Friday afternoon while on his way to the Duluth base for monthly drill. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Master Sgt. David T. Greiner, a Roads and Ground Supervisor assigned to…

Wisconsin Woman Arrested For Drugs With 5 Children In Car

May 16, 2021

Dan Hanger,

HIXTON, Wis. (AP) – Authorities say a western Wisconsin woman was arrested for allegedly taking illegal drugs while driving with five children in the car. The Wisconsin State Patrol says it learned of the incident when a father called Saturday to request a welfare check on his 12-year-old daughter. The girl was in a car headed to Wisconsin Dells with…

Minneapolis Suburb OKs Roadmap For Policing Changes

May 16, 2021

Dan Hanger,

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (AP) – Elected officials in a Minneapolis suburb where a police officer fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in April have approved a proposal to dramatically change the city’s policing practices. The Brooklyn Center City Council voted 4-1 Saturday for a resolution to create new divisions of unarmed civilian employees to handle non-moving traffic violations…

Mayor Larson’s Plan: $24 Million For Duluth’s Spirit Mountain

Larson touts new jobs, more visitors and a larger economic impact from the investment.

May 6, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – A historic shift in support for Spirit Mountain’s future was announced Thursday. Duluth Mayor Emily Larson said a proposed $24 million capital investment plan will take the city-owned attraction to its true potential, which includes adding hundreds of new jobs, six times the number of visitors and increasing the economic impact of more than $10 million. “We…

Bears Come A-Knockin’ At Home In Superior’s Billings Park

May 5, 2021

Dan Hanger,

SUPERIOR, Wis. — We’re all coming out of hibernation with the nicer weather, including a family of bears in Superior’s Billings Park neighborhood. Ken Kurtz captured five black bears on his security camera and tried to scare them off the property by yelling through the mic on the camera while at his winter home in Palm Springs, California. But he…

Duluth’s Tourism Tax Collections ‘Up Significantly’ For March

May 4, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – The city of Duluth’s tourism tax revenue for the month of March is “up significantly” compared to this month last year, according to Jennifer Carlson, the city’s finance director. Hotel, motel, food and beverage tax collection for March came in at $715,296 compared to $505,680 for March of 2020. March’s revenue is also up 10.4% from the…

Firefighters Tackle Garage Fire In Denfeld Neighborhood

May 3, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth firefighters responded to a significant garage fire Monday evening in the Denfeld neighborhood. The call for help came in around 7:25 p.m. on the 3700 block of Grand Avenue. The fire started in the interior and extended into the attic of the garage, according to a release. Fire crews were able to save a vehicle in…

Special Report: When Love Turns Deadly

The daughter of murder victim Loretta Billman speaks out to raise awareness about domestic violence.

May 2, 2021

Dan Hanger, Marcus Asmus,

SAGINAW, Minn. – Every year, more than 600 American women are shot to death by intimate partners — roughly one every 14 hours, according to Giffords.org. The senseless crime has no boundaries, and that was the case just months ago for a woman in Saginaw shot and killed by her significant other in a case of murder-suicide. In a special…

Grand Rapids Man Killed In Single-Vehicle Accident

May 2, 2021

Dan Hanger,

CASS COUNTY, Minn. – A 29-year-old Grand Rapids man is dead after a single-vehicle accident early Sunday morning. The Minnesota State Patrol said the accident happened around 1:30 a.m. on the 400 block of 44th Avenue SW in Cass County. The driver, Vincent David Kordiak, was not wearing a seatbelt when his vehicle left the roadway and into a ditch,…

90-Year-Old Man Dies In All-Terrain Vehicle Crash

May 2, 2021

Dan Hanger,

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Authorities say a 90-year-old man was killed and his 45-year-old passenger was injured in an all-terrain vehicle crash in Bangor Township. The La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office says Dennis Wood was trying to make a turn at an intersection Saturday morning when he lost control of the vehicle and was ejected. Deputies say he died at…

Police Fatally Shoot Gunman Who Killed 2 At Wisconsin Casino

May 2, 2021

Dan Hanger,

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – Authorities in Wisconsin say a gunman killed two people at a Green Bay casino restaurant and seriously wounded a third before he was shot and killed by police. Brown County Sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Pawlak says investigators believe the gunman was targeting a specific person in the attack Saturday, but that person wasn’t at the Oneida…

Prosecutors Seek Higher Sentence For Chauvin In Floyd Death

May 2, 2021

Dan Hanger,

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Prosecutors are asking a judge to give Derek Chauvin a penalty that’s more severe than state guidelines call for when he is sentenced in June for George Floyd’s death. In documents filed Friday, prosecutors said many factors warrant a tougher sentence, including that Floyd was particularly vulnerable and that Chauvin abused his authority as a police officer….

Boy Unhurt After Taking Ride On Airport Conveyor Belt System

May 2, 2021

Dan Hanger,

MINNEAPOLIS – Authorities say a 9-year-old boy who found his way onto the conveyor belt baggage handling system at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was not injured. Airport spokesperson Pat Hogan says the incident happened early Saturday afternoon as a group of about 20 people were checking bags for a trip they were taking together. Hogan says initially no one in…

Special Report Preview: When Love Turns Deadly

Story to air Sunday on FOX 21 Local News at 9

April 29, 2021

Dan Hanger, Marcus Asmus,

A special report – When Love Turns Deadly – Sunday night on FOX 21 News at 9: “This wasn’t an accident. This man knew who he was taking from us. He saw my mom and he decided that nobody else could have her,” said Kari Matthes, Loretta Billman’s daughter. The daughter of 62-year-old Loretta Billman speaks out to FOX 21’s…

Duluth’s 2nd Street Construction Starts Monday

April 25, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn – A busy section of 2nd Street in Duluth is about to get busier with new construction starting Monday. A roadway overhaul is happening between 4th and 9th avenues east to update utilities, storm sewer and heating system. “This work will connect the steam plant and St. Luke’s Building A, providing them with hot water,” said Duncan Schwensohn,…

Duluth International Airport To Announce ‘New Air Service’

April 25, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn — A big announcement is about to be made at the Duluth International Airport in just days involving a “new air service.” The announcement will be made this Tuesday during a press conference at 11 a.m. about a “new air service coming to the region,” according to Natalie Peterson, the Duluth Airport Authority’s director of communications and marketing. …

DNR: More Fishing Tournaments Using Immediate Release

April 25, 2021

Dan Hanger,

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin fishery officials say more tournaments are abandoning their traditional catch-hold-release formats. The Department of Natural Resources says the number of bass and walleye tournaments that have eschewed the traditional catch-hold-release format for catch-photo-release rules has increased from an average of six annually between 2010 and 2015 to more than 30 per year from 2015…

Minnesota Health Officials Report 1,805 New COVID Cases

April 25, 2021

Dan Hanger,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The number of COVID-19 infections in Minnesota continues to rise. State health officials reported 1,805 newly confirmed cases on Saturday. Eight more people died. The state has now seen 529,353 confirmed cases since the pandemic began in March. The state’s death toll stood at 6,685 as of Saturday. Nearly 30,000 people have been hospitalized. As…

Standoff In Duluth’s Piedmont Neighborhood Ends Safely With Arrest

April 22, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – A nearly eight-hour police standoff in Duluth’s Piedmont neighborhood Thursday ended peacefully with the suspect in custody. The standoff started around 1 p.m. in a home on the 2200 block of Nanticoke Street involving a 30-year-old man wanted on “significant charges,” according to a city spokesperson, Kate Van Daele. “Our officers exhausted every option to have this…

Duluth East Student Charged In Ammunition Scare

April 14, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – The student accused of bringing ammunition to Duluth East High School and forcing a lockdown there is now charged with a felony. The 16-year-old boy, who authorities previously said was 17 in error, was in the Arrowhead Juvenile Center Wednesday charged with “possession of ammunition by a minor,” according to St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin. Rubin…

Demolition Continues At Future Site Of ‘Lincoln Park Flats’

April 13, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – A block of West Superior Street is missing a longtime building in the Lincoln Park neighborhood as demolition continues for a new housing development there. Excavators continued to clear away what’s left of the former Robert’s Home Furnishings building Tuesday. The now wide open space will be replaced with a new four-story apartment building called the Lincoln…

Duluth’s Sustainability Officer Ready To Tackle City Council’s ‘Climate Emergency’ Declaration

April 13, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s sustainability officer, Mindy Granley, is applauding the city council’s declaration of a “climate emergency” and says she’s ready to take Duluth to the next level to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the city. Granley says the city will be creating an initial five-year “climate action plan,” which will be presented to the council by the…

Barnum Elementary School Celebrates National Unicorn Day :)

April 8, 2021

Dan Hanger,

BARNUM, Minn. – It was a magical day at Barnum Elementary School Thursday. Teacher Mindy MacDonald got dressed up in a big unicorn outfit to celebrate National Unicorn Day. The actual holiday is on Friday but the kids are out of school Friday, so the celebration happened Thursday instead. “Ms. Mindy MacDonald is our lovable resident unicorn :),” said Nikki…

Levi LaVallee Releases Duluth Snowmobile Stunt Video

April 7, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. — After months of preparation and a week of filming, pro snowmobiler Levi LaVallee released his Red Bull video of stunts in Duluth Wednesday. LaVallee performed all over Duluth — from jumps at Spirit Mountain to flips over North Shore Scenic Railroad cars before landing in the Fitger’s parking lot. LaVallee is a native of Longville, Minnesota. His professional…

Graskey Wins Superior City Council Dist. 10 Seat

April 6, 2021

Dan Hanger,

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Lindsey Graskey became the clear winner Tuesday night in the race for Superior City Council Dist. 10 – the North End of the city. Graskey won the election with 174 of the votes to Kevin Keener, Jr.’s 36 votes. Graskey will take over longtime Councilor Esther Dalbec’s seat after she announced she would not run for another…

Democratic-Backed Underly Elected Wisconsin Schools Chief

April 6, 2021

Dan Hanger,

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Jill Underly rode support from the state teachers’ union and an overwhelming financial advantage to win election as Wisconsin superintendent of schools. Underly defeated Republican-backed Deb Kerr in Tuesday’s election. Underly is superintendent of the rural Pecatonica school district and formerly worked for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, which she will now lead. Kerr is…

Mayor Larson’s ‘State Of The City’ Core Principles: Equity, Sustainability, Community

April 5, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Mayor Emily Larson held a virtual State of the City address Monday night acknowledging last year’s painful struggles through the pandemic and social justice issues surrounding George Floyd’s death — while praising the city’s determination to come together peacefully with a focus on being a stronger, more equitable community. “None of this will be easy. Last…

Easter Sunday Fatal Duluth Apartment Fire Believed To Be Accidental

An accidental fatal fire in the same building less than a year ago is not related, according to officials.

April 5, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Fire Marshal’s Office is calling its investigation into a fatal apartment fire on Easter Sunday as accidental. The call for help came in around 1 p.m. Sunday on the 600 block of East 3rd Street in the city’s East Hillside neighborhood. Upon arrival, crews found fire in a bedroom of a first-floor apartment, which is…

One Person Found Dead After Apartment Fire In Duluth

April 4, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating its first fatal fire of the year. The call for help came in around 1 p.m. Sunday at an apartment building on the 600 block of East 3rd Street. “Upon arrival at the two-story eight-plex, crews found a fire in the bedroom of a first-floor apartment,” according to Duluth…

Mayor Larson Presses Army Corps On Beach Erosion

April 4, 2021

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – Duluth Mayor Emily Larson is pressing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to investigate whether the agency is responsible for erosion along a six-mile stretch of Lake Superior beach. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Larson sent a letter March 12 to the corps to investigate whether its maintenance work on shipping channels has caused erosion…

Minnesota Reports Record Daily Vaccines, Over 2,000 Cases

April 4, 2021

Dan Hanger,

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota reported over 2,000 virus cases in a single day on Saturday for the first time since January, but also reported a daily record number of vaccinations administered. Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases has increased nearly 58%, a worrying trend as Gov. Tim Walz pushes for widespread vaccinations. Health…

Author: Dan Hanger

The suspected shooter is a 17-year-old male from Duluth.

While Superior police officers will wear masks when wanted by the public, masks may be the future for Superior firefighters under certain circumstances.

The college will also have a mascot named Blaze the Bear.

Master Sgt. David Greiner was on his way to the Duluth base when the accident happened -- just months away from retirement after 20 years of service.

Larson touts new jobs, more visitors and a larger economic impact from the investment.

The daughter of murder victim Loretta Billman speaks out to raise awareness about domestic violence.

Story to air Sunday on FOX 21 Local News at 9

An accidental fatal fire in the same building less than a year ago is not related, according to officials.

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