Author: Dan Hanger

Prosecutors Seek Higher Sentence For Chauvin In Floyd Death

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

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

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 International Airport To Announce ‘New Air Service’

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

  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

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

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

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’

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

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 :)

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

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…

Democratic-Backed Underly Elected Wisconsin Schools Chief

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

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.

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…

Mayor Larson Presses Army Corps On Beach Erosion

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

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…

‘Unattended Candle’ To Blame For Duluth House Fire

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Fire Department responded to a fire at a single-family home around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday on the 2600 block of East 5th Street. Officials say the fire started in an upstairs office. “The homeowner had attempted to extinguish the fire, but the large amount of smoke made the attempt unsuccessful,” said Assistant Chief Brent Consie. Damage…

Superior Firefighters Train For High-Risk Rescues Involving Their Own

The department's new storage facility was filled with fake smoke as part of the drill.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior firefighters got some real-world, high-risk training Monday to help rescue one of their own if they were to ever go down during a fire. Fake smoke was pumped into a 5,000-square-foot storage facility behind the new fire station on Tower Avenue. The drill included a two-person team searching through zero visibility for a fellow firefighter in…

6 Arrested After Locking Themselves To Line 3 Construction Site

FLOODWOOD TOWNSHIP, Minn. – Six people are under arrest in St. Louis County after locking themselves to the Enbridge Line 3 oil pipeline construction site. The arrests happened Thursday in Floodwood Township, just east of the city of Floodwood. When deputies arrived, as many as 30 anti-pipeline demonstrators were there. Four of them were locked to heavy machinery and two…

4th Of July Fireworks To Return To Duluth’s Bayfront Park

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth City Council has approved up to $50,000 to bring back the annual 4th of July fireworks display down at Bayfront Park. The city and DECC will work together to adapt the event within Bayfront Park as new state and federal guidelines are released involving COVID. “We would encourage people to come up, we would encourage…

2 Boys Injured In UTV Accident

GNESEN TOWNSHIP, Minn. – Two boys were injured Sunday when their side-by-side utility terrain vehicle flipped on the frozen Boulder Lake in Gnesen Township. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says a 12-year-old boy was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital by LifeLink III with a broken femur.  A 6-year-old boy suffered a head laceration and was taken by Mayor Ambulance…

‘Change Is Coming’ To Grandma’s Sports Garden

DULUTH, Minn. — Grandma’s Sports Garden in Canal Park is officially changing its business model — saying goodbye to the college nightclub weekend vibe that the pandemic sidelined and saying hello to a unique, rentable space for all types of special events. Brian Daugherty, president of Grandma’s Restaurant Company Pictures were posted on The Sports Garden’s social media Wednesday with…

BCA: Duluth Standoff Suspect Who Killed K9 Luna Incited 2 Shootouts With Police

David Conwell, 37, was shot and killed by St. Louis County deputies when he pointed his gun at them from the house's porch after prior gunfire, according to the BCA.

DULUTH, Minn. – New details were released Tuesday involving what went down during last week’s fatal 20-hour standoff in Duluth that ended with the shooting deaths of police K9 Luna and the suspect. David Conwell | K9 Luna The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says David Conwell, 37, of Duluth shot at Duluth police two separate times before his third attempt…

Levi LaVallee’s Snowmobile Recovered From Duluth Harbor After Stunt Mishap

City spokesperson could not confirm Tuesday if scheduled stunts for the week are still happening for LaVallee's next video release.

DULUTH, Minn. – It was unclear Tuesday if professional snowmobile stuntman Levi LaVallee is continuing production in Duluth this week after a stunt went bad in the Duluth Harbor Monday. www.facebook.com/LeviLaValleeFanPage/ LaVallee was jumping off the old Railroad Interstate Bridge and onto a barge on Rice’s Point when he somehow landed in the water. Firefighters on standby for the stunt…

Snowmobile Stunt Rider Levi LaVallee Rescued in Duluth Harbor During Filming

Facebook: @LeviLaValleeFanPage DULUTH, Minn. — Professional snowmobile stunt rider Levi LaVallee had to be rescued from the waters of the Duluth Harbor Monday during a filming shoot for an upcoming video. The water emergency happened at 4:35 p.m. off Rice’s Point. “The Duluth Fire Department was on scene as a precautionary measure and was able to retrieve Levi in under…

9 Residents Displaced in Downtown Virginia Apartment Fire

Courtesy: Northland FireWire VIRGINIA, Minn. – An apartment went up in flames in downtown Virginia Sunday morning. Fire officials tell FOX 21 nine residents were inside at the time of the fire.  All got out uninjured, including one of the tenants who needed to be rescued by firefighters.  Two cats were also safely rescued. The fire was reported around 10…

Over Half Of Wisconsinites Age 65 And Up Have Begun Vaccines

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – State data shows over half of Wisconsin residents age 65 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and the state is on track to begin vaccinating teachers, child care workers and other eligible groups Monday. Some of the newly eligible groups include public transit workers, utility workers and food supply chain…

US Bombs Facilities In Syria Used By Iran-Backed Militia

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. military conducted airstrikes against facilities in eastern Syria that the Pentagon said were used by Iran-backed militia groups, in response to recent attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq. The airstrikes were announced by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, who said the action was authorized by President Joe Biden. Kirby said the U.S. attacks destroyed multiple facilities…

70-Year-Old Pedestrian Struck By Hit-And-Run Driver

Victim was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

RICE LAKE, Minn. – A pedestrian was fighting for her life Tuesday night after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in Rice Lake. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says the 70-year-old woman was struck by an SUV around 4:30 p.m. on the 5000 block of Arnold Road. She was hospitalized with a life-threatening head injury. The 33-year-old male driver…

Snowmobile Accident Kills Man In Iron County

TOWN OF KNIGHT, Wis. –  A 51-year-old man is dead after a snowmobile accident in the Town of Knight, which is in Iron County, Wisconsin. The Sheriff’s Office said the snowmobile left Duck Lake Road and struck a tree. The accident was reported around 11:15 p.m. Saturday. The name of the victim was not immediately released. Categories: News, News –…

Wisconsin Lists No Virus Deaths For 1st Time Since September

MILWAUKEE (AP) – The daily update on COVID-19 numbers posted by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services listed no deaths for the first time since late September. Health officials on Sunday confirmed 403 new cases, the lowest count since 324 positive tests were registered in late June. The new case average continued its decline with a  mark of 610, the…

Minnesota Public School Enrollment Drops 2% Amid Pandemic

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Public school enrollment in Minnesota has dropped by about 17,000 students as families turned to home schooling, private schools and delaying entry into kindergarten amid the pandemic. The figures from the Minnesota Department of Education represented a 2% drop. Because of the per-pupil formula the state uses to allocate school funding, that aid will drop by about…

Wisconsin DNR To Recommend Harvest Quota Of 200 Wolves

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The state Department of Natural Resources says it will propose a harvest quota of 200 wolves when the the group’s policy board meets Monday to discuss launching a wolf hunt immediately. The Journal Sentinel reports the agency considered several factors in coming up with the number. Those include the most recent population estimate, the public response…

Minneapolis To Spend $6.4M To Recruit More Police Officers

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minneapolis will spend $6.4 million to hire dozens of police officers, even as some City Council members and activist groups are advocating to replace the police department following George Floyd’s death. The council voted unanimously on Friday to approve the additional funding, which was requested by police. The department says it only has 638 officers available to…

Duluth City Crews Tackle 5 Water Main Breaks In Less Than 72 Hours

DULUTH, Minn. – Officials with the city of Duluth said crews have dealt with five water main breaks in less than 72 hours. The most recent break happened Sunday evening on the 2800-block of Hagberg Street in the Piedmont neighborhood. As of around 9:30 p.m., a city spokesperson said “crews have shut off the water and are in the process…

Duluth Firefighters Battle 2 Fires During Deep Freeze

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth firefighters battled two fires within 24 hours – and during the city’s coldest air of the year. The first fire happened around 12:15 a.m. Sunday on the 2200-block of West 2nd Street. A garage caught on fire. Officials believe the fire was caused by leaking propane near a heat source. Nobody was injured. Lakeside fire. The…

Evers’ Budget Proposal Would Legalize Recreational Marijuana

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers says his budget plan will include a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana. The Journal Sentinel reports that the idea will likely be blocked by the Republican-controlled Legislature but could be a catalyst to allow the use of medical marijuana. Evers says the recreational marijuana measure could generate $166 million in revenue that…

Gov. Walz Deploys Guard For Chauvin Trial Security

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Gov. Tim Walz has authorized the Minnesota National Guard to deploy in preparation for potential civil unrest during the upcoming trials of four ex-Minneapolis police officers charged in the killing of George Floyd last summer. The Democratic governor’s executive order authorizes the deployment of an unspecified number of troops in Minneapolis and St. Paul. They would serve…

Hospitals Criticize Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota hospitals are criticizing the state’s coronavirus vaccine distribution system as inequitable, leaving some clinics and hospitals without doses for older, vulnerable patients. The Minnesota Hospital Association, in a letter to state health officials, says some clinics haven’t received vaccine doses in days. In January, the state opened up vaccinations to people 65 and older…