Author: Dan Hanger

Missing Indiana Man’s Pickup Truck Found Near Two Harbors

Public Asked To Keep An Eye Out For James Runkle And His Missing Kayak

LAKE COUNTY, Minn. – Authorities are asking for the public’s help after a missing Indiana man’s truck was found just north of Two Harbors. James Runkle, 56, went missing from North Judson, Indiana, Sept. 20. He told his wife he planned to go fishing locally before going to a doctor’s appointment and then coming home. Lake County Sheriff Carey Johnson…

United Healthcare Confirms Layoffs In Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. – United Healthcare in Duluth has laid off some of its workers, but the company would not confirm how many employees are affected. United Healthcare released the following statement Thursday: “UnitedHealthcare works every day to help make health care more affordable, while ensuring the business remains well-positioned for continued growth. As part of that commitment, we regularly review…

Duluth Man Facing 4 Burglary Charges Arrested On Suspicion of 5th

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth police have made what they are calling a “significant” burglary arrest of a Duluth man already charged with four other burglaries from earlier this year. Kyle Carl, 25, was arrested Wednesday for one of three September burglaries at Duluth Cider brewery on West Superior Street in Lincoln Park. This comes as Duluth police continue investigating burglaries…

Police Investigate Fatal Shooting In West Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth police are investigating the shooting death of a man in West Duluth. The call for help came in around 1:47 a.m. Sunday to the 300 block of North 62nd Avenue West on a report of shots fired. When police arrived, they located a 33-year-old male inside a vehicle with a gunshot would to “his midsection,” according…

Court Suspends Two Polymet Permits

On Wednesday afternoon, the Minnesota Court of Appeals suspended Polymet’s permit to mine and dam safety permits for its proposed $1 billion copper-nickel mine near Babbitt. The permits will be discussed at an Oct. 23 hearing.  That’s when the “DNR shall be prepared to advise the court on the status of post-permit developments, including its evaluation of the Brumadinho dam…

Letter Details District’s Reasons For Firing Former Duluth Denfeld Principal

DULUTH, Minn. – Through a data request with the Duluth School District at a cost of 75 cents to obtain, FOX 21 was given the termination letter Wednesday of now-former Denfeld High School Principal Tonya Sconiers. It’s the first time we’re getting a sense of the reasons the school board fired Sconiers after 19 years with the district. A summary…

Man Accidentally Shot While Bird Hunting in Wisconsin

TOWN OF RED CEDAR, Wis. (AP) – Authorities in western Wisconsin say a 60-year-old man was accidentally shot while bird hunting with family members at a game farm. Dunn County sheriff’s authorities say the four family members were hunting together in the Town of Red Cedar on Sunday morning when one member set a shotgun down against some brush to…

Police: Man Falls Into Creek Running From Attempted Robbery

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth police are investigating an attempted robbery that left a man seriously injured. Police say the 26-year-old victim fell into the creek near the 500 block of Lincoln Park Drive while running away from the suspects. Investigators believe the suspects are known to the victim. No arrests had been made Sunday. The victim’s injuries are not life…

Train Collides With Car; Authorities Blame Driver, Believe Alcohol A Factor

Driver Sustained 'Substantial' Injuries. Passengers, Crew Not Injured.

DULUTH, Minn. – Alcohol is believed to be a factor in a crash involving a vehicle and a train with the North Shore Scenic Railroad. It happened around 7 p.m. on McQuade Road just outside of Duluth in Lakewood Township. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says the driver, Kurt Vanhala, 67, of Duluth failed to yield to all warning…

Essentia Health, Minn. Nurses Assoc. Reach Tentative Agreement

St. Luke's Nurses Remain Without An Agreement

DULUTH, Minn. — One day after Essentia Health and St. Luke’s nurses hit the streets of Duluth for an informational picket over failed contract negotiations that call for “safe” staffing levels, Essentia announced a tentative agreement late Wednesday with the Minnesota Nurses Association. Below is the statement from Essentia: Essentia Health and the Minnesota Nurses Association have reached a tentative…

Cloquet Police Chief Resigns After 4-Month Voluntary Leave; City Admin. To Exit In Sept.

CLOQUET, Minn. – It’s over and out for Cloquet Police Chief Jeff Palmer who has chosen to leave the department – making him the third chief to do just that since Wade Lamirande in 2014. Cloquet City Administrator Aaron Reeves said Palmer was not being investigated for any complaints while he was on leave for the past four months leading…

Douglas Co. Dist. Atty. Reviewing Auto Theft Case Against Ashland Police Officer

ASHLAND, Wis. – The case against a longtime Ashland police officer accused of auto theft is now in the hands of Douglas County District Attorney Mark Fruehauf for possible charges. The 18-year veteran of the Ashland Police Department retired in May – the same month Ashland Police Chief Jim Gregoire sent out a press release about the allegations against the…

Father Accidentally Runs Over, Kills Son On Wisconsin Farm

TOWN OF DANE, Wis. (AP) – Authorities say a man accidentally ran over and killed his 8-year-old son on a farm in south-central Wisconsin. Dane County sheriff’s authorities say the accident happened late Friday in the Town of Dane. The initial report was that the boy apparently had been trampled to death by a cow, but authorities determined the boy’s…

Police: 50-Plus Complaints Against Hermantown Lumber Co. Totaling $290K In Unfulfilled Work

HERMANTOWN, Minn. (Press Release) – The Hermantown Police Department has received numerous calls from victims who have ordered products such as windows or lumber packages from the Hermantown Lumber Company, which was located at 3707 Lavaque Road, Hermantown, Minn. The Hermantown Lumber Company ceased operations on June 28, 2019, and many orders that were fully or partially paid have gone…

Mayor Larson Talks .5% Sales Tax For Streets, Mandate For Medical Dist.

$500K From Sales Tax, $500K From Utilities Fund Mandated By State For Medical Dist. Streets For 10 Years; City Receives $100M From State In Return

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth City Councilor Joel Sipress sounded off at Monday’s city council meeting by saying Mayor Emily Larson and her administration could have been more transparent involving the new half-percent sales tax and a portion of that funding now being required by the state to go to the Medical District over a 10-year period. “I have to say…

Superior Council Overturns Mayor Paine’s Censure Veto Of Councilor Van Sickle

SUPERIOR, Wis. –  It was another vocal and passionate council meeting in Superior Tuesday night. Councilors voted 8-2 to overturn Mayor Jim Paine’s veto involving the censure of Councilor Jenny Van Sickle and her negative social media comments about City Attorney Frog Prell. Those comments called Prell incompetent, lazy and a manipulator in response to Prell’s legal opinion that concluded…

Longtime City of Superior Fire Chief, Finance Director Retiring

Mayor Paine Congratulates Retirees, Says Change Can Bring Fresh Perspective

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Longtime Superior Fire Chief Steve Panger and Finance Director Jean Vito are retiring after more than two decades each with the city. Panger, a 26-year veteran of the fire department, made the announcement official to councilors and Mayor Jim Paine Tuesday. Panger told FOX 21 he has reached the age of retirement at 53 years old and…

Van Sickle Pulls Back Social Media Posts Mentioned in City Attorney’s Legal Notice

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior City Councilor Jenny Van Sickle of Dist. 2 has pulled back social media posts that City Attorney Frog Prell claims are libelous against him and could result in a civil suit. Sometime late Monday night after FOX 21 aired a story about Prell’s legal notice to Van Sickle with claims of defamation, her Twitter page was…

Superior City Atty. Prell Puts Councilor Van Sickle On Legal Notice For Claims Of Defamation

Late Monday, Van Sickle changed her Twitter account from public to "protected."

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior City Attorney Frog Prell has put Councilor Jenny Van Sickle on legal notice for allegations of defamation and libel. (Click here for Prell’s defamation notice) This comes after Van Sickle called Prell lazy, incompetent and a manipulator on social media in response to Prell’s research report that concluded the council could pick a council president with…

Deck Of Cards Picks Council Pres.; Mayor Paine Vetoes Censure Against Councilor Van Sickle

SUPERIOR, Wis. – It was a heated Superior City Council meeting Tuesday night that included a censure vote and a cutting of the cards to finally pick a council president after three failed votes at past council meetings. In a 6-4 vote, the council sided with City Attorney Frog Prell’s Report — against Mayor Paine’s Conclusion — that a deck…

Superior Councilors Sutherland, Van Sickle Call To Censure Each Other

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Heads are butting at Superior City Hall as two councilors have introduced resolutions to formally censure each other at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. Acting Council President Craig Sutherland is calling to censure Councilor Jenny Van Sickle over her recent social media blast against longtime City Attorney Frog Prell after Prell concluded it is legal to select…

Superior Councilor Van Sickle Blasts City Attorney Prell As Incompetent, Lazy

Issue stems from City Attorney Frog Prell's conclusion that the council can vote in a president with a deck of cards.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior City Councilor Jenny Van Sickle is blasting longtime City Attorney Frog Prell for his conclusion that it is legal to select a council president by drawing from a deck of cards — something Mayor Jim Paine has said is illegal. In a post on Twitter, Van Sickle calls Prell lazy and incompetent. “Prell has a long…

Cloquet Area Firefighter Resigns After FOX 21’s Report on Sexual Assault Allegations

CLOQUET, Minn. – We have a follow-up to a story FOX 21’s Nikki Davidson brought you Wednesday night involving a Northland first responder who was accused but never charged in St. Louis County and Carlton County of two separate cases of sexual assault, which in one case involved a 16-year-old girl. Thursday at 6 a.m., that 29-year-old first responder with…

Cloquet Police Detective Fired; Officer’s Attorney Calls Out Council, County Attorney

CLOQUET, Minn. – A longtime Cloquet police officer of 22 years has been fired from the job for what the city calls allegations of misconduct. K9 detective Scott Holman was terminated by the city council Tuesday in a 4-2 vote. Allegations against Holman were not made available by City Administrator Aaron Reeves because he said it was a personnel matter….

Strength In The Community $10K Scholarship Winner: Avantika D’Cruz-Wigren

DULUTH, Minn. – FOX 21 and National Bank of Commerce announced the $10,000 Strength in the Community $10,000 scholarship winner Monday night as Ashland High School student Avantika D’Cruz-Wigren. This comes after 12 finalists were chosen from area high schools – all of whom will get $1,000 scholarships. Click the video to hear from the winner! Categories: News, News – Latest…

Updated: Missing Woman’s Body Discovered On Fond Du Lac Reservation

The body of a missing woman, Wahbinmigisi “Pennie” Robertson, 31, of the Fond du Lac Reservation, has been found, according to tribal spokeswoman Makayla Telfer. The body was discovered by a search party around 6 p.m. Saturday near a rural community within the Brookston District of the Fond du Lac Reservation. The Fond du Lac Police Department and the St. Louis County…

Duluth Police Investigate Shooting in East Hillside

Victim Suffered Non-Life Threatening Injuries

DULUTH, Minn. –  Duluth police were investigating a shooting in the East Hillside neighborhood that injured a man. The shooting was reported around 12:30 p.m. Sunday at an apartment complex on the 600 block of East 4th Street. When police arrived, they located a 42-year-old man with non-life threatening injuries to the ear and surface of the head, according to…

Update: Pine County Shooting Suspect Found Dead

UPDATE: On May 30th Pine County deputies recovered a body in the Little Sand Creek west of the residence where the shooting took place.  The body was transported to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. The deceased has been identified as Allen W. Hasser, the suspect in the shooting incident.  A cause of death is pending and an updated…