Author: KQDS Staff

Police release name of victim in fatal Piedmont Avenue shooting

  DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Police Department has released the name of the victim in Tuesday’s fatal shooting. According to officials, the victim was 33-year-old Darius Handy of Duluth. The fatal shooting occurred in the 400 block of Piedmont Avenue, where officers found one man dead from apparent gunshot wounds, according to a news release. It is believed by…

Fatal officer-involved shooting temporarily closes portion of Grand Avenue

80th Ave. West and Grand Avenue late Tuesday night. Courtesy: Kyle Langlee UPDATE: A portion of Grand Avenue is closed on Wednesday morning following an officer-involved shooting that left one dead. According to officials, the closure is from 78th Avenue West to 83rd Avenue West as they continue to investigate. The closure is expected to last for a few hours.  DULUTH,…

Senator Amy Klobuchar and local educators speak on school ICE impacts

DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and local educators, held a press conference on Friday, addressing ICE’s impact on school districts. Klobuchar’s visit comes days after the Duluth Public School District, joined the Fridley Public School District, and Education Minnesota in a lawsuit, to keep ICE agents off school grounds. The Duluth School District has reported decreased attendance, due…

Woman sentenced to 3 years for holding ex-boyfriend captive for days

HIBBING, Minn. — An Iron Range woman has been sentenced for kidnapping and assaulting her ex-boyfriend. Shelly Jean Goerdt Shelly Jean Goerdt, 41, has been sentenced to 36 months or 3 years in prison for her role in the kidnapping. Officials say that on February 16, 2024,  Goerdt lured her ex-boyfriend into a home in Hibbing. Goerdt and her sister,…

Suspect in December officer-involved shooting found competent to stand trial

Dylan Wallace (Credit: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office) SUPERIOR, Wis. —  The suspect in a Dec. 7 officer-involved shooting has been found fit to stand trial. In a competency hearing on Thursday, court documents say that the judge declared Dylan Charles Edward Wallace to be presently competent. This means his trial will move forward. Wallace is being accused of shooting a…

One dead in fatal snowmobile crash north of Orr

ORR, Minn. — One person is dead after a fatal snowmobile crash just north of Orr. On tuesday february 3rd, at around 12:26 p.m. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a snowmobile crash on the Arrowhead snowmobile trail. Officials say the 911 caller reported two snowmobiles had collided on the trail and the driver, and the lone…

Superior woman celebrates 100th birthday

SUPERIOR, Wis. — A Superior woman celebrated an impressive milestone. Doris Mace celebrated her 100th birthday with cake and cocktails at the Keyport lounge. Friends and family came to share the special day with her, including her five children. Her son is traveling from Florida for the event. Doris shared an important piece of advice “Just live every day the…

Driver extricated from fiery propane truck crash in Burnett County

Propane truck crash(Burnett County Sheriff’s Office) BURNETT COUNTY, Wis. —  A propane truck crash in Burnett County briefly left the driver trapped inside. Officials say on Wednesday at around 12:53 p.m., they received a report of a crash at the intersection of County Road H and State Road 70 in Dewey Township. That is about 28-miles Southeast of Hayward. A…

Duluth Human Rights Commission holds ‘ICE OUT’ press conference

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Human Rights Commission held a press conference at the city hall during an ‘ICE OUT’ sit-in that took place Friday. Members of the commission spoke before people gathered for the sit-in, calling attention towards the ongoing presence of ICE agents in Minnesota. The press conference focused on letting protesters know they are supported in their…

Wisconsin man sentenced to 15 years for 12th DUI

  James Knuuttila Sr.(Bayfield County Sheriffs Office) BAYFIELD, Wis. — An Iron River man has been convicted to the maximum penalty for receiving his 12th DUI. 77-year-old  James Knuuttila Sr. was sentenced Wednesday to a 15-year prison sentence with 10 years initial confinement, and 5 years extended supervision. This sentencing comes after a 2024 rollover that Knuuttilas was involved in….

Victim identified in fatal Gnesen Township fire

GNESEN TOWNSHIP, Minn. — The victim has been identified in a fatal fire in Gnesen Township. The victim was identified as 76-year-old Neil Gordon Hendrickson of Duluth. Crews arrived on the scene of a pole barn on the 6700 block of Rice Lake Road early Monday. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said when emergency personnel arrived on scene, the…

Update: Man found dead after fire in Gnesen Township

9:20 P.M. UPDATE: Investigators located the body of a 76-year-old Duluth man around 8 p.m. Monday after a pole building started on fire in Gnesen Township earlier in the day. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately release the identity of the man. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Minnesota State Fire Marshals Office, the…

Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation awards $850,000 in Culture & Tourism grants

Minn.– Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation has awarded $850,000 in grants to 34 community projects. The Culture & Tourism grants will support community projects across the Iron Range. Many of the grants will be going towards trail maintenance, upgrading community parks or remodels to historic buildings. Some of the grant receivers include the International Wolf Center, snowmobile clubs and various…

House fire in Gogebic County leaves 1 dead

WAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A house fire in Gogebic County left one person dead. According to officials at 5:26 a.m. Tuesday, the crew responded to reports of a house fire in Wakefield Township. Upon arrival, they found one person outside who said someone else was still in the home. Officials say attempts were then made to rescue the other person,…

Bomb threat closes Bessemer School District Monday

Bessemer Schools Logo BESSEMER, Mich. — A bomb threat closed schools in Bessemer on Monday. According to School officials, on Sunday at around 7:05 p.m., the high school principal received a voicemail about bombs being placed at the school. SEE PREVIOUS:Bessemer Schools closed Monday due to threat Law enforcement was notified and responded to the school grounds. No other specifics…

Great Lakes iron ore trade ends year down 12.8%

CLEVELAND, Ohio. — Iron ore trade in the Great Lakes has fallen 12.8% in 2025. According to officials with the Lake Carriers Association, the year-end total for the iron ore trade decreased by 12.8 percent to 43.4 million tons. Shipments of iron ore totalled 4.2 million tons in December,  an 8.8% drop compared to 2024. Officials say shipments were also…

Allegiant and Sun Country combine to form ‘leisure-focused airline’

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Airlines Allegiant and Sun Country have combined to form what officials say is a “leisure-focused airline.” Allegiant will acquire Sun Country in a cash and stock transaction valued around $1.5 billion. With access to Sun Country’s international network, the combined airline will offer current Allegiant customers access to expanded service from its small and mid-sized cities to…

Twin Cities homicide suspect arrested in Duluth following car chase

DULUTH, Minn. — A homicide suspect from the Twin Cities is in custody after being spotted along the North Shore. Around 9 a.m. Saturday, a St. Louis County sheriff’s deputy spotted the fatal stabbing suspect in Duluth’s lakeside neighborhood. According to officials, the deputy initiated a traffic stop, which turned into a pursuit on North Shore Drive. The suspect eventually…

Piedmont Youth Hockey Association wraps up annual jamboree

DULUTH, Minn. — The Piedmont Youth Hockey Association wrapped up its annual outdoor hockey jamboree fundraiser today. The event brought players and families together for a weekend of outdoor hockey, food, and family-friendly fun, while raising money to support local youth hockey players. This year, the Jamboree also celebrated those who stepped up to support the hockey association after it…

Mandela Barnes visits Superior during ‘Wisconsin Way’ Tour

  SUPERIOR, Wis. — Former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes visited Superior over the weekend to host a roundtable discussion with local leaders and health care providers about rising health care costs. This discussion is part of Barnes’ Wisconsin Way’ tour, which he began after launching his 2026 campaign for Governor. Barnes says he is looking to expand BadgerCare to…

Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force executes anti-drug trafficking operation in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. —  The Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force is executing a series of narcotics-related warrants and arrests in the Twin Ports, officials say. According to a DPD spokesperson, the task force, along with assisting law enforcement agencies, is executing the warrants in connection with the trafficking of controlled substances in the Twin Ports. This operation is active and…

Former teacher and church leader sentenced to 18 years for Criminal Sexual Conduct involving minor

VIRGINA, Minn. — Embarrass man, Ryan Ross Denzer-Johnson, 44, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for two counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the First Degree involving a minor child under the age of 14, according to the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office. Denzer-Johnson was a former teacher, foster parent and participated in youth ministry. During a court…

Investigators say Minnesota childcare centers featured in viral video are operating normally

ST. PAUL, Minn. — An investigation by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families(DCYF) has found that nine childcare centers featured in a viral video claiming fraud are operating normally. Investigators said they conducted on-site compliance checks at nine child care centers referenced in a recently circulated video by YouTuber Nick Shirley. The video accuses several Somali-run centers of…

New year, new weddings with the help of the Duluth Wedding Show Jan. 10

DULUTH, Minn. — A new year means a new year for weddings, and that means the Duluth Wedding Show is back at the DECC. The one-stop-shop event is happening Saturday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. It’s all about the brides, grooms and even the dreamers getting consumed with more than 130 vendors to help make your wedding…

Bad River band sues U.S Army Corps over Line 5 reroute

WISCONSIN. — Another legal battle has begun involving the re-route of Enbridge’s Line 5 Pipeline in Northwest Wisconsin. The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is suing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The band says the agency violated federal law by issuing the permit to re-route Line 5 around the Bad River Reservation, after the band sued to…

Duluth Parks and Recreation to receive $1.3 million grant to enhance Duluth Traverse

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Traverse will be seeing enhancements after receiving a $1.3 million grant. Duluth Parks and Recreation has been approved for the funds through the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission. The traverse has over 90 total miles of multi-use trail spanning across Duluth. It’s one of the 11 trails across the state to receive funds….

Lutsen Lodge owner out on bail

Bryce James Campbell GRAND MARAIS, Minn. — Bryce Campbell, the owner of the Lutsen Lodge, is out on bail after making his first court appearance. According to court documents, Campbell posted a conditional release of $100,000. SEE PREVIOUS: Owner of Lutsen Lodge makes first court appearance, bail set at $500,000 SEE PREVIOUS: UPDATE: Lutsen Lodge owner charged with arson As…

Suspect in Superior shooting charged with multiple felonies, bail set at $2 million

Dylan Wallace (Credit: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office) SUPERIOR, Wis. — The man accused of shooting a police officer before ramming his vehicle into Superior Middle School is being charged with multiple felonies. 28-year-old Dylan Wallace, of Solon Springs, made his first appearance in court Monday. Wallace is being charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, domestic abuse involving strangulation and suffocation,…

Superior Middle School to remain online until Thursday

Courtesy: Carlton County Fire News on Facebook SUPERIOR, Wis. — Superior Middle School will continue at-home learning until Thursday, following Sunday’s officer-involved shooting. A Superior Police Officer was shot multiple times Sunday during an early morning traffic stop, which ended with the suspect crashing their car into the school. SEE PREVIOUS: Chief: Superior police officer shot, suspect shot before slamming…

Santa eats breakfast with local families

DULUTH, Minn. — Families gathered at the Miller Hill Mall Applebee’s this Saturday to have breakfast with Santa. Seating was first-come, first-served, with each plate of food costing $10. Alongside breakfast, Santa spoke with the children about Christmas lists and checked who had been naughty or nice. “I really had a lot of nice kids all the time, and I asked…

Rules: FOX 21 Days of Holiday Treasures

Fox 21 Days of Holiday Treasure Sponsors Fox 21 Days of Holiday Treasure Rules Promotion Period: November 28th to December 20th How to Participate: Tune In: Watch the 9pm News on Fox 21 during the promotion period. Code Word: Each night, a special code word will be announced. Email Entry: Once you see the code word, email it to happyholidays@kqdsfox21.tv. Submission Deadline: You have until 6am the…

Man Rescued After Snowmobile Got Stuck Near Meadowlands

St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office Logo (Gordon Ramsay)ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. – St. Louis County authorities are reminding riders to use caution, after a snowmobiler ended up stranded near Meadowlands. On Thursday, November 27, deputies and rescue squad members responded to the report of a 55-year-old male who got stuck the day before when his snowmobile started to sink into…

Minnesota Power outages affect thousands of customers across Northern Minnesota

  Tree Down In Lakeside (credit: Minnesota Power) DULUTH, Minn. — Thousands of Minnesota Power customers are without power on Wednesday morning. Officials say the storm downed trees and power lines, and poles, causing scattered outages in Little Falls, Cloquet, and the Long Prairie areas. Duluth is also experiencing an outage, including about 1,000 customers in Lakeside/Lester Park, and about…

Thousands experiencing power outages across Northwestern Wisconsin

WISCONSIN. — Thousands of Xcel Energy customers are without power across Northwestern Wisconsin this morning following the snowstorm. According to officials, around 12,000 customers have been impacted, primarily in the Manitowish Waters and Hayward, Wisconsin areas, and the Ironwood, Michigan area. Crews are in the field working to restore power. With the ongoing snow and high winds, Xcel says they…

Adult foster care employee, 19, charged in drunken high-speed crash

DULUTH, Minn. — A 19-year-old adult foster care employee was driving drunk on a revoked license and reaching speeds of 100 mph with passengers on board when he caused a multi-vehicle crash in Duluth on Nov. 6, according to the criminal complaint. Michael Edward Rahja, 19, of Duluth, is charged with one count of Criminal Vehicular Operation and one count…

Two Harbors man charged with possession of child porn

TWO HARBORS, Minn — A man in Two Harbors has been charged with possession of child porn. According to court documents, 36-year-old Keith Richard Udenberg is being charged with 7 felony counts of possession of child pornography. Undercover law enforcement with the Department of Homeland Security was in contact with an online user who was later found to be Udenberg…

Unsafe Lead Levels Detected In Drinking Water At Northwood School Dist.; Parent Shares Videos of Cloudy Water

 MINONG, Wis. — Unsafe levels of lead have been discovered in the Northwood School District’s drinking water distribution system. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conducted water testing of the district, which revealed samples that exceeded the safe limit. Of the five tap locations that were tested, two showed elevated lead levels (15.2 ppb and 31.5 ppb), which exceeded…