Author: KQDS Staff

Duluth Police Ask For Help Finding Taco John’s Armed Robbery Suspect

Robbery happened last weekend at West Duluth location.

UPDATE (March 15, 10:05 a.m.) — Duluth Police are now asking for the public’s help in finding the suspect involved in Sunday’s robbery at a Taco John’s in West Duluth. A description says the individual was wearing dark clothing, a dark winter coat with black fur around the hood, a mask, and sunglasses. Police say they did stop someone who…

Victim Identified In Fatal Morse Township House Fire

77-year-old woman was the only person inside the building.

MORSE TOWNSHIP, Minn. –UPDATE March 14, 2024 Authorities have now identified the person who died in a fire near Ely in February. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says the victim was 77-year-old Carol Ann Lindbeck. A press release said Lindbeck was identified by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office. She was the owner of the home and the only person…

City Of Virginia, AFSCME Local 454 Reach Tentative Agreement

Courtesy: AFSCME Local 454 VIRGINIA, Minn. — The city of Virginia and its AFSCME Local 454 employees have reached a tentative contract agreement. See below for press releases from City Administrator Britt See-Benes and AFSCME Local 454: City of Virginia: On March 6, 2024, City of Virginia AFSCME Local 454 employees, representing Public Works, Park & Recreation, City Hall and…

Missing Bigfork Teen Found Safe

UPDATE (March 12, 1:15 p.m.) — A 16-year-old girl who went missing from her house in Bigfork has been found safe. The Itasca County Sheriff’s Office canceled the alert for Alissa Plieseis on Tuesday afternoon. They thank everyone who assisted in locating her. ORIGINAL POST: BIGFORK, Minn. — Authorities are asking for help in finding a teen who is missing from…

Missing Person Identified, Found Dead Near Pattison Park in Superior

UPDATE (March 11, 11:50 a.m.) — The person who went missing and found dead 3 days later at Pattison Park in the Town of Superior has been identified. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says the person is 65-year-old Kim Creager from Washington County, Minnesota. Authorities say no foul play is suspected. ORIGINAL POST: SUPERIOR, Wis.– On Wednesday night, March 6, the…

Soo Locks Announce Start of Shipping Season

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — The Soo Locks have announced when they will be opening up for traffic, marking the beginning of the 2024 Great Lakes Shipping Season. The Locks will open March 22 at 6pm which coincides with the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. During the 10-week closure which started on January 16, critical repairs and maintenance have…

Virginia City Employees on Picket Line

Workers went out Wednesday morning as no labor agreement has been reached.

Many city employees in Virginia went out on strike Wednesday morning. Members of AFSCME Local 454 began picketing after mediation did not bring about an agreement. The union represents about eighty employees, and says over sixty of them are fulltime. Tuesday the city withdrew what it had described as its best and final answer. In a statement, the union says…

League of Women Voters Oppose NTEC

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Wis. — In Douglas County, the League of Women Voters is opposing a proposed natural gas electric plant in Superior. The league says the project would have negative health effects on several groups including children, and the chronically ill. The county chapter of the league says NTEC would contribute to climate change and negatively affect the environment. The…

St. Luke’s-Aspirus Affiliation Approved

The Duluth hospital will now be part of a 19-hospital group based in Wausau.

Both had been waiting since a letter of intent signed last summer, but Friday Duluth’s St. Luke’s Hospital became part of Wisconsin-based Aspirus Health. Aspirus now has 19 hospitals. St. Luke’s will still have a corporate office in Duluth. The group also has 130 outpatient locations and a system that now includes northeastern Minnesota, northern and central Wisconsin, and the…

‘Singing With The Stars’ Dress Rehearsal Before Friday Debut At NorShor Theatre

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Playhouse is getting ready for its 2nd annual “Singing with the Stars” fundraiser. The contestants with familiar faces perform a piece of musical theatre using their own vocals.  Thursday night was the dress rehearsal before performing live Friday at the NorShor Theatre. FOX 21’s Dan Hanger will be one of three judges on stage giving…

Sen. Amy Klobuchar Receives Award From American Legion

Senator Amy Klobuchar has been chosen for the American Legion’s 2024 Distinguished Public Service Award. The award quotes Klobuchar as being, “a champion of important legislation that The American Legion has prioritized year after year, and she has tirelessly worked to improve our national security.” “She has not only represented the interests of Minnesotans, but she also has been a…

New Deputy Forest Supervisor Announced

Minnesota’s Superior National Forest has a new number two. Drew Stroberg has been named the permanent Deputy Forest Supervisor. He was most recently the district ranger at California’s Klamath National Forest. After graduating from Colorado State University, he has had several positions with the Forest Service. He said working as a line officer has allowed him to have the most…

Superior’s Boulder Tap House To Open Wednesday

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Goodbye, Grizzly’s. Hello, Boulder Tap House. The countdown is on for the newest member of the Twin Ports dining scene. Finishing touches and staff training continue as Wednesday’s opening gets closer. On Tower Avenue in Superior, Boulder will sit – literally — on the site of the old Grizzly’s. That long-time favorite had been remodeled five times,…

Video Shows Emergency Landing at Duluth Airport

Gear issue leads to landing, and front gear appears to have problems. No one hurt.

There were some anxious moments at the Duluth airport Thursday, but it ended well. A private aircraft had an issue with its landing gear. Video from a person at the airport shows the plane coming in for a landing. It was just before 3 p.m. The airport says the aircraft needed to make an emergency landing because of its gear…

Family: Pedestrian Killed On Skyline Parkway Walked Miles Daily

UPDATE (Feb. 21, 9 p.m.)  FOX 21 learned more Wednesday evening about the pedestrian who was hit and killed by a vehicle while walking on Skyline Parkway in Duluth earlier this week. A cousin of Kenneth Bickel, 70, of Duluth provided FOX 21 with pictures of Bickel.  He said Bickel was a genealogist, loved Lake Superior and Duluth and walked six…

Pistol, 2 KG Of Fentanyl, Cocaine Seized During Duluth Man’s Arrest

DULUTH, Minn. — A significant amount of cocaine, fentanyl and meth are off the streets of Duluth after investigators executed a search warrant on Monday. Diaunte Shields Diaunte Shield, 43, of Duluth was arrested on felony warrants for parole violations involving drugs and weapons. The arrest happened 5:40 a.m. Monday at Shield’s residence in the 4700-block of Matterhorn Drive. During…

Third University of Minnesota President Finalist Knows Duluth and Smoked Fish

Dr. Rebecca Cunningham was third of three finalists visiting UMD as regents face state-wide president decision.

UMD had a chance to meet the last of three finalists for the University’s statewide top job. Dr. Rebecca Cunningham answered questions and spoke during a campus forum. She is currently the University of Michigan’s Vice President of Research and Innovation. Cunningham is a long-time faculty member at the school of Public Health and Medicine, after completing her residency in…

UMD Chocolate Lab Hosts Annual Valentine’s Sale

DULUTH, Minn. – UMD Chocolate Lab experts hosted their annual Valentine’s Day sale this week. Students in the Department of Chemical Engineering take a course on chocolate making. Part of the course is to travel to Trinidad to harvest cocoa and then bring back beans to eventually make it into chocolate. A lot of the principles in chocolate making relate…

Political Season Ramping Up, MN DFL Chair Visits Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — With the general elections only nine months away, political activity is ramping up. That includes getting out the vote, but before that, getting out to precinct caucuses. The chair of the Minnesota DFL party was making the rounds in the northland Tuesday. Ken Martin was encouraging people to mark their calendars for caucuses on February 27th, and…

Police Release Photo in Duluth Armed Robbery

Police say the person is a suspect in Sunday's gas station robbery.

DULUTH, Minn. –The Duluth Police Department has a put out a photograph of a suspect in a weekend armed robbery. The person appears to be a man, and in one of the pictures it looks like the person is holding a large handgun. The armed robbery happened on Super Bowl Sunday, about 7 p.m. It happened at the Cenex Short…

Final Live Q&A Update On Birkie Monday Night

HAYWARD, Wis. — A final live Q&A will take place regarding the status of the Birkie Monday night at 7. The 50th Annual Slumberland American Birkebeiner is happening February 24th in Hayward, Wisconsin. Organizers hoping the event will be pulled off in some form. The last Q&A session focused on four contingencies. Monday night’s update will share which option was…

Sheriff Says News Release Worded “Incorrectly,” Lutsen Fire Not a “Crime Scene”

Cook County Sheriff apologizes for "confusion."

LUTSEN, Minn. — Less than an hour after describing the Lutsen Resort Main Lodge fire, as a crime scene, the Cook County Sheriff’s office said it is not a crime scene. In response to an email from FOX21, Sheriff Pat Eliasen replied, “It is not a crime scene. The release was worded incorrectly. We are sorry for the confusion…the release…

State Fire Marshal Releases Details On Last Inspection At Lutsen Resort Lodge Before Fire

LUTSEN, Minn. — The Minnesota State Fire Marshal has released details of an inspection that took place at Lutsen Resort Lodge last summer. This comes after an early Tuesday morning fire took out the entire building. According to the release, 7 violations were found, 4 of which the property owner had repaired. Authorities say it is too soon to determine…

Sen. Klobuchar Calls Lutsen Lodge Fire ‘Heartbreaking’

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar reacted the Lutsen Lodge fire Tuesday — a place she and her family have visited. Klobuchar called the fire “heartbreaking.” She said she’s been in contact with resort’s general manager and was encouraged to hear the resort will rebuild. In the meantime, Klobuchar said this is time to lean in and support the Lusten community. “Minnesotans…

Lutsen Lodge’s History Runs Deep Into the 1880s

The Lutsen Lodge, Minnesota’s oldest resort, was established in 1885 when Swedish immigrant Charles Nelson opened his small fishing camp and lodge. Business continued to grow through the years, but it was not always a smooth ride. Photos from the Cook County Historical Society show Lutsen in its very early stages. The lodge was destroyed by fire twice before.  The…

Fire Destroys Historic Lutsen Lodge

Courtesy: Lutsen Resort LUTSEN, Minn. — A devastating fire broke out early Tuesday morning at the Historic Lutsen Lodge. Courtesy: Steve Bonin The Cook County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a fire alarm at the resort along the North Shore at 12:24 a.m. Staff from Lutsen Resort, which is Minnesota’s oldest resort, reported smoke coming from the floor in the…

Duluth Man Dies In Crash On Skyline Parkway

Car rolled over and man found inside.

A 26-year-old Duluth man died Sunday when his car rolled over. The man has been identified by Duluth Police as Logan Woock. Police say it happened on West Skyline Parkway in the 1400 block. Police received a call about 3:30 Sunday morning saying that a vehicle was off the road. When officers arrived, they found a car rolled over with…

Pine County Missing Person: Gerald Knapp, 86

Press Release: The Pine County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance in locating Gerald Knapp, age 86. On Feb. 1 the Pine County Sheriff’s Office took a missing person report stating that Knapp was last seen Jan. 28 around 10 a.m. leaving Askov, Minn., headed southbound on County Road 142 (also known as Beaver Tail Road). He was driving…

USA Hockey Requiring Neck Guards for Players and Officials 17 and Under Starting August 1st

DULUTH, Minn — Last October, much of the hockey world was shocked by the tragic death of a player. Former UMD Bulldog Adam Johnson died after his neck was cut by another player’s skate. Following the incident, the USA Hockey Congress began looking into rule changes related to neck protection for its hockey players. This past weekend they announced that…

Duluth Police Respond To Report Of Stabbing

DULUTH, Minn. — An alleged stabbing took place Tuesday night leaving one person in the hospital. The Duluth Police Department says at 9 p.m. they responded to a report of a stabbing at Chum. The victim, a 37-year-old man had a minor stab wound to his elbow and was transported to a local hospital. Police say at the same time…

2024 Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Race Canceled

GRAND MARAIS, Minn. — An annual sled dog race in northern Minnesota has been canceled. The 2024 Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Race had already been postponed from January 6th to February 10th. But due to lack of snow and above average temps for the near future the board of directors made the tough decision. According to the website, they…

MnDOT’s Name A Snowplow Contest Winners Announced

MINNESOTA — The winners of the 2023-24 Name a Snowplow contest have been revealed. Governor Tim Walz, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, and MnDOT announcing this Tuesday. The newly named snowplows will be assigned to one of MnDOT’s 8 districts. More than 32,500 voters participated in the contest. There were 49 finalists to choose from. The winning names, in order of…

25th Anniversary ALS Circle Tour Postponed To Winter Of 2024-2025

DULUTH, Minn. — The 25th Anniversary ALS Circle Tour has been postponed. Event organizers announced this Tuesday due to record low snowfall the expedition will be pushed back to the winter of 2024-2025. The group of 6 would have been departing Duluth January 31st, going counterclockwise around Lake Superior and ending February 7th at the Black Bear Casino. All to…

Cloquet Police Release Update On Super 8 Motel Shooting Investigation

CLOQUET, Minn. — The Cloquet Police Department has released an update regarding the Super 8 Motel shooting incident that happened earlier this month. The shooting occurred January 8 with the shooter taking the life of 2 victims, 22-year-old Shellby Trettel of Cloquet and 35-year-old Patrick Jeffrey Roers of Deer River before taking his own life. The suspect is Nicholas Lenius,…

17-Year-Old Boy Robbed At Gunpoint In Virginia

VIRGINIA, Minn. — A 17-year-old boy was robbed at gunpoint in Virginia Thursday night. The Virginia Police Department says at 10:41 p.m. the report of a robbery came in near the 800 block of 5th Avenue in South Virginia. Authorities say the victim told police he was robbed at gunpoint by known acquaintances. The robbers took money and personal property….

Coffee Conversation: AICHO Hosts Love-Themed Market Saturday

DULUTH, Minn. — The American Indian Community Housing Organization is hosting its first-ever love-themed market on Saturday. The Zaagi’idiwin Tour 2024 will include 22 vendors offering love-themed art, merchandise, and pastries. The market is all about making Valentine’s Day gift shopping easy and less stressful. It’s all taking place at the Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center, 212 W. 2nd Street,…

Congressman Stauber Releases “Fact Check” On Blatnik Bridge

TWIN PORTS — Republican Pete Stauber of Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District was not at President Biden’s visit to the Twin Ports Thursday. Biden and democrats including Governor Walz have called Stauber a hypocrite for voting against Biden’s infrastructure bill, but taking credit, they say for the Blatnik funding in that bill. Congressman Stauber snapping back in a video online saying…