Author: KQDS Staff

Man With Alzheimer’s Who Went Missing In Itasca County Found Safe

UPDATE (Nov. 6, 1:12 p.m.) — The Itasca County Sheriff’s Office has announced missing 85-year-old Gerald Olson has been found safe. The Sheriff’s Office thanks the public for their help in the search. ORIGINAL POST: The Itasca County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating 85-year-old Gerald Olson. Olson “suffers from dementia and Alzheimer’s,” according to a…

Man Charged With Murder in Babbitt Double Homicide

Criminal complaint says man told police he killed the victims, and where they would find their bodies.

  Updated November 1, 2023: Babbitt, Minn.  — A man has been charged with two counts of 2nd degree murder in the deaths of a Babbitt couple. A criminal complaint filed Wednesday identifies the man as Roger Allen Beldo. He is 53 years old. The complaint says Beldo told police he killed the couple at their home. A relative said…

Man Charged in Coleraine Stabbing

Victim treated at hospital; Criminal complaint says suspect has 10 previous convictions.

A Coleraine man has been charged in a stabbing at a local bar over the weekend. The victim was stabbed in the face, and was treated at the hospital for his injuries. A criminal complaint charges Lawrence Jarmaine Daniels with a second-degree felony. The complaint says Daniels is 45 years old and lives in Coleraine. The incident happened about 1:30…

New Grant Program Focuses On A Stronger Community

DULUTH, Minn. — A stronger community is something we can all get behind. To help make that happen, the kickoff for a major grant program was announced Monday. It came from the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation. The Community Opportunity Fund focuses on three key areas- opportunity, resilience, and belonging. President Shaun Floerke says the goal is to create solutions…

Man, 25, Dead In Single-Vehicle Crash In Meadowlands Township

MEADOWLANDS TOWNSHIP, Minn. — One man was pronounced dead after his car flipped over in a water-filled ditch in the Meadowlands Township. The incident happened early Sunday morning. According to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, a vehicle was driving on Highway 7 just south of Highway 133 in Meadowlands Township.  First responders pulled out one male who was pronounced…

“Bridging” Health in Duluth

Goal is to bring everyone together for healthiest community possible.

If it takes a village to raise a child, then there are those who feel the same about what it takes for a community’s health care. That is what brought over one hundred and thirty people together in Duluth Wednesday. It was titled “Bridging Health Care,” and the goal is just that: bringing like-minded people and organizations together to make…

UMD Hosts Climate Change Conference

DULUTH, Minn. — Climate change was the topic of a conference at UMD on Monday. Everyone from environmental activists to students came together to discuss how the change will affect our area. They also discussed other issues that come from climate change and what the community can do. Jonna Korpi from Duluth is the director of sustainability office at UMD….

Authorities: Alcohol, Cannabis Involved In Fatal Collision Near Wuori Township

WUORI TOWNSHIP, Minn. –  A fatal two-vehicle collision in Wuori Township involved alcohol and cannabis, according to preliminary charges on the St. Louis County Jail’s roster. The driver under arrest is a 38-year-old Virginia man. FOX 21 does not normally name suspects until they are formally charged. The crash happened around 8 p.m. Saturday on northbound Highway 169. The Minnesota…

Jordan Loses Third Vote For House Speaker; Stauber and Tiffany Differ

Wisconsin's Congressman sticks with Jordan; Minnesota's Stauber goes with Westerman again.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Jim Jordan failed badly Friday on a third ballot for the House speaker’s gavel, rejected by even more Republicans from the conservative mainstream who warned the hard-edged ally of Donald Trump that no threats or promises could win their support. The Republicans have no realistic or workable plan to unite the fractured GOP majority, elect a…

Steve Hanke Appointed New Minnesota Sixth District Judge

Duluth attorney will replace retiring Judge Michael Cuzzo in Northeastern corner of state.

Steve Hanke Northeastern Minnesota will be getting a new judge. Steve Hanke has been tapped by Governor Walz to fill a vacancy in the Sixth Judicial District. He will be replacing the retiring Judge Michael Cuzzo. Hanke has ties to both sides of the Blatnik Bridge. He is a lawyer for the City of Duluth and is also an adjunct…

Stauber Moves Away From Jordan In Speaker Vote; Tiffany Sticks With Jordan

Northland Congressmen split as Jordan loses second vote for speaker

One Northland lawmaker held firm in his support of Representative Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House Wednesday, but another moved away from Jordan. Jordan, a Republican lawmaker from Ohio, lost his second vote in his bid to become speaker. On Tuesday, both Minnesota 8th District Congressman Pete Stauber, and Wisconsin 7th District Congressman Tom Tiffany voted for Jordan. Wednesday,…

Drug Bust At U.S. Post Office In Hibbing

HIBBING, Minn. — A drug bust revealed nearly 5 pounds of methamphetamine at the U.S. Post Office in Hibbing. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says around 4 p.m. on Monday, K9 Murphy who during a narcotics investigation conducted a sniff of a suspicious package that indicated the presence of narcotics. A warrant search of the package revealed about 5…

MN Sen. Hauschild Announces ‘Northland Strong’ Initiative

HERMANTOWN, Minn. — Sen. Grant Hauschild of Hermantown is announcing what he calls his “Northland Strong” initiative. The DFLer’s District 3 is largely rural. He wants to bring the region together with five key priorities. They include strong families, safe communities, outdoor heritage, an innovative economy, and a state that works. “Making sure that Minnesota works really well for our…

Esko Man Injured in Side-by-Side Accident

ALBORN, MN — An Esko man was injured early after an ATV accident early Sunday morning. At 12:41 a.m., the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the 6800 block of Highway 47 in the Alborn Township of a single side-by-side accident. The 49-year-old male driver was identified as Daniel Doran of Esko. He received multiple non-life threatening injuries…

Medical Professor Hikes 350 Miles For Charities

MINNESOTA — Many people like to get outside in the fall and take a walk, but one man making his way to the lift bridge Thursday took it to an extreme. Matthew Hunt has been hiking for six weeks and covered 350 miles. He started outside Ely and traveled three different trails: the Border Route, the Kekekabic, and the Lake…

Birds Soar In Chalk Art

Art brightens sidewalks and gives birds colorful look.

When we’re looking for birds, we usually look up in the sky, but in Duluth’s Lakeside you might want to look down at the sidewalk. That’s where the birdwatching–and bird drawing–was going on Wednesday. The chalk drawings are colorful, but by their nature, also temporary. The goal is to brighten up the neighborhood, and also draw attention to birds and…

Kwik Trip Experiencing “Disruption” to its Systems

Company says loyalty program among things affected.

The Kwik Trip stores have apparently been having some technology-related issues over the past two days. On Monday, Madison television station WKOW reported that some customers were posting on social media that they were having problems with the store’s app, rewards program, and telephone service. Tuesday, Kwik Trip issued a statement saying, “As you are aware, we are currently experiencing…

Fall Brings Out Sport Card Collectors

Football of course, but playoff baseball brings an added interest.

Fall is in the air. That means football, and this fall–even the Twins! That is good news for people who are into collecting or selling sports cards. At the Miller Hill Mall Friday, it was “game on!” As in Game On Sportscard Collectors and Memorabilia show. Long time collector and dealer Austin Knute had a big selection on display, and…

Fatal Car Crash on Martin Road Near Duluth

Sheriff says car was making U-turn when it was hit by a truck.

RICE LAKE, Minn. — Authorities say a passenger in a van was killed Friday morning when the vehicle made a U-turn on Martin Road in Rice Lake. The fatal victim has been identified as 78-year-old Paul Larson of Duluth. The incident happened about 8:45 a.m. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s office said the van he was riding in was traveling…

Solar Speaks to Superior Residents

Many people responded to the chance to sign up to be part of the new community solar garden.

Superior’s first community solar garden has more than utilities and construction crews eager to see it get started. Wednesday, Superior Water Light and Power unveiled the facility that will generate enough electricity to power 115 homes, and many residents were excited about the prospect and showed up for the ribbon cutting. A lot of those celebrating Wednesday were those who…

Rep. Stauber On Speaker McCarthy’s Ousting: ‘Sad Day For America’

U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Hermantown) called the ousting of Speaker Kevin McCarthy Tuesday as a “sad day for America.” Below is Stauber’s full statement: “This is a sad day for America. Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans have consistently delivered strong results for the American people, who are hurting thanks to the policies of the Biden Administration. Under his conservative and…

College Loan Payments Begin Again

Those who owe are forced to deal with return to the way it was.

For many college students, Halloween is not nearly as frightening as the debt they are racking up. And this month, a three-year pause in paying back loans came to an end. The national break had been put in place during the pandemic. But it all came to an end this month, and millions must now resume making payments. For many…

September Swimming Ends With Red Flag Warning on Park Point

Fire Department Warns Everyone to Be Careful

Those considering swimming on Park Point beaches Saturday were warned to be careful. And that warning carries into Sunday. The Duluth Fire Department said there was a high risk of rip currents, and they issued a warning about noon Saturday. The warning continues until 10 a.m. Sunday morning. The department says the warning means that wind and wave conditions can…

Keewatin Man Dead After Crash Involving Commercial Vehicle

MOUNTAIN IRON, Minn. — One man is dead after colliding into a commercial vehicle in Mountain Iron Thursday morning. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says the incident happened around 6 a.m. on Park Ridge Drive at the MinnTac entrance. A 28-year-old man driving a commercial vehicle carrying hazardous materials was traveling west. 44-year-old Kevin Jurek of Keewatin was driving…

Paige Hansen

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST

Paige joined the Fox 21 news team in September 2022. Born and raised in Superior, Wisconsin her love for the Twin Ports runs deep. Paige is currently a student at the University of Minnesota Duluth, working to achieve a degree in Communication and Journalism. Paige has a passion for telling stories through her reporting and visuals. She has background in…

Duluth Standoff Ends, Suspect Dead From Apparent ‘Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound’

8:30 P.M. Update:  “Tactical Response Team and Crisis Negotiations Team responded on scene and attempted to make contact with the involved individual. After multiple failed attempts, members of TRT made entry into the residence and located the individual with what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The name of the individual will be released once next of kin has…

Sawyer County Deputy Arrested, Accused Of Domestic Abuse

A Sawyer County Sheriff’s Deputy is under arrest and accused of domestic abuse, according to Sheriff Doug Mrotek. Mrotek issued a news release Monday that said his office learned of the allegations against Schick on Sept. 21. Due to the nature of the allegations, Mrotek said he handed the investigation over to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators in Polk…

Why No Vikings vs Eagles Over-The-Air Broadcast in the Northland?

League rules don't allow it. FOX21 cannot carry the game.

Many excited Minnesota Vikings fans are making plans to watch Thursday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. And, because FOX21 broadcasts so many football games all season, we are being asked if we are going to air the Vikings/Eagles game. Unfortunately, the answer is no. But it’s not our choice! We are not allowed to broadcast the game. The NFL’s…

Duluth School Board Candidates on the Issues

Referendum and School Resource Officers are election issues.

Wednesday, the public had a chance to hear from Duluth School Board candidates in their own forum. In the city-wide At-Large race, incumbent Alanna Oswald and challenger Stephanie Williams discussed their views. Both candidates said they support the school referendum directed toward technology investment as pandemic relief funds end. However, they disagreed on the use of School Resource Officers. Oswald…

Southbound Lane On Garfield Avenue To Close Temporarily Thursday

DULUTH, Minn. — The southbound lane on Garfield Avenue will temporarily close Thursday morning. MnDOT says the closure is needed for the deck pour of the overpassing bridge, passing over the current ramp that takes traffic to Superior and onto the Blatnik Bridge. The closure will occur from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. Go to MnDOT’s website for more information…

Superior Street Reopen After Closing Due To Monday Night Flash Flood

UPDATE (September 12, 2:30 p.m.) — Superior Street has reopened according to Downtown Duluth. The street was closed due to major erosion from a flash flood Monday night. ORIGINAL POST: DULUTH, Minn. — Superior Street in Downtown Duluth is closed due to the flash flood that happened Monday night. A press release from the City says about 1,000 cubic yards…

The Northland Remembers Loss Of 9/11 By Climbing Stairs

Firefighters and others climb equivalent of 110 stories in Duluth

While lowered flags were a very visible way to remember 9/11 across the country, Monday in the Northland there was also a quieter, but just as serious way to honor those who died. Inside the DECC in Duluth, several groups came together and repeatedly climbed up and down the stairs. When they were finished, they had methodically covered the equivalent…

Memorial Blood Centers Encourages Donations On 9/11

MINNESOTA — Memorial Blood Centers is encouraging the community to honor those who lost their lives on September 11 by donating blood. Memorial Blood Centers is calling Monday a day of service in remembrance of the tragedy 22 years ago. According to MBC, blood donations still have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. The blood supply currently stands at a 5-day…

One Dead After Being Struck by a Train Near Sawyer Township

Carlton County, Minn. — In Carlton county, the sheriff’s office received a report of an accident involving both a vehicle and a train. This happened around 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 9, on Lammi Road and Hwy 210 in Sawyer Township. According to the report, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) train was traveling west bound. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Brock Hascall…

Two dead and one in critical condition after crash near Floodwood on Highway 8

UPDATE (September 10, 5:53 a.m.) — Authorities have released the names of those involved in the fatal Floodwood crash from Saturday morning. Authorities responded to an automated 911 call from an iPhone, stating the owner had been in a severe crash. The crash happened on the curve near the 11500 block of HWY 8, near Floodwood, Minn. Upon arrival two…

Peat Soil A Challenge In Barnum Area Wildfire

Fire is now 85% contained, and 10 acres larger than first estimate.

Photo: AJ Hoffman/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service UPDATE (September 8, 2:15 p.m.) — The fire is more under control, the size is about ten acres larger than originally thought, and it may be a fire that could smolder for a while. That is the latest assessment from the Minnesota Interagency Information Center. The fire was 85% contained as of Friday…

38th Annual Duluth Rotary Club Rose Sale Begins

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Rotary Club is hosting its largest fundraiser of the year. The 38th Annual Rose Sale is happening now through October 7. Funds from the sale will be used to provide grants to local organizations helping children and less fortunate individuals by providing food, shelter, and clothing. It’ll also help purchase new books for the library….