Author: KQDS Staff

Police: Douglas County Sheriff’s Detective Arrested For Drunken Hit-&-Run

SUPERIOR, Wis. – A detective with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is accused of hit-and-run while under the influence of alcohol. Superior police told FOX 21 Matthew DeRosia, 50, was arrested Sunday around 10:15 p.m. after an officer saw his vehicle sparking from a blown-out tire. The incident unfolded on the 1100 block of E. Fifth Street. Upon further investigation,…

City Announces Proposed Changes to Skyline Parkway

DULUTH, Minn. — The City of Duluth hosted a listening session at Lincoln Park Middle School Monday evening to unveil proposed alternative modifications to W Skyline Pkwy in front of Enger Tower, as an attempt to increase non-motorized access, decrease speed and increase public safety. A city engineer says the Skyline Parkway loop could temporarily turn into a one-way road,…

Over Half Million Dollars in Grants From Northland Foundation

Targeting "basic" needs such as food, housing and shelter for those at risk of "falling through the cracks."

The people and programs working hard to help others, got some financial help themselves Monday. There are many efforts in our area to help those in need. Some prime examples would be the Damiano Center or the Salvation Army. They are just two of twenty-eight non-profits that will be receiving grants from the Northland Foundation. In the first quarter of…

Phase 1 Of Hammond Avenue Reconstruction Starts

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Construction has started for a main road over in Superior. The condition of Hammond Avenue has degraded over time according to the City of Superior. The reconstruction will be divided into 2 phases. The first phase starting Monday closing traffic from Belknap to North 21st Street. The project will include a new roadway, installation of storm sewers…

Names Released Of 2 Missing Canoers, After Canoes Go Over Curtain Falls In BWCAW

Curtain Falls (Cliff Wold’s Outfitting Co. 2017) UPDATE (May 20, 10:45 a.m.) — The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office has released the names of those involved in the search for two missing canoers in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. 41-year-old Jesse Melvin Haugen from Cambridge, Minnesota and 40-year-old Reis Melvin Grams of Lino Lakes, Minnesota are the two missing…

National Bike Month is Celebrated in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn.– Friday was a great day to bring out the bikes. With May being National Bike Month, people ditched the cars on their commute Friday morning. Riders also had the opportunity for bike checks and mechanical advice. Raising awareness about safety and sharing the roadways is also a large part of bike month. Being able to educate the public…

Hawk Ridge Housing Development Opposition

DULUTH, Minn. — A cottage-style housing development planned for Duluth’s Hawk Ridge is meeting opposition. The development is planned for four acres of land which needs to be rezoned to allow homes there. At Monday’s City Council meeting, several residents expressed concern about the possible environmental impact the project could bring. According to one of the architects present the cottage…

Duluth’s Jesus Is Life Ministries Brings Aid Following Midwest Tornadoes

Two vans packed up earlier this week with supplies, leaving Duluth for Iowa

DULUTH, Minn. — A church in West Duluth continues its tradition of helping people at disaster sites across the country. This last week the Jesus is Life Ministries church from West Duluth decided to head to Minden, Iowa a small city in the southwestern part of that state. The decision to help this small town was largely made because tornadoes…

Duluth East Students Perform “Spelling Bee” Musical

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth East Theatre Program is putting on a spring musical that is getting even audience members involved in the fun. ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ is a comedic musical that centers around six students who compete in a spelling championship. Audience members filled the theater for the opening night of the production which even…

Lowell And Marshall Elementary Students Plant Over A Thousand Trees

DULUTH, Minn. — Some elementary students in Duluth made quite the impact on Friday. Kids were able to show off their green thumbs when they took on quite the project. Thanks to the efforts from both Lowell and Marshall schools, third through fifth graders planted over one thousand trees. This was led by UMD graduate Gavin Buersken. The end goal…

UMD Students Walk the Stage for Graduation

DULUTH, Minn. — It was a big day for University of Minnesota Duluth students who graduated on Saturday. Around 2,000 UMD students walked across the stage at Amsoil Arena. There was two commencement ceremonies on Saturday, recognizing students who earned their bachelor’s degree, doctoral degree, or master’s degree. Family and friends of the students packed the arena and cheered on…

Biden Says ‘Order Must Prevail’ During Campus Protests Over The War In Gaza

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday rejected calls from student protesters to change his approach to the war in Gaza while insisting that “order must prevail” as college campuses across the country face a wave of violence, outrage and fear. “Dissent is essential for democracy,” Biden said at the White House. “But dissent must never lead to disorder.”…

Northland College To Remain Open Under New Model

ASHLAND, Wis. –The Northland College Board of Trustees has approved a “refocused model” for the college that will allow the school to remain open. The school will cut some of its majors. “The college will have eight high demand, mission-aligned majors and focused offerings,” according to a news release Wednesday. The release also stated significant changes to its operation budget…

Duluth’s Best Bread Expands to Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Duluth’s Best Bread is officially expanding to Superior after a successful pop-up event there. This will be the company’s third location. It will be located at 1418 Tower Avenue in the same location where the pop-up shop was held. It will open May 28 and open Tuesdays through Sundays. The family-owned French-German bakery opened its first store…

Former Superior Police Sgt. Takes Plea Deal In 2022 Fatal Crash

SUPERIOR, Wis. — A former Sergeant with the Superior Police Department is taking a plea deal in a 2022 fatal hit and run crash that involved alcohol. With a guilty plea of two counts of Vehicular Homicide involving alcohol, 44-year-old Gregory Swanson is facing the possibility of 9 years in prison for each count. Court documents say Swanson’s blood-alcohol level…

Northland College Receives Last-Minute ‘Transformative Donor Gifts’

ASHLAND, Wis. — Another sign of hope was reported Tuesday evening involving the future of Northland College. College officials they received “several transformative donor gifts” within the last 24 hours that has “considerably” impacted what is possible for the future of Northland College. Three weeks ago the Board issued a statement of financial crisis. Northland had a goal of raising…

FOX 21 Visits UWS Journalism Students At ‘The Promethean’

SUPERIOR, Wis. — FOX 21’s Dan Hanger was invited to visit UWS journalism students Tuesday to talk about the television news business, learn about UWS’s longstanding student-run newspaper, The Promethean, and watch the latest Promethean TV newscast.  Three UWS students currents work at FOX 21 and have been a great addition to our newsgathering operation!   Categories: Community, Education, News,…

Ecolibrium 3 Hosts 4th Annual Earth Week

DULUTH, Minn. — A luncheon kicked off Ecolibrium 3’s 4th annual Earth Week. The gathering at Clyde Iron Works is the start of a week focused on environmental issues like climate change and sustainability. The week will include volunteering at a park cleanup and exploring the outdoors. CEO Jodi Slick tells Fox 21 what she hoped the day would bring….

Celebration Of Life For Duluth Domestic Homicide Victim Allisa Vollan

HERMANTOWN, Minn.– Family and friends of Allisa Vollan, a victim of Domestic Homicide, gathered Saturday to celebrate her life. Vollan was a Duluth woman who has become Minnesota’s sixth homicide victim so far this year. Allisa’s family held a celebration of life to remember the 27 year old. Her family also used the celebration to spread awareness on Domestic Violence….

MnDOT Construction Hiring Season Begins

DULUTH, Minn. — The construction hiring season begins at MnDOT with positions available that range from filling potholes to full blown construction projects. Their Public Affairs Coordinator says the push to hire means more projects on the road. And to remember as you drive around town, surrounding areas won’t look the same as work progresses from week to week. She…

Carlton School Board Approves Four-Day Week

CARLTON, Minn. — The Carlton School District is doing what they call “challenging the status quo” with the school board approving the motion 6-0 for a four-day school week. The school talked about being the “leader in educational transformation.” And wanted to be the district to find more opportunities for students to get real world, authentic opportunities, giving students a…

Cenovus Energy to Sponsor New School Soccer Fields in Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Superior School District is getting a financial boost of support for new soccer fields at Cooper Elementary. Cenovus Energy is sponsoring the construction of new state-of-the-art soccer fields. The space will be used by the greater community to provide a hub for soccer, lacrosse, and other sports. The Superior Soccer Association is also behind the project….

Duluth Mayor and Police Chief Release Statements On Early Morning Downtown Homicide

  UPDATE (April 12, 5:30 pm.)–A woman was stabbed to death in downtown Duluth overnight. It happened on First Street between Lake Avenue and First Avenue West. Crime on that block has been so troublesome, that police have focused special attention to the area. As many as eight squad cars were still on the scene processing evidence and taking people…

Homegrown Music Festival in Need of Volunteers

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth’s Homegrown Music Festival is fast approaching, and organizers say volunteers are urgently needed. Homegrown kicks off on April 28 and runs through Sunday May 5. A Venue Manager and 4 volunteer spots are still empty. You don’t need to be an expert, Homegrown will train you in. Check out their website here for all you need…

Boat Club Productions Kicks Off Season With ‘Decision Height’

DULUTH, Minn. — Boat Club Productions is kicking off its 2024 season with a show called Decision Height. It’s about the first all-women Air Force unit during World War II and follows the story of six women who make the toughest decision of their lives. Director Rylee Kuberra tells us what this story means to her and history. “I think…

UWS Students Prepare for Opening Night of Ride the Cyclone Musical

SUPERIOR, Wis. – UW-Superior students are rehearsing for a music filled performance taking place starting this weekend. Ride the Cyclone is a contemporary pop-rock musical. It about 6 teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir whose lives are cut short in a freak accident while aboard a roller coaster. They are each then invited to tell a story to win the…

Library Giving Day Celebration in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — The library is a great resource for people, but they need your donations to make it even better and more responsive to the various groups using the library. The Duluth Library Foundation is nearly finished with its fundraising campaign, which this year has a goal of raising $60,000. Thursday night the Foundation is inviting everyone to the…

Utility Box Wrap Art Program Now Open for Submissions

DULUTH, Minn. — Have you seen those boring, green utility boxes around town? There’s an opportunity to transform those utility boxes into something exciting. The Duluth Public Arts Commission is searching for artists to achieve this. The goal for this program is to bring in some color and beauty to our neighborhoods. This gives artists the chance to feature their…

Duluth Man Indicted In Federal Child Pornography Case

DULUTH, Minn. — A one-time Duluth ski coach is now federally indicted on charges of possessing 18,000 images and videos of child pornography. John Degelau, 27, was arrested and released Thursday after being arraigned in federal court. John Degelau Authorities said he used Adobe Photoshop to morph child pornography that he found online with other non-explicit images of minors. Authorities…

Criminal Charges Dropped Against Duluth Edison Teacher Accused of Sexual Assault of Student

His attorney said, "This matter underscores the importance of the presumption of innocence."

Duluth, MN–Criminal charges have been dropped against a Duluth Edison elementary school teacher who had been accused of sexually assaulting a female student. His attorney said the allegations “were fake” and that he “never sexually assaulted anyone.” John Paul Horgeshimer, age 49, had been charged after a female student at Duluth Edison Charter Schools’ Raleigh Academy told her teacher that…

New Chancellor of UMD Announced

DULUTH, Minn. — Charles Nies has been named the tenth chancellor of the University of Minnesota Duluth. He is expected to start July 1 pending approval by the University’s Board of Regents at their May meeting. Dr. Nies has over 25 years of experience in higher education, most recently serving as the vice chancellor of student affairs at the University…

Winter Not Letting Go Just Yet

DULUTH, Minn. — It was just two weeks ago that we were enjoying 60-degree weather, and on Monday morning, Duluthians woke up to another round of 7-10 inches of snow across the city. It was a reminder of what winter is typically like having to get outside and clear sidewalks and driveways. After only having to get the shovels out…

8 A.M. Tuesday Winter Storm Update From City Of Duluth

  DULUTH, MN–The following is the latest storm update from the offices of the City of Duluth: Due to continued inclement weather conditions, Duluth Workforce Center/CareerForce will be closed to the public today, with staff working remotely. All other City of Duluth facilities are open to the public today with some staff working remotely. The National Weather Service in Duluth…

25-Year-Old Duluth Man Charged With 2nd Degree Murder in Death of Girlfriend

Nine days earlier, the courts had issued a "No Contact" order to stay away from Allisa Vollan.

DULUTH, Minn. –Dale John Howard has been charged with murder in the death of the girlfriend he had been ordered to stay away from just nine days earlier. Howard, age 25, faces two felony counts in the death of Allisa Vollan, age 27. She was found dead in an apartment complex at 31 East 5th Street on Friday. Howard is…