Author: Steve Goodspeed

With Fire, Lutsen Lodge Gone in Hours; But Determination to Rebuild Already in Its Place

Fire engulfing the structure from the 1950s was too much to stop.

Under the February gray skies of Lake Superior’s North Shore, was the black and white aftermath of what once was. Volunteer firefighters from every small community we’ve driven through along that shore were still at the fire scene in the morning. But shortly after midnight, by the time they had arrived from up and down the shore, the wood and…

Wildfire Fighters Wanted: Minnesota DNR

Agency is gearing up for the coming season.

Even with the mild winter, concern over grass and forest fires might seem a ways off. But that is not delaying the Minnesota DNR in looking for additional wildfire fighters. The agency says it is looking to fill two different kinds of positions. One is Smokechasers. No experience is needed and those hired would be trained. The schedules are flexible,…

Less Hooting In Bog As Owls Stay North

Sax-Zim Bog still popular, even if not as many owls coming south for the winter.

The mild winter we’re having has been a mixed bag for a certain group of outdoor enthusiasts. Between Duluth and the Iron Range is the Sax-Zim Bog. It’s a popular hangout for both humans and critters that like the woods, water and sky. Perhaps best-known for its owls, the bog is actually home to a cross section of bird life….

88-Year-Old Duluth Man Charged in Hit and Run

Criminal complaint says his vehicle lights were off, heard a "thump" and kept driving.

A man has been charged in the crash that severely injured a Duluth firefighter who was jogging. The criminal complaint filed Monday identifies the driver as 88-year-old Ronald Gene Myrdahl of Duluth. Myrdahl is charged with “Criminal Vehicular Operation–Great Bodily Harm–Driver Who Causes Collision Leaves Scene.” The complaint says Myrdahl was driving his minivan on Grand Avenue in Duluth about…

Stauber Running Again for Congress

Announcement came Monday on a post from congressman's campaign.

Over the past week things have ramped up in Minnesota’s eighth district congressional race. The most recent development came Monday with Pete Stauber’s announcement that he will seek re-election. The congressman’s news did not come in a press release or press conference, but through his campaign’s post on social media. In the post, Stauber said in part, “…It’s not just…

Man Who Stole ‘Wizard of Oz’ Ruby Slippers Allowed to Die at Home

Judge's sentence is time-served and restitution for man with months to live.

The man who stole the ruby slippers of Wizard of Oz fame, now moves only by wheelchair and is on oxygen 24/7. Doctors give him only months to live. His attorney said Monday’s sentencing gives at least partial closure to investigators, the museum, and Terry Jon Martin himself–the man who confessed to stealing the slippers. “At the end of your…

“Restore the Vote” Encourages Felons No Longer Incarcerated to Exercise Ballot Box Rights

Minnesota Secretary of State was in Duluth Friday to get the word out.

With another election season upon us, some will be voting for the first time, while others will have a chance to vote again—after a long time. Minnesota’s Secretary of State was in Duluth Friday for several Restore the Vote events, including at city hall. Steve Simon said one goal is to work with community leaders and citizens to get the…

NTEC Neighborhood Meetings To Answer Questions And Concerns

Two meetings Tuesday on the project.

People interested in the new natural gas-powered electric plant being planned in Superior had a couple of chances to get their questions answered Tuesday. Two open houses were put on in Superior for the Nemadji Trail Energy Center. At mid-day and late afternoon sessions, representatives were available to answer questions, and citizens could learn more about the plant. Although the…

Scholarship For Those Remembering and Honoring Veterans

Iron Range student now at UWS wrote about his grandfather.

The sacrifices people make often have an impact for generations. An example is a scholarship awarded Monday to a student from the Iron Range. Patrick Douglas wrote an essay about his grandfather who served during the Vietnam War on the USS Duluth. Patrick received the $1500 Mike Colalillo Medal of Honor scholarship at the Veterans Memorial Hall at the Depot….

Depressed? There Are Things You Can Do To Help Yourself And Others

Sitting inside alone and waiting-out winter is not the answer.

The days are ever-so-slowly getting a bit longer. The daylight can’t come soon enough for those dealing with depression this time of year. Mental health professionals say there are many things that can contribute to that feeling. The holidays are over, most of us are not as physically active in the winter, and there are things we like to do…

Hope Is Free Bus Rides Give All Students A Chance

Duluth schools join with DTA to give high school students more access to classes and jobs.

This week Duluth schools kicked off a new partnership with the DTA. It will allow for free bus rides for high school students. Under the pilot program, the student will simply show the driver their current ID. School officials are calling it a game-changer, because not all students have their own car or easy access to one. The goal is…

Hang In There On Those New Year’s Resolutions!

Duluth store trying to help people reach their goals.

DULUTH, Minn. — The holidays are over, and all those parties and plates of cookies are in the rearview mirror. Those with resolutions for the new year are sixteen days into 2024. Many people looking for added motivation were making their way into All-Star Nutrition in Duluth, Tuesday. Everyone had their own goals and benchmarks for reshaping themselves a bit…

Hold The Presses! Lincoln Park Gets New Vacation Rentals

Eight suites going into historic press building.

There will soon be some new places for out-of-town visitors to stay in Duluth. Eight of them to be exact. Or, at least eight suites. There was a good-old-fashioned ribbon-cutting Friday in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. It was next to the outdoor seating area of the OMC Smokehouse. That’s not a coincidence, because the restaurant owners bought the long-standing Duluth…

Remembering Veterans All Year Long

Gifts during the holidays a symbol of a year-round need.

Special efforts continue with a commitment to remember veterans at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Silver Bay. Gifts were delivered there Wednesday by the Bong Veterans Historical Center after their holiday collection drive. American Legion Bong Post 435 played an active role in the effort. Commander Butch Liebaert said it is the culmination of a year-round attempt to help all…

Duluth “Acting Mayor” Plan Made Official

Mayor Reinert tabs At-Large Councilor Arik Forsman--just in case.

If there’s ever a time when Duluth’s new mayor is not available, he now has an official back up. In a formal proclamation Wednesday, Mayor Roger Reinert named At-Large City Councilor Arik Forsman as acting mayor whenever necessary. Reinert is still an active Navy Reservist and says at times he will be called away. For example, next week he will…

White Snowshoe Hare Waiting (And Hiding) Until Snow Comes

The big-footed critter's bright white winter coat stands out against brown and gray forest.

The long wait for winter is beneficial for some wildlife, but potentially deadly for others. Ironically, the lack of snow actually makes life more challenging for some animals. An example of that is a snowshoe hare that was hiding under some brush and branches at Gooseberry Falls State Park on Wednesday.  The hare was spotted by park interpreter and naturalist…

Stauber Says Trump Will Get Country “Back on Track;” DFL Says Republicans “Kissing…Trump’s Ring”

All four Minnesota republican representatives announce their endorsement of former president.

Minnesota Congressman Pete Stauber endorsed Donald Trump for president Wednesday. The 8th district republican said Trump will, “finish what he started.” Stauber announced his endorsement in concert with all three other Minnesota republican representatives. Stauber’s statement said, “Donald Trump fought for our way of life in northern Minnesota when he was President. He supported domestic mining and manufacturing jobs, built…

“No Snow Sale” A Sign of Winter (or Non-Winter)

Outdoors Gear Store Northwest Outlet adapts to what Mother Nature serves up.

Those who want to get outside and enjoy a real winter, don’t know how long they will have to wait. And there is a different kind of waiting going on for those who sell winter gear. Superior’s outdoors gear store, Northwest Outlet, has decided it can’t wait forever for cold and snow, so they’re putting out the sale sign for…

Is The Ice Safe? Better Check First

Those venturing out are urged to be careful because many have gone through the ice already.

The cautionary tone about being careful on lake and river ice was echoed this week as outdoor enthusiasts get antsy. At Duluth’s Marine General, this month they had customers torn between both ice and open-water fishing. Some anglers were rigging up their boats and heading out on the lake. But with the weather now turning back to a little bit…

Great Lakes Aquarium Sets Attendance Record in 2023–Again

The number of visitors was up 10,000 from year before.

While the weather has forced many businesses to adjust, others keep on trucking. Or maybe swimming? The Great Lakes Aquarium is finishing the year in record-breaking fashion. In fact, they’ve broken their attendance record for the second year in a row. In 2023 they had ten thousand more visitors than last year—hitting the 210,000 mark. Aquarium leaders say the holiday…

Santa Delivers To Meet Salvation Army Goal

Hartel's Disposal "picks up" the tab; provides $25,000 to help reach holiday goal.

FOX21 reported earlier this week that an anonymous Santa stepped in to help the Duluth Salvation Army this year. Today we all learned who that special Santa is. The Salvation Army says it was Hartel’s Disposal that disposed of the donation shortage. It did so in the form of a check for $25,000 that the company delivered Thursday. The contribution…

Snowblowers Went Out The Door Early; Now Waiting For Snow

Last winter primed people to get new machines.

While no snow and a lot of rain may have driven people inside to do things like check out Duluth’s trains and railroad museum, there are also those who think winter is going to come–eventually. There were still plenty of snowblowers lined up at Northern Tool and Equipment in Hermantown on Thursday. Store manager Mike Surface said it’s been quiet…

Domestic Violence Prevention Gets Christmas Gifts and Big Check

Cenovus Energy teams up with United Way to help CASDA families.

It is the time of year when a lot of people are doing good things for one another. And Wednesday was another example of that. Gift paper and gift wrappers came together in Superior to bring some Christmas to clients of CASDA, the Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse. Cenovus employees and their families were wrapping gifts for twenty CASDA…

Finally: Fall Graduation at Lake Superior College!

Many students with some fall classes remaining didn't have to wait for spring to celebrate.

When it comes to graduation, many of us think of spring and the end of the school year. But for some college students, it’s the fall when they finally take that last class. Celebrating that is what brought students and faculty together at Lake Superior College Monday afternoon. Although there was a spring graduation ceremony, many students still had a…

New Digs for Apricot Lane

Boutique re-opens after two months of preparation

DULUTH, Minn. — Who doesn’t like a fresh start…not to mention a new place for a familiar face? Wednesday was a soft launch of sorts for the new home of Apricot Lane Boutique. It’s been off the radar for a couple months while they moved from their Miller Hill Mall location to West Central Entrance. Owner Wendy Myers could not…

Wisconsin Deer Firearms Season Starts Saturday

Minnesota's firearms season wraps up this weekend.

As the weekend approached, the winds changed and the temperatures dropped just in time for the end of Minnesota’s firearms deer season, and the opening of the Wisconsin firearms season. In the Badger state’s Douglas County, deer stands have been checked out to make sure they’re still safe and make any needed repairs. Woods that have been quiet will soon…

Man Pleads Guilty To Stealing Garland’s Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers

His attorney says Terry Jon Martin is in very poor health and wanted to get his "end-of-life affairs" in order.

  DULUTH, Minn.– The man who stole ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz, pleaded guilty Friday in a Duluth courtroom. It was part of a plea agreement that 76-year-old Terry Jon Martin hopes will result in a sentence that will keep him out of prison. Martin was in a wheelchair and using an oxygen bottle…

Zeitgeist Halloween Movie Lineup May Make ZZZs Difficult To Find

Weeks of horror (and some laughs) will fill the Zinema screen during the runup to Halloween.

What do Poltergeist, The Wolf Man, Abbott and Costello, and Frankenstein have in common? It could be a love of movie theater popcorn, but it’s not. They are actually just part of the mixed bag of scary springing up at Zeitgeist Zinema. For the Halloween month of screams, in addition to a variety of frightening cinema, the theater will also…

Father Of The Veteran Who Was Shot And Killed By Duluth Police Says Death Was Avoidable; Police Video Released

DULUTH, Minn. – Body camera footage has been released involving a February officer-involved shooting that killed a Duluth veteran. Last week, that officer was cleared of any charges after an outside investigation. And now, the man’s father tells FOX 21 deadly force could have easily been avoided. Zachary Shogren We begin with the Feb. 24 encounter that lead up to…

More Duluth Road Construction and Detours

Gary New Duluth and Riverside projects add to driver challeges

DULUTH, Minn. — It’s not exactly breaking news, “Surprise!” but there are more area construction projects to keep your eye on. This time it is the streets in the neighborhoods of Gary New Duluth and Riverside. The Minnesota DOT is working on culverts along Highway 23. Monday work began at the U.S. Steel Creek culvert running under Highway 23. Because…

Funding and Planning Aimed at Rural Health Care

Recruiting and training are two of the goals and challenges

Health care in smaller, rural communities faces some special challenges. A federal grant has providers hoping it can help in some ways. A project for finding and developing health care employees was the subject of a meeting at St. Luke’s Monday. Wilderness Health is a collaborative group of independent, rural health care providers serving patients in Northeast Minnesota and Northwest…

Shipping Industry Applauds Stauber

Minnesota's 8th district congressman touted for his support for navigation on the Great Lakes

Shipping on the Great Lakes is crucial to the regional economy and how the U.S. gets many of the things it needs. Friday, a coalition of those relying on and advocating for the navigation system, thanked Minnesota Eighth District Congressman Pete Stauber for his efforts. Stauber was named Legislator of the Year by the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force. Eighty…

Bikes and Riders Swarm Spirit Mountain

Bike enthusiasts and spectators gather at Spirit Mountain Chalet on Grand Avenue.

Lake Superior often gets all the attention in Duluth, but this weekend it’s the dry land of Spirit Mountain where things are happening. It is the Bike Duluth Festival that happens every year. Close to one thousand bikes and their riders will be flying down the hill, and over and around all kinds of terrain. There are a lot of…

Silver Bay Community Center Gets Help

$50,000 grant will bolster program that helps older residents and unites the community.

https://www.fox21online.com/content/uploads/2020/05/cropped-fox-21-avatar.pngIn Silver Bay Friday afternoon, it might have felt a little bit like Christmas. The community center that is important in bringing people together, received some financial support. T-Mobile has donated fifty thousand dollars as part of its initiative to help small towns. Silver Bay’s North Shore Area Partners will use the funds to further develop a gathering place downtown….

Boats Wrapped in Red, White and Blue

Annual boat parade on Caribou Lake a long-standing tradition.

Fourth of July is not just celebrated on land. It’s also celebrated by sea–or at least by lake. Caribou Lake to be exact. Tuesday it wasn’t waves of grain, but waves generated by every boat and pontoon imaginable. There was no shortage of red, white and blue as residents decked out their vessels to honor the nation’s beginning. Each year…

St. Louis County COVID Thank You Lunch

PIKE LAKE, Minn. — Memories of COVID and the pandemic have started to fade a bit for many people. But for those in health care who lived it, it will always be part of them. On Tuesday it was a chance to thank St. Louis County Public Health employees, and the many, many volunteers who were part of Minnesota Responds….

47th Grandma’s Marathon Continues Rebound

DULUTH, Minn. — The runners’ aches and pains may still be lingering, but those who help put on Grandma’s Marathon are more than pleased with how everything went. The 47th running of the big race had good weather. And better than a strong wind at their back, was that also behind them were Covid and the lingering fears and baggage…

Food Truck Tuesday In Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. — When it comes to summer eating, if you can’t always go to the food, sometimes the food comes to you. That was the case in Superior Tuesday. It was food truck Tuesday at the Government Center. It didn’t take long for employees and the public to sniff out the tasty offerings of Superior Cubans. That wave of…

Trapping Begins for Spongy Moths in Northeastern MN

Formerly called "gypsy" moths, 100,000 trapped last season.

NORTHEASTERN, Minn. –As temperatures warm up and summer gets underway, it also brings some big problems. The trapping of spongy moths has begun in Minnesota. Formerly known as gypsy moths, they have been wreaking havoc on trees for years. Northeastern Minnesota will be included in the area where traps will be set. The Department of Agriculture says that last year…

Lake Superior College Graduates Celebrate

Commencement marks next stage in many lives

There was no shortage of gowns, tassels and mortar boards Monday at the DECC’s Symphony Hall. It was a day for students from Lake Superior College to celebrate and go through their commencement ceremonies. Almost eight hundred students graduated. Their accomplishments included certificates, diplomas and associate degrees. Their studies covered 67 different program areas. The emotions included a mixed bag…

6th Graders on Quest to Discover the River

1,500 converge to learn more about the St. Louis River.

DULUTH, Minn.  Sixth graders from across the region had a chance to find out what the water in our area is all about. Its official title is ‘2023 St. Louis River Quest.’ As a practical matter, it teaches fifteen hundred sixth graders about Lake Superior, the harbor, the St. Louis River, and everything connected with those waters. The kids learn…

On the Menu: Mother’s Day Buffets

Lincoln Park restaurant hopes its barbeque and more will give moms a break.

DULUTH, Minn. — The day for celebrating and showing love for your mom is coming up on Sunday. Many restaurants across the region are getting ready for their Mother’s Day Buffet. One of those is Howard’s Que in Lincoln Park. Friday, owner Howard Ross and his crew were fine-tuning things for another year. He gets a lot of joy seeing…

Some Area Trails Slowly Opening

Trail users urged to be careful and avoid damaging wet trails.

The Duluth Parks and Recreation Department said some of its trails will be opening on Saturday at noon. Thirteen of the local trails will be opening, but another eight remain closed. The Lake Superior Hiking Trail is also officially opening in some areas. A big concern is over muddy areas that could damage trails if used too soon. The department…

“Where is…?” Answers For Duluth Tourists Moving To Canal Park Restaurant

Visit Duluth solidifies its move from downtown to Canal Park

Tourists in Duluth will soon get their questions answered–inside a Duluth restaurant. Visit Duluth announced Thursday that they are moving their welcome to a spot inside Grandma’s restaurant in Canal Park. The office moved out of downtown Duluth and down to Canal Park last summer, and the city said it had good results. Beginning Memorial Day weekend, Visit Duluth is…

Nurses Week Comes Amidst Legislative Debate

Duluth Nurses Push Current Bill; Oppose Any Changes by Hospitals

DULUTH, Minn. – The stakes are high in Minnesota as national Nurses Week continues. A legislative fight is underway at the state capitol over what is called the “Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act.” That fight came to the Duluth Labor Temple Tuesday. Nurses and their union representatives said Minnesota hospitals are not following parts of the agreement reached during…

Boys & Girls Club Encourages Support for Mental Health Crisis Line

Several Duluth area groups working to raise funds

DULUTH, Minn. – A new, national suicide crisis line has been getting some attention, and there is a continued local effort to let people know about it. It is called “Just Breathe 988.” Several Duluth area groups are coming together to raise funds for the Boys and Girls Club’s Mental Health Access program. The three-digit number works exactly like 9-1-1…

Congressional Hearing on Minerals on Iron Range

Republican lawmakers advocate for permitting reform

The mineral deposits in Northeastern Minnesota brought congressional lawmakers to the area Tuesday. Representative Pete Stauber brought members of the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources to Mountain Iron for a hearing. Stauber said it was a chance for members to hear directly from the community. Congressman Rob Wittman of the state of Virginia said the entire country had an…