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Former Duluth Mayor Don Ness Endorses Larson For Reelection; Larson, Reinert Respond

DULUTH, Minn. — Former two-term Duluth Mayor Don Ness publicly endorsed Emily Larson for a third term Monday. Ness posted on social media saying Duluth is lucky to have “two good candidates” to choose from Nov. 7.   He called Larson’s opponent, Roger Reinert, a friend but said Larson has a better understanding of the city’s operational realities and knows how…

DLH: Direct Flights To Phoenix Not Returning, But Nonstop To Fort Myers Will

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth International Airport has announced direct flights from Duluth to Phoenix are not returning this winter. But Sun Country service is returning with direct service to Fort Myers, Florida. The non-stop flights will start back up Feb. 2 and end April 24. Sun Country service to Fort Myers will operate twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays….

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…

Coffee Conversation: UMD to hold Climate Change Conference

DULUTH, Minn. — The University of MN Duluth, Institute on the Environment and Office of Sustainability are hosting a two day, in person conference, Our Climate Futures, October 23-24, 2023, at the UMD Kirby Student Center. Institute on the Environment Director Julie Etterson and Office of Sustainability Director Jonna Korpi joined FOX21 on the morning newscast Thursday to talk about…

Planet Fitness Opens First Location In Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — A fitness center focusing on being judgement free and inclusive is now open. Planet Fitness located in Duluth near the Miller Hill Mall offers over 22,000 square feet of fitness. That includes cardio and strength machines, as well as express circuit, tanning beds, and massage chairs. There are over 2,500 locations in the U.S., and this is…

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,…

Partnership to Improve Career Readiness in Healthcare

Essentia Health and St. Scholastica Team Up

DULUTH, Minn. — St. Scholastica’s new School of Heath Professions received a significant gift from Essentia Health today. Essentia is donating $1.2 million dollars to fund a permanent dean position. Dr. Michael Wendinger started as the inaugural dean this past July. Over 1,000 St. Scholastica alumni work at Essentia. The new partnership’s goal is to prepare future healthcare workers and…

Jordan Loses Second Vote For Speaker

House of Representatives still without permanent Speaker.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Jim Jordan was again short the votes he needed in a second round of balloting for speaker on Wednesday, failing to convince his Republican detractors to support him to replace the ousted Kevin McCarthy. Jordan lost 20 Republican votes in the first round of balloting Tuesday and lost more on Wednesday. Jim Jordan’s rapid rise has…

Lincoln Park Reopens

DULUTH, Minn.  — The actual Lincoln Park, which is in the Lincoln Park area, had a grand reopening Tuesday. Seven years after the city council adopted the Lincoln Park Mini-Master plan. The plan provided direction for the updating of the park. It was a celebration at the park, which has been referred to as a gem in the park system….

Piedmont Elementary Students Launch Weather Balloon

DULUTH, Minn. — 5th grade students at Piedmont Elementary School had the opportunity to expand their scientific minds Tuesday. Clear skies made it possible for the young scientists to launch a weather balloon thousands of feet into the air. Weather balloons take several hours to reach altitudes up to 100,000 feet before they pop and parachute back down to Earth….

Seawall-Waterfront Reconstruction Behind DECC Officially Begins

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth city leaders, the Chamber, project managers and labor representatives were among the many taking the shovel to the dirt Monday for the official start of the seawall-waterfront reconstruction project behind the DECC. Mayor Emily Larson described the area behind the DECC “tired” and “old.”  But she said after years of planning, it’s now time for that…

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…

Chum Being Recognized For A Whole Week

DULUTH, Minn. — Chum, a non-profit serving those experiencing homelessness is being recognized for a whole week in Duluth. Mayor Emily Larson announced the proclamation of Chum Week on Monday right outside of St. Francis Apartments, which is housing Chum provides to seniors in need. The week is all about recognizing Chum’s work and commitment to the issues of hunger…

GND Rec Center Fall Rummage Sale

DULUTH, Minn. — If you’re looking for treasure, the Gary New Duluth Recreation Center might just have it. Their annual Fall Rummage Sale kicked off Thursday. The center is packed full of clothes, household goods, toys, and more. Thanks to the overwhelming amount of donations, every square inch of space seemed to be jammed. In fact, they have had so…

Marshall School Hosts Blood Drive

DULUTH, Minn. –Here’s a story that you’ve heard before, there is a significant blood shortage taking place locally and nationally. The Red Cross and Memorial Blood Bank are both looking for new and past donors to give blood to help alleviate the shortage. At Marshall School in Duluth, the Health and Wellness Club sponsored its first of three blood drives…

West Duluth Business Club Hosts Duluth Candidate Forum, Promotes Civility

DULUTH, Minn. – The November election is less than a month away in Duluth, and the president of the West Duluth Business Club, Susan Coen, is promoting civility over divisiveness. Coen hosted a public form Wednesday for the West Duluth community involving the mayoral race between incumbent Emily Larson and opponent Roger Reinert, and the council races. Coen said she…

WI Sen. Agard’s Cannabis Bill: Prohibition Not Working With Marijuana

Wisconsin State Sen. Melissa Agard is continuing her push to legalize recreational marijuana for adults through a bill in the state legislature. Sen. Agard (D-Madison) told FOX 21 Wisconsin is living on a disserting island when it comes to cannabis.  Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan have laws on the books allowing adult-use of cannabis. Agard said the state is losing out…

Duluth Housing Development Stalled For 2nd Month At Former Seaway Hotel Site

DULUTH, Minn. – It was in the middle of August when FOX 21 broke the news about construction temporarily halted on a new housing development in Duluth’s Lincoln Park. Now two months later, the structure remains just a frame of wood. Merge Urban Development is behind the 45-unit apartment building (Urbane 218) on the former West Superior Street site of…

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…

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…

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…

St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office Announces First Citizens’ Academy

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. — The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office announced they are offering their first ever Citizen’s Academy. The class is a way for the public to get an inside look as to how the sheriff’s office operates. Topics will include jail, rescue squad, and emergency response team and tactical operations, as well K-9 demonstrations. Those involved will…

New Hermantown Fire Chief Announced

HERMANTOWN, Minn. — Zach Graves has been hired as Fire Chief. He served for over 20 years in the International Guard as Chief. He has been with the Hermantown Fire Department for 12 years as a volunteer and is the current Deputy Chief of the Department. Graves says the most important and challenging work to do is staffing. Public Safety…

Superior Police Chief Nicholas Alexander To Retire

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Superior Police Chief Nicholas Alexander, who has been with the police department since 1998, is preparing to retire from the department. Alexander was just 26 when he joined the department as a police officer before climbing the ranks as captain of investigations and taking the chief position in 2015. Under Alexander’s leadership, he had a lot of…

DECC Board Releases Detailed Statement: ‘We Need A New Model, We Will Get Through This’

DULUTH, Minn. – The board of directors at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center released an extensive public statement Monday on the DECC’s website explaining the entertainment venue’s financial situation, the responsibilities of the board and how they plan to move forward. The statement also provides a ‘question and answer’ section to help the public understand the challenges and successes at…

Time of Reflection and Inspiration on Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Generations united through song, words and determination.

Duluth commemorated Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a holiday Monday. The cold winds were swirling around City Hall, but they did not lessen the resolve of those in attendance. The group gathered with music and the spoken word to acknowledge the painful history indigenous people have had, and to celebrate the promise of the future. No one exemplifies that promise of…

Bentleyville Tree is Up!

Ironworkers donate their time every year to assemble and stack the sections.

It’s a sure sign that the holiday season–and Bentleyville–are nearly here! The Christmas tree at Bentleyville’s “Tour of Lights” went up Saturday morning. One hundred twenty-eight feet to the top, and for all the Northland to see in the months ahead. As always, Iron Workers Local 512 were the volunteers who used their skills to assemble the sections and connect…

‘Democratic Socialists Of America’ Backs Palestine Amid Gaza-Israel Conflict; Duluth DSA-Endorsed Candidates Respond

DULUTH, Minn. – The Twin Ports Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which has endorsed three Duluth city council candidates for the upcoming November election, is calling for support to “take to the streets to join a protest for peace and against funding the Israeli state.” The DSA released the following statement Saturday: “DSA is steadfast in expressing our solidarity with…

City Of Duluth’s Largest Employee Union Passes On Mayoral Endorsement

DULUTH, Minn. – AFSCME Council 5, the city of Duluth’s largest bargaining unit representing employees like plow drivers, librarians and utility workers, has chosen not to endorse any mayoral candidate for the upcoming November election. In a statement to FOX 21, AFSCME said: “While our union members have endorsed in this race in previous election years, our members have decided…

DECC Board ‘Charged With Fiduciary Oversight And Governance’; Board Members Chosen By Mayor, Governor

DULUTH, Minn. — There’s been a lot of attention on the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center over the past couple weeks involving financial troubles and job eliminations, like 28-year employee Jeff Stark. DECC Exec. Dir. Dan Hartman, who has been on the job for 2.5 years, has said expenses are too high when it comes to increased wages and replacing failing…

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…

Update on Lead Water Pipe Removal

DULUTH, Minn. –In May of his year the city began work on replacing all lead water pipes in the city. A pilot project was started on Eighth Street, running between 7th Avenue and 14th Avenue. An update on the pilot project was given on Wednesday. Jon Maruska, the Senior Engineering Specialist on the project, said so far, about 85 of…

Superior Solar Garden Unveiled

SUPERIOR, Wisc. — There may have been some clouds in the sky, but that did not stop a solar celebration today. It was for the community solar garden in Superior. It will use the sun to generate enough power for about 115 homes, according to Superior Water Light and Power.  Customers were able to buy shares of the solar garden…

Food Trucks In The Northland

DULUTH, Minn. — Northland temperatures are cooling as we ease into fall, but the food truck business is hotter than ever. And Kelsey Auran would know, she has worked for The Rambler for six years and says it was always in owner Jonathan Reznick’s heart to own a food truck. The Rambler was one of the first food truck businesses…