DULUTH, Minn. — Separate healthcare mergers for Essentia Health and St. Luke’s are getting a closer review by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Ellison announced Tuesday it’s his responsibility to consider whether a healthcare transaction is in the public interest, and seek court intervention if he finds that it is not. Essentia Health is in the process of merging with…
DULUTH, Minn. — A public forum was held Tuesday to let the community know more about the Duluth Public Schools Referendum. There will be 2 referendum questions on the November 7 ballot for voters to vote on. The first question would refinance existing debt and make the $2.6 Million dollars that is currently paid by the general fund available for…
DULUTH, Minn. — After purchasing Lake Superior Brewing back in 2020, Sarah and Seth Maxim chipped away at building their new vision for the brewery now located in the East Lakeside Neighborhood. After nearly three years of renovations and dealing with supply chain issues, Lake Superior Brewing finally started serving beer this summer. “We started brewing in May. We tapped…
DULUTH, Minn. — Women make up the largest percentage of domestic abuse reported, but the face of domestic violence continues to evolve to include men and increasingly transgender and non-binary victims. “It definitely affects men, women and all genders. We see, I would say, a decrease in male reporting because of some of the stigma that exists around it. But…
MOOSE LAKE, Minn. — A 95-year-old woman from Moose Lake got a big birthday surprise Sunday in the form of a parade! Eleanor “Tootie” Duckal A fire truck lead the way of the parade full of family and friends. Eleanor “Tootie” Dockal was all smiles from all of the attention. Her granddaughter, Madeline, said Eleanor still drives and loves to…
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…
DULUTH, Minn. — The vision for a new multi-million-dollar Downtown Duluth Library is continuing to take shape. Thursday, the Duluth Library Foundation held an open house for the community to learn more about the proposal. The cost to demolish the current library on west Superior Street and replace with a new one is estimated around $72 million dollars. The city…
DULUTH, Minn. — A free training session took place Thursday to help the families and loved ones of those contemplating suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. At any given time, one in 20 people — or 5% of the population have thought about it. safeTALK,…
SILVER BAY, Minn. — What a way to retire! Custodian Joe Preston got an earful — in a good way — from students Thursday as he left the halls of Lake Superior School District for the last time. Principal Dan Johnson: “Joe Preston has been with Lake Superior School District for 11 years. He took care of everything from general…
A Wisconsin senator is exploring Minnesota’s cannabis legalization efforts in hopes of changing the law in the state. Sen. Melissa Agard, a democrat from Madison, visited Minnesota lawmakers Thursday to talk about their successes around legalizing marijuana. Sen. Agard released a statement saying in part: “Visiting with neighboring legislators who led the charge to legalize cannabis in Minnesota was invigorating….
DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth’s brand new $1.3 million fire truck was on full display Thursday so firefighters could show the rig’s state-of-the-art technology designed to save lives. Quint 4, out of the UMD fire station, is equipped with a system that notifies vehicles that the fire truck is nearby. An alert pops up on a vehicle’s information screen on year…
DULUTH, Minn. — Lake Superior Area Realtors hosted a housing forum for City of Duluth candidates Wednesday. Over 10 candidates participated including both mayoral candidates Emily Larson and Roger Reinert. Topics included housing affordability, rent, homelessness, among others. The forum is a way for the community to learn more about each candidate and their plans for housing in Duluth. “Lake…
DULUTH, Minn. — A Grandma’s Marathon Director retires after an illustrious 40-year career. When Linda Hanson announced her retirement from Grandma’s Marathon, Executive Director Shane Bauer knew it would be difficult to fill her shoes. She officially served as the Finance and Operations Director, but Bauer says she did much more. She planned and organized the Michelina’s Spaghetti Dinner, which…
DULUTH, Minn. — A skatepark years in the making will soon be finished with the help of the City of Duluth. 2 weeks ago, the Gary-New Duluth Development Alliance asked the city council for $100,000. At Monday night’s city council meeting the alliance found out they are set to receive $40,000 from tourism tax dollars. Mayor Emily Larson’s new Duluth…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth School District is asking for the community’s patience as it continues to investigate Duluth East head football coach Joe Hietala. Duluth police said Hietala was asked to leave school grounds Saturday morning after complaints by parents and staff that he was “intoxicated.” Police confirmed he had “signs of impairment.” Hietala voluntarily left on foot without…
POPLAR, Wis. — In this week’s Knowing Your Neighbor segment, we take you to SRX Off-Road Ranch. We meet racers Hannah Johnston, Teegan Metz, Collin Sweeney, and Tucker Olsen, as well as race director Chris Verhel while taking in the days action. The SRX facility has been in operation since 2021, hosting a fall racing series for locals with dirt…
DULUTH, Minn. — A local organization that offers free meals, clothing, and other programs to people in need are asking for the community’s help. The Damiano Center in Duluth is seeking winter clothes ahead of the cooler months. That includes jackets, hats, scarves, socks, boots, and anything that can help someone stay warm. There are 2 clothing programs at the…
DULUTH, Minn. –It was a gray day with thick clouds and the howling wind sending a bit of rain onto the people walking and running in the 5K to raise awareness and money for Aruna. Aruna is a non-profit group that works to free women in India who have been trafficked by organized groups in India. Many of the walkers…
DULUTH, Minn. — Bentleyville Tour of Lights is looking for more volunteers as they get things started. It takes hundreds of people to set up one of the biggest light shows in the United States, which brings in thousands of people from across the country to Duluth every year. Volunteers will be needed every weekend from 8:30 a.m. to 4…
DULUTH, Minn. — A local organization is raising awareness about child abuse in the region through the beauty of art. First Witness Child Advocacy Center was developed 30 years ago in Duluth with the mission of strengthening our community’s response to child abuse. Throughout the years they’ve added new programs to assist families, along with prevention programs in the schools….
DULUTH, Minn. — There’s something about dogs, docks, and big bodies of water that make for the best entertainment for us humans. The Petlandia Pet Expo at the DECC will take all three things and make quite the splash this weekend. DockDogs Northern Stars is an affiliate club of DockDogs and the longest running club of 20 years. It’s a…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. — For the first time in history, the Hermantown Fire Department will be staffed with two full time paid firefighters. The fire fighters will also serve in leadership roles as Fire Chief and Fire Inspector. According to Mayor Wayne Boucher, the new structure begins January 1 and will cost the City less than $300,000. He explained how the…
Barry family DULUTH, Minn. — It’s been about a year and a half since the Barry family was killed in their Duluth home by a relative. And now, the community is close to celebrating improvements at Chester Park in the name of the Barry’s daughters – Shiway and Sadie. The community helped raise $22,000 to install a new spinner element,…
DULUTH, Minn. – New workforce housing is coming to a prominent location in downtown Duluth. But it won’t be in the form of a new building. Duluth-based Titanium Partners will soon be transforming the historic Ordean Building across from Maurices on West Superior Street into 35 new apartments, according to Brian Forcier, owner of Titanium Partners. The units will be…
DULUTH, Minn. — A new Task Force is coming to the City of Duluth to evaluate the cities indoor youth athletics facilities. The Indoor Athletics Venues Task Force will create a set of recommendations to improve older infrastructure, make better use of those venues, and replace existing indoor facilities. Todd Fedora, the chair of the new task force says one…
DULUTH, Minn. — Sheila St. Clair was last seen in the Central Hillside neighborhood in August of 2015, a month later she was reported missing. 8 years later she is still nowhere to be found. An observance ceremony was held Wednesday to serve as a reminder to push for any new leads or information about the case and to keep…
DULUTH, Minn. — If you love animals, there’s a fantastic fundraiser coming up Oct. 14. It’s the annual Fur Ball at the Northland Country Club in Duluth. The fundraiser is the biggest event of the year for Animal Allies. FOX 21’s Dan Hanger will once again be the MC. Your ticket comes with complimentary beer, wine, hors d’oeuvres and desserts…
DULUTH, Minn. – A downtown Duluth housing study shows the potential for as many as 2,500 new housing units within the next five years. It’s a welcomed projection for a downtown that’s seen undesirable vacancy rates since the pandemic, like other cities have experienced across the country. The outside firm, Zimmerman-Volk Associates, presented its findings publicly Tuesday, which shows downtown…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Playhouse — one of the nation’s oldest non-profit theatres — has officially been handed the key to the historic NorShor Theatre as the new owners of the state-of-the-art facility. Sherman Associates, the developer that took on the $29.5 million overhaul of the theatre in 2017, officially closed its chapter on the project Tuesday with a…
DULUTH, Minn. — Believe it or not, it’s time to talk Christmas and Bentleyville Tour of Lights! On Tuesday, some of the storage trucks and equipment – even some decorations — were already in the parking lot at Bayfront Festival Park. The first day of volunteering starts this Saturday from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. That schedule will continue every…
SUPERIOR, Wis. — Superior Mayor Jim Paine is touting his 2024 budget proposal as the largest public investment in the city in decades. Mayor Paine on Tuesday said the city is well positioned to invest in city services and public infrastructure, while decreasing taxes. Paine said the growing local economy, a restructured budget he and his predecessor designed to function…
DULUTH, Minn. — Lake Superior Art Glass is providing a spooktacular experience all throughout September and October. Instead of people carving their own pumpkins, people in Canal Park can watch their pumpkins be created out of glass. It’s the design your own pumpkin event. You can choose body color, stem color, and color on the ridges, as well as the…
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber have joined forces to help rebuild Duluth’s aging air traffic control tower. The two have sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his team to urge the FAA to expedite any reviews and approvals necessary for the Duluth International Airport to pursue a federal grant to help get a…
DULUTH, Minn. — Another growing homeless encampment in Duluth got torn down and moved out Monday. It comes as local and state leaders try to strike a balance between public health and safety, and caring for those facing their worst days without a roof over their heads. The lack of affordable housing in Duluth continues to be highlighted by the…
POPLAR, Wis. – If you’ve driven southbound on Highway 53 near Solon Springs this fall, you may have caught a glimpse of some high-octane action. SRX Offroad Ranch in Poplar has been operating since 2021, offering a family friendly racing environment for locals to have fun in the dirt on motorcycles, 4-wheelers, and UTVs. If you’d like to join the…
DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth’s old Central High School has been on the minds of many this past year. A small exhibit which features historic artifacts from the school has just a few days left at the Depot. “It’s disappointing that our schools is closed down,” said Gary Doty, former mayor of Duluth and 1966 graduate of the old Central High…
DULUTH, Minn. — A celebration of beer, brats, and German traditions wrapped up this weekend in Duluth. The 4th annual Oktoberfest took place at Bayfront Festival Park, the three-day celebration of German culture. People enjoyed and experienced traditional German food, drinks, and live music. The event was for all ages, closing on Sunday was family day. Families enjoyed a wide variety…
DULUTH, Minn. — It is the opening weekend for pick your own pumpkin at Farmer Doug’s in Duluth. The farm has 3 acres of pumpkins. All ranging from big pumpkins perfect for carving to pie pumpkins, gourds, and squash. And even with the lack of rain we’ve had this summer, the pumpkins were able to survive and grow. Co-owner Doug…
DULUTH, Minn. — It’s apple picking season, or at least it is in sixteen different parks around Duluth. As part of Duluth’s Arbor Day, the Duluth Parks and Recreational team is informing the public about public orchards. There are twelve different varieties of apples within the 16 parks with public orchards. And one park even has a cherry orchard. “Around…
DULUTH, Minn. — After several historic items from Duluth’s Central High School were auctioned off this past summer. Duluth Central Alumni Association was able to salvage many of the items from the auction for all to enjoy. Those artifacts became part of an exhibit honoring the school. Even though the school has been closed down since 2011 the Duluth Central…
DULUTH, Minn. — September is Hunger Action Month and one food bank in Duluth is raising awareness. Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank hosted a “behind the scenes” tour of their distribution center to show their agency partners and donors what they do, as well as the impact they have on our community. The nationwide campaign raises awareness, food and…
DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota Senator Tina Smith held a hearing this week on the lack of housing nationwide and ways the housing situation could be improved. Smith is the Chair of the Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development. She says the housing shortage is not a new issue, it’s been happening and growing for the past 30 years. Smith…
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, Minn. — As the weather starts getting colder, a domestic violence survivor shelter in Duluth is asking for the community’s help by donating. Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center serves 7 counties in northern Minnesota providing services to more than 15-hundred people annually. The shelter is asking for people to donate by going through their Amazon Wishlist. The Wishlist…
DULUTH, Minn. — A new partnership between the City of Duluth and the DECC has temporarily resolved an issue with making skating ice at the arena. The ice facility was closed down in March because it was determined to be unsafe and too old for repairs. It has been a host to many youth hockey tournaments and figure skating competitions…
DULUTH, Minn. — City of Duluth crews are repairing 3 water main breaks in the Spirit Valley Neighborhood. The City says water has been turned off on North 56th Avenue West to North 59th Avenue West from Roosevelt Street to Main Street, including the dead-end water main below Main Street on South 57th Avenue West and South 58th Avenue West….
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…
DULUTH, Minn. — The gift of fudge will be sweet for our troops during the holidays, and you can help. It may be a little soon for some of us to think about the holidays, but Rocky Mountain Chocolate owners Debbie and Michael Bolen say the time is now. For every pound of fudge purchased, the owners will match a…
DULUTH, Minn. — After years of trying, the Duluth Police department has officially been given the OK to purchase its own Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV) instead of continuing to borrow Superior’s armored vehicle for the city’s most dangerous calls. The council voted 8-0 Monday night to approve Duluth Police Chief Mike Ceynowa to purchase the nearly $380,000 piece of equipment….
DULUTH, Minn. — Benedictine Living Community in Duluth is celebrating those who live and work in assisted living with a week full of fun events. It is National Assisted Living Week and this year’s theme is “Season of Reflection” with events such as a cornhole tournament, dunk tank, special music, and barbeque throughout the week. Benedictine is recognizing those who…
