Coronavirus

Duluth Fire Department Receives Donation of Tools from Home Depot

The Duluth Fire Department received a big donation today of tools that will help them when responding to emergencies.

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Fire Department received a big donation today of tools that will help them when responding to emergencies. $2,500 worth of equipment was donated to the fire department and officials say they are grateful for the support. The tools will be going out to all of the stations throughout the city, specifically being used on fire…

Major Funding Comes to Wisconsin to Help Those Hit by the Pandemic

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced a $300 million federal program that provides funding to Wisconsin residents hit hard by the pandemic pay rent and utilities.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced a $300 million federal program that provides funding to Wisconsin residents hit hard by the pandemic pay rent and utilities. So far, the Northwest Wisconsin Community Services Agency has helped 600 since the pandemic started. Leadership from this group says this new funding should help the community a great deal. “They’ve lost…

Ordinance Changes Incorporates Waived Conversion Fee, Encourages Increase of Affordable Housing Options

The City of Duluth will now be waiving a fee that’s been in place for years. It’s part of an effort to help promote affordable housing in the area.

DULUTH, Minn. – The City of Duluth will now be waiving a fee that’s been in place for years. It’s part of an effort to help promote affordable housing in the area. The Duluth City Council has changed an ordinance to help encourage people to invest in condemned properties and turn them into rentals. The city has been charging a $1,500…

Bent Paddle Festiversary for 2021 Canceled

For the second year in a row, Festiversary will be canceled at Bent Paddle due to the pandemic.

DULUTH, Minn. – For the second year in a row, Festiversary will be canceled at Bent Paddle due to the pandemic. The celebration usually takes place in May around the anniversary of the brewery where they celebrate with plenty of music and of course, beer. Organizers are hopeful next year’s event will go off without a hitch. “It’s just such…

Mental Health Issues Increase During Pandemic

Some mental health service centers in the Northland have seen an uptick in clients since the pandemic began.

DULUTH, Minn. – Some mental health service centers in the Northland have seen an uptick in clients since the pandemic began. Over at North Shore Mental Health Services in Duluth, therapists say 75% of their current clientele are new and have never been to therapy in the past. One therapist we spoke to says the pandemic is a big factor,…

Busy Week for DECC

The DECC has been having its busiest week since the start of the pandemic.

DULUTH, Minn. – The DECC has been having its busiest week since the start of the pandemic. This week there is UMD Women’s Hockey, UMD Men’s Hockey, COVID-19 testing along with a performance by the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra. With athletics, music, and entertainment all happening, management at the DECC is happy to hear that the space is being utilized….

Boxes of Food Distributed to People in the Area

The DECC parking lot was busy with cars as boxes of food were distributed for free to people in the area.

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth labor unions and organizations came together to distribute thousands of boxes of food at the DECC to Northland residents hit hard by the pandemic. The DECC parking lot was busy with cars as boxes of food were distributed for free to people in the area. There were two semi-trucks full of 2,400 boxes and 2,400 gallons…

Sales Tax Increase Could Lead to More Recreation Opportunities

New recreation opportunities could soon be increasing in Hermantown.

HERMANTOWN, Minn. – New recreation opportunities could soon be increasing in Hermantown. With a small sales tax increase, the city is hoping to get the Community Recreation Initiative off the ground. If approved, it could include the completion of a city-wide trail system that would eventually connect through Proctor and Hermantown down to the Munger Trail. It would also reimagine…

Superior Wants Public Input on Comprehensive Plan

The City of Superior is asking for the input of its residents to help come up with its comprehensive plan.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The City of Superior is asking for the input of its residents to help come up with its comprehensive plan. The plan is a roadmap for the next twenty years and includes items like housing, economic development, and transportation. The document will be referenced by the city council, residents, and city staff. In order to put the…

Northland Schools Consider Kindergarten Enrollment Numbers

According to the Minnesota Department of Education, COVID-19 has caused a 9% drop in students enrolling in public kindergarten options. How are Northland schools doing with kindergarten enrollment numbers?

NORTHLAND – According to the Minnesota Department of Education, COVID-19 has caused a 9% drop in students enrolling in public kindergarten options. How are Northland schools doing with kindergarten enrollment numbers? A variety of factors have influenced the kindergarten enrollment numbers, whether it be homeschooling, switching to private schools, or participating in other programming. At Hermantown schools, the current kindergarten…

Vaccine Delivery, Winter Weather Slow Shipments

With vaccine deliveries and the powerful winter weather in Texas, local shipping places have been impacted.

DULUTH, Minn. – With vaccine deliveries and the powerful winter weather in Texas, local shipping places have been impacted. At the Mail Room in Duluth, management says that with FedEx and UPS delivering lots of COVID vaccines, it slows down the process for shipping other items. Not only is that a concern, but also the winter weather is like that…

Tax Season Underway

It’s the beginning of tax season, which is means tax preparers are getting busier.

DULUTH, Minn. – It’s the beginning of tax season, which is means Tax preparers are getting busier. Income tax and consultants in Duluth say generally the early birds are the ones wanting to get their refunds right away but this year has been a little different as they are seeing many early filers who owe money as some want to…

Mobile Market Coming to Northland

Whether it be grains, dairy, or canned goods, a new mobile market will be delivering goods in a refrigerated truck to locations throughout Duluth.

DULUTH, Minn. – Whether it be grains, dairy, or canned goods, a new mobile market will be delivering goods in a refrigerated truck to locations throughout Duluth. Community Action Duluth is opening the market in order to meet the needs of food insecurity in the area. The market will be visiting Morgan Park, Lincoln Park, and Harbor Highlands and include…

Former Duluth City Attorney Gunnar Johnson To Run Iditarod, Runs for Suicide Awareness and Prevention

With the Iditarod coming up in March, one Duluth musher will be running his dogs for suicide awareness.

ALASKA – With the Iditarod coming up in March, one Duluth musher will be running his dogs for suicide awareness. It was in 2010 when Gunnar Johnson lost his first cousin Benjamin Curry Stassen to suicide. Benjamin was just a 21-year-old junior in college when he had passed away. In remembrance of both his cousin and others who have been…

Funding Still Needed for Skate Park at Gary New Duluth Recreation Center

A new skate park is coming to the Gary New Duluth Recreation Center.

DULUTH, Minn. – A new skate park is coming to the Gary New Duluth Rec Center. Earlier today, large concrete blocks were delivered to the site to help build a 95-foot retaining wall. More than $300,000 have been invested in the skate park, while they need about $350 thousand more to complete the project. “I think people look at this…

Duluth Aging Support Provides Help to Seniors and Caregivers in Northland

A new nonprofit is focusing on helping seniors and their caregivers in the Northland.

DULUTH, Minn. – A new nonprofit is focusing on helping seniors and their caregivers in the Northland. Duluth Aging Support provides resources through its website specifically with categories like arts and entertainment, caregiver support, and COVID-19 information. The nonprofit also collaborates with other organizations like Age Well Arrowhead, Family Freedom Center, and Mentor North. Leaders of Duluth Aging Support say…

Wildwoods Continues to Rehabilitate Animals During the Pandemic

Just last week, someone discovered a coyote that was lying on the side of the road, which was hit by a car. The person who discovered it contacted Duluth police who then got in touch with Wildwoods.

DULUTH, Minn. – Despite the pandemic, Wildwoods is continuing to help rehabilitate animals throughout the area. Just last week, someone discovered a coyote that was lying on the side of the road, which was hit by a car. The person who discovered it contacted Duluth police who then got in touch with Wildwoods. While the animal’s pelvis was fractured in…

Moving and Storing Covid-19 Vaccine Remains Big Priority for St. Louis County, Local Hospitals

NORTHLAND– As vaccine rollout continues, storage and handling of doses remains crucial to avoid batches from being wasted. St. Louis County Public Health and other health care organizations receive a new shipment of vaccines every Tuesday from the Minnesota Department of Health and the CDC. Doses are kept in specialized coolers with temperature gauges and data loggers to constantly track…

For Frigid Temperatures, How Does the Power Grid Work in the Northland?

Power has just started being restored to millions in Texas following a deadly blast of winter that overwhelmed the electrical grid and left millions shivering in the cold this week. With many blaming their infrastructure for not being ready for winter, Minnesota Power talks about what the power grid looks like in our colder region.

NORTHLAND – Power has just started being restored to millions in Texas following a deadly blast of winter that overwhelmed the electrical grid and left millions shivering in the cold this week. With many blaming their infrastructure for not being ready for winter, Minnesota Power talks about what the power grid looks like in our colder region. The power grid…

St. Louis County Board Approves Production Incentive Program for TV and Films

The St. Louis County Board has approved of a production incentive program for TV and films, and application forms are now available online.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY – The St. Louis County Board has approved of a production incentive program for TV and films, and application forms are now available online. The county board says it will commit to investing $1 million in the program in 2021. With the program, productions can receive a rebate of up to 25% of all production spending for…

After Nearly 9 Years, New Home for Brown Bears and Otters

After nearly 9 years of being closed, the Lake Superior Zoo’s Bear Country Exhibit is finally finished and is the home for two brown bears and two otters.

DULUTH, Minn. – A major exhibit is now finished after being closed for nearly a decade at the Lake Superior Zoo. After nearly 9 years of being closed, the Lake Superior Zoo’s Bear Country Exhibit is finally finished and is the home for two brown bears and two otters. The exhibit was a more than $3.8 million investment. It closed…

Duluth Edison Charter Schools Offer New Educational Option

Duluth Edison Charter Schools is offering a new blended learning program starting next school year.

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Edison Charter Schools is offering a new blended learning program starting next school year. In the fall, there will be another option for students in grades 6 through 8 where they can be onsite 1 day a week and participate from home 4 days a week with programming specifically designed for those students and driven by…