DULUTH, Minn. — Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Canal Park is getting in the Halloween spirit with black cat and monster caramel apples, among other creepy characters. They have about 6 different designs for these staple holiday sweets, but also offer a wide variety of other fall treats like pumpkin fudge, pumpkin spice caramels and toffees, and different fall themed…
DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota Governor Tim Walz made a stop in Duluth Thursday to highlight some of the state’s bonding projects passed in 2020, including a soon-to-be new seawall behind the DECC. It was part of the Walz’s kick-off for his ‘local jobs and projects tour’ to celebrate bonding projects throughout the state currently in the works to improve infrastructure…
SUPERIOR, Wisc. – A new self-pour bar will soon be open in Superior. Owners of the Duluth Tap Exchange have a new location on tower avenue called ‘Tap on Tower.’ The establishment will have 40 beers on tap, a full bar, and food. Staff say they are excited to bring this experience to the city of Superior. “I think it’s…
DULUTH, Minn. — With so many jobs open across the state employers are having to get creative with ways to recruit and find the next batch of eager workers. A skilled trade job fair was held at Clyde Iron Works in Duluth today where jobseekers in the Northeast were invited to network with employers in search of jobs in manufacturing…
MINNESOTA — Senator Amy Klobuchar tells us she’s thrilled to see the Canadian border opening back up and says the financial impact goes far beyond tourism. Klobuchar says Canada is the best trading partner in Minnesota, so it’s important to keep communication and relationships open with them to do business. Nationally, about $1.4 billion worth of goods goes back and…
LUTSEN, Minn. – When it comes to the birthplace of a good chardonnay or merlot, chances are Minnesota doesn’t come to mind. One business located in Lutsen, however, is looking to change that perception. “Just trying new things is very important. You don’t know what you like until you try it,” said Jayden Corliss, general manager at North Shore Winery….
DULUTH, Minn. — The annual Sports and Collector Show is back at the Miller Hill Mall for the first of three days this weekend. With an expected 30 vendors, and some precious memorabilia, this show is bringing in some of the best items in local sport collections. One collector explains the value of these items has increased the past few…
DULUTH, Minn. — In 2022 the Viking cruise ship will be in the Great Lakes and Duluth is poised to reap the benefits. A report published by UMD’s Bureau of Business and Economics revealing initial visits would have a small economic impact, but over time it could add 60 jobs annually and more than five million dollars in added spending…
DULUTH, Minn. — “One of the things we have learned in the past 18 months, the past two years is the urgent need we have in this community for every resident in this community to have access to reliable high-speed internet or broadband,” Duluth Mayor, Emily Larson says. On Friday the city of Duluth announced they are looking for the…
DULUTH, Minn. — For the past two years, while businesses have responded and adjusted to covid, one local and traditional business has still proven to be a fan favorite. The Portland Malt Shoppe on East Superior has been in business since 1989, and as they prepare to close down for the season, staff tells us that since they are such…
DULUTH, Minn. – FOX 21 learned Monday that all six employee unions with the city of Duluth have rejected the administration’s new healthcare proposal for 2022. This comes after a rally outside City Hall late last week where union members said they have a strong health fund and want to keep it that way. The proposed changes to employee health…
BAYFIELD, Wis.- The drought reduced crop yields at apple orchards in Bayfield some as much as 40%, so many orchard stands offered fewer apple products at Apple Fest than in years past. “Usually every year we make around 8,000 caramel apples but this year we were only able to do 5,000,” said Madison Gingras, working at the Apple Hill Orchard…
BAYFIELD, Wis.- Having Apple Fest back is a big economic boost to Bayfield and its surrounding towns and communities. And this comes after businesses like ‘Bayfield Inn’ saw a busier summer than last year. The Assistant General Manager telling us, it was at times difficult to keep up with, with the cost of goods going up. The inn is one…
BAYFIELD, Wisc. — “I think people are excited to be outside again and to gather,” Apostle Island Booksellers Store Manager, Kristen Sandstrom says. After having a different variation of the event last year, Apple Fest is coming back to downtown Bayfield this weekend. “We expect to have at least 20,000 people in and around the area this weekend,” Bayfield Chamber…
NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon’s new robot can hear, see and follow you around the home, but it’s no Rosey the Robot. Amazon’s version, called Astro, doesn’t cook or clean like the animated character from “The Jetsons,” but it can check if you left the stove on while you’re out or send an alert if someone enters the house it…
GRAND MARAIS, Minn. – As summer winds down and fall settles in across the region, local businesses along the North Shore are thankful for a final push before snow begins the fly. “Nice cool weather and beautiful scenery,” said Eric Humphrey, co-owner of Lake Superior Trading Post. If you ask any local along the North Shore, every day is a…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – As we head into the colder months, a cup of coffee is wonderful at any time of the day. When you pair it with compassion and empathy, the customers just keep coming back. “The coffee’s good, but the pizza is even better,” said Aaron Bialke, a customer from Grand Rapids. It’s hard to pinpoint a favorite part…
DULUTH, Minn. –For the first time in Duluth, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis held a roundtable on Monday to learn about how businesses owners who are women and/or people of color are doing during the pandemic. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis is a part of America’s central banking system, which oversees financial institutions and creates economic policies. The…
DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth’s newest affordable housing development is officially open for tenants. Tuesday, One Roof Community Housing cut the ribbon for Decker Dwellings, on Decker Drive. It’s a three-story building with 42 units including one, two, and three bedroom apartments. Construction started last September, all with a goal of helping addressing the affordable housing crisis in the city of…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Former longtime Duluth city attorney Gunnar Johnson is now going to work in that same role with the city of Hermantown. The city council voted unanimously Monday night to hire Johnson, who will start in January. He is replacing Steve Overom who held the city attorney position for 42 years. Overom is scaling back duties with the…
SUPERIOR, Wisc. — Enrollment has jumped up at UWS this year. After what was a challenging 2020 for most area colleges, the University of Wisconsin-Superior was down nearly four percent. The college also saw a dip in transfers and international students. This year, however, they have seen a 23 percent increase in the freshmen class something admissions is excited about….
DULUTH, Minn.– Wedding businesses are happy to see the industry making a comeback after many months of uncertainty when it came to planning. The Wedding Parlour from Grand Rapids has been in business for 37 years, and has been making a comeback along with the industry after the pandemic. The owner says she’s happy to see business start to pick…
DULUTH, Minn.- September is Workforce Development Month and is the end of unemployment benefits for many, and Duluth’s Workforce Development team is offering their services to job seekers. In the Twin Ports, 19,000 people were taken out of the labor force since the beginning of the pandemic, and workforce development has recovered nearly 70 percent of those jobs lost. “We’ve…
DULUTH, Minn.– Essentia Health is looking for the next wave a healthcare workers, and they did so today with a big hiring event at the Miller Hill Mall. In only the first two hours of the event, close to 100 people came by, and dozens left with new jobs. Today’s hiring event was meant to address that employee shortage, but…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- The Superior City Council decided to shake up the way they allocate tourism tax dollars, voting in favor of establishing a commission put forward by Mayor Jim Paine to handle the city’s tourism revenue, a role currently held by Travel Superior. According to the Mayor, this does not cut out Travel Superior from the equation but opens the…
DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth Mayor Emily Larson brought her proposed general fund budget of $97.1 million for next year before council Monday evening. “I have always believed that budgets are moral documents. Every single Duluthian needs to know that, in some way that is meaningful to them, we are in their corner,” Mayor Larson said. “There is no more important way…
SUPERIOR, Wisc.– Superior Mayor Jim Paine is touting his 2022 budget proposal as one that won’t increase taxes or fees. He says it eliminates $3 million in debt, improves areas of public transit, invests nearly a million dollars into public art and community grants, and fully funds the street maintenance program in 2022, and for the next 5 years. “Citizens…
DULUTH, Minn.– The Bluestone property has continued to expand, and become a more vibrant and sought-after area to live over the past years. Today, Bluestone, which opened back in late July, held the official grand opening of its most recent luxury apartments called the ‘Vue at Bluestone’ where both residents and contributors came together to officially celebrate this new property….
DULUTH, Minn.– Lots of organizations have struggled through the past year, as most of their major annual fundraisers have had to move either virtual, or canceled all together. This year, they are still running into some of the same issues but are hoping to round up support online. Some of these fundraisers were all set up and ready to go…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- At Tuesday night’s council meeting, Superior Mayor Jim Paine’s proposal to create a tourism commission to handle how the city spends its tourism tax revenue — a role currently held by Travel Superior — was referred to a special Committee of the Whole Meeting for more discussion. The decision was made after more than an hour of public…
DULUTH, Minn.- Starting Tuesday, anyone parking at the DECC will have to pay double, as the rate will increase for the first time in 13 years. Parking at the DECC will now cost $10, up from $5 previously. The rate will also be $10 at Marcus Cinema, though you will still get reimbursed once you buy a movie ticket. DECC…
DULUTH, Minn. — A natural gas issue forced the entire Fitger’s Complex to shut down on Sunday evening, cutting the night short for local businesses inside. That’s according to a Facebook post from the Boat Club Restaurant And Bar. The restaurant said it would reschedule Sunday reservations by calling customers individually. It’s unclear when the building will reopen. Categories: Business,…
DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Central Labor body held their annual picnic cooking hundreds of hot dogs and corn on the cob. “We normally have a children’s area. But this year due to the fact that twelve and under can’t get vaccinated as a committee we decided to cancel that. But we are happy to be here,” Duluth Central Labor…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- Duluth Superior Pride Fest weekend isn’t just uplifting for the community, it’s also great for local businesses, like the Main Club. The nightclub in Superior dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community is normally staffed with five bartenders year-round. But Pride, the busiest weekend of the year, requires more — even some from out of town. “For a lot of,…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Coleman Co. will close its plant in Sauk Rapids, resulting in 175 people losing their jobs. Coleman, owned by Newell Brands, notified the state that the plant would close by the end of the year. In the filing, Coleman said it is ceasing production at Sauk Rapids and that layoffs will be permanent. Layoffs will be…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – The president and CEO of Superior’s visitor’s bureau, known as Travel Superior, is speaking out against Mayor Jim Paine’s proposal to create a tourism commission to handle 100 percent of the city’s tourism tax revenue. Taylor Pedersen believes the process to potentially do away with Travel Superior has been rushed and he doesn’t believe a six-person commission…
SUPERIOR, Wisc.– In preparation for the holiday weekend, some local meat shops are stocking up for people who want to grill out. Superior Meats on Tower Avenue offers a lot of different products, including more than 150 different kinds of brats, prime cuts of beef and burgers. While it won’t be as busy as the Fourth of July, the shop…
FINLAND, Minn.- Other businesses in the small town of Finland have seen more firefighters coming through after the Eastern Area Incident Command Post moved there from Isabella while fighting the Greenwood Fire. The Finland Co-Op a staple of the community since the 1900s, has been there for the firefighters’ daily essentials like snacks, clothes, and coffee they give them free….
BAYFIELD, Wisc. — Orchards in Bayfield are already looking forward to Apple Fest for a variety of reasons. Despite losing the majority of their strawberry crops in the spring, Erickson Orchard just outside of Bayfield is banking on a healthy apple crop and a large turnout of people during the festival. “We lost 95-100%. The little bit that I got…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – After Duluth had its own battle with changing the way tourism tax dollars are allocated for marketing purposes, Superior Mayor Jim Paine is proposing his own changes when it comes to using hotel-motel taxes. Paine is calling for the creation of a tourism commission made up of six members that would handle making all of the decisions…
BWCAW – The Cook County Sheriff’s Office and Gunflint fire personnel are alerting people along a northern portion of the Gunflint Trail to “get ready” for potential evacuations because of growing wildfires in the BWCAW. The pre-evacuation alert is for property owners from Seagull Lake to the south end of Loon Lake. Sheriff Pat Eliasen posted on social media Monday…
DULUTH, Minn.- A new food truck in the Twin Ports is pushing the boundaries of what goes on the hotdog. “Hotdogs are fun. You can just put anything on a hotdog,” said Cory Netland. “We just have a book full of recipes and ideas.” So, what’s UpDawg? It’s the newest food truck in the Twin Ports launched by Netland and…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – The city of Superior is looking into whether the city should be home to the area’s next convention center. A feasibility study is underway right now by a company out of the Twin Cities. The city’s planning director, Jason Serck, said the convention center wouldn’t be as big as the DECC in Duluth, but a size that…
DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth School Superintendent John Magas will continue to have executive power over the Duluth School Board during the 2021-2022 school year when it comes to the safety of students related to Covid-19. This comes after the school board voted last night following a recommendation from the Minnesota School Board Association. Magas says, he is looking to maximize…
DULUTH, Minn. – The city council made a historic vote Monday evening to approve a new $1.8 million tourism marketing contract to a firm in Minneapolis – Bellmont Partners and its partner Lawrence & Schiller — instead of Visit Duluth, which has held the job since 1935. Councilor Joel Sipress voted against the contract resolution. Councilor Zack Filipovich abstained because…
DULUTH, Minn.- At their Monday meeting Duluth City Council is set to discuss Mayor Emily Larson’s plan to put Duluth’s next marketing contract out for bid for the first time since Visit Duluth got the job in 1935, and why the winner went to Minneapolis-based Bellmont Partners — not a local firm. Mayor Larson says she believes Bellmont Partners is…
DULUTH, Minn.- A staple of Duluth’s theater scene prepares its comeback after 18 months dark with a stronger step to curb the spike in COVID cases in the Northland. Vaccines, or a negative COVID test will be required for audience members hoping to catch a Renegade Theater Company show at Zeitgeist’s Teatro Zuccone. The Company announced that in addition to…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Mayor Emily Larson addressed city councilors at Thursday night’s agenda meeting — three days after announcing her plan to outsource the city’s 2022 marketing contract and no longer use Visit Duluth. It’s a bold move Larson acknowledges, and one that’s fueled a lot of pushback from the local creative community. As FOX 21’s Dan Hanger reports,…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth city councilors are getting an earful and raising questions — one day after Mayor Emily Larson boldly announced plans to pass up longtime Visit Duluth for the city’s next tourism marketing contract worth nearly $2 million and instead choose Minneapolis-based Bellmont Partners and its partner, Lawrence & Schiller. Mayor Larson told FOX 21 she stands by…
BAYFIELD, Wisc. — Tourism in Bayfield has been up this summer. Hotels are being completely booked and businesses are seeing peak Apple Fest numbers. The weekly foot traffic throughout the summer has been due to events being back in session like the Point to LaPointe swim and weekly concerts by the lake held every Tuesday. This most recent concert was…
