Business

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…

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…

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…

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…

City To Break Ground On DECC Seawall-Waterfront Reconstruction

DULUTH, Minn. — The summer season has past and so has another delay in a major seawall-waterfront reconstruction project behind the DECC.  But, FOX 21 confirmed Thursday that construction is officially getting underway later this month. Rendering of what the area will look like come 2025 Jim Filby Williams, the city’s director of public administration, said all federal and state…

DECC Exec. Dir. Addresses Job Cuts At Struggling Entertainment Venue

DULUTH, Minn.– DECC Exec. Dir. Dan Hartman found himself in the spotlight Thursday after news broke Wednesday night that he was cutting DECC expenses in the hundreds of thousands, including layoffs and eliminating positions. “So, the DECC has been definitely between a rock and a hard place. I think I talked about this with the City Council a couple weeks…

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…

28-Year DECC Employee Among Positions Eliminated Amid Financial Struggles

DULUTH, Minn. – FOX 21 has learned that multiple job eliminations have begun at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC), just one week since Executive Director Dan Hartman asked and received a $1 million emergency line of credit from the city council. DECC Exec. Dir. Dan Hartman during an interview with FOX 21 Sept. 24 Hartman said at the time…

Attorney General Ellison Wants Public Input On Essentia, St. Luke’s Mergers

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…

Local Advocates Raise Awareness Of Domestic Violence

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

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…

College Loan Payments Begin Again

Those who owe are forced to deal with return to the way it was.

For many college students, Halloween is not nearly as frightening as the debt they are racking up. And this month, a three-year pause in paying back loans came to an end. The national break had been put in place during the pandemic. But it all came to an end this month, and millions must now resume making payments. For many…

Childcare Grants for Providers in Superior and Douglas County

SUPERIOR, Wisc. — The City of Superior has established a grant program that can provide up to $10,000 for childcare providers in the city to use for capital projects. These projects should enhance the overall quality, safety, and accessibility of the childcare facilities.  Douglas County childcare providers can receive up to $5,000 for capital projects. On Saturday, September 30 the…

Spirit Mountain Summer Season Recap

DULUTH, Minn. — The summer season has wrapped up for Spirit Mountain and soon it will be their busy winter season. The mountain’s interim executive director says summer revenue is about a third of their earned revenue. Summer activities have grown over the years with more mountain bike trails added and being one of 6 gold rides declared by the…

WI Senator Explores Minnesota’s Cannabis Legalization Success

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….

Bentleyville’s 128-Foot Iconic Tree Struck By Vandals

DULUTH, Minn. — Disappointment from the crew at Bentleyville Tour of Lights, which has become victim again to vandals before it’s even set up for the season. Vandals destroyed thousands of dollars of cords and equipment from the 128-foot Bentleyville tree. Crews noticed the damage while starting to set up Bayfront for the popular display. The tree structure was stored…

Eight Duluth Busineses to Receive $3,500 to Help Revitalize Downtown and Canal Park

DULUTH, Minn. –More than a half-dozen downtown Duluth businesses have landed storefront grants of $3,500 each. The grants are designed to improve the lighting, storefront, and patio space of the businesses to help revitalize downtown. The companies receiving the grants are Dubh Linn Pub; Anchor’s End Tattoo, Rabbit, Bird & Bear; Duluth Coffee; Joseph Nease Gallery; Hamilton Monroe & Co.;…

St. Luke’s and United Steelworkers Local 9460 Reach Tentataive Agreement

  DULUTH, Minn. — St. Luke’s has announced that it and United Steelworkers Local 9460 (USW) have reached a tentative contract agreement. The agreement covers technical workers at St. Luke’s. The USW will bring the tentative one-year contract to its approximately 140 members for their vote in the near future. In a statement on its website, USW Local 9460 said…

Council Approves Wage Increase for Duluth Firefighters

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth Firefighters Local 101 is feeling some relief after finding out firefighters will receive a wage increase the start of the upcoming year. The Duluth city council passed a resolution Monday for an 8% market\-rate adjustment for the firefighters. This was in response to a study finding their pay came in last for fire departments in the…

Duluth’s Goodwill Rebrands As ‘True North’

DULUTH, Minn. — A Duluth organization over 100 years old is getting a facelift with a rebrand. True North Goodwill is what they are calling it. It is to bring the organization to the forefront of shopper’s minds in the region. As part of the rebrand they celebrated the opening of their career navigation center, a place to find a…

Cirrus Aircraft Opens New Innovation Center

DULUTH, Minn. — Cirrus Aircraft is celebrating the grand opening of its 189,000 square foot Innovation Center. Located at the Duluth International Airport the new building includes new state of the art facilities. Those include a test lab, material and processes lab, new equipment and testing capabilities, and collaborative workspaces. It also includes more jobs with 30 engineers and technicians…

Duluth Council Reluctantly Approves $1M Loan For DECC

DULUTH, Minn. – The DECC is getting its $1 million safety loan from the city of Duluth, but councilors don’t want it to happen again. DECC Exec. Dir. Dan Hartman has said the entertainment venue’s current business model needs to be reimagined. Hartman has been the DECC’s new leader since 2021. He said the DECC’s reserves are at around $891,000,…

Knowing Your Neighbor: SRX Off-Road Ranch

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…

Damiano Center In Need Of Winter Clothing Donations As Weather Cools Down

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…

Grandma’s Miller Hill Restaurant Mops Up After Weekend Flooding

DULUTH, Minn. – The staff at Grandma’s Restaurant up by the Miller Hill Mall spent the day mopping up Monday after flood waters moved inside Sunday. Water surrounds the restaurant along Mall Drive Sunday. Tony Boen, the restaurant’s director of operations, said the staff started getting chairs and other items off the floor Sunday morning when they saw the water…

Exec. Dir.: DECC’s $1M Loan Request From City Among Multiple Operational Challenges

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth City Council will decide whether to loan the DECC a $1 million line of credit. This comes as the DECC’s executive director, Dan Hartman, said the entertainment venue’s current business model needs to be reimagined. Hartman has been the DECC’s leader since 2021.  He said the DECC’s reserves are around $891,000, which is usually at…

Local Advocacy Center Raises Awareness About Child Abuse Through Art

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 Developer To Transform Downtown Building Into Workforce Housing

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…

Downtown Duluth Study: 2,500 New Housing Units Possible Within 5 Years

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 Playhouse Now Owns The Historic NorShor Theatre

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…

Superior Mayor Calls 2024 Budget Proposal The Best In Decades

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…

Klobuchar, Stauber Call On FAA To ‘Expedite’ Approvals For New DLH Air Traffic Control Tower

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…

Pick Your Own Pumpkin At Farmer Doug’s

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…

Local Domestic Violence Shelter Asking For Winter Gear Donations

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…

City Council Approves ‘Armored Rescue Vehicle’ For Duluth Police

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….