Business

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,…

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….

Pudge’s Pub Reopens Under New Management

SUPERIOR, Wis. — A longtime staple of East Superior is celebrating their grand reopening with a few changes. Pudge’s is now under new ownership. For the last month they’ve been cleaning up the pub.  New at Pudge’s is a Bloody Mary bar and as part of their grand opening raffle prizes were drawn all day. For Co-owner and Veteran Bartender…

Unity Fund Awards First Grant Of $10,000 To Support Homeless Mothers And Children

DULUTH, Minn. — A local program has awarded its first grant to support homeless mothers and children. The Unity Fund of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation works to provide funding for those of African Heritage with business opportunities in the Northland. The first grantee is Divine Konnections, which operates Annie’s House of Refuge and Restoration. The house is a…

New USW Members At Northshore Mining Reach First-Ever Contract With Cliffs

Hundreds of workers at Northshore Mining in Babbitt and Silver Bay have voted to ratify a first-ever three-year contract with their employer, Cleveland Cliffs. The workers recently joined the United Steelworkers Union. USW District 11 Director Emil Ramirez said the agreement “includes a lump sum bonus, annual wage increases, enhanced protections for job security and improvements in occupational health and…

Spirit Halloween Now Open In Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — With spooky season near a thrilling store is now open in Duluth. Spirit Halloween is located in the former Bed Bath and Beyond next to Buffalo Wild Wings. It is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. The Halloween themed store offers a wide variety of…

“Eat Mor Chikin”

DULUTH, Minn. — It’s true, Chick-fil-A will be building and opening a store in Duluth. It is scheduled to open about a year from now. But on Saturday hundreds and hundreds of people were given the chance to have some Chick-fil-A. Yes, that is the Chick-fil-A logo, and yes that is in Duluth. It’s likely to be a year before…

Francisco Hockey is Finalist in MN Cup Competition

HERMANTOWN, Minn.  – A Hermantown company is a finalist in the Minnesota Cup Competition.  Francisco Hockey’s founder Joe Francisco presented his final one-minute pitch to Venture capitalists and others Thursday morning at the Carlson School of Management in Minneapolis. Before he left for the Cities, Francisco talked with FOX 21 about his company. Francisco Hockey started five years ago to…

Superior Restaurant Brings Back Later Closing

Julie's faced same challenges as other restaurants: not enough staff

SUPERIOR, Wis. — There are some happy faces and stomachs in Superior this week. Julie’s Family Restaurant has added back some evening hours. The long-time food favorite had to shorten its hours earlier this summer and close at three in the afternoon. In a predicament facing many restaurants, it was difficult to find enough workers, and those carrying on were…

Vandalism Strikes in New Place

Ballfield facility in Duluth/Proctor sprayed with racial slurs and religious symbols

Several police departments in the Northland have been dealing with vandalism cases in the past several weeks. One of the most recent was along the Duluth/Proctor border this past weekend. Duluth Police say officers responded to a report of graffiti at Klang Park along Boundary Avenue late Saturday afternoon. The graffiti included offensive racial slurs and religious symbols. There were…

Preservation Group Says More Duluth Historic Buildings In Danger of Being Demolished

Preservation Alliance Lists "Ten Endangered Places"

There was a call Friday to save many of Duluth’s buildings from the wrecking ball before it is too late. Outside of the New Garrick Building, built in 1923, the Duluth Preservation Alliance unveiled this year’s “Ten Endangered Places List.” The goal is to highlight buildings whose future may be uncertain. The group says eight buildings have been torn down…

Superior Mayor Jim Paine: Double Emergencies At Cenovus Refinery ‘Unacceptable’

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Cenovus Energy is now dealing with two critical incidents at its newly built refinery within the past two days (Wednesday and Thursday) – a propane leak and a “heavy fuel oil release,” according to the Superior Fire Department.  Both incidents caused evacuations. Nobody was injured. Superior Mayor Jim Paine told FOX 21 on Thursday that he’s proud…

New Sewing Store Coming To Miller Hill Mall

DULUTH, Minn. — A new sewing store is coming to the Miller Hill Mall this fall. The Miller Hill Mall announced Tuesday the store called Sew With Me will be offering many types of fabric, sewing machines, education, and machine service. It will be located next to Maurices and across from Five Below which is also opening in the fall….