Business

Cirrus Expands Footprint With Purchase of Building From City of Duluth

DULUTH, MINN. –Cirrus Aircraft is continuing its expansion in Duluth by purchasing the incubator building from the City of Duluth. The purchase price was not disclosed. The 79,000-square-foot incubator building was a city project aimed at supporting advanced aircraft manufacturing, which met its goal of creating higher-wage employment opportunities. The building was constructed in 2002 with a $3.45M grant partnership…

Blandin Workers on Strike

GRAND RAPIDS, MINN.  In Grand Rapids Friday, members of Teamsters Local 346 held a strike rally. Roughly 170 workers walked off the job on July 15th and have been on strike since. The union has concerns about staffing levels, management performing their work, and their wages which they say are 10 dollars an hour behind inflation. Blandin Paper Company says…

Sidewalk Sales Starts In Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Sidewalk Sales kicked off Thursday in downtown Superior. The streets are filled with music, delicious food and super sales from local stores. Over 35 local businesses are participating in this year’s event that began Thursday and runs through Saturday. “Sidewalk sales is a great way for people to come and get deals. And for us, the business…

Blandin Paper Union Members Call Contract Offer ‘Laughable’ & ‘Pathetic’

Courtesy: Teamsters GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. — Members of Teamsters Local 346 in Grand Rapids are calling Blandin Paper Company’s contract offer “laughable” and “pathetic,” according to a news release Thursday. This comes as roughly 170 workers plan to hold a rally strike Friday from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. along Highway 2 in Grand Rapids. The Teamsters walked off the…

Larson Secures DFL, Labor Endorsements; Reinert Lands Police, Fire Unions

DULUTH, Minn. — The Aug. 8 primary election is less than three weeks away. Duluth Mayor Emily Larson and former state Sen. Roger Reinert are the likely two candidates headed to the general election Nov. 7. “I doorknock five days a week. I’ve been out since January door-knocking. The campaign itself is really resonating with people. It is clear people…

Chick-fil-A Is Officially Coming To Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — Chick-fil-A is officially coming to Duluth. The Atlanta-based restaurant will be located on the north side of the Miller Hill Mall’s property facing Miller Trunk Highway, according a news release. This will be the first Chick-fil-A in the Twin Ports area, joining 17 other Chick-fil-A restaurants in the Twin Cities area. Construction is expected to start in…

Thanksgiving In July At Chum

DULUTH, Minn. — Thanksgiving is on the minds of the folks at Chum Food Shelf. The spirit of giving is alive and well at Chum. Chum is asking for donations so they can purchase food for their Thanksgiving food boxes. Even though we are in the middle of the summer, planning is already underway to feed local families for Thanksgiving….

Teamsters Workers At Blandin Paper To Hold Strike Rally Friday

Courtesy: Teamsters GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – A worker strike continues at Blandin Paper Company in Grand Rapids. 170 members of Teamsters Local 346 will hold a strike rally Friday from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. along Highway 2. The union has concerns around staffing levels, management performing their work and wages they say are 10 dollars an hour behind inflation….

Hundreds Of Northshore Mining Workers Join United Steelworkers Union

Hundreds of workers at Cleveland Cliffs’ Northshore Mining Company have joined the United Steelworkers Union. The union said in a statement Tuesday that Northshore Mining was the last remaining taconite mine on the Iron Range without a union. Roughly 400 workers mine taconite in Babbitt and make iron ore pellets in Silver Bay. “We chose to unionize so that we…

Essentia Nurses To Picket Friday, Call Staffing Levels ‘Disastrous’

The informational picket will be on the same day Essentia will hold an open house of its new downtown medical center

DULUTH, Minn. — Essentia nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association are headed back to the picket line this week amid continued concerns over what they call “disastrous staffing levels.” It’s been six months since nurses at Essentia reached a new contract that gave them more input in the staffing process.  But the Minnesota Nurses Association says Essentia executives aren’t listening…

Essentia Employees With United Steelworkers To Hold Picket Friday

The informational picket will happen with the Minnesota Nurses Association

DULUTH, Minn. — Essentia Health coworkers with United Steelworkers Local 9460 will be holding an informational picket Friday along with Essentia workers with the Minnesota Nurses Association. Below is the full statement from USW: “Our union is locked in tough contract negotiations with Essentia Health for our Red Book contract, as well as a Year 3 wage re-opener for our…

Honeyberry Picking Open 7 Days A Week At Farm LoLa

WRENSHALL, Minn. — Farm LoLa is celebrating big news. They are open every day in July for honeyberry picking, the first time since the bushes were planted in 2016. There are about 10,000 honeyberry bushes at the farm in Wrenshall. A honeyberry originates from northern Russia which is great for our climate. The flavor is a cross between a wild…

New Mural Brightens Building, Neighborhood and Faces

Zenith Bookstore celebrates mural combining history and heritage of West Duluth.

It is always fun when you can brighten up a city landscape with a bit of art–some great big wall art. The Zenith Bookstore was the place to be Thursday afternoon for the official celebration of their new mural. Congratulations went to artist Jonathan Thunder. He was praised for his vision, energy, inspiration and heart. But the mural was also…

St. Luke’s To Affiliate With Aspirus Health

Combined system will cover portions of Wisconsin, Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Northeastern Minnesota.

St. Luke’s in Duluth and Aspirus Health in Wisconsin announced Wednesday they have agreed on a proposal to join their systems. The health care systems said their approach and philosophies are a good match. The St. Luke’s system includes two hospitals and more than 40 clinics. Aspirus has 17 hospitals and 75 clinics. “Evolving community needs require us to find…

Northwood Children’s Services Celebrates Sponsors At 25th Annual Golf Tournament

DULUTH, Minn. — About 100 golfers gathered at the Ridgeview Country Club all to raise money for a good cause. It was the Northwood Children’s Services 25th Annual Golf Tournament. The mental health treatment facility for kids provides many programs to help create a better future for them. Many of the sponsors have been supporting Northwoods since they started the…

Felon Voting Registration Events Held Following New MN Law Enactment

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – It’s been more than a month since over 55,000 Minnesotans re-gained the right to vote, and efforts to remind them of that continue. “A lot of these events are really to continue to keep the message out there,” said Michelle Witte of the League of Women Voters Minnesota. “That this is now available to you to have the freedom…

Downtown Duluth’s ‘Sidewalk Days’ Starts Wednesday

DULUTH, Minn. — 75 vendors and 15 food vendors will be taking over downtown Duluth for Sidewalks Days this week. The fun kicks off at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Sidewalk Days is described as downtown Duluth’s biggest shopping festival of the year. The event covers Superior Street from Lake Avenue to 5th Avenue West. Local retailers bring merchandise into the street….

Route Changes Coming for Duluth Transit

DULUTH, MINN. — On August 27th, the Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) starts its new vision for bus transit in the city. Ron Fournier, the General Manager of the DTA bus system said riders will be pleasantly surprised with more frequent, more reliable, and more consistent service. The largest change will be the addition of two routes known as Go lines….

Smarts and Caution Urged When Lighting Fireworks

There are ways to make it safer for everyone around you.

With many area burning restrictions lifted or eased in recent days, it is expected that more people will be wanting to light fireworks on their own. Those who deal with fireworks and those who deal with the aftermath of injuries are reminding people to be careful. Despite the lack of rain early this summer, sales have been pretty steady at…

Pop-Up Plant Sale At Baily Builds

DULUTH, Minn. — People with a green thumbs were in heaven Saturday for a pop-up plant sale at Baily Builds on Grand Avenue. Sweet Green Plantscapes offering a variety of options for plant care at homes and businesses. Baily Builds is located on the 5700 block of Grand Avenue. It’s a new women-owned business featuring a wide variety of houseplants…

Duluth’s CAO Responds To Concerns About $195K Tiny Home

DULUTH, Minn. — A new tiny home in Duluth with a sale price of nearly $200,000 is getting quite the sticker-shock response and concerns from locals. The concerns are being heard by the city’s chief administrative officer who addressed the issue to the council with some background and perspective. The tiny home is located along 6th Avenue East. It’s a…

Cancer Society Gets Donation from Super One Customers

June fundraising effort results in big money.

Super One presented a check donation to the American Cancer Society Thursday morning in Hermantown. Super One President Patrick Miner presented a $76,000 check to the American Cancer Society. Customers made donations at forty-four Super One locations during several weeks in June. He expressed gratitude to customers for the campaign’s success. “We’re incredibly fortunate to have generous customers in the…

Weightlifting Couple Raising the Bar

New Weightlifting Gym in Hermantown

Regardless of what sport you play, almost everyone is interested in getting a little stronger. For some, that means heading to the gym. A Twin Ports couple has combined their love for each other with their love of lifting weights. The result is a new, state-of-the-art weightlifting facility. They titled it Los Campeones, or The Champions. Owner Carl Sievert began…

Lutsen’s Papa Charlie’s Ruled A Total Loss After Fire

LUTSEN, Minn. – Papa Charlie’s at Lutsen Mountains is considered a total loss after fire ripped through the beloved restaurant and bar over the weekend. The call for help came in around 6 a.m. Saturday. The Lutsen Fire Department and mutual aid from departments in Cook County responded. Fire officials said suppression efforts were at a high level but the…

Security Jewelers Hosts Block Party To Involve The Community

DULUTH, Minn. — The 300 block of Superior Street is letting the community know that downtown is still thriving and has lots to offer. Security Jewelers is hosting what they call the Summer Showcase Block Party. The party includes food, drinks, drawings, music and more. Neighboring businesses were happy to participate with offerings of their own. A Security Jewelers employee…

Dolce Vita Restaurant To Close After 2 Years In Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Dolce Vita Restaurant announced Saturday that it will close Thursday, June 29 after two years of business in Superior. “As many other establishments in America at this time, market conditions and staffing issues are making it tough for us to remain open,” owner Zudi Maksutoski said in a statement. “We have not come to this decision lightly; and…

Innovation Center Provides New Opportunities For LP Building Solutions

DULUTH, Minn. — A new innovation center is providing new opportunities for LP Building Solutions. The manufacturing and supply company has partnered with UMD’s Natural Resources Research Institute to get the new space. The two companies have already been working together and wanted to collaborate further. The center includes a full-scale mock house, display wall, and a light manufacturing shop….

Littlefork Lumberyard Catches On Fire; Nearby Forest Not Affected

LITTLEFORK, Minn. — A fire broke out Wednesday at a longtime lumberyard in Littlfork. According to The Littlefork Times, piles of wood and woodchips caught fire around 1 p.m. at Green Forest Wood Products off Highway 71. The Littlefork Times Fire Chief Dan Wendt told the Times Wednesday evening that the flames stayed away from the nearby woods, according to…

Chow Haul Burns, But Owner Looks Forward

SUPERIOR, WISC. — This Fourth of July would have marked 11 years of operation for the food truck known as Chow Haul. However, this year there won’t be a celebration on the anniversary. Last Saturday the truck crashed and burned. Chow Haul was on its way to an event at the 19th Hole on Saturday afternoon. But the truck never…

Federal Judge Rules For Bad River Band, Orders Enbridge to Vacate Line 5 Pipeline in Reservation

NORTHWEST WISCONSIN — A federal judge has ordered Enbridge to end operating the section of Line 5 in the Bad River Reservation within the next three years. Judge William Conley ruled the energy company has trespassed on the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians’ Reservation after easements for this section of pipeline expired in 2013. The…

I-35 Construction: 27th Ave. West Southbound Off Ramp To Close

  DULUTH, Minn. – A busy exit ramp on southbound I-35 in Duluth is closing Monday. Minnesota Department of Transportation crews will be working to remove and reconstruct the 27th Avenue West southbound ramp. Work is expected to last 30 days. Crews will also be paving the southbound lanes adjacent to the ramp. Drivers needing to detour will follow southbound…

Minnesota’s Attorney General Warns Taylor Swift Fans Of Scammers

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is warning Taylor Swift fans in Minnesota of various ticket scams related to swift’s “Eras” tour, which comes to U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Friday and Saturday Ellison said buying second-hand tickets online is risky. Scammers can easily screenshots of tickets that don’t exist. He said it’s best to buy tickets through a trustworthy…

KornerStores Gets OK To Purchase Old Gary Telephone Exchange Building

DULUTH, Minn. – Gary-based KornerStores company has received the OK to purchase the former Northwestern Bell Telephone exchange building in Gary. The Duluth Planning Commission unanimously approved the special-use permit Tuesday. It allows KornerStores to house its business office on the first floor and a rental up top. Owner Derek Medved told FOX 21 last week that it’s important to…

Baby Season Is Busy Season For Wildwoods Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

DULUTH, Minn. — Wildwoods, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Duluth has been very busy as it is baby season for them. This is because around late spring, early summer is when the non-profit rescues many types of baby animals from fawns, fledglings, turtles, and squirrels. They usually get around 130 different species of animals every year. A lot of the…