Duluth, Minn.-The Duluth city council voted Joel Sipress as their president for 2017. The selection usually comes without a lot of fanfare, but this year brought some added interest to the council chambers. Councilor Noah Hobbs is on his first term on the council and was also vying for the seat. The city council was clearly divided on the issue,…
As a tradition, the Duluth City council votes on a new president each year. Political expert Cindy Rugeley says in Duluth, the city council president is usually almost pre-determined, with the person with the most experience taking on the leadership role. “In this instance, a new council member is saying, I want to change this. I want to be the…
ST. PAUL (AP) – Officials at Minnesota’s state-run insurance exchange say more than 103,000 people signed up for health coverage in the latest enrollment period. MNsure officials say the 103,578 signups set a record by about 15,000, even as premiums have been rising as much as 67-percent. Exchange officials say tax credits are sparing many people the worst of the…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota state auditor Rebecca Otto announced Monday, she is planning to run for governor next year. Otto is the third Democrat to announce a campaign to replace Democratic Governor Mark Dayton who will leave office when his term expires. St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said in December he will launch a campaign. State Representative Erin…
DULUTH, Minn. — It was a day for safety at the DECC in Duluth for members of the local oil and gas industry. United Piping, Inc., held its annual safety day all day today. Company employees, clients, and subcontractors, met for various presentations about the latest safety topics. This is just one of several training sessions these workers will attend…
WASHINGTON (AP) – It’s official: Congress has tallied the Electoral College votes and Donald Trump has been elected president. Mike Pence was elected vice president. Democrats raised plenty of objections as the votes were counted Friday in a joint session of Congress, but they didn’t have the votes to sustain them. All 538 electors met in their respective state capitals…
It’s estimated that one Duluth grocery store alone that nearly 1.5 million plastic bags go out its doors in one year and are only used once. A new campaign wants to reduce that waste and create a city ordinance aimed at eliminating single use plastic bags and phase out styrofoam take-out containers. Bag It Duluth hopes the city council takes…
Republican lawmakers in Minnesota announced their plan to bring relief to those who are paying rising health insurance premiums. Some of those currently insured face premium increases of up to sixty-seven percent. Healthcare facilities around the Northland say they’re keeping tabs on the legislative process. The GOP plan provides both some short and long term solutions to the problems MnSure…
DULUTH, Minn. – People are definitely noticing the cold weather when it comes to their car this time of year. Over at London Road Car Wash, employees have been very busy de-icing cars as well as cleaning off salt from the roads. There really is only a couple of ways to keep your car clean this time of year. Sam…
FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -Gov. Mark Dayton wants to see tax relief for low-income families, parents with child care costs and farmers. The governor unveiled his proposal Thursday for a $300 million tax bill in 2017 just days after the Legislative session began. But Dayton’s vision for how to dedicate part of a $1.4 billion budget…
FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Republicans who control the Minnesota Legislature have their own plans to address health insurance costs. GOP lawmakers vowed to quickly move a relief package for the residents paying premium increases of up to 67 percent this year on the individual market. But disagreements with Gov. Mark Dayton over how to shape…
SUPERIOR, Wis.—Fraser Shipyards has reached an agreement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in an effort to reduce a proposed fine and improve safety. “We appreciate the opportunity to work with OSHA and respect their oversight as well as our joint commitment to the health and safety of all workers at Fraser,” said James Farkas, President and Chief Operating…
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has proposed the largest bonding bill in the state’s history. The $1.5 billion bill would fund projects all over the state. Several projects around the Northland have made the governor’s list. Many of them were on last year’s bonding bill as well. Some are hoping that the 2017 version of the bill passes and that it…
DULUTH, Minn. – Yesterday a federal appeals court tossed out an earlier ruling that the Minnesota sex offender program is unconstitutional. The program keeps sex offenders confined indefinitely after their release from prison. Over 700 people are currently in sex offender program. Only a handful of offenders have been released from the program over its 20 year history. Governor Mark…
DULUTH, Minn – The burrito is full of Minnesota comfort foods like beef, corn, green beans, cheese and of course, tater tots. Anyone who grew up on hot dish will soon recognize the burrito’s unmistakable flavors. “The college kids come in and have a taste of going back to their mom and dad’s house, and just something that’s comforting and…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – O’Neill’s Pub and Liquor in Superior has closed its doors for good. The bar had been open for 23 years and was the only drive–through liquor store in Superior since moving to its new location on Tower Avenue about 10 years ago. Owners Tom and Nancy O’Neill thanked patrons in a Facebook post and closed the bar…
ST. PAUL – Governor Mark Dayton and Lt. Governor Tina Smith, today, January 4, released their 2017 Jobs Bill, which would invest around $1.5 billion into community infrastructure projects and create 22,950 Minnesota jobs. What Minnesotans Need to Know: $3 Billion – Thanks to the Dayton-Smith Administration’s sound fiscal management over the last six years, the State of Minnesota has…
LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Governor Rick Snyder has signed legislation to further shield municipalities from lawsuits filed by people who trip and fall on sidewalks. The law enacted Wednesday lets cities defend themselves by saying sidewalk defects are “open and obvious.” Supporters say Detroit pays millions annually in sidewalk-injury settlements and should have a defense that is available to businesses….
ST. PAUL (AP) – Governor Mark Dayton is asking the Legislature to gear up for public construction projects. The Democratic governor unveiled his $1.5 billion wishlist, Wednesday of infrastructure upgrades, new buildings, and early learning centers. The major borrowing package comes just one day into the legislative session and after the Legislature failed to pass such a package last year….
DULUTH, Minn. – With hockey season in full swing, that means skates are starting to get a little worn down. The Duluth Hockey Company has been busy sharpening and profiling hundreds of skates the last few weeks. The store is one of the few places in the Duluth area that specializes in hockey equipment and sees business from customers all…
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) -Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin has been re-elected to serve as the speaker of the House of Representatives. The 46-year-old Ryan will serve his first full term as speaker after succeeding John Boehner in October of 2015. Ryan will lead the GOP charge to repeal President Barack Obama’s signature health insurance law and cut taxes and regulation….
DULUTH, Minn. – The Conservation Corps of Minnesota is offering 700 service opportunities this new year through a job training program. The only criteria is you must be between 15-25 years old. Jobs offered include conservation work as well as trail building and restoration. Chris Severson, the District Manager, said “It is a service to our state and in return…
DULUTH, Minn. – The St. Louis County Board held its annual organizational meeting this morning in Duluth. Commissioner Frank Jewell was elected Board Chair for 2017 and commissioner Keith Nelson was elected Vice Chair. The board introduced newly–elected commissioners Beth Olson and Mike Jugovich. They also appointed committee members and approved their 2017 meeting schedule. Categories: Business, Community, News, News…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Over the last five years, the University of Wisconsin System has faced $362 million in funding cuts from the state government. Because of that decrease, the University of Wisconsin-Superior has had to make significant cuts of its own. But this year, UWS is hoping to see an increase in state funding. Earlier this year, the University of…
MADISON (AP) – Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein says she is launching an organization to ensure every vote is counted in Wisconsin. Stein, who led efforts to recount Wisconsin’s presidential election results, introduced the Count My Vote group at a news conference outside the state Capitol, Tuesday. Stein says her campaign asked for a statewide hand recount, but only…
NEW YORK (AP) – Megyn Kelly, the Fox News star whose 12-year stint has been marked by upheavals at her network and personal attacks on the campaign trail, is headed to NBC News. The move was confirmed by Kelly’s publicist, Leslee Dart. Kelly’s departure deprives Fox News of its second-most-watched host, behind only Bill O’Reilly. Her contract with the network…
MADISON (AP) – Fifteen newly elected members of the Wisconsin Legislature are to be sworn into office, joining incumbents in both the Senate and Assembly beginning their new terms. But not all of them are new to the Legislature. Two of the four new state senators being sworn in Tuesday previously served in the Assembly; Republican Dave Craig of Vernon,…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is proposing raising hunting and fishing fees or linking the fees to inflation as options for generating more revenue for wildlife management. The current state budget mandated the DNR report on dwindling revenue in the agency’s Fish and Wildlife Account. The account funds wildlife management efforts and DNR warden, and…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Governor Mark Dayton released his first budget proposal, Tuesday, of the 2017 legislative session. He called for a 25-percent reduction in health insurance premiums for the more than 125,000 Minnesotans facing significant increases in the individual market. “For more than two months, I have proposed this relief, so that 125,000 Minnesotans can better afford the health…
MINNEAPOLIS – Today, a federal appeals court tossed out a ruling that the Minnesota sex offender program is unconstitutional. A Minnesota judge ruled the program unconstitutional in the summer of 2015. At that time, U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank cited how rarely anyone gets released from the program and ordered several changes. Those changes included included assessing the more than…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior Police continue to investigate a New Year’s day shooting. One victim was found dead in the alley behind the Third Base Bar in Superior on New Year’s morning. The other was found inside the bar with a gunshot wound to the chest. Police believe an altercation happened inside the bar which led to the shooting…
DULUTH, Minn. – 2016 Brought a record number of visitors to A Popular Attraction in the Northland. Around 144,000 people visited the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth in 2016, a 5 percent increase since last year. It’s the highest number of visitors the Aquarium has seen since 2002. Aquarium representatives believe the new exhibit, Unsalted seas, featuring the sturgeon…
DULUTH, Minn.-Children looked on in awe as Lana the Tiger stalked around her enclosure. Many kids held makeshift passports in their hands. “They go around the zoo to collect their stamps from various countries and while they’re doing that they can find out what time it is here, if it’s midnight there and they also get to learn how some…
DULUTH, Minn. – Thanksgiving and Christmas have well known meal traditions, but New Year’s is also a big food holiday. Grocery stores across the Northland are busy with people stocking up on their new year’s food, and unlike other holidays, people consume a wide variety of food to kick off the new year. “After the Christmas holiday, we have a…
KEEWATIN, Minn.- There’s a collective sigh of relief across the city of Keewatin, after U.S. Steel reached agreements to supply iron ore pellets to third-party customers, and announced the Reopening of Keetac, and the return of around 200 mining jobs back to the Iron Range. “To hear that they’re going back and to know that they’re going back is really…
ST. PAUL (AP) – A St. Paul microbrewer is suing an executive who helped the company grow into one of the largest in the country. Summit Brewing Company has accused Jeffrey Spaeth and another longtime employee, Timothy Daly, of conspiring to sell the brewer’s trade secrets to a direct competitor. Spaeth was hired in 1986 and later become vice president…
MADISON (AP) – A new state transportation study finds that installing tollways on Wisconsin interstates could raise billions of dollars, but that substantial upfront investments would be needed and federal approval is uncertain. The Wisconsin State Journal reports the Department of Transportation study also finds that Governor Scott Walker’s road-funding plan for the next two years, puts Wisconsin roads on…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The already dwindling number of employees at the Oscar Mayer plant in Madison will continue to shrink as the facility prepares to permanently close in the first quarter of 2017. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that the company produced processed meats for decades and once employed more than 4,000 people, is scheduled to close by the…
KEEWATIN, Minn. – United States Steel Corporation announced today it has reached agreements to supply iron ore pellets to third-party customers. U.S. Steel will adjust its iron ore pellet production in order to take full advantage of these business opportunities. Within the adjustments, includes the restart of the Keetac Plant in Keewatin, Minnesota. The Keetac Plant, which has an annual…
WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Latest on the Obama administration’s response to Russia’s interference in the U.S. elections, which it denies (all times EST): 4:15 p.m. Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham say sanctions against Russia announced by the Obama administration on Thursday are “a small price” for Russia to pay for interfering with U.S. elections. They say they’ll lead…
ATLANTA (AP) – With Donald Trump’s election, Republicans in Congress will have the opportunity to overhaul Medicaid, something they’ve wanted to do for years. The program provides health care to millions of lower-income and disabled Americans. Currently, the federal government pays a certain percentage of each state’s Medicaid costs. Republicans say states have little incentive to keep expenses down because…
SUPERIOR, Wisc.- Pho Cali Vietnamese Noodles Restaurant has been jam packed in Superior ever since it opened Dec. 17. The restaurant specializes in the Vietnamese noodle soup which can be filled with everything from beef to seafood. Owner Andy Tran, originally from Vietnam, saw a need in the area for restaurant. “Mostly I see only Chinese restaurants, so OK so…
ST. PAUL, Minn.- Gov. Mark Dayton says the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine is “stymied” but he’s not ready to declare it dead yet despite moves by his administration and the Obama administration that dealt serious blows to the project. Dayton says he expects Twin Metals and supporters to try to persuade the Trump administration to reverse the Obama administration’s…
The iconic boat, washed ashore in Canal Park, Crabby Ol’ Bills, has announced it is closed for business, along with its sister shop in Downtown Duluth, Fizzy Waters. In an announcement on their Facebook page, they announced, “Fizzy Waters & Crabby Ol’ Bill’s are closed for business. We would like to thank everyone for all of their support through out…
Jeff Monaghan is dropping out of the Superior mayoral race. “Due to personal reasons, I am discontinuing my campaign for Mayor of Superior,” he said in a prepared statement. “By next Tuesday, Jan. 3… I anticipate not having the 200 signatures required to be placed on the primary ballot. Still, I intend to participate in the election and vote for…
MADISON, Wis. – Governor Scott Walker, today, sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, outlining actions he believes the incoming administration should take immediately upon entering office to restore state control over the governance of a number of programs and services. Walker’s letter also details his concerns over “incessant federal overreach.” “Too often, states have become mere administrative provinces of…
DULUTH, Minn. – Former Duluth Mayor Don Ness has been named the new executive director of the Ordean Foundation. Ness is taking over for retiring Executive Director Steve Mangan in late January. The Ordean Foundation focuses on poverty issues and has given about $68 million in grants to various Northland organizations since 1933. Ness had previously worked at Lake Superior…
DULUTH, Minn. — Known for their bright colors and super-creative designs, vintage Christmas sweaters have become hugely popular. And today is “National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day.” Whether it’s for the nostalgia, or just because you think the over-the-top fashions are just fun to wear, the popularity of Christmas sweaters has exploded in the past few years. At Ragstock in Duluth,…
DULUTH, Minn. — “Rogue One,” the latest film in the super-popular Star Wars movie franchise has officially landed in theaters. It’s all hands on deck at the Marcus Cinema in Duluth; managers have hired six additional employees to help with the busy holiday season. The theater has dedicated four screens for showing “Rogue One.” General Manager Shawn Fennessey says he…
Drivers in downtown Duluth won’t have to deal with as many one way roads. Last week, city council approved a three phase project to convert portions of First, Second and Third Avenues West from one to two way traffic. The project is set to begin May of 2017. When all’s done, stop lights at seven intersections will change to stop…
