Environment

New Campground Opens at Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground State Park

More Camping Sites Also Coming Later

TOWER, Minn. – A new state park campground has opened on the Iron Range. Today the Lake Vermilion–Soudan Underground State Park officially opened for campers. The new campground used $7 million in bonding to become a reality. The new spot includes 33 campsites and electricity. “To be able to have campsites open to people can enjoy our natural beauty in…

FEMA Insurance Chief: Harvey Losses Could Top $11 Billion

Highways around downtown Houston are empty as floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey overflow from the bayous around the city Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. (AP Photo) WASHINGTON (AP) – The head of the National Flood Insurance Program said Wednesday early estimates show Hurricane Harvey will result in about $11 billion in payouts to insured homeowners, mostly in southeast Texas….

Imagine Canal Park Launch Party

A New Vision For Canal Park

DULUTH. Minn Imagine Duluth has been collaborating with residents and the Canal Park Business Association to consider the future of Canal Park. The hope for the Imagine Canal Park project is to build upon the successes in this part of the city, while also preserving the area. Imagine Canal Park is working with the public to address issues and figure…

Fall Colors Popping Up on the Range

Minnesota Color Map Indicates Range at 50 Percent Capacity for Fall Colors Near Tower

TOWER, Minn. – Fall colors are starting to appear in the Northland. According to the Minnesota Fall Color Map, portions of the state are at 50 percent capacity for color. This color explosion is helping bring tourists to the area. “You still got plenty of light hours during the day, trees are just starting to turn colors, and every day you’re…

FEMA Estimates 25 Percent of Florida Keys Homes are Gone

A roof is strewn across a home’s law as Rick Freedman checks his neighbor’s damage from Hurricane Irma in Marco Island, Fla., Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 (AP) LOWER MATECUMBE KEY, Fla. (AP) — Search-and-rescue teams made their way into the Florida Keys’ farthest reaches Tuesday, while authorities rushed to repair the lone highway connecting the islands and deliver aid to…

Local Utility Crews Work to Restore Power in Florida

Minnesota Power and Superior Water Light and Power Crews are in Miami Working to Restore Power

DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota Power and Superior Water Light and Power (SWLP) crews are hitting the ground in Miami Monday. Sunday night, 31 utility workers were stationed waiting out the storm in Orlando at Florida Power and Light’s staging area. They have now been moved to Miami at the request of Florida Power and Light. The crews will help with…

Harvest Festival celebrates 24 years

Music, food, and crafts

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s Harvest Festival celebrated 24th years of connecting the community to local food growers as well as sustainable energy providers. Harvest Festival is hosted at Bayfront Festival Park by the Lake Superior chapter of the Sustainable Farming Association. The event featured locally grown food, live music and craft demonstrations. “We are a really vibrant community, and lots…

Letica Looks for More Donations, Leaves Sunday for Texas

Northlander's Donated Thousands of Items Just Days Ago, Now Letica and Volunteers Travel to Texas a Second Time

DULUTH, Minn. – After Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, Duluth Entrepreneur Mike Letica organized a drive, gathered a group of volunteers and drove south with a truckload of 45,000 pounds of donations for storm victims. Letica and his group are doing it again, Saturday and Sunday. “How much more can people take,” said Letica. It’s a question he may never have…

WHAT’S HAPPENING: Irma Barrels Toward Florida, US Southeast

Sept. 6, 2017 photo of Hurricane Irma storm damage in St. Martin in the Caribbean. (Jonathan Falwell via AP) MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Irma turned its deafening winds and punishing downpours toward Florida on Friday after strafing the Caribbean. The Sunshine state issued mandatory evacuations and was bracing for impact as the storm barreled toward the U.S. mainland. Irma had…

Malware Incident at Tettegouche State Park

(Explore MN) The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports that state IT security specialists discovered malware on state computers at Tettegouche State Park in Silver Bay in late August. While the MnDNR has no evidence that credit card numbers were accessed, out of caution, they are advising those who visited the park and charged items from Aug. 22-25 are asked…

Death Toll Rises to 60 in Powerful Mexico Earthquake

USGS RECORDED AT LEAST 20 AFTERSHOCKS

Soldiers remove debris from a partly collapsed municipal building after an earthquake in Juchitan, Oaxaca state, Mexico, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. (AP) MEXICO CITY (AP) — One of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Mexico struck off the country’s southern coast, toppling hundreds of buildings, triggering tsunami evacuations and sending panicked people fleeing into the streets in the middle…

Largest Farmers’ Market in Region Coming to Duluth this Weekend

Saturday: 24th Annual Harvest Festival

DULUTH, Minn. -Fresh produce and sustainable energy are the focus of a festival in Duluth this weekend. The 24th Annual Harvest Festival will be held in Bayfront Festival Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 9. This festival is considered one of the largest farmers’ markets in the region. In the park visitors can enjoy live music,…

Twin Ports Utility Crews Head to Florida

As Hurricane Irma Inches Closer to Florida, Minnesota Power and Superior Water Light and Power Crews Head South to Help

DULUTH, Minn. – Hurricane Irma is slowly making way toward mainland Florida. Thursday evening, the storm impacted Puerto Rico. Forecasters are still uncertain which route the storm will take, but it’s not stopping local power workers from heading south to help. “It’s going to be pretty much mass devastation,” said Minnesota Power Lineman Mike Linn. The natural disaster is continuing…

Hurricane Aid Measure Grows to $15B as Irma Bears Down

In this geocolor image captured by GOES-16 and released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Hurricane Irma, a potentially catastrophic category 5 hurricane, moves westward, Tuesday morning, Sept. 5, 2017, in the Atlantic Ocean toward the Leeward Islands. This image was capured as daylight moves into the area, right, with nighttime features on the left side of the…

Man Catches Massive, Record-Breaking Flathead Catfish in St. Croix River

Photo: Minnesota DNR STILLWATER, Minn. – An angler from St. Anthony, Minnesota has broken the state record for flathead catfish after catching a 52.5 inch-long fish on the St. Croix River last month, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday. Mark Mosby reeled in the monster on Aug. 2 on the St. Croix River near Stillwater breaking the state…

Larson Meets With Residents To Discuss The State Of City Streets

Meeting Was Held At Grant Recreation Center

DULUTH, Minn. Duluth Mayor Emily Larson continues to meet with voters hoping to persuade them to vote yes for a half percent sales tax increase to better the city’s roads. The city of Duluth controls 450 miles of streets. Studies show that 55 percent of those streets are in poor condition. Tuesday Mayor Larson met with residents at the Grant…

Lost Foresters Raise Funds for Orphans in Uganda

Every Labor Day, the Krohn's Organize a Series of Races at Pine Valley Park in Cloquet

CLOQUET, Minn – Dozens of hearty Northlanders chose to spend their Labor Day morning by waking up early and making their way to Pine Valley Park in Cloquet for a tradition one family started many years ago. Now, the excitement is growing and the fun is expanding into the ‘lost forest.’ “It’s just so Minnesotan, it’s awesome,” said Brian Krohn,…

Extra Weather Balloon Launches in Minnesota to Help Track Hurricane Irma

FOX 9 - KMSP

CHANHASSEN, Minn. (KMSP) – The National Weather Service Twin Cities office in Chanhassen, Minnesota is adding additional daily weather balloon launches to help track Hurricane Irma. NWS Twin Cities usually launches two weather balloons per day, but they will be launching four per day for Irma tracking. Data from Monday morning’s Hurricane Hunter mission flight shows Irma gaining strength as it moves west-southwest at 14…

Boat Tour Offers Fun, Educational Ride Along St. Louis River

Coffee Conversation: St. Louis River Alliance

DULUTH, Minn. – The St. Louis River Alliance is once again heading out on the water to educate Northlanders about the estuary. There will be a boat tour on the Vista Star Thursday, September 7 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Boarding will begin at 5:30 p.m. The river alliance will highlight clean-up projects, successes and future vision of the estuary….

Fishing for Smiles at Legacy Lake

Residents at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Silver Bay Embark on a Fishing Adventure Once a Week

FINLAND, Minn. – Every summer thousands of people spend multiple hours launching their boat, baiting hooks and waiting for the ‘big one.’ However, many people are forced to give up their freedom of fishing as they age. In Finland Minnesota, one man’s mission is now a mark on the calendar once a week. “It kind of gets them doing what…

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Reduces Air Quality in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an air quality alert for southwest, western, and central Minnesota because of smoke from Canadian wildfires. The affected area includes Alexandria, Brainerd, Marshall, Ortonville, St. Cloud, and Worthington. The tribal nations of Mille Lacs and Upper Sioux are also affected. The air quality alert is in effect through Saturday. Air…

Special Deer Hunt Permits Available for Cascade River, Judge C. R. Magney State Parks

THE GOAL OF STATE PARK HUNTS IS TO ENSURE HEALTHY NATURAL COMMUNITIES

DULUTH, Minn. – A special firearms deer hunt will be held at Cascade River and Judge C.R. Magney state parks from Nov. 4-19, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Hunters wishing to participate in one of the special hunts can obtain a state park deer hunt permit in addition to their regular license. Hunters must apply to participate…

Lake Superior Beach Advisories

DULUTH, Minn. – As of September 1, 2017, the Minnesota Department of Health has reported advisories for the following beaches. These advisories recommend no water contact due to elevated levels of E. coli bacteria identified from samples collected and tested.   If anyone becomes ill after contact with beach water contact the Minnesota Department of Health at 1-877-366-3455. For more…

Duluth Public Schools Host Open House

Back To School We Go

DULUTH, Minn. It’s down to Labor Day weekend to get in those summer activities. The back to school buzz was in the air Wednesday, as several Duluth Public Schools held open houses. Parents along with their kids packed schools across the Northland. Schedules are passed out back packs are full kids are excited to start the school year. “Probably going…

Northlanders Continue Gathering Supplies for Flood Victims in Houston

A water and donation drive will also take place Thursday at Denfeld High School from 12 p.m. until 7 p.m.

DULUTH, Minn. – People in the Northland are getting geared up and ready to go, loading up an entire semi-truck of donations to help the flood victims in the Houston area. On Wednesday, Northern Light Community Church opened its doors for anybody to drop off donations. Many families stopped by with cases of water and bags filled with toiletries. This…

Protesters Trespass, Vandalize Enbridge Line 3 Replacement Site in Superior

Six people were arrested Tuesday at the site

SUPERIOR, Wis. – More protests occurred today just outside Superior at the Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline Reconstruction Project. The Douglas County Sheriff says six people were arrested, but no one was violent. Authorities did say one person chained themselves to some machinery at the scene. This is the third incident in the last few weeks at the site. Enbridge says…

Duluth Trails Closed From Excessive Rain

COGGS Trails Close To Avoid Damage By Ruts In The Clay Mud

DULUTH, Minn. — With the recent rainy weekend dumping 1-5″ inches of rain across the Northland, its puddled up and left soggy and muddy trails, forcing them to close. According to the cyclists of the Gitchee Gumee Shores, when you put your footprint or bike tire through the goopy mud, the imprint leaves a lasting mark. The rut catches water…

Wisconsin DNR Secretary Leaving Agency

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is resigning to take a job with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Gov. Scott Walker said in a statement Tuesday, Cathy Stepp will become deputy administrator for the EPA’s Region 7. Stepp has been DNR secretary since 2011. Walker appointed Deputy Secretary Kurt Thiede to serve as…

Friends Set Up Memorial For 15-Year-Old Drowning Victim

Flowers, Cross Put At Last Place Will Schlotec Was Seen Alive

DULUTH, Minn. – Heavy hearts continue for friends and family of 15-year-old Will Schlotec who drowned over the weekend in the popular swimming hole known as The Deeps. People close to Schlotec have begun to build a memorial at the site of the accident. On Monday, friends showed up with flowers and comforting words for one another as the new school…

Local Business Owner Looks to Help Hurricane Victims

Mike Letica is collecting supplies and cards for victims of Hurricane Harvey

DULUTH, Minn. – After hearing about the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, one Northland business leader is looking to offer some help. Mike Letica made a post on Facebook earlier today, asking the public to help him collected supplies for the people of Texas displaced by the hurricane. But it’s not just supplies he’s looking to bring…

Minnesota School Trust Land Exchange Discussed at First Public Meeting

The Forest Service would acquire 31,000 acres of Minnesota School Trust land in the Boundary Waters while the state would receive an equal value of federal land on the Superior National Forest

DULUTH, Minn. – The Forest Service held an open house in Duluth Monday to help inform the public about a proposed land exchange in Northeast Minnesota. As part of the deal, the Forest Service would acquire 31,000 acres of Minnesota School Trust land in the Boundary Waters. In return, the state would receive an equal value of federal land on…

New Feeding Ban in 11 Minnesota Counties after CWD Found on Deer Farms

(MINNESOTA) – A new deer feeding ban is in place until 2019 for 11 central and north-central Minnesota counties surrounding two farms where multiple captive deer have been found to be infected with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “Feeding bans in central and north-central Minnesota are precautionary,” said Lou Cornicelli, wildlife research manager…

Teen Who Jumped Into Flooded Lester River Prompts Water Rescue

Teen Is Known To Be Daring

DULUTH, Minn. On August 26th, 2017 at approximately 5:20 PM the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the area of 556 Occidental Blvd, in the City of Duluth for a report of a 15 year hold male jumped into the “DEEPS”, and has not resurfaced.  A short time later, emergency responders arrived on scene, and located the male in the…

Hurricane Harvey Strengthens to Category 4

The storm has strengthened to a Category 4

Hurricane Harvey, moving toward the Texas Gulf Coast, can be seen from the International Space Station. harvey strengthened to a Category 3 storm early Friday afternoon. It could hit land up to 3 feet of rain, 125 mph winds, and 12-foot storm surges (Aug. 25)   CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — With time running out, tens of thousands of people…

Driven to Discover at the Minnesota State Fair

Exhibit Offers Fairgoers the Chance to Learn More About Research and Studies by the U of M

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. – The Driven to Discover Research Facility was launched in 2014 to bring University research and researchers into closer contact with the Minnesota community. Nearly two million people visit the fair each year from across the state. The exhibit allows fairgoers to participate in research in a fun, innovative, and convenient way. Most studies take under 20 minutes. Driven…

MPCA Educates Fair-Goers on Environmentally-Focused Living

THE FAIR RUNS THROUGH LABOR DAY

ST. PAUL, Minn. – This one-of-a-kind exhibit, Eco Experience, is presented by the Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Eco Experience hosts several different exhibits within itself including The Sustainability Stage, which hosts demonstrations and shows every hour from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. There’s the Works Progress Water Bar which offers taste-testing flights of water…

‘Little Farm Hands’ Gives Kids the Opportunity to Experience the Agriculture Process

ST. PAUL, Minn. – “Little Farm Hands” is a hands-on agricultural education experience for kids ages 3 to 10. These kids get the opportunity to become farmers and experience what it takes to go from the farm to the market. More than 40,000 farmers and their families don their work aprons and fire up their imaginations to help with farm…

DNR State Fair Fish Pond Showcases Native Minnesota Fish

THE FAIR RUNS THROUGH LABOR DAY

ST. PAUL, Minn. – This year marks the 83rd anniversary of the DNR’s historic State Fair building. The log structure is the centerpiece of the DNR’s exhibit and also serves as a landmark, a meeting place and a must-visit educational and entertainment destination, where generations of fairgoers have created life-long memories. Displays cover a wide range of natural resource topics including…

Northland 4-H Groups Prepare for Minnesota State Fair

10th Grader Landen Dahl will Travel to the 'Great Minnesota Get Togehter' to Showcase Mason Bee Research

DULUTH, Minn. – Happening now through Monday, September 4, dozens of Northland 4-H youth will make way to the Minnesota State Fair, eager to share their projects, research, and livestock with other 4-H members. In this week’s Animal Answers, Duluthian Landen Dahl visited FOX 21 Local News alongside Tim Caines, Program Coordinator for South St. Louis County 4-H. Dahl will…

Digging Deeper with Northern Harvest CSA Farm

With CSA Farms Growing in Popularity in Recent Years, Local Crops are Selling Out for the Season

WRENSHALL, Minn. – The Northland is receiving ample amounts of rain this season, causing some local farmers to wish for higher ground. CSA farming is much more than freshly picked produce on your table. “You’re never going to master nature; you’re never going to master Mother Nature,” said Farmer Rick Dalen, Northern Harvest Farm. It’s almost time for books and…

Franken Impressed with Reservation’s Renewable Energy

Fond du Lac Reservation Reduced Fossil Fuel Dependence by 46%

CARLTON, Minn. – To wrap up his two-day visit to the Northland, Senator Al Franken (D-MN) stopped on the Fond du Lac Reservation Tuesday. Senator Franken serves on both the Senate Energy and Indian Affairs committees, so his visit to the reservation served multiple interests. Minnesota’s junior senator met with Fond du Lac Band of Ojibwe officials to talk about…

Tribute Fest Begins Tomorrow

Raises Money for Homeless Veterans

DULUTH, Minn.-The 9th annual Tribute Fest kicks off tomorrow to help raise funds and awareness for homeless veterans. Events begin at 3 p.m. with cardboard boat races at Pier B. A dance concert will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Bayfront Festival Park. Festivities continue on through Saturday. To find out more, visit thetributefest.com.   Categories: Environment,…