ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) –Minnesota hunters and anglers can expect a more modern electronic licensing system with some new bells and whistles. The Department of Natural Resources is looking for a vendor to upgrade the system when its current vendor contract expires in 2020. DNR licensing program director Steve Michaels says it’s still too early to say exactly what…
(Garret Ellison | MLive)HOLT, Mich. (AP) – Analysts say there’s a small chance but serious risk of an oil spill from a nearly 65-year-old dual pipeline underneath the Straits of Mackinac in northern Michigan. Engineer James Mihell of Dynamic Risk Assessment Inc. says there’s a 1 in 60 probability that the section of Enbridge Energy Inc.’s Line 5 pipeline running…
CLOQUET, Minn. — For the first time in about a decade, the fees to visit Minnesota’s state parks have increased. Daily park passes have increased from five dollars to seven, and yearly passes for passenger vehicles have increased from 25 to 35 dollars. The changes began at the beginning of July. Lisa Angelos, Park Manager at Jay Cooke State Park,…
CLOQUET, Minn. — It’s been an active summer for thunderstorms, and last night’s severe weather was no exception. At the camp sites at Jay Cooke State Park, most of the damage affected their unpaved roads and biking trails. But for campers, the experts there do have a few tips to plan ahead if you’re camping during inclement weather. Being…
WASHBURN COUNTY, Wis. – A dead raven has tested positive for West Nile Virus in Washburn County, according to the Washburn County Health Department. West Nile virus is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, which acquire the virus by feeding on infected birds. “Finding the virus in birds indicates that West Nile virus may be present…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – Thursday morning’s fast moving thunderstorms affected electric service for more than 1,200 Lake Country Power members. As of 9 a.m. Thursday, crews repaired service to more than 570 members. Those affected were primarily in the Grand Rapids and Kettle River areas. LCP crews will be working to restore service today. Line crews from Mountain Iron are…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is reminding anglers that walleye fishing will be closed on Mille Lacs Lake for 20 days. According to the DNR, walleye fishing will be closed from July 7-27. Fishing fall all other species, including bass will remain open. With a ban on night fishing already in place for the season,…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Governor Mark Dayton announced locations Wednesday, for a series of Water Quality Town Hall meetings beginning in late July. Ten town halls will offer Minnesotans an opportunity to discuss water quality challenges facing their communities and our state, as well as hear from experts and engage with policymakers. The meetings build on the momentum from Dayton’s…
DULUTH, Minn. — July is just around the corner, and it’s only going to get warmer as the summer months continue. Doctors say that you should always take precautions when you know you’re going to be outside in the summer sun. Applying sunscreen is the most basic way to prevent a bad day at the beach. Dr. Chris Delp from…
DULUTH, Minn. – Every year thousands of people, whether local or visiting, love to fish in the Northland. However, adventure seekers are now taking to the big lake more than ever before, boosting the local economy. One Captain we caught up with says it’s not always easy for charter fishing companies to make a go of it in a competitive…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and law enforcement officials will be out in full force during Operation Dry Ride this weekend, to prevent boaters from drinking and boating June 30 through July 2. The state’s 2017 boating season, has been the deadliest since 2005, with nine boating fatalities recorded so far. Operating a boat, with a…
(Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) ST. LOUIS (AP) – A man who scored what he thought was a prime parking spot in downtown St. Louis said he returned form a Thursday morning trip to the gym with his fiancee to find his car swallowed by a sinkhole. Jordan Westerberg told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that when the couple came…
ELLSWORTH, Wis. (AP) – A National Weather Service crew is surveying damage from a tornado in northwestern Wisconsin that injured one person when a barn collapsed and damaged several dozen homes and outbuildings. Weather service meteorologist Michelle Margraf says the tornado struck around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday east of River Falls in Pierce County. The twister also churned up large…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Bassmaster Magazine has released its top 12 Best Bass Lakes of 2017 and has named Mille Lacs number one thanks to its abundance of smallmouth bass. The magazine states it was selected for its hearty bass, as winners of several fishing championships wrangled in basses weighing in over 20 pounds and some measuring longer than 17…
ASHLAND, Wisc. -The Wisconsin DNR is working to update its management of fisheries on Lake Superior. The current plan hasn’t been updated since 1988, so the Department of Natural Resources is reaching out to stakeholders who actively fish Wisconsin’s Lake Superior waters. Earlier this week, the DNR was in Ashland to do just that. Bradley Ray, a senior fisheries biologist…
Johnny Galecki (Matt Sayles / AP) SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif (AP) – The home of “The Big Bang Theory” star Johnny Galecki has been destroyed in a wildfire in California. Nicole Perna, a spokeswoman for the 42-year-old actor, says his home on a ranch in the San Luis Obispo area was destroyed by the wildfire on the state’s central coast….
Photo Courtesy: FOX 9 ST. CROIX COUNTY, Wisc. (KMSP) – The St. Croix Sheriff’s Office says a 24-year-old woman died from possible carbon monoxide poisoning while aboard a boat over the weekend. The victim, Ashley Speer, was out on the St. Croix River with Justin Roskos and Hayden Johnson. They were supposed to camp at a beach, but never made…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Department of Natural Resources reminds state park visitors and recreational riders that fees will increase and go into effect on July 1. One day state park vehicle permits will increase $2 to $7 and year-round vehicle permits will increase $10 to $35. Fees have not increased in over a decade, according to the DNR. The…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is warning residents about the dangers of poison hemlock, which is a toxic member of the carrot family. Officials are asking residents to be on the lookout for the week and take precautions when handling it. A person should avoid exposure at all costs by wear gloves, long pants, and a…
HELENA, Mont. (AP) – U.S. government officials say grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park region are no longer threatened, and they will lift protections that have bene in place for more than 40 years. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Thursday that the recovery of Yellowstone’s grizzlies is one of the nation’s great conservation success stories. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will no longer have a large presence at the state fair to promote hunting fishing, and other recreational pursuits. A department spokesman tells the Wisconsin State Journal that the department will no longer send between 100 to 200 staff members to the 11-day event. The decision is part of the…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A Wisconsin state park has canceled its summer bat watch program due to a fungal disease decimating the park’s bat population. The Baraboo News Republic reports that a disease known as white-nose syndrome has spread among the brown bat population in Devil’s Lake State Park. The disease causes white fungus to form on the muzzle, wings,…
A sign warns that the trail head is closed on Monday, June 19, 2017, after a fatal bear mauling at Bird Ridge Trail in Anchorage, Alaska. Authorities say a black bear killed a 16-year-old runner while he was competing in an Alaska race on Sunday. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – A 16-year-old boy who was fatally mauled by…
Duluth, Minn. Grandma’s marathon wasn’t the only outdoor activity you could partake this weekend. It was also the 17th annual Lincoln Park walleye open put on by the Lincoln Park Business Group. Hundreds of anglers including Fox 21’s Joey Norton set out on the St. Louis River early Saturday morning hoping to bring in the big one. “We are offering…
DULUTH, Minn.-Three peregrine falcon chicks were banded at Minnesota Power’s Hibbard Renewal Energy Center in Duluth yesterday. Members of the Raptor Resource Project helped band the birds. Ninety-five falcons have been banded at two different Minnesota Power energy center plants since 1993. Each site has nest box where the falcons can be found. The banding is done to keep the peregrine’s…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Only one of the dozens of businesses impacted by fishing restrictions on an eastern Minnesota lake is getting financial help from the state thanks to language tucked into an economic development law. The Star Tribune reports the law’s language is so specific that only Hunter’s Winfield Resort on Mille Lacs Lake will receive $150,000 in…
WLUK NEW FRANKEN, Wis. (WLUK) — A rare discovery was made by a Brown County, Wisconsin couple Monday. Shane Magle says he saw a black widow spider hanging out on his New Franken property after he came home from work. He said he let the dog out and then glanced over to see a black object on a red storage…
DULUTH, Minn. – Five years have passed since major flooding washed away years of hard work and dedication at the Lake Superior Zoo. Millions of dollars are still being spent to repair and rebuild what was lost during those overnight hours. “My first response is we had a problem, we had to get things done, my staff is amazing,” said…
The city of Duluth unveiled new details about the western waterfront and trail master plan tonight. After nearly a year of studies along the St. Louis River and multiple public input sessions have finally brought some insight to what the master plan might intel. The Morgan Park recreation center was packed with local citizens eager to see this master plan…
DETROIT (AP) – A wet spring season has experts predicting that summer water levels for the Great Lakes could be higher than normal and above last year’s mark through early fall. The Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology Office at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Detroit District announced Monday in its six-month water level forecast that summer water levels on…
An emergency severe weather shelter is now set up on the Lac Courte Oreilles reservation, as people deal with flooded roadways and downed power lines. A massive storm caused flash flooding in the Northland, and rose water levels while dampening many people’s lives in Northwest Wisconsin. “It never quit, it was relentless it came on and it rained and it…
Duluth, Minn. The rubber mulch that has been a hot topic for a few years is now one step closer to being removed. It has come down to choosing the lowest bidder for the removal of the rubber. Originally bids to remove the rubber mulch were over 2 million dollars making the school board needing to research other avenues to…
BAYFIELD, Wis. (AP) – A northwestern Wisconsin county and a state agency will go to court over a local ordinance that would place more restrictions on large-scale farms to protect water quality. Wisconsin Public Radio reports that Bayfield County will argue its case against the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in court next month. The county passed an ordinance last…
DULUTH, Minn. – Many of you may be looking into landscaping projects this summer. One local company is looking to transition outdoor spaces into ecological hubs. Shoreview Natives is stemming from a lesson taught in one Northland classroom. For Duluth Woodland resident Will Bartsch, it’s common to have folks drive past his home, looking twice and stopping with a few questions….
DULUTH, Minn. – A 22-year-old man is recovering after jumping into a popular swimming hole in the Lester River known as “The Deeps.” Authorities tell us the man was pulled from the water unconscious with a laceration to the back of the head after hitting a rock just below the water’s surface. The man eventually came to, began breathing, and…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – Hundreds of people are in Grand Rapids this week for the Minnesota Wildfire Academy. Students from nine states throughout the region are going through extensive training to learn about safely combating wildfires. On Thursday, some of the new recruits got to watch a simulated air operation and get hands–on experience of some firefighting basics. Instructors say…
DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota Power is hoping to get Duluthians to start thinking green when it comes to driving. Representatives with the company were out at Whole Foods Co–op on Wednesday to promote electric vehicle technology. Through the month of June, Minnesota Power is offering a $10,000 discount to customers who buy a Nissan Leaf electric car. Along with a…
DULUTH, Minn. – Congestion on Lake Avenue from those trying to access Canal Park from Superior Street has become a growing concern for the city of Duluth. A focus group met tonight to talk about 6 different proposed policies that would better forms of transportation in different parts of the city. The focus group, which is part of the Imagine…
SUPERIOR, Wisc. – Minnesota Power announced some big plans that would bring a $700 million natural gas power plant to Superior. If approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, the proposed Nemadji Trail Energy Center would start construction as early as 2020 and come online in 2025. The project would bring hundreds of construction and industry jobs, 26 full0time plant…
ONAMIA, Minn. (AP) – A nationwide group of fisheries scientists will review the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource’s walleye assessment on a popular fishing lake after nearby resort owners questioned the lake’s low population of the fish. The Star Tribune reports that this is the second year anglers have been banned from harvesting walleye at Mille Lacs Lake because the…
MADISON, Wis. – Safety officials with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation are cautioning motorists about the increased potential of deer darting across roadways over the next several weeks. Deer activity spikes in June as does search for places to give birth and fawns separate from their mothers. June ranks higher than fall months for motorists getting injured in deer vs….
CLOQUET, Minn. — Just in time for summer vacation, the Pinehurst Beach in Cloquet is now open to the public. The chlorine pool with the sandy bottom is a unique place for those seeking to cool down in the summer heat. They are open each day of the week, weather permitting. When Fox 21 arrived at the park, the beach…
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) – The Metropolitan Council in St. Paul is paying manufacturing firm 3M Co. about $1 million to settle lawsuits over Mississippi River pollution. The Pioneer Press reports the settlement Monday ends the lawsuits between the two entities, which blamed each other for chemicals found in the river in 2007. In 2011, the Metropolitan Council joined the Minnesota…
SILVER BAY, Minn. – Monday was the end of an era for one decades old pit stop on the North Shore. The old Spur gas station off of Highway 61 in Silver Bay is now demolished, making way for new opportunity. Four developers are now climbing toward new adventures, hoping the community and tourists will enjoy the development. “It just needs…
LAKE ELMO, Minn. (KMSP) – A 6-year-old girl drowned in a popular artificial swimming pond in Lake Elmo Sunday afternoon. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office identified the girl as Ghia Vue of St. Paul. Another swimmer bumped into the unresponsive girl around 1:00 p.m., according to a Washington County official. The girl was in about three feet of water at…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) – Minnesota and eight other states, along with Puerto Rico, joined the U.S. Climate Alliance Monday, pledging to uphold targets outlined in the Paris Climate Accord after President Donald Trump decided to pull out of the agreement last week. Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Puerto Rico joined the original three…
DULUTH, Minn. – For the past ten years one elementary school teacher in Duluth has been pouring out passion for science into the classroom. It’s now becoming a favorite lesson, every Friday. When walking past room 206 at Homecroft Elementary you can hear a beat and a buzz coming from inside. “Science is real, science is everywhere! This is Professor…
Duluth, Minn. Lowell Elementary students joined by their parents enjoyed a picnic this afternoon at the schools nature play scape. Lowell elementary school received an award today for the many ways they encompass nature in their curriculum. The nature play achievement award was presented to the school today for the commitment to connecting students with learning and play opportunities in…
UPDATE: Rescue crews have located the missing individuals in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Around 1 a.m. Friday, a fixed wing aircraft of the Minnesota State Patrol was searching near Oyster Lake, and spotted the lost party when they used a flashlight from the ground to signal the plane. The party was retrieved by an Air Guard helicopter out…
