Environment

Pond Scientists on the Rise at Hartley Nature Center

Many Student Groups Flocking for Field Trips to Northland Educational Hub

DULUTH, Minn. – In this week’s Animal Answers we’re taking you on a field trip! For some, it may be a trip to the park, museum or movie theater. However, many groups of Northland students are becoming seasoned pond scientists. “I think if you start kids at an early enough age they’ll have an appreciation for the outdoors,” said Matt…

Many Anglers Trying to Set State Records This Year

DNR Officials See Uptick in Record-Setting Applications

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ Minnesota is seeing a surge in record fish submissions. The Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday it has received five applications for four species, including lake sturgeon, shortnose gar, golden redhorse and the quillback carpsucker. Mike Kurre, the DNR’s state record fish program coordinator, says the agency has never had so many record submissions in…

Wisconsin Lawmakers Looking to Sweeten the Deal for Beekeepers

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Republican lawmakers want to sweeten the deal for Wisconsin beekeepers. A proposal from Rep. Amy Loudenbeck and Sen. Steve Nass would eliminate the state sales tax on bees and equipment used by beekeepers. Loudenbeck said at an Assembly committee hearing Tuesday the bill would extend exemptions given to farmers to beekeepers and help address the rapidly…

Minnesota Farmers Hoping for Warm Sunny Days as Season Finally Begins

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota farmers could use some warm, sunny days to speed crop development and get the last of their planting done. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Tuesday that cool and cloudy conditions across Minnesota last week prevented fields from drying out and limited farmers to 2.8 days of fieldwork. Corn planting is almost done in…

1 Dead after Highway Washes Out Between Iowa, Wisconsin

Crawford Co Sheriff’s Office LANSING, Iowa (KSMP) – Iowa and Wisconsin authorities have closed a bridge over the Mississippi River after a washed out section caused a fatal crash Tuesday morning. The accident took place around 4:22 a.m. on Iowa Highway 82 between Lansing, Iowa and Freeman, Wisconsin. The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office says a 59-year-old man was on his…

Fuel Oil Leak in Hermantown

Officials Concerned for Runoff into Keane Creek

HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Hermantown police and fire departments responded to reports of a fuel oil spill Saturday. According to investigators, a residential fuel oil tank leaked in the 48–hundred block of Maple Grove Rd. Saturday afternoon. The fuel oil may have run off into the Keane Creek water system. Hermantown officials have notified the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Categories: Community,…

Adventure Park Now Open at Spirit Mountain

Summer Adventures Begin Memorial Day Weekend at Spirit Mountain

DULUTH, Minn. – Spirit Mountain in Duluth is now back open for business as we head into the Memorial Day weekend. The Mountain’s Adventure Park opened gates Friday for the Alpine Coaster, zip line, jumping pillow, mini golf and disk golf. Five mountain bike trails are now open as well. Executive Director Brandy Ream tells FOX 21 she’s optimistic going…

ReUSE Minnesota Explores Duluth Network

Group has been Operating in the Twin Cities Since 2012

DULUTH, Minn. – A successful Twin cities re-use program Is coming to the Twin Ports. Representatives from ReUSE Minnesota and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency met with local re-use businesses to create a network to share resources. Officials say they’re targeting businesses like thrift stores, habitat restores, and consignment shops. “These are the stores that allow the rest of us…

IRRRB Announces Ilmenite Breakthrough

New Processing Method Produces Nearly Pure Samples

DULUTH, Minn. – Officials from the University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute announced a breakthrough in ilmentite processing Thursday. NRRI partnered with Canadian firm Process Research Ortech to find a way to separate titanum dioxide and iron oxide from ilmenite deposits. The results, nearly pure samples of both titanium oxide and iron oxide.  But, officials say they’re a long…

Gardeners Hoping for Warmer Planting Conditions

Bending Birches Greenhouses has seen some eager gardeners, but the cold, rainy weather has impacted sales

DULUTH, Minn. – Below average conditions around the Northland have led to a slow start to planting season. Bending Birches Greenhouses opened up May 1st and have seen some eager gardeners, but overall the weather has impacted sales. Jahn Hibbs, the greenhouse manager and grower at Bending Birches says it’s best to wait until the first week of June, when…

State Parks Offering Several Programs for Outdoor Fun and Learning

CARLTON, Minn. – Spring is here and summer is around the corner meaning state parks are beginning to bustle with visitors. Kristine Hiller, Jay Cooke State Park Naturalist, says many programs are open to all interested. Hiller points out some are geared toward outdoor enthusiasts, some toward outdoor beginners and some to families and children. Here are a few she…

New Viewfinders Unveiled at Taconite Harbor

  SCHROEDER TOWNSHIP, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the North Shore Scenic Drive Council, and Schroeder Township unveiled new viewfinders at a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Tuesday. Taconite Harbor sits on the North Shore, just southwest of Temperance River State Park off of Highway 61. These viewfinders will allow tourists and residents to view boats, birds, and wildlife seen…

Minnesota Lawmakers Push to Finalize Budget Deal

Lawmakers Doubtful Deal will Pass; Look Toward Special Session

ST. PAUL, Minn. – One-hundred twenty days have passed since the Minnesota Legislature first started work on the state’s budget bill. Monday evening the clock is ticking before the state constitution calls for a deal to be reached or the session will end without an agreement in place, resulting in a special session. “It’s compromise and it’s democracy and it’s…

Damage Estimates at $10 Million for Chetek Tornado

One Man Was Killed in the Tornado

CHETEK, Wis.–The Barron County Sheriff’s Department has released initial damage estimates from a tornado that tore through the Chetek area of northwestern Wisconsin last week. The department said Sunday that the storm damaged 231 homes and four commercial properties across the county, though those numbers are likely to change. The storm caused about $10 million in damages, not including damage…

SLRA Volunteers Team Up To Clean Portion In Superior

St. Louis River Cleanup

Duluth, Minn. – Volunteers from the St. Louis River alliance spent the day cleaning up the river. Decade’s worth of trash that had been dumped alongside the St. Louis River continues to be a problem for the St. Louis River alliance. “We find TV’s and other electronics down in there and those certainly are hazardous,” says Bill Majewski, Chair of…

Wisconsin DNR Looks to Reduce Buck-Only Counties Again this Fall

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The state Department of Natural Resources wants to again reduce the number of counties where hunters can shoot only bucks this fall in a sign Wisconsin’s herd continues to grow. The agency’s board is poised, Wednesday, to approve a 2017 season structure that would designate Ashland, Iron, and Vilas counties and the eastern half of Eau…

Lincoln Park After Dark

Finding Ways To Attract More People

Duluth, Minn. Duluth businesses gathered tonight at the Duluth Children’s Museum in Lincoln Park for another round of Lincoln Park After Dark. A program aimed to bring businesses in the area to come together to discuss ways to make the community better. “We believe in building the neighborhood to be a very vibrant really economically vibrant place where tourists want…

Local Projects Rely on Yet-to-Be-Passed State Bonding Bill

Projects Like Duluth Steam Plant and St. Louis River Clean-Up Need State Funding

DULUTH, Minn. – The deadline is Monday for this year’s Minnesota legislative session to adjourn, and with no budget agreement in place yet, elected officials from all over Minnesota have been in St. Paul calling attention to the needs of cities across the state. Projects like the Duluth International Airport runway reconstruction and the St. Louis River clean up need…

Warm Spring Brings Ticks Out Early Across Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The early spring has brought the ticks out ahead of schedule across Minnesota and experts are warning people to protect themselves against the diseases they carry. The Minnesota Department of Health says anyone who goes outdoors should be alert for the blacklegged tick, also known as the deer tick. Epidemiologist Elizabeth Schiffman tells Minnesota Public…

ATV Riders Can Explore Minnesota Trails for Free June 2-4

Free access to over 3,000 miles of state trails

ATVs on Spider Lake Trail MINNESOTA – Minnesotans with an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) registered for private or agricultural use won’t need to pay the additional registration fee ($53.50 for three years) to ride the state’s public ATV trails June 2-4, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Out-of-state riders can explore the ATV trails, as well without the need for…

Shark Jawbone Caught While Fishing on Mississippi River in Grand Rapids

It has Been Identified as a Sand Tiger Shark

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn.-A Minnesota angler landed an unusual trophy when he reeled in a shark jawbone while fishing on the Mississippi River. Joe Piskel, of Grand Rapids, caught the jawbone near the town over the weekend. He and his son, Joey, brought it to a Department of Natural Resources office, where a fisheries biologist identified it as being from a…

Great Outdoors: Minnesota Fishing Opener

Northland Youth Learns The Lure of The Lake

ISLAND LAKE, Minn- It’s the pursuit of the catch, that has so many of Minnesota’s anxious anglers up well before dawn and hitting the water at first light. Youth Angler, Keegan Charnley says, “We had to wake up pretty early to get here, but, well we’ve had a few bites.” For Keegan Charnley and is father Richie, they look forward…

Harrison Park To Be Revamped

Work To Be Done Over This Summer

Duluth, Wis. The Harrison Park neighborhood will see some big changes to the community park this summer. The park is one of 13 parks that qualify for 90 thousand dollars’ worth of half and half funding. Some of the bigger changes will include making the facility ADA accessible a formal gathering space and a new revamp community garden. “We know…

New Cranberry Research Facility to be Located in Jackson County

(Ocean Spray) WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (AP) – Plans are being made for a new research facility to support Wisconsin’s $1 billion cranberry industry. The Wisconsin Cranberry Research and Education Foundation said Monday it’s purchasing about 155 acres in Jackson County for the research station. The purchase is being made with federal funds and private contributions. The foundation expects research on…

Fishing Season Opens in the U.P.

SAULT STE MARIE, Mich. (AP) – Fishing season has started in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The state Department of Natural Resources says the seasons for walleye, northern pike, and muskellunge open Monday, May 15, for all Upper Peninsula waters. That includes the Great Lakes, inland waterways, and the St. Mary’s river, which runs between Sault Ste. Marie and the city of…

Alfalfa Crop Losses Experienced in Eastern Wisconsin

A warm winter and a wet, cold spring are to blame

MANITOWOC, Wis. (AP) – Unusual seasonal weather variations have made it tough on alfalfa crops in some parts of Wisconsin. A warmer winter and a cold, wet spring have caused a significant portion of the alfalfa crop to fail in Manitowoc County. University of Wisconsin Extension agriculture specialist Scott Gunderson says at least 10,000 of the 18,000 acres of alfalfa…

Enbridge Pipeline Replacement Environmental Review Up for Public Comment

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Department of Commerce is soliciting input on a draft environmental review of Enbridge Energy’s proposed replacement for its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. The release Monday of the environmental review kicks off the public comment period. The $7.5 billion project would replace a pipeline from the 1960s that no…

North Shore Tourism Season Begins

Officials Are Expecting Busiest Summer Ever

TWO HARBORS, Minn. – Once summer weather arrives, the tourism rush is on along Lake Superior’s North Shore. If the recent trend continues, this could be some destinations’ busiest season yet. The North Shore has always been a favorite Minnesota vacation spot. “When the sun is shining, people like to take rides up from the Twin Cities and see the…

Gov. Dayton Reels One In at Opener

The Governor Caught a Smallmouth Bass

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) Gov. Mark Dayton caught a 3-pound, 17-and-a-half-inch bass during the annual Governor’s Fishing Opener. The Democratic governor shared a pontoon boat with Republican legislative leaders on Saturday. They went out on the Mississippi River in St. Cloud. Dayton told reporters that no one discussed the budget, after talks stalled last week. He says budget talks will…

Cooking Oil Dumped at Head of Superior Hiking Trail

Parks Department Looking for Volunteers to Clean-up Area

DULUTH, Minn.-The Duluth Parks Department was left with a mess yesterday, after finding 14 jugs of cooking oil that were dumped at the head of the Superior Hiking Trail. The parks department is reminding the public that these types of situations create major challenges for them. You can help by volunteering. To find out more, call 218-730-4334. Categories: Crime, Environment,…

Lakewalk Mini-Master Plan Will Focus on Safety, Infrastructure

The group Friends of the Lakewalk met Thursday to discuss ways to improve the trail

DULUTH, Minn. – The Lakewalk is one of the most used trails in Duluth, which is why the city is looking at ways to preserve and improve it. The lakewalk  mini–master plan is in its initial inventory stage. Crews were out today looking at the existing infrastructure of the trail, noting possible areas of improvement. Later this fall, the city’s…

White Nose Syndrome Causes Drastic Decline in Wisconsin Bat Population

  MADISON, Wis. – A deadly disease affecting bats, has spread to 24 Wisconsin counties, according to the Department of Natural Resources. White Nose Syndrome (WNS), has killed upwards of seven million bats throughout the United States and Canada, and has now decreased populations in Wisconsin from 30 to 100 percent in areas around the state. WNS is named for…

Hundreds of Northland Students Bike to School

National Bike to School Day Celebrated With More Than 300 Students Participating at Congdon Park Elementary

DULUTH, Minn. – Over 300 students from Duluth’s Congdon Park Elementary School woke up Wednesday morning, grabbed their backpacks and strapped on their bike helmets, all to celebrate National Bike to School Day. Each year, parents at local schools along with teachers and staff plan events to recognize the true meaning of getting to school on a bicycle. Organizers at…

High Fire Danger In Place Prompts The DNR To A Car Fire

Car Goes Up In Flames Near Wooded Area

DULUTH, Minn. – A car was engulfed in flames this morning around 10 a.m. Officials say the engine was likely the cause for the blaze. The car was parked at Kev’s Auto Sales off of Rice Lake Road.  No one was inside the vehicle at the time and no one was injured. It was burning for around 15 minutes and was…

Governor Walker Declares State of Emergency as Wildfire Conditions are Elevated

MADISON, Wis. – Governor Scott Walker signed in Executive Order #242 today, declaring a State of Emergency in response to elevated wildfire conditions throughout the state. Due to dry conditions and high winds, Wisconsin has been experiencing above average fire occurrences, leading to a statewide wildfire threat. Walker stated this was a precautionary measure to “ensure everyone at the state…

Wisconsin Governor’s Fishing Home Opener

Anglers headed out to their favorite fishing spot on Saturday morning

It’s that time of year again when anglers are arriving in schools, launching their boats at Lake Namakagon. Motors tilt into the water for the first time of 2017 as anglers headed out to their favorite fishing spot on Saturday morning. “It’s always fun to get out fishing it doesn’t matter if it’s cold or warm or whatever any day…

Gov. Walker Opens Season with Two Walleye

This Year's Governor's Opener was in Cable

CABLE, Wis. (AP) Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker kicked off the 52nd annual Governor’s Fishing Opener by catching two walleye. Walker was in Cable on Saturday for the event on Lake Namekagon. Walker says fishing is a time-honored tradition and tourism attraction in Wisconsin that draws hundreds of thousands of anglers from outside the state every year. Walker says more than…

St. Scholastica Student Helps Raise Money for Volunteer Gardener

The goal is to raise $500 for new gardening tools

DULUTH, Minn. – A Saint Scholastica student is raising money to help out a good Samaritan in her neighborhood. Last summer, Lindsay Monson came across an elderly woman named Rosemary, who spends her day cleaning up parks in the Duluth community. Monson wanted to do something to give back to her neighbor before she graduates in a few short weeks….

Natural Surface Trails Begin to Open in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. – The City of Duluth reports that city-managed natural surface trails are open. Trail users are asked to use trails with care, practice etiquette on shared trails, and avoid entering wet areas to prevent trail damage. Cyclists of Gitchee Gumi Shores trails are OPEN at: Hawk Ridge and Morningside Duluth Traverse Hartley Park Enger Park Traverse from Observation…

Minnesotans Ready for Fishing as Walleye Season Approaches

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota is ready to start fishing. The state has an estimated 1.4 million licensed anglers and around 500,000 are expected to fish when walleye season opens Saturday, May 13. Governor Mark Dayton is hosting the 70th annual Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener along the Mississippi River in the St. Cloud area of central Minnesota. That stretch of…