While the weather has forced many businesses to adjust, others keep on trucking. Or maybe swimming? The Great Lakes Aquarium is finishing the year in record-breaking fashion. In fact, they’ve broken their attendance record for the second year in a row. In 2023 they had ten thousand more visitors than last year—hitting the 210,000 mark. Aquarium leaders say the holiday…
MINNESOTA — The week between Christmas and New Year’s has become a popular time for ice fishing, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources but that doesn’t mean ice conditions are safe. The DNR and county sheriffs are warning Minnesotans of poor ice conditions across the state. The recent rain, wind, and unseasonably warm weather has caused ice to…
The rain has forced a change in plans for Chester Bowl in Duluth. The ski hill was going to start its annual Holiday Ski and Snowboard lessons Tuesday. But the endless rain has changed that, and the hill was closed. Chester Bowl says it is disappointed to be closing, but felt that the best chance to preserve the snow they…
DULUTH, Minn. — It is officially treecycling time for the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District as sites are now open to drop your tree off. Holiday trees like yard and garden waste are illegal to put into the trash, according to WLSSD. They are a big resource the company can use and save landfill space. All of the trees collected…
DULUTH, Minn. — It is normal to have a lot of waste over the holidays, but the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District says a lot of it can be recycled. The ways to reduce waste include gift wrapping a present in a cloth, scarf, or tote. Recycling traditional gift wrap without glitter or foil. Any stretchy plastics that gifts arrive…
The Environmental Protection Agency is investing $22 million to clean up a polluted section of the St. Louis River in Carlton. The funding will tackle 330 acres of contaminated sediment in the Thomson Reservoir, according to the EPA. A thin layer of activated carbon pellets will be placed over the sediment. Officials say the carbon rapidly binds to the contaminants,…
DULUTH, Minn. — Snowmaking season began at Spirit Mountain Tuesday evening. This comes after frustrations from staff because of the unseasonably warm weather for much of November. Usually the ski hill opens on Black Friday, but that won’t be happening this season. None the less, opening day will arrive soon, as temperatures are forecast to continue to be well below…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A lack of snow and warm temperatures that suppressed deer movement led to a lackluster opening weekend of Wisconsin’s nine-day gun season, with hunters killing thousands fewer deer than last year. The state Department of Natural Resources released preliminary data Tuesday that showed hunters registered 92,050 deer compared with 103,623 deer last year. That’s a 16%…
As the weekend approached, the winds changed and the temperatures dropped just in time for the end of Minnesota’s firearms deer season, and the opening of the Wisconsin firearms season. In the Badger state’s Douglas County, deer stands have been checked out to make sure they’re still safe and make any needed repairs. Woods that have been quiet will soon…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – If Superior Mayor Jim Paine has it his way, Minnesota Power and its partners will not be allowed to build a natural gas plant (Nemadji Trail Energy Center) near the Enbridge Energy Terminal and Cenovus Energy. “All this project will do is raise our utility rates, pollute our city, and desecrate a cemetery. I don’t know who…
Duluth, Minn. — A backpacker from Duluth spoke to students in Duluth today about how they can impact the environment. Emily Ford is passionate about introducing people to the outdoors in safe and healthy ways. She was the first woman to thru-hike Wisconsin’s 1,200-mile Ice Age Scenic Trail in winter.Youth in Action, a group focused on the positive change young people…
ITASCA COUNTY, Minn. — The invasive water species known as Zebra Mussels have recently been identified in three Itasca County lakes. The mussels were found on a pontoon boat and other equipment being removed for the season in Jessie, Turtle, and Trout lakes. The invasive species were first discovered in the Great Lakes in 1988 and have spread from there….
MINNESOTA — This Saturday is the Minnesota Firearms Deer Hunting Season Opener. Here in Northeast Minnesota, hunters can expect deer populations to be down after a harsh winter last year, making deer harder to find. For those of you planning to head out this weekend, the DNR suggests you have a thorough plan in place, not only where you will…
DULUTH, Minn. — Next summer, there will be a new 92-acre restored and permanently protected riverfront green space where the US Steel plant once stood in West Duluth. After more than three years of remediation efforts at the site on the St. Louis River. the clean-up is nearly finished Wednesday morning representatives of the city, US Steel, and the EPA…
DULUTH, Minn. — Climate change was the topic of a conference at UMD on Monday. Everyone from environmental activists to students came together to discuss how the change will affect our area. They also discussed other issues that come from climate change and what the community can do. Jonna Korpi from Duluth is the director of sustainability office at UMD….
Minnesota Power is helping the Duluth community celebrate Energy Awareness Month. They put on their annual Energy Awareness Expo at Salvation Army earlier today. It featured community groups and free energy-saving kits. The event aimed to educate people about energy assistance and provide resources for home efficiency, safe housing, and other affordability programs. As the winter months approach, Minnesota Power…
DULUTH, Minn. — One of Duluth’s most popular destinations is preparing for the cold months ahead. The City of Duluth and Lake Superior Rose Society hosts the annual Tipping of the Roses events. Roses in the Rose Garden at Leif Erikson Park go through the process to protect roses for winter. That involves cutting the flowers down, tying them up,…
DULUTH, Minn. — A historic halt in seaway operations has sent a ripple effect throughout the system, including the Duluth-Superior Port. “Definitely a cascading series of effects throughout the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system. It’s a system that it prides itself on reliability. And right now that reliability is being impaired by this unfortunate issue,” said Jayson Hron, communications…
DULUTH, Minn. — Harbor Drive behind the DECC is temporarily closing for the next 12 months. It’s all part of the seawall-waterfront reconstruction project. Crews will work through the winter to build the new seawall. When all is said and done in early 2025, the public space between the wall and the DECC will be transformed into a new plaza…
Superior’s first community solar garden has more than utilities and construction crews eager to see it get started. Wednesday, Superior Water Light and Power unveiled the facility that will generate enough electricity to power 115 homes, and many residents were excited about the prospect and showed up for the ribbon cutting. A lot of those celebrating Wednesday were those who…
SAGINAW, Minn. – A day of Partridge hunting turned into an eye-popping view of a Barred Owl for a Minnesota teen. Taylin Brouse, 17, was hunting in Saginaw when he spotted the owl and was able to capture a few pictures. Nice work, Taylin! Categories: Environment, Minnesota, News, News – Latest News
Those considering swimming on Park Point beaches Saturday were warned to be careful. And that warning carries into Sunday. The Duluth Fire Department said there was a high risk of rip currents, and they issued a warning about noon Saturday. The warning continues until 10 a.m. Sunday morning. The department says the warning means that wind and wave conditions can…
DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota Power is celebrating National Drive Electric Week by adding 8 new all-electric pickups to its fleet. The power company believes electric vehicles will help play a role in achieving a carbon free future and plan to convert 50% of their vehicles to electric by 2030. The new additions will bring them up to 34%. The company…
NEAR ASHLAND, Wisc. — The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act provided $40 million dollars to increase and expand the scope of infrastructure updates. The Forest Service turned to Trout Unlimited, one of its oldest and strongest partnerships to help restore watersheds, streams, and habitat. “We sat down with Trout Unlimited and created a national agreement, our largest…
DULUTH, Minn. — Inches of rain fell across portions of Duluth Saturday night into Sunday. Roads were flooded up by the Miller Hill Mall, and St. Louis County reported multiple washed-out roads. Click the video above for more. Categories: Environment, Minnesota, News, News – Latest News
DULUTH, Minn. – Flash flooding Monday night in parts of Duluth sent piles of sand, dirt and other materials from nearby construction onto East Superior Street. Tuesday morning compared to Tuesday evening at First Avenue E. and Superior Street The National Weather Service said 2 to 6 inches of rain fell fast on parts of Duluth. All that water sent…
The wildfire that had people scrambling near Barnum Monday night, continued to cause problems when the sun came up Tuesday morning. It all started in a swampy marshland area in Carlton County, southeast of Barnum. Fire crews from several communities responded on the ground to try and knock the fire out. Air equipment was also brought in, so that both…
DULUTH, Minn. — Around sunrise this morning, a team of swimmers along with support boats could be seen on Lake Superior making their way toward Duluth. A small crowd had gathered at Lakewalk Beach in Canal Park to cheer them on and welcome them when they arrived just after 7:30 am. It was an exciting moment for six swimmers who…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Just one day after an emergency evacuation at Cenovus Energy because of a propane leak, another emergency situation unfolded Thursday involving a “heavy fuel oil release,” according to the Superior Fire Department. The call for help came in around 1 p.m. Superior fire crews responded to a report of a “release of heavy fuel oil in a…
MAPLE, Wis. We’re getting a look at just how bad some of the severe weather was Wednesday in parts of the Northland, like in Maple. Jason and Mandy Crozier of Maple took dramatic video of straight-line winds outside their home that had rain almost falling sideways. After the storm passes, five large trees partially ripped out of the ground. Two…
DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth City Council passed an ordinance Monday night banning the smoking of marijuana and other controlled substances involving smoke from city parks, like cigarettes and vaping. This comes after the state of Minnesota passed a law legalizing adult recreational use of marijuana beginning Aug. 1. The smoking violation fines became a discussion Monday night between some…
SUPERIOR, Wis. — Superior Water, Light, and Power is creating its first community solar garden. It’s located near Heritage Park in Superior. The garden contains nearly 1,300 panels large enough to power around 115 homes. The community solar garden is expected to produce energy by October. The project is currently subscribed to 80 customers. “The community solar garden is really…
MINNESOTA — Enbridge is partnering with a conservation non-profit to create a new grant program in support of the Line 5 Segment Relocation Project. It is a 2 year $500,000 Ecofootprint Grant Program. The new grants will focus on these priorities: Improving and/or protecting surface water and/or groundwater quality in watersheds crossed by project. Advancing research and science related to…
MOOSE LAKE, Minn.–Hundreds of people took over downtown Moose Lake Saturday in search for agates. Trucks poured loads of gravel into the streets where hundreds of people lined-up and flooded Elm Ave. in search for that perfect agate. The annual agate stampede is part of Moose Lake’s Agates Days Celebration. Agate Days is a community event that residents and volunteers…
SUPERIOR, Wis. — It’s that time of the year again to celebrate Lake Superior and learn about what it does for the community. People gathered at Barkers Island in Superior today to spend some time near the water, and learn about one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world. The Lake Superior Reserve has hosted the event for…
DULUTH, Minn.–Through Monday, low-flying airplanes will fly over the Duluth and Holyoke area. These planes are carrying pheromones to prevent the spread of spongy moths. Formerly known as gypsy moths, spongy moths are an invasive species originally from Europe and are known to strip away leaves from trees. One female spongy moth can lay between 500 and 1,000 eggs. Spongy…
A solar storm forecast for Thursday is expected to give skygazers in 17 American states a chance to glimpse the Northern Lights, the colorful sky show that happens when solar wind hits the atmosphere. Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, are most often seen in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia, but an 11-year solar cycle that’s expected to peak in…
Fourth of July is not just celebrated on land. It’s also celebrated by sea–or at least by lake. Caribou Lake to be exact. Tuesday it wasn’t waves of grain, but waves generated by every boat and pontoon imaginable. There was no shortage of red, white and blue as residents decked out their vessels to honor the nation’s beginning. Each year…
AP TORONTO (AP) — Canadian wildfires will send worsening smoky air across the country and neighboring United States in coming days after recent heavy rains failed to fall in areas of Quebec where the fires are most active, officials said Wednesday. Drifting smoke from the wildfires has lowered curtains of haze on broad swaths of Canada and the United States,…
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…
Fire investigators believe a human caused a large wildfire within the Boundary Waters. The Spice Lake Wildfire is currently 22 acres and 65 percent contained. Spice Lake is located southwest of Seagull Lake, about 10 miles west of the Gunflint Trail. Sunday’s update showed fire activity “creeping and smoldering” in mixed timber and brush. Crews continue to fight the…
The Superior National Forest said a 20 to 30 acre wildfire continues to burn in the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness Thursday. The fire broke out this week near Pike Lake about 10 miles away from the end of the Gunflint Trail No buildings have been damaged. However, officials have issued an emergency forest order by closing all trails, portages,…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — St. Paul had the worst air quality in the United States on Wednesday as smoke from massive Canadian wildfires drifted across Minnesota a week after similar smoke blanketed the northeastern U.S. The smoke was “near the worst” on record for the Twin Cities, the Star-Tribune reported, citing Nick Witcraft, an air-quality meteorologist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency….
BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE ARE, Minn. (FOX 9) – The U.S. Forestry Service says about 30 acres of the Boundary Water Canoe Area are currently burning. The fire is between Spice Lake and Ogishkemuncie Lake. The fire is being monitored, and at the moment it’s still small, but conditions are dry. Over 20,000 acres of the BWCA burned during the 2021 Greenwood Fire. The…
MINNESOTA — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says burning restrictions will begin for Northeast Minnesota Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. The restrictions are for Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis counties. Below is part of a press release: Burning permits will not be issued for brush or yard waste No fireworks may be ignited on any public or private land…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – A new 20-minute video has been released by the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board involving the 2018 Husky refinery explosion and fire in Superior. The goal of the board is to “drive chemical safety change through independent investigations to protect people and the environment.” The 2018 incident injured 36 workers, caused roughly $550 million in damage…
A key permit for a proposed copper-nickel mine near Hoyt Lakes, known as the NorthMet Project, has been revoked by the Army Corps of Engineers. The announcement was made Tuesday in a 27-page report. The Army Corps said the proposed mine “does not ensure compliance with water quality requirements of the Fond du Lac band of Lake Superior Chippewa.” NewRange…
DULUTH, Minn. — A restoration project is underway to revive forest along the St. Louis River that’s dying from an Emerald Ash Borer outbreak from a decade ago. The work is happening along the shorelines and islands in the upper St. Louis River Estuary. Crews are preparing to plant 60,000 tree seedlings over the next three years. The Lake Superior…
HOYT LAKES, Minn. — Another step toward more solar energy took place on the Iron Range Friday. Minnesota Power unveiled and showed-off the second of its three new solar projects. This one is near Hoyt Lakes and is known as the Laskin Solar Project. It will generate enough energy to power 1,100 homes a year. There was a lot of…
The Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad will soon be back on the tracks. It looks a little quiet right now, but things will definitely be picking up as they get ready to reopen in July. During a three-year pause, they’ve been working on everything from improving the tracks to refurbishing authentic rail cars. They have a ninety-minute round-trip that goes…
