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Duluth’s Sustainability Officer Receives Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership Award

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth’s Sustainability Officer has received some special recognition for her leadership efforts. Mindy Granley was honored at the 2023 Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership Awards with the Individual Adaptation Award. She was recognized due to her work as she’s provided leadership, education, and implemented strategies at the City of Duluth. Granley’s work includes securing $32 million in grant…

House GOP Votes To Oust Democrat Omar From Major Committee

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led House voted after raucous debate Thursday to oust Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar from the chamber’s Foreign Affairs Committee, citing her anti-Israel comments, in a dramatic response after Democrats last session booted far-right GOP lawmakers over incendiary remarks. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was able to solidify Republican support against the Somali-born Muslim woman in the new Congress although some…

Ely Celebrates 30th Annual Winter Festival Event

ELY, Minn. — Just in time for the ice cold weather, Ely’s 10-day Winter Festival is kicking off this week. The Winter Festival has been taking place for the past 30 years, featuring all things snow and ice. A few things festival goers might find, include; Giant snow sculptures in Whiteside Park Local creations in the Ely ArtWalk End of…

Coffee Conversation: Duluth Fat-Tire Bicyclist to Tackle Alaskan Iditarod

DULUTH, Minn. — Local fat-tire bicyclist Leah Gruhn gears up for Alaskan Iditarod 1,000-mile race, becoming the first person from Minnesota to do so on the Southern Route. Gruhn joined FOX21 on the morning show to talk about race preparations and prior success. The Iditarod Trail Invitational will feature qualified athletes and adventurers from around the world in late February….

Groundhog Day 2023: Punxsutawney Phil Sees Shadow, Predicts 6 More Weeks Of Winter

(Fox 9) — Punxsutawney Phil, Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog, awoke Thursday morning and saw his shadow — which, according to folklore, means there will be six more weeks of winter. Each year on Feb. 2, thousands descend on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to watch the giant rodent make his annual weather prediction at dawn with the help of his “inner…

Hobbs, Anderson Won’t Seek Reelection To Duluth City Council

DULUTH, Minn. — Two Duluth city councilors are not running for reelection in 2023. First District Councilor Gary Anderson announced Tuesday he is proud of the work he’s been able to accomplish over the past eight years. At one point, Anderson served as council president. He started in politics in 2012 as an organizer for the Minnesotans United For All…

Feb. 1, 2018: Historic NorShor Theatre Reopens With ‘Mamma Mia!’

DULUTH, Minn. – Tuesday marked the historic NorShor Theatre’s five-year anniversary since its $30 million re-opening in downtown Duluth. Opening night was Feb. 1, 2018 with the popular musical “Mamma Mia!” It was a special moment after 19 months of construction and renovations. The NorShor first opened as the Orpheum Theatre in 1910. The building ran into trouble in the…

Brutal Wind Chills Mean Brutal Firefighting Conditions

SUPERIOR, Wis. – With wind chill temperatures at 30, 40 or 50 below zero, it’s probably safe to say nobody likes that type of weather, especially firefighters. The dangerous conditions happened just two days ago for Superior firefighters who were fighting brutally cold air during the Wasabi restaurant fire on Tower Avenue. Battalion Chief Steve Miner described what it’s like…

Ashley Furniture Quietly Donates 20 Mattresses To Steve O’Neil Apartments For Homeless Families

DULUTH, Minn. — Some residents in the Steve O’Neil Apartments in Duluth are resting easier after a furniture company donated mattresses to them. CHUM posted on Twitter that it was Ashley Furniture that donated 20 mattresses and frames to the complex. CHUM, which operates the apartments that are designated housing for families facing homelessness, said that the Coast Guard helped…

2023 Beargrease Wrap

GRAND PORTAGE, Minn. – “It’s a great weekend, it’s a lot of fun. You know mushers and handlers; you don’t get much sleep out there, but you enjoy it and this weekend it was cold, but it was great. You get to see lots of stars, and everyone enjoys that at some point,” Handler, Erin Aili says. 300 miles, the…

Genealogy Seminar at Richard I. Bong Center

SUPERIOR, Wisc.–A genealogy seminar was held at the Richard I Bong Veterans Center in Superior on Tuesday. The event was free and open for up to 25 people to learn about and start the research for their family trees. The workshop had three sections, basic genealogy, how to navigate ancestry, and how to research service members. Computer skills were not…

‘We Love You, Tyre’: Mourners Gather For Nichols’ Funeral

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Tyre Nichols ’ family and friends gathered Wednesday for a funeral intended to celebrate his life three weeks after he died following a brutal beating by Memphis police that has sparked a new round of calls for police reform. As the service began, a group of singers and drummers beating African instruments proceeded to the front of the church where…

Fate Of Last Ex-Cop Charged In Floyd Murder Lies With Judge

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The attorney for a former Minneapolis police officer who held back bystanders while his colleagues restrained a dying George Floyd said in court filings Tuesday that his client is innocent of criminal wrongdoing and should be acquitted on state charges of aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter. But prosecutors argued in their filings that Tou Thao “acted…

Spirit Mountain Now Open 6 Days A Week

Spirit Mountain had been open 5 days a week since November 25.

DULUTH, Minn. — After only being open 5 days a week since November, Spirit Mountain has added another day of operations. According to a press release, Spirit Mountain had been struggling with staffing shortages and after an aggressive recruitment and retention effort, now have enough staff to keep the hill open longer. The slopes will now be open Tuesdays starting…

Tom Brady Retires At 45, Insisting This Time It’s ‘For Good’

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady, who won a record seven Super Bowls for New England and Tampa, has announced his retirement. Brady — the most successful quarterback in NFL history, and one of the greatest athletes in team sports — posted the announcement on social media Wednesday morning, a brief video lasting just under one minute. “Good morning guys….

Biden, McCarthy, Once Breakfast Mates, Wrangle Over US Debt

WASHINGTON (AP) — Not so long ago, Joe Biden and Republican leader Kevin McCarthy used to talk things over at breakfast in Biden’s vice presidential home at the Naval Observatory. Biden was intent in those days on “keeping up relations with the opposition party,” as he writes in his memoir, and the new House majority leader often arrived with fellow GOP lawmakers in tow….

Keith Aili Holds Off Ryan Anderson for 2023 John Beargrease Title

This is Aili's first Beargrease title since 2006.

GRAND PORTAGE, Minn.- It would come down to two mushers, but Keith Aili was able to outrace Ryan Anderson for the 2023 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon championship on Tuesday. Aili was the first out of the Mineral Center checkpoint 12 minutes ahead of Anderson. They would each pass each other before Aili was able to finish at 52 hours…

Duluth Police Department Releases First-Ever ‘Stop Data Report’

DULUTH, Minn. — For the first time, the Duluth Police Department released a stop data report for 2022 Tuesday. The report shows 5,944 traffic and subject stops were conducted between January and December last year. Of that number, 61 percent were moving violations, 36 percent were equipment violations, and 3 percent were suspicious activity. 4,686 of those stops ended in warnings….

Will Northern Lights Express Receive Funding this Legislative Session?

Duluth, Minn. –Duluth Senator Jennifer McEwen is leading the effort in the State Senate to get funding in the budget for Northern Lights Express (NLX).   McEwen stressed the point that the project has broad support from a variety of people and places. “We have broad, bi-partisan support for this project and we have for some time,” said McEwen. “Some of us…

Duluth Police Assisting With Investigation Into Vineyard Church Pastoral Assistant Allegations

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth police have confirmed that they are assisting in the investigation into allegations against a pastoral assistant at the Vineyard Church. Members of the congregation received an email Sunday from the special committee of the Vineyard Church council. It said in part that the special committee is asking “for patience as seek truth and justice.” The allegations…

Progress Made For St. Louis River Area Of Concern

MINNESOTA — Well things are looking up for the St. Louis River Area of Concern as they recently checked off a crucial item on their list to make the river cleaner and healthier. This accomplishment was the Degraded Fish and Wildlife Populations Beneficial Use Impairment, which they achieved by habitat restoration to improve healthy wildlife and fish populations. According to…

Abortion In Minnesota: Walz Signs ‘Fundamental Right’ To Abortion Into State Law

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed legislation Tuesday guaranteeing abortion access in state law, which puts Minnesota among the first states to implement new abortion protections since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. The law creating a “fundamental right” to abortion takes effect Wednesday, making it harder for a court to roll back Minnesota’s existing abortion protections. Abortion…

Unarmed Man Arrested After Making Threats To Shoot Up Duluth Airport

DULUTH, Minn. — A man is behind bars after making threats to shoot while at the Duluth International Airport Tuesday morning. The Duluth Police Department says the incident happened at 8:30 a.m. when a 51-year-old man from Virginia was supposedly suffering from a mental health issue and making threats to shoot. Police set up a perimeter when they got there,…

Durenberger, Former US Senator From Minnesota, Dies At 88

(AP) — Former U.S. Senator David Durenberger, a Minnesota Republican who espoused a progressive brand of politics and criticized the GOP after his political career, died Tuesday at age 88. Durenberger’s health had declined in recent months, his longtime spokesperson Tom Horner said. Horner told The Associated Press that Durenberger died Tuesday morning of natural causes. He was at his…

Knowing Your Neighbors: Haulin’ Hotdish Food Truck

DULUTH, Minn. — “Hotdish has everything that you need as far as hitting all the food groups and also like I feel like hotdish is so Minnesota. And it’s cold and it’s comforting,” said Rachael Morris, customer of Haulin’ Hotdish. The Haulin’ Hotdish Food Truck is officially in business after deciding winter would be the perfect time to open. Haulin’…

Wasabi Restaurant In Superior Destroyed By Fire; Owners: ‘We Will Be Back’

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Wasabi Restaurant building was declared a complete loss after an early Monday morning structure fire, according to the Superior Fire Department. Crews were dispatched to a report of a structure fire at 3333 Tower Avenue at 12:27 am. First arriving fire crews found heavy smoke coming from the back of Wasabi, the department said. Interior attack…

Duluth Highway 53 Interchange Project

DULUTH, Minn.– The Minnesota Department of Transportation continues to try and keep drivers and the community up-to-date on what’s going on. Another camera has been added to the project site, and is available on the DOT website. During an online briefing today, the department said the project has also been fairly safe so far, with injuries to workers kept to…

Coffee Conversation: AICHO to Host Concert Fundraiser For DV Shelter Expansion

DULUTH, Minn. — The American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) presents concert fundraiser for its domestic violence shelter expansion project. AICHO is expanding its DV shelter Dabinoo’Igan to increase resources and capacity to help more victims of domestic and sexual violence. A fundraiser concert will take place on April 6 at the NorShore Theater. AICHO Legal Advocate, Deanna Reder joined…

Beargrease Kicks Off At Billy’s Bar During Deep Freeze

DULUTH, Minn. — Even with temperatures below freezing, the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon attracted hundreds of people to spectate the 39th run. However, the cold icy conditions makes this year’s race ideal for both dogs and mushers. “It should be faster,” said long-time musher Jennifer Freking. “Dogs feel pretty good and they like the cold. I expect the team…

Snow Leads To Massive Pileup In Wisconsin, Dozens Injured

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Dozens of people were injured in a massive traffic pileup amid snowy conditions in southern Wisconsin on Friday, which blocked Interstate 39/90 for hours, authorities said. Beloit Memorial Hospital said at least 27 people were treated for injuries sustained in the crash, WIFR-TV reported. The extent of their injuries was not immediately clear, the station said. State…

Duluth Mayor and Police Chief React to Memphis Police Beating Death

Duluth, Minn. – -Duluth’s Mayor and Police Chief posted statements on Social media Saturday regarding the release of the video which showed Tyre Nichols being beaten to death at the hands of five Memphis police offiicers. Duluth Mayor Emily Larson said in a statment, “It’s an absolutely tragic and terrible death. I remain committed to the work ahead to listen…

Abortion Bill Passes Minnesota Senate

Duluth, Minn. —  After 15 hours of debate, the Minnesota Senate passed the Protect Reproduction Options bill, known as the PRO bill. It wasn’t until about 3 AM Saturday morning that the Senate voted. The vote went straight along party lines, DFLers 34, Republicans 33. Democrats had fast tracked the bill to codify the abortion rights in the state. Proponents…

Lake Superior Ice Festival Embraces the Cold

SUPERIOR, Wisc. — Yes, it was cold out today, but that didn’t stop families from enjoying all the fun at the Lake Superior Ice Festival. The hay shuttle chauffeured people around the grounds of the festival where all kinds of things were happening. The Ice Carousel is always a standout feature, as the ice actually turns while you are on…

Cutest Puppy Contest held at Fitgers

DULUTH, Minn. — Walking through a hallway of Duluth’s most adorable puppies may sound like a dream, but it came true once again as 40 puppies, from the ages of 4 to 9 months, got a chance to prove that they are the cutest of them all. The event was free and open to the public with ballots being handed…