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2019 Christmas Lighting Challenge Winners Awarded at Bentleyville

Businesses and individuals in the Northland receive Christmas Lighting Challenge awards.

DULUTH, Minn.- Winners of the 5th annual Northland Christmas lighting challenge were announced at Bentleyville Friday. Businesses and individual homes in Duluth, Superior and Cloquet were presented a gift basket and recognition for their holiday light displays and spirit. Reliable Insurance Agency won the Cloquet business award for the first time this year. Staff say their boss, Steve Santa, always gets…

Essentia Health’s Valet Service Ramps Up as Winter Approaches

Essentia Health's temporary valet service may be here to stay in Duluth, even after construction.

DULUTH, Minn.- Essentia’s Vision Northland construction project in full swing. It’s taking over parts of first street downtown, making parking and travel more complicated than normal. Now, a valet service the hospital started to help with parking has ramped up this month and could be here to stay in Duluth, even after construction is done. “Before if you wanted to…

Family Raises Money for 15-Year-Old Girl Post Brain Cancer

A Northland family is raising money for their 15-year-old daughter.

DULUTH, Minn.- A Northland family is doing everything they can to raise money for their daughter. The 15-year-old was diagnosed with brain cancer and is now facing complications from the surgery where her tumor was removed. To help with medical bills, friends and family sold homemade fry-bread tacos and auctioned off craft items at the American Indian Community Housing Organization, the…

Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker Hits the Big Screen

At Marcus Theaters in Duluth fans dressed up for the big finale of the 9-part Star Wars Trilogy.

DULUTH, Minn. – After much anticipation the film Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker hit the big screen in Duluth on Thursday. At Marcus Theaters in Duluth fans dressed up for the big finale of the 9-part Star Wars Trilogy. There were not big lines to get tickets for the premiere because for the past month people have been reserving…

Ruby’s Pantry Coppertop’s Last Distribution Before the Holidays

More than 25,000 pounds of food were unloaded off a semi-truck where 70 volunteers helped distribute the food.

DULUTH, Minn. – Ruby’s Pantry at Duluth’s Coppertop Church held its last distribution day before the holidays. More than 25,000 pounds of food were unloaded off a semi-truck where 70 volunteers helped distribute the food. For only $20 anyone can get all types of food, from milk eggs and over a dozen other items. “Everyone is eligible there are no…

Influenza Widespread in Minnesota

The flu usually presents itself as a high fever, runny nose, body aches, and fatigue.

DULUTH, Minn. – The flu season is ramping up in Minnesota with the department of health reporting 262 hospitalized cases throughout the state. The flu usually presents itself as a high fever, runny nose, body aches, and fatigue. However, this year’s flu is a bit different than usual with the prominent strain. The B strain of the virus is the…

Chocolate Shops Remain Busy Through the Holiday Season

DULUTH, Minn.- It’s no surprise the holidays bring out the sweet tooth in a lot of people and local candy shops are busy because of it. Rocky Mountain Chocolate factor in Canal Park has orders lined up until Christmas day. Staff are busy preparing fudge, dipping candied apples and wrapping chocolate box sets. The owner says candy boxes have been so…

Bakeries Stay Busy Leading to the Christmas Holiday

DULUTH, Minn.- Candy shops AND bakeries are both sweet stores that are getting attention right now. Positively 3rd Street bakery in Duluth says they’ve been working plenty of overtime preparing special holiday goodies this year, including cardamom bread and gingerbread men. Staff say they love having a new menu to prepare during this time of year. “It’s lovely to be able…

Gov. Walz Announces Initiative to Give Homeless Population Shelter This Winter

Nearly $5 million has already been raised for Winter Homeless Initiative

VIRGINIA, Minn. – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (DFL) has launched a new initiative to help Minnesota’s homeless population find a warm place to stay this winter. On a given night, more than 1,600 Minnesotans sleep outside, including 300 children. According to the Governor’s office, that number has doubled since 2015. The Winter Homeless Initiative is a public and private partnership…

Lester Park Students Bring Christmas To Essentia Patients

This year they raised about $2,500 and gave away 58 trees.

DULUTH, Minn. – The Giving Tree project began as a small gesture and now has spiraled into a 17 year holiday tradition. Second through fourth grade students walked the halls of St. Mary’s to deliver trees to patients. The Christmas trees were beautifully decorated by the students with ornaments and trinkets. At the age seven Robbie Baker was inspired to…

Enbridge Put on Display for Review of Latest Environmental Impact Statement

The MN Public Utilities Commission reviews the latest Enbridge Environmental Impact Statement.

DULUTH, Minn.- Leaders with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) opened a public hearing in downtown Duluth Thursday for the revised environmental impact statement made by Enbridge on their Line 3 replacement project. The latest EIS revision was a request from the state court appeals for Enbridge to execute another spill model exercise which would outline the impact oil could have…

Hoffbauer Tree Farm Sold Out for Season

Hoffbauer Tree Farm in Duluth is sold out and owner Farmer Doug believes many people who wanted to cut their own tree did not this year because of all the snow that fell.

DULUTH, Minn. – Christmas is only a week away and tree farms are selling out of their trees. Hoffbauer Tree Farm in Duluth is sold out and owner Farmer Doug believes many people who wanted to cut their own tree did not this year because of all the snow that fell. “We were sold out last Saturday, we sold a…

St. Louis County Passes Record Breaking Budget

The budget includes increased investment in public works equipment and materials to support roads and bridges.

DULUTH, Minn. – St. Louis County passed a budget more than 407 million dollars which is about a three percent increase over last year. The budget includes increased investment in public works equipment and materials to support roads and bridges. It also continues to support programs to assist members of the community addressing substance use, mental health, and other services…

Local Musician Sells Hand-Painted Ornaments at Pop-up Shop

Ingeborg von Agassiz creates ornaments with improvisational process

DULUTH, Minn. – A local musician is selling original ornaments at a holiday pop-up shop. Ornaments and paintings filled a table inside Duluth Cider. Each hand painted creation is unique and made using an improvisational process. “I just take glass bulbs that you can buy at Michael’s or Walmart or Target and I take acrylic paints and I paint blobs…

Holiday Wreaths Made at Glensheen Mansion

Event is a fundraiser for Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center

DULUTH, Minn. – Dozens of wreaths were created at Glensheen Mansion in Duluth. They were made with balsam fir that was sustainably cut from the Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center. The event has sold out every time for the past three years. “It’s just this pre-holiday community family friend event that they’re able to get together and there’s just something…

Salvation Army Of Duluth Makes Christmas Possible For Families In Need

About 2,000 kids were given Christmas gifts.

DULUTH, Minn. – The Salvation Army of Duluth is helping to make sure families in need aren’t going without Christmas gifts. Nearly 1,000 households stopped by the salvation army center in Duluth to “shop” for toys. Thousands of donated toys, including brand new bikes, stuffed animals and games, were up for grabs. Thanks to this years toy distribution about 2,000…

The College of St. Scholastica Gets Nearly $4 Million In Grant Funding

This is the largest amount of funding the college has ever earned in its 108-year history.

DULUTH, Minn. – The College of St. Scholastica received two grants totaling nearly $4 million. This is the largest amount of funding the college has ever earned in its 108-year history. About $3 million was awarded to the School of Nursing will fund the Advanced Nurse Education Workforce project. ANEW is four year initiative that helps address the need for…

Warming Centers In The Twin Ports Are Keeping Busy

Another new warming center in Lincoln Park is expected to open January 1st.

TWIN PORTS – CHUM in Duluth and the Ruth House in Superior both are getting their fair share of intakes on these frigid cold days. The Ruth House has seen an increase in new visitors this winter. On average nearly 30 people drop in during the day. Another 15 have been using the center as a warm place to sleep…

Harbor City International Students Carol in Downtown Duluth

The Harbor City International Honor Choir sings carols in the downtown skywalk.

DULUTH, Minn.- The students from the Harbor City International School choir filled the skywalk with sounds from the holiday season Wednesday. This is the honor choir’s first year caroling downtown. Students say they love doing it because of the joy it brings people during the holidays. “I love telling a story. That’s my favorite part- with body language and faces, and…

Duluth Mayor Recaps 2019 Successes in the City

Mayor Emily Larson recaps Duluth accomplishments in 2019.

DULUTH, Minn.- For the first time ever, Duluth Mayor Emily Larson held a 2019 State of the City recap and spoke on some major accomplishments in Duluth since her speech in April. In her 2019 State of the City, Mayor Emily Larson set what she called urgent goals to build, develop and sustain the Duluth community. Larson recapped the city’s fight…

Duluth Looks to Fill Vacant Board and Commission Spots

More than 40 board and commission spots are open in Duluth.

DULUTH, Minn.-The city of Duluth is on a search to fill more than 40 board and commission seats at the start of the new year. Duluth has more than 30 boards relating to the public arts, disabilities and heritage preservation. Board members will have a say in impact residents in these communities have on the rest of Duluth. “We want…

Duluth Continues Sidewalk Snow-Clearing Efforts

Duluth is using heavy-duty snowblowers to clear city sidewalks.

DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth is still digging the city out of snow. Clearing the sidewalks are a big priority right now- it’s why the Parks and Grounds committee is using their best equipment. Three, heavy-duty, model- trackless sidewalk snowblowers are clearing miles of snow each day. Wednesday, crews tackled Woodland, Kenwoord and Arrowhead roads. “If we did not have this type of…