SUPERIOR, Wis. – In a two-part special report, we take you inside the Douglas and St. Louis county jails. Corrections officers talk about the dangers faced inside and outside the jails, and the training they go through to keep the peace. FOX 21’s Dan Hanger reports. For corrections officers at the Douglas County Jail, things can get a little colorful…
DULUTH, Minn. — In part two of a special report – Jail Dangers – we take you to the St. Louis County Jail where safety and security concerns go far beyond the walls of the jail. “We’re basically running a little city there,” said Sheriff Ross Litman. “I have a really high level of admiration for the staff that work…
DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth for Clean Water and the Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa are asking the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to reverse its decision on a dam permit for Polymet’s proposed mine. This after the January 25 collapse of a dam in Brazil they say was constructed in the same way as the proposed dam for the copper…
DULUTH, Minn. – 125 to 200 people spend each night outdoors in Duluth, according to the Homeless Person’s Bill of Rights Coalition. Part of the group’s bill has been passed by the Duluth City Council, but they’re fighting for more to protect everybody’s right to rest and food. The coalition is asking for a twenty-four hour hygiene facility to be…
DULUTH, Minn.- Calling on people of all blood types- there is an urgent need for blood donations due to the extreme weather. Memorial Blood Centers across the state say blood donations are usually low this time of year, but this winter has been exceptionally bad because of its temperatures. The Duluth location says they’re down to 1 bag a day per…
DULUTH, Minn. – This weekend we will get a little relief from subzero temperatures. As the frigid cold is expected to return, drafty windows can leave your home feeling frosty. Glass Guru in Duluth offers a long list of window services including diagnosing and repairing window insulation problems. Experts say the common reason a window may be drafty is typically…
DULUTH, Minn. – Tow Truck drivers all over the Northland have had a record setting few days as people’s cars are refusing to start due to the extreme cold. In recent days, tow truck drivers have been inundated with hundreds of calls. “Well the last couple days hasn’t been a lot of sleep, I can tell you that, yesterday we received…
DULUTH, Minn. – Frost bite is just one of the many dangers when temperatures bottom out as low as they’ve been in recent weeks. Officials from Essentia Health’s Burn Unit say they have seen a spike in their admissions with seven frost bite cases in the last few weeks. We spoke to a burn intensive care nurse about signs…
MOOSE LAKE, Minn. – An inmate at the Moose Lake Sex Offender Program with past felony convictions of sexual assault and assault within that facility is charged with attempted premeditated murder after a counselor’s throat was slashed twice. The suspect, George Mack, Jr., 42, is charged with attempted murder in the first degree, and fourth-degree assault within a secure treatment…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – State Rep. Dave Lislegard, DFL-Aurora has introduced a bill to designate a bridge in Virginia as Tom Rukavina Memorial Bridge. The bridge is located on Highway 53 over a mining area east of 2nd Avenue West in Virginia. Rukavina, who was known for his passion and feistiness at times, served on the Minnesota House of Representatives for…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two state senators want to protect the right of Minnesota kids to operate lemonade or hot dog stands without fear of the police. Republicans Roger Chamberlain and Linda Runbeck have authored a bill to allow kids 14 and under to operate temporary stands without permits. It passed a Senate committee last week and awaits floor action….
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal judge in Minnesota has lifted a hold that had been placed on four lawsuits challenging the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota. Thursday’s decision by U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen doesn’t list next steps, but her decision to lift the stay means the cases can proceed. The lawsuits filed by environmental groups seek to block…
(David Joles/Star Tribune via AP) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Dangerously cold weather is creating added pressure on emergency responders in Minnesota, where three times the number of firefighters were needed to battle a house fire. A house in St. Paul was covered in heavy ice as firefighters hauled hoses through the snow as temperatures plunged Wednesday to nearly negative…
MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office says it’s investigating the death of a woman found frozen in her unheated apartment. The medical examiner says the 38-year-old woman was pronounced dead about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Authorities say an investigation revealed the thermostat in her apartment had malfunctioned. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday. Another day of dangerously cold weather…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluthians have a history of embracing what makes this community unique, vibrant, and one of the best outdoor cities in the country, and winter is no different. Officials with the City of Duluth say last year’s inaugural Cold Front Festival was an incredible success, with 96% of attendees rating it a positive February winter celebration experience. The City…
DULUTH, Minn. — In this weeks Cooking Connection we are making quick and easy appetizers and drinks that you can enjoy for your Super Bowl party! A Jamaican Cowboy is a fruity margarita that’s great for people who don’t like the taste of alcohol. It’s fruity flavor masks the tequila and can easily be made from home. Shrimp is a…
Categories: Community, News, News – Latest News, News Update Tags: Brett Scott, brittney merlot, community, Headlines, Local News, midday update, News, weather
CHICAGO (AP) -United Parcel Service says it has halted deliveries in about 250 zip codes in the Midwest and western New York because of concerns for the safety of those making deliveries in the extreme cold. UPS Chief Operating Officer Jim Barber said Thursday that most of the routes that won’t receive deliveries are in rural areas. He says drivers…
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Police say a 60-year-old man was found dead outdoors in East Lansing. An autopsy will determine the cause of death, although foul play is not suspected. The deaths of at least two other Michigan residents have been connected to the extreme cold weather. Police say the man’s body was discovered Wednesday. In Ecorse, police identified a…
(AP) – A new report estimates that nearly half of all U.S. adults have some form of heart or blood vessel disease, a medical milestone that’s mostly due to recent guidelines that expanded how many people have high blood pressure. The American Heart Association said Thursday that more than 121 million adults had cardiovascular disease in 2016. Taking out those…
Categories: Community, News, News – Latest News, News Update Tags: Brett Scott, brittney merlot, community, Headlines, Local News, morning update, News, weather
DULUTH, Minn.- The extreme cold doesn’t keep the Northland from getting out to enjoy the finer things in life. Because if you think temps that feel like -40 keep people here inside, you don’t know Minnesota. “The weather doesn’t bother me at all.” Armon Freeman, a Junior at Denfeld High School, walks into Bridgeman’s in Duluth with his cousins, wearing only…
Coming up Thursday on FOX 21 News at 9 p.m., a two-part special report – Jail Dangers. FOX 21’s Dan Hanger takes you inside the Douglas and St. Louis county jails. Corrections officers describe what it’s like to face hundreds of inmates a year, the dangers that arise and the training they go through to keep the peace. Categories: News,…
DULUTH, MINN.- The Homeless Person Bill of Rights Coalition of Duluth hoped to get a second warming center approved in the city tonight. Although the DTA rejected that proposed new Warming Center located in the Duluth Transit Authority’s Transportation Center. Instead, the DTA Board voted unanimously to offer free transportation to Duluth’s current Warming Center. These free rides will be…
DULUTH, Minn.-With the cold snap many of you may have trouble starting your car. Local mechanics from All Star Service and Accessories tell us that the top ways to make sure your car will start in the morning is by having it connected to a charger while also having a block heater. They say another good way to make sure…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s Best Bread is raising some dough tomorrow to benefit Australians who are dealing with extreme temperatures almost 150 degrees more than Duluth’s. “We got to thinking, what about our poor friends in Australia, it’s 118 degrees there. They’re going through a terrible, terrible heatwave so we thought we should start a little fundraiser and help them…
DULUTH, Minn. – Snow plows have been pulled off of the roads in parts of Minnesota after the below zero temperatures caused them not to work properly. MnDot says plows in 11 Southeastern counties weren’t working properly due to mechanical issues. They choose to keep the plows off of the roads in the interest of driver safety. The local MnDot…
DULUTH, Minn.-This weekend Duluth Figure Skating Club is hosting the 39th Annual Northland Figure Skating Competition. Skaters of all ages from all over the region will be gliding into Duluth for their chance to win gold starting tomorrow. This competition hosts an unprecedented 450 skaters from all over the United States and Canada. Organizers say there’s going to be many…
DULUTH, Minn. – Just a few days ago, the Duluth Police announced a spike in opioid overdoses, which is causing concern in the area. Since the start of 2019 the city has already seen five fatalities. 26–year–old Jess Sprately recently died due to a heroin overdose. The tragic and unexpected loss has left those who love him in mourning. On…
Aitkin Public Schools: CLOSED Jan. 30 and Jan. 31 Includes all after school activities Animal Allies Humane Society: CLOSING at 5:00 p.m. Jan. 30 Ashland Schools: School will be CLOSED Jan. 30 – all evening and after school activities have been cancelled Jan. 30; the field house is closed. Closed Jan. 31 Barnum Public Schools: CLOSED Jan. 30 and Jan. 31…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Transit Authority Board of Directors voted unanimously to offer citizens who are traveling to-and-from the City Center West Warming Center free rides from 9:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. on evenings the warming center is open. Officials at the DTA say the action by the Board of Directors “is an additional measure being taken to support…
CHICAGO – The body of a University of Iowa student has been found on the campus in Iowa City, and officials say they believe his death was weather-related. Television station KCRG reports that the body of 18-year-old Gerald Belz was found behind an academic hall just before 3 a.m. Wednesday by campus police. He was taken to a hospital, where…
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) — A look at how this week’s snowstorm and bitter cold have affected the United States, by the numbers: 22 – Number of states that recorded sub-zero temperatures Wednesday. Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York all saw temperatures that were below zero. New…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota lawmakers and activists are making a push to require drug companies to pay more of the costs of dealing with the opioid crisis. A House health and human services committee had its first hearing scheduled Wednesday on a bill to require manufacturers and wholesalers that sell or distribute opioids in Minnesota to pay registration fees…
Categories: Community, Minnesota, News, News – Latest News, News Update Tags: Brett Scott, brittney merlot, community, Headlines, Local News, midday update, weather
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Human Services says a data breach potentially exposed personal information on up to 3,000 people. Commissioner Tony Lourey tells legislative leaders it happened Sept. 28 when an employee fell for a phishing scam and clicked on a malicious link that caused the employee’s email account to send spam. Lourey says technicians could…
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Foxconn Technology Group said Wednesday it is shifting the focus of its planned $10 billion Wisconsin campus away from blue-collar manufacturing to a research hub, while insisting it remains committed to creating 13,000 jobs as promised. The much-ballyhooed facility was heralded by President Donald Trump and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as…
DULUTH, Minn. – The 39th Annual Northland Figure Skating Competition in conjunction with the United States Figure Skating National Excel Series is happening in Duluth. The competition kicks off on Thursday, January 31 and will run through Sunday, February 3. The Duluth Figure Skating Club is the first Official host of the National Excel Series in the United States. The…
(AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — Tyson Foods is recalling some chicken nuggets after customers said they found pieces of “soft, blue rubber” inside. The U.S. Agriculture Department said the 5-pound bags should be thrown away or returned. The agency says there are no confirmed reports of anyone getting sick from the rubber. The recall is for more than 36,000…
DULUTH, Minn. – Dangerous cold weather doesn’t discriminate. Even the staff and animals at the Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth are bundling up and finding creative ways to stay warm during the bitter arctic blast. For Lana the Amur tiger, a heated space indoors is where she spends much of her time during below zero temperatures. A heated rock also…
Categories: Community, Minnesota, News, News – Latest News, News Update Tags: Brett Scott, brittney merlot, community, Local News, morning update, News, weather
MINNEAPOLIS – Xcel Energy says the extreme cold has caused some customers to lose natural gas service in the Princeton area and has the utility issuing an appeal to other customers to turn down their thermostats. Utility spokesman Matt Lindstrom says about 150 customers lost heat as temperatures dipped into the negative 20 range Tuesday night. Lindstrom says the weather is…
CHICAGO – The Minnesota Department of Transportation pulled snowplows off the roads in nearly a dozen southeastern counties because of the extreme cold , while Wisconsin added state offices and agencies to its long list of closures. Minnesota transportation officials say some snowplows were experiencing mechanical problems because of subzero temperatures Tuesday, so officials decided to idle all plows overnight….
GRAND PORTAGE, Minn- Jennifer Freking took second place Tuesday in the 35th Annual John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. Freking crossed the finish line just after 9 p.m Tuesday night in Grand Portage. Her husband, Blake Freking took first place in the race. Categories: News, News – Latest News
GRAND PORTAGE, Minn. – It was an exciting finish Tuesday night in Grand Portage for the 2019 John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. After starting the day with a commanding lead, Ryan Redington had problems on the trail and was passed by Blake Freking who won this year’s marathon. FOX 21’s Andrew Kirov reports. Blake Freking crossed the finish line just…
DULUTH, Minn.- Severe weather can strike at anytime. However, when it does, emergency responders need to be ready. Dozens of incident management experts are in Duluth this week getting some special training. These teams truly are something special. Coming together in times of crisis to help those in need. One instance was back in 1998 when many of those folks…
You may have heard that “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night …” will prevent mail carriers from completing their appointed rounds. But the unofficial motto of the U.S. Postal Service apparently doesn’t include the cold. Wednesday, the federal service says it will not deliver mail in all or parts of five Midwest states because of a…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth International Airport is still looking to fill the majority of seats for a new test flight direct to Nashville this may. About three–fourths of the plane is empty right now. Officials are hoping for people to book the flight by February 15th. The package includes round-trip airfare from Duluth to Nashville, a four day, three…
DULUTH, Minn. – Today is “National Plan Your Vacation” day. As freezing temperatures are expected to continue, Divine Destinations in Duluth is helping people get started with their travel plans. According to the U.S. Travel Association, more than 700 million vacation days went unused in 2018. On a very cold day like today people are more likely to look for…
BRUTAL HISTORIC COLD ARRIVES IN THE NORTHLAND WIND CHILL WARNING: Dangerous cold air temperatures paired with high winds will create life threatening wind chills throughout the day today and into Thursday morning. -40° to -60° feel like temperatures will be felt, which can cause frost bite in 5 minutes. It is crucial that you limit your time outdoors, cover all…
