News – Latest News

Volunteers Encouraged to Raise Roses Saturday in Duluth

Flowers will soon be on display at the Rose Garden on London Road

DULUTH, Minn. – The roses will soon be back for the season at the Rose Garden on London Road. Saturday, April 28th, from 9:00 a.m. until noon, Duluth Parks staff and volunteers will raise the roses out of the ground. Pre-registration for volunteers is encouraged but not required. Volunteers are reminded to wear gloves and dress for the weather. Categories:…

Superior Residents Excited to Return Home

The evacuation order was lifted Friday morning at 6 a.m.

DULUTH, Minn.-  The evacuation order that had been put in place for a large area around superior was lifted at 6 a.m. we spoke with families heading home. The Twin Ports Region teamed up to ensure Superior residents had a safe place to stay. Now the hustle and bustle continues as families head home. A lot of Duluth hotels were completely…

Superior Trying to Get Back To Normal Routine After Fire

The investigation to figure out the cause of the fire is still ongoing.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The city of Superior is now in the aftermath of Thursday’s explosion at the Husky Energy Refinery. City officials say the main mission is to get people back to their routines after what’s been a very hectic time in their community. More than 24 hours after the explosion and fire at the Husky Energy Refinery some of…

Modified Route for Grandma’s Marathon

due to road reconstruction projects, the course will be modified through 2020

DULUTH, Minn.- Due to construction on the streets of downtown Duluth, Grandma’s marathon and the Garry Bjorklund will have a modified route this year. As race participants make their way through downtown Duluth they will make a left turn off of superior street at fourth avenue east and then proceed down michigan street for nine blocks until they reach fifth…

Second Evacuation in the Twin Ports in 26 Years

how yesterday's refinery explosion compares to the benzene spill of 1992

DULUTH, Minn.- Back in 1992, several rail cars went off a bridge and in to the Nemadji river south of Superior. The chemicals from the event created a large, expanding cloud moving over Lake Superior. Sound familiar? I spoke with Duluth police chief at the time, Scott Lyons, to see how yesterdays refinery explosion compared to that of twenty six…

Emergency Plan Keeps Adoptable Four-Legged Friends Safe

The Douglas County Humane Society was forced to evacuate after the Husky refinery explosion on Thursday.

  SUPERIOR, Wis.-  We checked in on our four-legged friends at the Douglas County Humane Society after dealing with evacuating. The shelter shook on Thursday, after the explosion at the Husky refinery, putting their emergency plan in motion. The director says the plan has been in place for nearly five years and they never expected to put it to use….

EPA Officials Determine Air Quality Is Not A Threat After Husky Fire

Air monitoring crews with husky refinery will continue doing so for several days.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began monitoring the air quality after the explosion. The focus started with responder safety and then transitioned into monitoring the air throughout the nearby area. This was done to evaluate possible community exposure and collect information for the evacuation order. “So we pushed out air monitoring out further away from the…

City: Irvin Can Fit Through Slip Bridge; Seawall Construction Timeline Released

DULUTH, Minn. –  The city of Duluth has released new details to FOX 21’s Dan Hanger involving an updated construction timeline on the delayed seawall project in Canal Park, and also when and where the William A. Irvin could eventually open for the season. But first, the Minnesota Slip Bridge in Canal Park, also known as the “Blue Bridge,” is…

U.S. Olympians Honored at White House Celebration

Team Shuster Among Those Honored

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the White House hosted a celebration for Team USA. Team Shuster was among more than 200 athletes that attended the celebration alongside President Donald Trump. President Trump told the members of the 2018 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams during his speech this morning, “You made us very proud!.” The President was presented with flags signed by…

UW-Superior Concert Will go on as Scheduled

UW-Superior Will Honor Those Involved in Explosion

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Tomorrow UW-Superior will be holding a concert featuring Canaan Smith, Maddie & Tae, and Chris Hawkey at Wessman Arena at 7 p.m. The concert will honor first responders, members of the American Red Cross and employees of Husky Energy who will all be admitted to the show free of charge. “On behalf of Yellowjacket Athletics, Canaan Smith,…

A Look Inside the Northland’s Newest Non-Profit

The Oldenburg House opened its doors to the community.

CARLTON, Minn.-A new non–profit is bringing cultural programs to the Northland. The Oldenburg House opened its doors to the community offering music and opportunities to get outdoors. The non–profit is run by the Swansons a couple dedicated to bringing the community together through local art. “Trying to make art and cultural connections for people with what is abundantly and irreplaceably around…

Paramedics Talk with FOX 21 During Husky Explosion Incident

SUPERIOR, Wis. – First responders have established a command center in Superior. Duluth and Hermantown Police, along with the St. Louis County and Douglas County Sheriff’s Offices all on the scene to assist the Superior Fire and Police Departments. We spoke with one of the paramedics standing by today, “we do train for this sort of thing, so this is…

Minnesota GOP Leaders Look Ahead For State Convention

The 2018 Minnesota Republican State Convention is on June 1 and 2.

DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota republican leaders call the upcoming elections in Nov. among the most critical election in recent history. Nearly 4,000 republicans from across the state are expected to attend the 2018 Republican State Convention at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) in Duluth on June 1 and 2. The 2016 Republican State Convention was also at the DECC. The…

Spirit of the Lake Community School Students Go Back In History

Students memorized their lines and worked on staging.

DULUTH, Minn. – Sixth graders from Spirit of the Lake Community School in Duluth went back in history with a performance of Julius Caesar. Students studied Roman history and this year’s lesson was based on Caesar. Students gravitated toward the Roman leader and worked on the play for about a month. “That really gives them a strong feeling for who that…

15th Annual LSC Robot Wars

Students worked on their robots for most of the semester.

DULUTH, Minn. – Students came ready to battle it out at the 15th annual Lake Superior College Integrated Manufacturing Robot Wars earlier today. Six teams from LSC and seven from Mesabi East and Cromwell High School competed. Students worked on their robots for most of the semester. Then it was time to take it to the cage where some robots…

UMD Muslim Student Association Shares Culture Through Islamic Awareness Week

The biggest goal of Islamic Awareness Week is to avoid any misjudgment

DULUTH, Minn. – UMD students with the Muslim Student Association are sharing their culture with others for Islamic Awareness Week. The week is dedicated to having open conversations, so all students can understand what Muslims are about and what their beliefs consist of. The biggest goal is to avoid any misjudgment. On Thursday, April 26, it was Hijab Day. Students tried…

Fridley Fire Victim Identified

Three Other Occupants got out Safely

FRIDLEY, Minn. (AP) – Officials say the victim who died in a house fire in Fridley is a 24-year-old man. Authorities say DJ Wasserman was found in an upstairs bedroom after the fire was extinguished Tuesday night. Fridley fire officials say two firefighters tried to reach Wasserman through a second-story window but were forced back by the intense heat. Three…

Three Killed in Crash of Medical Helicopter

The Oneida County Sheriff's Office Confirmed

(Dean Hall/The Lakeland Times)HAZELHURST, Wis. (AP) – Authorities say three people are dead after a medical helicopter crashed in northern Wisconsin. The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the three fatalities on Friday. Chief Deputy Dan Hess said the crash involved an Ascension Wisconsin Spirit helicopter, but he said he doesn’t know if the three victims were all Ascension employees. Hess…

Romaine Lettuce Outbreak Update: 98 People Sick in 22 States

46 People Have Been Hospitalized

(AP Photo/Matthew Mead, File) NEW YORK (AP) – The food poisoning outbreak linked to romaine lettuce has spread to three more states. Health officials on Friday said they now have reports of 98 cases in 22 states, with the addition of Mississippi, Tennessee and Wisconsin. The outbreak is blamed on E. coli bacteria in romaine lettuce grown in Yuma, Arizona….

Grandma’s Marathon Confirms Race Course Reroute

The Reroute Will be in Effect Through 2020

DULUTH, Minn. – Runners participating in this year’s Grandma’s Marathon and the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon will notice a slight change of scenery along the race course. The race course has been modified through downtown Duluth due to the Superior Street construction project. Marathon officials say the reroute will be in effect for the 2018-2020 race seasons and is contingent…

Governor Walker Orders Flags to Half-Staff Honoring Spooner Volunteer Firefighter Philip Neubich

MADISON, Wis. – Governor Scott Walker ordered flags to half-staff on Monday April 30 in honor of Spooner Volunteer Firefighter Philip Neubich. Neubich, 69, died Wednesday following a response for a reported gas leak in a residence. Neubich passed away of an apparent heart attack. He was a 38-year veteran of the fire service. Categories: News, News – Latest News

Duluth Public Library Focuses on Health and Wellness

DULUTH, Minn. – Taking care of your health is something important no matter your age, and this weekend the Duluth Public Library is dedicating a day to wellness. The Duluth Public Library is hosting its 2nd annual Wellness Day, dedicated to learning about and trying out healthy lifestyle practices throughout the afternoon. This event will take place at the  Duluth…

Local Musician Debuts First Novel

Limbo, An Odd Novel, by, Adam Herman

DULUTH, Minn. – A local musician is writing something new by venturing into the work of literature. Adam Herman has published Limbo, An Odd Novel. The book follows a man after death on his journey through the afterlife. The book is one sale at Electric Fetus, The Zenith Bookstore and at www.adammarkherman.com. Categories: Community, Features, Links, Minnesota, News, News –…

Fitness Group Focuses Workouts on Moms-to-be

Active Adventures: Fit4Baby

DULUTH, Minn. – A Northland fitness group is focusing their health knowledge on local moms. Twin Ports Fit4Mom offers several different classes and for this week’s Active Adventures franchise owner Lisa Filzen showed us what to expect in a Fit4Baby class. This class focuses on prenatal women. All exercises are approved by doctors. All exercises are carefully selected to prepare…

Britain’s new Prince is Named Louis Arthur Charles

Louis is Fifth in Line to the Throne

(John Stillwell/Pool photo via AP, File)LONDON (AP) – The new prince has a name. Britain’s royal palace says the infant son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been named Louis – pronounced LOO-ee – Arthur Charles. The palace said Friday that the baby’s full title is His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge. William and Kate’s third child…

16 Patients Cared for at Essentia Health After Husky Refinery Fire

One Patient Suffered a Blast Injury

DULUTH, Minn. – Essentia Health Duluth announced this morning that their staff cared for a total of 16 patients Thursday in response to the Husky Refinery incident. One male patient, who suffered a blast injury, was admitted to St. Mary’s Medical Center and is currently listed as stable. Four other patients seen at St. Mary’s Medical Center were treated and…

Kim Jong Un Steps Across Korean Border, Makes History

Historic Summit for North and South Korea

(Korea Summit Press Pool via AP)GOYANG, South Korea (AP) — In a historic summit more striking for its extraordinary images than its substance, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in set aside a year that saw them seemingly on the verge of war, grasped hands and strode together Friday across the cracked concrete marking the…

UPDATE: Evacuation Lifted for Superior Residents

Superior Mayor Jim Paine has Lifted the Evacuation Notice for Residents as of 6:00 a.m. Friday

UPDATE (10:30 a.m.): Superior Fire Department officials gave the all clear at 8:15 a.m. at the site. Crews are on the scene doing mop up at this time – it is still quite hot down there, according to the Superior Fire Department. Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency also said the air quality in the area looks healthy. Check back for…

Precautions Announced in Western Neighborhoods of Duluth Due to Refinery Fire

City Officials Will Continue to Monitor the Situation

DULUTH, Minn.-St. Louis County and the city of Duluth are issuing a shelter in place advisory for the western portion of the city of Duluth. While reports from Superior indicate the fire has been suppressed, this precautionary advisory is based on consultation with St. Louis County and the National Weather Service. This advisory applies to the Fond du Lac neighborhood…

Superior Residents React after Explosion, Fires at Husky Energy

An Explosion and Two Fires Rocked Husky Energy Superior Refinery Thursday, Causing Residents to be Evacuated

SUPERIOR, Wisc. – Reports of smoke being seen from Highway 61 along the North Shore to Cloquet came in throughout Thursday as residents in Superior evacuated their workplace and homes. “None of us expected this to happen,” said UWS student Jonathan Patras. A day unlike any other in the City of Superior. Students at UWS received important news alerts as…

All Vessels Prohibited From Entering Port Due to Refinery Fire

Coast Guard Monitoring the Situation

DULUTH, Minn.-The Coast Guard captain of the port has established a safety zone in the Port of Duluth-Superior, Thursday, in response to the Husky Refinery incident to protect personnel and vessels from possible air quality hazards. All vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting, or anchoring within the safety zone. The safety zone includes all waters from buoy gated pair “3”…

Husky Energy Explosion Eyewitness Describes Scene

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The City of Superior is under mandatory evacuation after two explosions and fires at the Husky Energy Refinery Thursday. The Superior Fire Chief Scott Gordon has confirmed the fire is out, but the evacuation is still in place. The main evacuation center is the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC). The evacuation zone is three miles around the…

New Website Offers Assistance for Those with Mental Health

DULUTH, Minn. – This weekend a concert featuring musician Charlie Parr is taking over the NorShor Theatre to take on mental health awareness with the message “all to listen and not to judge.” LetsTalkMN.com is a new website that provides information about mental health crisis services available in northeastern Minnesota. The website offers access to resources and phone numbers anyone…

Essentia Health Gives Patient Update On Husky Refinery Explosion

Essentia Health officials say they have planned and prepared for an event like with training and drills.

DULUTH, Minn. – Five patients were taken to Essentia Health in Superior and five more to Essentia Health in Duluth. Of those five in Duluth, one person suffered a serious blast injury and the others had minor injuries. There were no fatalities. Hospital staff tell us they are happy to know that there weren’t as many injuries as initially thought, but it…

Cosby Convicted of Sexually Assaulting Woman

Cosby Could Face 10 Years in Prison on Each Count

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)NORRISTOWN, Pa. – Bill Cosby has been convicted of drugging and molesting a woman in the first big celebrity trial of the #MeToo era. A jury outside Philadelphia convicted the “Cosby Show” star of three counts of aggravated indecent assault on Thursday. The guilty verdict came less than a year after another jury deadlocked on the charges. Cosby…

Multiple Explosions at Oil Refinery in Superior: 11 Injuries; No Fatalities Being Reported

Fire is Out; Evacuations Remain in Place

UPDATE (6:50 p.m): Officials are now saying that the fire is out. Evacuations do remain in place. We will have more details as they become available. Here’s a link to the city of Superior which has more updates: https://www.douglascountywi.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=520 _________________________________________________________________________________________________ UPDATE: The City of Duluth is opening a host site for Superior residents who have been evacuated due to the Husky Refinery…

Making Spicy Barbacoa with Bucktales Cantina & Grill

Cooking Connection: Barbacoa

SUPERIOR, Wis. – As Spring weather enters the Northland several people will be out enjoying the temperatures and heading to Pattison State Park. Just a half a mile from the park is Bucktales Cantina & Grill. Owner Dee Morales showed FOX 21 how to make Barbacoa. His Shredded Beef Barbacoa is simmered in salsa roja, then topped with pico de…

Local Solutions in Poverty Holds Accountability Session

DULUTH, Minn. – With poverty continuing to be an issue in the City of the Duluth elected officials, residents, and area experts worked on making a change at Denfeld High School today. The Local Solutions to End Poverty accountability session is an opportunity for members of the community who have experienced poverty and homelessness to share their experiences with elected…

Embattled VA Nominee Withdraws

Trump Says There Will be Consequences

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is praising Ronny Jackson, who has just announced he will withdraw from consideration as Veterans Affairs secretary. Trump says there will be consequences for the Democratic senator who led the charge against Jackson. In a phone interview with “Fox & Friends” Thursday, Trump says Jackson “would have done a…

Halted Duluth Seawall Project OK’d After Historic Preservation Concerns

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s multi-million dollar seawall reconstruction project has been given the green light to start work up again after questions were raised about the historical significance of the Minnesota Slip, according to the mayor’s office late Wednesday. This means the State Historical Preservation Office has completed its work and has concluded the seawall reconstruction will not cause adverse…

Former Kozy Owner Speaks Out About Lawsuit Against City

Eric Ringsred: City Not Doing Enough To Save Former Kozy Building

DULUTH, Minn. – The former Kozy building owner, Eric Ringsred spoke out to FOX 21’s Dan Hanger Wednesday for the first time since filing a lawsuit against the city of Duluth last week claiming the city is not doing enough to preserve the historic structure that’s falling apart. The Kozy Bar and apartments on East First Street went up in…

Enger Park Golf Course Partially Opens After Late Season Start

The Enger Park Driving Range is open daily from 8 a.m - 8 p.m.

DULUTH, Minn. – Enger Park Golf Course has officially begun its season after getting delayed by snow for the first time in four years. On this National Golf Day people were out at Enger hitting balls on the range. The full course isn’t open just yet though. And it’s usually up and running by the first week of April in time for the Masters, but the crew at Enger tells us they’re thankful volunteers…

Safety is Key at Dog Parks

Dogs Have a Lot of Energy in the Spring, Which Can Sometimes Lead to Dangerous Situations

DULUTH, Minn. – With the warm weather finally here, dogs and their people are heading to dog parks across the country and here in the Northland. But while dog parks can be important and fun places for pets, there are some risks. According to Consumer Affairs, dog park injuries affected 24,000 Nationwide insured dogs last year. Dogs are just like…

When It’s Green, Volunteers Clean City Parks

The Parks and Recreation Clean and Green initiative has several projects for cleaning the parks.

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Parks and Recreation Department says there’s still a lot of work to do at the city parks even after some of the snow has melted. As the snow melts more debris and litter is uncovered. The Parks and Recreation Department is always looking for volunteers to step up and help clean up the community. “We…

Cooper Elementary Begins To Rebuild After Fire

The insurance company is working with the school to determine what exactly is salvageable.

SUPERIOR, Wis.  – A fire earlier this month has threatened the opening date for the newly constructed Cooper Elementary School in Superior. Now the district is trying to get back on track, starting with the cleaning process which started today. The District has contracted Paul Davis Restoration and they were already on school grounds today doing some of the initial…

More Medical Services Available in Ashland

St.Luke’s celebrated its new Chequamegon Clinic building on Wednesday, April 25th.

ASHLAND Wis.- The Ashland community now has better access to medical specialists. St.Luke’s celebrated its new Chequamegon Clinic building on Wednesday, April 25th. Medical professionals say the larger space has been a long time coming. The Chequamegon Clinic has been serving the Ashland community for over 40 years, now the new location offers new opportunities. The 7 million dollar, 22 thousand…

Walk through Ashland School District’s Phase Two Construction

Construction began last April after the $34 million referendum passed.

ASHLAND, Wis.- The Ashland School District is undergoing infrastructure renovations. Construction began last April after the $34 million referendum passed. FOX21’s getting a look at phase two of the project at the high school. You can see what used to be the high school’s exterior brick wall inside the new expanded cafeteria. Updated classrooms and a library, open up more natural…