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Lakewalk Utility Project Started Today

Detour Will be in Place

DULUTH, Minn.-Utility work began today on the Lakewalk trail, between Fitger’s and the old Endion building. That part of the trail will be closed for about two weeks during the day in order for crews to work on the underground drainage system. Lakewalk users will take a detour into Lake Place Park and then reconnect back to the trail. The Lakewalk…

Whole Foods Co-op Celebrates 1 Year in the Denfeld Location

They Kicked Off the Week With Free Re-Usable Bags

DULUTH, Minn.- The Whole Food Co-op in Duluth is celebrating their Denfeld Location’s 1 year anniversary. Both the Denfeld and Hillside Locations offered free re-usable grocery bags to the first 100 customers, and had 50% off of their hot and salad bar today as part of the celebration.  Whole Foods Co-op representatives say environmental sustainability is important to the company…

Superior Hit with Snow

Temperatures Expected to Warm Up

SUPERIOR, Wisc.-Five inches of fresh powder fell in Superior overnight, causing schools there to be cancelled. With schools beings closed, some kids were put on shovel duty – like one Superior eighth grader who was digging out his neighbor’s driveway. “We haven’t really had any snow days,” said Garrett Labare, a Superior resident. “I’m thinking this is the first or…

Mayo Clinic Kicks Off $217M, 5-Year Hospital Expansion

ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) – Mayo Clinic is kicking off a five-year, $217 million expansion of its Saint Marys Hospital campus in Rochester. Mayo officials announced the plan last week. The proposal includes adding three floors to the Generose Building, moving and upgrading the cardiac surgery facilities and expanding the Neonatal Intensive Care and Pediatric Intensive Care units. The Post-Bulletin reports…

Minneapolis Liquor Store Receives 30-Day Suspension, Starting on First Legal Sunday

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – The city of Minneapolis on Monday handed down its penalty for Surdyk’s Liqour owner Jim Surdyk for opening his store for Sunday liquor sales this weekend, months ahead of the first legal date of July 2. Surdyk’s has been fined $2,000 and will face a 30-day license suspension, beginning July 2 – blocking Surdyk’s for participating in…

6 Madison Schools Test Positive for Lead in Drinking Water

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Madison School District officials say drinking fountains at six schools have leads levels higher than the national standard. District facilities manager Chad Wiese tells the Wisconsin State Journal the district tested drinking fountains at East High School, Blackhawk, and Sherman Middle schools, and Gompers, Lapham, and Lowell Elementary schools. All of the schools had at least…

House Aims to Stem Health Rate Hikes, Stabilize Market

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Republicans are preparing to plow more than $300 million into a new state program meant to reduce health insurance premiums next year. Minnesota has grappled with some of the largest rate increases in the nation. Premiums jumped by as much as 67-percent for shoppers buying insurance on their own this year, leading lawmakers to…

Slip Bridge to See Some Improvements Beginning Next Week

DULUTH, Minn. – The City of Duluth has continuously been working since last year with its consultant engineer LHB Corp, on a new design for the blue, Minnesota Slip Bridge in Duluth’s Canal Park. The City’s consultant engineer has been working to design new custom manufactured parts for the 26-year-old bridge, which has been riddled with numerous repairs and closures…

Federal Prosecutor in Wisconsin Resigns

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin has submitted his resignation days after Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered dozens of the country’s federal prosecutors to resign. Spokeswoman Myra Longfield confirmed U.S. Attorney John Vaudreuil resigned Monday. While it is customary for new presidential administrations to clear out U.S. attorneys and replace them with their…

Northlanders Celebrate Spring at Bockfest

DULUTH, Minn.- Northlanders celebrated the coming of spring at the 23rd Annual Fitger’s Bockfest. Bockfest is a traditional celebration started in Germany hundreds of years ago, but has also been celebrated in Duluth for more than 2 decades.  And Today, Attendees had a taste of authentic German food, and beer caramelized with a hot fire poker in celebration. People also…

312th Army Reserve Engineer Company Returns

Long Stint Overseas Is Over

Duluth, Minn After 11 months overseas in Kuwait the U.S. Army Reserve 312th Engineer Company returned back to U.S. soil. Hundreds of loved ones waited anxiously as their husbands, brother’s, sons, daughters and friends arrived this evening at Duluth international airport. Kelsey Brown married her husband just weeks before he deployed and explains what it was like while he was…

Fat Bike Birkie Race

First Time The Fat Tire Bike Race Started at the New Location in Cable, Wis.

CABLE, Wis. – The Fat Bike Birkie race took place this morning and it’s the largest Fat Bike event in North America. This year the race drew in 1,200 riders from 18 different states and 2 different countries.   At the starting line this morning it was a cold one and a different one, as it was the first time…

Excitement Grows for 44th Annual Head of the Lakes Jazz Festival

The Two-Day Event Features Three Musical Guests and an Array of Talented Musicians

DULTUH, Minn. – The 44th Annual Head of the Lakes Jazz Festival is happening this weekend, March 17 and 18, at the Weber Music Hall and Marshall Performing Arts Center in Duluth. -Head of the Lakes Jazz Concert: Ingrid Jensen & Christine Jensen Quintet Friday, March 17, 2017 | 7:30 pm Weber Music Hall World renown saxophonist Christine Jensen and…

Minnesotan Could Face War Crimes Charges for Ties to Nazis

Could be Extradited to Poland

WARSAW, Poland-The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s top Nazi hunter is applauding Polish prosecutors for deciding to seek an arrest warrant for a 98-year-old Minnesota man suspected of war crimes. Efraim Zuroff told The Associated Press by phone from Jerusalem on Monday that “it’s high time that the Poles became more active seeking people who committed crimes in World War II on…

Sign-Up Date Approaches to Invest in CSA Farming

On Sunday, March 19, the 5th Annual Local Community Supported Agriculture Farm (CSA) Open House will Take Place

DULUTH, Minn. – Happening Sunday, March 19, from 2:00 – 5:00p.m., more than 200 people will be gathering in Duluth to choose a local farm to grow their vegetables this summer. Event organizers are hoping more Northlanders will choose to invest and buy local in 2017. The 5th Annual Local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm Open House will take place…

Nikki’s Notebook: Cyber Patriots

Team Learns Defense Against Cyber Hackers

National defense has become more complicated, attacks are now increasingly coming from a cyber battlefield. That means a new way to train defenders, and a lot of that is happening here in the Northland. Denfeld has a team of students called “Cyber Patriots” that train in defending computers against hacking and cyber attacks. Competitive teams are formed at the middle…

Duluthians Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Running and Drinking Beer

It's the Time of Year for the Shamrock Pub Shuffle

DULUTH, Minn.- Temperatures below freezing, and wind chills in the single digits didn’t stop hundreds of Duluthians from celebrating  St. Patricks day at the Shamrock Pub Shuffle. “It was a beautiful day actually, just to be together with our friends, and with the lake, and hearing the open water splash against the rocks,” said Stephanie Francis, a runner. Runners start…

Hermantown Back To Back State Champs

A Late Goal In 2nd Overtime Wins It

Hermantown Hawks have made it past Monticello/Annandale/Maple Lake Moose to record their second straight State Championship. In a game that took two overtime periods to decide it took everything the Hawks had to raise the trophy. FOX 21 has a crew in the Twin Cities and will have full coverage of the game tonight at 9 p.m. Categories: High School,…

Homegrown Guides Now Available

Annual Local Music Festival Starts April 30th

DULUTH, Minn. – You may have noticed field guides for this year’s Homegrown Music Festival have made their way to stands across the Twin Ports. This year’s festival starts April 30th and runs through May 7th.  Organizers have around 200 local bands booked for stages in Duluth and Superior. If you want to start planning your Homegrown, the guide is…

Western Duluth Little League Seeking Support to Update Facilities

The city of Duluth stepped up with a commitment to match up to $100,000 in donations

DULUTH, Minn. – The Western Duluth Little League needs to improve its facilities, but they also need money for the project. The city stepped up with a commitment to match up to $100,000 in donations. Representatives from the league say their facilities are unsafe and difficult to maintain. “Things that not only need to be done, need to be replaced,…

Duluth Women’s Expo Takes Over the DECC Saturday

More than 100 vendors will be on hand this year

DULUTH, Minn. – Women take over the DECC tomorrow. The 9th annual Duluth Women’s Expo starts tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. More than 100 vendors will be on hand this year. A new feature is the “Women Rock” VIP section to benefit the Saint Lukes Foundation’s fight against breast cancer. Organizers say it’s a day for the ladies. “They come…

Vikre Celebrates Anniversary with New Single Malt Whiskey

Iron Range American Single Malt is Vikre's 3rd anniversary blend

DULUTH, Minn. – Today is a happy birthday for Vikre Distillery and they’re celebrating with a brand new whiskey. Iron Range American Single Malt is Vikre’s 3rd anniversary blend.  This release is a little more special, because it’s the first batch of whiskey distilled when Vikre opened. “We sat down the other night with a bottle of it off the…

Mid-March Cold Snap

Wind Chill Advisory Doesn't Stop Northlanders From Their Daily Routine

DULUTH, Minn. – It’s been an unseasonably cold Mid-March day across the Northland and it’s likely the last cold snap of the season. A Wind Chill Advisory was in effect earlier this morning until 9am, feel like temperatures dropped down to -30° below zero. This frigid Friday didn’t stop some Northlanders from their daily routine though. “I like the weather…

New MDI Facility Coming to Hibbing

100 New Jobs Expected Over the Coming Years

HIBBING, Minn.-Iron Rangers will be gaining more job opportunities at a new Minnesota Diversified Industry manufacturing facility in Hibbing. The facility, which will be 35,000 square feet, will be funded by a $1 million loan from the IRRRB and a $350,000 infrastructure grant. The new facility will improve working conditions from its current facility which is nearly 100-years-old, and expand…

Local Curling Team in Final Four of National Competition

Team from Duluth Curling Club

Several men and women from the Northland make up most of the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Curling teams. (photo: newsfile)DULUTH, Minn.-A local women’s curling team, known has Team Kraus, has advanced to the final four of the national amateur competition in Alaska. After winning state in January, the won their ticket to the big game. Today they beat Massachusetts 10-6…

Robbery Incident on West Superior Street in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Police Department has reported a robbery incident that happened today, March 10 around 2:30 p.m. Officers reponsded to the area of the 300 block of West Superior Street on a report of a robbery incident. The suspects fled on foot prior to officers arriving. The victim was located and unharmed. Officers were able to determine…

Man Charged with 5 Counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct

His conduct involves victims under the age of 13

Richard Dean Wilson, Jr. CASS COUNTY, Minn. – Cass County Attorney Christopher J. Strandlie reports that 42-year-old Richard Dean Wilson, Jr. has been charged with five counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the First and Second Degree relating to offenses that occurred in 2014-16. It is alleged that Wilson sexually penetrated or had sexual contact with three children under the…

Minnesota Power’s Competitive Rate Advances Following Utilities Commission Decision

DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota Power has received a decision form the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) that advances the approval of its new competitive rate for some of northeastern Minnesota’s largest employers. The 2015 Minnesota Legislature enacted a law authorizing Minnesota Power to submit discounted rate plans for a limited number of its large industrial customers, including taconite mines and…

Wisconsin Company Wins U.S. Championship Cheese Contest

(Barry Adams/State Journal) GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – A Wisconsin company can lay claim to having the best cheese in America. The Sartori company in Antigo won the title at this year’s U.S. Championship Cheese Contest with its Sartori Reserve Black Pepper BellaVitano, by master cheesemaker Mike Matucheski. The U.S. championship is considered the largest technical cheese, butter, and yogurt…

Ice House Removal Dates Approaching for Northern Minnesota Lakes

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Ice anglers in northern Minnesota are being reminded by the Department of Natural Resources that ice shelter removal dates are approaching for lakes located north of Highway 200 and U.S. Highway 2. Due to rapidly deteriorating ice conditions, anglers may need to remove shelters before the deadline. Dark houses, fish houses, and portable shelters must be…

ATV Rescue on Leech Lake

CASS COUNTY, Minn. – The Cass County Sheriff’s office received a report that a Class 2 side by side ATV had gone through the ice in the Agency Narrows area of Leech Lake, just after 2 p.m. on Thursday. Deputies and first responders arrived on scene to find the male occupant of the vehicle standing on top of the vehicle,…

19 Plead Guilty in Large Minnesota-Wisconsin Meth Ring

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Nineteen people have pleaded guilty in a drug ring that authorities say trafficked 127 pounds of methamphetamine from the Minneapolis area to central Wisconsin communities over a three-year span. U.S. Attorney John Vaudreuil in Wisconsin says 14 of the suspects have been sentenced, and the remaining five will be sentenced over the next two months. Authorities…

Section of Lakewalk to Temporarily Close for Utility Project

DULUTH, Minn. – The City of Duluth is planning utility work along the Lakewalk Trail in Canal Park, specifically the segment located between the restroom facilities by Endion Station and the Fitger’s Complex. The Lakewalk Trail will be closed for two weeks beginning on Monday, March 13 in order for crews to work on the underground drainage system. Lakewalk users…

Sampling Spring Wines with an Expert

Marc Carrigan, Regional Sales Manager for Foley Family Wines Samples Spring Wines

DULUTH, Minn. -Marc Carrigan, Regional Sales Manager for Foley Family Wines, stopped by the FOX 21 Studios Friday morning, with a few spring wine samples, and a whiskey. Carrigan noticed the weather starting to warm up, and change for the better, deciding it was time to think spring and cleanse the winter palate. “The Wine Guy” brought along two white…

Cloquet Woman Charged with Aggravated 1st Degree Sale of Controlled Substance

She was on probation in St. Louis, Hennepin, and Olmsted Counties

Morningstar Webster DULUTH, Minn. – On Tuesday, March 7, investigators from the Lake Superior Drug and Violent Crime Task Force executed a search warrant on a motor vehicle and four occupants of the motor vehicle followed a traffic stop in the city of Duluth. This stop was the result of an investigation into the sale of a controlled substance, specifically…

Dayton Back to Work After Surgery

Still Recovering After Prostate Cancer Surgery

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Mark Dayton says he’s feeling OK but still recovering after prostate cancer surgery. Dayton made his first public appearance Friday after undergoing surgery to remove his prostate. He revealed the cancer diagnosis in January, a day after fainting while delivering his annual State of the State address. Dayton says the recovery hasn’t been fun…

Council Approves $14,000 Raise for Minnesota Lawmakers

Legislature Pay to Increase by 45 Percent

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota lawmakers will get a hefty raise after a newly created citizen council voted to increase the Legislature’s pay by 45 percent. The Legislative Salary Council voted 13-1 Friday to increase lawmaker’s pay to $45,000, their first raise since 1999. That’s up from $31,000, a sum that doesn’t include daily expenses and travel reimbursements that…