Minnesota

Cenovus Energy Grants Duluth Fire Department With Check To Go To New Equipment and Training Opportunities

  DULUTH, Minn.–On Friday, the Duluth Fire Department received a $30,000 check to go towards new equipment and training opportunities. Cenovus Energy, part of the Superior Refinery, hands out grants totaling $300,000 every year to it’s community partners. The fire department is one of them, and they hope to use the funds to buy a new, more efficient water hose,…

UMD Welcomes First-Year Medical Students at White Coat Ceremony

DULUTH, Minn. — The annual White Coat Ceremony was held at the University of Minnesota Duluth Friday, welcoming first-year medical students to campus. At the ceremony, students receive their first white coat in front of family, friends and the medical school administration. After being “coated,” students recite a sacred pledge — dating back hundreds of years. The pledge states that…

Tig’s Smok’n Pig BBQ To Host Fundraiser Aug. 20 For Woman Battling Breast Cancer

DULUTH, Minn. – The owner of Tig’s Smok’n Pig BBQ, Troy Fralich, is helping put on a public benefit for a local woman, Andi Halligan, who is fighting breast cancer. Fralich is donating 100 percent of his food sales to Halligan. The BBQ fundraiser is Sat., Aug. 20 from noon until 3 p.m. in the parking lot of the Harley-Davidson…

Farmer Doug Honored, Encourages Growers To Donate Extra Produce

DULUTH, Minn. — The Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank is recognizing the contributions from one local farmer in Duluth. The organization says farmer Doug Hoffbauer has donated more than 19,000 pounds of fresh produce over the past ten years. Farmer Doug says he’ll continue to donate, but wants to encourage other growers to do so as well, especially as…

COVID-19: 82% Of Children In Minnesota Have Already Had It

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The majority of children in Minnesota have already been infected with COVID-19, according to new data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC estimates 82% of Minnesota children, ages 6 months to 17 years, have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The CDC’s antibody seroprevalence survey, which was updated this week, is based on…

Clip Of FOX 21’s Hanger, Slama Lands On ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’

DULUTH, Minn. — FOX 21’s Dan Hanger and Ken Slama ended up on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Wednesday night during the opening monologue with guest host Nicole Byer. The clip shows Hanger and Slama bantering about Snoop Dogg’s new cereal line called Snoop Loopz. While there was no cattiness involved, Byer called the funny exchange “the cattiest moment in the history…

Lifehouse to hold Back-to-School Barbecue for Youth

DULUTH, Minn. — A back-to-school barbecue will take place at Lifehouse on Friday. Lifehouse is a homeless shelter for teens and young adults in Duluth. They’ve been collecting school supplies for kids in need. At the barbecue, backpacks, notebooks, folders, and more will be given out. “There’s a lot of youth who maybe have parents to provide school supplies for…

Proctor’s ‘Beyond The Yellow Ribbon’ Looking For Supporters

Jennifer Cady stopped by the morning show to talk about Proctor’s Beyond the Yellow Ribbon initiative to support local veterans.   Proctor became a yellow ribbon community by the state of Minnesota in 2017. “Our mission is to support veterans, military members and their families here in our community – but we can’t offer our support if people don’t know we…

Ex-Cop Lane Will Report To Colorado Prison In Floyd Killing

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane, who was sentenced to 2 1/2 years for violating George Floyd’s civil rights, will do his time at a low-security federal prison camp in Colorado. A court order Tuesday directs Lane to report to the Federal Correctional Institution Englewood in the Denver suburb of Littleton on Aug. 30. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson…

Minnesota Nurses Association And Twin Ports Hospitals Talk About Strike Authorization

DULUTH, Minn. – On Monday night, the Minnesota Nurses Association voted to authorize a strike after contract negotiations with major hospitals in the Twin Ports have dragged out for months, leading to a stalemate. “We are here today, the nurses here behind me, the nurses that are working in our hospitals today, bargaining units across the state. We are here…

St. Louis Co. Sheriff’s Office Primary To Have Partial Recount

ST. LOUIS CO., Minn. — A “partial discretionary recount” will happen for the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office this Thursday. The county board clerk says the auditor will hold this recount for votes cast on primary election day last Tuesday. The 3rd, 6th, and 8th precincts will be covered. The public is welcome to observe the recount this Thursday inside…

UPDATE: Man Accused Of Causing Fatal Head-On Crash While Drunk Charged

UPDATE (August, 16, 4:40 p.m.) — The man accused of driving drunk and killing a woman after crashing into her car head-on has been charged. Michael Kenneth Miller from Virginia has been charged with Criminal Vehicular Homicide – Operating a Vehicle with Negligence Under the Influence of Alcohol, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office. The crash happened Friday…

Minnesota Denies 214,209 For Frontline Worker Bonuses

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – The number of Minnesotans in line for a frontline worker bonus this fall will be much larger than state officials originally expected, even after issuing denials to 214,209 people on Tuesday. The bonus pool is capped at $500 million, meaning each approved person stands to get around $500. The state Legislature approved the bonus pay as a thanks…

Golfers Tee-Off in Duluth’s Inaugural Scottish Scramble

DULUTH, Minn. — The first ever Scottish Scramble tee’d off in Duluth Monday. Ridgeview Country Club hosted the charity golf event to raise funds for two local non-profits: The Duluth Scottish Heritage Association and the Minnesota Masonic Children’s Clinic for Communication Disorders. The scramble consisted of 18 teams and a few celebrity guests, former Vikings Quarterback Tommy Kramer and Olympic…

Missing Teen Alert: Sebastion Wolberson-O’Hara

GRASSTON, Minn. — The Pine County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing teen. 15-year-old Sebastion Wolberson-O’Hara was last seen riding his bike this past Friday evening in Grasston where he lives. Investigators believe he might be trying to travel down to the Twin Cities. The teen doesn’t have a cellphone. It’s also unknown what…

Increased Fee to Play on Two Outdoor Hockey Rinks

DULUTH, Minn. — For the last 70 years, Duluth Amateur Hockey Association, also know as DAHA, has managed outdoor rinks across the area. The association is run by parents and volunteers in the community. Starting this fall, the city plans to charge DAHA for utilities at 7 of the outdoor rinks, leaving payers and players frustrated. Two of the local…

Monday Marks One Year Since Greenwood Wildfire Erupted

Greenwood Fire/USDA Forest Service DULUTH, Minn. –  One year ago, Aug. 15, 2021, lighting sparked the massive Greenwood Wildfire in northern Minnesota that would burn for months. The abnormally dry conditions fueled the flames, scorched nearly 30,000 acres of land and destroyed dozens of cabins and outbuildings. Nobody was hurt or killed during the weeks-long firefight and evacuations, which included…

Rip Current Warning Issued For Park Point Beaches

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Fire Department issued a Rip Current Warning for Park Point beaches Monday, which will last until 10 a.m. Tuesday. “This warning means that wind and wave conditions can support rip currents,” according to Assistant Chief Dennis Edwards. “Rip currents are life-threatening to anyone entering the water. Stay out of the water regardless of your swimming…

Minnesota Saw A 21% Violent Crime Increase In 2021, According To A New Report

(FOX 9) – One day after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he will keep reinforcements in Minneapolis indefinitely to help curb violent crime, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) released its 2021 Uniform Crime Report Friday, which showed a 21.6% increase in violent crime in the state in 2021. The report offers an annual summary of crime data submitted by law…

Back-to-School Teacher’s Day at Fitgers Bookstore

DULUTH, Minn. — It was Back-to-School Teacher’s Day at Fitgers Bookstore, featuring a variety of discounts and giveaways. Twice a year, the bookstore holds a sale dedicated to educators of early childhood to 12th grade students. Organizers say that the event is to support teachers in classroom preparations, and to encourage them to shop with local vendors. Today, teachers were…

Career Lab in Duluth Reopens to the Public

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth’s Workforce Center has opened its Career Lab to the public for the first time since April of 2020. As of last week, people can stop-by the lab without an appointment, and receive help with anything related to employment and job training. Throughout the pandemic, all support from the Workforce Center was virtual. Helping people apply for…

Brother, Sister, Childhood Friend Of ‘Born Too Late’ Perform Live

DULUTH, Minn. — Band members from Born Too Late, made up of a brother, sister and their childhood friend, stopped by the morning show Friday to talk about their success and unique style of music. Check out the interview in the video above, and see the videos below for two live performances. Song 1: Song 2: Categories: Coffee Conversation, Entertainment,…

Local Author, Illustrator Publish Children’s Book ‘New Moon’s Family’

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth author Erika Adams and illustrator Eric Soderstrom stopped by the morning show Friday to discuss a children’s book they’ve partnered on called New Moon’s Family. To purchase the book on Amazon, click here. To contact Erika, check out her website at elatales.com or e-mail her at elatales@gmail.com.   Categories: Coffee Conversation, Education, Minnesota, News, News –…

Coffee Conversation: Two Harbors Art Festival Aug. 12-14

Duluth artist Cheyenne Vavrina was in studio Friday morning to show of her fantastic wooden art work while previewing this weekend’s Two Harbors Art Festival.  Click the video to see her work, and click here to learn more about the festival happening Aug. 12-14. Categories: Business, Coffee Conversation, Community, Minnesota, News, News – Latest News

Governor Walz And Governor Evers Ask DOT For Nearly $900 Million To Fund Blatnik Bridge Rebuild

MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN– The governors of Minnesota and Wisconsin are asking the federal government for $889.5 million to support the Blatnik Bridge project. The money would come from the bipartisan infrastructure law that was created last fall. The Blatnik Bridge is 61-years-old and sees roughly 33,000 cars and trucks driving on it every day going between Duluth and Superior. Officials say its…

Sensory-Friendly Day with Thomas the Tank Engine

DULUTH, Minn. — Thomas the Tank Engine is known by kids worldwide, including those on the spectrum. Today, the North Shore Railroad held a sensory-friendly event, for kids to spend time with Thomas in a quieter setting. Five years ago, Duluth became the first in the country to hold a sensory-friendly day with Thomas. Featuring less noise, smaller crowds, and…

Monday Hearing Set For 2 Ex-Cops In George Floyd’s Killing

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge scheduled a hearing for Monday on the “status of plea negotiations” for the two remaining officers awaiting trial on state charges in the killing of George Floyd, with the hearing coming after the judge’s window for accepting any deal appears to have closed. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill said in previous orders that he would not accept…

15,000 MNA Nurses To Hold Strike Vote Monday In Duluth, Twin Cities

DULUTH, Minn. — 15,000 nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association are planning to hold a strike vote on Monday, according to a press release. Nurses in the Twin Ports and Twin Cities are coming together for the first time to fight for fair contracts to hold healthcare executives accountable to put patients before profits. “Corporate healthcare policies in our hospitals…

YWCA Duluth’s GirlPower! Program To End, Exec. Dir. Talks What’s Next

DULUTH, Minn. — The YWCA Duluth’s GirlPower! program is coming to an end after more than two decades of uplifting and guiding countless young girls. Some of the girls who have been through the program stopped by FOX 21’s morning show Thursday to talk about its impact on them. The YWCA is hosting a GirlPower! Farewell Party Aug. 21 at…