Minnesota Archives - Page 198 of 356

Holiday Shopping In Stores Can Be Risky As Pandemic Continues

Your risk of catching the virus depends on the situation, but medical professionals want to remind everyone to be aware that COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly throughout the Northland.

December 4, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – There might be the one gift you can’t find online, or maybe going to a store to purchase a gift is more convenient, but health experts are cautioning people to be aware of the COVID-19 risks when you are out among crowds. Any time a person goes shopping in public settings, there is a chance you will…

Top Legislative Leaders Express Optimism for Virus Aid Plan

December 4, 2020

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The top four leaders in the Minnesota Legislature have expressed optimism that lawmakers can agree on a new coronavirus relief package in time for a Dec. 14 special session. But negotiations on what should go into the aid package are continuing. There appears to be general agreement helping businesses hit by the four-week partial closure ordered by…

Duluth Police Report 38th Shooting This Year

December 4, 2020

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DULUTH, Minn. – On Friday, the Duluth Police Department reported the 38th shooting incident of the year. Authorities say officers responded to the area of the 700 block of North 1st Avenue West around 9:45 a.m. Friday on reports of damage to a home. When officers arrived at the scene they found holes in the house which appeared to be…

Minnesota Regulators Deny Request to Delay Line 3 Pipeline

December 4, 2020

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(Garret Ellison | MLive) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota regulatory panel has denied a request by two northern Minnesota tribes to prevent Enbridge Energy from moving forward with its contentious Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement. The Red Lake and White Earth Bands of Chippewa asked the Public Utilities Commission to stay its order allowing construction, citing pending litigation in…

Update: Authorities Investigating Shooting Incident in Virginia

December 4, 2020

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UPDATE: VIRGINIA, Minn. – The Virginia Police Department says officers were dispatched Friday morning to the area of 12th Street North and 8th Avenue East for reports of multiple gunshots. Witnesses to the incident told police they heard five gunshots and saw a tan or gold passenger car fleeing the area at a high rate of speed. Authorities at the…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Friday, December 4

December 4, 2020

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ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 5,371 new cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota Friday morning bringing the total confirmed COVID cases to 338,973 in the state. Health officials also reported 61 news deaths bringing the death total to 3,845 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 4,439,728 tests have been completed to date. There are…

Local Colleges Keeping Nursing Pipeline Going During Pandemic

December 3, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – The pandemic is creating a strong need for more healthcare workers. Northland colleges and universities are keeping the pipeline going to help address the urgency to fill open healthcare jobs. Both Lake Superior College and the College of St. Scholastica have students ready to graduate this month. This may be perfect timing as many healthcare settings in…

Traffic Fatalities in 2020 Are Going Up At Alarming Rate

It is estimated another 30 to 40 Minnesotans could die from vehicle accidents before New Year's Day.

December 3, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota has reached a tragic milestone for traffic fatalities in the state. Currently, 364 Minnesotans have died from injuries due to vehicle crashes since the beginning of the year. This is alarming because there are still about three weeks left of the year. In 2019, the same number of deaths were reported through December 31st. At this…

Drive-Thru Event Gives Back to Range Community Members

The annual community connect event is usually held in October.

December 3, 2020

Reece Lindquist,

VIRGINIA, Minn. – The Miners Memorial Building in Virginia held a different type of opportunity for community members to give back on Thursday. The annual community connect event is usually held in October. Now, because of Covid-19 the event has changed to a drive-thru experience while still providing community members on the range in need of winter wear like hats,…

Deadline Looms for Minnesotans to Seek COVID-19 Housing Aid

December 3, 2020

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota residents who have fallen behind on their rent, mortgage, or utility payments amid the coronavirus pandemic should apply for state aid before a looming deadline of Monday night, Gov. Tim Walz and other officials urged Thursday. The COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program has already taken more than 28,000 applications for more than $67 million in aid. About…

Minnesota Sex Offender Program Reports One COVID-19 Related Death, 18 Active Cases

December 3, 2020

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MOOSE LAKE, Minn. – The Minnesota Sex Offender Program in Moose Lake announced on Thursday that a client at the facility died on Tuesday due to COVID-19. Minnesota Department of Human Services officials say the family of the deceased has been notified and this is the first COVID-19 related death among clients or staff MOSP facilities. “Losing a loved one…

Minnesota Reports 92 New COVID-19 Deaths as New Cases Grow

December 3, 2020

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota health officials reported 92 new COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, the second-highest one-day toll since the pandemic reached the state. The deaths raised the state’s cumulative toll to 3,784 on a day when the U.S. recorded over 3,100 COVID-19 deaths in a single day, obliterating the one-day national record set last spring. Minnesota’s highest one-day total is 101…

Overdose Deaths Increase 31% in First Half of 2020

December 3, 2020

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — State health officials say drug overdose deaths in Minnesota increased 31% in the first half of 2020, compared to the same time in 2019. The Minnesota Department of Health said Thursday there were 490 overdose deaths from January to June 2020 and 373 deaths during the same period last year. The number of deaths took…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Thursday, December 3

December 3, 2020

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ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 6,166 new cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota Thursday morning bringing the total confirmed COVID cases to 333,626 in the state. Health officials also reported 92 news deaths bringing the death total to 3,784 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 4,379,610 tests have been completed to date. There are…

Authorities: Small Plane Crash-Lands on Minnesota Interstate

December 3, 2020

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(Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A small plane has crash-landed and hit a vehicle on a Minnesota interstate, with no injuries reported, authorities say. The single-engine Bellanca Viking plane was temporarily closing part of the highway Wednesday night in the Minneapolis-area city of Arden Hills, officials said. Two people were on board, KMSP-TV reported. The pilot has…

Drive-By Shooting in Central Hillside Has Neighbors On Edge; It’s Duluth’s 37th Shooting This Year

Shooting data provided by the Duluth Police Department includes all criminally discharged gunfire where evidence is obtained.

December 3, 2020

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – Neighbors are speaking out after and early morning drive-by shooting Wednesday in Duluth’s Central Hillside neighborhood. This is the city’s record-breaking 37th shooting so far this year compared to 23 last year, according to Duluth Police Department data. And the neighbors, who are parents, say they can’t believe it’s happening in their own backyard and they hope…

St. Michael’s Church Sells Christmas Trees

December 2, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – If you haven’t picked up a christmas tree, you can snag one from St. Michael’s Church in Duluth. Your purchase will also go to help raise money for the church. Real Christmas trees and wreaths ranging in size are available. In its first weekend of the sale, the church sold more than sixty trees in one day….

Doc Witherspoon’s Soul Kitchen Finds A Permanent Home

Doc Witherspoon's Soul Kitchen is currently open for curbside Thursday through Saturday from 4-6 p.m.

December 2, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – Doc Witherspoon’s Soul Kitchen has finally found its permanent home. The restaurant is now taking over Mitch’s Bar and Grill in Lincoln Park. The new space includes both a dining and bar area. Customers can expect to enjoy some of the most popular dishes like fried chicken, cornbread, and much more. The Witherspoon family has been raising…

Wind Cargo Import Creates Record For Duluth-Superior Port

The wind cargo brought into the region this year topped the previous record by more than 200,000 tons.

December 2, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth-Superior port has had a record-breaking shipping season when it comes to wind energy cargo. This year, in the midst of the pandemic, imports for that type of cargo nearly doubled the previous record set in 2019. Like many other industries, shipping has been hit hard by the pandemic. This record-setting achievement is highlighting the strong…

More Than 230,000 Minnesotans Have Downloaded COVIDaware App

December 2, 2020

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – More than 230,000 Minnesotans have downloaded COVIDaware, the COVID-19 exposure app, which launched just over a week ago, according to Governor Tim Walz. Two days after the app launched, it became the third most popular utility app in the iPhone App Store, according to a press release from the governor’s office. State officials expect more downloads of…

Fairview Range CEO Stepping Down

December 2, 2020

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(courtesy: Fairview Range) HIBBING, Minn. – Fairview Range President and CEO Patrick Sharp announced on Wednesday that he will be stepping down from his role effective January 4. Sharp says he will be leaving the organization for an opportunity in Colorado. Sharp has served as CEO at Fairview Range since 2018 and worked at the organization in other roles since…

St. Luke’s CEO, President Steps Down

Nokels Has Been With the Hospital Since Last August

December 2, 2020

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DULUTH, Minn. – Kevin Nokels has stepped down as St. Luke’s Hospital’s president and CEO. St. Luke’s Board of Directors named Nokels as their new chief executive officer last June and he officially began his role with the health care system last August. Prior to taking the president and CEO role at St. Luke’s Nokels served as President of CHI…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Wednesday, December 2

December 2, 2020

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ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 5,192 new cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota Wednesday morning bringing the total confirmed COVID cases to 327,477 in the state. Health officials also reported 77 news deaths bringing the death total to 3,692 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 4,326,347 tests have been completed to date. There are…

Special Report: Inside Duluth’s 2020 Surge In Gun Violence

One-one-ones with police Chief Mike Tusken, the head of Duluth's Major Crimes Bureau, the medical director at St. Luke's ER and Mayor Emily Larson

December 1, 2020

Dan Hanger, Marcus Asmus,

DULUTH, Minn. – We’re in the final month of a pandemic-ridden 2020 that’s created a lot of pain, unknowns and problems of all types for so many in the Northland. For the Duluth Police Department, the challenge has not only been navigating the virus but facing a record number of shootings — 36 of them this year alone — something…

Local Christmas Tree Farms See Boost in Sales As Big Box Retailers See Shortage

Retail Christmas tree sellers are experiencing a shortage, though that's not a problem for small, local farmers who have their own natural inventory, they said.

December 1, 2020

Arman Rahman,

DULUTH, Minn.- As the holidays draw closer, owners of Christmas Tree Farms in the Northland are seeing a boost in business this year, as a shortage at bigger box retailers is drawing people to shop local farms for their trees and wreaths. “I probably have a million trees and about half of my farm is, I would say 100-120 acres…

Floerke Leaves Bench To Become President Of The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation

The judge is expected to start his new role on January 11th.

December 1, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth judge is leaving the bench to take on a new role as the President of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation. The organization’s board of trustees announced Tuesday Six District Court Judge Shaun Floerke will take on the role. Floerke replaces former President Holly Sampson, who retired back in June after holding the position for…

Duluth Pack Hosts Food Drive For Giving Tuesday

December 1, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – It’s Giving Tuesday. Duluth pack put out a call for action to “fill the pack” so they can give back to one local organization. The company partnered with Duluth’s Ruby’s Pantry for an in-store food drive. The goal was to fill up one of its largest canoe bags with non-perishable items. Duluth Pack has been a part…

Lake Superior Zoo Animals Are Missing Visitor Interactions

"You guys as visitors are the main sources of entertainment for the animals at the zoo," said Lizzy Larson, the head carnivore zookeeper.

December 1, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – The Lake Superior Zoo is one of the many tourist attractions in the state now shut down as part of new safety guidelines from Governor Tim Walz. The closure is taking away all the attention the animals would normally be getting from zoo visitors. “You guys as visitors are the main sources of entertainment for the animals…

Enbridge Starts Construction on Line 3 in Minnesota

December 1, 2020

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Jim Mone, File) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Enbridge Energy began construction on its Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement in Minnesota on Tuesday, a day after state regulators approved the final permit for the $2.6 billion projects amid legal challenges from local activists and Indigenous groups. Spokeswoman Juli Kellner said Enbridge began construction in several locations around the state in…

Duluth Candy Co. Closing Its Doors After 10 Years

December 1, 2020

Kelly Tekler,

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Candy Co. announced on Tuesday that it will be closing its doors for good after 10 years of business. The owners say their last day of business will be December 31. The business, previously known as Fannie Rose Candy Shop, went through a rebranding last November which included a new name and interior renovations. “Making…

Longtime Duluth Judge Named President,CEO of Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation

December 1, 2020

Site Staff,

DULUTH, Minn. – On Tuesday, the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation Board of Trustees announced a long time Duluth judge Shaun Floerke as their next president and CEO. Floerke, 55, takes over after Holly Sampson retired after 30 years from the organization in June. David Montgomery has been acting as interim CEO since July while the organization searched for a…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Tuesday, December 1

December 1, 2020

Site Staff,

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 3,570 new cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota Tuesday morning bringing the total confirmed COVID cases to 322,312 in the state. Health officials also reported 22 news deaths bringing the death total to 3,615 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 4,284,823 tests have been completed to date. There are…

Deficit Gone: Minnesota Projects $641m Budget Surplus Through June

December 1, 2020

Site Staff,

(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski) ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – So much for a giant deficit. Minnesota budget officials said Tuesday they expect a $641 million surplus between now and June, reversing their earlier prediction of a $2.4 billion shortfall from the May report. A $1.3 billion shortfall is likely for the two-year period that starts July 1, budget officials said. But that number is…

Update: Authorities Identify Man, Woman Found Dead in Grand Lake Township

December 1, 2020

Site Staff,

SAGINAW, Minn. – The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office has identified the two people found dead in their home in Grand Lake Township Monday morning. The deceased individuals have been identified as 55-year-old Robert Kerr and 62-year-old Loretta Billman. Kerr and Billman lived together and were found dead in their home on Elisson Road in Saginaw by relatives and coworkers…

Hunter Fatally Shot in Northern Minnesota

December 1, 2020

The Associated Press,

PUPOSKY, Minn. (AP) — A hunter has fatally shot another hunter in northern Minnesota after mistaking him for a deer, according to authorities. The two men were not hunting together and the victim was not wearing blaze orange, according to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said Monday the shooting happened Wednesday near Puposky at dusk. The victim is identified…

Duluth Police Officer Charged In Shooting; Victim’s Atty. Wants Attempted Murder Charge

"It's obviously a grave charge that I’m referencing, but that's the fact here, that's what happened,” according to Andrew Poole, attorney for victim Jared Fyle, 23.

November 30, 2020

Dan Hanger,

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Attorney Andrew Poole spoke out Monday about felony charges filed against Duluth Police Officer Tyler Leibfried, 28, who shot his unarmed client, Jared Fyle, 23, through his apartment door during a domestic assault call on Sept. 12. “The facts are this is a case where Mr. Fyle was in his own home behind a closed locked…

Online Traffic Helps Ivy Moon Clothing Store through Black Friday, Cyber Monday

Staff said they have seen more online traffic over Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

November 30, 2020

Arman Rahman,

DULUTH, Minn.- A clothing business in Duluth’s Hillside neighborhood is seeing more online business going into its only second holiday season open. Staff at women’s clothing boutique Ivy Moon over on Superior Street said they have seen more online traffic over Black Friday and Cyber Monday. While their entire inventory isn’t online just yet, the popularity of the items they…

Caution Again Advised for Christmas; Vaccine on Horizon for Public in 2021 Gov. Walz Says

After a surge in cases over Thanksgiving, the Governor said guidance will likely remain for Christmas, and public access to the vaccine in 2021.

November 30, 2020

Arman Rahman,

ST. PAUL, Minn.- Governor Tim Walz and State Health leaders spoke out in a COVID-19 briefing Monday after a Thanksgiving weekend like no other. They stressed continued mitigation efforts by Minnesotans, with the horizon of a vaccine in the distance — in 2021. “Minnesotans did a pretty good job staying home, but there’s some data on movement especially the airport…

A Local Church Gives Out Advent-In-A-Box Kits

Peace in Christ Lutheran Church in Hermantown assembled 300 kits.

November 30, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – A local Hermantown church is helping families in the community prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus during the Advent season. Peace in Christ Lutheran Church in Hermantown assembled 300 Advent-in-a-box kits. Each box contains devotional materials and hands-on activities like art projects and science experiments to be done during each week of Advent. These boxes are…

Local Businesses Are Taking Advantage Of Cyber Monday

This year's nearly $13 billion projection for Cyber Monday is up by about 35% compared to 2019.

November 30, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – Experts predict consumers will spend nearly $13-billion on Cyber Monday online purchases. This would make it the biggest online shopping day in history for the United States. Many Northland businesses are taking advantage of the financial boost the shopping day could bring. Cyber Monday deals can be a motivator for people to spend their money and the…

Holiday Lights Are Selling Fast

November 30, 2020

Nachai Taylor,

DULUTH, Minn. – It’s that time of the season many families are beginning to decorate for Christmas. Some local hardware stores are seeing more people coming in purchasing Christmas lights. Staff at Denny’s Hardware store say holiday lights have been flying off the shelves. The most popular type of lights being purchased is LED, which can be brighter and are…

Skyline Parkway Seasonal Closure to Begin Tomorrow

November 30, 2020

Site Staff,

DULUTH, Minn. – Portions of Skyline Parkway and Seven Bridges Road will close to motorized traffic beginning on Tuesday, December 1. This is a planned, annual closure for the winter season. These roads will open to motorized traffic again next spring. The portions of roads closing for the winter include: Skyline Parkway from 0.4 miles east of Glenwood Street to…

Authorities Investigating Death of Two Individuals in Grand Lake Township

November 30, 2020

Site Staff,

SAGINAW, Minn. – The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says they are investigating the suspicious deaths of two people found dead in their home in Grand Lake Township Monday morning. According to authorities, a 55-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman were found dead in their home on Elisson Road in Saginaw just after 8:30 a.m. by relatives and coworkers…

Duluth Warming Center Activated for Week of November 30

November 30, 2020

Site Staff,

DULUTH, Minn. – The City of Duluth along with CHUM and Loaves and Fishes announced on Monday that the Duluth Warming Center will be open to those in need every night this week starting November 30. The Warming Center is activated when overnight temperatures are expected to be at or below 32 degrees. The Center is located in the Duluth…

Virus Forces Gophers to Cancel Game vs. No. 16 Northwestern

November 30, 2020

The Associated Press,

(AP) – Minnesota has called off Saturday’s game against 16th-ranked Northwestern, the second straight cancellation for the Gophers due to a spike in COVID-19 cases within the program. University officials made the decision in consultation with the Big Ten after seven additional positive cases were confirmed. The Wildcats lead the West Division at 5-1. Since Nov. 19, Minnesota has turned…

Minnesota Gives Final Green Light to Enbridge Energy Line 3 Replacement Project

November 30, 2020

The Associated Press,

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota regulators approved the final permit Monday for Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement across northern Minnesota, giving the company the green light to begin construction on the $2.6 billion projects. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency granted a construction stormwater permit for the project, which was the last hurdle that Calgary, Alberta-based Enbridge needed to…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Monday, November 30

November 30, 2020

Site Staff,

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 5,801 new cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota Monday morning bringing the total confirmed COVID cases to 318,763 in the state. Health officials also reported 15 news deaths bringing the death total to 3,593 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 4,262,806 tests have been completed to date. There are…

OMC Cookbook Brings Smokehouse Recipes to Customers, Help to Lincoln Park Businesses

Staff at OMC said last year they raised about $67,000 from book sales for an IndieGoGo campaign supporting Lincoln Park businesses.

November 29, 2020

Arman Rahman,

DULUTH, Minn.- For a second year in a row you can now make recipes of Duluth’s Lincoln Park Craft District restaurant OMC Smokehouse at home, while also helping out local businesses in the area. The OMC Smokehouse Cookbook is out again this year with money going toward Lifting Lincoln Park, an IndieGoGo campaign aimed at helping businesses in the neighborhood….

Skiers, Snowboarders Excited to Hit the Reopened Spirit Mountain Slopes

After a summer spent closed, Spirit Mountain reopened Thanksgiving weekend and was filled with excited guests.

November 29, 2020

Arman Rahman,

DULUTH, Minn- Spirit Mountain reopened Friday after months closed due to financial woes caused by both the coronavirus pandemic and past financial struggles, and Northland winter sport lovers couldn’t wait to get back on the slopes. “We get this every winter,” Co-Director of Resort Services Jon Regenold said. “This is normal every winter, skiers and boarders are ready to get…

Police Investigate 35th Shooting in Duluth of 2020, This Time in Gary-New Duluth

There were no injuries reported at the shooting in the 1200 Block of 104th Ave W.

November 29, 2020

Arman Rahman,

DULUTH, Minn.- No one was injured in a reported shooting in Duluth’s Gary-New Duluth neighborhood Saturday evening. According to a Duluth Police Department spokesperson, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday officers responded to the report of shots fired on the 1200 Block of 104th Ave West. Investigating officers learned that the victim, who was not injured, found a hole in a window…