Minnesota

St. Luke’s Completes Orthopedic Ward Renovations

DULUTH, Minn. – The 1.4 million dollar project includes larger rooms for patients, showers that are easier to get out of and a new nurses station. Leadership from St. Luke’s says, the more modern work environment for staff will help lead patients to a quicker recovery time. “We work towards speeding that where people can really get back to their…

Minnesota Confirms Third Coronavirus Case, Patient in Critical Condition

(FOX 9) – The Minnesota Health Department confirmed the state’s third coronavirus case Tuesday. According to officials, the person is an Anoka County resident in their 30s who was likely exposed through contact with international travelers. The patient developed symptoms Feb. 28 and sought health care on March 9. Samples were collected from the person and sent to the MDH…

Minnesota Legislature Speeds $21M in Coronavirus Money

(Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Legislature has voted unanimously to earmark nearly $21 million to reinforce the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz praised lawmakers for “working in a totally nonpartisan manner” shortly before the  64-0 vote in the Republican-controlled Senate. The Democratic-controlled House passed the bill soon afterward,…

Cloquet Man Charged With Three Counts of Second Degree Murder

CLOQUET, Minn. – The 33-year-old Cloquet man arrested in connection to the deaths of a young mother, her unborn child, and her one-year-old son on the Fond Du Lac Reservation in Cloquet has been formally charged with second-degree murder. Sheldon Thompson appeared in court Tuesday in Carlton County where he was charged with three counts of second-degree murder. Bail was…

Curling Considers New Rules to Speed up the Sport

Among the Proposals are Putting Players on a More Demanding Clock

(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)   (AP) – The 500-year-old sport of curling is looking for ways to shorten games and keep fans engaged. The sport’s governing body is considering radical rule changes as it tries to balance centuries of tradition with the modern need to move things along. Among the proposals being tested are putting players on a more demanding…

2 City Maintenance Worker Positions Cut; Duluth CAO Provides Perspective

DULUTH, Minn. – We’re learning more about two recent cuts to positions within the city of Duluth. Mayor Emily Larson’s office said Monday the positions were maintenance workers for the fleet and parks divisions. The two employees were making $47,096 a year. Both were offered new jobs within the city at similar salaries — one as a janitor and the…

Organizations Work to Make Social Media More Accessible to Those with Disabilities

Workshop organized by Minnesota Access Alliance held at Aquarium.

DULUTH, Minn.- Organizations from across the Northland learned ways to make their social media accounts more accessible to people with disabilities. The Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth was one of those organizations. The workshop was held there by Minnesota Access Alliance–a non-profit with a mission to raise the bar for accessibility in the state. Today’s event focused on the use…

UMD Engineering Students Helping Make Esmond Building More Sustainable

Engineering students submitting recommendations to developer to redevelop the building to be more energy efficient.

DULUTH, Minn.- The redevelopment of the Esmond Building, also known as the former Seaway Hotel in Lincoln Park is getting some help from young college engineering students. Ecolibrium 3, the non-profit focused on improving sustainability in Lincoln Park, partnered with UMD’s Swenson College of Engineering. Students will look at the Esmond and develop recommendations to present to the developer to…

Duluth Fire Chief Details City’s Response if Coronavirus Hits Northland

Fire Chief said not to panic, but expect the virus in the County at some point.

DULUTH, Minn.- As the second case of Coronavirus was discovered in Minnesota on Sunday, the City of Duluth says it has what it is calling a pandemic plan that could be utilized should the need arise. According to Duluth Fire Chief Shawn Krizaj, the city is closely monitoring the virus on the local, state, and national level. They are also…

The Northland Foundation Receives Grant To Help The Aging Adult Community

TWO HARBORS, Minn. – The Northland Foundation recently received a grant for $3.5 million to launch their Integrated Rural Aging Community Program. The foundation is now partnering with local organizations in Northeastern Minnesota to implement the Community Planning and Care Coordination project to help better serve the aging older adult community. A total of eight organizations, known for supporting rural…

CHUM’s Executive Director Is Retiring At The End Of The Year

Lee Stuart has served in the position since 2013.

DULUTH, Minn. – The Executive Director of CHUM in Duluth has announced she will be retiring at the end of the year. Lee Stuart has served in the position for about seven years. Many believe her leadership has proven to be instrumental in bringing awareness to Duluth’s homeless community. Stuart says she has accomplished many of the goals she and…

Coronavirus Concerns Could Potentially Impact Blood Donations

Around the nation people are canceling their appointments to give blood in fear of being exposed to the virus.

DULUTH, Minn. – The number of Coronavirus cases in the U.S. is continuing to rise including two in Minnesota. now there are concerns that the spreading of the virus could potentially create an urgent need for blood donations. Staff at Memorial Blood Centers in Duluth say they have noticed people are canceling their appointments to give blood in fear of…

Duluth School District to Hold Emergency Alert Drill

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth public school district is partnering with the Duluth Police Department to conduct their first-ever district-wide alert drill to test how well they can work under pressure during an emergency. The test will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday morning. The district will use all of its emergency and communication tools at their disposal for a coordinated…

Police: Boy Injured After being Thrown From Balcony in St. Paul

The Boy is Being Treated for Numerous Broken Bones

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Police say an 11-year-old boy is hospitalized after being thrown from a balcony in St. Paul Minnesota Monday morning. St. Paul Police Department spokesperson Steve Linders said officers were called to an apartment building at 787 Hampden Avenue around 8:40 a.m. When they arrived, they found an 11-year-old boy lying on the ground. The…

Thousands Prepare to Get Off Ship Hit by Virus in California

More Than 2,400 Passengers Will be Quarantined for 14 Days

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Federal and state officials in California are preparing to receive thousands of people from a cruise ship that has been idling off the coast of San Francisco with at least 21 people aboard infected with the coronavirus. Fox 9 reported Sunday that 42 Minnesotans are among the passengers on the Grand Princess Cruise ship. Personnel covered…

Armed Man Fatally Shot by Deputy in Cass County, Second Man Found Dead in Home

BACKUS, Minn. – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy shot and killed an armed adult male while responding to reports of an intruder at a residence in Backus Sunday evening. According to the sheriff’s office, they received initial reports of an intruder at a residence and a shot fired around 1:38 p.m. Sunday. When deputies arrived on the…

Ready, Set, Run Like a Leprechaun This Saturday in Hermantown

Grandma's Marathon is Hosting the Annual Saint Fennessy 4k Saturday, March 14, 2020

HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Runners are gearing up for the 7th annual Saint Fennessy 4k Fun Run happening Saturday, March 14 at 10:00 a.m. There will be changes to the race this year that organizers say will significantly enhance the experience for participants. The race begins at Hermantown High School and travels along Arrowhead Road, but this year the new course…

Spring Eat Downtown Week Serves Up Delicious Deals

15 Restaurants Are Offering $10 Lunch Specials and $25 Dinner Specials

DULUTH, Minn. – March 9 – 14 is a special week for Northlanders looking to try out local restaurants in downtown Duluth. Spring Eat Downtown Week offers the opportunity to enjoy special multi–course meals from fifteen local restaurants. Lunch specials are all $10, and dinner specials are $25. Event organizers say it’s a special chance to taste some new menu…

Suspect in Cloquet Double Homicide Found, Arrested in ‘Wooded Area’

33-year-old Sheldon Thompson was arrested in Perch Lake Township in Carlton County.

CLOQUET, Minn.- Authorities have arrested 33-year-old Sheldon Thompson of Cloquet, in connection to the deaths of a mother and her young son on the Fond Du Lac Reservation in Cloquet. At 8:43 pm Sunday, Thompson was arrested in a wooded area off Mission Road in Perch Lake Township in Carlton County on the Reservation, police said. He was taken into…

Aerial Lift Bridge Set to Be Repaired, Upgraded

Crews will repair the sidewalk and upgrade the lights.

DULUTH, Minn.- A heads up to drivers who use the Lift Bridge. Repairs begin on Monday, which include an upgrade. Crews will be repairing the bridge’s sidewalk on each side. Pedestrians won’t be able to use the bridge at times, and traffic will be down to one lane during the day. As for the upgrades, the city is installing new…

Wildwoods Wildlife Rehabilitation Reopens after Five Months Closed

Center officially opens March 21st.

DULUTH, Minn.- The Wildwoods Wildlife Rehabilitation in Duluth is opening later this month, and on Sunday they invited the public to an open house to see the facilities before animals start arriving. Wildwoods was closed for 5 months to renew its permit with the Minnesota DNR. Once open, it will continue to house and rehabilitate certain animals at their facility,…

VFW, Behavioral Health Clinic Destroyed by Fire in Grand Rapids

Crews were not able to get into Lakeview Behavioral Health that caught fire upon arriving at the scene, but they were able to enter the VFW and save important items.

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. — A Saturday night fire has destroyed two buildings and damaged a third in downtown Grand Rapids on NW 3rd street. The Grand Rapids VFW and the Lakeview Behavioral Health were left in ruins from the blaze. No one was hurt in the fire except for one firefighter who was treated and released. The fire department arrived…

Mother, Child Found Dead In Cloquet; Suspect Considered ‘Armed and Dangerous’

Officers found the victims dead after a welfare check at a home on the 1600 block of Locke Lane

Suspect: Sheldon James Thompson Cloquet, Minn. — Police say a Cloquet man is on the run and believed to be armed and dangerous after officers discovered the deaths of a mother and her child Saturday afternoon. The bodies of the 27-year-old woman and her 18-month-old son were found in a home on the 1600 block of Locke Lane in the…

Free Solar Energy Workshop Held in West Duluth

Families learned about renewable energy at the Family Freedom Center.

DULUTH, Minn.- Families learned more about renewable energy at a free Solar Workshop at the Family Freedom Center The workshop featured informational booths with training and job opportunities in renewable energy. There were also interactive solar-based games for kids. According to organizers, renewable energy is the right way to go in the Northland. “The interesting thing about renewable energy and…

New Hotel Could Come to East Hillside

Hotel would serve students, hospital workers, construction workers.

DULUTH, Minn.- A new short-term stay hotel could be coming to Duluth’s East Hillside Neighborhood. Developer Nick Christensen wants to convert the old commercial building at 808 Second Street into a 6-unit hotel for students, hospital employees, and construction workers to stay in, while they find a place to live nearby. “People will come form out of area to do…

Cougars Come to Lake Superior Zoo

Brothers and Sister Cougar Duo Raised by Zookeepers Get New Habitat

DULUTH, Minn.- The Lake Superior Zoo will open their first ever cougar exhibit Saturday. Two cougars, a brother named Tacoma and sister named Olympia who were orphaned last year and raised by Zookeepers will occupy the new habitat, right next to the upcoming Bear Country Exhibit. “These guys actually haven’t seen a whole lot of people come through, they’ve been…

Coronavirus Information Phone Line and Webpage Offered by St. Louis County

Public Health Nurses will be on hand to answer questions.

DULUTH, Minn.- Amid Coronavirus concerns spreading across the country, St. Louis County opened up an information phone line and a website for people to call or visit to get their Coronavirus concerns addressed. Public Health nurses will be at the ready Monday through Friday, 8am-4:30pm, to answer questions people may have about COVID-19, the disease caused by the new Coronavirus….

It’s National Oreo Day!

Two women compete in the Minute to Win It Oreo challenge.

DULUTH, Minn. – It’s National Oreo Day! In honor of the special occasion, we put two lucky ladies to the test to find out who loves the delicious treat the most. With one minute on the clock, both were tasked with getting America’s favorite cookie from their forehead and into their month. But the catch is, they could only use…

West Duluth Neighborhood Road Is Being Used As An Illegal Trash Dump Site

"This has been going on for a long time. This is nothing new," said Duluth City Councilor Derek Medved.

The few pieces of trash that currently sit on 108th Avenue in West Duluth is nothing compared to what is usually dumped. Now that the city is looking to taking action, residents are hoping the change will come. “This has been going on for a long time. This is nothing new,” said Duluth City Councilor Derek Medved. “I’ve lived here…

SilverSneakers: Active Older Adults Slide into Exercise at the Superior YMCA

ACTIVE ADVENTURES: Superior Family YMCA Hosts 65+ Workout Classes

SUPERIOR, Wisc. — In this weeks Active Adventures Fox 21’s Brittney Merlot heads to a YMCA class with the SilverSneakers! This a group of 65+ year olds working out together to keep their bodies healthy. They focus on stretching, warm ups, exercises, a yoga cool down and more! Increasing flexibility and helping with balance to prevent falls, the class builds…

St. Louis County Launches COVID-19 Webpage, Information Phone Line

DULUTH, Minn. – St. Louis County announced on Friday that it has launched an information phone line and web page to help people access up-to-date information about COVID-19. “We want people to be informed so they can make educated decisions about how best to prepare and protect themselves and those around them,” said Amy Westbrook, St. Louis County Public Health…

Portion of Shamrock Shake Sales to Benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities

From March 6 - 17, 25 Cents From Each Shamrock Shake Sale will Benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities in Upper Midwest

DULUTH, Minn. – It’s a type of March madness with a minty twist all for a good cause. The shamrock shakes are back at local McDonald’s restaurants, and now you can help those in need by simply purchasing one. From March 6 – 17, more than 230 participating restaurants in Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and Ironwood, Michigan will donate 25 cents…

Maple School District Sees Success With Sensory Grant

MAPLE, Wisc. – “No matter what happens during the day, we will love them no matter what,” Elementary School Counselor, Kara Hietala says. It’s a process newly integrated into the maple school district. “Getting really at the root of what is going on really in their own lives and helping them be able to problem solve and get through that,”…

A Community Survey Takes A Look Into Emotional Impacts Of The 2018 Husky Refinery Explosion

UMD graduate student Alyssa Dindorf is embarking on a journey to examine how the incident unfolded in the eyes of the community.

DULUTH, Minn. – The Husky Refinery explosion in 2018 was quite a devastation for many people in the Twin Ports. It was an event, that no one ever wants to experience again. It disrupted the lives of many people in the Twin Ports including causing thousands to evacuate their homes for safety. But as the years go by its impacts…

DTA Keeps Up With Daily Sanitizing As A Precaution For The Coronavirus

"We want them to feel comfortable knowing we are taking care of the equipment they ride on so they feel safe and secure," said the DTA General Manager.

DULUTH, Minn. – City buses can be another top spot for getting a virus. The Duluth Transit authority says they are continuing their daily practices to help keep their passengers healthy. The DTA currently has a chain of more than 75 buses used for transportation services. Every bus returned in the evening is thoroughly cleaned to help prevent the spread…

Pence Pledges to ‘Lean Into’ Fight Against Coronavirus

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (AP) – Vice President Mike Pence is pledging that federal officials will “lean into” the fight against the new coronavirus. The vice president commented from Minnesota, where he visited with a leading maker of masks being used to stem the spread of the virus. He spoke after meeting with 3M CEO Mike Roman and Minnesota Gov. Tom Walz…

Banh Mi Pizza Piled High With Superb Crunch

COOKING CONNECTION: Lulu's Pizza

DULUTH, Minn. — In this weeks Cooking Connection Fox 21’s Brittney Merlot headed over to the brand new pizza place in town, LULU’S PIZZA! With their grand opening just under their belt and a changing menu to feed Duluthian’s needs, they offer a calm and welcoming environment when you walk through the door. Delivery will soon be offered to businesses,…

2nd Annual Local Food Fair Happening Saturday in Cloquet

The 2nd Annual Local Food Fair is Happening at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet

CLOQUET, Minn. – Happening Saturday, March 7, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College will host the 2nd annual Local Food Fair sponsored by the United Way of Carlton County. The event is set to bring together local farmers, bakers, and other food producers. The Local Food Fair is happening from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. This free, family-friendly event brings…

Duluth Police K9 Luna to Receive Donated Body Armor in Memory of K9 Haas

DULUTH, Minn. – A Massachusetts non-profit organization has donated a bullet and stab protective vest to the Duluth Police Department’s K9 Luna. The non-profit organization that is donating the vest, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., says their mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United…

Fire Damages Garage Units at Highland Village Apartments

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth fire crews responded to reports of a garage fire at the Highland Village Apartments Wednesday night. According to the Duluth Fire Department, firefighters arriving on the scene around 8:00 p.m. found a 24-unit garage with heavy smoke. Fire damage was confined to two garage units with damage to contents estimated at around $30,000. Initial loss estimates…

Overnight Crash Results in Power Outages

The lone male driver sustained non-life threatening injuries.

DULUTH, Minn. – On Wednesday night police responded to a crash on the 1200 block of West 1st street in Duluth. At the scene, officers found an SUV had rolled onto its side and crashed into a power line. This resulted in a loss of power to a number of residents in the area. The lone male driver sustained non-life…

Duluth Prepares For Phase Three Of The Lakewalk Reconstruction Project

"We want people to understand we are open for business," said Canal Park Business Association President Matt Baumgartner.

DULUTH, Minn. – After three major storms in 2017 and 2018 violently destroyed sections of the Lakewalk, the City of Duluth has been working to restore the damage done. The city is now preparing for phase three of the reconstruction project, estimated to cost $15 million, which is being funded by FEMA. The City of Duluth has been planning the…

2 Passengers at MSP Airport Told to Self-Quarantine After Coming Into Contact With COVID-19 in Europe

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – State health officials have instructed two passengers who arrived at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International on a flight from Europe Tuesday afternoon to self-quarantine for two weeks because they encountered a person confirmed to have the new coronavirus while abroad. The Minnesota Department of Health said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Quarantine Station at MSP…

Biden Claims 9 Super Tuesday Victories, Including Texas

WASHINGTON (AP) – A resurgent Joe Biden scored sweeping victories from Texas to Massachusetts on Super Tuesday, revitalizing a presidential bid that was teetering on the edge of disaster just days earlier. But his rival Bernie Sanders seized the biggest prize with a win in California that ensured he would drive the Democrats’ nomination fight for the foreseeable future. Suddenly,…