Minnesota

Bernie Sanders Super Tuesday Watch Party Held in Duluth

Supporters gathered to cheer Bernie on in Primary.

DULUTH, Minn.- Carmody’s Irish Pub was packed with Bernie Sanders supporters from across the Northland anxious to see their candidate win Super Tuesday. Sanders and Joe Biden were neck and neck for most of the night, but in the end Biden was declared the projected winner for Minnesota. The Twin Ports Democratic Socialists of America have been meeting at the…

Senior Housing Proposal Gets Preliminary Approval Of Revised Plans

Construction could begin this summer to allow for people to move in by the fall of 2021.

HERMANTOWN, Minn. –  Senior housing development planned for Hermantown has finally received a preliminary approval from the Hermantown city council, but those plans will now come with a few revisions. This comes after the original proposal was turned down due to strong opposition from residents back in January. Much of the discord was due to residents believing the new development…

Biden wins Minnesota, surges in South; Sanders wins Colorado

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden scored key Super Tuesday victories in Minnesota and across the South, building on momentum that has swiftly revived his Democratic presidential campaign in recent days. Bernie Sanders countered with wins in his home state of Vermont and in Colorado, as the race began to shift west, where some polls were starting to close. Biden took…

A Local Daycare Center Stays On Top Of Keeping Kids Healthy Amid Coronavirus Concerns

"All we can do is do our very best on a daily basis to try and stay as healthy as possible," said Director Nancy Thomas.

DULUTH, Minn. – As the Coronavirus continues to be a big problem and children being more vulnerable to illnesses, the potential for a spread of the virus brings up the question of what daycare facilities are doing to protect children. Happy Time Day Care Center in Duluth is an accredited facility. This holds them to a higher standard to protect…

Accountant Charged With Stealing Over $235k From Duluth Chamber Pleads Not Guilty

Frye is Due Back in Court on April 13

DULUTH, Minn. – The accountant accused of stealing more than $235,000 from the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce pleaded not guilty to charges of theft by swindle on Tuesday. Jesse David Frye, 40, was charged with two counts of felony theft by swindle in January after the Chamber identified “discrepancies in the bookkeeping and payroll records” in their 2018 Financial…

Deer River Man Pleads Not Guilty to Second Degree Murder

Jackson is Due Back in Court on March 31

ITASCA COUNTY, Minn. – A 29-year-old Deer River man pleaded not guilty on Monday to second-degree murder charges. Kevin Daniel Jackson was charged with second-degree murder last August in the death of his girlfriend’s 4-year-old son. According to the criminal complaint, authorities responded to a call of a non-responsive four-year-old on August 21, 2019. When officers arrived on the scene…

Looking to Laugh? Maritime Improv Comedy Crew Has You Covered

March Madness is Happening Saturday, March 7 at the Fitger's Spirit of the North Theater

DULUTH, Minn. – The Spirit of the North Theater inside the Fitger’s complex will come alive with laughs galore Saturday, March 7. Maritime Improv Crew invites the public to their event, March Madness. It’s taking place from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. The comedy crew performs a hilarious long form improv PG 13 show once a month with added comedy games…

Klobuchar Exit Boosts Sanders for Minnesota’s Super Tuesday

(AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The abrupt withdrawal of Amy Klobuchar from the presidential race gives front-runner Bernie Sanders a sudden opportunity for locking up her home state on Super Tuesday. Sanders, who easily won Minnesota’s caucuses in 2016, has a large and motivated progressive base in the state. He also had a fortuitously timed last-minute rally…

CHUM Food Shelf Getting Major Makeover Thanks to Leadership Duluth, Other Community Members

At no cost to CHUM, a large part of the building is being renovated.

DULUTH, Minn.- Starting this weekend, the CHUM Food Shelf on First Avenue West is getting a makeover, thanks to some help from Leadership Duluth and other businesses in the community. “We’re really excited to give back to the community and there’s over 16,000 community members that walk through this door annually and it’s people just like you and me,” said…

DTA Launches New Free Downtown Bus Line

The Duluth Transit Authority has launched it’s new free bus route servicing downtown. The new circulator, known as the “DuLooper” will run every 15 minutes… It will travel from 10th Avenue East to 6th Avenue West between Michigan Street and Superior Street. The hope for the new service is to give more people better access to downtown especially as the…

UMD Students Speak On The Importance Of Hitting The Polls For The Primary

DULUTH, Minn. – About half the voting population is represented by young voters, including college students. With the 2020 presidential election inching closer, the local primary elections are an opportunity for students to begin exercising their right to vote. Like many college campuses, the University of Minnesota Duluth has students with various ideas and opinions on political issues that may…

Garrison Keillor NorShor Theatre Show Canceled

DULUTH, Minn. – The upcoming Garrison Keillor show at the NorShor Theatre has been canceled. According to Keillor’s booking agency, the April 16 show was canceled “due to unforeseen circumstances.” The event has since been removed from Keillor’s website and the NorShor Theatre website. The former MPR radio host was originally scheduled to perform a show called Garrison Keillor: Stories,…

Duluth Cross Country Ski Club Hosting Year-End Event

Tour DuLuth Ski Fest is Happening Saturday, March 7, 2020

DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Cross-County Ski Club is gearing up to host its year-end celebration, the Tour Duluth Ski Fest on Saturday, March 7. The event features all-day/all-evening ski events around the city of Duluth. Schedule of Events: 9:00 a.m. – Lester-Amity Chalet open with doughnuts and coffee All day – Ski Duluth’s Trail System – The more the…

Klobuchar Cancels Minnesota Rally

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar has canceled a rally in her home state after protesters took over the stage shouting for her to drop out of the presidential race. Klobuchar was scheduled to speak Sunday at St. Louis Park High School ahead of Tuesday’s primary. But dozens of protesters took the stage chanting “black lives…

Models Hit the Runway at Women’s Expo Fashion Show

DULUTH, Minn. – Thousands of people packed the DECC this weekend for the annual Women’s Expo, and the fashion show was another hit. Former B105 radio personality Cathy Kates and FOX 21’s Dan Hanger emceed the show again this year featuring fashion designs from local retailers. FOX 21’s Alexandra Burnley and Brittney Merlot were some of the models hitting the…

Bringing Home the Bacon at Baconfest

Event raises money for church mission trips.

HERMANTOWN, Minn.- Hermantown Community Church was packed with meat lovers for their 6th annual Baconfest. Baconfest raises money for mission trips form the church. Every year they go to California and Ireland, partnering with local churches in those areas. Baconfest included a bacon-eating contest, and People’s Choice Award for their favorite bacon-centered dish, which there were many according to organizers….

Northlanders Enjoy Warm First Day of Meteorological Spring Outside

Temps reach low 40s as people enjoy the lakeside in Canal Park.

DULUTH, Minn.- Sunday was the first day of Meteorological Spring, the three month period of March, April and May which meteorologists use to calculate seasonal statistics. It sure felt like Spring here in the Northland, as temperatures got as high as 42 degrees in Duluth. So people got outside in Canal Park enjoying the melting lake and sunshine, as we…

Glik’s to Open in Miller Hill Mall

DULUTH, Minn. –  The Miller Hill Mall announced Sunday that Glik’s will be opening there in April. The boutique store will be designed for women only with fashion, footwear and accessories. Glik’s will be located between Center Court and Caribou Coffee. The nearest Glik’s stores in the Northland are in Hayward and Grand Rapids.   The first store opened in 1897…

Four Babies Leap Out into World on Leap Day

Two babies out of St. Luke's and Two out of Essentia on this special day.

DULUTH, Minn.- Saturday was Leap Day which of course only happens every four years, and quite a few babies were born on this extra day of February in Duluth. Four babies were born on Leap Day in Duluth, two at Essentia Health and two at St.Luke’s. Now begins the process of deciding when to celebrate the baby’s birthday on non-Leap…

Northland Boy Scouts Practice Outdoor Skills in Beargrease Derby

Dog sled style race in Cloquet helps kids develop winter outdoor skills.

CLOQUET, Minn.- The Boy Scouts were out in the sunshine practicing their outdoor winter skills Saturday. The annual Beargrease Derby took place at the University of Minnesota Cloquet Forestry Center. The mile long course is named after John Beargrease, with 10 stations named after spots on the real Beargrease trail. Kids go to each station to perform different outdoor tasks….

UMD Hosts Third Annual Sustainability Education Summit

DULUTH, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Duluth hosted its third annual Sustainability Education Summit. It’s an opportunity for professionals and students to share ideas. They also learn how the topic of sustainability could be incorporated into classes. UMD’s Sustainability Coordinator says it’s important to have these discussions to help give a better understanding of the topic, which often can…

Duluth Police Officer Sustains Minor Injuries in Crash

DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth Police officer sustained minor injuries in a two-vehicle crash Friday afternoon. According to the Duluth Police Department, the crash happened around 2:00 p.m. at the intersection at Lake Avenue and Superior Street. One of the vehicles involved in the crash was a Duluth Police Squad. The officer driving the squad car was taken to St….

Physical Therapy to Help Injury or Illness Restricting Daily Tasks

ACTIVE ADVENTURES: Physical Therapy at Viverant

  DULUTH, Minn. — In this weeks Active Adventures we head up the hill to Viverant with Fox 21’s Brittney Merlot. After Merlot’s recent back break in August left her unable to walk, she has been in physical therapy for months getting back on her feet. Physical therapists teach patients how to prevent or manage their condition so that they…

Minnesota Still Has No Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus

(FOX 9) – There remain no confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Health had sent one case to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing this week, but those test results came back negative for the COVID-19 virus. The new respiratory illness first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. There are…

Semi Tips Over on Highway 2 in Cloquet

CLOQUET, Minn. – Multiple agencies responded to reports of a semi that had tipped over on Highway 2 Friday morning. According to a post on the Cloquet Area Fire District’s Facebook page, the accident happened around 6:00 a.m. Friday morning on Highway 2 at Highway 33. The semi had tipped over and spilled a load of lime on the highway….

Geared Up: Duluth Police Train For Potential Civil Unrest

DULUTH, Minn. — With a use-of-force policy now in place for Duluth’s newly purchased protective gear, officers are going through specialized training for those rare events when protesters can turn violent. And while full-blown riots are not a common occurrence in Duluth by any means, Chief Mike Tusken believes it’s his responsibility to be prepared for the worst to keep the…

Free Culinary Boot Camp Helps Superior Residents Gain Skills

The free course is sponsored by the Nortwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment Board.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – this week about a dozen Superior residents tested out their cooking skills during a free, two-week culinary boot camp. The class focuses more on food safety, which is critical in many commercial kitchens. The group is learning basic skills like the proper way to use knives. Each day the culinary students also learn how to make different…

High Water Levels In The Great Lakes Could Delay Shipping

Lake to lake shipping is not expected to be impacted in the Twin Ports.

DULUTH, Minn. – High lake levels on Lake Ontario are pushing back the start of the international shipping season. The lake’s locks will now open in April rather than the end of March. In the Twin Ports, officials tell us the delay is not expected to have any short term impacts on the Duluth-Superior port. Although, potential high water levels…

Minnesota’s Projected Surplus Grows to Over $1.5 Billion

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota’s projected surplus has grown to over $1.5 billion, state budget officials said Thursday. The new estimate from Minnesota Management and Budget is $181 million higher than the agency’s last budget forecast in November. And it means lawmakers will have more money available to spend, save or cut taxes. The agency attributed the larger surplus…

First Ship Contest Kicks off Shipping Season

DULUTH, Minn. – The First Ship contest is back and ready to help usher in the 2020 shipping season. Visit Duluth has once again partnered with the Duluth Seaway Port Authority for the annual First Ship Contest where people can submit their guess of the exact date and time they think the first “saltie” of the season will pass under…

Italian Beef Brisket Sandwich

COOKING CONNECTION: Valentini's Hermantown

HERMANTOWN, Minn. — In this week’s Cooking Connection Fox 21’s Brittney Merlot heads up the hill to Valentini’s newest location. Their kitchen manager has been there for years and shows us how to make an Italian Beef Brisket Sandwich! ABOUT: Authentic Italian food, memorable events, and exceptional service have defined Valentini’s for over 80 years. ADDRESS: 4960 Miller Trunk Hwy…

Suspect in Lincoln Park Shooting Incident Formally Charged

Allen is Scheduled to Appear in Court Again March 24

DULUTH, Minn. – The 24-year-old Barnum man arrested earlier this week after shooting a gun in an alleyway in Lincoln Park has been formally charged. Bianca Leshun Allen, 24, was charged Thursday with one count of felony reckless discharge of a firearm within a municipality. According to the criminal complaint, authorities were called to the 2800 block of West First…

Minnesota House Proceeds on Insulin, Voter Privacy and Guns

(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota House Democrats are moving full speed ahead on some of their top priorities for the 2020 session. They’re holding floor votes on insulin affordability, voter privacy, and gun violence prevention, just two weeks into the legislative session. House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler told reporters Wednesday that some things can’t wait. The…

Young Girl Partners With A Local Radio Station To Collect Cards For Kids Battling Cancer

DULUTH, Minn. – Cancer may be one of the hardest things any child or a family would ever endure. knowing this hardship, little Evy Keppers who started the organization “Fighting for Friends” says by partnering with Life 97. 3 she’s hopeful something as little as a homemade card can uplift the spirits of kids going through the tough battle. Every…

Registration Now Open for Animal Allies Summer Camp

Summer Camps Fill Quickly at Animal Allies, Register Now to Secure Your Child's Spot

DULUTH, Minn. – The Northland is still months away from hot summer days, but it’s not stopping staff at Animal Allies from thinking summer camp. Registration is now open for camps. Staff tells FOX 21 Local News the camps fill up quickly, so it’s best to register your child sooner rather than later. The camps provide children with hands-on activities…

Leprechauns, Clark the Shark, Snowshoes and More at Glensheen Mansion

Glensheen Mansion is Offering Plenty of Activities to Help Curb Cabin Fever

DULUTH, Minn. – March kicks off on Sunday, but little leprechauns have already invaded Glensheen Mansion in Duluth. The only proof staff has is their little green hats left behind. Staff at the mansion invite the public to look for the hats, with the possibility of seeing one of the elusive leprechauns. Glensheen’s Leprechaun Hat Hunt is happening now through…

Pilot Killed in Plane Crash was Minneapolis Businessman

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The man who died in a small plane crash in Hennepin County was the co-owner of a Twin Cities gardening business. Wagners Greenhouses and Garden Center say 60-year-old Scott Wagner was flying his single-engine plane Saturday when it crashed in the Crow-Hassan Park Reserve and burst into flames. The Star Tribune reports an online flight plan shows…

Minnesota Power Hosts 30th Annual Energy Design Conference

DULUTH, Minn. – Energy-efficiency may be one of the fastest-growing and innovative industries. The 30th Annual Energy Design Conference hosted by Minnesota Power at the DECC highlighted the future of energy-efficiency. About 40 exhibitors showcased the latest trends and information on renewable energy and best practices for sustainable design. Some of the newest electric vehicles on the market were available…

A New Pizza Shop Opens in Downtown Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. – A new artisan-style pizza shop has opened in downtown Duluth. Lulu’s Pizza is now taking over the Old Pizza Man on West Superior Street which closed its doors last September. The new pizza shop specializes in making pies from scratch. The menu offers traditional kinds of pizza but also specialties like Banh Mi pizza, which is a…

High School Students Learn The Skills Needed To Work In Construction Trades

  DULUTH, Minn. – Hundreds of Northland high schoolers got their hands dirty during the 5th Annual Construct Tomorrow student event. Construct Tomorrow is a program geared towards introducing high school students to the building and construction trades. Nearly 1,500 from more than 25 schools in the Northland are getting an experience to help them find their career pathway. The…