DULUTH, Minn. – Duluthians who’ve made significant donations to the Duluth Public Library were honored at the 2nd annual Olga Walker Memorial Award ceremony Wednesday. The Olga Walker Award is named for a Duluthian who left her entire estate to the library when she passed in 1964. This year, the library honored six donors, including Ruth Ann Eaton and her…
ST. PAUL, Minn.-The Minnesota Department of Education will begin distributing a new guide for schools on dealing with transgender and gender non-conforming students. Department deputy commissioner Charlene Briner says the toolkit of resources and best practices isn’t meant to be a mandate for schools, but rather to help administrators and others deal with issues that may be uncomfortable, both for…
(KMSP) – The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Globe University and the Minnesota School of Business issued illegal loans to students. Now, Attorney General Lori Swanson is going back to court to ask a judge to cancel the loans. Swanson also sued Globe several years ago for offering police training classes that were not accredited. The university ended up shutting down that criminal justice…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The legal battle between Gov. Mark Dayton and the Legislature is on a fast track to the Minnesota Supreme Court. The dispute revolves around Dayton’s move to zero out funding for the House and Senate while signing a $46 billion budget. The Democratic governor wants top Republicans to rework costly tax breaks and other measures…
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges and acting police chief Medaria Arradondo announced changes Wednesday to Minneapolis Police Department’s body camera policy in the wake of the fatal shooting of Justine Damond. There was no footage of the July 15 shooting of Justine Damond because neither officer had activated their body cameras, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal…
RED LAKE, Minn. (AP) – Tribal leaders of a northern Minnesota reservation have declared its heroin and opioid epidemic a public health emergency. The Star Tribune reports that Red Lake Indian Reservation tribal leaders are seeking outside help to deal with the crisis and are considering banishing tribal members who are involved with dealing drugs. They’ll discuss the option at…
DULUTH, Minn. – An invasive species in spreading across America and harming the Ash tree population. The Emerald Ash Borer is now in the Northland, so researchers have gathered in Duluth to discuss ways to prevent the spread. Dr. Brian Palik, a research ecologist, says people from all over the Northeastern United States have come to the conference. He says…
Jonah Hawkins, 26 ST. PAUL, Minn. – The hunt is on for a Level 3 predatory offender who is no longer complying with the conditions of his release from prison, according to the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Jonah James Hawkins, 26, was released from prison on April 25, 2015 to Intensive Supervised Release by the DOC. On June 27, 2017,…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – The auditorium at Virginia High School was packed this evening with hundreds showing up to voice their opinions of the U.S. Forest Service’s proposal to withdraw 234,000 acres of federal land around the boundary waters that would be used for future copper–nickel mining. It’s an issue that’s been debated back and forth, ever since the forest service…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Police Department and Drug Enforcement Agency announced a new partnership to help fight the city’s opioid problem. As part of this partnership, the DEA will give the city $18,000 to pay for overtime hours during drug raids. Plus, the city now has access to DEA labs and intelligence databases. “This is an opportunity for us…
DULUTH, Minn. – Researchers and forest managers from Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Northeast are in Duluth this week to develop a game plan for battling the emerald ash borer. The workshop opened Tuesday at the Inn on Lake Superior with lectures discussing the borer’s effect on ash forests. The highlight of the workshop comes Wednesday as participants will get their…
Justine Damond, Fox 9 MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – A newly unsealed search warrant details the evidence the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has gathered about what led up to the fatal officer-involved shooting of Justine Damond in southwest Minneapolis on July 15. Damond was shot and killed by Minneapolis Police Officer Mohammed Noor, who was in the squad car with his partner, Officer…
DULUTH, Minn. – Over the past several years Duluthians have raised $40,000 to tune up an historic organ in town. That organ is now being put back together at Sacred Heart Music Center. “It sings; there’s breath that goes through the pipes. It’s the closest to the human voice as any instrument,” said Reverend Dr. David Tryggestad, resident organist at…
Carlton, Minn Carlton County officials aim to take ATV’s from off the road to on them through a new ordinance. The ordinance would allow more access along county and state roads and highways. Something other Northland counties have already done. Carlton County, unlike St. Louis and Pine Counties prohibits class one ATV’s from using the side of county state roads…
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota is calling for reforms in the Minneapolis Police Department in the wake of the fatal shooting of Justine Damond by Officer Mohammed Noor last week. The ACLU issued a statement Monday in response to the appointment of Medaria Arradondo as the new Chief of Police, replacing Chief Janee Harteau. The…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has spent years documenting and monitoring all 80 of Minnesota’s major watershed in order to gain data about the health of the state’s rivers, lakes, and streams. Minnesota Public Radio reports that pollution control agency staff members are now revisiting places that were first tested a decade ago. Water is…
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – At least two illegal street signs with the message “Warning: Twin Cities police easily startled” were posted Sunday in Minneapolis and St. Paul, according to police spokespeople. The signs were quickly taken down by both cities’ respective public works departments, but not before the message made its rounds on social media–garnering thousands of shares and responses on Twitter…
DULUTH, Minn. – This week the hard work of several theater students will be on display in the musical “All You Need is Bugs!” The Myers-Wilkins Community School Collaborative is hosting the Hillside Youth Theatre camp once again this year. The matinee performances will be July 27-28 at 1:00 p.m. The night performances will both be at 7:00 p.m. on…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Summer tourist season is well underway in Duluth and several events have brought thousands to the city already this year. This week several free events, like the Chester Creek Concert Series and Concerts on the Pier at Glensheen, are followed by the annual All Pints North Brewfest in Bayfront Festival Park. Visit Duluth Media Communications Manager…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – John Kundla, the Hall of Fame coach who led the Minneapolis Lakers to five NBA championships, died Sunday. He was 101. Son Jim Kundla said his father died at an assisted living facility in Northeast Minneapolis that he has called home for years. Kundla coached George Mikan and the Lakers in the 1940s and 1950s, helping them…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Researchers at the University of Minnesota have made a breakthrough in the cryopreservation of fish, which could help preserve specie and repopulate the ocean. The Minnesota Daily reports that researchers are using gold nanoparticles and lasers to freeze and thaw live fish embryos. Researchers have previously been able to successfully cryopreserve mammal embryos and some animal sperm,…
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau has resigned from her position as police chief at the request of Mayor Betsy Hodges. Resignation Statement from Chief Harteau “Over the 30+ years that I’ve served as a police officer in the City of Mpls, moving up through the ranks to Police Chief, I have woken up every day knowing that this job is not…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The mother of slain motorist Philando Castile has filed a petition to receive nearly all of a $3 million settlement in his death. Valerie Castile’s petition proposes she get $2 million, with the remaining $995,000 going to attorneys. A Hennepin Couny judge will review the petition Aug. 2. The Star Tribune reports Castile sought to reach relatives…
KEGO TOWNSHIP, Minn. – Authorities responded to the call of a fire around 12:30 a.m., Friday, July 21, at a residence in Kego Township, near Longville, Minnesota, according to the Cass County Sheriff’s Department. Crews arrived on scene to find a home fully engulfed, and efforts to extinguish began immediately. Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch reports that two females, one…
DULUTH, Minn. – Two organizations are coming together Saturday, July 22 as they fundraise to support local police. Debbie and Kevin Skifstad with Shield 616 visited FOX 21 to give more details on the fundraiser. Shield616 is a non-profit working to raise money to purchase gear for police. The goal of this fundraiser is to provide the Duluth Police Department…
CLOQUET, Minn. – The Cloquet Rotary Club is ready for the city’s 4th annual Color Run. “It’s just a really fun event we do to raise money for community projects in the future,” said Junior Rotarian Holly McGinn. One of the Rotary Club’s three major fundraisers, Cloquet’s Color Run gets bigger every year. This year the Rotary Club decided to…
Cloquet, Minn. The intersection of I–35 and Hwy 33 in Cloquet continues to be a problem. This as the Minnesota Department of Transportation thought they came up with an easy solution. They’re proposing to replace that dangerous intersection with a roundabout. Multiple fatalities and a handful of serious car accidents in just the last ten years is the reason MnDot…
CLOQUET, Minn. – A sunny day across the Northland left many looking for ways to beat the heat. Cloquet residents lined up before noon to get into the Pinehurst Beach swimming area. Officials there say on a day like Thursday as many as 500 people could stop by for a dip at what’s known as a Cloquet gem. “People love…
DULUTH, Minn. – Park Point Beach was packed for the city’s Water Safety Expo. Duluth Parks and Recreation teamed up with the YMCA, the National Weather Service and Minnesota Sea Grant for a day of fun at the beach, including a sand modeling contest. “I saw some cool stuff out there,” said Kraig Decker, Duluth Parks Permit Coordinator. “I’m a…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Big summer job gains have pushed Minnesota’s total employment above 3 million for the first time in state history. The Department of Employment and Economic Development said Thursday that the state added 4,400 new jobs in June. That leaves the state’s unemployment rate at 3.7 percent – below the national average of 4.4 percent unemployment….
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Over the next few days a wall in Superior is honoring those lost in the Vietnam War. “The Wall that Heals” is at Barkers Island July 20–23. Vietnam veterans are being asked to share memories on Saturday July 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center. Crews will be available…
DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth bar and grill has a new chef and recently updated its menu. Cast Iron Bar and Grill has kept the staples, but added a few new options as well. Chef Mike from Cast Iron Bar and Grill cooked with the FOX 21 morning crew for this week’s Cooking Connection. FOX 21’s William Seay learned how…
Hibbing, Minn. The Hibbing community is doing their part to combat the opioid and meth problem in St. Louis County. Hundreds came out to hear from multiple agencies that deal with the problem head on. A panel consisting of representatives from St. Louis county public health, local law enforcement, attorney’s and even addiction survivors were on hand tonight. The panel…
Meteorologist Brittney Merlot takes us back into some remote Boundary Waters locations that were in the direct path of severe weather. While talking to two survivors of the 1999 and 2016 blow down that brought 70-80mph winds through the wilderness and how they survived. “On my way to the lake a very large trees went over and it went over…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – The City of Superior came alive earlier Wednesday to welcome a piece of history into the Northland. From now through Sunday, Twin Ports residents will have the chance to walk through time and remember those who served for our country in the Vietnam War. “Our men and women deserve the military rights of all things from beginning to…
CHICAGO (AP) – An Illinois sheriff’s office said Wednesday that it has identified a Minnesota runaway as one of the victims of serial killer John Wayne Gacy. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said in a news release that the remains of a person whose body was found under the crawl space of Gacy’s Chicago area home in 1978 were those…
EDEN VALLEY, Minn. (KMSP) – The Minnesota Department of Health is investigating how two children came down with a toxin-producing bacteria after one little girl died and her brother fights for his life. Out of an abundance of caution, officials asked the petting zoo to pull their farm animals from display. But, the investigation is still ongoing. Just days after Kallan Maresh started getting sick, she…
Justine Damond, Fox 9 MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – The Minneapolis Police Department has released the 911 transcript of the call Justine Damond placed on the night of July 15, just minutes before she was shot and killed by officers who responded to the call. Damond called 911 twice that night to report a possible sexual assault near 51st Street and Washburn…
DULUTH, Minn. – “A Day at the Wade,” a fundraiser supporting youth in Western Duluth, is taking place tonight. Funds raised will go to youth organizations to support them in regional and national competitions. There will be live music, food and vendors. It’s all taking place at Wade Stadium. The gates open at 3:30 p.m. and the fun starts at…
The vast wilderness of the Boundary Waters is in our backyard with thousands of visitors a year. It has the highest point in Minnesota and some of the oldest rock on Earth. But what about the weather when you head into the wilderness? How can you prepare? Our very own Meteorologist Brittney Merlot recently spent a lot of time in…
DULUTH, Minn. – Musicians are tuning up and preparing for a new fundraiser supporting youth in Duluth. It’s called “A Day at the Wade” and is taking place Wednesday, July 19. There will be live music, food, raffles and vendors. One band playing, “Born Too Late,” is a group of young musicians in Duluth who recently won Duluth’s Got…
DULUTH, Minn. – The police shooting of an Australian woman in Minneapolis this week continues to make international headlines. During the incident, the police officer’s body camera was not recording as the fatal shot was fired, raising questions about what the policies are when it comes to police body cameras. Duluth Police Department policy is that officers wear body cameras…
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – The family of Justine Damond made their first public comments in Sydney Tuesday after their daughter was fatally shot by a Minneapolis police officer over the weekend. John Ruszczyk, Justine’s father, said the family is still trying to come to terms with what has happened. “Justine, our daughter, was so special to us and to so many others,”…
Photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (KMSP) – It’s the end of an era that has lasted over half a century. Starting in 2018, the Minnesota Vikings will now hold training camp at their Eagan headquarters. For 52 years, the Vikings have held camp at Minnesota State University in Mankato. But with the team christening their new headquarters…
DULUTH, Minn. – Classic and modern homes, along with beautiful greenery, will be on display this week all for the 50th Annual Tour of Homes and Gardens in Duluth. The tour will feature the best of some old homes and the best of some new homes. The ticket price is $30.00 and includes lunch at the Duluth Woman’s Club. It’s…
DULUTH, Minn. – It’s a common occurance to see the North Shore Scenic Railroad trains chugging along the tracks in Summer months. This year, a new dome car was added to that train. “247 of these cars were eventually built with the dome on the top for seating and they became exceedingly popular,” said Ken Buehler, Executive Director for the…
DULUTH, Minn- It may be the middle of summer, but the Minnesota Vikings are already just one week away from the start of their 2017 training camp. This will be the 52nd year the Vikings will train in Mankato, but the first year that CJ Ham will enter camp as the team’s starting fullback. In 2016, the Denfeld native, rushed…
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is visiting Minnesota to speak to state and local prosecutors. Sessions was expected to address an annual gathering of district attorneys from around the country in Minneapolis on Monday afternoon. Sessions has pitched a tough-on-crime mentality as President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Justice. He has…
DULUTH, Minn. – Emerald Ash Borer was first discovered in Duluth on Park Point in 2015 and has since been found elsewhere in the city. Duluth officials have a plan to stop the infestation from spreading, and are asking for residents’ help in implementing it. The City of Duluth is launching an educational campaign to teach residents about Emerald Ash…
MINNEAPOLIS–The fight over whether to allow copper–nickel mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of northeastern Minnesota is shifting to St. Paul. The U.S. Forest Service is opening a new set of public meetings on its proposal to bar minerals exploration and development on more than 234,000 acres near the pristine wilderness for up to 20 years. The first meeting…
