Minnesota

Spring Garden Extravaganza

DULUTH, MINN. –The St. Louis County Extension Service held its Spring Garden Extravaganza Saturday at the Depot in Duluth. There were a lot of people on hand to learn about many different aspects of gardening, including flowering shrubs and trees and small fruits. There were presentations from experts in pruning fruit trees, pollinators, and vegetable gardens as well as tomatoes….

Gov. Walz Takes Part in Spring Turkey Hunting Opener

NEAR NORTHFIELD, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz began his day bright and early Saturday for the state’s kickoff of turkey hunting. Walz joined by National Wild Turkey Federation Director of Development,Tom Glines, Minnesota DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen, and two legislators along with members of the Learn-to-Hunt program. The hunting party hunted on private land near Northfield owned by Jerry…

Northland Robotics Teams Prepare for Worlds

DULUTH, Minn. — With three local high school robotics teams headed to the world’s championship of robotics, the Arrowhead Robotics Coalition arranged for a practice arena for the Denfeld, Hermantown and Babbitt teams. The DNA 4009 team from Denfeld is appearing in its first Worlds Championship since 2017, although they qualified in 2020, there was no event because it was…

Essentia Health Hoists A Flag Raising Ceremony As Part Of National Donate Life Month

DULUTH, Minn. — A new flag near the entrance to the Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center was raised Friday, it’s the Donate Life Flag. April is National Donate Life Month; it is meant to honor organ donors who have given the hope of life to someone in need. The flag-raising ceremony was accompanied by speakers from Essentia who talked about…

Minneapolis OKs Dawn Muslim Prayer Call, 1st For Big US City

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) — Minneapolis will allow broadcasts of the Muslim call to prayer at all hours, becoming the first major U.S. city to allow the announcement or “adhan” to be heard over speakers five times a day, year-round. The Minneapolis City Council unanimously agreed Thursday to amend the city’s noise ordinance, which had prevented dawn and late evening calls at certain…

April 13th is Ethel Ray Nance Day in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — April 13 in Duluth is officially Ethel Ray Nance Day. Who is that you may ask? Nance was an important civil and women’s rights activist, and she was born and lived in the Central Highlands of Duluth. Thursday morning Duluth city council president, Janet Kennedy read the official city proclamation that proclaims it as Nance’s Day. April…

Homeless Encampment, Debris Grow Near Bayfront Park; Cleanup Effort Planned Next Week

DULUTH, Minn. — A homeless encampment across the street from Bayfront Park has grown into a public health hazard, and a CHUM official confirms MnDOT will be cleaning the property sometime next week. There are two growing sections along Railroad Street with about five tents and other items across from Playfront Park next to I35. The second section that’s most…

Dept. By Dept. Breakdown Of 2023 Duluth Budget Cuts, City’s Reason Why

DULUTH, Minn. – FOX 21 has gathered new details involving city wide budget cuts in Duluth worth $383,000. City administration says the cuts involve this year’s status-quo budget. The Duluth Police Department, which has the largest portion of the city’s budget, is being asked to cut $98,402. The Duluth Fire Department holds the city’s second-largest portion of the yearly budget….

Duluth Business Owners Helping Each Other

West Duluth Business Club Working to Make Things Happen

A group of Duluth business owners is welcoming new members as it works to help the area prosper. Members of the West Duluth Business Club gather the second Wednesday of every month at Mr. D’s. Wednesday was no exception. There is usually a guest speaker, and this month it was Amber Burns with the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation. One…

Preparing For Floods in St. Louis County

DULUTH, MNN. — Four public agencies from St Louis County held a news conference on Wednesday to talk about the spring snow melt and spring flooding. The agencies explained what they have planned and already done to prepare for any flooding that may occur. The warm weather over the past couple of days has greatly reduced the snowpack in the…

2023 District 1 Construction Projects

DULUTH, Minn. – With Spring in the air MnDOT is getting ready for more construction projects to get underway in Northeast Minnesota in 2023. They include roads and bridges, with six carryover projects that include work on I-35, I-535, and the Highway 53 interchange as well as bridge work on the Silver Creek Bridge. 16 new projects will kick off…

Two Harbors Voters Choose Their Next Mayor

TWO HARBORS, Wis. — The people of Two Harbors headed to the polls Tuesday to vote for their next mayor. This comes after now-former embattled mayor Chris Swanson was recalled by more than 1,000 votes last august. The unofficial results Tuesday evening from the Clerk’s Office showed Lew Conner as the city’s next mayor. Conner is a retired educator who…

City Of Proctor: ‘Immediately Reduce Water Usage’; Sanitary Sewers, Manholes ‘Full’

PROCTOR, Minn. — The city of Proctor is asking citizens and businesses to immediately reduce water usage, according to a news release just before 8 p.m. Tuesday. This is not a boil notice. “At approximately 4:20 PM Tuesday, April 11, 2023 City of Proctor wastewater staff notified city administration the city sanitary sewer lines and manholes are full because of…

Fitger’s 5-K Goes Zero Waste

DULUTH, Minn. — With warm weather comes race season as the Fitger’s 5-K is right around the corner, and this year it brings a new sustainable plan. This years race lands on April 22nd which happens to be Earth Day, so in honor of the green day Grandma’s Marathon-Duluth plans on making the race zero-waste. In partnership with a company…

St. Luke’s Honors Organ Donation

DULUTH, Minn. — Tuesday St. Luke’s hospital held their annual ceremony honoring the life saving gift of organ donation and the families of donors. The hospital raised a “Donate Life” flag and held a moment of silence for those who have given the gift of life through organ donation. Recipients also recognized the gift of their donors at the ceremony….

Broken Water Main Floods Home in Duluth

DULUTH, MINN. — Generally, a water main break causes pooling of water in the street and perhaps in adjoining yards. But in this case, the water main broke on a slight hill, and that allowed it to flow on Paul Zwak’s property and into his garages and home. Paul and his wife and two of their children spent much of…

Report: U Of Minnesota ‘Committed Genocide’ Of Native People

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The University of Minnesota should hire more Native American faculty, offer students additional financial support and give back land to atone for its historic mistreatment of the state’s tribes, a report conducted through a collaboration with the school concluded Tuesday. The report said that the university’s founding board of regents “committed genocide and ethnic cleansing of Indigenous…

Duluth Public Library Security Assessment

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Public Library continues to review safety within its downtown branch after a rise in violence and disturbances since the pandemic. Guidepost Solutions recently completed the assessment, which included getting input from library staff. It found more than 90% of staff have experienced a unsafe situation at the library. The assessment also studied the crime around…

Duluth Fire Union: Budget Cuts Will Compromise Safety, Services

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth Firefighters Local 101 is speaking out against budget cuts they say are being ordered by Mayor Emily Larson. Union V.P. Pete Johnson said the cuts will “have a negative impact on our firefighters’ safety and their ability to provide the level of service that the citizens of Duluth deserve.” The department is being asked to cut…

Two More Candidates Announce Run For Duluth City Council

DULUTH, Minn. — Two more people have announced they’re running for Duluth City Council seats. Wendy Durrwachter is running for Dist. 1. She says she will “focus on doing the work to ensure Duluth stays a great place to call home.” Durrwachter was a single mother of two who supported her family mostly as a restaurant server. She’s now a…

Twin Ports Pet Sitters Expanding To Superior

TWIN PORTS — For all the pet lovers out there, a local business is expanding its operations to help take care of even more animals. Twin Ports Pet Sitters is a 9-year-old company providing pet care to animals all around the Duluth area. Now, they’ve expanded their operations to Superior. The company now offers dog walks, cat bonding, and critter…

Grandma’s Marathon Security Preparations

DULUTH, MINN. — Grandma’s Marathon is just two months away and that means more planning is happening. Friday, more than 15 agencies including the police and fire departments, public works, ham radio operators, homeland security, and even the Coast Guard got together to review and improve security plans for the race. On the morning of June, 17 runners will set…

Man Charged in Duluth Cab Driver Robbery

Police recognized his face in Superior surveillance video

DULUTH, Minn. — A 19-year-old man was charged Friday for allegedly robbing a cab driver at gunpoint in Duluth. The criminal complaint says the man is Jaquiel Joseph Omiga. He appeared in court Friday morning. He is charged with aggravated, first-degree robbery, and threats of violence with a reckless disregard of the risk. He turned 19 this week. The criminal…

Cub Foods Workers Reach Tentative Agreement Ahead Of Holiday Weekend Strike

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (FOX 9) – Cub Foods employees reached an agreement ahead of a looming strike that would have affected dozens of stores on a busy holiday weekend. Workers at 33 corporate-owned stores planned on striking Friday and Saturday beginning at 5:30 a.m. over alleged unfair labor practices and working without a contract since March. But, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union…

Vikre Distillery Breaks Down the Non-Alcohol Cocktail Trend

DULUTH, Minn. — Non-alcohol cocktails are making their way more and more into the booze industry, as places like Vikre Distillery offer a range of “zero-proof” drinks with all the flavor and artisanship of a classic cocktail. Owner Emily Vikre joined FOX21 on the morning newscast Friday morning to talk about why she finds it important to offer non-alcohol concoctions…

Grocery Workers Union Declares Strike Over Wages, Employee Protections

(FOX 9) – Union member workers have officially declared they will strike at more than 30 grocery store locations throughout the Twin Cities. “We voted today to stand up and be heard, and to strike,” workers said in a unified statement announcing the strike on its official Facebook page Tuesday. Following the formal vote by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 663…

City Of Duluth Provides Winter Storm Update

DULUTH, Minn. — The City of Duluth shared an update Tuesday afternoon on the winter storm passing through the Northland. City of Duluth staff are monitoring storm forecasts provided by NWS Duluth today. The National Weather Service in Duluth is forecasting a Winter Storm Warning for northeast Minnesota that will bring messy conditions, with the potential for heavy snow, freezing…

Protest Over Duluth Apartment Building’s Partial Hotel Changes While Management Gives New Insight

DULUTH, Minn. – People protested Monday outside a one-year-old housing development in Duluth’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. The protesters said they don’t want to see one floor of the building converted into boutique hotel units. Lincoln Park Flats on West Superior Street is owned by P&R Properties. Company officials told FOX 21 Monday that turning the second floor into 24 short-term…

Minnesota Gun Ruling Is Latest Citing Supreme Court Decision

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A federal court ruling that a Minnesota law prohibiting 18-to-20-year-olds from obtaining permits to carry handguns in public is unconstitutional remained on hold Monday while the state pursues a potential appeal. A reluctant U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez struck down the state law on Friday, citing a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision on gun rights last year….

University Of Minnesota President Joan Gabel Leaving To Take Job With Pitt

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – After slightly less than four years on the job, Joan Gabel is leaving her role as President of the University of Minnesota to become chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh. Her track record at the University of Minnesota has drawn praise and scrutiny. She steered the U through the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial reckoning following…

Biden To Push Clean Energy, Economic Agenda In Minneapolis

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to tour a clean energy technology manufacturer in suburban Minneapolis on Monday as part of his effort to highlight his investment agenda ahead of an expected reelection campaign. Biden plans to highlight job growth and investments nationwide while pushing clean energy and manufacturing in the U.S. during his visit to engine maker Cummins…

Striking Bullseye at the 2023 MSAA Indoor Tournament

CARLTON, Minn. — “You get up to the line. Anxiety sets in. You start shaking and you got to overcome those nerves,” said the Intramural President of the Minnesota State Archery Association Paul Parsons. “It’s a very disciplined sport.” In 1939, the Minnesota State Archery Association started bringing together a strong community of archers. And hundreds of those with the…

11-Year-Old Sales Whiz Makes the Register Ring

DULUTH, MINN.  –Whenever you attend a show such as the Arrowhead Home and Builders show, you will undoubtedly run into some sharp salespeople. That is the case this year as well at the Home show, but the talk of the show is a young lady selling marshmallows. “Would you guys like to try some Minnesota Marshmallows? You won’t regret it,…

Family Free Day at Lake Superior Railroad Museum

DULUTH, Minn. — The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is celebrating its 50 anniversary this year and to celebrate they re-introduced Family Free Day. The museum partnered with Every Child Ready Duluth to fill the great hall will vendors, crafts, and even face painting. The trains and train displays on the lower level were very popular with both the children and…

Egg-Splosion in Lincoln Park

DULUTH, Minn. — It may not look like it, but spring is, officially here and Easter is right around the corner. Lincoln park hosted a Easter celebration at the Harrison Community Center Saturday. The Easter event welcomed community members to have fun with games and crafts. It would have been the 10th year for the event if it had not…