News

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…

Voyageurs National Park Maintenance Team Receives Award Post 2022 Flood

INT’L FALLS, Minn. — Following a summer of massive flooding on the outskirts of International Falls, the Voyageur National Park maintenance team has been recognized for their contributions to protect and preserve park grounds and beyond. The park, located just outside of International Falls overcame a range of challenges amidst a record-setting flood. This leading the Midwest Regional Office 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 Man Arrested After Stealing Trailer and Fleeing From Police

Local law enforcement agencies team up to help in finding trailer and suspect.

DULUTH, Minn. — A Duluth man was arrested after allegedly stealing a trailer from a business and fleeing from police officers. The Duluth Police Department says they helped assist the Proctor Police Department on Monday around 4:50 p.m. to find a stolen trailer. Authorities say the trailer and suspected vehicle were located on Highway 2 and West Skyline Parkway. They…

Louisville Bank Employee Livestreamed Attack That Killed 5

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Louisville bank employee armed with a rifle opened fire at his workplace Monday morning, killing five people — including a close friend of Kentucky’s governor — while livestreaming the attack on Instagram, authorities said. Police arrived as shots were still being fired inside Old National Bank and killed the shooter in an exchange of gunfire, Louisville Metro…

Biden Ends COVID National Emergency After Congress Acts

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. national emergency to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic ended Monday as President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan congressional resolution to bring it to a close after three years — weeks before it was set to expire alongside a separate public health emergency. The national emergency allowed the government to take sweeping steps to respond to the virus…

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…

Barron County Police Shooting: Identities Of Fallen Officers, Suspect Revealed

BARRON COUNTY, Wis. (FOX 9) – Wisconsin authorities on Monday identified the Cameron and Chetek police officers who were killed during a traffic stop on Saturday, as well as the suspect involved in the shooting. The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday identified the two officers as Chetek Police Officer Emily Breidenbach, 32, and Cameron Police Officer Hunter Scheel, 23. Breidenbach had five…

Duluth Police Arrest Man For Attempted Robbery

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Police Department arrested a man after he attempted to rob someone using a bat Sunday night. Duluth Police say it happened around 10:50 p.m. at 2nd Avenue East and 1st Street. According to a press release, the victim said they were walking when a 20-year-old came up to them demanding money and hit them in…

Police: 4 Killed In Shooting At Downtown Louisville Building

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A shooting Monday at a bank in downtown Louisville killed at least four people and wounded at least eight others, police said. The suspected lone shooter was also dead. Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey told reporters officers who arrived on the scene “encountered active gunshots still being fired inside the location at that…

Trump’s Response To Criminal Charges Revives Election Lies

NEW YORK (AP) — Legally, the most important words former President Donald Trump said after he was charged with 34 felonies by the Manhattan District Attorney last week were “not guilty.” But, politically, the most significant may be “election interference.” Trump’s repetition of those words, which have been taken up by other top Republicans, show how he is trying to turn his…

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…

Fairlawn Mansion Hosts ‘MasterPeeps’ Art Contest

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Peeps took over the Fairlawn Mansion Saturday for a big “MasterPeeps” art contest. FOX 21’s Dan Hanger was one of the judges. There were three categories – youngsters, individuals, and groups/families. There were many creative designs and ideas, like the Aerial Lift Bridge, a fancy necklace and even a slide dog race creations. A big life-sized Peep…

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…

Gov. Evers On 2 Officers Shot, Killed: ‘Our Hearts Are Heavy’

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said Sunday “our hearts are heavy” a day after two police officers were shot to death during a traffic stop. “”Our hearts are heavy for the Chetek and Cameron police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty yesterday. Kathy and I are praying for the officers’ families, colleagues, and…

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…

Peep Artwork on Display in Superior

Superior, Wisc. — A sweet new contest at the Fairlawn Mansion in Superior is happening Saturday and preparations were underway Friday. It’s called Studio One Photography’s first annual Northland Peeps Art show where you can enter peeps-themed art into a contest to win fun prizes. There are around 20 works of art including a ‘peep-eroni pizza’, a statue of liberty,…

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…

Dining Out a Long-standing Easter Tradition

Area restaurants and buffets popular for families on Easter

Easter meals are celebrated in different ways by families. Of course, cooking at home is one tradition, but dining out is another. It looked deceptively quiet Friday afternoon, but the restaurant at the Barker’s Island Inn will be filled come Sunday. Preparations are underway for their annual Easter Buffet, which has now been a tradition for over thirty years. Families…

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…

Federal Grants For Fire Departments In The Duluth Area

DULUTH, Minn. — The cost of special firefighting equipment and training often cannot be paid for out of a department’s regular operating budget. That’s where federal grants sometimes come into play. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar was in Duluth Thursday and spoke about how federal grants assist departments. Proctor Chief Kerry Helquist says his department has used such funds for state-of-the-art…

CASDA And UWS Collaborate On Clothesline Project

SUPERIOR, Wis. — CASDA and UWS have collaborated on a national movement involving t-shirts for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It’s the Clothesline Project where domestic abuse and sexual violence survivors are telling their stories through decorating a t-shirt. Those t-shirts are being hung all around Swenson Hall at UWS to be on display throughout the month. It is a powerful…

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…

Superior Fire Department Promotes and Bolsters Ranks

COVID Delayed Overdue Recognition

The Superior Fire Department held a special ceremony Thursday for men and women who have been working quietly, and patiently. Both new and veteran members of the department were sworn in, honored and recognized. Proud family members and friends were there for the big moments. Thanks to the familiar refrain, “Due to COVID,” there had not been a ceremony like…

US Would Bar Full Ban On Trans Athletes But Allow Exceptions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Schools and colleges across the U.S. would be forbidden from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes under a proposal released Thursday from the Biden administration, but teams could create some limits in certain cases — for example, to ensure fairness. The proposed rule sends a political counterpunch toward a wave of Republican-led states that have sought to…

GOP Lawmakers To Vote On Expelling Democrats In Gun Protest

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Thousands flocked to the Tennessee Capitol on Thursday to support the three Democratic lawmakers facing possible expulsion for their role in a gun control demonstration, cheering and chanting outside the House chamber so loud that it drowned out proceedings. The GOP-dominated House is set to vote on whether to oust Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin…

Family Visits Duluth For Spring Break Amidst Snowstorm

DULUTH, Minn. — For one family visiting Duluth, the mess of a storm didn’t bother them at all.. they actually loved it. The McKinney family is from Minneapolis. They drove up to Duluth for spring break. After hearing about the snowstorm and wild winds, they extended their trip just so they could get up close and personal with the crazy…

2 Escape House Fire In Alango Township

ALANGO TOWNSHIP, Minn. — 2 people escaped a house fire in Alango Township near Cook around 1:15 a.m. Thursday. According to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office a 911 call came in from a 43-year-old man who could see smoke coming from a house at the 9900 block of Highway 22. Another 911 call was made from the owner of…

Cenovus Energy Working to Restart Refinery

SUPERIOR, WISC. — Now that the plant has been rebuilt by its new owner Cenovus, the company says it will restart operations within the next couple of months. We talked with the Fire Chief of the Superior Fire Department to find out what preparations the department is taking in advance of the reopening of the plant. It was five years ago…

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…