News

Robot Team Gears Up for State Competition

TWO HARBORS, Minn. – The Two Harbors Robotics team is gearing up for the big State Competition happening this weekend. Team ‘Robo Dweebs’ as they call themselves, is a first Lego league, meaning they build robots out of Legos. They’ve been working on their robots since August, with focus on design, programming and project. One of the goals of the…

Biden Aims To Deliver Reassurance In State Of Union Address

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is ready to offer a reassuring assessment of the nation’s condition rather than roll out flashy policy proposals as he delivers his second State of the Union address on Tuesday night, seeking to overcome pessimism in the country and concerns about his own leadership. His speech before a politically divided Congress comes as the nation struggles to make sense…

Dr. Joan M. Prince Appointed To University of Wisconsin System Board Of Regents

MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin is welcoming a new member to its board of regents. Governor Tony Evers is appointing Dr. Joan M. Prince as a regent after Tracey Klein resigned last year. Prince has 4 degrees from UW-Milwaukee. A press release says that Prince “was the first African American to hold undergraduate and graduate degrees in clinical…

Coffee Conversation: 26th Annual Duluth and St. Louis County Days at the Capitol

DULUTH, Minn. —  The 26th Annual Duluth and St. Louis County Days at the Capitol will be held Wednesday, Feb. 8, and Thursday, Feb. 9, in Saint Paul. Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce Vice President Daniel Fanning joined FOX21 on the morning show on Tuesday to talk about the top priorities at hand. The 2023 legislative priorities of the chamber…

2 Seriously Injured In Stabbing, Virginia Man Arrested

VIRGINIA, Minn. — Virginia Police are investigating after a man stabbed two people who were seriously injured Monday evening. The incident occurred around 5:15 p.m. in the 300 block of 8th Street South in Virginia. The Virginia Police say a 59-year-old woman and 52-year-old man sustained serious injuries after being stabbed with a knife by a 63-year-old man. The 63-year-old…

‘Very Scary Stuff:’ Resident Describes Police Standoff At Greysolon Apartments

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DULUTH, Minn. – There were tense moments Monday at the Greysolon Apartments in downtown Duluth when a man with a sword caused an hours-long standoff with police. The incident ended safely after Duluth’s Tactical Response Team breached the apartment door, according to officials. While the alleged threats of violence from the man made residents feel uneasy, police said the end…

Knowing Your Neighbors: Superior Fun Land

SUPERIOR, Wisc.–Fun Land owners Desiree Hughes and Paul Bothun both grew up in Superior Wisconsin. While living in Minneapolis they visited an indoor play area with their two young daughters, and they knew then what their hometown was missing. “We wanted to bring a little bit of Minneapolis back with us, so we are like, why not an indoor playground….

Don Ness, Dan Hanger Among ‘Singing With The Stars’ Contestants At NorShor Theatre

The competition is March 3!

DULUTH, Minn. — You’ve probably heard of “Dancing With The St’ars,” but what about “Singing With The Stars?” And what if some of the singing contestants included former mayor Don Ness and FOX 21’s Dan Hanger? Well, it’s happening March 3 at the NorShor Theatre! Tickets are on sale now. It’s a 100-percent fundraiser for the Duluth Playhouse. Tickets to…

Financial Sextortion: A Growing Threat

DULUTH, Minn. – Our son came into the bedroom and instantly we knew something was wrong based on the look on his face. After a few minutes he was able to tell us that he was being threatened on social media,” a Minnesota Mother of a sextortion victim says. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) is urging parents to…

Man With Sword Safely Detained After Standoff In Greysolon Apartment

UPDATE (February 6, 3:55 p.m.) — A man with a sword who barricaded himself in a Duluth apartment for more than four hours Monday surrendered to authorities without harming anyone. It happened in an apartment on the 8th floor of the Greysolon building. Authorities tried negotiating with the “agitated” man by phone for hours until the Tactical Response Team breached…

Powerful Quake Rocks Turkey And Syria, Kills More Than 2,800

ADANA, Turkey (AP) — A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked wide swaths of Turkey and neighboring Syria on Monday, killing more than 2,800 people and injuring thousands more as it toppled thousands of buildings and trapped residents under mounds of rubble. Authorities feared the death toll would keep climbing as rescuers searched through tangles of metal and concrete for survivors in a…

UPDATE: Separate Snowmobile Crashes In Cass County Leave Man Dead, Woman And Teen Injured

UPDATE (February 6, 1:10 p.m.) — The 65-year-old man who died in a snowmobile crash on Saturday in Byron Township has been identified. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says his name is Mark Plattner of Staples, Minnesota. ORIGINAL POST: CASS CO., Minn. — The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says two separate snowmobile crashes on Saturday left one man dead and…

Coffee Conversation: 3rd Annual BIPOC Business Showcase Returns to Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — The 3rd Annual Northland BIPOC Business Showcase to take place Feb. 11 at the St. Louis County Depot on Michigan Street. Family Freedom Center Youth Services Operations Director Pez Davila joined FOX21 on the morning show to talk about the event and its purpose. The showcase is held to highlight local, diverse artists and business owners while…

Coffee Conversation: Shakespeare Production of Twelfth Night takes to UMD’s Stage

DULUTH, Minn. — The University of Minnesota Duluth Theatre Department presents “Twelfth Night,” a production by William Shakespeare at the Marshall Performing Arts Center. Cast member Mackenzie Ammon and Theatre Department Head Mark Harvey joined FOX21 on the morning newscast ahead of opening night. This Shakespeare comedy will take place from Feb. 7-12. For ticket information, click here. Free admission…

New Exhibit Opens at Great Lakes Aquarium.

DULUTH, Minn.– The well-loved American crow named Freeway is getting used to his new enclosure at the Great Lakes Aquarium after being out of sight for more than a year as his new home was being built. The newly constructed exhibit Wild Neighbors opened Saturday. And it is home to three non-releasable animals who would be neighbors in the wild….

Kids Race Down the Slopes at Chester Park

DULUTH, Minn. – “Today is the 1st race of our alpine race season for both skiers and snowboarders,” said Dave Schaeffer, the Chester Bowl director. “This race has been sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Duluth for 55 years, back to when it was first a ski jumping event.” Children between the ages of 3 and 16 were able to…

New Rules Would Limit Sugar In School Meals For First Time

U.S. agriculture officials on Friday proposed new nutrition standards for school meals, including the first limits on added sugars, with a focus on sweetened foods such as cereals, yogurt, flavored milk and breakfast pastries. The plan announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack also seeks to significantly decrease sodium in the meals served to the nation’s schoolkids by 2029, while making the…

UMD Hosts STEM Discovery Day

Duluth, Minn. — Students from area middle and high schools were on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth this afternoon. The Swenson College of Science and Engineering held a STEM Discovery Day. 128 students from schools around the area were learning various ways that STEM, or Science, Technology, Engineering and Math are being used in a variety of…

Denfeld Robotics Team Building its Robot

Duluth, Minn. — Come early next month the DECC will be crawling with robots. These robots will be different from the robots you’ve seen in the movies and on TV …. And they all will have been built by high school students. One of the school’s building a robot is Denfeld. Robotics team 4009 has done very well in competition…

LSC Cleans Kids Smile’s for Free

DULUTH, Minn. — Looking for that little something to fix your smile? Well for kids, Lake Superior College united with local dentists for Give Kids a Smile Day. Anyone under the age of 18 from any background were able to get a free cleaning. Whenever it’s cleanings to fillings, and some hope not for the pullings, volunteer dental students and…

Chinese Balloon Now Over Central US As Blinken Cancels Visit

WASHINGTON (AP) — A huge, high-altitude Chinese balloon sailed across the U.S. on Friday, drawing severe Pentagon accusations of spying and sending excited or alarmed Americans outside with binoculars. Secretary of State Antony Blinken abruptly canceled a high-stakes Beijing trip aimed at easing U..S.-China tensions. The cancelation came despite China’s claim that the balloon was a weather research “airship” that…

New Rules Would Limit Sugar In School Meals For First Time

(AP) — U.S. agriculture officials on Friday proposed new nutrition standards for school meals, including the first limits on added sugars, with a focus on sweetened foods such as cereals, yogurt, flavored milk and breakfast pastries. The plan announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack also seeks to significantly decrease sodium in the meals served to the nation’s schoolkids by 2029,…

A Surprising Burst Of US Hiring In January: 517,000 Jobs

WASHINGTON (AP) — For nearly a year, the Federal Reserve has been on a mission to cool down the job market to help curb the nation’s worst inflation bout in four decades. The job market hasn’t been cooperating. Consider what happened in January: The government said Friday that employers added a sizzling 517,000 jobs last month and that the unemployment rate dipped…

Coffee Conversation: Heart Health / National Wear Red Day

DULUTH, Minn. — Friday, Feb. 3 is National Wear Red Day, held to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease in women. More than 44% of women aged 20 and older are living with some form of cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association. St. Luke’s Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Mary Boylan joined FOX21 on the morning show to talk heart health…

‘Big Movies’ at the DECC Kicks Off

DULUTH, Minn. – ‘Big Movies’ at the DECC kicked off Thursday with a showing of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. DECC staff chose this as February’s free monthly event because they felt it was a good month for indoor activities. Those who attended could spread out on blankets or bean bags. Theater concessions were also open for purchase. Each showing will be…

DTA Offers Free Rides On Transit Equity Day

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Transit Authority is taking on a new initiative, offering free rides to the community Friday and Saturday. Transit Equity Day is a national day to commemorate Civil Rights icons such as Rosa Parks during Black History month. The DTA is taking part in this by offering free fares on the Stride Paratransit and DTA Fixed-Route…

Family Dog, Daughter Credited For Saving Duluth Home From Fire

DULUTH, Minn. — A Duluth Heights man is crediting his 12-year-old daughter, Zoe, and the family’s 3-year-old lab, Dudley, for saving their home after the nearby garage went up in flames Wednesday night. 12-year-old Zoe Radzak “If she didn’t come down screaming, it would have definitely gotten to the house, and it would have been a different story. So Dudley…

Duluth Police Chief Meets With Downtown Businesses, Talks Increased Patrols In Parking Ramps

Duluth, Minn. — When downtown Duluth business leaders talk about safety issues in the downtown area, parking ramps top the list. Police Chief Mike Ceynowa addressed those concerns with a new plan Thursday during a luncheon with dozens of business owners. “Interstate Parking, beginning Monday, February 13 is going to bring an enhanced security presence to the Tech Ramp,” said…

School Closings and Delays February 3, 2023

School Closings & Delays Barnum Public Schools – Two-hour delay. Chisholm Public Schools – E-learning day February 3. Duluth Edison Charter Schools – Closed. Duluth Public Schools – Closed. Esko Schools – Two-hour delay. Hibbing Public and Private Schools – Closed, E-learning day February 3 for public schools. Hill City – Two-hour delay. Montessori School of Duluth – Closed. Stella Maris Academy…

Minnesota Moves Toward 100% Carbon-Free Electricity By 2040

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota utilities would be obligated to transition to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040 to step up the fight against climate change under a bill speeding through the Legislature. The bill was slated for a final vote on the Senate floor Thursday night after passing the House 70-60 last week. It’s a top priority for Democrats, who control both chambers, and for…

UPDATE: Ashland County Inmate Likely Died Of Overdose

UPDATE: An inmate’s death at the Ashland County Jail was likely caused by a drug overdose. That’s according to the Bayfield County Sheriff’s Office, which is handling the investigation to avoid any conflict-of-interest with the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office. The overdose is information coming from the preliminary investigation. The full toxicology report is still pending. —————————————————————————————————– ASHLAND, Wis. — An…

Duluth’s Sustainability Officer Receives Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership Award

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth’s Sustainability Officer has received some special recognition for her leadership efforts. Mindy Granley was honored at the 2023 Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership Awards with the Individual Adaptation Award. She was recognized due to her work as she’s provided leadership, education, and implemented strategies at the City of Duluth. Granley’s work includes securing $32 million in grant…

House GOP Votes To Oust Democrat Omar From Major Committee

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led House voted after raucous debate Thursday to oust Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar from the chamber’s Foreign Affairs Committee, citing her anti-Israel comments, in a dramatic response after Democrats last session booted far-right GOP lawmakers over incendiary remarks. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was able to solidify Republican support against the Somali-born Muslim woman in the new Congress although some…

Ely Celebrates 30th Annual Winter Festival Event

ELY, Minn. — Just in time for the ice cold weather, Ely’s 10-day Winter Festival is kicking off this week. The Winter Festival has been taking place for the past 30 years, featuring all things snow and ice. A few things festival goers might find, include; Giant snow sculptures in Whiteside Park Local creations in the Ely ArtWalk End of…

Coffee Conversation: Duluth Fat-Tire Bicyclist to Tackle Alaskan Iditarod

DULUTH, Minn. — Local fat-tire bicyclist Leah Gruhn gears up for Alaskan Iditarod 1,000-mile race, becoming the first person from Minnesota to do so on the Southern Route. Gruhn joined FOX21 on the morning show to talk about race preparations and prior success. The Iditarod Trail Invitational will feature qualified athletes and adventurers from around the world in late February….

Groundhog Day 2023: Punxsutawney Phil Sees Shadow, Predicts 6 More Weeks Of Winter

(Fox 9) — Punxsutawney Phil, Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog, awoke Thursday morning and saw his shadow — which, according to folklore, means there will be six more weeks of winter. Each year on Feb. 2, thousands descend on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to watch the giant rodent make his annual weather prediction at dawn with the help of his “inner…