News

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…

School Closings and Delays April 4 & 5, 2023

Ashland Schools – Closed April 5 Duluth Edison Charter Schools – Closed April 5 Esko Schools — E-learning April 5 Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College — Closing at 5 p.m. Grand Rapids School District – Closed April 5. Hermantown Public Schools — Closed April 5. Hibbing Schools – Closed April 5 (no e-learning). Lakeview Christian Academy — Closed April…

Democrats’ Choice Wins Key Wisconsin Supreme Court Race

Associated Press MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Democratic-backed Milwaukee judge won the high stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court race Tuesday, ensuring liberals will take over majority control of the court for the first time in 15 years with the fate of the state’s abortion ban on the line. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz, 60, defeated former Justice Dan Kelly, who previously worked for…

Discussions Continue Between City, P&R Properties To Keep ‘Lincoln Park Flats’ Fully Residential

DULUTH, Minn. – FOX 21 learned Tuesday that the city of Duluth is continuing discussions with a one-year-old housing development to try to avoid the second floor from converting into boutique hotel units. The development is known as the Lincoln Park Flats on West Superior Street, which is owned by P&R Properties out of Duluth. The city remains firm that…

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…

Reports: Donald Trump Pleads Not Guilty To 34 Felony Charges

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, according to several news reports. He entered the plea Tuesday during a brief arraignment in a lower Manhattan courtroom as prosecutors unsealed a grand jury indictment. The charges stem from a hush money payment to a porn actor during Trump’s…

Finland Joins NATO In Major Blow To Russia Over Ukraine War

BRUSSELS (AP) — Finland joined the NATO military alliance Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europe’s post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The Nordic country’s membership doubles Russia’s border with the world’s biggest security alliance. Finland had adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in World War II, but…

Trump Arrives At New York Courthouse Ahead Of Arraignment

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump arrived Tuesday at a Manhattan courthouse ahead of his arraignment on criminal charges stemming from a hush money payment to a porn actor during his 2016 campaign. Trump pumped his fist as he exited Trump Tower minutes earlier, then traveled in an eight-car motorcade down a highway along the East River to the downtown courthouse, where’s…

Officials: US Providing Ukraine $2.6 Billion In Military Aid

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will send Ukraine about $500 million in ammunition and equipment and will spend more than $2 billion to buy an array of munitions, radar and other weapons in the future, U.S. officials said, as the Ukrainian troops prepare for a spring offensive against Russian forces. The ammunition rounds, along with grenade launchers and vehicles, will be…

Several Wisconsin OB/GYNs Support Janet Protasiewicz for Supreme Court

WISCONSIN — Monday morning, supporters of Judge Janet Protasiewicz held a virtual press conference to discuss why they are endorsing her for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Those in attendance included several Wisconsin OB/GYNs and medical students advocating for a woman’s right to abortion. They say current laws on abortion are outdated and put unnecessary burdens, stress, and risks on both…

CASDA Hosts Events In Honor Of Sexual Assault Awareness Month

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse, better known as CASDA, will be hosting events throughout the month for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The first event happened over in Superior Monday at the Douglas County Courthouse where Mayor Jim Paine offered his proclamation to make April Sexual Assault Awareness Month. CASDA is hoping to bring awareness to…