News

Gitchee Gumee Agate Festival Rocks on in Lincoln Park

It was the vendors' 2nd year in a row showcasing how their art rocks.

DULUTH, Minn.– Well there was one Duluth summer market Saturday that you didn’t want to take for granite. Especially since it’s all about another rock, agates! The Gitchee Gumee Agate Festival highlighted Agate vendors and artisans at Duluth MakerSpace and Ursa Minor Brewing in Lincoln Park. Food trucks, vendors, and Ursa Minor’s new Agate Hunter Sour beer were all featured…

Spring Into Summer at Duluth Studio’s Lakeside Market

Different activities were open to everyone of all ages like face painting, and a "build your own succulent plant" station.

DULUTH, Minn.– Duluth Studio Market in the Lakeside neighborhood hosted dozens of local artists and foodies for their second annual “Spring into Summer” outdoor artisan market. Different activities were open to everyone of all ages like face painting, and a “build your own succulent plant” station. The event displayed a creative shopping experience for the community. The Owner of Duluth…

Volunteers Rush To Save Items, Structures as Rainy Lake Waters Flood Mallard Island

Photo: Michael Reid, Mallard Island Board Treasurer. KOOCHICHING COUNTY, Minn.- The historic flooding of the Rainy River Basin near International Falls is soaking and filling buildings on Mallard Island, one of the 5 review islands used for wildlife research, education, and advocacy in Rainy Lake. According to posts on the Mallard Island Facebook Page, volunteers have been working the past…

Duluth City Leaders Mourn Passing of City Councilor Renee Van Nett

Longtime Duluth City Councilor Renee Van Nett lost her battle to cancer Friday morning, at 52.

DULUTH, Minn,- Longtime Duluth City Councilor Renee Van Nett lost her battle with cancer Friday morning, at 52. “The passion to help people ran deep within her,” City Council President Arik Forsman said. “And so yeah she’s an irreplaceable leader as far as the city council and that sort of thing goes, just really an irreplaceable friend.” Irreplaceable was just…

Protestors in Duluth Wear Orange Demanding Rep. Stauber Votes for Gun Reform

About 30 activists organized by the group the Northland Brady Chapter demanded Congressman Stauber vote yes on the Protecting Our Kids Act.

DULUTH, Minn.- Enough is enough – that was the message from protestors near Representative Pete Stauber’s (R MN-08) office in Duluth Friday, sporting the color orange for Wear Orange, or National Gun Violence Awareness Day. They join the growing calls for gun reform across the nation. Signs protestors waved included “protect kids, not guns” and quotes from the parents of…

Sun Country Airlines Seasonal Flights out of Duluth International Returning this Year

DULUTH, Minn.- Sun Country Airlines will continue flying local travelers out of the Duluth International Airport during the winter and spring later this year. According to a spokesperson with DLH, beginning December 16th, 2022 through April 17th, 2023, Sun Country will once again offer seasonal air service direct from Duluth to Phoenix, Arizona and Fort Myers, Florida. Flights will operate…

Stocks Sink As Wall Street Eyes Downside Of Solid Jobs Data

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks fell broadly Friday and pulled major indexes into the red for the week as Wall Street focused on the downside of the still-strong U.S. jobs market. A report showed employers hired more workers last month than economists expected. While that’s a good sign for the economy amid worries about a possible recession, many investors saw it keeping the…

Families Of Uvalde, Buffalo Victims To Testify In Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — Parents of victims and survivors of the mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde will appear before a House committee next week in an effort to bring home the devastation of America’s gun violence epidemic. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the chairwoman of the Oversight Committee, said Friday the hearing will examine the human impact of gun violence and the urgency for lawmakers…

Coffee Conversation: FOX 21 Sports Director Sam Ali Bids Farewell To Station

DULUTH, Minn. — FOX 21 Sports Director Sam Ali is leaving the station after four years to take a new opportunity closer to his family in Michigan.  Sam stopped by the morning show Friday on his last day to talk to his best friend Dan Hanger about his time at FOX 21, look at embarrassing childhood photos of himself, and…

Duluth City Councilor Renee Van Nett Dies At Age 52

DULUTH, Minn. — The City of Duluth shared the heartbreaking news Friday that Fourth District City Councilor Renee Van Nett passed away peacefully during the morning hours after fighting a terminal illness. Van Nett was surrounded by her family and friends in Duluth.  She was 52 years old. Mayor Emily Larson released the following statement: “Renee Van Nett was an incredibly powerful woman who lived…

Where Minnesota’s Federal Lawmakers Stand On President Biden’s Proposed Gun Restrictions

(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)(FOX 9) – Ahead of President Joe Biden’s primetime speech on addressing gun violence, FOX 9 asked all nine of Minnesota’s members of Congress for interviews on what they would like to see done. Only one federal lawmaker, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, agreed to an interview Thursday. “There are just so many solutions out there, and we can’t continue to…

US Added 390,000 Jobs In May As Hiring Remained Robust

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added 390,000 jobs in May, extending a streak of solid hiring that has bolstered an economy under pressure from high inflation and rising interest rates. Last month’s gain reflects a resilient job market that has so far shrugged off concerns that the economy will weaken in the coming months as the Federal Reserve steadily raises…

Duluth International Airport Conducts Large-Scale Disaster Exercise

DULUTH, Minn. – How would emergency responders react if an airplane struck a piece of construction equipment at Duluth International Airport, injuring dozens of people? That what an exercise held Thursday found out. The Duluth International Airport has never experienced a large-scale disaster like the one they simulated Thursday, but it’s necessary to simulate one to meet an FAA requirement. The…

Hungry Hippie Tacos Now Open in Lincoln Park

DULUTH, MN – A taco joint familiar to residents of Grand Marais has opened up at a second location in Lincoln Park.  Hungry Hippie Tacos opened over Memorial Day Weekend to bring their fry bread tacos to the Twin Ports. In addition to their fry bread being made from scratch every day, their smoked ale-beef brisket, pork apple brisket, and…

Tax-Forfeited Land Auction Happening Now Through June 9

DULUTH, MN – The St. Louis County Land and Minerals Department is currently holding an online auction for tax-forfeited land and properties through Wednesday June 9th at 11 a.m. The nearly 50 properties up for auction are located all across the county and include homes, commercial properties, and even lake front properties.  Proceeds from the auction go towards maintenance of…

UWNEMN Looking For Volunteers To Sign Up For “Sandbag Bus”

CHISHOLM, Minn. — United Way of Northeastern Minnesota (UWNEMN) is hoping to send four buses full of volunteers and sandbags to and from International Falls in June. The UWNEMN has been donating food and beverages to volunteers as they are almost four weeks into filling sandbags in the International Falls/Kabetogama area. “After speaking with county officials, it was clear volunteers…

Grand Rapids Student In Custody After Firearm Found In Vehicle

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. — On Thursday afternoon a student from Grand Rapids High School was taken into custody after a search of their vehicle. The search was originally to find a vaping device, but the vehicle search by the Grand Rapids Police Department found a firearm and ammunition inside. After finding the firearm and ammunition the search was immediately isolated…

Student Loan Debt Wiped Clean For Former Corinthian Students

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of students who attended the for-profit Corinthian Colleges chain will automatically get their federal student loans canceled, the Biden administration says, aiming to bring closure to one of the most notorious cases of fraud in American higher education. Anyone who attended the now-defunct chain from its founding in 1995 to its collapse in 2015 will get…

Coffee Conversation: Douglas County Jail Job Fair June 6

Members of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office stopped by the FOX 21 morning show Thursday to talk to Dan Hanger about an upcoming “Jail Job Fair” happening Monday, June 6 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Government Center’s main atrium. Stacey Minter, lieutenant of jail operations, says jailers can start at an hourly wage between $21.34 and $23.07….

Coffee Conversation: Steve-O Talks XXX-Rated ‘Bucket List Tour’ At DECC, Sobriety, Life’s Lessons

Part 1: The Bucket List Tour: What to expect! DULUTH, Minn. – Steve-O is well known for his wild and crazy ride on MTV’s reality comedy series known as “Jackass” in the early 2000s followed by “Jackass” movies. See Dan’s chat with Steve-O in Part 1 above and Part 2 below. But since then, Steve-O has become much more with…

Police: Tulsa Suspect Targeted Surgeon He Blamed For Pain

(AP) — A man who blamed his surgeon for ongoing pain after a recent back surgery bought an AR-style rifle hours before opening fire at a Tulsa medical office, killing the surgeon and three other people before fatally shooting himself, police said Thursday. Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin says the gunman had recently undergone back surgery and had called a…

House Panel Taking Up Gun Bill In Wake Of Mass Shootings

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is beginning to put its stamp on gun legislation in response to mass shootings in Texas and New York by 18-year-old assailants who used semi-automatic rifles to kill 31 people, including 19 children. The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Thursday to advance legislation that would raise the age limit for purchasing certain semi-automatic…

Northwestern’s Trent Meyer Headed Back to State Tournament

Meyer's run at a state championship begins next Monday and Tuesday at Black Wolf Run Golf Course in Kohlar, Wisconsin. 

SOLON SPRINGS, Wis.- This week Northwestern’s Trent Meyer qualified for the WIAA State Tournament as an individual. Last season, as a junior Meyer was one stroke away from winning a state championship, now he knows exactly what it will take to finish on top this time around. Meyer says, “I think putting is the big thing. Earlier in the season,…

Production Crew Begins Filming New Movie In Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — Production began this week on a new movie called “Merry Kisscam,” where scenes are filming all over Duluth. Producer Mandy June Turpin originally became intrigued with Duluth while visiting the Catalyst Story Institute’s Content Festival four years ago. She met many community members and visited different local places, and she says that she knew they would be…

Lake Superior Zoo Hosts A Member Appreciation Night

DULUTH, Minn.– It’s member appreciation day at Lake Superior Zoo, and to celebrate they hosted a MAD Safari Night filled with a wide variety of enrichment activities and events. Members were able to stay at the zoo after hours to enjoy free live music, an aerial performance, train rides, and even watch lions eat zebra meat. The experience of being…

3 Killed In Shooting At Tulsa Medical Building; Shooter Dead

TULSA, Oklahoma (AP) — Three people were killed Wednesday in a shooting at a Tulsa medical building on a hospital campus, a police captain said. Capt. Richard Meulenberg confirmed the number of dead. Meulenberg said the shooter also was dead. It was unclear how the shooter died or what prompted the deadly assault. “Officers are currently going through every room…

Free BBQ And Produce For The Community

DULUTH, Minn.– One Duluth resident loves grilling out so much, that he’s sharing what he makes with anyone who’s hungry. A husband and wife has been giving out free barbecue and produce for the community for around 60 years on the block of 12th avenue East on 3rd street They say that doing this is something they simply enjoy. “People…

St. Louis County Encourages Residents To Apply For HomeHelpMN Assistance

The deadline to apply is June 17 at 5:00p.m.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. — Residents of St. Louis County are being encouraged to apply for HomeHelpMN assistance if they need help with past due mortgage payments or other housing expenses due to the pandemic. If you would like to apply you need to own and live in a home in Minnesota and meet certain income requirements. St. Louis County…

Jury Finds Cloquet Man Guilty Of Murdering Pregnant Girlfriend, Her Son

CLOQUET, Minn. – A Cloquet man has been found guilty on all eight counts for murdering his pregnant girlfriend and her 20-month-old son. Sheldon Thompson, 35, will get a mandatory sentence of life without release for the first-degree premediated murder conviction, according to the Carlton County Attorney’s Office. It was in 2020 when Thompson killed Jackie Defoe, 27, her unborn…

Jury Indicts Buffalo Shooting Suspect On Terrorism Charge

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A grand jury on Wednesday charged the white 18-year-old accused of fatally shooting 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket with domestic terrorism motivated by hate and 10 counts of first-degree murder. Payton Gendron, who has been in custody since the May 14 shooting, is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Erie County Court. The 25-count indictment also…

Minnesota Students Walk Out To Demand Gun Changes

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Hundreds of students walked out of class Tuesday and gathered in downtown Minneapolis to demand state legislators adopt tougher gun laws in the wake of last week’s mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The Star Tribune reported the students walked out around 12:30 p.m. and gathered in Gold Medal Park. They demanded officials create a statewide…

Water Main Break On North 59th Avenue West

DULUTH, Minn. — The City of Duluth operations crew is responding to a water main break on 3401 East 1st Street. Water that has been turned off is located along East 1st Street between 34th Avenue East and 36th Avenue East. The amount of time it will take to repair the break is unknown. Crews are working to repair the…

Councilor Renee Van Nett Hospitalized With Terminal Illness; Leaders Share Her Impact on Duluth

Friends of Van Nett have started a GoFundMe to help her daughters and raise money for her expenses.

DULUTH, Minn.- People in Duluth and across the State of Minnesota are sending their thoughts, prayers, and support to Renee Van Nett and her family after it was announced she is in the hospital for a terminal illness. Now some of those community members are looking back at the impact she has made in her time as a public servant….