News

Former Cloquet Labor Temple Nearly Transformed Into Lofts, Office Space

CLOQUET, Minn. – The transformation is nearly complete for the former Cloquet Labor Temple into new housing units. GCL Development Group has been working on the building for the past eight months to create Union Lofts, with 10 high-end studio and one-bedroom apartments and three office spaces. This is the developer’s first project, and they appreciate the community’s support as they…

Cold Water Immersion

DULUTH, Minn. – “Well to be honest I’m not a fan of the cold. I decided that I live in Duluth Minnesota and as we know it’s a very cold climate here and so I decided to make friends with the cold, and immerse myself in the cold, and have fun with it,” said Loralee Pasley, a Teacher at Evolve…

Local Restaurants Preparing for Busy Cinco de Mayo

Maya Mexican Restaurant in Hermantown will be open Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and says they will have their normal happy hour plus several drink specials. 

HERMANTOWN, Minn. – It’s a busy time of year for restaurants with lots of big events coming up, including for Mexican restaurants across the Northland as they gear up for one of their busiest days of the year: Cinco de Mayo. Management over at the Maya Mexican Restaurant located in Hermantown says they’re excited to once again celebrate the holiday…

Smelt Parade Set to Return to Duluth’s Lakewalk This Weekend

To prepare, workshops have been held at the Duluth Art Institute in Lincoln Park where families can stop by to make a variety of costumes and accessories to wearing during Sunday's festivities. 

DULUTH, Minn. – This weekend, a popular parade along the Lakewalk is returning after a two-year hiatus. The annual Smelt Parade will take place Sunday for the 10th anniversary of the event. To prepare, workshops have been held at the Duluth Art Institute in Lincoln Park where families can stop by to make a variety of costumes and accessories to…

Taco Bell Coming to Tower Avenue in Superior

Ground just broke on the new development within the past few days. The plan is to have the restaurant completed sometime this summer.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Good news for Taco Bell lovers who live in Superior: the fast food franchise will have a new location in the city. Ground just broke on the new development within the past few days. The location is over at 3541 Tower Avenue. This will be the first Taco Bell for Superior, while Duluth already has a couple….

Duluth Police Says Third-Party Found No Evidence Of Biased Policing, Community Organization Has Doubts About Methodology

DULUTH, Minn. — On Wednesday, the Duluth Police Department released a statement summarizing what it says a third-party researcher found after looking into its policing practices in regard to interactions with people of color in the Duluth community. The third-party was hired after the Duluth chapter of the NCAAP president held a press conference in March of 2021, accusing the…

Duluth Student Brings Loaded Gun To ALC

DULUTH, Minn. — A student at Duluth’s Area Learning School brought a loaded gun into a classroom on Wednesday, according to the district administration. It was discovered by two staff members, who alerted an administrator. The student was taken away from the classroom and the gun was confiscated. Police then brought the student into custody. The student will face possible…

How Higher Fed Rates Stand To Affect Americans’ Finances

WASHINGTON (AP) — Record-low mortgages below 3%, reached last year, are long gone. Credit card rates will likely rise. So will the cost of an auto loan. Savers may finally receive a yield high enough to top inflation. The substantial half-point hike in its benchmark short-term rate that the Federal Reserve announced Wednesday won’t, by itself, have much immediate effect…

Coffee Conversation: Tickets Available For North Country Ride’s Derby Gala Saturday

The non-profit in Esko helps people with special needs live their best lives through interactions with horses.

DULUTH, Minn. – North Country Ride’s Derby Gala is happening this Saturday, May 7, at the Buffalo House Junction, and one of the non-profit’s board members joined Dan Hanger, who is emceeing the gala, on the morning show to talk about what to expect.  Click the video above for that conversation. For ticket information for the Derby Gala, click here….

Judge Overseeing Chauvin Civil Rights Case Accepts Plea Deal

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The judge overseeing the federal civil rights cases of four former Minneapolis police officers in the killing of George Floyd said Wednesday that he has accepted the terms of Derek Chauvin’s plea agreement and will sentence him to 20 to 25 years in prison. Chauvin pleaded guilty Dec. 15 to violating Floyd’s civil rights, admitting for the first…

Superior Officials, Mental Health Service Providers Connect with Residents at Mental Health Awareness Night

Mayor Jim Paine announced he's proposing to devote $50,000 in federal funding for therapy in high schools.

DULUTH, Minn.- Superior Mayor Jim Paine announced he’s proposing to devote thousands in federal COVID relief to help address mental health among young people, as service providers hoped to keep the conversation going at the Mental Health Awareness Night. Dozens of resources and service providers gathered at the Belgian club on East 2nd Street in Superior, kicking off Mental Health…

Sen. Klobuchar Hosts Virtual Roundtable With Police Chiefs About Spike In Violent Carjackings

MINNESOTA — Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota recently hosted a roundtable on the rise in carjackings that has hit both the state and the rest of the country. Carjackings have spiked over the past two years, especially in metro areas like the Twin Cities. At the virtual roundtable, police chiefs spoke about how tough the crime is to combat, along…

Catalyst Story Institute Holds Filmmaking Workshops

Tuesday's session was on how to make a show on any budget, led by Hollywood filmmaker Kimberley Browning.

DULUTH, Minn. – The Catalyst Story Institute is hosting several workshops throughout the week on the film and video production industry. Tuesday’s session was on how to make a show on any budget, led by Hollywood filmmaker Kimberley Browning. Browning grew up outside of D.C., has worked in Los Angeles and said she was honored to share some of her…

Zeitgeist Showcases Work from Local Photographers During Homegrown Day Three

Along the walls at Zeitgeist were photos from different local photographers that have been taken at Homegrown events over the years. 

DULUTH, Minn. – The Homegrown music festival week continues Tuesday with a different kind of event to showcase multiple types of artists. The opening reception for the Homegrown photo show was held Tuesday at Zeitgeist, accompanied by music from the Goat Hill Quartet. Along the walls were photos from different local photographers that have been taken at Homegrown events over the…

Enger Park Golf Course Opens For Season

Enger Park Golf Course opened Tuesday morning with their front 9 for walking and the practice facility. They said depending on the weather, they plan to open more nines and allow golf cars possibly later this week

DULUTH, Minn. – It continues to be an exciting week for golfers as Enger Park Golf Course became the latest to open up for the season. Enger Park Golf Course opened Tuesday morning with their front 9 for walking and the practice facility. In just the first few hours, Enger saw over 50 people hit the links. And after the…

EPA Recommends Against Reissuing Permit for PolyMet Mine

The Environmental Protection Agency says the project could raise levels of mercury and other pollutants downstream from the site in northeastern Minnesota.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Federal regulators are recommending that the Army Corps of Engineers decline to reissue a key permit for the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine. The Environmental Protection Agency says the project could raise levels of mercury and other pollutants downstream from the site in northeastern Minnesota. It’s just a recommendation, but Minnesota Public Radio reports it could…

Report: Husky Refinery Knew About Issues Before Blast

WPR secured nearly 1,300 pages of documents from OSHA that shed new light on what those officials knew in the days leading up to the explosion at the refinery in Superior.

SUPERIOR, Wis. (AP) — Officials at a northwestern Wisconsin oil refinery knew about equipment issues years before a 2018 explosion there, according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration documents obtained by Wisconsin Public Radio. WPR secured nearly 1,300 pages of documents from OSHA that shed new light on what those officials knew in the days leading up to the explosion at…

Lake Superior College Welcomes Mini Pony as Part of Stress Less Days

Spirit is a registered therapy mini with Pet Partners, allowing students to stop by for a fun little distraction during this stressful time of the semester. 

DULUTH, Minn. – It’s almost final exam week for college students so Lake Superior College decided to host a special guest to help with stress relief. Spirit the mini pony with Rocky Run Stables visited the LSC student life area Tuesday afternoon as part of stress less days, put on by the student life department. Spirit is a registered therapy…

Northern Lights Express Remains Optimistic After Minnesota Senate Votes for No Funding in Next Budget

DULUTH, Minn. – Supporters of the Northern Lights Express rail project were not shocked by Monday’s vote by the Minnesota Senate to not include finding for it in the next state budget. “What happened in the Senate this week was not unexpected,” says Ken Buehler, Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee for Northern Light Express.  “We saw this coming, we’re prepared…

Congdon Park Elementary Holds “From Sap to Syrup” Learning Experience

DULUTH, Minn. – Students at Congdon Park Elementary School are getting a hands-on learning experience this week on how tree sap is changed to maple syrup. The second annual Sugaring Off STEAM began earlier this spring when first and second grade students collect the sap from trees outside their school. Every grade is making a visit to the school’s garden, where…

Minnesota Prepares To Be Abortion Destination If Roe Falls

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota could become a destination for abortion services for women from other states if the U.S. Supreme Court throws out the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, and the state’s abortion providers said Tuesday that they’re preparing for the anticipated surge. That’s because abortion would remain legal, at least for now, under a 1995 Minnesota Supreme Court…

STARBASE Minnesota Celebrates Duluth Expansion

DULUTH, Minn. – Two years after doubling their space, STARBASE Minnesota celebrated the expansion of their Duluth facility. COVID prevented community and business partners from seeing it until Tuesday, which included a ribbon cutting and a dedication from the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce.  The over 7,000 square feet at the 148th Fighter Wing includes four classrooms and staff office space….

Ukrainian Fighters: Russian Forces Storming Mariupol Plant

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces Tuesday began storming the steel mill containing the last pocket of resistance in Mariupol, Ukrainian defenders said, just as scores of civilians evacuated from the bombed-out plant over the weekend reached relative safety in Ukrainian-held territory. Osnat Lubrani, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said that thanks to the evacuation effort, “101 women, men,…

Biden Blasts ‘Radical’ Draft, Warns Other Rights Threatened

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday blasted what he called a “radical” leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide, warning that a “whole range of rights” are in jeopardy if it holds. Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One, Biden said he hoped the…

Employers Post Record 11.5 Million Job Openings In March

WASHINGTON (AP) — Employers posted a record 11.5 million job openings in March, meaning the United States now has an unprecedented two job openings for every person who is unemployed. The latest data released Tuesday by the the Bureau of Labor Statistics further reveals an extraordinarily tight labor market that has emboldened millions of Americans to seek better paying jobs,…

12-Unit Apartment Building Catches Fire In Duluth

  DULUTH, Minn. – An apartment building fire in Duluth has displaced multiple tenants. The fire was reported around 10:15 p.m. Monday on the 600 block of West 2nd Street. A resident woke up to sounds of smoke detectors, according to officials. Fire crews responded within two minutes. Everybody was evacuated. One tenant was hospitalized for possible smoke inhalation. Two…

UMD Students Hold ‘Duluth Power Dialogue’ Discussing Environmental Justice

DULUTH, Minn.- Young environmentalists over at UMD kept the conversation around climate change fresh today with the help of a unique friend. This larger-than-life owl puppet made by the Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe helped attract people to the Duluth Power Dialogue in the Kirby Student Center. “We wanted to find a way to bring art and performance into the environmental…

Lake Superior College Spring Art Show

Art created by more than 200 students is on display at Lake Superior College. The Spring Art show includes ceramics, metal art Jewelry, sculptures, paintings, and photography. Each student was allowed to pick two pieces of there choosing to put in the show which they will be graded on. Some students have chosen to put their artwork up for sale,…

Ursa Minor Among Businesses Excited to be Part of Homegrown’s Comeback Track

Roughly double the staff prepared were ready to serve the bar-hopping music lovers who packed it in starting at 6:15 p.m. Monday.

DULUTH, Minn.- After an exciting first verse of Homegrown Music Festival’s comeback track Sunday the music kept flowing through the Lincoln Park Craft District Monday. And businesses like Ursa Minor Brewing again couldn’t be more excited. “It’s hard to remember a packed hall it’s been a few years you know,” owner Ben Hugus said. “But it was a different experience…

Superior Cannabis Company Opens Tower Ave Location

They sell everything from the common CBD oils, ointments, and creams, as well as skincare, bath bombs, and more.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- A CBD store has just popped up in superior’s downtown, the owner’s 3rd location after Canal Park and Austin, Minnesota. Superior Cannabis Company opened up shop on Tower Avenue on May 1st. They sell everything from the common CBD oils, ointments, and creams, as well as skincare, bath bombs, and more. The President of the company, Jeff Brinkman,…

Filmmaking in the Northland: Lost 40 Studios Wraps Up Production of Canusa Street

CHISHOLM, Minn. – “It has been an incredible process. Filmmaking should not be this smooth, I have kept waiting, when is the second shoe gonna drop, when is some like chaos moment going to happen. But, it’s been an incredible shooting experience,” Canusa Street Writer and Director, Zack Morrison says. Canusa Street is a half hour TV comedy pilot about…

Report: Draft Opinion Suggests Supreme Court Will Overturn Roe v. Wade

WASHINGTON (AP) — A draft opinion circulated among Supreme Court justices suggests that earlier this year a majority of them had thrown support behind overturning the 1973 case Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide, according to a report published Monday night in Politico. It’s unclear if the draft represents the court’s final word on the matter. The Associated Press…

UWS to Hold In-Person Commencement Ceremony

UWS will present the largest number of bachelors degrees in more than five years, as well as, the highest amount of masters in over two decades.

SUPERIOR, Wisc.– College students work long and hard to reach the day they walk across the stage, but many weren’t able to enjoy their graduations in the traditional way as ceremonies went virtual over the past two years. Now, many campuses have returned to normal, allowing grads and their loved ones to enjoy the special day. This year, nearly 700…

Proctor Golf Course Open to Public

The Proctor-Esko vs. Hermantown match is the first event hosted at the Proctor Golf Course this year.

PROCTOR, Minn.– It’s officially tee-time in the Northland again, as golf courses are opening back up for those eager to back out on the green. The Proctor Golf Course officially opened today, with high school golf teams competed in their first match of the season. The Proctor Golf Course manager tells us that the course is about a month behind…

Dermatology Duluth Holds Free Skin Cancer Screenings for Melanoma Monday

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. and melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer.

DULUTH, Minn. – Monday, health experts raised awareness and helped out the public on the first day of skin cancer awareness month. It’s called Melanoma Monday and Dermatology Duluth was holding free SPOTme skin cancer screenings throughout the day. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. and melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Health experts…

Frontline Workers Will Get Bonus Checks By Summer, Minnesota Officials Say

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – It will take 10-12 weeks before Minnesota workers who were on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic receive bonus checks, Gov. Tim Walz’s administration officials estimate. State officials expect 667,000 people from 15 eligible industries will apply for the rewards. The checks are likely to be around $750, though they will be larger or smaller depending…

Report Calls Out Abuse Of Social Media By Minneapolis Police

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Among the scathing findings of an investigation launched after the police killing of George Floyd is that Minneapolis police used covert or bogus social media accounts to monitor Black individuals and groups despite having no clear public safety rationale for doing so. The report released Wednesday by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights echoes numerous past revelations that the FBI and…

State Office Created To Reduce Rates Of Missing And Murdered Indigenous People Lacks Access To Key Data

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The newly formed Minnesota Office for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) has been in the works for years with hopes of providing a lifeline for families searching for their loved ones. “I’m hoping that we decrease the amount of missing and murdered Indigenous people,” said Juliet Rudie, the newly appointed director for the state’s first-of-its-kind MMIR Office….

Live Interview: Duluth East Theatre Students Talk Production Of ‘Harvey’

Performances run May 4-6 at 7 p.m.

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth East High School theatre students joined FOX 21’s Dan Hanger during the 7 a.m. hour Monday to talk about their upcoming performances of “Harvey,” which is a play that was made into a 1950 American comedy drama movie starring James Stuart. Performances are May 4-6 at 7 p.m. at the high school — 301 N. 40th…

Public Joins Friends, Relatives in Mourning Sean, Riana, Shiway, Sadie Barry

Grief and laughter were brought out in the Marshall School Auditorium Sunday.

DULUTH, Minn.- Hundreds from the Duluth area and beyond joined relatives of the Barry Family at their Funeral Sunday as they shared their memories, paid their respects, and said farewell to Sean, Riana, Shiway, and Sadie. “I’d just like to thank everybody. The last 10 days, have been hard,” said Sean’s younger brother, Brian, holding back tears. The two parents,…