News

Pres. Trump, Joe Biden to Each Visit Northern Minnesota Friday

DULUTH, Minn.– The national spotlight is ready to shine on northern Minnesota tomorrow as both presidential candidates plan to make appearances, with one of them in Duluth. President Donald Trump will be in Bemidji. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will be somewhere in the Duluth area not yet announced by the campaign. While the two candidates will hold their campaign…

Free COVID-19 Testing Event Planned in Itasca County

Free Drive-Thru Testing is Happening Sept. 23 at the Itasca County Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – COVID-19 continues to take a toll on employers and employees across Minnesota. Thursday during a weekly update from Itasca County Public Health Department, local health officials and management from area companies expressed the importance of communications between employees and employers when it comes to COVID-19 cases in the workplace. Employees are encouraged to brush up on…

St. Luke’s Participates In COVID-19 Study Conducted By CDC

DULUTH, Minn. – St. Luke’s hospital is one of six national healthcare organizations and the only in Minnesota taking part in a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study is an opportunity to learn more about COVID-19, which could be beneficial for the treatment of the virus. There are still many questions surrounding the coronavirus,…

LSC Makes COVID-19 Case Numbers Public Through Database

DULUTH, Minn.- Lake Superior College is one of many Northland higher education institutions choosing to keep the public informed of its COVID-19 case numbers. LSC along with other schools like Fond Du Lac Tribal and Community College have signed on to report case numbers to a public database. Every Wednesday, the colleges and universities will report their status and the…

Early Voting Begins On Friday In Minnesota

DULUTH, Minn- There are six weeks left until the general election, but early voting starts on Friday in Minnesota. As the global pandemic continues to create concerns, election officials for the City of Duluth are encouraging residents to vote by mail. The city has also implemented many safety protocols including frequent sanitizing practices, to still allow those who prefer to…

Shipping Season Update: Slow-Down in August

After a strong start to the summer, the port of Duluth-Superior experienced a slow-down in August.

DULUTH, Minn. – After a strong start to the summer, the port of Duluth-Superior experienced a slow-down in August. When compared to 2019, the total amounts of tonnage was down by 31%, specifically with dips in coal and iron. The pandemic also negatively impacted industrial facilities and reduced demand for electricity and steel. However, there were some bright spots in…

Mural Painted at Armory

Local artists are now contributing to a mural at the historic Duluth Armory.

DULUTH, Minn. – Local artists are now contributing to a mural at the historic Duluth Armory. The main portion is being painted by local artist and writer Ed Newman. The mural is inspired by a performance by Buddy Holly in Duluth in 1959 at the historic site and what makes the performance so unique is that Duluth native Bob Dylan…

Lake Superior Zoo Hosts Event During Pandemic

Boo at the Zoo. A family-friendly event that celebrates animals and families alike during the fall season.

DULUTH, Minn. – Boo at the Zoo. A family-friendly event that celebrates animals and families alike during the fall season. The event is held over two weekends and only one day per weekend. However, this year, Boo at the Zoo will be over three weekends, switching it to both Saturday and Sunday so six total days, and now there will…

‘Cheer’ Star Jerry Harris Arrested on Child Porn Charges

CHICAGO (AP) — Jerry Harris, the star of the Netflix documentary series “Cheer,” was arrested Thursday with producing child pornography, three days after twin boys filed a lawsuit alleging he sent them sexually explicit photos of himself and cornered one of them in a bathroom and begged for oral sex. According to the complaint, Harris admitted during an interview after…

US Judge Blocks Postal Service Changes That Slowed Mail

SEATTLE (AP) — A U.S. judge on Thursday blocked controversial Postal Service changes that have slowed mail nationwide. The judge called them “a politically motivated attack on the efficiency of the Postal Service” before the November election. Judge Stanley Bastian in Yakima, Washington, said he was issuing a nationwide preliminary injunction sought by 14 states that sued the Trump administration…

Minnesota Embarks on 4-Week COVID-19 Testing Push With Free Tests, Regardless of Symptoms

(FOX 9) – The Minnesota Department of Health is embarking on a four-week push to increase access to “no barrier” COVID-19 testing in response to an increase in community spread of the disease across the state. For each of the next four weeks, free COVID-19 testing will be offered in several different communities for anyone who feels they need to be tested,…

$300 Weekly Federal Boost to Minnesota Unemployment Benefits Likely Over

(FOX 9) – The $300 a week federal boost to unemployment benefits for Minnesotans who were laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic is likely over after six weeks, state economic officials say. During a press conference Thursday, Economic Commissioner Steve Grove said the last payout for the extra boost in unemployment benefits was the first week of September. “We believe it’s done,” Grove told…

Duluth Police Investigate Wednesday Night Shots Fired Incident

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Police say they are investigating another shots fired incident that was reported Wednesday night in the Central Hillside neighborhood. According to police, officers responded around 8:00 p.m. to the alleyway in the 100 block between East 4th Street and East 5th Street to the report of shots fired. When officers arrived at the scene they found…

Midday Update 9-17-20

Local News and Weather Making Headlines Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020

Join FOX 21’s Brett Scott and Meteorologist Ken Slama for a local look at news and weather making headlines Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020. Categories: Community, News, News – Latest News, News Update Tags: Brett Scott, community, Headlines, Ken Slama, Local News, midday update

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Thursday, September 17

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 86,722 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Thursday morning and 9 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,942 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,763,735 tests have been completed to date. There are 79,878 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 7,050 patients have required hospitalization…

Gourmet Fair Foods from Ledge Rock Grille at Larsmont Cottages

Cooking Connection: Ledge Rock Grill Creates Unique Version of State Fair Foods

TWO HARBORS, Minn. – With the cancellation of the Great Minnesota Get-Together (Minnesota State Fair) this year, many people were disappointed they’d miss out on fair food favorites. However, the creative chefs at Ledge Rock Grille at Larsmont Cottages in Two Harbors came up with their own unique spin on fair food staples. In this week’s Cooking Connection, Executive Chef…

Northland Newborns 9-17-20

FOX 21 and Essentia Health Team Up to Showcase Newborn Bundles of Joy Across the Northland

Every Thursday morning on FOX 21 Local News from 7 – 9 a.m., we’re teaming up with Essentia Health to showcase Northland Newborns. If you would like to submit a photo with a description of a newborn in your life, click here, or email fox21morningcrew@kqdsfox21.tv. Categories: Community, News, News – Latest News, News Update, Northland Newborns Tags: Brett Scott, community, Essentia…

Pence Returns to Upper Midwest After Trump, Biden Visits

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence returns to the upper Midwest next week following visits this week by President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden, the Trump campaign announced Thursday. Pence will start a bus tour next Thursday in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he will speak at the building materials company Midwest Manufacturing Inc. before traveling…

Morning Update 9-17-20

Local News and Weather Making Headlines Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020

Join FOX 21’s Brett Scott and Meteorologist Ken Slama for a local look at news and weather making headlines Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020. Categories: Community, News, News – Latest News, News Update Tags: Brett Scott, community, Headlines, Ken Slama, Local News, morning update, News

Utah Aviation Company Eyes Abandoned Duluth AAR Hangar

DEDA will vote on a resolution allowing the company Borsight to submit a bid to the US Air Force, to lease out the former AAR building to service aircraft for one year. 

DULUTH, Minn.- There’s growing certainty that a new aviation company will move into a Duluth maintenance hangar that AAR abruptly abandoned earlier this year, forcing people 300 people to lose their jobs. This Friday the Duluth Economic Development Authority (DEDA) will vote on a resolution allowing the company Borsight to submit a bid to the US Air Force, to lease…

UMD Black Male Athletes Rally Hundreds to March Against Police Brutality, Racism

It's the first protest of its kind in the University's history, organized by a group called Black Men Serving Excellence (BMSE)

DULUTH, Minn.- Hundreds of UMD students, staff, and community members organized by Black male athletes at the school marched nonviolently Wednesday, with a loud and clear message spanning the whole campus to end police brutality and racism. “We are gathered here today to come together as people, we are gathered here today to fight for equality,” said UMD Defensive Backs…

The Lincoln Park Solar Garden Takes Shape

DULUTH, Minn. – The first two solar panels from the new Lincoln Park Solar Garden were lifted as part of the initial phase of the ongoing project. Last year, Ecolibrium3, a non-profit organization that works to create renewable energy programs, received a 50,000  grant from Minnesota Power to build the new solar garden. The 40-kilowatt energy resource will provide power…

City of Duluth Employee Celebrates 50 Years on the Job

An employee with the City of Duluth is being honored today after working for the city for 50 years.

DULUTH, Minn. – An employee with the City of Duluth is being honored today after working for the city for 50 years. Robert Asleson is the assistant city attorney for the city and has been working there since the early 1970s. He says he’s worked under seven mayors over the years and has worked on projects including the origination of…

Park Supervisor Reveals the Underrated Trail for Seeing Fall Colors in Pattison State Park

DOUGLAS CO., Wis. — The best time to see the fall colors at the Pattison State Park just south of Superior is beginning right now and will last for the next three weeks, according to a park supervisor with the Wisconsin DNR. Pattison has about four to five miles of trails for visitors to hike, but the natural resource property…

Duluth YMCA Gives Free Meal Kits for Families

DULUTH, Minn.– The Duluth Area YMCA gave out 30 free meal kits for families. It’s funded through a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education. Meal kits came with recipes and the ingredients to make tacos and spaghetti. Each kit has enough for a family of four to have two full meals. The kits will be given out every Wednesday…

City of Duluth Hosts Drive-Thru Job Fair

DULUTH, Minn.– As people try to get back to work during the pandemic, the city of Duluth and CareerForce are trying a never before way to connect employers and job seekers. The city of Duluth got the idea for a drive thru job fair after seeing other cities in northwestern Wisconsin do the same a few weeks ago. And today…

Essentia Health’s Vision Northland Project Progresses

Patients will be able to begin utilizing the facility by the third quarter of 2023.

DULUTH, Minn. – Essentia Health’s Vision northland project is continuing to make strides. The hospital’s main goal is to build a facility that has longevity. Dozens of construction crews have been working tirelessly to make the Vision Northland project a reality. “This building is going to outlast me. it’s a landmark. It will be a fixture of Duluth for a…

Bayside Sounds Concert Series Continues in Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis.– It might be getting cooler outside, but that’s not stopping people in Superior from throwing on an extra layer to go enjoy some great music outdoors. The concert series Bayside Sounds began last month in Superior. The group Born Too Late performed Wednesday night at Wade Bowl Park. The eight week concert series features bands that perform every…

Joe Biden To Speak in Duluth Friday as President Trump Rallies in Bemidji

DULUTH, Minn. — Former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he’ll be speaking in Duluth on Friday. “In the afternoon, Vice President Biden will tour a union training center and deliver remarks,” a statement read in a short press release from the campaign. The location and time are “to be announced.” Meanwhile, President Donald Trump will…

North Shore Leaves Change For the Fall

From yellow and orange to red, leaves are slowly changing colors and people from all over are visiting the views the North Shore has to offer.

NORTH SHORE – From yellow and orange to red, leaves are slowly changing colors and people from all over are visiting the views the North Shore has to offer. Right now, the colors are starting to pop near Finland. We caught up with a few out-of-towners who say they love this part of Minnesota, especially during the fall. “This is…

Bakery Lends a Hand to Those In Need

One local bakery is providing free lunch kits for those in need.

DULUTH, Minn. – One local bakery is providing free lunch kits for those in need. Positively 3rd Street Bakery is giving back to the community by providing school lunch aid kits. As parents are having to make more meals with their kids staying at home for distance learning, some may feel the burden of having to provide extra food. The…

‘Nothing Left in the Bucket’: Wildfire Resources Run Thin

(AP) – Firefighters battling the West Coast wildfires say this year’s blazes are some of the worst they have ever seen. They say the fires are taxing the human, mechanical and financial resources of the nation’s wildfire fighting forces to an extraordinary degree. And half of the fire season is yet to come. Heat, drought, and a strategic decision to…

Woman Sues Univ. of Wisconsin Over Cephus’ Reinstatement

(Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A woman who accused former Badgers football player Quintez Cephus of sexual assault in 2018 is suing the University of Wisconsin-Madison over its decision to reverse Cephus’ expulsion and allow him back on the football team. While a university investigation concluded Cephus “more likely than not” sexually assaulted the woman, he…

International Falls Police Investigating Tuesday Night Kidnapping and Pursuit

INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. – The International Falls Police Department says they are investigating a Tuesday evening kidnapping and pursuit that stretched from International Falls to Orr, Minnesota. According to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, the International Falls Police Department received a report of a kidnapping on the 1400 block of Highway 11-71 around 5:00 p.m. Tuesday. Police say an…

Midday Update 9-16-20

Local News and Weather Making Headlines Wednesday, Sept. 16

Join FOX 21’s Brett Scott and Meteorologist Ken Slama for a local look at news and weather making headlines Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020. Have a great day! Categories: Community, News, News – Latest News, News Update Tags: Brett Scott, community, Headlines, Ken Slama, Local News, midday update, News

Hurricane Sally Unleashes Flooding Along the Gulf Coast

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Sally has lumbered ashore near Gulf Shores, Alabama, as a Category 2 storm, with top winds of 105 mph. The coast is being pummeled with sideways rain and beach-covering storm surges. Sally’s northern eyewall raked the Gulf Coast for hours before the center finally made landfall, delivering punishing wind and rain from Pensacola Beach, Florida,…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Wednesday, September 16

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 85,813 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Wednesday morning and 7 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,933 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,743,611 tests have been completed to date. There are 79,583 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 7,019 patients have required hospitalization…

2020 Fur Ball Gala Canceled Due to COVID-19, Donations Greatly Appreciated

The Annual Fur Ball Gala Typically Brings In Over $100,000 to Animal Allies Humane Society in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. – The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have huge financial impacts on local businesses and non-profits across the Northland. The 2020 Fur Ball Gala, one of the largest fundraising events for Animal Allies Humane Society in Duluth is canceled. The harsh reality is shining a light on the importance of your donations, whether it be monetary, or in the…

Morning Update 9-16-20

Local News and Weather Making Headlines Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020

Join FOX 21’s Brett Scott and Meteorologist Ken Slama for a local look at news and weather making headlines Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020. Have a great day! Categories: Community, News, News – Latest News, News Update Tags: Brett Scott, community, Headlines, Ken Slama, Local News, morning update, News

US Outlines Sweeping Plan to Provide Free COVID-19 Vaccines

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is outlining a sweeping plan to make COVID-19 vaccines available for free to all Americans. But polls show a strong undercurrent of skepticism across the country. In a report Wednesday to Congress and an accompanying “playbook” for states and localities, federal health agencies and the Defense Department are sketching out complex plans for a…

New Details Released in Downtown Duluth Officer-Involved Shooting

DULUTH, Minn. –  The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has identified the Duluth police officer who shot a man during a domestic assault call in downtown Duluth Saturday, Sept. 12. Officer Tyler Leibfried, a five-year veteran of the Duluth Police Department, is on standard administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation after discharging his weapon and hitting the…

DTA Buses Collecting Fares Again in October, Plexiglass Barriers Added

Service has been free since March, DTA officials said, because drivers lacked the protection needed to collect fares at the front door. 

DULUTH, Minn.- Starting October 1st, it’ll now cost you to ride DTA buses again. Fare collection is resuming as new plexiglass barriers have been installed to protect drivers. Service has been free since March, DTA officials said, because drivers lacked the protection needed to collect fares at the front door. “We started looking for a way to go back to…

New Black Male Group at UMD Hosting ‘Peaceful Protest and March’

DULUTH, Minn. – A new UMD student organization called Black Men Serving Excellence is calling on faculty, staff, students and Duluthians to attend what they are calling a “peaceful protest and march.” The event is happening at 5 p.m. Wednesday at UMD’s Malosky Stadium. The goal is to raise awareness of black students on campus and encourage social activism within…

COVID-19 Cases Confirmed at Three Duluth Schools in First Week Open

So far all that have been confirmed is at least one positive case each at Lincoln Park Middle School, Denfeld High School, and Lowell Elementary. 

DULUTH, Minn.- With just one week into the school year, at least three cases of coronavirus have been confirmed within the Duluth School District. So far all that have been confirmed is at least one positive case each at Lincoln Park Middle School, Denfeld High School, and Lowell Elementary. We reached out to ISD 709 Tuesday for a total count…

Pick Your Own Cream of the Crop at Farmer Doug’s Pumpkin Patch

The Hoffbauer Farm is located at 3361 Lindahl Road in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. – Farmers battled against a dry growing season in the Northland, but it didn’t stop one local farm from producing a good quality yield of pumpkins this fall. “We know that sooner or later the frost is going to come for keeps,” said Doug Hoffbauer, owner of Hoffbauer Tree Farm. At Farmer Doug’s farm, Mother Nature gets the…