News

Sports Betting Bill Passes First Test at Minnesota Legislature

It now Goes to the Senate State Government Committee

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A bill to legalize sports betting in Minnesota has cleared its first committee test but still faces an uncertain future. The bill by Senate Tax Committee Chairman Roger Chamberlain passed his panel on a 5-2 vote Thursday. It now goes to the Senate state government committee. His bill would allow sports betting only at the state’s…

Cloquet Middle School, High School Evacuated for Possible gas Leak

Authorities are Investigating

CLOQUET, Minn. – Students and staff at the Cloquet Middle School and High School have been evacuated this morning according to officials with the school district. The Cloquet Police Department has confirmed the cause of the evacuation was an odor of natural gas at the schools. Both the middle school and high school also had a two hour delay Thursday…

Walz to Visit Hibbing, Duluth for Statewide Education Tour

Walz Will Speak at Myers-Wlkins Elementary This Afternoon

DULUTH, Minn. – Governor Tim Walz will be making his way into the Northland as part of the administration’s statewide education tour to highlight a new education proposal. The Governor is expected to host a listening session right away this morning at 9:15 a.m. at the Hibbing High School. Walz is then scheduled to speak at Myers-Wilkins Elementary School at…

Cleanup Talks Lead 2019 St. Louis River Summit

Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve organized event.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- The cleanup of the St. Louis River was in focus at University of Wisconsin-Superior. The college held a St. Louis River Summit that included experts on the topic of clean and safe water. Currently the Wisconsin DNR said that of their 77 cleanup tasks, they’re about halfway done. They added that collaborating with others at the Summit is…

Safe Ride Stolen from the Break Room Bar

The bar, located on East 4th Street, had the van stolen from their parking lot.

DULUTH, Minn. – A safe ride van was stolen from The Break Room Bar early Sunday morning. The bar, located on East 4th Street, had the van stolen from their parking lot. “It offers us an ability to get our customers home safely, keep them as good customers so they don’t have to get a DWI and possibly hurt themselves…

We Walk in Duluth Group Promotes Clean Sidewalks

The group of pedestrians and concerned citizens met at Zeitgeist to talk about solutions.

DULUTH, Minn. – We Walk in Duluth advocacy group is sounding off about snow-covered sidewalks in the city. The group of pedestrians and concerned citizens met at Zeitgeist to talk about solutions and start a campaign only patronizing businesses that clear their sidewalks. “This winter I’ve spent a lot of time walking on the street because the sidewalks just aren’t…

New Eco-Entrepreneurship Program at Lake Superior College

The program will feature a two acre farm, greenhouse space, and packaging facility on campus.

DULUTH,  Minn. – Lake Superior College is launching a program to teach students how to make the farm-to-table process more sustainable. The program will feature a two acre farm, greenhouse space, and packaging facility on campus. Students will learn how to create more eco-friendly business practices when it comes to our food system between farmers and sellers. “How do we…

Duluth Church Offers Drive-Thru Ash Wednesday Service

Our Savior's Lutheran Church offers service for people unable to attend regular mass

DULUTH, Minn. – For Christians seeking convenience, a West Duluth church offered a drive-thru Ash Wednesday service in their parking lot. Our Savior’s Lutheran Church on Grand Avenue wants everybody to receive ashes this Wednesday. For two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon, people could drive up, roll down their window, and order a personal prayer…

Uncommon Drug Arrest in Minnesota Happens Here in Duluth

A 23-year old has been charged with selling and manufacturing DMT

DULUTH, Minn.- A 23-year old man is charged with selling and manufacturing a drug that isn’t commonly seen in Minnesota. Police say DMT is a psychedelic drug, similar to LSD. It’s only been located by law enforcement in Minnesota three times in the last ten years. It’s more commonly found by law enforcement agencies on the West Coast. The suspect,…

As Duluth Officials Receive Flag Designs, One Designer Won’t Submit His

Nicky Sunsdahl, designer of the 'Tilt Town Flag' objects to the city's ability to make changes and additions to flag designs

DULUTH, Minn. – The City of Duluth has put out a call for design ideas for a new city flag. But one local flag creator won’t submit his design. He doesn’t think the city’s process by committee will bring a better flag. Nicky Sunsdahl designed the ‘Tilt Town’ flag last summer. “That was kind of last year’s art project,” said…

Northland Winter Doesn’t Stop Ash Wednesday Services

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Duluth holds services.

DULUTH, Minn.- Churches across the Northland are renewing their faith during Ash Wednesday. St. Paul’s in Duluth held two services where members burned last year’s palms, signifying their mortality and dedication to Christ. The Pastor said that even though this has been a harsh winter, that hasn’t slowed the faith of his congregation. “Especially some of our elders, to be…

Life House Gets Green Light for New Annex Construction

Life House is hoping to open the new annex by summer or early fall.

DULUTH, Minn. – Good news for Life House in Duluth. Construction has begun on a project to add a new annex to its current building. The addition will become the new home for the organization’s youth education and employment program. The building will have a state of the art classroom with the latest technology. It will also house a workshop…

One Firefighter Injured in Superior House Fire

Cause of fire still unknown.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- The Superior Fire Department responded to a fire in a single family home on the 6400 block of Banks Avenue in the Village of Superior. The smoke alarm awoke all occupants and their pets, so they were able to get out safely, no one was hurt. However, a firefighter suffered a minor injury, crews say he is recovering…

Snow Piles Causes Concern for Drivers in the Northland

Large snow mounds impairs drivers line of sight while on the roads.

DULUTH, Minn. – Snow mounds near intersections are reaching concerning heights and now drivers are speaking out. At almost every intersection in Duluth, snow mounds of different heights can be found. Many of them are blocking drivers’ views. Now when a driver approaches an intersection extra caution is often needed to stay safe and avoid accidents. “Its difficult to get…

FDA Warns of Asbestos in Claire’s Makeup

Asbestos was Confirmed in Three Claire's Products

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. regulators on Tuesday warned people not to use certain Claire’s makeup products after samples tested positive for asbestos, but the retailer disputed the findings. The Food and Drug Administraiton said it issued the warning because it said Claire’s refused to comply with its request for a recall, and that the agency doesn’t have the power…

Man Arrested in West Duluth for Alleged Online Sexual Solicitation of a Child

The man is Awaiting to be Formally Charged

DULUTH, Minn. – A 57-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday in West Duluth for allegedly communicating with a child online for the purpose of a sexual relationship. Investigators from the Duluth Police Department Sex Crimes Abuse Neglect Unit and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force made the arrest around 4:38 p.m. The man was taken into custody without incident. The…

Duluth man Arrested for Allegedly Manufacturing Psychedelic Drug

This is Third Known Instance of DMT in MN

DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth man has been arrested for allegedly manufacturing a psychedelic drug known as Dimethyltryptamine or “DMT”. Investigators with the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office and MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension executed a search warrant on February 21 at a residence in Rice Lake. Authorities say a former resident of the home was believed to be manufacturing…

Elizabeth Smart set to Speak in Wisconsin on Closs Rescue

The Event Will be Held on March 15

(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)MADISON, Wis. – Kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart is scheduled to speak in northwestern Wisconsin next week to help the region cope with a high-profile double homicide-kidnapping. Prosecutors have accused 21-year-old Jake Patterson of breaking into 13-year-old Jayme Closs’ home just outside Barron in October, killing her parents with a shotgun and abducting her. They say he held…

Bill Would Protect Identities of Minnesota Jackpot Winners

The Bill is set for Review

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Future lottery jackpot winners in Minnesota could be shielded from unwanted attention under proposed legislation. Minnesota Public Radio News reports that a bill calling for a one-word change to state law would put Minnesota among a handful of states that allow lottery winners to keep their identities secret. The bill is set for review by the…

World’s Longest Fat Bike Birkie

This Weekend Ride Your Fat Tire Bike In The Worlds Largest Fat Bike Race!

CABLE, Wisc. — The 45NRTH Fat Bike Birkie is taking over the world famous American Birkebeiner trails this weekend on Saturday March 9th! Fat Bike riders can test their skills and endurance on the professionally groomed ski trails! THREE events to choose from this year; the 47K Big Fat, the 21K Chico and NEW in 2019, the un-timed 10K Tour-…

Treating Pain, Anxiety with CBD Oil for Animals

Ignite Vapor and Tobacco is Located at 502 Hammond Avenue in Superior

DULUTH, Minn. – Scientific research proves man’s best friend is able to help humans relieve stress, but what helps your furry friends calm down and relax? The staff at Ignite Vapor and Tobacco in Superior believe the answer is stocked on their store shelves. Staff member Timothy Frey frequently deals with helping his German Shepard, Dakota, relieve pain. “There are all…

La Pointe Fire Hall and Emergency Vehicles Destroyed in Early Morning Fire

The Fire Marshall is Investigating the Cause

  LA POINTE, Wis. – A devastating early morning fire at the La Pointe Fire Department has completely destroyed the town’s fire hall according to the Town Administrator Lisa Potswald. Potswald said seven fire vehicles and two ambulances were lost in the fire that broke out around 3:00 a.m. Multiple departments including Red Cliff, Bayfield, Washburn, and the City of…

Six Candidates in the Running for Vacant Fifth District County Board Seat

Primary Election Will be Held on May 14

HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Six candidates are now in the running for the St. Louis County Board District 5 special election. A two week candidate filing period ended yesterday for the vacated seat. The candidates are: Wayne Boucher Timothy Herstad Keith MacDonald Keith Musolf Kal Randa Robert “Bobby” Wagner The primary election will take place on May 14. The general election…

Dollar Tree to Close up to 390 Family Dollar Stores

The Company Will Reconate 1,000 Stores This Year

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) — Dollar Tree is closing up to 390 Family Dollar stores this year and rebranding about 200 others under the Dollar Tree name. The company closed 84 Family Dollar stores in the fourth quarter, 37 more than originally planned. The company has said that it will renovate at least 1,000 stores this year. Dollar Tree Inc., based…

US Plans to Lift Protections for Gray Wolves

The Wolves Received Protections in 1975

BILLINGS, Mont. – U.S. wildlife officials plan to lift protections for gray wolves across the Lower 48 states, a move certain to re-ignite the legal battle over a predator that’s rebounding in some regions but absent in others. Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt was expected to announce the proposal during a Wednesday speech before a wildlife conference in Denver. U.S….

Cleveland-Cliffs Delivers State of the Business

Business leaders, city and state officials gather in Chisholm.

CHISHOLM, Minn.- Chisholm business leaders, city and state officials, and employees heard a state of the business update from the iron ore mining company Cleveland-Cliffs. President, Chairman and CEO Lourenco Goncalves spent the beginning of his presentation detailing Cleveland-Cliffs’s growth since he took over in August 2014. But soon he delved into the environmental impacts of iron ore mining, clean steel-making…

Early Morning Village of Superior House Fire Displaces Family

A Firefighter Sustained Minor Injury

SUPERIOR, Wis. – A home in the Village of Superior sustained an estimated $20,000 in damages after a fire broke out early Wednesday morning. Superior Fire Department crews were called to 6409 Banks Avenue at 2:35 a.m. Wednesday for a report of smoke filling up a house. When fire crews arrived the single family home had smoke visible in the…

County To Hire Exec. Dir. To Oversee Duluth Depot

DULUTH, Minn. — St. Louis County is hiring a Heritage and Arts Center executive director to handle operations at the Duluth Depot. Commissioners say the position will help with collaboration among the eight tenants at the Depot while also taking away some of the politics among the tenants. The director will be a neutral party making between $67,000 and roughly $90,000…

Could a Zamboni Resurface Lake Superior?

Could something like this actually be completed?

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Have you ever wondered how long it would take for a Zamboni to resurface all of Lake Superior? That questions was answered Tuesday afternoon by a Mathematics professor at U-W Superior. He says the typical Zamboni shaves ice at roughly four miles an hour. So at that speed, it would take 682 years to complete using only…

Duluth Businesses Celebrate Mardi Gras

Carmod Irish Pub and Restaurant 301 celebrate Fat Tuesday

DULUTH, Minn. – Some businesses in Duluth are celebrating Fat Tuesday the New Orleans way. A crawfish boil and Mardi Gras praty brought dozens out to Carmody Irish Pub on East Superior Street. The owner tells us it’s his way of celebrating cultures like the French Creole and welcoming a new season to Duluth. “It’s just like hey, we’re done…

Indigenous Market to Open at the Former Site of 4th St. Market

AICHO plans to open the market in 2020

DULUTH, Minn. – A new indigenous market is in the works for the site of the former 4th Street Market in Duluth. The American Indian Community Housing Organization, or AICHO, recently got a $50,000 donation from Essentia Health to start renovating the building. The market will feature locally sourced traditional native food and will bring a food store back to…

Superior City Council Votes to Add 3 More Firefighters

Fire Department will now have a total of 40 firefighters

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Superior City Council voted to approve the addition of three firefighter positions. Fire Chief Steve Panger tells us his department will now be fully staffed for the first time in more than a year. With these additions, Superior will now have a total of forty firefighters. That will bring staffing back to the way it was…

Snow and Ice Causing Serious Dangers for Roofs

After eight weeks of below freezing temperatures and snow roofs are paying the price.

DULUTH, Minn. – After 56 days below freezing with several snow storms, roofs around the Northland are dealing with big piles of snow and ice. All this extra weight is potentially dangerous. “A good rule of thumb is if you have let’s say 20 inch of snow per square foot that’s going to be roughly 25–27 pounds something like that,”…

Free Preventative Dental Cleanings Offered at Denfeld High School

The cleanings are brought to the school multiple times a year by Operation Grace MN. 

DULUTH, Minn. – Free preventative dental cleanings were offered to Denfeld High School students today. The cleanings are brought to the school multiple times a year by Operation Grace MN. The organization reaches students who might not otherwise have access to dental care. Students participating say they’re grateful for the opportunity. “I like it because of course you don’t have…

Nepotism Policy Introduced at St. Louis County Board Meeting

The proposed guidelines would put limitations on any county employee from hiring and supervising a family member or significant other.

DULUTH, Minn. – It was back in January when St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin hired his son Tony as a prosecutor. That decision prompted the County board to introduce a nepotism policy for discussion. The non–existence of a nepotism policy within St. Louis County is sparking some controversy, but it also brought out conflicting opinions at today’s county board…

Three Staff Members Assaulted in Riot at The Hills Youth and Family Services Facility

Four Others Were Arrested in the Incident

DULUTH, Minn. – Three staff members from The Hills Youth and Family Services were injured Monday night after a riot broke out at the facility. According to the Duluth Police Department squads responded to The Hills facility located on the 4300 block of Allendale Avenue around 9:00 p.m. after receiving reports that five clients were assaulting staff members. Upon arrival…

Minnesota Joins Lawsuit Over Trump Abortion Restrictions

It Claims the Restrictions are Illegal and Unconstitutional

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota has joined with 20 other states in a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s restrictions on federal family planning funds. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Oregon. It claims the restrictions are illegal and unconstitutional. Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement Tuesday that the affected programs, including Planned Parenthood and the St….

Second Patient to be Free of HIV After Transplant

This is the Second Such Success

SEATTLE (AP) – Researchers say a London man appears to be free of the AIDS virus after a stem cell transplant. It’s the second such success including “Berlin patient” Timothy Ray Brown. Such transplants are dangerous and have failed in other patients. The new findings were published online Monday by the journal Nature. The London patient has not been identified….

The Future Shifts for One of the Northland’s Most Popular Music Venues

Northland Uncovered: The Red Herring Lounge and location.

DULUTH, Minn.- From the most unknown local artists to headliners that we know and love, the Red Herring Lounge has been the Northland’s go to spot for live music for years. Since 2013, the Red Herring Lounge on East 1st Street has been one of Duluth’s most popular concert venues. “What I thought the scene deserved was a place that was…

Save the Boundary Waters Names Former DNR Chief as Leader

The Announcement Came Tuesday Morning

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A leading group in the opposition to a copper-nickel mine on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has hired a former state agency chief who approved another controversial mining project in northeastern Minnesota. The Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters announced Tuesday that former Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Landwehr is its…

Trial to Begin This Month for Fifth Suspect in UMD Student Murder Case

The Jury Trial Will Begin March 19

Xavier HaywoodDULUTH, Minn. – The jury trial will begin later this month for the last of five suspects in the 2017 murder of UMD student William Grahek. Xavier Haywood’s jury trial is scheduled to begin March 19 on charges of aiding an offender. According to court records 28-year-old Xavier Haywood is accused of aiding the offenders, while tipping off everybody…

Walz Hails Bipartisan Cooperation as he Signs his First Bills

Walz Paid Tribute to Lawmakers From Both Parties

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Gov. Tim Walz has signed his first two bills since taking office, one paying for fixes to the balky MNLARS vehicle registration system and one reversing what critics called an illegal attempt to tap an environmental trust fund to pay for projects statewide. Walz told reporters Tuesday the bipartisan negotiations that brought the bills to his…

New Outdoor Consignment Shop to Host Pop-Up Event in Duluth

The First Ever Great Lakes Gear Exchange Pop-Up Event is Happening Saturday, March 9, 2019

DULUTH, Minn. – Since January, items new and used have been coming in rapidly to the Great Lakes Gear Exchange. Owners Brooke Wetmore and Emily Richey decided two years ago to begin developing an outdoor consignment business. Northlanders are able to sell their items to the owners, which then are resold to other folks looking to purchase new or gently used…

Lawmaker Revives Bill Making Bestiality a Felony

Those Convicted Would Have to Register as a sex Offender

MADISON, Wis. – A Republican legislator is re-introducing his bill to make bestiality a felony. Sen. Andre Jacque sent a memo to his colleagues on Tuesday seeking co-sponsors. He introduced the same bill during the last legislative session when he was a state representative in reaction to a case involving a Town of Eaton man convicted of molesting a horse….

Cloquet Home Sustains Major Fire Damage

No one was Injured in the Fire

CLOQUET, Minn. – Cloquet fire crews were called to reports of a house fire on North 10th Street in Cloquet on Monday afternoon. When fire crews arrived fire could be seen on both sides of the home with heavy smoke throughout the first floor of the house. The CAFD says they were able to contain the fire to one room…