News

MN Mother Says her 15-Year-old son Killed Himself After Being Bullied

Superintendent Jennissen Says the Allegations are Untrue

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A Minnesota woman says her 15-year-old son killed himself after months of being bullied and assaulted, and that school staff didn’t do enough to support the boy, who had mental health issues and learning disabilities. Faith Elsharkawy says she can’t be certain that her son Jacob LeTourneau-Elsharkawy, who was a freshman at Chisago Lakes High School, was…

Five-Year-old Eagan Drowning Victim Transported to Hospital

His Condition is Unknown at This Time

photo: twitter/eagan police departmentEAGAN, Minn. – The Eagan Police Department received a report of a possible drowning this afternoon near the 3200 block of Coachman Road. Emergency crews responded to the scene and reported the victim to be a 5-year-old boy. The victim was transported to Regions hospital. His condition is not known at this time. We will continue to…

Michigan man Gets Prison in Diseased Body Parts Probe

Rathburn was Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison

DETROIT (AP) – A Detroit-area man who brokered cadavers and body parts for medical training has been sentenced to nine years in prison for failing to disclose that they had been infected with hepatitis or HIV. Arthur Rathburn showed no remorse Tuesday during rambling remarks to a federal judge. He blamed any problems on groups that supplied him with bodies…

Jen Schultz Files for Re-Election to MN House 7A Seat

Schultz Served in the Legislature Since 2015

DULUTH, Minn. – State Representative Jen Schultz has filed for re-election for her third term as the Representative for State House District 7A. “I’m asking for people of East Duluth to continue to support me and stand alongside me as we develop legislation to benefit our community and state.  In return, I promise to continue to be a leader to…

Police swarm city street in Florida in apparent shootout

Witnesses Heard More Than 50 Shots Fired

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Multiple law enforcement agencies have surrounded a Panama City, Florida, bank and apartment building and many gunshots were heard in the area. Walton County Sheriff’s officials said on Twitter on Tuesday that the incident is tied to a suspicious death in Santa Rosa Beach. Few details have been released. The Panama City News Herald…

Honoring Maritime Day in the Twin Ports

National Maritime Day is Honored in the United States Annually on May 22

DULUTH, Minn. – Nearly 85 years ago on Tuesday, May 22, United States Congress declared May 22 National Maritime Day. National Maritime Day is a tradition for many and a day recognizing America’s Merchant Marine for their legacy of service and sacrifice, safeguarding our nation and its trade corridors during times of war and peace. Residents and visitors in the…

Duluth Festival Features Female Talent

What She Said Festival Kicks Off Thursday

DULUTH, Minn. – This week, a festival in Duluth is featuring women playwrights, directors and actresses. The festival is a series of one-act plays that have been written by women from all over the world and directed by women from the Twin Ports area. The pieces highlight the female voice. The festival runs May 24-26 at The Underground Theatre which…

Bong Center Ramps Up Memorial Day Events for 2018

Northland Uncovered: Memorial Day at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Memorial Day Weekend is just a few days away and next Monday thousands around the country will be honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. The Executive Director of the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, Hayes Scriven, stopped by FOX 21 to talk about the events added to the center’s plans for the holiday weekend. On…

Trump Doesn’t Like Kim Jong Un’s Attitude Change

Trump Says the Meeting Could be Delayed

AP Photo/Evan Vucci/newsfileWASHINGTON (AP) -President Donald Trump says he doesn’t like the change in attitude he’s picked up from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump said Tuesday that he detected a shift after Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for a second time in China. Trump says he hopes China isn’t influencing Kim. Trump and Kim are scheduled…

Angler’s 6-Foot Catch Breaks Minnesota’s Sturgeon Record

The Fish was 30 Inches in Girth

photo: Minnesota DNRSTILLWATER, Minn. (AP) – An eastern Minnesota man has set a state catch-and-release record by hooking a more than 6-foot-long sturgeon on the Rainy River. Minnesota Public Radio reports that the state Department of Natural Resources announced Monday that Jack Burke’s May 4 catch set a new state record. Burke used a muskie rod and an 80-pound braided…

Dealing With Water Contaminant a ‘National Priority’

The Compounds are Linked to Developmental Defects

WASHINGTON (AP) – Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt says dealing with a widespread contaminant in drinking water is a “national priority.” Pruitt spoke Tuesday as he opened a hearing on the contaminants, known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl. The chemicals were used in items like nonstick coating and firefighting foam and have contaminated some water systems nationwide. The compounds are…

Moon Tells Trump Fate, Future Hinge on North Korea Talks

Trump Welcomed Moon to the White House Tuesday

(Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) – South Korean President Moon Jae-in has opened talks with President Donald Trump on the U.S.-North Korea summit, saying the “fate and the future” of the Korean Peninsula hinges on it. Trump welcomed Moon to the White House on Tuesday as they seek to coordinate strategy for Trump’s upcoming summit…

Duluth Teacher Arrested on Allegations of Criminal Sexual Conduct

Authorities Continue to Investigate the Incident

DULUTH, Minn. – On Monday afternoon Duluth Police investigators arrested a 33-year-old teacher in the Duluth School District on allegations of criminal sexual conduct. According to officials at ISD709 the suspect was working at the Area Learning Center as well as Lincoln Park Middle School. “The allegations are shocking and disappointing – the safety and well-being of students is our…

Dozens Block Light Rail to Protest Immigration Policies

Buses are Being Used to Move Passengers Around the Protest

photo: poorpeoplescampaign.orgMINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Several dozen protesters are shutting down part of the light rail system in Minneapolis to call attention to federal immigration deportations. The Tuesday morning protest near the airport is part of a national movement known as the Poor People’s Campaign, which aims to highlight issues including racism and poverty. Organizers say they hoped to shut down…

McDonald’s Workers File sex Harassment Claims

The Complaints are on Behalf of 10 Women in Nine Cities

(AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)NEW YORK (AP) — Energized by the #MeToo movement, two national advocacy groups are teaming up to lodge sexual harassment complaints against McDonald’s on behalf of 10 women who have worked at the fast food restaurant in nine cities. The workers — one of them a 15-year-old from St. Louis — alleged groping, propositions for sex,…

Interior Moves to Lift Restrictions on Hunting Bears, Wolves

(AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is moving to reverse Obama-era rules barring hunters on some public lands in Alaska from baiting brown bears with bacon and doughnuts and using spotlights to shoot mother black bears and cubs hibernating in their dens. The National Park Service issued a notice Monday of its intent to amend regulations…

Authorities ID Minnesota man Killed in South Dakota Crash

Westrud Died of his Injuries

WATERTOWN, S.D. (AP) – Authorities have identified a Minnesota man who died in a crash in northeastern South Dakota. The Highway Patrol says 67-year-old Jimmy Westrud, of Brooten, Minnesota, was riding a motorcycle on U.S. Highway 212 when he failed to negotiate a curve, crossed the center line and into the path of a pickup pulling a trailer. The crash…

Special Report: Inside A Minnesota Medical Cannabis Growing Operation

Could Cannabis Be The Solution To The Opioid Crisis?

Opioid overdoses are now killing more people each year than vehicle crashes on the road, according to the latest numbers from the Minnesota Department of Health. It’s a public health crisis that the CDC says is even driving down U.S. life expectancy. Now, the nation-wide conversation has turned toward how to fix the mess. In the first of three-part series…

Million Dollar Powerball Ticket Still Unclaimed

The winning ticket was sold in Carlton at the Minit Mart Carlton.

CARLTON, Minn.- A million dollar winning lottery ticket was sold right here in the Northland and has yet to be claimed. The winning ticket was sold in Carlton at the Minit Mart Carlton. This win is not only profitable for the lucky lottery player but the gas station as well. Minit Mart will receive a $5,000 bonus once the million…

New Exhibit at The Depot Just In Time For Bob Dylan Fest

The Depot will welcome the artist of the exhibit, Skye, Wednesday, May 23 for a reception

DULUTH, Minn. – The Eighth Annual Bob Dylan fest kicks off this weekend in Duluth, and you can head over to the depot to see a unique exhibit featuring the legendary musician. The lyrical exhibit showcases 44 of his classic songs in a text based display. You can hear some of Dylan’s greatest hits through the speakers and sing along…

Construction Begins for New Roundabout

The major goal is to cut down traffic incidents but some locals remain concerned.

CLOQUET, Minn.- Big changes are now underway at the intersection of I-35 and Highway 33 in Cloquet, an intersection that has seen many serious car accidents and fatalities in recent years. Construction of a roundabout to replace the intersection began on Monday.  The major goal is to cut down traffic incidents but some locals remain concerned. Studies show roundabouts decrease…

What the Conclusion of the Legislative Session Means for Duluth

There were major projects ultimately included in the bonding bill but some others were left out

DULUTH, Minn. – The Minnesota Legislative Session ended late last night and Gov. Dayton is already threatening to veto some spending packages over the next couple weeks. Duluth city leaders have mixed feelings about the session. There were major projects ultimately included in the bonding bill but some others were left out. Duluth Mayor Emily Larson says she made 15…

Duluth Clears Sexual Assault Kit Backlog

Nearly six hundred kits dating back to 1993 have now been submitted to the state for testing

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth officials announced today that all of the city’s previously untested sexual assault kits have now been submitted to the state for testing. Back in 2015, Duluth had the most untested sexual assault kits of any city in Minnesota. After securing more than $2 million in federal grants to fund the project, local officials worked together to…

Local Veterans Save Memorial Day Parade

Members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 56 heard the news two weeks ago and began efforts to save the parade.

DULUTH, Minn.- Just two weeks before Memorial Day word spread that the annual parade was canceled but local veterans found a way to keep the parade in motion. The Memorial Day Parade in Duluth has been a tradition for decades, but due to lack of participation and health problems the Northland Veterans Services Committee decided the parade was not going to…

Duluth Bonding Bill Projects Include Lake Superior Zoo and Glensheen Mansion

The Lake Superior Zoo and Glensheen Mansion have requested million in funds to make repairs.

DULUTH, Minn. – The Lake Superior Zoo requested $1.9 million of funding from that bonding bill to help with a new exhibit. Zoo staff members tell us they are now cautiously optimistic as they wait for the governor to make a final decision about the bill. The money would go toward the “Bear Country” exhibit. Zoo workers say that’s the…

Pastor Says Mental Illness Drove man to ram car Into his Family

Self has Been Charged With two Counts of First-Degree Murder

(Gaston County Sheriff’s Office via AP)BESSEMER CITY, N.C. (AP) – Families were eating a relaxed weekend lunch at the Surf and Turf Lodge when suddenly there was a loud boom and the splintering crash of a vehicle plowing into the restaurant. Police say a man intentionally rammed a vehicle into the steak and seafood eatery shortly after midday Sunday in…

Toxic Cloud Caused by Hawaii Volcano Lava Emerges Over Ocean

The Acid in the Plume is as Corrosive as Diluted Battery Acid

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) — White plumes of acid and extremely fine shards of glass billowed into the sky over Hawaii as molten rock from Kilauea volcano poured into the ocean, creating yet another hazard from an eruption that began more than two weeks ago: A toxic steam cloud. Authorities on Sunday warned the public to stay away…

Dayton Vetoes Bill to Bypass Regulators on Enbridge Line 3

Dayton Carried Through on his Veto Promise

(Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP File)ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Mark Dayton has vetoed a bill that would have allowed Enbridge Energy to bypass the state Public Utilities Commission and proceed with replacing its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. Dayton carried through on his veto promise. The Star Tribune reports the Democratic governor said in…

Highway 61 Road Construction Pushed Back

DULUTH, Minn. – Single lane closures that were scheduled to start today have been pushed to begin on May 29th for Highway 61 in Lake County. Motorists will encounter single lane closures in each direction due to a culvert replacement and resurfacing projects. According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation: “Single lane closures will initially occur in the Beaver Bay…

Superior Street Steam Pipe Removal Rescheduled

The Steam Pipe Removal Will Begin the Week of May 29

DULUTH, Minn. – The planned removal of 100-year-old steam pipes along Superior Street this week has been delayed due to more required excavation work. The City states the steam pipe removal will be pushed back to the week of May 29th. Northland Constructors will use this additional time to prepare the site for efficient removal and asbestos abatement, which will…

Dayton Vetoes Bill With Harsher Penalties for Protesters

Dayton Vetoed the Legislation Saturday Night

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Mark Dayton has vetoed a GOP-backed bill that would increase penalties for protesters who block freeways or transit lines. The debate started last year in response to protests over officer-involved shootings of two black men that shut down interstates and blocked the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The Legislature’s bill would have hit protesters in…

One-Year-Old boy Struck, Killed in Maplewood

The Driver of the Vehicle was Cooperative

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (AP) – Maplewood police say they’re investigating the death of a 1-year-old child. Initial findings indicate Andrew Her was believed to be inside a home when family members shifted parking places Sunday about 9:30 p.m. Police say the boy had wandered outside and was accidentally struck by a vehicle. He was taken to Regions Hospital where he was…

Veteran Says Anti-Malaria Drug has Lasting Side Effects

Bolf now has Balance and Vision Problems

photo: medicalxpress.comDULUTH, Minn. (AP) – A Minnesota Air National Guard veteran says he’s still living with the side effects of an anti-malaria drug he took about eight years ago while deployed in Afghanistan. KSTP-TV reports that Shawn Bolf was ordered to take mefloquine in 2010. Bolf says he now has balance and vision problems, loses feeling in his hands and…

Father, Young son Drown While Kayaking in Northern Minnesota

Neither the Father nor son Were Wearing Life Jackets

BEMIDJI, Minn. (AP) – Authorities say a father and his 4-year-old son drowned in a kayaking accident on a northern Minnesota lake. Hubbard County sheriff’s officials say deputies were dispatched to Hart Lake near Bemidji about 1:30 p.m. Saturday on a report of an overturned kayak and two people that failed to surface. First responders found the boy in the…

Powerball Ticket Worth $1 Million Sold in Carlton

Two big Wins in Minnesota

ROSEVILLE, Minn. – Saturday’s Powerball drawing resulted in two big wins in Minnesota. A ticket worth $1 million was purchased at Minit Mart Carlton in Carlton and a $50,000 winning ticket was sold at Casey’s General Store in Moorhead. The winning Powerball numbers on Saturday, May 19 are 3-6-9-17-56 and the Powerball number is 25. Minit Mart Carlton in Carlton…

Water at Wisconsin Island has High Plastic Pollution

The Study Will Continue This Summer

BAYFIELD, Wis. (AP) – A recent study of 35 national parks found the waters off an island in northwestern Wisconsin had the highest concentration of plastic pollution. The National Park Service, South Carolina’s Clemson University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program began working on the two-year study in 2015. Wisconsin Public Radio reports that samples collected…

Darwin man Killed After Vehicle Strikes Farm Implement

His Identity was not Immediately Released

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Authorities say a man was killed after his vehicle struck the back of a farm implement on a highway in Meeker County. The Star Tribune reports the crash occurred about 10:20 p.m. Saturday on Hwy. 15 in Collinwood Township, roughly 10 miles north of Hutchinson and 50 miles west of the Twin Cities. The Highway Patrol says…

Legislative Panels Vote to Stall Groundwater Nitrate Rule

Excessive Nitrate Levels can be Toxic

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota lawmakers have moved to stall implementation of the state’s proposed rule for reducing nitrate levels in groundwater supplies in farm country. The GOP-led House and Senate agriculture committees voted this weekend to block the state from finalizing the rule for at least another year. The votes came after Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton denounced the…

Local Art Gallery Prepares for New Exhibition, Collaboration with Arts District

Coffee Conversation: Joseph Nease Gallery

DULUTH, Minn. – The Joseph Nease Gallery in Duluth is gearing up for Summer with several new exhibitions and a new collaborative effort for the arts. The exhibition “Sweep,” along with a photography exhibit by Tim White and an art installation by Allen-Killian-Moore will be on display at the gallery for the next two weeks, until the end of May….

Lawmakers Wrap up Session in a Blur of Bills, Questions

Dayton has 14 Days to act on the Bills

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Legislature has finished its year of work in the usual flurry of last-minute votes, but it’s surrounded by question marks. Lawmakers were required to stop passing bills at midnight Sunday. But Gov. Mark Dayton has threatened to veto major tax and government spending packages on his desk. The Democratic governor and Republican-controlled Legislature…

Pompeo Offers Concessions if Iran Makes Changes

Pompeo is Threatening to Place ``The Strongest Sanctions in History'' on Iran

AP File Photo, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, May 2017. WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is offering a series of dramatic potential U.S. concessions to Iran if it agrees to make “major changes.” Pompeo on Monday called for a stronger nuclear agreement with Iran following the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 deal. He says if a deal was…

Two Charged in Death of Firefighter due in Court

Taut and Larson are Scheduled in Douglas County Court Monday

FORADA, Minn. (AP) – Two men charged with manslaughter in the death of a firefighter who was found beaten outside a bar in western Minnesota are due in court. Troy Traut and Jacob Larson are each charged with first-degree manslaughter and fifth-degree assault and are scheduled in Douglas County court Monday. Forty-six-year-old Steven Hlinsky was found bleeding from his nose…

Woman in Smiling Mugshot Faces Manslaughter in DUI Crash

The Smiling Mugshot Angered Clarkston's Family

OCALA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida woman who flashed a big grin in a mugshot following a car crash and DUI arrest now faces a new charge and prison time after a crash victim died. News outlets report 44-year-old Angenette Marie Welk didn’t smile when a new mugshot was taken Saturday at the Marion County Jail in Ocala. Authorities say…

Zeitgeist’s ‘Spirit Of The Times’ Raises More Than $100K

DULUTH, Minn. – Zeitgeist Center for Arts and Entertainment held its annual ‘Spirit of the Times’ fundraiser Saturday, which raised more than $100,000. Attendees enjoyed food, drinks, improv comedy, and a dance party. The event supports Zeitgeist’s community work like their Zinema 2 movie theater, their Renegade Theatre Company, and efforts to improve food access and transportation equity in Duluth….

Volunteers Plant Milkweed in Hartley Park

Milkweed is one of the few plants Monarch butterflies will lay eggs on

DULUTH, Minn. – Volunteers spent Saturday planting milkweed at Hartley Nature Center in Duluth. The park got a grant to plant 196 milkweed plugs at several locations. Milkweed is one of the only plants Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on. Monarchs are important pollinators and have recently been disappearing in the Northland. “I think a lot of times we forget…

Gone Too Soon: Father Of Three Dies From Heroin-Fentanyl Overdose

Austin Overfors Was 24 Years Old

DULUTH, Minn. – The numbers are alarming. More than 40,000 Americans die each year from opioid overdoses, and of that number roughly half of the deaths involved fentanyl, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts say fentanyl is up to 50 times more powerful than heroin, and these days heroin is being laced with fentanyl — resulting…

Duluth Delegation Still Emotional After Trip to Memorial of Peace and Justice

35 Duluthians attended the unveiling of the memorial dedicated to victims of lynching

DULUTH, Minn. – In April, thirty-five people from Duluth attended the unveiling of the Memorial of Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama. Nearly a month since their life changing bus trip to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, Duluthians are still struck by the emotions from the experience. “This lynching history, the light that this whole…