News

Health Officials Unable to Identify Source in Siblings’ E. coli Infections

(KMSP) – The source of an E. coli bacterial infection that killed a young Wright County girl and seriously sickened her brother remains unclear, according to a Minnesota Department of Health investigation. As a precaution, MDH investigated A maze’n Farmyard near Eden Valley and asked the petting zoo to pull some of their animals from public viewing. The Maresh family had visited the petting zoo before their…

Great Lakes Aquarium Announces Death of Retired River Otter

Anang was 20 years old, and died of natural causes related to her age

DULUTH, Minn. – The Great Lakes Aquarium announced the death of its beloved, retired river otter, Anang. Anang was 20 years old, and the Aquarium says she died of natural causes related to her age. She was in an off-exhibit holding area, designed as her retirement quarters, where she passed away. “Anang has been with us for many years. We…

Florida Couple Transporting Grill Injured after SUV Explodes when Woman Lights Cigarette

(Orlando Police Dept.) (FOX NEWS) – A Florida couple transporting a propane barbecue grill inside their SUV was injured Sunday after a woman lite a cigarette, sparking an explosion. The grill was turned on and the propane tank was open in the back of the red Kia Sorento, when the couple left a barbecue at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, Orlando…

Trump Names Hate Groups, Denouncing Charlottesville Violence

(AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — Under relentless pressure, President Donald Trump on Monday named and condemned “repugnant” hate groups and declared that “racism is evil” in a far more forceful statement than he’d made earlier after deadly, race-fueled weekend clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia. Trump’s initial failure on Saturday to denounce the groups by name — instead he bemoaned violence on “many…

Annual Jefferson Street Block Party on Saturday

DULUTH, Minn. – The annual Jefferson Street Block Party will take place on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the 1600 block of Jefferson Street. The party is a family friendly celebration that brings the Endion neighborhood together. The party will feature live music, including traditional Anishinaabe music and American folk; food; and a vast array…

Minnesota Health Insurers Propose Higher Rates

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota’s four largest small-business health insurers are proposing average premium increases next year. The Star Tribune reports that increases range from 8 to 17 percent. Some insurers say the increases are needed because enrollees are consuming more care while medical costs are rising. The proposed increases could affect about 160,000 people. They’re also rekindling fears that some…

Calumet Announces Agreement to Sell Superior Refinery

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P., has announced that it has signed an agreement to sell the ownership of its Superior refinery and various related assets to Husky Superior Refining Holding Corporation, a unit of Canadian company Husky Energy. Under the agreement Husky has agreed to pay $435 million in cash, plus additional payment for networking capital, inventories,…

Wisconsin Regulators Approve SWL&P Rate Increases

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has authorized base utility rate changes for Superior Water, Light & Power’s electric, gas, and water utilities. The rate adjustments will help to pay for upgrades to electric substations and transmission lines, a portion of water infrastructure along Belknap Street and other areas of Superior, as well as gas utility infrastructure…

Local, Regional Artists to Show Work at Annual Festival

Coffee Conversation: Art in Bayfront Park

DULUTH, Minn. – This weekend art will be filling a park in Duluth. The 7th Annual Art in Bayfront Park Festival starts up Saturday, August 18 and runs through Sunday, August 19. The art fair features local and regional artists. Work includes jewelry, painting, photography, ceramics, metal work, glass and more. The event is free. Saturday, the festival is open…

Northlanders Prepare for Solar Eclipse

Sun Will Be 80 Percent Covered By Moon In Duluth

We are just more than week away from an event that hasn’t happened for 99 years. A solar eclipse that is visible in all of the lower 48 states. There’s two ways to prepare, and that depends on just what kind of solar eclipse you want to see. It’s hard to find a college job as better suited as at…

Buhl Man Drowns Trying To Save His Dog

BUHL, Minn. – A Buhl man is dead after trying to rescue his dog from a water-filled mining pit. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man as 56-year-old Gary Paternoster. The drowning happened around 6 p.m. Saturday. Authorities said the dog got caught on something in the water. Paternoster was swimming out in the mine pit to…

Jet Skiers Collide With Yacht In Duluth Harbor

DULUTH, Minn. – There were some scary moments for jet skiers in the canal of Duluth Saturday after the machine they were riding slammed into a yacht. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said the 21-year-old Duluth females on the jet ski were leaving under the Minnesota Slip Bridge at roughly 30 mph when they lost control and rammed into…

Bike Duluth Festival Wraps Up

Hundreds of People Raced in the Event

DULUTH, Minn.- Hundreds of bike lovers were at Spirit Mountain for the weekend to race their hearts out, and enjoy other bike related events. The festival holds more than 20 different races over the course of 3 days. It’s a chance for people to show off their cycling skills for a good cause. It’s a non-profit event, with 50 percent…

Civilian and Military Car Show Held at Richard I Bong Center

Attendees Even Had the Chance to Get Inside a WW2 Tank

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Military vehicles like tanks, and civilian vehicles like mustangs lined the parking lot of the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center. It’s all part of a Military and Civilian Car show. “It’s awesome you got these really cool civilian cars with these big ol’ military vehicles here,” said Hayes Scriven, the Executive Director of the historical center. Community…

Art Lovers Enjoy the Lake Superior Art Festival

The Festival Has Been Going on for 4 Years

DULUTH, Minn.- The Lake Superior Art Festival drew hundreds of Art lovers to the shores of Lake Superior. People walked Brighton beach to check out the work of dozens of artists using a wide range of mediums like photography, watercolor, and glasswork. Festival goers used the opportunity to purchase handmade and original pieces by the local artists to take home….

UMD Invites Community to Tour Land Lab

The Lab Teaches Students About Sustainable Agriculture

DULUTH, Minn.- UMD invited community members to see their land lab for farm and field day. The UMD land lab teaches students how to grow organic produce, and sells the food they grow to the school. Employees of the land lab gave guided tours of the 15 acre organic farm, and showed people the projects they have been working on….

Three Injured in Minneapolis Shooting

Police Say They Havne't Arrested a Suspect

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Police say that three men were hospitalized after an early morning shooting in Minneapolis. Authorities say that police responded to the shooting shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday. Officers found three adult men suffering from gunshot wounds when they arrived. The victims were transported by ambulance to Hennepin County Medical Center. Police say two victims are being treated for…

Man who Drove into Crowd in Custody

Witnesses Say He Drove into Group Protesting Rally

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP)  A state official said the driver of a car that plowed into a group of marchers in Charlottesville is in police custody. Virginia Secretary of Public Safety Brian Moran said the driver, a man, has been arrested. Moran did not immediately provide a name of the driver. Witnesses say a car plowed into a crowd of people…

Heavy Rains Damage Mount Vernon

George Washington's Estate Hit by More than 5 1/2 Inches of Rain in an Hour Friday

MOUNT VERNON, Va. (AP) Heavy rains have caused major damage at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in northern Virginia. Mount Vernon CEO Curt Viebranz said about 100 feet of a brick wall located between Washington’s iconic mansion and the Potomac River fell over after the estate was hit by more than 5 1/2 inches of rain in a single hour…

Milwaukee Police Investigating Fatal Stabbing

Police Say Suspect Has Been Arrested

MILWAUKEE (AP) Milwaukee police are investigating the fatal stabbing of a 24-year-old woman. The department says the woman was stabbed on the 1500 block of South 25th Street. Police say a 27-year-old male suspect has been arrested. Authorities say the circumstances of the stabbing are under investigation. Authorities say officials attempted to stabilize the woman, but she died at the…

Children Enjoy St. Louis County Fair

There Were Animals, Games, and Rides for Families to Enjoy

Drew and Bryce Aune smiled as they reached out to pet a donkey inside a barn at the St. Louis County fair. It was children’s day at the county fair, that has been going on for 133 years. “There’s rides and animals that we get to see and pet,” said Drew. The boys were there with their mom Nikki Aune…

Crews Gear Up for the Kraus-Anderson Bike Duluth Festival

Races kick off on Saturday

DULUTH, Minn. Crews are getting ready for the annual Kraus–Anderson Bike Duluth Festival at Spirit Mountain. Hundreds of bike enthusiasts will be out on the trails at Spirit Mountain on Saturday and Sunday. The festival includes races, vendors, and tech demos. All to celebrate Duluth’s thriving bike community. “Duluth already has a gold status, in terms of the mountain biking…

Blue Skies Clear the Way for Start of Bayfront Blues Festival

The annual festival is one of the largest outdoor music events in the upper Midwest

DULUTH, Minn. – It was nothing but blue skies for the start of the 29TH Annual Bayfront Blues Festival Friday night. The event features more than 30 different blues acts from acoustic to gospel. The festival draws more than 20,000 fans each year who take in live music from two different stages through the weekend. Many people make the trip…

Agencies Work Together to Prepare for Water Rescues on Lake Superior

Thursday’s incident on Park Point also has agencies discussing more joint training

DULUTH, Minn. – Several agencies helped the Saint Louis County Rescue Squad search for the Fuglies. One of those agencies, the Duluth Fire Department, regularly trains for these types of situations. The department also trains with groups like the U.S. Coast Guard and the county rescue squad. Those sessions give each agency a sense of who does what well. “It…

Military and Civilian Vehicle Show is Saturday in Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. – If you like cars and learning about big vehicles, we know just where you should go this weekend. The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center is hosting their Annual Military and Civilian Vehicle Show. Older military vehicles will be on display, along with a 30 foot Coast Guard boat and an operations M4 Sherman Tanks. “You’ll be…

Police Raise Money for Special Olympics

Fundraiser Held for Torch Run

SUPERIOR, Wis.-Police in Duluth and Superior staked out the rooftops of area Dunkin’ Donuts today, all for a good cause. It’s all part of fundraiser for Minnesota and Wisconsin’s Special Olympic torch run they have every year. That connection with those athletes, has become very deep over the years. “It’s a great experience to work with the athletes and support…

UMD Unveils Antique Computer

Only Five Remaining in World

DULUTH, Minn.- The University of Minnesota Duluth’s Computer Science Department unveiled an antique of sorts today. The department painstakingly restored a nearly 50-year-old computer called the P-D-P 12 which a retiring professor owned. This is all part of project by a students who have been researching and restoring the machine which is quite rare. Computer Science Professor Peter Peterson said…

Food Truck Fridays Brings Communities Together

Food trucks are at the Duluth Public Library every Friday until the end of August.

DULUTH, Minn. – Folks enjoyed food and music down at the Duluth Public Library on Friday. Every Friday during the summer months, the library hosts Food Truck Friday, which brings local food trucks, local musicians, and local people all together in one place. “The whole reason behind a public library is to be open to everyone in the community,” library…

Pipe Organists Make a Stop Through Duluth

It's part of the Organ Historical Society Convention

DULUTH, Minn. – Organ recitals were happening all across Duluth on Friday. It’s the 62 annual Organ Historical Society in the Twin Cities, but a few organists also made a stop through Duluth. Pipe organ enthusiast from around the world have come to celebrate the massive instruments, and hear what these talented musicians are capable of. “You feel so powerful,…

Salmonella Linked to Shelled Peas at 3 Wisconsin Markets

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin health officials are investigating an outbreak of salmonella linked to shelled peas sold at farmers’ markets. The state Department of Health Services said Friday at least seven cases of salmonella are reported in four Wisconsin counties. Officials say all seven of the patients ate fresh shelled peas purchased at farmers markets. The shelled peas are…

House Conservatives Seeking Fresh Health Care Repeal Vote

WASHINGTON (AP) – Hard-line conservatives began an uphill fight Friday to force a fresh House vote this fall on erasing much of President Barack Obama’s health care law without an immediate replacement, the latest instance of Republican rifts in what’s been a fractious week for the GOP. The effort by the House Freedom Caucus seemed to have no chance of…

Juvenile Male Shot in Lincoln Park Neighborhood

DULUTH, Minn. – Just after 11 p.m. Thursday, officers responded to a call of gunshots in the area of 23rd Avenue West and 3rd Street, according to the Duluth Police Department. Authorities were notified after arriving on scene by a local hospital they had a gunshot victim in the emergency room. A juvenile male was treated and released. The Duluth…

Mall of America Celebrates 25th Anniversary

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The biggest mall in the United States is celebrating its 25th anniversary with cupcakes and party hats. The Star Tribune reports that the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, will attempt to set the Guinness World Record, on Friday, for the most people wearing conical birthday hats and the most people simultaneously decorating cupcakes in celebration. The…

35 Men Arrested in Brown County Human Trafficking Sting

GABRIELLE MAYS | FOX 11 NEWS

BROWN COUNTY, Wis. (WLUK) – Thirty-five men were arrested throughout Brown County during a national sex trafficking operation. Authorities throughout Brown County, including Green Bay, De Pere, and Ashwaubenon, arrested the men over a four-day period, July 17-20. The National Johns Suppression Initiative happened June 28 through July 31, involving 37 law enforcement agencies across 17 states. On Thursday, the…

State Shows Off Capitol’s $310M Face Lift with Weekend Bash

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – It’s time to party: The Minnesota Capitol is back open. The Capitol has technically been open since January after a massive renovation to the century-old building kept it closed to the public for several years. But construction crews were putting the finishing touches on the building and its grounds until late last month. The formal…

Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Projected to Continue Leading US

(Ocean Spray) WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin cranberry growers are expected to continue leading the nation in cranberry production this fall. Projections released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday say Wisconsin is expected to harvest an estimated 5.6 million barrels of cranberries. That project is part of the approximately 9 million barrels of cranberries expected nationwide. The…

Judge Awards Mother of Philando Castile Entire Settlement

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A judge has ordered that the mother of Philando Castile, a motorist fatally shot by a Minnesota police officer last summer, receive what remains of a $3 million settlement after attorneys are paid. Hennepin County Judge Susan Robiner decided in favor of Valerie Castile on Wednesday. The Star Tribune reports the judge ruled after reviewing letters from…

Update: Father, Daughter Pulled From Water Off Park Point Deceased

Victims Were Under Water For At Least One Hour

DULUTH, Minn. – After a vigorous fight against fierce waves off Park Point for Duluth firefighter and rescue crews, a young daughter, 10, and her father, 38, who were pulled from the water Thursday evening are deceased, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office. The call for help came in around 4:30 p.m. just out from the Park Point Beach…