Weekend Spotlight: June 2-4
Categories: News, News – Latest News, Weekend Spotlight
News
Experts Talk Rip Currents, Rescue Stations On Park Point
DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth firefighters were out on Park Point Thursday installing “rescue stations” and reminding the public about the dangers of rip currents. The beaches on Park Point are known for having rip currents, so during months between June and October — when more people visit the beaches — flags are placed at the entry way to give people a…
Joseph Addy, Strength in Community Scholarship Winner
Meet Joseph Addy, one of 12 winners of the FOX 21 Strength in the Community Scholarship. The Strength in the Community Scholarship was created to help students reach their goals to pursue higher education in a time of rising tuition costs. Twelve finalists will receive $1,000, but one will trade in their $1,000 for a $10,000 check. Joseph is an…
Jack Link’s Crew Excited for “Hometown” Show
The Screamin' Sasquatch Performs at Shows Across the Country
DULUTH, Minn. – To John Klatt, Summer is air show season. But this week, this pilot is on cloud nine. “I feel like I’m home when I come back to Duluth,” Klatt said. Klatt flew F–16’s for the 148th Fighter Wing out of Duluth for 14 years. Now he flies the Jack Link’s Screamin’ Sasquatch, a one of a kind…
Superior Band Teacher Passes Baton
40 Years In The Books
Superior, Wis. Tonight in students at Superior High School honored their orchestra teacher. Jean Leibfried is retiring after 26 years with the Superior School District. Jean’s former students took the opportunity to surprise her for her final concert and celebrate with her as she journeys into retirement. “It’s been the most fun job ever because I get to have the…
Lowell Elementary School Works With Nature
School Receives Award For Nature Play
Duluth, Minn. Lowell Elementary students joined by their parents enjoyed a picnic this afternoon at the schools nature play scape. Lowell elementary school received an award today for the many ways they encompass nature in their curriculum. The nature play achievement award was presented to the school today for the commitment to connecting students with learning and play opportunities in…
Duluth Playhouse Children’s Theatre Director Steps Down After 10 Years
Reception Held to Wish Kate Horvath Well and Say Goodbye
DULUTH, Minn. – A familiar face is leaving the Duluth Playhouse after 10 years. Kate Horvath has led the Children’s Theatre and  Education Program at the Playhouse for the last decade and is leaving to explore another career opportunity. Tonight, the Playhouse held a reception for Horvath’s current and former students to send her their best wishes. “Kate is an…
Rescue Crews Locate Missing Canoers in BWCA
UPDATE: Rescue crews have located the missing individuals in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Around 1 a.m. Friday, a fixed wing aircraft of the Minnesota State Patrol was searching near Oyster Lake, and spotted the lost party when they used a flashlight from the ground to signal the plane. The party was retrieved by an Air Guard helicopter out…
Project in Duluth is Preserving Area Veteran Stories
A Training for Volunteers Was Held Thursday
DULUTH, Minn.- Veterans Memorial Hall, a Duluth Historical Society program,  is putting together a project to preserve stories about Veterans. Volunteers were trained today to conduct one on one interviews with veterans in the area, for the Memorial Hall’s Oral History Program. Once the interviews are done, they will be transcribed and stored at the Albert J Amatuzio Research Center…
Visit Duluth Moves to New Office
The Company Hopes to Open on Friday, or Early Next Week
DULUTH, Minn.- Visit Duluth is officially moved into their new office. Visit Duluth used to be in a building owned by Minnesota Power, but after Minnesota Power announced they were expanding their clean energy department, Visit Duluth decided to move buildings. It’s taken a few months for Visit Duluth find a space and make the move, but now they are…
Walgreens Installs New Safes to Prevent Drug Robberies
The Time Delay Safes Stop People From Getting Access to Drugs Immediately
DULUTH, Minn. Prescription drug abuse is a big problem across the Nation, but now, Walgreens in Minnesota are using time delay safes to prevent selected Narcotics from being stolen. The rates of robberies that happen in Pharmacies have gone up, since the Nation started facing an opioid epidemic. To combat this, Walgreens in Minnesota now put certain drugs in a…
Blue Angels Arrive in Duluth
Navy Demonstration Squadron to Appear at Duluth Air and Aviation Expo
DULUTH, Minn. – If you heard loud noises coming from the sky Thursday afternoon, it was likely the Blue Angels. The U.S. Navy’s demonstration squadron arrived for this year’s Duluth Air and Aviation Expo. The Blue Angels started in the 1940’s and appear at air shows across the country from March to November. Pilots and flight crews rotate regularly, but…
Downtown Engwalls Location Closes Its Doors
Florist Still Open in Hermantown and Superior
DULUTH, Minn. – Downtown Duluth shoppers may have noticed the Engwall’s Flowers on Superior Street is closed. The downtown shop actually closed last week, but both the Superior and Hermantown locations are still open. Engwall’s owner says closing downtown doesn’t mean his business is struggling. “It’s just an acknowledgment of how things are changing in the marketplace, especially I think…
School Board Approves Funding for Repairs
District will Borrow $4.3 Million Through Bonds
DULUTH, Minn. – At Tuesday’s meeting, the Duluth School Board approved a new long term maintenance plan. Two projects were added; repairs at Rockridge Elementary to prepare for Woodland Hills moving in, and replacing rubber mulch on school playgrounds. To pay for the projects, the district needs to borrow $4.3 million through bonds to be paid back in five years. …
Duluth’s Affordable Housing Market Addressed
Housing for All Summit Brought Community Leaders Together
DULUTH, Minn. – Elected officials, landlords and community groups discussed issues regarding the city’s affordable housing market at the 5th annual Housing for All Summit. Organizers call the summit a grassroots effort to bring people together to work on housing issues in Duluth. Topics on Wednesday’s agenda included landlord incentive programs, the affordable housing trust fund, and the quality of…
Walker Signals Opposition to Carrying Weapons without Permit
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Governor Scott Walker is signaling his opposition to a bill that would allow Wisconsin residents to carry concealed handguns without obtaining a permit or going through training. Walker told reporters Thursday that he was “comfortable” with the current law requiring people who want to carry a concealed weapon to get training and obtain a license. A…
Packers Release Punter Jacob Schum
PackersGREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – The Green Bay Packers have released Jacob Schum, leaving Justin Vogel as the only punter on the roster. Vogel was undrafted out of Miami this spring and signed with the Packers as a free agent. Schum didn’t participate in the Packers’ first open OTAs on May 23 because of a back injury. The Packers replaced…
Trump Says U.S. will Abandon Global Climate Accord
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday he was withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, striking a major blow to worldwide efforts to combat climate change and distancing the country from many allies abroad. He said the U.S. would try to negotiate re-entry on better terms. “As of today, the United States will cease all implementation of…
Paid Parental Leave May Survive Bill Veto in Minnesota
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Thousands of state employees may still get access to paid parental leave for the next year even though Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed a bill containing the policy. Minnesota Public Radio reports that state officials plan to continue offering the policy, arguing that Dayton’s veto doesn’t matter and that the Legislature’s approval was enough. Dayton had…
Registration Not Needed for ATV Riders this Weekend
"No Registration Weekend" June 2-4
DULUTH, Minn. – This weekend is the perfect time for ATV riders to spend some time outdoors. That’s because June 2-4 is “No Registration Weekend.” Meaning, Minnesota is providing ATV riders with free access to more than 3,000 miles of state forest and grant-in-aid trails. This is for Minnesotan an all-terrain vehicle registered for private or agricultural use and out-of-state…
Baking a Roasted Pear with Salted Caramel Sauce
Cooking Connection: A.G. Thomson House
DULUTH, Minn. – For this week’s Cooking Connection we cooked with the A.G. Thomson House. The A.G. Thomson House was built in 1909 in Duluth and now serves as a Bed and Breakfast. Tim and Angie Allen own the establishment and do all the cooking for guests. For this week’s Cooking Connection we made a Roasted Pear with a Salted Caramel Sauce….
Over 95,000 Lbs. of Food Collected in Stamp Out Hunger Drive
DULUTH, Minn. – Local results for the nation’s largest single-day food drive, the National Association Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, were released today. Local letter carriers along with community volunteers collected 95,627 pounds of food donations throughout the Twin Ports on May 13 for area food shelves. Area food shelves will begin to receive the food over a…
Duluth Air Show Spreads Aviation Education to Local Students
Air Show Takes Off Saturday
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Air and Aviation Expo, Presented by St. Luke’s is just days away and several pilots and planes are already in town. The Co-Education Directors, Tara Anderson and Amy Hallback, visited FOX 21 to talk about the education aspect of the show. The air show offered free tickets to this year’s airshow to every elementary school…
1 Dead, 2 Workers Missing after Explosion at Wisconsin Mill
(Jeff Lange via AP) CAMBRIA, Wis. (AP) – Recovery crews searched a mountain of debris for two workers on Thursday following an explosion at a corn mill plant that killed at least one employee, injured about a dozen others and leveled parts of the sprawling facility in southern Wisconsin, authorities said. Sixteen employees were working when the blast was reported…
Son of Hennepin County Sheriff Charged with Child Sex Crimes
MANKATO, Minn. (AP) – The son of a Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek has been charged with trying to solicit a 13-year-old for sex and possessing child pornography. Twenty-four-year-old Ryan James Stanek, of Maple Grove, was charged with four felonies Wednesday in Blue Earth County. Ryan Stanek was arrested May 19. His father announced the next day he would not…
Car Crashes into Townhome Causing Gas Leak in Hermantown
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Just before 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Hermantown Police and Hermantown Volunteer Fire Departments responded to a report of a gas leak in the Deer Field Townhome complex. Officers arrived and discovered an SUV struck a parked vehicle and then drove into a townhome. The SUV broke a gas line to the townhome causing a leak and evacuation…
Wrenshall Kidnapping, Assault Suspect Captured In Washington State
A Wrenshall kidnapping and assault suspect on the run from authorities has been captured in Vancouver. Washington. Scott Lindgren, 21, has been wanted for “felony threats of violence” and “aggravated tampering with a witness.” This is the same suspect accused of and facing current charges of tying a young boy to a chair, stomping on his head and carving the…
Crabby Ol’ Bill’s Opens Friday With New Owners
DULUTH, Minn. – The iconic Crabby Ol’ Bill’s eatery in Canal Park is possibly a little less crabby right now because it’s opening Friday and under new ownership. The popular hot spot has gotten rotted wood fixed up, along with fresh paint and a deep cleaning inside where all those famous mini donuts are made. “Our company, Titanium Partners, is…
Only 2 Apply For Open Superior City Council Seat
Seat Was Graham Garfield's Who Resigned
SUPERIOR, Wis. – The application deadline is over in Superior, and two candidates are officially in the running to be appointed to the former council seat of Graham Garfield who resigned. Tylor Elm handed in 232 signatures of support with his application. Elm lost to Garfield in a recent election by one vote. The other candidate is Kara Schmidt who…
Strength in the Community Scholarship Winner, Emily Jacobsen
Meet Emily Jacobsen, one of 12 winners of the FOX 21 Strength in the Community Scholarship. The Strength in the Community Scholarship was created to help students reach their goals to pursue higher education in a time of rising tuition costs. Twelve finalists will receive $1,000, but one will trade in their $1,000 for a $10,000 check. Emily is a…
Volunteers Take On ‘Chore Day’ In Two Harbors
Community Members Help Elderly Citizens Among Others
TWO HARBORS, Minn. – Up the shore in Two Harbors, Head of the Lakes United Way partnered with Community Partners and Lake View Hospital for a day of helping. Volunteers went throughout the city to assist older citizens with various chores, like moving brush, as well as window washing. “This is a town that’s given a lot back to me,”…
Community Bids Farewell To Cloquet Middle School Building
CLOQUET, Minn. – Students and alumni gathered at the Cloquet Middle School to say goodbye to the school as they know it. Â The middle school held a closing ceremony today to honor the building that hosted many young students over the last one hundred years. “My generation of course, my parents, my grand parents, this building has been here in…
Duluth-Superior Film Festival Kicks Off
All Movies Can Be Seen For Free
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth–Superior Film Festival kicked off the first of five days of film, music and arts Wednesday. Wednesday night’s film was shown at Clyde Iron Works called Rumble, which is a documentary about the role of Native Americans in popular music history. The festival concentrates on movies shot and produced right here in our region. Many of…
Duluth Citizens Express Concerns Over LED Lights
Public Meeting Held Tonight Could Bring Better Light To The Situation
Discussion over the use of LED lights in the city of Duluth has been going on for months now. Tonight another public meeting was held to address outdoor lighting. The City of Duluth has already converted a majority of the cities street lights to a blueish colored LED. Because so many have had concerns over the brightness, city staff was…
Dayton Vetoes Legislative Funding, Republicans Prepare for Legal Fight
House republicans are calling the governor's move unconstitutional and are threatening to sue
DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota governor Mark Dayton signed the state’s budget and bonding bills Tuesday to avoid a state government shutdown, but now, he’s taking some serious heat after deciding to veto funding to the house and senate as a way to get lawmakers to fix some key issues included in the bills. House republicans are calling this move unconstitutional…
Canadian Sky Divers Inspire Children at Area Schools
DULUTH, Minn. — Their uniforms are bright and colorful, but their skills are breathtaking. Members of the SkyHawks, the Canadian military’s parachute team, paid a visit to a few Duluth schools earlier today. We caught up with them at the Edison North Star Academy this morning, as a group of high-flying stuntmen teach the kids about their jobs and their…
Mysterious Mural Found in Historic Duluth Theatre
DULUTH, Minn. — As construction continues on Duluth’s historic NorShor Theatre, a mysterious work of art has been found. The nearly ten-foot-tall mural was found in the theatre’s attic, which is a space that used to be the balcony of the old Orpheum Theatre back in the early 1900s. Christine Gradl Seitz, Duluth Playhouse’s Artistic Director, says she hopes to…
Workshop Continues Work “Toward Zero Deaths”
State Agencies Want to Eliminate Crash Fatalities
DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota’s Departments of Public Safety, Health and Transportation are working toward zero deaths on state highways. On Wednesday, officials from eight counties met at Northland Country Club to examine crash trends and come up with ways to reduce traffic deaths. Wednesday’s workshop came after a number of fatal and injury crashes in recent weeks. Organizers say Summer…
New Program Aimed at Helping Homeless
St. Louis Co. Residents Can Get Help by Texting "Homeless" to 85511
DULUTH, Minn. – Starting June 1st, St. Louis County residents who are homeless or about to become homeless will have a new resource through the United Way’s 211 program. By texting ‘homeless’ to 85511, people can start the pre–screen process 24 hours a day. Officials say the text hotline will serve people who might not get the help they need…
Ex-Bemidji Principal Charged with Child Porn
BEMIDJI, Minn. (KMSP) – A former assistant principal at Bemidji Middle School has been federally charged with producing and distributing child pornography and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. On Wednesday, 34-year-old Brandon Mark Bjerknes had his first appearance in U.S. District Court in St. Paul. According to a personnel data request with the school district, Bjerknes worked for…
DNR Commissioner Says Minnesotans Spoke Up for the Outdoors
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) – The Department of Natural Resources got most of the money it requested from the Legislature, and its head credits an outcry by Minnesotans who hunt, fish, use state parks, and ride snowmobiles and ATVs. Commissioner Tom Landwehr tells The Associated Press the user fee increases his agency needed weren’t a foregone conclusion. He says the original…
‘Scaffold’ Installation at Walker Art Center to be Dismantled, Burned at Ft. Snelling
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) – The controversial “Scaffold” installation at the newly renovated Minneapolis Sculpture Garden will be dismantled, taken to Fort Snelling and ceremonially burned, officials at the Walker Art Center announced Wednesday. The sculpture partly depicts the mass-hanging of 38 members of the Dakota tribe in Mankato in 1862. It sparked protests over Memorial Day weekend, causing the Walker Art…
Legislation Being Sought in Wisconsin to Carry Conealed Weapons Without Permits
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A National Rifle Association lobbyist is telling a legislative committee that guns were a great equalizer for “the blacks.” Scott Meyer appeared before the Senate’s judiciary committee during a public hearing on a GOP bill that would allow people to carry concealed weapons without permits or training. The NRA supports the measure. Meyer told the committee…
U.S. Attorney Being Sought in Minnesota
Sen. Klobuchar and Franken Announced the Search Today
MINNEAPOLIS–U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken say they are accepting applications for the top federal prosecutor’s job in Minnesota. The two Democratic senators made the announcement Tuesday. Minnesota’s former U.S. attorney, Andrew Luger, was appointed by President Barack Obama. He was among dozens of federal prosecutors who resigned under the new administration. Klobuchar and Franken recommended Luger for…
Two Non-Profits in Duluth Receive Grants from St. Louis County Family Service Collaborative
DULUTH, Minn. – Two non-profit agencies in Duluth that serve children and families have been chosen to receive significant grants from the South St. Louis County Family Service Collaborative. The YWCA Duluth will receive $225,000 and the Lincoln Park Children and Family Collaborative will receive $25,000. Recipients took part in a comprehensive application process and were chosen based on their…
Wisconsin Supreme Court Upholds Rejection of Fracking Permit
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A divided Wisconsin Supreme Court has upheld a Trempealeau County decision denying a permit to open a new sand mine for use in hydraulic fracking. The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled against Iowa-based AllEnergy Corporation. It had argued that a Trempealeau County environmental and land use committee in 2013 wrongly denied its permit to open the…
Minnesota Measles Outbreak May be Nearing Its End
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota health officials are hoping the state’s measles outbreak is nearing its end as the number of new cases plateau for the last 13 days. The Pioneer Press reports that the Minnesota Department of Health’s daily tally has remained steady at 68 for two weeks. However, health officials are still urging caution and recommending vaccinations. The…
Trail Technology to Take in the Great Outdoors
DULUTH, Minn. – This weekend the country will be celebrating nature as National Trials Day is Saturday, June 3. Rachel Agurkis, a Solutions Specialist for Verizon Wireless, joined the Fox 21 morning crew to go over technology suitable for outdoors. Fitbit Alta: Track your activity and take advantage of automatic recognition and recording of select exercises via the Fitbit app’s…
Google Trends: Most Misspelled Word in Wisconsin is ‘Wisconsin’
People in Wisconsin cannot spell the name of their own state, according to new data released by Google. In honor of the 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee, Google Trends collected data and mapped the top “how to spell” searches in every state across the U.S. America’s most misspelled words – it’s #spellingbee week and we mapped top “how…
Judge Rules in Favor of Homemade Baked Goods Sales
DARLINGTON, Wis. (AP) -A Wisconsin judge has overturned a ban on selling homemade baked goods in the state. Lafayette County Judge Duane Jorgenson ruled Wednesday afternoon in favor of three women who’d challenged a state law they say made it impossible for home bakers to legally sell their treats. Jorgenson said in his oral ruling the ban primarily serves business…
