Political

Vigil Held In Cloquet For Passing Of Charlie Kirk

CLOQUET, Minn. — People from around the northland gathered in Cloquet tonight to mourn the death of Charlie Kirk… The vigil, hosted at Veteran’s Park in Cloquet, saw dozens of people come together to honor the life and legacy of the political commentator. At the vigil, folks were encouraged to step forward to speak about their personal experiences surrounding Kirk…

Wife of alleged Melissa Hortman assassin files for divorce

Courtesy: Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office DULUTH, Min. & GAYLORD, Min. – The wife of Vance Bolter has filed for divorce from him. Paperwork filed in Sibley County on September 2, 2025 shows Jenny Boelter is starting the divorce process. Vance Boelter, 58, of Green Isle, Minnesota, was indicted in Federal Court on July 15 on six counts of murder, stalking…

Minnesota DFL name new House Leader

  ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota House DFL has announced a new House Leader following the June assassination of former Speaker Melissa Hortman. Representative Zack Stephenson of  Coon Rapids has been elected for the position. SEE PREVIOUS: Accused assassin of Melissa Hortman and her husband pleas not guilty. “Representative Stephenson will provide steady leadership for our caucus as House…

Duluth City Council Approves Transportation Commission

DULUTH, Minn. — After much waiting, the Duluth City Council has officially established its 34th commission. The Council voted unanimously on Sep. 8. to establish the Duluth Transportation Commission. The ordinance for the commission was first read back on Jun. 16, before being tabled until September. Members off the commission will be appointed by the mayor with approval from the…

UMD Releases Statement Amid Possible Strike By Teamsters 320

DULUTH, Minn. – UMD responded Sunday evening to a possible strike by its service workers with Teamsters Local 320, which involves those in custodial, maintenance and food service. This update comes after the union voted down the university’s “last, best and final offer” on Friday. “While we respect our employees’ rights to collective bargaining, our priority remains ensuring that vital…

MN Republicans Release School Safety Agenda

Representative Cal Warwas ST. PAUL, Minn. — House Republicans released their proposed school safety agenda yesterday. The proposal outlines how they plan to protect students in the classroom. They intend to get more school resource officers in school and look at security systems in place and upgrading them as needed through the SHIELD Act. “When you have security at schools,…

Minnesota State Auditor announces she is not running for re-election

State Auditor Julie Blaha SAINT PAUL, Minn. — State Auditor Julie Blaha has announced she will not seek re-election. In her announcement news release she said, “I’ve had the honor of serving as Minnesota’s State Auditor. My goals were to rebuild an office that was under attack and protect Minnesotans’ rights to make decisions in their local communities. I am proud to…

Source: Duluth Mayor To Propose Inflation-Only Property Tax Levy Increase

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert will be proposing a property tax levy increase of 4.1% for the city’s portion of the 2026 levy, a credible source inside city hall told FOX 21 Wednesday. But because there’s been new growth within the city, the 4.1% would actually end up being an inflation-only increase of 2.7% to property owners, according…

St. Louis County Board Backs 12.4% Maximum Property Tax Levy Increase For 2026

St. Louis County DULUTH, Minn. — The St. Louis County Board has approved a 12.4 percent maximum property tax levy for 2026.  A final vote will happen at the next board meeting Sept. 9 before a state-required deadline of the end of the month.  The full budget will be voted on by the  middle of December.   Below is the full…

Gov. Walz To Call Special Session On Gun Laws After Minneapolis School Shooting

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz plans to call a special legislative session to consider tougher gun laws following a shooting last week at a Catholic school in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 21 people injured. The Democrat told reporters Tuesday, after welcoming children back to a public school in the Minneapolis suburb of Eagan, that he’ll…

Governor Tim Walz Addresses Labor Day at Bayfront Picnic

DULUTH, Minn.– Duluthians and politicians gathered Monday at Bayfront Festival Park to represent all things labor and union. Hotdogs, sides and fixings were dished out by volunteers and several union reps. Numerous musical groups accompanied the event, while everyone shared a meal. The crowd got to hear from several speakers, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Gov. Tim Walz. Both of…

A conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice won’t run again, creating an open seat

Justice Rebecca Bradley MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A conservative justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court said Friday that she will not seek reelection, creating an open race for a seat on the court that’s controlled 4-3 by liberals. ’s decision not to run for a second full term comes after conservative candidates for the highest court in the battleground state…

Minnesota Nurses Association agrees to terms with Essentia for nurses at downtown Duluth clinics and Superior

DULUTH, Min. – Nurses with the  The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) at Essentia Health’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Street Clinic locations in Duluth, as well as Essentia Health St. Mary’s Superior Clinic, voted to ratify tentative agreements on their first contracts. The union says the vote was cast by more than 200 nurses on Thursday, August 28, 2025. The agreements…

President Trump revokes Secret Service protection for former Vice President Harris after Biden had extended it

Kamala Harris Vice Presidential Portrait WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has revoked Secret Service protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris, a senior White House official said on Friday. Former vice presidents typically get federal government protection for six months after leaving office, while ex-presidents do so for life. But then-President Joe Biden quietly signed a directive that had…

Latest: Minneapolis Catholic School Shooting Kills 2 Kids, Injures 17 Others

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A shooter opened fire with a rifle Wednesday through the windows of a Catholic church in Minneapolis and struck some of the nearly 200 children celebrating Mass during the first week of school, killing two and wounding 17 people in an act of violence the police chief called “absolutely incomprehensible.” Armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol,…

Millions in loans and grants for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects across the Northland

ST. PAUL, Min. –The Minnesota Public Facility Authority (MPFA) announced more than $236.4 million in loans and grants for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure. The announcement made on August 26, 2025 is to hep cities replace aging infrastructure and make system improvements to protect public health and improve water quality. “The MPFA provides crucial financing and technical assistance to communities who might…

Essentia Health & MNA reach tentative agreements for clinic nurses in Duluth and Superior

DULUTH, Min. – Essentia Health has announced they have reached a tentative agreement with Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) nurses at he Essentia Health-Duluth Clinic 1st, 2nd and 3rd street buildings and Essentia Health St. Mary’s Superior Clinic. The nurses are first contracts covering ambulatory care nurses. The tentative agreements will last through March 31, 2027. Upon making the announcement Essentia…

Canada dropping retaliatory tariffs against US

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney TORONTO (AP) — Canada is dropping retaliatory tariffs to match U.S. tariff exemptions for goods covered under the United States-Mexico-Canada trade pact, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday. Carney said Canada will include the carve-out that the U.S. has on Canadian goods under the 2020 free trade deal that shields the vast majority of goods…

Lakeland PBS, Only TV Station In North-Central MN, Facing $1M In Federal Cuts

With upcoming cuts to PBS, there could be big changes how our neighbors to the west are getting their news and information. Lakeland PBS is the only television station directly serving north-central Minnesota in the Bemidji and Brainerd-area. They expect to lose more than $1 million due to federal cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. “Our signature service is…

MN Attorney General Ellison Sues TikTok Over Predatory Features

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is suing TikTok for preying on young people with addictive algorithms and exploitative features. The lawsuit, filed August 19th, claims that TikTok has violated Minnesota Consumer Protection laws. It further explains how TikTok gets time, data, and money out of users by using predatory features like analyzing user data to serve…

Roof Nears Competition Over Leif Erickson Viking Ship In Knife River

Courtesy: Neill Atkins KNIFE RIVER, Minn. — A protective roof — 40 years in the making — is almost complete over the Leif Erickson replica Viking Ship in Knife River. Courtesy: Neill Atkins Organizer Neill Atkins took a few snapshots of the new structure. The Save Our Ship non-profit is behind the project.  They’ve raising a few hundred thousand dollars…

August 12th Primary Election Results

DULUTH, Minn. & TWO HARBORS, Minn. — August 13ths primaries narrowed the pools of candidates for seats on City Councils and School boards. For the Duluth Council Member At Large (Elect 2): Terese Tomanek had the most votes at 3,192 (34.25%) Jordon Johnson came next with 2,468 (26.48%) Derek Medved fell a fairly close third with 2,129 (22.84%) Asher Estrin-Haire…

Accused assassin of Melissa Hortman and her husband pleas not guilty

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The man charged with killing the top Democrat in the Minnesota House and her husband, and wounding a state senator and his wife, pleaded not guilty Thursday in federal court. Melissa Hortman Vance Boelter, 58, of Green Isle, Minnesota, was indicted July 15 on six counts of murder, stalking and firearms violations. The murder charges could carry…

Police Investigator suing City of Superior has also filed union grievance

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Investigator suing the Superior Police Department in Federal Court, Mikayla LeRette, has also filed a union grievance. It was filed by Wisconsin Professional Police Association (WPPA) Local #27 Grievance and Discipline Committee. The filing was submitted on June 30, 2025. That was about five months after her federal lawsuit was filed. The grievance was submitted to Chief…

Carl Crawford Appointed to Governers Council on MLK Jr. Holiday

Carl Crawford DULUTH, Minn. — A former Human Rights Officer for Duluth has been appointed to the Governor’s Council on the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. Governer Walz appointed Carl Crawford on Aug. 1st. Crawford currently serves as the Senior Accessibility & Engagement Coordinator for St. Louis County. The Council on the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday helps plan celebrations…

From DWI to Service Dogs: New laws go into effect in Minnesota

Great Seal Of The State Of Minnesota DULUTH, Minn. – Many new laws are going into effect in Minnesota on August 1, 2025. Housing protections for service dog trainers: Minnesotans who train service dogs will now receive the same housing rights as people who rely on trained service animals. This means homeowners associations and landlords are not allowed to deny…

Duluth Judge Eric L. Hylden to retire

Honorable Eric L. Hylden DULUTH, Min. – Governor Tim Walz has announced the retirement of the Honorable Eric L. Hylden. He’s a judge in the Sixth Judicial District seated in Duluth. Governor Walz is now asking for application for the vacancy. A news release from the Governor’s Office says applications for the position are due by 4:00 pm on August…

New Housing Data Shows Duluth Has Much More Work To Do

DULUTH, Minn.- If you’re having trouble finding somewhere to live in Duluth, you’re not alone. And a recent study confirms the problem. The local vacancy rate for rentals is only at 1.8 percent, and only around 58 percent of people living in Duluth actually own the roof over their head, according to Maxfield Research and Consulting, who was hired by the…

City Charter Commission Recommends Duluth Council Pay Increase

DULUTH, Minn. — A pay increase is being recommended for Duluth city councilors, which would be the first increase since 2018. The City Charter Commission is proposing councilors be paid $1,425 a month, up from $1,150 per month, bringing a councilor’s annual pay to $17,100. For all nine councilors, the increase would add up to $29,700 out of the $108…

Man With Mental Health Issues Found Naked in MN Capitol, Raising New Security Cncerns

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A naked man with apparent mental health issues was found in the Minnesota State Capitol late at night, officials said Saturday, raising questions about security after the top Democrat in the state House was killed in what authorities have called a political assassination. The discovery just six weeks after the fatal shooting of Democratic former House Speaker…

Gov. Evers Grants 204 Pardons, for a total of more than 1,600 Pardons as Governer

WISCONSIN — Governer Evers granted 204 pardons today, July 25th, bringing his total pardons during his tenure to 1,640. The pardons are described as an act of forgiveness. Individuals pardoned have completed their sentence at least five years ago and have no pending criminal charges. Most of those pardoned did the crime in their late teens and 20s, and these…

Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin Addresses Retirement in ‘Love Letter’ Video

DULUTH, Minn.–Earlier today, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced that he will not be running for a third time for his seat as Governor. With this announcement, Evers released what he called his ‘love letter’ to Wisconsin, to reminisce on his time as Governor. “I cherish every moment, every tour, every visit high five, question and selfie. It’s the honor of…

Governor Tony Evers announces he will not run for re-election

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s Democratic governor, Tony Evers, announced Thursday that he will not seek a third term in 2026, creating the first open race for governor in the battleground state in 16 years. It will be Wisconsin’s highest profile race next year, as Democrats also angle to take control of the Legislature thanks to redrawn election maps that…

Governor Walz: Canadians should visit Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Min. – Governor Tim Walz is asking Canadians to visit Minnesota. In a news release he said, “We value that connection and the many ways our cultures overlap — from hockey to fishing, and from buffalo plaid to a bold winter spirit. We want our Canadian neighbors know they’re not just welcome here — they’re encouraged to visit…

Duluth Schools Asst. Supt. Arrested For DWI

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth Public Schools on Tuesday said its assistant superintendent, Anthony Bonds, was arrested overnight for drunken driving. In a statement, a district spokesperson said this is a first-time DWI offense for Bonds. Bonds started with ISD-709 in 2020. The district said it is “committed to transparency that is consistent with the law to ensure the community is…

Grant money for shipyards heading to Twin Ports

WASHINGTON, D.C. & SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Maritime Administration (MARAD) has awarded more than $800,000 in a grant to help the Superior Shipyards. A grant of $817,146.23 will go to Fraser Shipyards, LLC of Superior to help purchase a Link Belt 130-ton Telescopic Boom Rough Terrain Crane. MARAD is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Link Belt 130-ton Telescopic…

State Senator convicted of two felonies plans to resign

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A Minnesota state senator convicted of burglary for breaking into her estranged stepmother’s house plans to resign by early August, her lawyer said Monday. Democratic state Sen. Nicole Mitchell has faced calls from fellow Minnesota lawmakers for her immediate resignation since her conviction on Friday. The jury deliberated for three hours before finding her guilty…

MN Among 3 Democrat-led States To Roll Back Medicaid Access For People Lacking Permanent Legal Status

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — For nearly 20 years, Maria would call her sister — a nurse in Mexico — for advice on how to manage her asthma and control her husband’s diabetes instead of going to the doctor in California. She didn’t have legal status, so she couldn’t get health insurance and skipped routine exams, relying instead on home remedies…

Minnesota State Senator guilty of first-degree burglary

Nicole Mitchell BECKER COUNTY, Minn.  (AP) –  A Minnesota state senator has been convicted of burglary for breaking into her estranged stepmother’s home. The jury on Friday found Nicole Mitchell guilty of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools. Bodycam video shows the 51-year-old Democrat telling police when they arrested her in April 2024, “Clearly, I’m not good at this.”…

MNA Accuses Essentia of ‘Intimidation’ and ‘Retaliation’ Amid Strike

DULUTH, Minn. — The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) blasted Essentia Health Wednesday by saying the healthcare provider is intimidating and retaliating against some of the union’s Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) who have chosen to leave the group’s strike and go back to work. The strong words from the MNA came after Essentia Health sent out the following release to the…

Senator Tina Smith hospitalized

Senator Tina Smith WASHINGTON, D.C. & DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota Senator Tina Smith is in the hospital. Senator Smith’s staff posted on her X account, “While at work at the Capitol today, Sen. Smith started to not feel well. She went to the Capitol physician who recommended she undergo more thorough examination at GW hospital. Out of an abundance of…

ALLETE sale now just one step away

  DULUTH, Minn. – In May of 2024 ALLETE, the company that runs Minnesota Power and Superior Water, Light and Power of Wisconsin along with other energy related companies announced it reached an agreement to be acquired. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) offered to pay $6.2 billion for the company. But before the deal…

Rice Lake expected to name Acting Mayor

UPDATE: The City of Rice Lake says in a news release they still consider Suzanne Herstad to be Mayor until her resignation letter is presented at their Monday, July 14 city council meeting.  The news release says if the letter is accepted which it “most likely” will be, then Jayme Heim would officially become Acting Mayor. Heim was selected to…

MNA Labor Relations Field Manager to run for Congress

DULUTH, Minn. – Chad McKenna has announced he will be running for Congress. Chad McKenna McKenna says he’ll be running for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District – the seat currently held by Pete Stauber. In a news release McKenna said. “I’m running for Congress because Pete Stauber has stopped working for us – his constituents… He seems more focused on appeasing…

Rice Lake Mayor Suzanne Herstad Resigns

  RICE LAKE, Minn. – Rice Lake Mayor Suzanne Herstad has resigned. In a news release, Mayor Herstad’s resignation letter was quoted saying, “Serving this remarkable community has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together during my time in office, and I leave hopeful in a future of…