CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — For months, Dean Phillips has been calling for a Democratic primary challenge to President Joe Biden. He’s drawn no public interest from governors, lawmakers, and other would-be alternatives. The 54-year-old Minnesota congressman is finally entering the race himself, telling a Friday event outside New Hampshire’s statehouse, “I am today announcing my candidacy for the presidency of the…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday spoke out against retaliatory attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. He also said he was redoubling his commitment to working on a two-state solution to end the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict. Biden said the attacks by “extremist settlers”…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Mike Johnson easily secured enough votes to be elected House speaker on Wednesday, as Republicans were eagerly elevating the little-known conservative leader to the seat of U.S. power and ending for now the political chaos in their majority. With voting still underway, Johnson, of Louisiana, was picking up support from most all Republicans anxious to put the past…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three weeks now since the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, House Republicans are meeting privately Tuesday to try nominating a new House speaker to accomplish the seemingly impossible job of uniting a broken, bitter GOP majority and returning to the work of governing in Congress. In early round ballots the senior-most lawmaker, Rep. Tom Emmer, the GOP Whip, jumped out front…
DULUTH, Minn. — Former two-term Duluth Mayor Don Ness publicly endorsed Emily Larson for a third term Monday. Ness posted on social media saying Duluth is lucky to have “two good candidates” to choose from Nov. 7. He called Larson’s opponent, Roger Reinert, a friend but said Larson has a better understanding of the city’s operational realities and knows how…
DULUTH, Minn. — St. Louis County Attorney Kim Maki has named her first-ever Deputy County Attorney to help manage all operations of her office in four locations. Veteran prosecutor Jon Holets has prosecuted high-profile cases for the county, like former Last Place on Earth owner Jim Carlson. Holets will now oversee personnel actions, coordination with law enforcement, the courts, and…
DULUTH, Minn. — Harbor Drive behind the DECC is temporarily closing for the next 12 months. It’s all part of the seawall-waterfront reconstruction project. Crews will work through the winter to build the new seawall. When all is said and done in early 2025, the public space between the wall and the DECC will be transformed into a new plaza…
NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump was fined $5,000 on Friday after a disparaging social media post about a key court staffer in his New York civil fraud case lingered on his campaign website for weeks after the judge ordered it deleted. Judge Arthur Engoron avoided holding Trump in contempt, for now, but reserved the right to do…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Jim Jordan failed badly Friday on a third ballot for the House speaker’s gavel, rejected by even more Republicans from the conservative mainstream who warned the hard-edged ally of Donald Trump that no threats or promises could win their support. The Republicans have no realistic or workable plan to unite the fractured GOP majority, elect a…
One Northland lawmaker held firm in his support of Representative Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House Wednesday, but another moved away from Jordan. Jordan, a Republican lawmaker from Ohio, lost his second vote in his bid to become speaker. On Tuesday, both Minnesota 8th District Congressman Pete Stauber, and Wisconsin 7th District Congressman Tom Tiffany voted for Jordan. Wednesday,…
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — President Joe Biden swept into wartime Israel for a 7 1/2-hour visit Wednesday that produced a heaping dose of support for the Israeli people, a deal to get limited humanitarian aid into Gaza from Egypt and a warning not to allow rage over the deadly Hamas attack to consume them. “I understand. Many Americans understand,” Biden said…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Jim Jordan was again short the votes he needed in a second round of balloting for speaker on Wednesday, failing to convince his Republican detractors to support him to replace the ousted Kevin McCarthy. Jordan lost 20 Republican votes in the first round of balloting Tuesday and lost more on Wednesday. Jim Jordan’s rapid rise has…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans rejected Rep. Jim Jordan for House speaker on a first ballot Tuesday, as an unexpectedly numerous 20 holdouts denied the hard-charging ally of Donald Trump the GOP majority needed to seize the gavel. More voting is expected as Jordan works to shore up support to replace the ousted Kevin McCarthy for the job. The House went into recess as the…
DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth city leaders, the Chamber, project managers and labor representatives were among the many taking the shovel to the dirt Monday for the official start of the seawall-waterfront reconstruction project behind the DECC. Mayor Emily Larson described the area behind the DECC “tired” and “old.” But she said after years of planning, it’s now time for that…
DULUTH, Minn. – The November election is less than a month away in Duluth, and the president of the West Duluth Business Club, Susan Coen, is promoting civility over divisiveness. Coen hosted a public form Wednesday for the West Duluth community involving the mayoral race between incumbent Emily Larson and opponent Roger Reinert, and the council races. Coen said she…
Wisconsin State Sen. Melissa Agard is continuing her push to legalize recreational marijuana for adults through a bill in the state legislature. Sen. Agard (D-Madison) told FOX 21 Wisconsin is living on a disserting island when it comes to cannabis. Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan have laws on the books allowing adult-use of cannabis. Agard said the state is losing out…
DULUTH, Minn. – It was in the middle of August when FOX 21 broke the news about construction temporarily halted on a new housing development in Duluth’s Lincoln Park. Now two months later, the structure remains just a frame of wood. Merge Urban Development is behind the 45-unit apartment building (Urbane 218) on the former West Superior Street site of…
Joan Obey1938 – 2023 (FOX 21) Former longtime U.S. Representative Davey Obey, 85, who served northwest Wisconsin’s 7th District for four decades, announced late Tuesday that his wife, Joan Obey, died peacefully Sunday morning at the age of 85. Courtesy: Facebook Obey, who was honored in 2022 for being the longest-serving Wisconsin congressman, posted on social media shortly after 9…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s homeless advocates and the non-profits they work for say chronic homelessness has hit crisis proportions, and they need help to turn the problem around. “Shelters are overrun and as a consequence people have to be outside,” said John Cole, executive director of CHUM. Cole said there’s not enough affordable housing in Duluth to meet the demand…
DULUTH, Minn. – The board of directors at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center released an extensive public statement Monday on the DECC’s website explaining the entertainment venue’s financial situation, the responsibilities of the board and how they plan to move forward. The statement also provides a ‘question and answer’ section to help the public understand the challenges and successes at…
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel, as the death toll rose into the hundreds Sunday. “This was a planned, coordinated attack by Hamas, which is a terrorist organization, which is affiliated with Iran. And this has been Israel’s biggest fear because they are a democracy in a really tough neighborhood,” said Sen. Klobuchar. Klobuchar said Americans…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Twin Ports Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which has endorsed three Duluth city council candidates for the upcoming November election, is calling for support to “take to the streets to join a protest for peace and against funding the Israeli state.” The DSA released the following statement Saturday: “DSA is steadfast in expressing our solidarity with…
DULUTH, Minn. – AFSCME Council 5, the city of Duluth’s largest bargaining unit representing employees like plow drivers, librarians and utility workers, has chosen not to endorse any mayoral candidate for the upcoming November election. In a statement to FOX 21, AFSCME said: “While our union members have endorsed in this race in previous election years, our members have decided…
DULUTH, Minn. — There’s been a lot of attention on the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center over the past couple weeks involving financial troubles and job eliminations, like 28-year employee Jeff Stark. DECC Exec. Dir. Dan Hartman, who has been on the job for 2.5 years, has said expenses are too high when it comes to increased wages and replacing failing…
DULUTH, Minn.– DECC Exec. Dir. Dan Hartman found himself in the spotlight Thursday after news broke Wednesday night that he was cutting DECC expenses in the hundreds of thousands, including layoffs and eliminating positions. “So, the DECC has been definitely between a rock and a hard place. I think I talked about this with the City Council a couple weeks…
DULUTH, Minn. – FOX 21 has learned that multiple job eliminations have begun at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC), just one week since Executive Director Dan Hartman asked and received a $1 million emergency line of credit from the city council. DECC Exec. Dir. Dan Hartman during an interview with FOX 21 Sept. 24 Hartman said at the time…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A man illegally brought a loaded handgun into the Wisconsin Capitol, demanding to see Gov. Tony Evers, and returned at night with an assault rifle after posting bail, a spokesperson for the state said Thursday. The man, who was shirtless and had a holstered handgun, approached the governor’s office on the first floor of the Capitol…
U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Hermantown) called the ousting of Speaker Kevin McCarthy Tuesday as a “sad day for America.” Below is Stauber’s full statement: “This is a sad day for America. Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans have consistently delivered strong results for the American people, who are hurting thanks to the policies of the Biden Administration. Under his conservative and…
DULUTH, Minn. — Separate healthcare mergers for Essentia Health and St. Luke’s are getting a closer review by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Ellison announced Tuesday it’s his responsibility to consider whether a healthcare transaction is in the public interest, and seek court intervention if he finds that it is not. Essentia Health is in the process of merging with…
DULUTH, Minn. — There’s a new political party in town, the Forward Party. It’s a political group that is trying to be a different kind of party, one that forms its’ platform from the bottom up, instead of being made by only the top officials. The first candidate the Forward Party of Minnesota has endorsed is Duluth City Council Candidate…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the job Tuesday in an extraordinary showdown, a first in U.S. history, The 216-210 vote, forced by a contingent of hard-right conservatives, throws the House and its Republican leadership into chaos. McCarthy’s chief rival, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, brought forward the “motion to vacate” drawing together more than a…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden spoke Tuesday with U.S. allies and partners to coordinate future support for Ukraine after Congress passed — and he signed — legislation that kept the U.S. government funded but dropped his request for billions of dollars to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia. The White House announced that Biden had convened the call but provided no details…
For many college students, Halloween is not nearly as frightening as the debt they are racking up. And this month, a three-year pause in paying back loans came to an end. The national break had been put in place during the pandemic. But it all came to an end this month, and millions must now resume making payments. For many…
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a centrist Democrat who was elected to the Senate in 1992 in the “Year of the Woman” and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics, has died. She was 90. Feinstein died on Thursday night at her home in Washington, D.C., her office confirmed on Friday. President Joe…
DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth Firefighters Local 101 is feeling some relief after finding out firefighters will receive a wage increase the start of the upcoming year. The Duluth city council passed a resolution Monday for an 8% market\-rate adjustment for the firefighters. This was in response to a study finding their pay came in last for fire departments in the…
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump committed fraud for years while building the real estate empire that catapulted him to fame and the White House. Judge Arthur Engoron, ruling in a civil lawsuit brought by New York’s attorney general, found that the former president and his company deceived banks, insurers and others by massively overvaluing…
DENVER (AP) — Attorneys for former President Donald Trump argue that an attempt to bar him from the 2024 ballot under a rarely used “insurrection” clause of the Constitution should be dismissed as a violation of his freedom of speech. The lawyers made the argument in a filing posted Monday by a Colorado court in the most significant of a series of challenges to…
DULUTH, Minn. – A downtown Duluth housing study shows the potential for as many as 2,500 new housing units within the next five years. It’s a welcomed projection for a downtown that’s seen undesirable vacancy rates since the pandemic, like other cities have experienced across the country. The outside firm, Zimmerman-Volk Associates, presented its findings publicly Tuesday, which shows downtown…
SUPERIOR, Wis. — Superior Mayor Jim Paine is touting his 2024 budget proposal as the largest public investment in the city in decades. Mayor Paine on Tuesday said the city is well positioned to invest in city services and public infrastructure, while decreasing taxes. Paine said the growing local economy, a restructured budget he and his predecessor designed to function…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden sued the Internal Revenue Service on Monday, claiming that two agents publicly alleging tax-probe interference wrongly shared his personal information, a case that comes amid escalating legal and political struggles as the 2024 election looms. The agents “targeted and sought to embarrass Mr. Biden” with the sharing of confidential tax information in press interviews and testimony before Congress, the…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday dispatched two of his top aides to Detroit to help resolve the strike by unionized autoworkers, expressing sympathy for the union by suggesting that the Big 3 automakers should share their “record profits.” “No one wants to strike,” Biden said in brief remarks at the White House. “But I respect workers’ right to…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden was indicted Thursday on federal firearms charges, the latest and weightiest step yet in a long-running investigation into the president’s son. Biden is accused of lying about his drug use when he bought a firearm in October 2018, a period when he has acknowledged struggling with addiction to crack cocaine, according to the indictment filed in federal…
DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth’s mayoral candidates were side-by-side Wednesday for their first candidate forum ahead of the general election Nov. 7. The Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce and the Duluth News Tribune are behind the forum. The mayoral race between incumbent Emily Larson and Roger Reinert is clearly the top of the closely watched races in Duluth, among council and…
Wednesday, the public had a chance to hear from Duluth School Board candidates in their own forum. In the city-wide At-Large race, incumbent Alanna Oswald and challenger Stephanie Williams discussed their views. Both candidates said they support the school referendum directed toward technology investment as pandemic relief funds end. However, they disagreed on the use of School Resource Officers. Oswald…
(AP) — Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney said Wednesday that he will not run for reelection in 2024, creating a wide-open contest in a state that heavily favors Republicans and is expected to attract a crowded field. Romney, a former presidential candidate and governor of Massachusetts, made the announcement in a video statement. The 76-year-old said the country is ready for…
DULUTH, Minn. — After years of trying, the Duluth Police department has officially been given the OK to purchase its own Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV) instead of continuing to borrow Superior’s armored vehicle for the city’s most dangerous calls. The council voted 8-0 Monday night to approve Duluth Police Chief Mike Ceynowa to purchase the nearly $380,000 piece of equipment….
WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday he is directing a House committee to open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over his family’s business dealings, launching historic proceedings ahead of the 2024 election. McCarthy said the House Oversight Committee’s investigation so far has found a “culture of corruption” around the Biden family as Republicans probe the business dealings of the president’s son, Hunter…
MAPLE, Wis. — The Governor visited Northwestern High School in Maple Thursday morning. He walked the halls, speaking with students, teachers and staff. He said he enjoyed being there and spoke about the seriousness of the teacher shortage. He noted that rural schools like Northwestern have at least one unique advantage on larger city schools. Rural schools tend to have…
WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge on Monday set a March 4, 2024, trial date for Donald Trump in the federal case in Washington charging the former president with trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election, rejecting a defense request to push back the case by years. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan rebuffed claims by Trump’s attorneys that an April 2026 trial date…
ATLANTA (AP) — Former President Donald Trump surrendered Thursday on charges that he illegally schemed to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia, a brisk 20-minute booking that yielded a historic first: a mug shot of a U.S. ex-president. He was released on $200,000 bond and headed back to the airport for his return flight home to New Jersey, flashing a…
