WASHINGTON (AP) — Liberty and Bell can spread their wings without fear. The two Thanksgiving turkeys played their part Monday in an annual holiday tradition at the White House: a president sparing them from becoming someone’s dinner. “I hereby pardon Liberty and Bell. Congratulations, birds,” Biden said after one of the National Thanksgiving Turkeys was placed on a table near him. The…
PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The Washington chattering class, often unsure what to make of outsiders, dubbed Rosalynn Carter the “Steel Magnolia” when she arrived as first lady. A devout Baptist and mother of four, she was diminutive and outwardly shy, with a soft smile and softer Southern accent. That was the “magnolia.” She also was a force behind Jimmy Carter’s…
DULUTH, Minn. – It’s been a week since one of the most contentious mayoral races in Duluth’s history came to an end with Roger Reinert defeating incumbent Emily Larson. And now, leaders in the DFL Party who backed Larson are analyzing what went right and what went wrong. One of those people is Joel Sipress, former Duluth city councilor of…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – If Superior Mayor Jim Paine has it his way, Minnesota Power and its partners will not be allowed to build a natural gas plant (Nemadji Trail Energy Center) near the Enbridge Energy Terminal and Cenovus Energy. “All this project will do is raise our utility rates, pollute our city, and desecrate a cemetery. I don’t know who…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday announced a strategy to potentially expand the availability of radio spectrum needed for cellphones, satellites, navigation, space travel and other emerging technologies. The increasingly digitized and mobile economy has put pressure on the available range of frequencies used for wireless communication. The spectrum is also vital for national security and responding to disasters. “We all…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former President Donald Trump will stay on the Minnesota primary ballot after the state supreme court on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit seeking end his candidacy under a rarely-used constitutional provision that forbids those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office. The Minnesota Supreme Court declined to become the first in history to use Section 3 of the 14th Amendment…
DULUTH, Minn. — Roger Reinert took to the podium Tuesday night to accept a win over incumbent Emily Larson for Duluth’s next mayor. Click the video above to listen to the speech as it was broadcast live on FOX 21. Click the video below to hear Reinert talk to FOX 21’s Maria Vollom after first learning he won the election. For…
DULUTH, Minn. — Incumbent Emily Larson conceded Tuesday evening shortly after 9 p.m. in the Duluth Mayoral race. Larson made her speech at Bent Paddle. She talked about her accomplishments over the past two years as the first female mayor in Duluth. A statement released late Tuesday from Larson reads: “When I took office, we faced tough challenges. Duluth had…
DULUTH, Minn. — The results below are from the Minnesota Secretary of States website. Mayor of Duluth (Vote for 1) Incumbent Emily Larson- 11,716, 39.99% Roger Reinert- 17,518, 59.88% Duluth City Council At Large (Vote up to 2) Arik Forsman- 17.527, 35.47% Jenna Yeakle- 9,428, 19.08% Miranda Pacheco- 8.150, 16.48% Lynn Marie Nephew- 14,134, 28.61% Duluth City Council District 1…
DULUTH, Minn. — In a rare move by the Duluth Police Union, and just days before the Nov. 7 election, its members are calling out three Duluth city council candidates — Jenna Yeakle, Miranda Pacheco and Wendy Durrwachter. The union says the three candidates have “extreme views against public safety and law enforcement officers.” Below is the union’s full statement,…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Supreme Court justices appeared skeptical Thursday that states have the authority to block former President Donald Trump from the ballot, with some suggesting that Congress is best positioned to decide whether his role in the 2021 U.S. Capitol attack should prevent him from running. Justices sharply questioned an attorney representing Minnesota voters who had sued to…
DULUTH, Minn. — Racist and anti-Semitic remarks took taking the Duluth city council off guard Monday night during the public comment period of the council meeting. “The Jews are parasites and they’re taking over our country,” said one man who called in. He went on to say, “Diversity means fear of white people, inclusion means the exclusion of white people,…
DULUTH, Minn. – The last live Duluth mayoral debate before the Nov. 7 election was last week on PBS North. The gloves came off in that debate between incumbent Mayor Emily Larson and opponent Roger Reinert. But the tension between the candidates, as seen in the PBS debate, was the complete opposite in 2015 when Reinert, a state senator then, endorsed…
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…
