DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth city councilor Renee Van Nett launched her campaign on Monday for the Minnesota 8th district state senate seat as a DFL candidate. Van Nett, who served as the council’s first-ever indigenous city council president last year, is a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. She said that she…
DULUTH, Minn. – On Monday, Duluth City Councilor Renee Van Nett is announcing her run for State Senate District 8. Van Nett was first elected to the city council in 2017 and represents Duluth’s 4th District. In January 2021 she was elected as the first Indigenous woman to serve as Duluth City Council president. “Renee believes Duluth priorities are ‘Nuts…
DULUTH, Minn. — A month ago, Veterans for Peace was one of the groups among protestors trying to push for peaceful resolution to the standoff between Russia and Ukraine. Now, exactly a month later, they are out there again, but this time, pushing for an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine. “We’re having a military conflict now in central Europe…
DULUTH, Minn. — Sunday marked the final night of the Lift Bridge and Enger Tower being lit blue and yellow for Ukraine after doing so for the past week. Duluth Mayor Emily Larson will be releasing an updated lighting policy for the Lift Bridge and Enger Tower in 60 days after the community spoke up in numbers to light the…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Gov. Tim Walz has proclaimed Sunday, Mar. 6 as Ukrainian Solidarity Day in the State of Minnesota to “honor the bravery and resilience of the people of Ukraine as they fight to defend their country and their freedom,” Walz said in a statement. “I’m proud to declare today as Ukrainian Solidarity Day in Minnesota,” said Walz….
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Gov. Tim Walz has directed state agencies to terminate any contracts with Russian entities to punish the country for invading Ukraine. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Walz issued an executive order on Friday directing more than two dozen state agencies to end their contracts. He also asked his cabinet not to enter into any future contracts…
(Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) LVIV, Ukraine (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Ukrainian statehood is in jeopardy and pinned the blame on that country’s leaders. Putin also said Saturday that Western sanctions are akin to “declaring war,” but added, “But thank God, we haven’t got there yet.” The Russian leader’s tough talk came as…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Duluth’s newly created Missing and Murdered Indigenous Fund is gaining attention as the state capitol. Members of the Minnesota House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Committee met Thursday to hear testimony from members involved with the fund, including Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken. The bill would create a reward fund to help get information and…
DULUTH, Minn. – On Thursday, Minnesota State Rep Jen Schultz (DFL) announced she would not seek reelection. “I want to thank all the people of District 7A for their support over the years,” Schultz said. It has been exciting and rewarding to serve my constituents in the legislature, and to work with distinguished elected leaders like Speaker Hortman and my…
SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Yellowjacket Union welcomed President Joe Biden on Wednesday afternoon, along with a number of politicians, students, and supporters who were ecstatic that the commander-in-chief chose Superior as his first stop the day after the State of the Union address. “It’s not too often you get an email saying the president of the United States is coming…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- Bridges were front and center of President Biden’s speech as he made Yellowjacket Union at UWS his first stop after the State of the Union Address Tuesday. “Hello Wisconsin, the President said to cheers, “and if you’re hearing me across the river hello Minnesota.” On his way to UWS President Biden stopped under the Blatnik Bridge near the…
DULUTH, Minn.- Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin stopped by FOX 21 to give his take on the President’s infrastructure tour. Tiffany says he agrees with Biden about investing in the nation’s aging infrastructure but calls the President’s visit to Superior insulting because of his administration’s cancellation of the Twin Metals leases, ultimately eliminating the prospects of some good-paying union…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Along Belknap Street in Superior, both supporters and protesters were mixed together on the sidewalks. With signs and flags waving, both sides had some things to say while making a stand for their beliefs. Categories: News, News – Latest News, Political
The video above is FOX 21’s team coverage at 5:30 p.m. of President Joe Biden’s visit to the Twin Ports. We’ll have expanded coverage on the news at 9 p.m. Categories: Community, Minnesota, News, News – Latest News, Political, Wisconsin
(Saul Loeb, Pool via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) – Addressing a concerned nation and anxious world, President Joe Biden has vowed in his first State of the Union address to check Russian aggression in Ukraine, tame soaring U.S. inflation, and deal with the fading but still dangerous coronavirus. Biden declared Tuesday night that he and all members of Congress, whatever political…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s iconic Lift Bridge shined blue and yellow in support of Ukraine for the first time Tuesday evening, adding to the slew of iconic structures across the country and world lit to support the freedom we American’s sometimes take for granted. Tuesday morning’s update The moment came Tuesday after an overwhelming stand Duluthians took since the weekend…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – The city of Virginia joined cities across the world Tuesday in standing with Ukraine. “Tonight through March 15, the City Hall cupola will be lit in blue and yellow as a sign of support for those ensuring that the Human Rights of the Ukrainian nation are preserved,” a post read on the city’s Facebook page with a…
SUPERIOR, Wis. — Mayor Jim Paine says it’s an honor that President Joe Biden is choosing Superior as his first stop after the State of the Union speech. It’s a common tradition for presidents to go on a tour around the country for a week or more after their State of the Union address. It’s a way to promote past…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – For the first time since Harry Truman came through the city in 1948, a sitting President will be making a stop in Superior Wednesday. UW-Superior’s Yellowjacket Union is undergoing a transformation as President Biden, along with First Lady Jill Biden, will speak to an invite-only crowd at Shippar Family Atrium, focusing on the infrastructure bill that passed…
DULUTH-SUPERIOR — Support for Ukraine shined blue and yellow Monday night outside the Douglas County Courthouse in Superior following other city, county and state buildings glowing for Ukraine in recent days across the country, but not necessarily in the Northland. Douglas County Courthouse lights up for Ukraine Monday evening. One of those examples is Duluth’s most iconic structure, the Aerial…
DULUTH, Minn. – Former Duluth city councilor Noah Hobbs is headed back to the council. Hobbs was voted in Monday night by fellow councilors to serve the remaining two years of Derek Medved’s term. Medved recently resigned from the council to focus on his growing business. Hobbs beat out more than 20 candidates who applied for the job. Categories: Minnesota,…
DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth homeowner along 21st Avenue East is showing his support for Ukraine through a snow sculpture on his front yard. Harry Welty has been making snow sculptures for more than 30 years and first made this King Kong vs Godzilla sculpture as an ironic 2022 vs 2021 comment. However, in his hopes for a great new…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota’s already-huge budget surplus has become even more enormous, growing to a projected $9.25 billion, the Walz administration announced Monday. The updated forecast was $1.5 billion more than the whopping $7.7 billion surplus that Minnesota Management and Budget projected in December for the current two-year budget period. The budget agency cited higher incomes, consumer spending,…
DULUTH, Minn. — From London to Milwaukee, to Minneapolis — structures are being lit blue and yellow in support of Ukraine. But in Duluth, its most iconic structure, the Aerial Lift Bridge, is not. Mayor Emily Larson is instead sticking with the usual lighting of the less-visible Enger Tower, which went blue and yellow over the weekend after community requests…
Irina Haller DULUTH, Minn. – As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, we’re getting a unique perspective from a Duluth woman, Irina Haller, who was born and raised in Russia and moved to Duluth in 1995 at the age of 29. In a statement to FOX 21, Haller says: “I am shocked, crushed and in disbelief. I have no words, but…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Several Democrats in the Minnesota House have proposed a gasoline tax holiday from Memorial Day until Labor Day to help lessen the burden of rising gas prices on motorists. Rep. Stephenson, of Coon Rapids, said the proposal is an effort to combat rising inflation. GOP Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller, of Winona, said the proposal is an…
DULUTH, Minn. — One day after Mayor Emily Larson said she had no plans to light any buildings in support of Ukraine like other cities and states were doing across the country, Larson announced on Twitter Saturday that Enger Tower will be lit blue and yellow for the remainder of the weekend. Chicago City Hall building lit yellow and blue…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Senate Republicans on Thursday announced a tax cut proposal that would cost more than $8.5 billion over the next three years. Republican lawmakers say the proposal is the largest tax cut in the state’s history. It would reduce the lowest-tier income tax rate from 5.35% to 2.8% and eliminate taxes on all Social Security…
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden will nominate federal appeals court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. That word comes from people familiar with the matter. In selecting Jackson, Biden delivers on a campaign promise, moving to further diversify a court that was made up entirely of white men…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth City Council interviewed 26 candidates Thursday evening who are vying to fill Derek Medved’s seat who recently stepped down to focus on his growing business. The interviews were virtual. Each candidate got 10 minutes to answer questions from councilors to find out their interests, passion for the city and why they’d be good for the…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – As military action continues to escalate in Ukraine, could the United States and NATO nations soon get involved in direct conflict with Russia? The commander of Superior’s American Legion Post 435 believes it can happen, but it may not be in Ukraine. Eual Moore, who served two tours during the Vietnam War, has spent time in Lithuania and…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will significantly loosen federal mask-wearing guidelines to protect against COVID-19 transmission on Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter, meaning most Americans will no longer be advised to wear masks in indoor public settings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday will announce a change to the metrics it uses…
(AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) WARSAW, Poland (AP) – Russian troops have launched a broad assault on Ukraine from three sides. The attack began before dawn and brought explosions to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and other cities. Ukraine’s leadership said Thursday at least 40 people have been killed so far in what is called a “full-scale war” targeting the country from the east,…
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Russia began evacuating its embassy in Kyiv, and Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia. Those moves come as the region braced for further confrontation Wednesday after President Vladimir Putin received authorization to use military force outside his country. Hopes for a diplomatic way out of a new, potentially devastating war appeared all but sunk as…
DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth City Hall, Duluth public libraries and the CareerForce building will be closed Tuesday because of the ongoing snow storm. Meanwhile, the city will not decide on whether to issue a snow emergency until Tuesday. More information is below in this press release from the city: Due to current and incoming inclement weather, the City of Duluth…
(Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin is ordering forces to maintain peace in eastern Ukraine. But it is not immediately clear whether or when troops would enter the country. The announcement follows a day of fast-moving developments in which Putin announced the recognition of separatist regions in Ukraine….
CHISHOLM, Minn.-—Senator David Tomassoni announced in a press release Saturday that he will not seek re-election to another term in the Minnesota Senate and will retire at the end of 2022. Tomassoni has served in the Minnesota Senate since 2001 and was previously a member of the Minnesota House from 1993 to 2001. His hometown is Chisholm in Northeastern Minnesota…
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – U.S. President Joe Biden says he’s “convinced” that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to launch a further invasion of Ukraine, saying Friday he has “reason to believe” it will occur in the “coming days” and will include an assault on its capital, Kyiv. Tensions are spiking along the militarized border with attacks that the West…
DULUTH, Minn. — Earlier Thursday, President Biden visited Lorain, Ohio, touting a major investment to pump one billion dollars into a great lakes restoration program impacting communities from Duluth to parts of New York. This announcement from the president and the EPA means that we will see a significant portion of that money fund rehabilitating Lake Superior. This investment is…
DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota Senator Tina Smith is continuing her push to make high speed internet access available to everyone. She joined three other Senators in introducing a bipartisan bill this month that would focus Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect Program funds to communities in greatest need to establish broadband services. “The federal government is investing billions of dollars in expanding broadband,”…
DULUTH, Minn.-. Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District now encompasses more of the Northern part of the state after the map was re-drawn. The 8th District shifted further west, now it including all of Minnesota’s Native American reservations north of the Twin Cities. They’re now included with Iron Range mining and Duluth’s urban economies, among others, according to Dr. Cynthia Rugeley, Associate…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A Minnesota panel of five judges released newly drawn congressional and legislative district maps on Tuesday. Minnesota’s 2nd District in Congress, represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, got smaller and less rural due to increases in suburban population growth over the last decade in the northern part of the district. Despite the shifts in…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- Even though Valentine’s Day is today some flower shops are still busy helping people get the perfect bouquet for their “boos.” For “Artistic Florals by Leslie” on Tower Avenue, this is the busiest day of the season, with plenty coming in for last-minute flowers. Owner Leslie Hietana said she’s seen supply chain issues impact some of the containers…
DULUTH, Minn. – Staff at Duluth’s downtown main library tell FOX 21’s Dan Hanger safety and security concerns are at a boiling point after a second employee was recently assaulted on the job. This time, a punch to the face after the worker asked a patron to put on his mask. While physical violence at the downtown library has never…
DULUTH, Minn.- The City of Duluth is looking for a couple dozen people to fill open positions on city-run boards, commissions, and authorities. There are currently 25 openings, some of them carried over from the year before, but a majority are due to staffing changes after the New Year. Vacancies include one on the Indigenous Commission, one on the Parks…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Republicans have introduced a bill that would prohibit abortions if a fetal heartbeat is detected. The bill is modeled after a Texas law that passed last year. The legislation would prohibit anyone from performing or attempting to perform an abortion if a fetal heartbeat is present unless the pregnant woman’s life is in danger or…
DULUTH, Minn. – FOX 21 got a first look inside the newly renovated Mayor’s Reception Room and Mayor’s Office at Duluth City Hall. For decades, the Reception Room was dark and very outdated from the 60s or 70s, according to Mayor Emily Larson. But now, it’s looking brighter with improved lighting and sound for press events, a fresh coat of…
DULUTH, Minn. — In downtown Duluth, a group gathered to rally for a peaceful resolution to the standoff between Russia and Ukraine. Fears of a Russian invasion have been growing as the Kremlin continues to build up more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s Northern and Eastern borders. Representatives from the twin ports democratic socialists, veterans for peace, and grandmothers for…
(Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, File) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers on Friday vetoed a bill opposed by labor unions that would have allowed teenagers to work longer hours during the busy summer tourism months. The measure Evers vetoed had the support of Republicans and the state’s hotel, restaurant, and grocery industries. Democrats and the Wisconsin AFL-CIO…
DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota Senator Tina Smith (D) is trying her hardest to make sure veterans have quick, easy access to obtaining care for hearing loss. Smith recently introduced legislation to reduce the red tape many vets face when trying to get care for hearing loss as a result of their service. Right now, if veterans wish to receive benefits…
