ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Both chambers of the Minnesota Legislature pushed through a bill to give bonuses to workers who were on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic and to replenish the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund following months of negotiations, and Governor Walz signed it into effect on Friday evening. Legislative leaders struck a deal late Wednesday…
Duluth’s Lift Bridge lit for Ukraine DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Mayor Emily Larson told FOX 21’s Dan Hanger on Friday that she’ll be releasing her updated lighting policy sometime next week after getting heavy scrutiny from the public two months ago over the previous policy that did not accept any special requests to light the iconic Lift Bridge different colors…
(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota legislative leaders have reached a deal to refill the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund and to pay bonuses to frontline workers. The tentative agreement includes $2.7 billion to replenish the trust fund and pay back a debt to the federal government for jobless aid, and $500 million for frontline worker bonus…
SUPERIOR, Wis. — Matt Walsh, a speaker with conservative views was invited by a student group on the UW-Superior campus called Young Americans for Freedom, and while those in support of him sat inside listening to his message, those outside stood with signs to spread theirs too. “Today we are protesting a speaker that we believe spreads really harmful and…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – President Joe Biden plans to speak at a memorial service on Sunday for former Vice President Walter Mondale, who died last April at age 93. The service was delayed by the pandemic. Biden will travel to Minneapolis for the event at the University of Minnesota. Biden has described Mondale as a “dear friend and mentor” and “one…
NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge found former President Donald Trump in contempt of court and set in motion $10,000 daily fines Monday for failing to adequately respond to a subpoena issued by the state’s attorney general as part of a civil investigation into his business dealings. Judge Arthur Engoron said a contempt finding was appropriate because Trump…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Republican business owner Tim Michels is entering the Republican primary for Wisconsin governor. Michels comes late to an increasingly crowded field but has the personal wealth to back his campaign. Michels filed paperwork Friday to run. He joins former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, former U.S. Marine Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. Tim Ramthun in the race…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, delivering his first State of the State speech inside the Capitol since 2019, called on lawmakers to unite in the final four weeks of the legislative session. In Walz’s 55-minute speech, he urged the divided Legislature to move forward on his stalled agenda, while acknowledging that much of it is…
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Friday to dissolve the private government Walt Disney World controls on its property in the state, punishing the entertainment giant for opposing a new law that critics call “Don’t Say Gay.” The move is expected to have huge tax implications for Disney and further sour the relationship between the…
SUPERIOR, Wis,- Superior City Councilors voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a tourism contract worth $250,000 to a marketing agency based out of Duluth called “Swim Creative.” Superior Mayor Jim Paine says the choice was between 3 bidders, but in his book, Swim Creative rose to the top. According to the Mayor, they were the best at reaching out to citizens…
LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) – The La Crosse Common Council has voted to remove a Russian flag from the city’s airport. The La Crosse Tribune reported the council voted Thursday to remove the flag in a show of support for Ukraine, which is fighting to blunt a Russian invasion. The council debated whether the move would amount to an insult…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A deeply divided Minnesota Legislature returns from its Easter-Passover break Tuesday. Lawmakers have just five weeks left to decide what to do with the state’s $9.25 billion budget surplus plus $1 billion in unspent federal pandemic relief. There’s been little meeting of the minds between the House Democratic and Senate Republican majorities. They have yet…
SUPERIOR, Wis. — A former City Councilor from Ashland announced her candidacy for Wisconsin state senate at Empire Coffee in Superior today. Kelly Westlund announced she would run as a democrat for senate district 25. Westlund has worked under Senator Tammy Baldwin in the past, she says she wants to focus on expanding access to affordable healthcare, extending broadband access,…
Ashland, WI – Today, Kelly Westlund, a longtime resident, former city council member, and community advocate from Ashland, announced her candidacy for Wisconsin State Senate District 25. Westlund, who has served as the Northwest Regional Representative for U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin since 2015, will run to replace State Senator Janet Bewley, who is retiring from public service at the end…
WISCONSIN — State representative Nick Milroy (D-South Range) announced on Thursday that he will not be running for another term. He represents the 73rd district, which currently includes most of Douglas County and the northern halves of Washburn and Burnett Counties. Here is Nick Milroy’s statement. “One of my biggest desires in life has been to give back to a…
HERMANTOWN, Minn.– Republican Congressman and former police officer, Pete Stauber hosted a public safety roundtable today in Hermantown, alongside local law enforcement and community leaders. In the wake of the Social Justice Movements that happened around the country after George Floyd was killed by an ex-Minneapolis officer, Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation called the, “George Floyd Justice in Policing Act” last…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A Republican-authored bill to legalize medical marijuana in Wisconsin will be getting its first public hearing next week, achieving one goal of backers even though the measure will not pass this year. The Legislature has adjourned and won’t be back until 2023. But the April 20 Senate committee hearing on the medical marijuana bill will give…
DULUTH, Minn.- After two years of virtual meetings Duluth’s City Council returned to City Hall in person, where they unanimously showed support for using extra state funds to maintain and upgrade the 148th Fighter Wing. “I never anticipated it was going to be 2 years,” Council President Arik Forsman said. “I remember we had our last meeting where COVID was…
DULUTH, Minn. – Several of Duluth’s local and statehouse leaders are pushing for more action in Washington to combat climate change. Duluth Council Member Mike Mayou cites recent extreme weather events, from the flooding in 2012, to storms damaging the Lakewalk, to last year’s wildfires, as signs that action needs to be taken soon. “That’s when the climate crisis really hits…
DULUTH, Minn. – Thursday, Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan was in Duluth discussing housing investments desperately needed in the state. A roundtable included a Minnesota Housing Commissioner, Mayor Emily Larson, and supportive housing providers and advocates. They discussed where the historic, nearly $1 billion dollar budget proposal will be allocated. The proposal specifically prioritizes strengthening support of housing across the…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A University of Wisconsin-Stout professor has decided to delay sending a survey to UW System students about their thoughts on free speech until fall after an interim chancellor resigned over the questionnaire. UW-Stout’s Menard Center for the Study of Institutions and Innovation had planned to send the survey out to students systemwide Thursday. But UW-Whitewater Interim…
(AP) WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate has confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, shattering a historic barrier by securing her place as the first Black female justice and giving President Joe Biden a bipartisan endorsement for his effort to diversify the court. Jackson was confirmed 53-47 with three Republican votes. She will take her seat when Justice Stephen…
DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota lawmakers are working on bi-partisan legislation to spend $25 million from the state’s budget surplus to upgrade the Minnesota Air National Guard’s 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth for future success. It’s a move in St. Paul that has Duluth City Council President Arik Forsman, Vice President Janet Kennedy and Councilor Renee Van Nett co-sponsoring an amended…
ASHLAND, Wis. — During the Wisconsin Spring Election yesterday, citizens of Ashland voted to pass the recreational use of marijuana for those over the age of 21. On Tuesday, 955 voters said this should be allowed, 234 said it should be illegal, and 398 said it should only be for medical use. An Ashland City Councilor brought the debate to…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Christina Kintop, a nearly 20-year veteran of the Superior School Board and current board vice president, was voted out of her seat during Tuesday’s Spring General Election with nearly 27 percent of the vote, according to the county’s unofficial results Tuesday evening. Christina Kintop Edward Gallagher, a detective of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, got 32 percent…
DULUTH, Minn. – With the pandemic definitely easing up, mask mandates on the curb and spring in the air, summer tourism is expected to be a blockbuster for many cities across the country, especially right here in Duluth, of course. And the fresh sense of excitement comes as the newly reconfigured Visit Duluth prepares to officially unveil its first big…
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) – Jurors are hearing closing arguments in the trial of four men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. A prosecutor says the men were “filled with rage” against government and Whitmer’s COVID-19 restrictions in 2020. But a defense lawyer says there was no plot, and that the men were under the influence of…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Mayor Emily Larson posted on Twitter Thursday evening showing off a letter she received from President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. Larson captioned the photo as, “A good day for some good mail.” The letter reads, “Thank you for welcoming us to Duluth. We have the opportunity to change lives and invest in our…
ST. PAUL, Minn.- The State of Minnesota has officially dedicated millions of dollars to ALS research — and front and center, showing firsthand the tough battle with the disease, was Minnesota Senator David Tomassoni. “This bill means hope,” Sen. Tomassoni (I-6th Dist.) said at the bill signing ceremony Wednesday. Tomassoni joined Governor Tim Walz and other state lawmakers in…
MT. IRON, Minn.- A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection to the midnight bar fight that left two victims with stab wounds on Wednesday, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office. The teen was arrested at his home in Virginia hours later, around 9:30 a.m., and booked into jail on preliminary charges of second-degree assault. FOX21 cannot name…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Mayor Emily Larson was face-to-face with fellow leaders and supporters Tuesday evening for her first in-person State of the City Address in two years because of the pandemic. The theme of the speech was “lighting a path forward” to focus on economic development, public safety, connectivity and sustainability. As for economic development, Larson said the city…
DULUTH, MN – Today, Minnesota State Representative Jen Schultz made it official, she’s running for Minnesota’s 8th District. Schultz announced her bid to run for U.S. Congress at an event held at City Hall this morning. She will be challenging republican Pete Stauber who is seeking his third term in Congress. Schultz, a Duluth resident, is currently in her fourth…
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday asserted it is “more likely than not” that former President Donald Trump committed crimes in his attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 election, ruling to order the release of more than 100 emails from Trump adviser John Eastman to the committee investigating the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The ruling by U.S….
FLORIDA (FOX) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Monday a parental rights bill that bans teachers from giving classroom instruction on “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” in kindergarten through third grade. “In Florida, we not only know that parents have a right to be involved, we insist that parents have a right to be involved,” DeSantis said at a press conference at…
DULUTH, Minn.- Minnesota Rep. Jen Schultz (DFL), has announced her candidacy for the U.S House of Representatives in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District, against incumbent Republican Congressman Pete Stauber. Schultz, currently the MN House 7A Representative, held a press event at Duluth City Hall Monday, after she filed online via the Federal Election Commission Friday. In a press release Monday, Schultz…
ASSOCIATED PRESS — In Milwaukee, one of two cities vying to host the Republican presidential convention in 2024, Democrats were pilloried by the potential visitors after predawn election results delivered Wisconsin for Joe Biden in the 2020 White House race. Rival Nashville, Tennessee, is run by a mayor whose Democratic brother was effectively redistricted out of his congressional seat by Republicans….
WARSAW, Poland (AP) – President Joe Biden said Saturday that Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power,” dramatically escalating the rhetoric against the Russian leader after his brutal invasion of Ukraine. The comment at the very end of a speech in Poland’s capital that served as the capstone on a four-day trip to Europe. Even as Biden’s words rocketed around the…
SUPERIOR, Wis. — Bringing more production and maintenance jobs to Northwestern Wisconsin was the focus of Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany’s listening session in Superior. The point of these sessions was to hear concerns from the public and discuss what’s happening currently in Washington DC. Some things Tiffany says he’s been working on and would like to promote while up here…
DULUTH, Minn.- According to an online filing with the Federal Election Commission Friday, Rep. Jen Schultz (DFL) is running for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District, a seat currently held by Republican Congressman Pete Stauber. Schultz filed online for her candidacy on Friday, March 25th. She is currently serving her 4th term as representative of Minnesota 7A. Earlier this month Schultz announced…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. — Hermantown city councilor Grant Hauschild launched his campaign for the Minnesota State Senate District 3 seat at the city’s Iron Workers Local 512 union hall Wednesday afternoon. He said that as a city councilor elected in 2020, he has worked to bring state funding to the area, and hopes to continue that in St. Paul by bringing…
DULUTH, Minn. – The latest housing indicator report by the City of Duluth confirms the need for more apartments and homes. Their 2021 study found the average price for a home sold increased $35,000 to $240,000, the average rent went up $221, while the rental vacancy rate dropped around 3-percent to 2.1-percent. Typically, a five-percent vacancy rate is considered healthy, with…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday threw out Wisconsin state legislative maps that were preferred by the state’s Democratic governor and selected by Wisconsin’s top court, making it unclear what the boundaries will be for the fall election. But while the justices in an unsigned opinion threw out voting maps the Wisconsin Supreme Court had selected for the…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Madeleine Albright, the first female U.S. secretary of state, has died of cancer, her family said Wednesday. She was 84. President Bill Clinton chose Albright as America’s top diplomat in 1996, and she served in that capacity for the last four years of the Clinton administration. At the time, she was the highest-ranking woman in the history…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s Sister Cities is speaking out in support of Petrozavodsk, Russia, which is one of Duluth’s sister cities, as that country’s leader continues to pummel Ukraine. In an email Tuesday to Mayor Emily Larson and city councilors, Sister Cities board members said they condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and they stand in solidarity of the people of…
BABBITT, Minn. — The mayor of Babbitt is launching her campaign for the District 3 Minnesota State Senate seat. Andrea Zupancich, who has served as Babbitt’s mayor since 2014, is running as a Republican. She also held a seat on Babbitt’s city council for two years before becoming mayor. Her announcement comes on the heels of State Senator Tom Bakk…
Photo: AP/File MINNESOTA- In accordance with a proclamation issued by President Joe Biden, Governor Tim Walz ordered all flags statewide at half-staff until midnight Saturday, in honor and remembrance of U.S. Representative Don Young, who passed away Friday night. Sometimes called the Dean of the House, the 88-year-old Alaska Congressman was the longest-serving member, serving 25 terms, and was about…
PROCTOR, Minn. – The leaders of the three cities that surround Duluth to the north and west gave their annual updates to area businesses Thursday. The Hermantown Area Chamber of Commerce hosted their State of the Cities luncheon at the Black Woods Event Center in Proctor, featuring the mayors of Hermantown, Proctor, and Rice Lake. Chamber President & CEO Kimberly Parmeter…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Tim Walz has released an updated plan for how to spend the state’s enormous budget surplus, including a proposal for income tax rebate checks of $1,000 per couple. His revised supplemental budget proposal, released Thursday, follows last month’s announcement that the state’s budget surplus has grown to $9.25 billion. It formalizes an idea he…
DULUTH, Minn. – Former Duluth Police Chief Gordon Ramsay was in Hibbing and Duluth Wednesday to announce his run for St. Louis County Sheriff. Ramsay was raised in Duluth and got a Bachelor’s degree at UMD and Master’s at CSS. He served as police chief from 2006 to 2016 before becoming chief of police in Wichita, Kansas. Ramsay said his…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s Community Relations Officer is the latest to announce her bid to represent District 8B in the Minnesota House. Alicia Kozlowski has been active in the Duluth community over the past 12 years; first as a community organizer before joining the city’s Leadership Team in 2019. She highlights her heritage as strengths for her candidacy. That includes…
