WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal court in Washington is barring President Donald Trump from changing the government’s policy on military service by transgender people. Trump announced in an August memo that he intended to reverse course on a 2016 policy that allowed troops to serve openly as transgender individuals. He said he would order a return to the policy prior…
SUPERIOR, Wis- Superior leaders and residents are making a list, getting ready to head to the statehouse in a few months, to ask for legislative changes. In February, hundreds of people from 5 northwest Wisconsin counties will head down to Madison. There they will lobby for the top legislative issues deemed most important in northwest Wisconsin. During last year’s superior…
President Trump speaks during an event to declare the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency in the East Room of the White House. (AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday declared the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency — a step that won’t bring new dollars to fight a scourge that kills nearly 100 Americans a…
CHISHOLM, Minn. – Wednesday night Chisholm residents spoke out at the city council meeting calling for councilor Kevin Scaia’s resignation. Later in the meeting, Councilor Tracy Campbell proposed a resolution also calling for his resignation. Campbell also proposed a values guide and code of conduct for the council. Both were approved by the council. Scaia is accused of groping a…
DULUTH, Minn.- Fifteen years ago on October 25th Northlanders were devastated when a plane crash took the life of a beloved Senator. FOX21 is remembering the legacy of Senator Paul Wellstone. “We all do better, when we all do better,” Paul Wellstone said. Those words have stuck with Northlanders. FOX21 spoke with one of Wellstone’s early supporters- which grew later…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Mark Dayton says he’ll continue to press to get the funding necessary to protect the state’s computer system from hackers. Dayton got only a fraction of the spending he proposed for technology and cybersecurity upgrades last session and plans to push the issue again next year. Speaking to cybersecurity experts in Minneapolis Tuesday, Dayton…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth residents wishing to vote absentee for the upcoming City of Duluth and School District 709 Election will have the opportunity now through Mon. Nov. 6. Residents may vote in person in City Hall room 330, located on the 3rd Floor at 411 West First Street. Voting the final three days may be done during the following…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – Lawmakers and supporters of mining gathered in Virginia Tuesday night to push back against new sulfate and wild rice standards proposed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The agency says the proposed enforcement would change Minnesota’s standards for sulfate discharges into the water where wild rice grows. But mining supporters say the standard is based off of poor…
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump’s four-month worldwide ban on refugees ended Tuesday, officials said, as his administration prepared to unveil tougher new screening procedures. Under an executive order Trump signed earlier this year, the United States had temporarily halted admissions for refugees from all countries with some exceptions. The end-date written into the order came and went Tuesday with…
Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is calling three fellow Republicans “terrorists” over how they negotiated the state budget with Gov. Scott Walker. Vos made the comment in an interview aired Sunday, on the program “Up Front with Mike Gousha,” which aired on WISN-TV Vos was referring to a deal Walker cut…
WASHINGTON (AP) – The federal budget deficit rose to $666 billion in the just-completed fiscal year, a spike that comes as Republicans are moving to draft a tax code rewrite that promises to add up to $15 trillion to the national debt over the coming decade. The sobering deficit numbers, released Friday by the Treasury Department and the White House…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Canadian Consul General to Minneapolis is in Duluth talking with local leaders. The Consul is meeting with politicians and businesses about the important relationship between Canada and the Duluth area. He said Minnesota Power and Maurices are two local companies that do a lot of business across the border. “The border in some ways is a…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – It would be a felony to have sex with an animal in Wisconsin under a bill circulating in the Legislature. Under current law, having sex with an animal is a misdemeanor. Republican state Rep. Andrew Jacque, of De Pere, circulated a bill Thursday to increase the penalty. He referenced a case from the Town of Eaton…
WASHINGTON (AP) – If President Donald Trump prevails in shutting down a major “Obamacare” health insurance subsidy, it would have the unintended consequence of making free basic coverage available to more people, and making upper-tier plans more affordable. The unexpected assessment comes from consultants, policy experts, and state officials trying to discern the potential fallout from a Washington health care…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Scott Walker plans to launch his campaign for a third term on Nov. 5 at a manufacturing facility in Waukesha. Walker’s campaign announced Thursday that he will hold an event at Weldall Manufacturing to officially begin his campaign. Walker was just there last month with Vice President Mike Pence who met with employees to tout…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The state Senate’s agriculture committee has overwhelmingly approved a bill that would allow Wisconsin farmers to grow hemp. The panel voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the proposal. The vote clears the way for a full floor vote in the Senate. The bill would set up state licenses for farmers looking to grow industrial hemp. People with…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Mayor Emily Larson is asking for a half percent sales tax increase to pay for road repairs across the city. Mayor Larson held a forum tonight to explain the details of her plan to residents and hear their questions and comments. Mayor Larson is asking Duluthians to decide through a referendum on November 7th if they…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – House Speaker Paul Ryan says he does not want to “shovel more money at a failing program” to replace federal subsidies that President Donald Trump is eliminating to help make health insurance more affordable. Ryan told reporters Monday that he supports the president’s decision last week to end the subsidies. In Ryan’s home state of Wisconsin,…
DULUTH, Minn. – Hundreds marched in the streets of Downtown Duluth on Saturday, to address the issue of racism. The Justice City Coalition organized the March to Dismantle the Legacy of Racism and Build a Community of Peace. The marchers joined in with marches happening in cities across the United States. They are calling on elected officials, business owners, and…
DULUTH, Minn. – A candidate forum was hosted by the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce. The forum in the Depot’s Underground Theatre featured Duluth City Council and Duluth School Board candidates. Questions were submitted by Chamber of Commerce members and asked candidates their positions on business related topics. “We do not endorse candidates but what we are interested in doing…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Mayor Jim Paine says Kestrel owes the city of Superior $2.2 million from a loan they were given in 2012. Since Kestrel’s forbearance agreement expired at the end of this August, they haven’t made a payment on the loan. Kestrel was expected to break ground by the Superior airport in 2013 for an aircraft manufacturing plant. The…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – The CEO of Kestrel is blaming broken promises by the State of Wisconsin for the delay in the creation of a plant in Superior. Meanwhile, the state is moving forward with legal action against Kentrel Aircraft. The state says the company is in serious default on millions of dollars in loans that were supposed to be used…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth City Council and Duluth School Board candidates took part in a public forum on Tuesday. The Local Solutions to End Poverty forum was held at the Duluth Denfeld High School. Local candidates fielded questions from the community on topics related to education, housing and transportation. “The hope is that collaboration comes out of it between the…
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal civil rights law does not protect transgender people from discrimination at work, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a memo released Thursday that rescinds guidance issued under the Obama administration. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 bars workplace discrimination between men and women but does not extend to gender identity, Sessions said….
SUPERIOR, Wis. – A Superior fourth grader took his chess game to new heights today. Maxwell Carey of Bryant Elementary recently won a chess tournament at the Superior Public Library, with the top prize being a match with Superior Mayor Jim Paine. Today the battle commenced as Max looked to be on his “A” game. “I’m more of a person figuring…
Rep. Bob Gannon (Photo: Richard’s Insurance) MADISON, Wis. (AP) – State Rep. Bob Gannon, a West Bend Republican in his second term, has died. Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke’s aid, Alesha Potter, says Gannon’s family informed Steineke that Gannon died Tuesday of natural causes. Gannon was 58. Gannon was first elected in 2014 and built a reputation as pro-gun and…
WASHINGTON D.C. – A push to bring down the cost of textbooks is in the works on Capitol Hill. The Affordable College Textbook Act was introduced in support of the creation and use of open college textbooks, which would allow students, professors, researchers, and others to freely access the materials. “It’s a way of putting pressure on the textbook companies,…
(AP) WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump’s health secretary has resigned, after his travel on costly charter flights triggered investigations and angered his boss. Tom Price’s partial repayment and public regrets couldn’t save his job. The Health and Human Services secretary became the first member of the president’s Cabinet to leave office in a turbulent young administration that has seen…
Downed power lines and debris are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Sept. 26. (AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — Under pressure to do more for hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, President Donald Trump on Thursday waived federal restrictions on foreign ships’ transportation of cargo to the island. He tweeted that relief supplies are getting through. “The electric…
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are proposing a far-reaching, $5 trillion plan Wednesday that would cut taxes for corporations and potentially for individuals, simplify the tax system and nearly double the standard deduction used by most Americans. The plan is sweeping in scope but omits critical, controversial details that are likely to take months to work…
DULUTH, Minn. – With the city of Duluth facing $2.1 million in cuts for 2018, Mayor Emily Larson is looking at every single dollar that flows in and out of the city. That includes a deeper look into the lucrative revenue stream of tourism tax dollars – a stream that Larson says doesn’t have a clear story to tell –…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – While Duluth is facing cuts to police and fire, it’s the opposite for the city of Superior. Mayor Jim Paine says the police department is getting an additional $28,000 next year to help fund more community policing and provide officers training in crisis intervention, diversity and de-escalation. As for the fire department, an extra $10,000 is being allocated…
DULUTH, Minn. – State lawmakers came to Duluth to visit several sites of proposed state bonding projects. The representatives stopped at UMD to learn about recent improvements made to the campus. The University also presented their bonding requests for this year, including projects to improve the Humanities Building and re-purpose the former Chemistry Building. “We go down to St. Paul…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing assured defeat, Republican leaders decided Tuesday not to even hold a vote on the GOP’s latest attempt to repeal the Obama health care law, surrendering on their last-gasp effort to deliver on the party’s banner campaign promise. Leaving a lunch of Republican senators who’d gathered to discuss their next steps on the issue, Sen. Pat Roberts,…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth city councilors have fulfilled their state duty to set the maximum operating levy for 2018 to a number higher than Mayor Emily Larson has proposed. In a 7–2 vote Monday night, councilors voted to increase the maximum 2018 levy from Mayor Larson’s 4 percent to 6.43 percent, which councilors say would allow more funding to the…
DULUTH, Minn. – A new plan is emerging from two Duluth city councilors about what do about a $2.1 million budget cut. Last night, councilors Noah Hobbs and Elissa Hansen, made a motion to supply about $180,000 back to the fire and police departments, which were facing some cuts. Under their proposal, a tax levy would be increased by another…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has signed the $76 billion state budget into law nearly three months after it was due. Walker on Thursday signed the two-year spending plan at an elementary school in Neenah surrounded by students, teachers, Republican lawmakers, and others. The budget increases state aid for K-12 schools, but also expands the private school…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Wood stove manufacturers are struggling to comply with a new EPA requirement. The rule was put in place to reduce particles in the atmosphere, but business leaders say it’s nearly impossible for them to make needed changes to their products fast enough. Manufacturers and retailers from across Minnesota talked with U.S. Representative Rick Nolan (DFL-MN). They discussed…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A report filed by attorneys for the Republican-led Legislature says lawmakers will have to start furloughing employees in December and shut down completely by February unless there’s a resolution to a legal battle with Gov. Mark Dayton over its operating budget. Top Republicans and the DFL governor have been locked in a legal battle for…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Mayor Emily Larson is defending her 2018 budget proposal that includes $2.1 million in cuts spread out throughout all city departments. Mayor Larson told FOX 21’s Dan Hanger Monday that nobody wants cuts and cuts are stressful, but she says that doesn’t mean her office should avoid the problem, especially with aging streets and infrastructure –…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Soo Locks at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan connect the Duluth and Superior shipping industry with the rest of the world, but the aging locks haven’t been updated in decades. The locks at Soo Straights connect Lake Superior to the rest of the Great Lakes and beyond. The locks raise and lower ships so they can navigate…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -Republican Gov. Scott Walker is hinting that he’ll officially announce his bid for a third term in November. Walker told WTMJ-AM radio on Monday that an announcement during the first week of November would make sense since that would mark a year until the election and his birthday is that week. He added that it’s no secret…
MADISON, Wis.-Gov. Scott Walker has signed a $3 billion incentive package designed to lure a Foxconn Technology Group flat-screen plant to southeastern Wisconsin. Walker signed the bill Monday afternoon during a packed ceremony at a technical college in Sturtevant in Racine County, the most likely location for the plant. The bill provides nearly $3 billion in cash to Foxconn if…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin Senate has begun debating the state budget 11 weeks after the $76 billion spending plan was due. Republicans entered the day one vote short of the 17 they needed to pass the plan. But Republican Sen. Luther Olsen says there are 19 GOP votes for the plan. Democrats are united against it. If the…
SUPERIOR, Wis. Protestors hoping to keep Enbridge workers from getting into their construction site on the line 3 replacement project Thursday morning are now in trouble with the law. In a dramatic scene, several protesters were arrested Thursday in Superior. One has been charged with disorderly conduct during the incident while three others were booked for resisting arrest and trespassing….
DULUTH, Minn. – The clock is ticking. Duluth fire and police departments are facing a $711,800 combined budget cut proposed by Mayor Emily Larson – a cut the unions believe is putting lives at serious risk. It’s been one month since Larson released her 2018 budget proposal with a total of $2.1 million in cuts. And since then, the public…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin Assembly has begun debate on the $76 billion state budget, more than two months after their work was supposed to be done. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is defending the plan, saying that there is something for everyone to like in it, including tax cuts and more funding for K-12 public schools. But Democratic…
DULUTH, Minn.-Tonight the citizens of Duluth are deciding on who they want to fill two council seats and one on the school board. Polls opened at 7 a.m. as voters are deciding on a city council at-large seat, a Fourth District council seat, and a school board at-large seat. Regardless of how you vote today, local officials remind the public…
MADISON, Wis. — The race for Wisconsin’s governor just got a little more heated with a new Democratic challenger to Republican Governor, Scott Walker. Tony Evers has announced his candidacy for the gubernatorial race. Evers is the State Superintendent for Wisconsin and is running on a platform to improve the public schools in the state. The Democrat says he’s running…
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump stand as “Taps” is played during a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. (AP) ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Leading his first commemoration of the solemn 9/11 anniversary, President Donald Trump said Monday that “the living, breathing soul of America wept with grief” for each of the nearly…
