Political

Superior Mayor Determined To Stop NTEC As Labor Ramps Up Support

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Billboards and yard signs are beginning to pop up in Superior in support of building the Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC). This comes as Mayor Jim Paine says he’s continuing to do whatever he can to derail the natural gas power plant for good. Mayor Paine is banking on Wisconsin state regulators to change their approval of…

Trump Leads GOP Rightward March And Other Takeaways From The Iowa Caucuses

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s iron grip on the Republican Party has been clear since the day he announced he would make another run for the White House 14 months ago. It can be seen in the party’s ideological shift even further to the right on cultural issues and, especially, on immigration policy. Iowa Republicans were a clear reflection of that on…

Iowa Caucuses: What To Watch As Voters Weigh In On The Republican Campaign’s First Contest Of 2024

(AP) — As frigid temperatures scour the Midwest, the Republican presidential nominating process will officially start Monday with Iowa’s caucuses. The quadrennial contest has been unusually quiet this year, a mark of former President Donald Trump’s commanding lead in the race. An arctic blast dropping the state into subzero temperatures and dumping snow during the final days of the runup didn’t help, either. But there’s plenty…

Councilor Arik Forsman Launches ‘Duluth Download’

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth City Councilor Arik Forsman has launched what he’s calling the Duluth Download. It’s a bi-monthly newsletter emailed to whoever signs up. Forman said he’ll be talking all things council and politics within the city, allowing him to dive deeper into topics that people may not see on the news or on social media. “Just this last…

Ashley Grimm Announces Reelection Bid For St. Louis County Board

DULUTH, Minn. – St. Louis County Commissioner Ashley Grimm has announced her reelection campaign. Grimm made the announcement Sunday afternoon on the steps of the County Courthouse in Duluth. Grimm said she’s proud of investments made into Duluth’s western neighborhoods since she was elected to the county board in 2020, like repairing the YWCA Young Mom’s Program building and parking…

Duluth “Acting Mayor” Plan Made Official

Mayor Reinert tabs At-Large Councilor Arik Forsman--just in case.

If there’s ever a time when Duluth’s new mayor is not available, he now has an official back up. In a formal proclamation Wednesday, Mayor Roger Reinert named At-Large City Councilor Arik Forsman as acting mayor whenever necessary. Reinert is still an active Navy Reservist and says at times he will be called away. For example, next week he will…

Wisconsin Representatives Talk Proposed Limited Medical Marijuana Bill In Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Wisconsin representatives gathered at Superior’s Government Center Monday unveiling a plan to legalize medical marijuana. The bill would create a limited plan for medical marijuana use to those with serious, chronic diseases such as cancer or those with severe chronic pain. There would be 5 state-run dispensaries and smokeable marijuana would not be allowed. The smokeless options…

Pete Johnson Announces He Will Run For Minnesota Legislature From Duluth

The Duluth firefighter said Monday he will run for Liz Olson's House 8A seat following her announcement last week that she will not run for re-election.

Pete Johnson, a Duluth firefighter, announced he is running for the seat left open by Representative Liz Olson. Olson represents central and western Duluth in District 8A. Johnson says he has been thinking about running for office for a long time and he knows that campaigning is always a family affair. He says his wife and kids are supportive and…

WI State Rep. Angie Sapik Announces Run For Reelection

Wisconsin State Rep. Angie Sapik is running for reelection for Dist. 73 in Northwestern Wisconsin. The Republican from Lake Nebagamon made the announcement over the weekend at the Log Cabin Tavern just outside of Superior. “We accomplished a lot of things in this cycle from the largest increases in shared revenue in history, to holding people accountable for fentanyl deaths,”…

County Commissioners Limit Public Comment During Meetings

DULUTH, Minn. — At its December meeting St. Louis County Commissioners voted to change their rules…moving the public comment period to before the meeting starts and limiting it to 30 minutes. Commissioner Annie Harala said the move will provide a time certain slot for contractors and business owners to appear before the board. “We can ensure folks that are traveling…

Minnesota Rep. Liz Olson Will Not Seek Reelection For 5th Term

MINNESOTA — After 8 years as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives Liz Olson has announced she will not seek reelection. Olson was elected in 2016 as a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in District 8A of northeastern Minnesota. She says she is very proud of the work accomplished over the years from providing affordable housing, healthcare…

One Attack, Two Interpretations: Biden And Trump Both Make The Jan. 6 Riot A Political Rallying Cry

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump will spend Saturday’s third anniversary of the Capitol riot by holding two campaign rallies in leadoff-voting Iowa in his bid to win back the White House. To mark the moment, President Joe Biden plans to visit a site near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, on Friday where George Washington and the struggling Continental Army endured a tough winter during the American Revolution. Biden’s…

Stauber Says Trump Will Get Country “Back on Track;” DFL Says Republicans “Kissing…Trump’s Ring”

All four Minnesota republican representatives announce their endorsement of former president.

Minnesota Congressman Pete Stauber endorsed Donald Trump for president Wednesday. The 8th district republican said Trump will, “finish what he started.” Stauber announced his endorsement in concert with all three other Minnesota republican representatives. Stauber’s statement said, “Donald Trump fought for our way of life in northern Minnesota when he was President. He supported domestic mining and manufacturing jobs, built…

Three New Duluth School Board Members Sworn In

The Duluth School Board kicked off its first meeting of the year Tuesday night by swearing in the three most recently elected members. The room was energetic and positive as family, friends and supporters watched Stephanie Williams, Henry Banks and Sarah Mikesell affirm their pledge to serve the residents of Duluth. After the stress of campaigning, we discussed what it…

Sweden Moves Closer To NATO Membership

Turkey's parliamentary committee gave approval Tuesday.

The United Nations Security Council meets on North Korea, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, at U.N. headquarters. (AP) ANKARA, Turkey (AP)–The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee has given its consent to Sweden’s bid to join NATO. The move on Tuesday draws the previously nonaligned Nordic country closer to membership in the Western military alliance. Sweden’s accession protocol will now need to…

Wisconsin Supreme Court Orders New Legislative Maps In Redistricting Case Brought By Democrats

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned Republican-drawn legislative maps on Friday and ordered that new district boundary lines be drawn as Democrats had urged in a redistricting case they hope will weaken GOP majorities. The ruling comes less than a year before the 2024 election in a battleground state where four of the six past presidential elections have been decided…

Rubber Chicken Theater Produces ‘Mayor Mia! – Emily’s Christmas Musical’

DULUTH, Minn. — The annual holiday sketch comedy revue by the Rubber Chicken Theater returns this Friday with “Mayor Mia! – Emily’s Christmas Musical.” Rehearsals were underway Sunday evening at Stage Four (former Underground Theatre) in the Duluth Depot. The revue is all about looking back at the past year by creating sketch comedy, much like Saturday Night Live. Topics…

WI Man Gets 3 Years In Prison For Bomb Threat Against Governor In 2018

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man who made a bomb threat in 2018 that prompted a search of then-Gov. Scott Walker’s office in the state Capitol has been sentenced to three years in prison and two years of extended supervision, the state Department of Justice announced on Friday. Terrance Grissom, 53, was already serving time for making other threats…

Silent Vigil Held in Honor of Gun Violence Victims

Community members gathered at Peace Church on the anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting

DULUTH, Minn. — Today marks the 11th anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting, which took the lives of 26 first graders and educators. Here in Duluth, a silent vigil was held in honor of all gun violence victims. The Northland Brady Chapter, an advocate group against gun violence, and Peace Church invited community members to take time out of their…

Wisconsin Supreme Court Makes Interim State Court Director Permanent Despite Complaints

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court announced Thursday that the director of state courts job will be filled by the person who has been doing it since August, despite complaints that the hiring was illegal because she had been elected to serve as a Milwaukee County judge. Audrey Skwierawski took a leave from her job as a Milwaukee County circuit…

Mayor-Elect Reinert Makes First Shakeup At Duluth City Hall

DULUTH, Minn. — A shakeup has begun at Duluth City Hall.  Mayor-Elect Roger Reinert announced new nominations Wednesday for Chief Administrative Officer and City Attorney. Reinert has tapped Dave Montgomery to return to the role of CAO.  Montgomery retired from that position in 2018 after serving nine years under Mayors Emily Larson and Don Ness. Reinert said Montgomery will only…

Supreme Court Will Hear A Case That Could Undo Capitol Riot Charge Against Hundreds, Including Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear an appeal that could upend hundreds of charges stemming from the Capitol riot, including against former President Donald Trump. The justices will review a charge of obstruction of an official proceeding that has been brought against more than 300 people. The charge refers to the disruption of Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential…

Biden Takes A Tougher Stance On Israel’s ‘Indiscriminate Bombing’ Of Gaza

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday warned that Israel was losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza, speaking out in unusually strong language as the United Nations neared a vote on demanding a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. “Israel’s security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States. It…

Council OKs Mayor Larson Appointments Against Mayor-Elect Reinert’s Plea To Deny

DULUTH, Minn. – Without discussion and against the wishes of Mayor-Elect Roger Reinert, the Duluth City Council approved three appointments by outgoing Mayor Emily Larson at Monday night’s city council meeting, and it included appointing former city councilor Zack Filipovich to the DECC’s board. Reinert had called on the council to deny Larson’s appointments, He said the 60-40 win on…

Mayor Larson Appoints Filipovich To DECC Board, Mayor-Elect Reinert Asks Council To Deny

This comes after Reinert asked Larson to let him appoint board, commission seats opening in December

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth Mayor Emily Larson is in power until Jan. 2, and she is using that power to appoint former city councilor Zack Filipovich to a seat on the DECC board that’s opening up at the end of the year. It’s a move by Larson that goes against the request of Mayor-Elect Roger Reinert. Last week, Reinert told…

Appeals Court Upholds Gag Order On Trump In Washington Case But Narrows Restrictions On His Speech

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court in Washington on Friday largely upheld a gag order on former President Donald Trump in his 2020 election interference case but narrowed the restrictions on his speech. The three-judge panel’s ruling modifies the gag order to allow the Republican 2024 presidential front-runner to make disparaging comments about special counsel Jack Smith, but it reimposes a bar on…

Son Of US Sen. Kevin Cramer Crashes During Police Chase, Killing North Dakota Sheriff’s Deputy

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The 42-year-old son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer crashed his family’s SUV through a hospital emergency room bay and then drove 70 miles before slamming into a squad car as he was being chased by police, killing a sheriff’s deputy who was laying down a tire deflation device, according to authorities and the senator’s family. Ian Cramer, of…

Duluth Mayor-Elect Reinert On Inheriting 2024 Budget, Securing Leadership Team, Campaign Promises

DULUTH, Minn. – With one month to go before a change in office at Duluth City Hall, Duluth Mayor-Elect Roger Reinert is wrapping up his civilian life and securing a core leadership team to join him in January.  Beyond that, he told FOX 21 how he’ll handle inheriting Mayor Emily Larson’s budget for 2024, and he addressed his critics who…

Former Career US Diplomat Charged With Secretly Spying For Cuban Intelligence For Decades

MIAMI (AP) — A former American diplomat who served as U.S. ambassador to Bolivia has been charged with serving as a secret agent for Cuba’s intelligence services dating back decades, the Justice Department said Monday. Newly unsealed court papers allege that Manuel Rocha engaged in “clandestine activity” on Cuba’s behalf since at least 1981, including by meeting with Cuban intelligence operatives and…

The House Expels Rep. George Santos. An Ethics Report Had Accused Him Of Breaking Federal Law

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted on Friday to expel Republican Rep. George Santos of New York after a critical ethics report on his conduct that accused him of converting campaign donations for his own use. He was just the sixth member in the chamber’s history to be ousted by colleagues. The vote to expel was 311-114. Expulsion requires support from two-thirds of the…

Henry Kissinger, Secretary Of State Under Presidents Nixon And Ford, Dies At 100

AP WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the diplomat with the thick glasses and gravelly voice who dominated foreign policy as the United States extricated itself from Vietnam and broke down barriers with China, died Wednesday, his consulting firm said. He was 100. With his gruff yet commanding presence and behind-the-scenes manipulation of power, Kissinger exerted uncommon…

Construction Returns To Duluth Housing Project With ‘Cash,’ No Financing

DULUTH, Minn. – FOX 21 learned Tuesday that construction crews are back on site of a delayed housing development (Urbane 218) in Duluth’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. But the final piece of funding from LISC, which halted the project in August, is still not in the developer’s hands. Merge Urban Development told FOX 21 Tuesday the company is “currently paying for…

Rosalynn Carter Honored By Family, Friends, First Ladies And Presidents — Including Husband Jimmy

ATLANTA (AP) — Rosalynn Carter was memorialized Tuesday as a matriarch who felt more comfortable among the impoverished and vulnerable than world leaders, as a rare gathering of all living U.S. first ladies and multiple presidents, including her 99-year-old husband Jimmy Carter in the front row, mourned her. The tribute service at Glenn Memorial Church in Atlanta marked the second…

Mayor-Elect Roger Reinert Visits Duluth Police, Fire on Thanksgiving

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth firefighters and police officers got a visit this Thanksgiving from Duluth Mayor-elect Roger Reinert. The Duluth Fire Union and the Duluth Police Department posted pictures on social media Thursday of Reinert’s visits. Both agencies thanked Reinert visiting them on Thanksgiving. The fire and police unions endorsed Reinert for mayor this past election. Categories: Minnesota, News, Political,…

Biden Pardons National Thanksgiving Turkeys While Marking His 81st Birthday With Jokes About His Age

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…

Rosalynn Carter: Advocate For Jimmy Carter And Many Others, Always Leveraging Her Love Of Politics

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…

Joel Sipress On Duluth Mayoral Race: ‘State DFL’s Hit Job On Roger Cost Emily Votes’

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 Mayor, Some Councilors Now Against Proposed Natural Gas Plant; Labor Not Happy

Mayor Jim Paine first supported the project in 2017

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…

White House Releases Plan To Grow Radio Spectrum Access, With Possible Benefits For Internet, Drones

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…

Minnesota Supreme Court Dismisses ‘Insurrection Clause’ Challenge and Allows Trump on Primary Ballot

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…

Tuesday, Nov. 7 General Election Results

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 Police Union: 3 Council Candidates Have ‘Extreme Views’ Against Police; Candidates React

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,…

Minnesota Justices Appear Skeptical That States Should Decide Trump’s Eligibility For The Ballot

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 City Councilors ‘Unequivocally Condemn’ Hate Speech During Monday’s Public Comments

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,…

Reinert Endorsed, Larson Accepted For Duluth Mayor In 2015; Both Candidates Respond

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…