WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump says he expects legal challenges to his decision to declare a national emergency to erect barriers between the U.S. and Mexico but says he’ll be vindicated. Trump announced Friday that he has signed the appropriate paperwork to declare an emergency on the border so he can build a wall. In a sing-songy tone of voice,…
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump says he’ll be declaring a national emergency so he can build a southern border wall. Trump did not say on Friday when he would make such a declaration, but the move will allow him to bypass Congress to spend more money to erect barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border. Congress has given Trump about…
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump plans to spend about $8 billion on border barriers, far more than Congress has given him for that purpose. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney says Trump will tap various other sources of money beyond the nearly $1.4 billion in a government funding bill that Congress passed. Trump is expected to sign the…
WASHINGTON – The Senate has passed a bipartisan border security plan that would finance 55 additional miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, significantly less than President Donald Trump wanted. The vote came shortly after the White House announced he’ll sign the measure — and immediately announce he’ll use emergency powers to build additional miles without approval from Congress. The…
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON – The Senate has confirmed William Barr as attorney general, placing the veteran government official and lawyer atop the Justice Department as special counsel Robert Mueller investigates Russian interference in the 2016 election. The Senate voted 54-45 to confirm Barr, who previously served as attorney general from 1991 to 1993. Barr will succeed Jeff Sessions, who was…
NEW YORK – Subaru, Tesla, BMW, Volkswagen, Daimler Vans, Mercedes and Ferrari are recalling about 1.7 million vehicles to replace potentially deadly air bag inflators made by Takata Corp. of Japan. The inflators can hurl shrapnel into drivers and passengers. At least 23 people have died from the problem worldwide and hundreds more were injured. The moves, announced Friday by…
DULUTH, Minn. – Wells Fargo says they are experiencing a system wide issue due to a power shutdown at one of their facilities. According to a recent Twitter posts, customers have been experiencing issues with the Wells Fargo mobile app as well as online banking since early Thursday morning. The company says the power shutdown was initiated after smoke was…
(Consumer Product Safety Commission via AP)WASHINGTON — Fisher-Price is voluntarily recalling about 44,000 Children’s Power Wheels Barbie Dream Campers because they can keep running after the foot pedal is released. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says Fisher-Price has received 17 complaints. No injuries have been reported. The model FRC29 battery-operated vehicles are hot pink with blue accents and have the…
DULUTH, Minn.- Lots of people in the Northland had interest in President Trump’s State of the Union Speech, including some younger eyes. Students at a few of the political clubs in twin port colleges tell us they had private viewing parties to watch the big speech. According to one UMD College Democrat, President Trump should focus on topics he feels…
WASHINGTON-President Donald Trump is expected to call for optimism and unity in his State of the Union address, but skeptics are likely to question whether he can be successful in pursuing such a reset after two years of bitter partisanship and personal attacks. Ahead of Trump’s prime-time Tuesday speech, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she hopes to hear a commitment…
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – A top administration official for Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam says the governor is meeting with staff to hear their assessment of whether it’s viable for him to stay in office. The official spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the official was not authorized to speak about the matter publicly. Northam has rebuffed widespread calls for…
DULUTH, Minn.- On this Super Bowl Sunday, some seasoned football fans at the Chris Jensen Rehabilitation Center got a surprise visit. Five former Minnesota Vikings stopped by the center to sign autographs and talk football. The players say being with these lifelong fans is perfect for a day full of pigskin. “I didn’t know that we’d have so many purple jerseys…
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced that the U.S. is pulling out of a treaty with Russia that’s been a centerpiece of arms control since the Cold War. The American withdrawal had been expected for months. It follows years of unresolved dispute over Russian compliance with the 1987 pact, which bans certain ground-launched cruise missiles….
CHICAGO (AP) -United Parcel Service says it has halted deliveries in about 250 zip codes in the Midwest and western New York because of concerns for the safety of those making deliveries in the extreme cold. UPS Chief Operating Officer Jim Barber said Thursday that most of the routes that won’t receive deliveries are in rural areas. He says drivers…
CHICAGO – The body of a University of Iowa student has been found on the campus in Iowa City, and officials say they believe his death was weather-related. Television station KCRG reports that the body of 18-year-old Gerald Belz was found behind an academic hall just before 3 a.m. Wednesday by campus police. He was taken to a hospital, where…
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Foxconn Technology Group said Wednesday it is shifting the focus of its planned $10 billion Wisconsin campus away from blue-collar manufacturing to a research hub, while insisting it remains committed to creating 13,000 jobs as promised. The much-ballyhooed facility was heralded by President Donald Trump and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as…
(AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — Tyson Foods is recalling some chicken nuggets after customers said they found pieces of “soft, blue rubber” inside. The U.S. Agriculture Department said the 5-pound bags should be thrown away or returned. The agency says there are no confirmed reports of anyone getting sick from the rubber. The recall is for more than 36,000…
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Donald Trump’s longtime friend Roger Stone has pleaded not guilty to charges in the special counsel’s Russia investigation. Stone appeared Tuesday for his arraignment at the federal courthouse in Washington after spending the weekend blasting special counsel Robert Mueller’s case against him as politically motivated. The self-proclaimed dirty trickster was arrested last week during a pre-dawn raid at his…
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has accepted an invitation from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to give his State of the Union speech on Feb. 5. Trump said in a letter to Pelosi on Monday that it is his “great honor” to accept her invitation to speak before a joint session of Congress next week. He writes, “We have a great…
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump says he’ll sign legislation shortly to reopen shuttered government departments for three weeks — until Feb. 15. Trump’s action would end what has become a record, 35-day partial shutdown. Some 800,000 federal workers have had to work without pay or have been kept from doing their jobs as Trump and congressional Democrats were locked in…
WASHINGTON -White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the arrest of former Donald Trump campaign adviser Roget Stone in the special counsel’s Russia probe has nothing to do with the president. Sanders’ comments came hours after Stone was arrested Friday during a pre-dawn raid at his Fort Lauderdale, Florida, home. Stone was charged in a seven-count indictment that includes…
WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House says President Donald Trump will not accept a short-term deal to reopen the government unless it includes “a large down payment” for his promised border wall. The statement from White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday came as Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer were meeting to try…
SEBRING, Fla. (AP) — An Indiana man accused of fatally shooting five people inside a Florida bank branch has long been fascinated with the idea of killing, but people who could have done something about it didn’t take his threats seriously, a woman who identified herself as his former girlfriend told a television station. Zephen Xaver, 21, “for some reason…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – General Mills is voluntarily recalling some bags of its Gold Medal Unbleached Flour because of salmonella concerns. The 5-pound bags have a “better if used by” date of April 20, 2020 and the UPC code 000-16000-19610-0. Customers should discard the product. The company says it discovered salmonella during sampling of the product, but it has not received…
(AP) – For the first time since 1901, the run-up to Valentine’s Day won’t include store shelves stocked with the classic Sweethearts candy. New England Confectionery Company (Necco), the Massachusetts-based candy manufacturer behind a slew of iconic brands dating to the 19th century, shut down after filing for bankruptcy in July. The good news for patient fans is that Clark…
PHOENIX (AP) — A nurse who was looking after an incapacitated woman at long-term health care facility has been charged with raping her, weeks after she stunned her caregivers and family who didn’t know she was pregnant by giving birth to a baby boy, Phoenix police said Wednesday. Investigators arrested 36-year-old Nathan Sutherland, a licensed practical nurse, on suspicion of…
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to go ahead with its plan to restrict military service by transgender people while court challenges continue. The high court on Tuesday reversed lower-court orders preventing the Pentagon from implementing its plans. But the high court for now declined to take up cases about the plan. The…
(AP) – Netflix is continuing its string of re-boots by bringing back “Unsolved Mysteries.” Netflix says the true-crime and paranormal activity show will follow the original format, but only focus on a single case. The first season will start with 12 episodes. The executive producer of “Stanger Things” will oversee the production. Netflix has not announced when the new “Unsolved…
WASHINGTON – Sen. Kamala Harris is running for president. The California Democrat tells ABC’s “Good Morning America” that she’s entering the increasingly crowded field of candidates seeking the Democratic nomination. If successful, she’d be the country’s second African-American president and the first woman to hold the office. Harris is a daughter of immigrant parents who grew up in Oakland, California….
DULUTH, Minn.- Follow the sounds of gospel music and clapping hands, and you’ll find a large, jubilant group at the Peace United Church of Christ. “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!” The Duluth Branch of the NAACP gathered the crowd to honor the freedom–fighting life of Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., and the legacy that shines…
DULUTH, Minn.- As businesses across the Northland continue to offer discounted or free services to unpaid federal workers during the shutdown, Dapper Jack’s barbershop on 47th Avenue East offered free haircuts to federal workers. If you’re wondering how many people really need it, the barber there says he had folks lined up before he even opened. He says the feeling after…
MINNEAPOLIS – Scientists say Minnesota is one of the fastest warming states in the country, as its famously bitter winters grow milder. The Star Tribune reports that University of Minnesota scientists met with state lawmakers Tuesday to discuss how climate change is affecting the state. Professor Tracy Twine says Minnesota’s winters are warming 13 times faster than its summers. Researchers…
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Shopko has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy according to a Wednesday morning press release. According to the release, “The Company is seeking to facilitate the restructuring as a result of excess debt and ongoing competitive pressures.” In addition to the filing Shopko also announced it will be closing an additional 38 stores and is relocating over…
SAN FRANCISCO – Netflix is raising its U.S. prices by 13 percent to 18 percent, its biggest increase since the company launched its streaming service 12 years ago. Its most popular plan will see the largest price hike, to $13 per month from $11. That option offers high-definition streaming on up to two different internet-connected devices simultaneously. Even at the…
BARRON, Wis.- The man accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs for 88 days and killing her parents could be sentenced to life in prison. He’s facing four serious charges including two counts of first degree homicide, and one count of kidnapping, and armed burglary. The press conference on Monday was vastly different than the one held last Friday when Closs escaped….
DULUTH, Minn.- The TSA at the Duluth International Airport also continues to work without pay. Currently representatives at the airport say they have not experienced any operational disruptions with TSA The airport’s leadership say they are very grateful the employees come in everyday to continue to do their jobs. “Their morale, their attitude is the same from our standpoint,”…
OAKLAND, Calif. — A U.S. judge in California on Sunday blocked Trump administration rules, which would allow more employers to opt out of providing women with no-cost birth control, from taking effect in 13 states and Washington, D.C. Judge Haywood Gilliam granted a request for a preliminary injunction by California, 12 other states and Washington, D.C. The plaintiffs sought to…
LOGAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) — Police have surrounded a United Parcel Service facility in New Jersey in response to a reported active shooter. Television images show police cars surrounding the loading dock area of the building in Logan Township, about 20 miles south of Philadelphia. Armed officers can be seen crouching behind one of the vehicles. A person answering the…
DULUTH, Minn.- A local group is working to bring awareness to missing and murdered indigenous women. The Native Lives Matter Coalition and PAVSA hosted search training and a community patrol today. The organization Shahnish Scouts provided training, and united multiple local organizations in the goal of bringing every missing woman home. “Opening their minds for a little bit more awareness,…
DULUTH, Minn.- It’s day 23 of the partial government shutdown, about 800,000 employees are either working without pay, or furloughed. Businesses are stepping forward to help those workers with the financial difficulties. Ignite Studio in Duluth is trying to help ease the worries of those affected by the shutdown by offering free classes so they can exercise–improving moods, boosting energy,…
BARRON, Wis. – Authorities say they have jailed a 21-year-old man on kidnapping and homicide charges in the October killing of a Wisconsin couple and abduction of their teen daughter, who was found alive. Douglas County Sheriff Thomas Dalbec said at a news conference Friday that Jake Thomas Patterson was arrested Thursday after Jayme Closs was found near Gordon, where…
(Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via AP, File)BARRON, Wis. – A woman who helped a Wisconsin girl who’d been missing for three months following her parents’ deaths says the girl told her she’d been held against her will. Kristin Kasinskas says she took 13-year-old Jayme Closs into her home after the girl and a woman she’d approached for help came to her…
(Josh Ritchie/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, File)MIAMI — Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas is returning to a Florida port a day early and giving passengers full refunds of their fare after 277 guests and crew members were hit with an outbreak of Norovirus as it sailed to Jamaica. Cruise line spokesman Owen Torres told The Associated Press “we think…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, will testify publicly before Congress next month. Cohen’s testimony before the House Oversight and Reform Committee will be the first major public hearing for Democrats, who have promised greater scrutiny of Trump. Cohen is a pivotal figure in investigations by special counsel Robert Mueller into potential coordination between Russia and…
WASHINGTON – With no breakthrough in sight, President Donald Trump is set to argue in a prime-time address that a “crisis” at the U.S.-Mexico border requires the wall he’s demanding before ending the partial government shutdown. Trump’s speech on Tuesday night will be followed by his visit Thursday to the southern border. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted…
DULUTH, Minn.- Another suspect has been sentenced in the homicide of UMD student William Grahek. 23-year-old Deandre Davenport was given a mandatory life sentence, with possibility of parole in 30 years. Last month, Davenport was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and one count of intentional second degree murder. Davenport took part in the fatal shooting of Grahek…
CLOQUET, Minn.- In this Cloquet house, dinner is becoming limited to a few options. “We have leftover Hamburger Helper, there’s pork chops. There’s hotdogs, mommy bought plenty of hotdogs,” the mother tells her children. “It’s pasta dishes, it’s things that you can get dirt cheap,” said Andrea Hawkins. “Y’know, it’s like living on a college kid’s income all over again.”…
DULUTH, Minn.- Canine and Feline Supermodels took over North Shore Veterinary Hospital, as they held a Pet Photo Fundraiser. $20 got owners and their pets an exclusive photo shoot, complete with props and scenes. That is, of course, if they could get their pets to sit still in the first place. Many scramble, scooping up dogs and cats and plopping…
DULUTH, Minn.- With the government shutdown entering its third week, effects are already being seen in the Northland. The shutdown hasn’t reached SNAP benefit recipients just yet, but that safety only lasts this month. President Trump’s recent declaration that he is prepared to keep the shutdown going for months, or even years, spells out danger for SNAP Food Stamp recipients…
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. employers dramatically stepped up their hiring in December, adding 312,000 jobs in an encouraging display of strength for an economy in the midst of a trade war, slowing global growth and a partial shutdown of the federal government. The Labor Department says the unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.9 percent, but that reflected…
