Minnesota

‘Catastrophic Failure’ Of Pipe Causes Significant Water Damage At Keewatin Elementary

KEEWATIN, Minn. — A “catastrophic failure” of a pipe Sunday morning caused significant water damage at Keewatin Elementary, forcing the school to be closed through at least Tuesday, Jan. 28, according to Principal Dr. Rae Villebrun. Cafeteria “We are currently working with Service Master, IEA, our custodial/maintenance staff, and insurance company to ensure the building is ready for the students…

49 Days Later, Essentia Deer River Workers End Strike with Essentia Health

  DULUTH, Minn.  — A 49-day strike ended Sunday between Essentia Health and 70 employees at its Deer River Hospital. On Sunday evening, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents the Deer River workers, said Essentia “significantly” improved its latest offer compared to the original offer before the strike began. SEIU said the agreement includes a 12 percent raise…

MN High Court Sides With DFL In Struggle With Republicans Over Control Of State House

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Supreme Court sided with Democrats on Friday in a power struggle with Republicans in the state House of Representatives but left it up to lawmakers to figure out a way to work together. The justices unanimously agreed with House Democratic leaders who argued that a quorum in the House was 68 members under the state…

Northerly School for Music Opens in Lakeside Neighborhood

DULUTH, Minn. — A local music school held a grand opening Saturday for its new location in the Lakeside neighborhood. Northerly School for Music has opened in the Lakeside area, after moving from its old location in Downtown Duluth. Northerly has a staff of teachers who provide people of all ages with lessons on various instruments. One-on-one lessons are offered…

New Permanent Housing Facility Opens in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — A new permanent housing facility has been completed in Duluth, providing housing to single adults who have experienced homelessness. Plover Place is owned and operated by the Duluth Salvation Army. One Roof Housing developed and constructed the two buildings, which consists of 24 units. Four of those units are reserved for veterans and each building has a…

‘Heart Berry’ Small Business Store Steals Hearts On and Offline

CLOQUET, Minn.– ‘Heart Berry’ is a woman and native owned store, and they back in 2023. The store was by inspired a strong desire to teach and share art with the Cloquet community. “I started out as a moccasin maker and beadwork artist. And really quickly saw that my community really wanted cultural art. I really wanted to teach cultural…

Coffee Conversation: Dr. Swiston Highlights Glaucoma Awareness Month

DULUTH, Minn. — January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. Nearly 4 million Americans are affected by glaucoma, but shockingly, half of them don’t even know they have it. Dr. Cole Swiston, an ophthalmologist at Essentia Health, has devoted his career to glaucoma care and appeared on the Fox 21 morning show Friday to share more about the condition.   Categories: Coffee Conversation,…

Essentia Health and University of Minnesota Looks to Form Non-Profit Health Care Organization

MINNESOTA — Essentia Health and the University of Minnesota are looking to build a more sustainable future together with $1 billion dollars investment over the several years. Both organizations’ leaders have proposed the formation of a new non-profit health care organization, which aims to improve patient outcomes, expand access to health care, and combine both institution’s visions towards a stronger…

Applications Now Open For St. Louis County Sheriff’s Citizens’ Academy

DULUTH, Minn. — The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office has opened registration for its Citizens’ Police Academy. The academy is happening every Tuesday night from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. from March 4 until May 20. The free interactive presentations and tours will show you the inner workings of a dozen departments within the Sheriff’s Office, including the Jail, 911…

1880s Water Main Breaks At Busy Duluth Intersection

DULUTH, Minn. — One of Duluth’s oldest water mains caused quite a mess at one of Duluth’s busiest intersections Wednesday night, which went into a second night Thursday. The break was reported around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at West Superior Street and Mesaba Avenue. City utility crews were dispatched just before 11 p.m. Wednesday as bubbles were pouring out of the…

Kozy Building Demolition Deal Seeks to Revive Area with Historic Look

DULUTH, Minn. – Years of lawsuits, multiple fires and several suggested solutions later, the former Kozy Bar and Apartments in Downtown Duluth is coming down. The Pastoret Terrace, commonly known as the Kozy, has been the subject of legal battles for a decade and a half. The city of Duluth has wanted to clear the dilapidated complex that sits at…

Proctor Middle School Principal Named MN’s Principal of The Year

PROCTOR, Minn. — One ‘awesome’ local principal has won the Minnesota Principal of the Year award. Mr. Awsumb at Proctor Middle School didn’t go into the job for winning awards, but spent some time sharing with us the dedication that led to getting that recognition. With a flurry of fist bumps for everyone who passes him, It’s no surprise that…

MN Supreme Court Considers Whether It Should Intervene In Partisan Legislative Power Struggle

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday on how deeply it should intervene in a power struggle between Democrats and Republicans over who should control the state House of Representatives. Democratic representatives have stayed away from the state Capitol since the 2025 legislative session opened Jan. 14 in an effort to prevent the House from…

Minnesota Hunts Harvested More Deer in 2024

MINNESOTA – This last deer season was considered a successful one for northern Minnesota hunters. On Wednesday, the Minnesota DNR released the results from the 2024 hunting season. Hunters harvested more than 170,000 deer during the 2024 hunting season. That’s up 7% from last year’s season, and only 3% lower than a five year average. DNR officials say the weather…

Duluth School District Budget Reduction Leads to Potential Layoffs

DULUTH, Minn.– Staff layoffs are taking place in the Duluth School District due to budget cuts. Superintendent John Magas says, the budget reduction is caused by pandemic relief funding ending as well as financial challenges, inflation, and rising special education costs. 83-85% of that budget is responsible for salaries and benefits. Over 50 meetings took place to discuss the best course…

Spanish Immersion Program Expands to Meyers-Wilkins Elementary

DULUTH, Minn.– Following the popularity of the Spanish Immersion Program at Lowell Elementary School. Meyer’s Wilkins Elementary is next in line. The Spanish Immersion Program is part of the Duluth Public School’s efforts to help the demand for diverse learning. Right now, this program takes place at Lowell Elementary. Lowell has 325 students enrolled in the program. For Fall of…

Coffee Conversation: DSA Community Foundation Awards $1 Million in Grants

DULUTH, Minn. — On Thursday’s Fox 21 Morning Show, Shaun Floerke, CEO of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, and Mike Waldron, Executive Director of 23rd Veteran, discussed the Foundation’s recent $1 million grant distribution to 51 local organizations, including 23rd Veteran. Waldron shared how the grants help 23rd Veteran’s programs, which support veterans transitioning to civilian life. Floerke highlighted…

Officials: Man Shoots At Vehicle, Hits Woman In Duluth Township

DULUTH TOWNSHIP, Minn. — A 19-year-old man is accused of shooting a woman in Duluth Township in what authorities believe was a drug-related crime. The shooting was reported around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. A 19-year-old female was at Aspirus St. Luke’s with a gunshot wound to the foot. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened in the 6200…

Settlement Agreement: Burnt-Out Kozy Building Will Be Demolished

DULUTH, Minn. – Nearly 15 years after fire gutted the former Kozy Bar and Apartments in downtown Duluth, the burnt-out structure will finally be torn down. That tear-down decision is part of a settlement agreement between the city of Duluth, the building’s former owner Dr. Eric Ringsred, and Respect Starts Here, which is a preservationist group. In a joint statement…

Talking Downtown Duluth Safety

DULUTH, Minn. – Public safety and outreach services look to find middle ground solutions to Downtown Duluth problems. City officials met to discuss the multi-faceted task of managing Duluth’s Downtown. From public safety leaders to representatives from various outreach services, much of the discussions centered around aiding the homeless population by finding a balance between enforcing laws and providing resources….

Lincoln Park Business Advocacy Groups Merge

Duluth Minn. — Lincoln Park Business Group and Ecolibrium3’s Main Street Program are formally merging. The groups already work together on projects for the Lincoln Park area. The merger also helps strengthen their advocacy. While both have been a driving force for development, a singular group simplifies their support. “It gets confusing because it’s like with children, you know, mom…

Piedmont Dental Hosts Kathy Andrews Memorial Blood Drive

  DULUTH, Minn. — Piedmont Dental hosted a winter blood drive Monday, honoring an employee who passed away from cancer. The Kathy Andrews Memorial Blood Drive started in 2020 after front desk supervisor Kathy was diagnosed with Leukemia and under went multiple blood transfusions. Since then Piedmont Dental holds an annual blood drive for employees, patients and other community members….

2025 Outlook for Duluth Entertainment Convention Center

DULUTH, Minn.– Management at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center are ready for a stronger year ahead following operational challenges that lead to a million-dollar loan request from the city in 2024. “We had a lot of capital projects here that failed. So, when the DECC arena system broke, we then had to do an emergency fix for our entire AC…

EMS Expo takes place at DECC

DULUTH, Minn. — One of the biggest emergency services expos took place last week at the DECC. The EMS Expo provided an opportunity to equip first responders with practical knowledge of management skills. It also aimed to help first responders deal with trauma that follows some calls. First responders from around the state attended various seminars, like how to aid…

Minnesota State Fair Ticket, Parking Prices To Rise In 2025

The Minnesota State Fair will hike ticket prices by $2 this year, bringing the cost of a regular ticket for an adult to $20. On Sunday, fair officials said ticket prices would go up as the fair looks to “fund extensive capital improvements and maintenance work and address rising operational costs.” The fair kept ticket prices flat in 2024 after…

Minnesota Political Round-Up

Tonight, a Minnesota Supreme Court order canceling the Jan 28th special election

DULUTH, Minn. – As the sun sets on week one of the 2025 Minnesota Legislature, a partisan conflict is leading the House further into uncharted waters. Friday afternoon, the Minnesota Supreme Court released an order canceling the January 28, 2025, special election for District 40B. The vacancy was created when the winning candidate, DFLer Curtis Johnson, was ruled ineligible for…

Extreme Temps: Ruth House Warming Center Offers Place to Stay

SUPERIOR, Wis. –With a severe cold spell hitting the Twin Ports in the upcoming days, Superior’s only warming center is seeing an increase in visitors. The Ruth House warming center is open every night that temps drop past 30 degrees. With an Extreme Cold Warming being issued for the northland, the warming house is encouraging people who are homeless to…

‘Pho’licious’ Opens in Canal Park

DULUTH, Minn.– The local restaurant, Taste of Saigon in Canal Park, now has a new name and a new taste. Under new ownership, ‘Pho-licious’ is serving up authentic Vietnamese cuisine. The co-owner, who is also the owner’s wife, received hands-on training in Washington, D.C., learning the art of crafting traditional dishes. They described making pho as a true labor of…

Important Tips for Braving Dangerous Temperatures

DULUTH, Minn.– The winter season is feeling a bit more seasonal this year, because some freezing cold temperatures are on the horizon. The Northland is bracing for a cold stretch, lasting through next Wednesday. With temperatures falling well into the negative teens and ’20s. Temps that low matched with windchill are especially dangerous, because frostbite can occur in as little…

DECC wrapping up plans on “Portside Park”

DULUTH, Minn. — The DECC in Duluth has begun wrapping up a project they’re calling “Portside Park.” The site will act as a venue that will hold 4-thousand guests. Stemming from the success following popular events such as the Winter Village, they’re excited to incorporate this while rebuilding the sea-wall. The DECC is looking forward to holding concerts and other…

Aspirus St. Luke’s holds ribbon cutting for new expansion

    DULUTH, Minn. — Aspirus St. Luke’s held a ribbon cutting on Thursday, Jan. 16, to celebrate their new 83 thousand square foot cardiac and intensive care units. The new expansion will allow for more quality and efficient inpatient care. “The new spaces will create an even better experience for our patients and their families, with more centralized services…

State Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Special Election Lawsuit

STATE CAPITOL – The Minnesota Supreme Court will decide whether Governor Tim Walz acted in accordance with state statute when he called for a special election to fill the vacancy in District 40B. State Supreme Court Justices were full of questions for both the GOP attorneys for the Minnesota Voters Alliance and attorneys representing Governor Tim Walz and Secretary of…

Funding Secured to Better Railroad Crossings in Northern Minnesota

NORTHERN MINNESOTA — Significant funding will look to improve safety concerns around Northern Minnesota railroad crossing. On Monday, Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Tina Smith announced that they were able to secure $1.8 million for providing a long-term multimodal freight solution that aims to improve safety, reliability, and efficiency along the CN rail corridor and the Midway Road (CSAH 13)…

Terese Tomanek Elected Unanimously as Duluth City Council President

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth City Councilor Terese Tomanek was unanimously selected as the new Duluth City Council president by her fellow councilors Monday, January 13. Councilor Tomanek takes over the role from Councilor Roz Randorf. Tomanek has been serving on the council for five years. She said she’s looking forward to continue to serve the people of Duluth and continue…

Local Unions back Strikers from Deer River Essentia Facility

DULUTH, Minn. — Union workers from Essentia’s facility in Deer River, picketed in Duluth on Wednesday. The workers are apart of the Service Employees International Union, but were joined today by local chapters of ASFME and the United Steel Workers. The various unions showed their support by braving the cold in front of Essentia’s 2nd Street facility. The Deer River…

Coffee Conversation: LOON Gears Up for “The Radio Hour” in 20th Anniversary Season

DULUTH, Minn. — Lyric Opera of the North (LOON) is kicking off another exciting chapter in its 20th Anniversary Season with the upcoming production of The Radio Hour. The performance will feature a talented cast, including Chorus Director Michael Fuchs and his wife, Jennifer Fuchs, who is making her debut with LOON. The couple joined FOX 21 on the morning…