Minnesota

Sen. Hauschild Releases Statement Regarding Hibtac and Minorca Steelworks Layoffs

HIBBING, Minn. — Today, Senator Grant Hauschild released an official statement about Cleveland-Cliffs has plans to lay off approximately 600 steelworkers and have the Hibbing Taconite (Hibtac) and Micorca Mine sit temporarily idle. According to Hauschild, Cleveland-Cliffs plan on laying off 340 steelworkers at Minorca and 350 steelworkers at Hibtac. The company also informed Hauschild that these layoffs were necessary…

4 Arrested in East 3rd Street Drug Bust

DULUTH, Minn. — Early Thursday morning, the multiple policing agencies were gathered to safety execute a high risk search warrant and arrested 4 people. This happened approximately around 3:45 a.m. on the 100 block of East 3rd Street. Members of DPD’s Tactical Response Team, DPD’s Investigation and Patrol Division, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force,…

Duluth International Airport Announces Capital Improvement Plans and Highlight Economic Impacts

DULUTH, Minn. — Outside of the Twin Cities, the Duluth International Airport (DLH) is the busiest airport in Minnesota. On Wednesday, the Duluth Airport Authority (DAA) announced several large capital improvement projects that are planned for the next 5 years. The last six months the airport conducted a study with the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University…

The 2025 Shipping Season is Almost Here!

  DULUTH, Minn — Dust off the binoculars Ship Nerds, the 2025 shipping season is around the corner. Lake Superior is sitting at about 9% ice coverage, most of that being in whitefish bay. We are still likely a couple weeks away according to the port authority, but excitement is still building for those keen to see the ships moving….

Proctor Middle & Highschool Transforms Library Space

  PROCTOR, Minn.– For over a decade, what is now the Cultural Event Center and Library was dormant. But now, Proctor Schools is finally unveiling a brand-new space for students and staff to enjoy. The new library was a two-year long project, and it solves issues related to spacing. Community members, staff and faculty pitched in both money and hundreds…

Coffee Conversation: The Northland’s First Mock Wedding at Norway Hall

DULUTH, Minn. — Wild Rose Company invites the community to The Northland’s First Mock Wedding on Sunday, March 23rd, at Norway Hall Event Center (upstairs). Amber Brostrom and Maggie McLeod-Shovein from Wild Rose Company appeared on Fox 21’s morning newscast to talk about the event. The venue, located on the second floor of historic downtown, is accessible by stairs or…

Rock Ridge HS Dean of Students Arrested on Georgia Warrant for Soliciting Child on App

VIRGINIA, Minn -Warrants claim the Rock Ridge High School Dean of Students sent graphic photos/videos of himself from within the school as part of soliciting a child from Georgia over an app. Tuesday evening, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 51-year-old Christopher John Chad pending extradition to Georgia for online child solicitation. Chad is the Dean…

GOP State Senator Arrested by Bloomington PD for Allegedly Soliciting a Child for Sex

Detectives say they communicated with Eichorn, while posing as a 17-year-old girl

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – A GOP State Senator for Minnesota’s 6th District was arrested for allegedly soliciting a minor for prostitution, Bloomington Police say. Tuesday, Bloomington Police announced they had arrested Justin David Eichorn, the Republican state Senator from Grand Rapids who represents District 6, for pending charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. A press release by the department said…

No Injuries After Fire At Dyno Nobel Plant In Biwabik

Photo courtesy of Northland Fire Wire. UPDATE: 4:25 p.m. 3/18/25 BIWABIK, Minn. — A spokesperson for Dyno Nobel released the following statement about Tuesday’s fire at the explosives plant: “At around 10 a.m. CT this morning, an employee noticed smoke and flames in a boiler room that is part of Dyno Nobel’s facility in Biwabik, Minnesota. The on-site team followed…

‘Heart Berry’ Partners with Cloquet Community to Paint a Mural

  CLOQUET, Minn.– The city of Cloquet is about to get a lot more colorful. Because the community is banding together to help paint a mural. The mural itself was designed by artist and owner of ‘Heart Berry’ Sarah Agaton Howes It will be a permanent piece in the Pinehurst Park, and it’ll feature Ojibwe motifs. They wasted no time…

Volkswagen Bringing Back Pre-Covid Deals

  DULUTH, Minn.– One of Duluth’s top dealerships is getting ready for the prime-time car buying season. And for this year, they’re finally bringing back some classic deals. Despite the pandemic hitting its five-year anniversary, businesses such as Volkswagen is still feeling the effects. They’re excited to announce a turnaround, by bringing back their spring deals. The last time they…

‘Gunner’ Picked for New Hibbing K9

HIBBING, Minn. — The Hibbing Police Department announced the name of their newest K9 officer. Meet Gunner, a 1.5 year-old male German Shepard. Gunner will soon be training with Officer Sydney Haugan in various law enforcement duties. The duo will be attending a three-month certification training next week through McDonough K9 before being deployed. The name, Gunner, was picked after…

Saint Fennessy 4K to Kick Off Racing Season

DULUTH, Minn. — With temperatures on the rise, people are lacing up their running shoes for the start of the race season. Saturday morning the Saint Fennessy 4K is returning to Hermantown. The race is the first of the year for the Young Athletes Foundation and welcomes in experienced and beginner runners. The 4K is one of many races leading…

28th Annual Cloquet Home and Sports Show

  CLOQUET, Minn.– The popular Cloquet Sports and Home Show kicked off this afternoon. For nearly three decades, Cloquet has hosted its annual sports show. 125 booths showcasing all things Cloquet are setting up shop at the Black Bear Casino. The show will highlight everything from saunas, jet skis, as well as small local crafters and vendors. In addition, they…

Additional Drug and Firearm Charges for Hibbing Man

HIBBING, Minn. – A Hibbing man charged with distributing illicit material of children is now facing additional drug and firearm charges, court documents show. The Hibbing man charged just weeks ago on nine counts of distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) over the messaging app “Kik” is facing new charges. Joshua Eckstrom, 46, was arrested on Feb. 26 after local…

Community Members Learn about Pruning Apple Trees

  DULUTH, Minn.– With the weather turning warmer, it was perfect timing for people to learn everything about pruning apple trees. Around 20 community members got their hands dirty while learning how to prune apple trees. The group got to help out one of the public orchards in Morgan Park that’s sponsored by ‘Edible Duluth’, The pruning class was put…

Inaugural Inclusivity Summit at College of Saint Scholastica

  DULUTH, Minn.– Enhancing inclusivity in both the workplace and the community was highlighted today in a gathering at Saint Scholastica. The Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce partnered with Saint Scholastica and Lake Superior College for the Inaugural Inclusion Summit. The Department of Employment and Economic Development awarded a $190,000 grant to the Chamber of Commerce last summer. In a…

Cloquet High School and Middle School Evacuated After Alleged ‘Swatting’ Call, CPD

CLOQUET, Minn. – Cloquet Police say they received a call reporting a bomb and a person with a gun outside of the high school but have since given the ‘all clear.’ Around 12:16 p.m. today, a call came into Carlton County dispatchers reporting a bomb and a person with a rifle at Cloquet High School. According to a press release…

After 2 Years on the Run, Man Accused of Sex Crime is Back in Minnesota to Face Charge

DULUTH, Minn. – A man charged with sexual assault in Minnesota was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Maine, after spending two years on the run. After spending over two years on the run, 42-year-old Samuel Adam Linkert is back in Minnesota. Linkert is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct stemming from an alleged assault that occurred at a Duluth residence…

Democrat Wins MN House Special Election, Restoring A 67-67 Power Split

(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Voters in a Minnesota House district at the center of a post-election drama to control the chamber chose Democrat David Gottfried on Tuesday in a race that will leave control of the House tied and end a short-lived Republican majority. The Democratic victory will force the two parties to work together to…

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Hosts Career Fair

CLOQUET, Minn. — Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College hosted a career fair Wednesday morning, connecting students with future opportunities. Around 750 high school students attended the 28th annual Career Awareness and College Fair. Students could connect and learn about future career opportunities from over 50 local businesses and industries, such as law enforcement and the medical field. Students…

City Council Votes to Bring Back Visit Duluth’s Power

DULUTH, Minn. — After losing its 85-year title as Duluth’s sole tourism marketing organization in 2022, Visit Duluth is gaining back some of its longtime power. It’s set to eventually get back its original power in about two years. The city council has authorized a five-year agreement with Visit Duluth to handle advertising and publicity of the city at a…

‘Metamodernity’ by Local Filmmaker at Ely Festival

DULUTH, Minn. — The 3rd Annual Ely Film Festival will take place from Wednesday, March 12 through Saturday, March 16, at the Historic State Theatre. Local filmmaker Drew Kerner appeared on the Fox 21 morning newscast to talk about his film Metamodernity, which will be featured at the festival. Kerner’s short film is an experimental documentary that tells its story…

Hermantown School Board Approves of $750K in Budget Cuts for Next School Year

HERMANTOWN, Minn. — Hermantown Community Schools is slashing next year’s budget by $750,000, and 6 position are being eliminated. On Monday night’s school board meeting, the school board unanimously approved of budget which looks to cut $730,000 for the 2025-26 school year. Cuts include: Two retirements ($60K) Eliminate summer days for media specialists ($3K) High School Social Studies attrition ($131K)…

Two Men From Illinois Assaulted Man in Hibbing Over Owed Money, Charges Claim

HIBBING, Minn. – A daylight attack by two men in Hibbing last Friday against another man who owed them money resulted in a high-speed chase, authorities say. Two men have been charged in connection to an assault on another man in Hibbing last Friday. According to the charges, the suspects, Kimonte Travion Cadge, 27, and Genio Taroyes Keller, 31, are…

Construct Tomorrow Teaches Students About Careers in Construction

  DULUTH, Minn — High Schoolers got a chance to try their hands at construction today! The DECC hosted “Construct Tomorrow”. An event aimed at getting people into construction apprenticeships. During the day local Highschoolers were there to learn and try things out. They got to meet employers, try out different tools and equipment, and talk to experts. “A lot…

Blatnik Bridge Replacement Construction Set For 2027

  SUPERIOR, Wis.– Transportation officials from Minnesota and Wisconsin say the nearly $2 billion-dollar Blatnik Bridge replacement project remains on track, with construction expected to begin in 2027. The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Wisconsin D.O.T held a public informational meeting on the project today in Superior. State and federal funding remains secured, with roughly $1 billion from the federal…

Isle Police Department Requesting Help to Find Missing Teen

ISLE, Minn. — The Isle Police Department is asking for public assistance in locating a missing teenager. The missing teen is known as Brody Schwarzbauer, age 16. He was last seen on March 3, 2025, around 7:30 p.m. leaving his parent’s residence. Schwarzbauer was last seen wearing a Grey sweatshirt with “Mille Lacs Lake” printed on it, blue jeans, and…

Minnesota Film Festival Returns to Downtown Duluth

The Minnesota Film Festival is returning to downtown Duluth. The Zeitgeist Arts Building, along with other venues across the Historic Arts and Theatre district, will be hosting the festival. It will feature over 100 films, with over 80 filmmakers in attendance. For many of those filmmakers this marks a chance for them to share their projects with the community that…

Wrecktangle Pizza Coming to Wild State Cider

DULUTH, Minn. — A popular Twin Cities pizza joint is coming to Duluth! Construction will shortly begin at Wild State Cider, bringing Wrecktangle Pizza to the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The award-winning restaurant serves up Detroit-style pizza. To previews what’s to come, Wrecktangle will be bringing its food truck to Wild State the weekend of April 12-13. Wrecktangle Pizza is slated…

Sandstone Essentia Contracts Ratified for 3-Years

SANDSTONE, Minn. — Essentia Health and Sandstone Nurses have finished ratifying their new three-year contract. The new contract covers all 28 nurses and includes a cross-facility care model. This model ensures Sandstone nurses have the opportunity to pick-up shifts at other Essentia facilities to help meet patients needs. Nurses from other facilities are also able to fill-in shift needs at…

Crow & Co. and Bent Paddle Team Up For “Queer and Weird” Bookstore

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth is home to many small businesses, and when they team up, it’s always something special. ‘Crow and Company To Go’ is teaming up with Bent Paddle to host a bi-weekly “queer and weird” bookstore. They hope that their selection of books will be able to share and uplift the stories of marginalized groups while supporting local…

‘Tequila Town’ Owner Changes Sign After Controversy In Esko

ESKO, Minn. — A Mexican restaurant in Esko has made some changes to its sign after the town board raised issue with alcoholic words in the sign being too close to Esko Schools. The original sign recently installed read: “Tequila Town Authentic Mexican Cuisine & Bar.” But over the weekend, Owner Rafael Mata posted a photo of the sign edited…