Minnesota

Local Labor Unions Donate to Food Shelves

24 boxes of donated goods are headed to Second Harvest Northland, CHUM, and Union Gospel Mission Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth Central Labor Body wrapped up a month-long food drive on Thursday. The drive benefitted Second Harvest Northland, CHUM, and Union Gospel Mission Duluth. Each organization took home eight boxes full of non-perishable donations. These included canned goods, cereal, and even Girl Scout cookies. The Duluth Central Labor Body has participated in food drives in the…

How Much Caffeine is Too Much?

DULUTH, Minn — For many people the mornings don’t start until you’ve had your first cup of coffee and the caffeine that’s in the coffee. But very often that is not the only caffeine you will have during your day. Now there are some questions about how safe caffeine is when taken in large amounts. If you need a little…

Coffee Conversation: “Is This Magic?” Experimental Dance Solo at the NorShor Theatre

DULUTH, Minn. — Two Harbors Dance Artist Kayla Schiltgen will perform experimental dance solo “Is This Magic?” on Saturday, June 29 at The Lab at NorShor Theatre. Schiltgen joined FOX 21 live on the morning newscast Thursday ahead of the performance. “Is This Magic?” will have two showings at The Lab on Saturday, June 29 at 4:00pm & 7:00pm. Performances…

Exonerated Duluth Priest To Retire July 1

DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth Catholic priest who was exonerated in May after being accused of sexual abuse eight years ago has decided to retire. Father William Graham, pastor of St. Michael’s Parish, will retire July 1. The 75-year-old was ordained as a priest of the diocese in 1976. It was also in the 1970s when a man said he…

Minnesota Private Colleges Week at The College of St. Scholastica

DULUTH, Minn. — This week High School students have the opportunity to start exploring college life. It’s Minnesota Private Colleges Week and 18 schools across the state are offering students the chance to get a jump start on their college search. At The College of St. Scholastica, students were welcomed with a presentation, a Q&A panel of current students and…

Swiftwater Adventures Closes Due To Flood Levels Causing Dangerous Conditions, Now Reopen

CARLTON, Minn. — A whitewater rafting business on the St. Louis River was forced to close for a few days due to high flooding levels causing dangerous conditions. Swiftwater Adventures owner and operator says last week’s rain caught up to them on Sunday. Water levels passed the company’s safe thresholds for rafting. The water was close to 25,000 cubic feet…

Grandma’s Marathon 2024 Recap

DULUTH, Minn. — The 48th annual Grandma’s Marathon is over and it’s one for the record books. It had the most combined runners ever. More than 17,500 total in the marathon, the half, and the 5K. The weekend went well although earlier in the week there was a good deal of concern about the forecast. There was quite a bit…

Coffee Conversation: One Roof Community Housing talks Homeownership

DULUTH, Minn. — June is National Homeownership Month, and with increased home prices and higher interest rates the U.S. housing market can be intimidating. Enter One Roof Community Housing. One Roof Senior Director of Community Land Trust Jim Philbin and Housing Services Manager Niki Kolodge joined FOX 21 on the morning newscast Tuesday with information about homeownership locally. The two…

Coffee Conversation: Local Band to Release New Music Video Filmed at Duluth Armory

DULUTH, Minn. — Local band Indecent Proposal will release a music video for their new song “Albright” on Tuesday, June 25, filmed in the Historic Duluth Armory on London Road. The band joined FOX 21 on the morning newscast Monday to talk about the production. The crew also played a sneak peak of original song “Glow” that has yet to…

Rain Won’t Stop Midsummer Celebrations for the Northland’s Finnish Americans

Sampo Beach Lodge was full of Finnish traditions and festivities for the whole family this afternoon

SAGINAW, Minn. — Finnish Americans and friends gathered at Sampo Beach in Saginaw, Minnesota on Saturday to celebrate Juhannas, also known as Midsummer. A typical Midsummer celebration would involve lots of outdoor games and time spent in the lake. This year, on-and-off rain showers kept the festivities inside. The weather couldn’t stop the fun, with a bake sale, live music,…

Sanclemente, Gomez Take Home Grandma’s Marathon Wheelchair Titles.

Weather forces several to cancel

DULUTH, Minn.- Before this year’s Grandma’s Marathon runners crossed the finish line, competitors in the wheelchair division earned their place in the spotlight. Luis Francisco Sanclemente of Colombia won the men’s wheelchair division, finishing with a personal best time of 1:22:07. It was 2:05 away from the course record, set by Aaron Pike in 2022. Sanclemente finished just 17 seconds…

Barno Wins 6th Grandma’s Marathon, Mazuronak Sets Women’s Record

Kenya's Barno Grandma's only six-time men's champion

DULUTH, Minn- A repeat champion and a newcomer-turned-record holder are this year’s winners in the 48th annual Grandma’s Marathon. Elisha Barno of Kenya has successfully defended his title in the men’s race, finishing at 2:10:54. This marks his 6th Grandma’s Marathon victory, which is more than anyone else in the race’s 48 years. His finishing time ranks third fastest among…

Course Records Shattered in Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon

Ramakangoana, Frisbie earn fastest times

DULUTH, Minn.- Both of the fastest times for the men’s and women’s races in the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon’s history were broken on Saturday. For the men, Tebello Ramakangoana of Lesotho finished in 1:00:17, breaking Meb Keflezighi’s 2013 record of 1:01:22 by over a minute. Tsegay Weldlibanos earned second place with a time of 1:02:04. In the women’s race, Annie…

Three Longtime Grandma’s Volunteers Inducted Into Hall of Fame

DULUTH, Minn. — Longtime Grandma’s Marathon volunteers were officially inducted into the Grandma’s Hall of Fame. Greg Helgeson, Paul Iverson, and Bob Larkin were all inducted for their longtime contributions to the race and community. Iverson has been volunteering since 1979 and made it to all but two marathons. Helgeson has been involved with more than 20. Larkin has been…

Essentia Health Fitness Expo Launches Grandma’s Marathon Weekend

DULUTH, Minn. — As the Grandma’s crowd gets settled in before tomorrow’s race, runners gathered at the DECC for the Essentia Health Fitness Expo. Starting last night, runners had the chance to grab their race packets with all necessary information for the big day. Every year the expo displays the latest in athletic wear and gear from over 100 vendors….

Jury: Sanussi Bangoura Guilty in Fatal Drive-By Shooting

DULUTH, Minn. — A 22-year-old Duluth man has been found guilty for his involvement in the death of a man and injuring another last august. The St. Louis County Attorney’s Office says a jury has found 22-year-old Sanussi Bangoura guilty of three felonies including aiding and abetting second degree murder and drive-by shooting. Bangoura and his co-defendent 25-year-old Brandon Williams-Gillard shot…

Grandma’s Spaghetti Dinner Readies to Feed Thousands

DULUTH, Minn. — Grandma’s Marathon puts on a spaghetti dinner each year dating back to when the rate got its start in 1976. In the DECC’s industrial kitchens, the magic happens as food preparations are underway to feed over 5,000 runners, friends and guests at the much anticipated spaghetti dinner at Grandma’s Marathon. This year’s head chef is Jerry Carpenter,…

Michipicoten Returns to the Duluth/Superior Harbor

DULUTH, Minn. — On Thursday, June 20, the 689-foot Michipicoten safely arrived back to the Twin Ports after spending nearly two weeks in Thunder Bay, Ontario for temporary repair. The vessel suffered a crack to its hull on June 8, taking on significant water near Isle Royale on Lake Superior. Thursday night, the ship was escorted 180 miles by the…

Cook Community Leans On Each Other As Swollen River Takes Over Downtown

Gov. Walz will visit Cook and Biwabik on Thursday to survey the flood damage.

COOK, Minn. – The small, close-knit city of Cook is dealing with a big problem.  The swollen Littlefork River has sent feet of water into the low-lying downtown. Homes and businesses are surrounded by water.  Some basements have feet of water, according to locals. There was a slight sign of relief Thursday because forecasters believe the river has hit its…

UPDATE: Two Juveniles Arrested in Robbery and Assault of 75-year-old Man

DULUTH, Minn. — Two male juveniles, a 14-year-old and 16-year-old, were arrested Wednesday, June 19 in the assault and robbery of a 75-year-old man in the DECC parking ramp. UPDATE (6/20): The juveniles are facing pending charges of Aid and Abet 1st Aggravated Robbery and 3rd Degree Riot charges. They were detained at about 10:30 pm on Wednesday, June 19…

Littlefork River Flooding Downtown Cook

COOK, Minn. — The downtown area of Cook is flooding from a rising creek, and it’s only going to get worse, according to forecasters. Forecasters are predicting the swollen Littlefork River will continue to rise sending more water into Cook, raising the water by a half foot to even a foot. FOX 21 will have more on this story tonight…

Biwabik and Giant’s Ridge Area Feel Storm’s Wrath

Police watch area and lawmaker says damages in "tens of millions" of dollars

Some areas of the Northland had stalled cars, washed out roads and flooded basements. It other places, the earth literally opened up. That was the case along a portion of the Mesabi Bike Trail near Biwabik, with a gaping cave-in between Giants Ridge and Highway 135. Tuesday night emergency crews were called into the rainy darkness to deal with a…

Flood Aftermath in the Iron Range

The Iron Range was hit with heavy rainfall Tuesday, resulting in many basements and roadways being flooded.

HIBBING, Minn. — One day after a large storm brought severe rainfall to the Iron Range, parts of Hibbing are left with multiple roadways still flooded over. There were also many reports of basements flooded in Hibbing and surrounding areas. “The little bit in the basement just kind of got it wet, we had to move and basically clean it…

Latest on Road Closures and Rainfall Totals Following Severe Weather

NORTHLAND – Severe storms brought plenty of disasters in northern Minnesota Tuesday night. The National Weather Service reports 1.5 to more than 7 inches of rain have fallen within just a few hours. Tornadic wind speeds brought reports of a waterspout spotted outside of Tofte at 5:19 p.m., a confirmed tornado outside of Cotton, and funnel clouds spotted over Moose…

Duluth’s NAACP Hold Biggest Juneteenth Celebration for 50th Year

DULUTH, Minn. — Juneteenth has only been a recognized federal holiday for the last three years, but the day has been celebrated here in Duluth for the last 50 years. With this year’s celebration at the Central Hillside Community Center being one of the largest. The event is hosted each year by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored…

FOX 21 Local News At 9: Tuesday’s Severe Weather Coverage

NORTHLAND — Video from viewers from around the Northland shows manholes unable to hold all the rain water in Bovey. The streets were comparable to small riverways. A similar story comes out of McKinley, as the heavy rainfall sends water down the streets and around homes. Video from viewers in Hibbing shows parking lots flooded. With vehicle owners moving cars…

Grandma’s Marathon Officials Monitoring Weather Threats

DULUTH, Minn. — With Grandmas Marathon taking place this weekend, organizers are keeping a close eye on potential weather threats. Race staff have been working with the National Weather Service to monitor rain events and patterns for the race weekend are showing rain with potential thunderstorms. Organizers say the race is currently as planned but they will continue to watch…

Sheriff: Source of Grand Marais Pride Bomb Threat Came From Russia

GRAND MARIAS, Minn. — The Cook County Sheriff’s Office has determined the source of the bomb threat from over the weekend that was directed at a Pride Event in Grand Marais. Officials said the threat came from an e-mail address located in Moscow, Russia, which has been used in multiple similar threats across the United States. The threat may have been…

Coffee Conversation: What Runners Should Know Ahead of Grandma’s Marathon

DULUTH, Minn. — The final sprint is on to Grandma’s Marathon. Here’s what runners should know before race day. Essentia Health Athletic Trainer Christina Nistler, who has also ran 10 marathons, joined FOX 21 on the morning newscast Tuesday to talk about how runners can stay healthy before and after a big race like Grandma’s Marathon. Nistler also talked about…

Neighbor’s “Quick Action” Saves Three and a House from Overnight Fire

DULUTH, Minn. — A neighbor is being credited for their “quick response” in saving three people and a house from fire early Tuesday morning. According to the Duluth Fire Department, fire broke out at a house on West 6th street at about 12:12 Tuesday morning. Upon arrival, crews discovered the front steps and porch engulfed in flames. Officers made sure…

Minnesota Rural Health Conference Going on in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn — Health professionals from across the state are at the DECC for the Minnesota Rural Health Conference. The workforce shortage is one of the main topics during the two-day conference. The issue is not limited to doctors and nurses, but the whole spectrum of providers.This includes administrative workers who can help manage and keep costs in check. Alyssa…

Carrying the Torch for Special Olympics

DULUTH, MINN — The Special Olympics Minnesota Annual Torch Run across the state went through Duluth today. The Minnesota Special Olympic Games began last weekend and this weekend will be at Stillwater High School. In addition to officers from The Duluth Police Department, officers from UMD, Hermantown, and the 148th Fighter Wing Security were taking part in the torch run…

YMCA Camp Cabin Burns Down Overnight

Vacant Cabin Burns Down Near Babbitt

BABBITT, Minn. — The Babbitt and Morse-Fall Lake Fire Departments responded to a structure fire at YMCA Camp Northern Lights early Sunday morning. According to the Northland FireWire, a fire was reported at around 7:10 a.m. Babbitt Fire Chief Tony Chamberlin said firefighters found a cabin that had burned overnight. The cabin was vacant at the time. The cause of…

Bomb Threat to Grand Marais Pride Event Under Investigation

The Cook County Sheriff's Office is Continuing to Investigate Saturday Morning's Threat

GRAND MARAIS, Minn. — The Cook County Sheriff’s Office began investigating a bomb threat Saturday morning directed at a Pride Event in Grand Marais. The threat was reported at approximately 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning. The Sheriff’s Office responded immediately, performing a precautionary sweep. It yield negative result and the Sheriff’s Office determined there was no indication of an active threat…