John Hatcher
Where near Duluth?
Came across this and couldn’t resist posting it. I’m going to be impressed if someone can locate this one, but I suppose it’s not out of the question. I am going to guess that the Duluth News Tribune doesn’t actually deliver to this one, though.
What’s in the box? A gift I’ll never open
Someday, hopefully years from now, someone will face the task of going through all the “stuff” in my office and will find a box.
It is postmarked April 2, 2010. It has an address label on the side:
From: John Hatcher
To: Sam Cook
Here’s my request: Don’t open it.
Here’s why.
If you simply have to know what’s in it, I can just tell you that part: It’s one of those sporty Nalgene water bottles. I can’t honestly remember what color or what style, but I do know it has a University of Minnesota Duluth logo on it. What the box contains isn’t why I’ve kept it unopened for nearly seven years now.
The water bottle was a gift, not to me but from me. The intended recipient was Sam Cook, longtime (that’s polite for old) journalist and columnist for the Duluth News Tribune. It was a way of thanking him for coming to my journalism class. (more…)
Yellow lab found near UMD/Hunter’s Park
Just saw this on the Facebook. Pretty cute dog. Must have an owner. Read all about here.
UMD student tells stories of poverty, homelessness through photography
During the past few months, LakeVoice reporter and UMD student Daniel Badhwa set out to learn more about the issue of homelessness within the Duluth community. With a camera in hand, Badhwa explored the city, talking with people he encountered. Several of the people Badhwa photographed and interviewed shared stories of their current struggles with homelessness, but not all identified themselves as homeless.
His project, featured on the student-run community news magazine, LakeVoice, includes a video, produced by Badhwa, that describes how he went about this project and what he learned both about himself and society. The article he wrote shares some of the intimate portraits Badhwa captured as well as stories from Duluth people living on the margins.
Help us map Duluth’s media ecosystem
I teach journalism at UMD and one of the things I’m interested in is learning how information flows through a community. I’m writing to ask for your help with a project. (more…)
LakeVoice publishes second issue of spring
After several weeks of preparation, LakeVoice News published its first issue of the semester Feb. 28. The issue features the kickoff of LakeVoice’s Photo-A-Day project, video and audio pieces, and local issues stories produced by UMD journalism students. Since its launch, LakeVoice has published a second issue that includes a “Duluth on Ice” section, which features the history behind area hockey rinks.
(more…)
Who wins the Giant Foam Finger of Greatness?
A group of journalism students at UMD have created their own online journalism projects. The assignment asked them to conceive of a website that focused on a specific media “niche” and to produce content that appealed to that group by drawing on as many online media tools as possible.
The projects range from a Duluth-area beer-review page to a site that links volunteers with community needs in the Twin Ports.
Tomorrow we will have a very informal awards ceremony in which the page that has the most “likes” on our Facebook page will receive the Giant Foam Finger of Greatness Award (it’s a long story).
So, visit the page, check out a few of the projects, vote for your favorite and give the student journalists some feedback. Who knows, perhaps the best of them will actually develop into permanent pieces of the Duluth media landscape.
Asking for two pieces of advice
Two questions:
First: I am working with a journalism student on a news article and in it, the student mentions that a person used to work at a sporting goods store named CZ Wilson. Does that ring any bells?
Second: My daughter is an artist and has created watercolor paintings on seasonal cards (this is not an ad, don’t worry). Now, she would like to take those cards and have them printed on nice stock paper or whatever I really mean to say. Are there good local printers who do that work that people would recommend?
Thank you.
“I could’a used a little more cow bell”
Bring your cowbells and head to Pleasant View Road off of Jean Duluth Road Sept. 29 to cheer on the racers as they climb to the finish line.
Calling all PDD hipsters, Sept. 29 is your chance to experience one of the more exciting cycling events you’re likely to see in Duluth this year: the third running of the Heck of the North Gravel Cycling Classic. (more…)
Where in Duluth?
I think this is a tough one but if you’ve been past it maybe you’ve noticed it.
Just discovered this place today. Very exciting to find new terrain.
What’s the deal with those horns?
If you scroll through this slideshow displaying statues of Leif Erikson you will notice Duluth’s statue has something most of the other statues don’t have. Go ahead, I’ll wait …
So, did you notice? If you read the headline you already know what it is: horns. What’s more, if you read this article by UMD journalist Madiha Mirza, you will learn that Duluthian Stefan Guttormsson, president-elect of the Icelandic American Association of Minnesota, believes our statue should not have horns.
Of course, if that’s true, does it also mean the Minnesota Vikings’ logo is, um, wrong?
History detectives: Who was Lester?
UMD journalism student Julie Krienke wrote this great article for LakeVoiceNews.org. Maybe it’s just because I live on Leicester, but I think this article and Mark Atkinson’s search are a perfect candidate for the PBS series, The History Detectives. Maybe if everyone tells them we’d like them to join the search? It worked for TBT on Prairie Home Companion. (more…)
In the sky, it’s a what?
Last night we were enjoying dinner outside when we looked up to see a sky filled — hard to do this justice — with a bird that seemed to be some kind of raptor. My guess is that it is a falcony-like bird (kestrel or something?). It seemed to be up there feasting on the bugs that were so prevalent last night, but maybe it was the dragonflies? It was a smaller raptor and had a kind of stripe across the wings.
I wish I could describe to you how many there were. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. They moved in a mass of them more like a school of fish than birds and seemed to be focused on eating and eating. Simply hundreds of them. I was surprised that a raptor would eat insects but that seemed to be what they were doing.
Lake Superior’s chocolate color
I’m guessing it’s all the mud from the Wisconsin rivers that is causing our lake to turn a deep shade of brown. I’ve watched it slowly ooze its way across the lake all day. All that sediment can’t be good for anything. I wonder how common an occurrence this is to have this much water coming down rivers this time of year.
Gravity on display in Duluth
Yesterday I was driving down some side streets near Chester Creek Cafe with my family when we watched a soccer ball cross the street in front of us. At first, it just seemed to be out on a walk, or a roll, I guess, as it headed down the street and on its journey toward the lake. A few seconds later a young man appeared from behind a fence and ran — looking for cars and being careful — after his ball. It was a close contest but the ball was finally intercepted a couple of blocks down the hill.
It got me thinking about the other hill-related events I’ve witnessed over the years and thinking serious work should be done in documenting such events. (Plus, I’m procrastinating on a big project I should be doing.) (more…)
Pedaling to Madison, Wisconsin
I am looking at trying to plan a bike ride from Duluth to Madison, and maybe back. I was wondering if anyone out there:
– Had done this trip
– Knew of good resources for planning such a trip
– Had suggestions on a good route (more…)
Lutsen sucks … water from trout streams
I was disappointed but not surprised to hear that state lawmakers moved one step closer to allowing Lutsen Mountain ski resort to pump more water out of the Poplar River. As John Myers reported in the DNT this week, the concerns about the effects of this on fish populations have many groups concerned.
I am personally planning on telling Lutsen that not only will I not be visiting their resort anytime soon, I’ll also be spreading the word through any channel I can find. I wish there was some way I could suggest that others also send them a note saying you’ll be doing the same.
For example, people could voice their concern on Lutsen’s Facebook by “liking it” and then voicing your displeasure: page.
People could also email Lutsen to let them know you’re going to boycott the resort.
What I can’t find is the direct email address of the resort’s co-owner, Charles Skinner. I wonder where he lives. We could all visit his house and say, “hi.”
Duluth endurance cyclists leave mark in Trans-Iowa
From left Charlie Farrow and Tim Ek (who, along with Jason Buffington and Jeremy Kershaw make up the Death Before Dishonor group) at last year's Trans-Iowa. Note the headlamps because they will be riding all night.
Two of Duluth’s strongest endurance cyclists completed an amazing feat today in Iowa. The Trans-Iowa is a two-day, 300-mile bike race on mostly gravel backroads that starts at 4 a.m. on Saturday morning and finishes when you either cross the finish line or quit, which many people do. To win, you have to pretty much ride without stopping for a little more than 24 hours. (more…)
Birdhouses: ‘The women say they look so cozy’
LakeVoice journalists Ethan Walker and James Stitt drove to Angora to visit with birdhouse maker Daniel Rankin.
Let’s make AltaVista a verb
What if, in an effort to show the world that we are sore losers, everyone in Duluth stops using Google and instead starts using the search engine AltaVista? I was able to find AltaVista quickly by doing a Google search and was pleased to find it still exists. I remember using it after my modem finished dialing up.
I tested it out by typing in “perfect duluth day” and found this site was the first result… below something called Benjamin Franklin Plumbing.
In your face, Google! The mayor can change the name of his kid to AltaVista, though his friends will just call him “Alt.” And, yes, I did steal this idea from a crappy weeknight sit-com.
Ladies’ Night at the Duluth Puttin’ Hut
Duluth gets a shout out of sorts in this PlayStation ad featuring Joe Mauer. I thought Kevin Butler said “Duluth Mutton Hut” at first, which sounded appealing, but I’m pretty sure it’s puttin’.
I don’t think there is a puttin’ hut either, sadly.
This week in LakeVoice…
Students at UMD have launched their second week of stories on LakeVoice, along with this slick audio spot. Week2 LakeVoice
Join LakeVoice in our election Tweets
The LakeVoice editing team will be Tweeting the local Midterm election today. Feel free to follow us below or on Twitter and add your own perspectives by using the hashtag #DuluthVotes10 (that’s Twitter talk).