Paul Lundgren
The Duluth Academy
News release from Pakou Ly, public information coordinator for the city of Duluth:
An unprecedented partnership between the city of Duluth, Duluth Public Schools and Lake Superior College was announced today that will create an innovative educational, workforce development and community enrichment hub called the Duluth Academy.
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Pardon me, Railway Pizzeria & Bar, but I must say that’s a pretty kinky offer
Top of the delivery menu:
“Here you go, Mr. Deliveryman. See you back at my room with a vodka tonic in 20 minutes or less.”
So, whatever happened to testing Lake Superior beaches for E. coli?
According to MPR, tightened budgets led the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to decide beach testing should be done by an outside contractor, because the issue was more of a public health concern than an environmental one. But the contractors haven’t started the work yet, meaning Lake Superior beaches like Park Point aren’t being tested.
Here’s the full story …
Beachgoers beware: Not all beaches are tested for bacteria
Graffiti Timeline
I recently came across this photograph of myself observing graffiti at an I-35 underpass in West Duluth, probably from 1997 or 1998. So I went back and rephotographed the spot to show how the graffiti has changed. (more…)
Thanks Chickenbone. You rocked our block.
“Chickenbone George” Alan Sparhawk of the Black-eyed Snakes performing last night in front of Fitger’s Brewhouse.
St. Louis County Primary Election 2010 Sample Ballot
Some notes on the Aug. 10 Primary Election:
* This is an election in which you have to choose a party. You can’t, for example, vote for a Republican governor and a DFL congressman. On the partisan side of the ballot you have to vote for the same party in all races. That’s how it works, whether you like it or not.
* Your party choices are Republican, Democratic-Farmer-Labor and Independence. Yes, there are some candidates representing other parties — Constitution, Green, Ecology Democracy, Resource and Grassroots — but those candidates do not have any opposition within their parties and therefore move on to the General Election automatically.
* If you live in Duluth, you won’t see the County Commissioner races that are listed on the sample ballot — those are for districts outside of Duluth. Pretty much all of the Duluth-relevant nonpartisan county races have only two or one candidate, so you won’t get to vote on them until November. The exception is the Sixth District Court Judge 11 race, which has eight candidates.
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Duluth Waits for Shane, Sarah and Josh
Thursday, July 29 | 10pm | Pizza Lucé
Local musicians perform the music of Tom Waits to benefit the hikers detained in Iran.
The lineup will include Coyote, Bill and Kate Isles, Rachael Kilgour, Tony Bennett, the Tico Three, Dave Mehling, James Moors, Jim Hall, Charity Huot and the Mark Anderson Trio.
Cover charge: $10, which goes to Free the Hikers.
On July 31 it will be a full year that Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal have been detained in Iran with no charges brought against them. Shane and Josh have been sharing a cell in Evin’s Prison, but Sarah has been held in solitary confinement.
Bauer is a Minnesotan. His sister and brother-in-law live in Duluth, and he also has family in Shakopee and Pine City.
A protest walk and benefit will be held on July 31. More info on that in a future post.
Treasure Adventure Music Schedule
International Explorations is bringing its Treasure Adventure to Duluth July 24 through Aug. 8, coinciding with the Tall Ships Festival. Along with the display of $8 million in artifacts and general fun for the whole family, there will be music every night. Here’s the lineup:
7/24, 6pm – 4 on the Floor
7/25, 6pm – Mark Anderson Trio
7/26, 6pm – John Heino & Centerville
7/27, 6pm – Lake City Smokin’ Section
7/28, 6pm – Blue Collar Blues Club
7/29, 7:30pm – Peter Provost, Thunder Brothers
7/30, 7:30pm – Michael Bean, Brandon Scott Sellner
7/31, 7:30pm – Michael Bean, Thunder Bros., the Acceleratii,
the Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank
8/1, 7:30pm – Michael Bean, Mark Anderson Trio, Teague Alexy
8/2, 6pm – Blue Collar Blues Club
8/3, 6pm – Blue Collar Blues Club
8/4, 6pm – Blue Collar Blues Club
8/5, 6pm – Cars & Trucks
8/6, 6pm – Cars & Trucks
8/7, 6pm – Brandon Scott Sellner
8/8, 6pm – The Acceleratii
Treasure Adventure takes place on Kelley Island — the former location of the LaFarge Cement terminal. It’s next to Bayfront Festival Park at Railroad Street and Eighth Avenue. Admission is $7; $3 for children under age 12.
A reminder that fire is hot
Despite the distance between this West Duluth garage and house, the heat from the burning garage melted the siding on the house.
Bathing in Fairmount Park’s Boys’ Pool
This old postcard was sent 100 years ago today. Someone named Mabelle mailed it to Mrs. W. F. Smith of Minong, Wis. It was postmarked in Duluth, Minn., July 16, 1910, 3 p.m. (more…)
Berry picking in northern Minnesota
According to the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture, blueberry patches from Stillwater to Cambridge are reporting a bumper crop.
While blueberries are peaking in the southern half of the state, they might not be ready for picking in northern Minnesota until July 17 — which is this weekend.
There are 26 blueberry farms statewide listed in the Minnesota Grown Directory. As for the wild ones, well … I’m not telling.
What the hell kind of bugs are these?
These bugs showed up early in the morning on the Fourth of July at Sturgeon Lake and quickly died off. But for the few hours they existed, they made quite a mess. They are small enough to go right through screens. We swept thousands of them off the floor.
Harvey Pekar dead at 70
He had been suffering from prostate cancer, asthma, high blood pressure and depression.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBr4NxujLvw&feature=player_embedded
River Walk West development seeks city land on trail in Riverside neighborhood
The view looking out to the St. Louis River from land the could become part of the River Walk West development.
On the Duluth City Council agenda for a first reading on July 12 is an ordinance authorizing the sale of city property in the upper Riverside neighborhood between Spirit Mountain and the U.S. Forestry Department’s Superior National Forest headquarters. (more…)
Northwoods Music Fest – July 17
10am Aurora Baer
11:15am Kristy Marie
12:30pm Mad About Jane
1:45pm James Moors
3:15pm The Fractals
4:30pm Uprising
5:45pm Arcadia
7pm Natalie Gelman
Tornado Warning in Duluth?
Today is the first Wednesday of the month, and that’s when the emergency sirens are routinely tested, but today’s drill was a little unusual. The siren went off three times, and the middle siren was followed by a “tornado warning” and instructions to “take cover.”
I guess the snafu two weeks ago wasn’t an isolated incident.
Bayfront Reggae Festival – Win Tickets
A free pair of tickets to the Bayfront Reggae Festival go to the first person to reply in the comments with the correct answer to this question:
Guess who’s coming to dinner?
Here’s who’s coming to the Bayfront Reggae Festival stage on Saturday, July 10 at Bayfront Festival Park:
11am DJ Sound of Fujun
noon Max Dakota and Modern Life
1pm Uprising
2:45pm Zili Misik
4pm Queen Omega
6pm Dub Tonic Kru
7pm Tosh 1
8:30pm Michael Rose
Canal Park Brewing Company
Plans for a brewpub in Canal Park are moving forward, targeting summer 2011 to open.
Canal Park Brewing Co.
300 Canal Park Drive
Former Duluth Spring Co. plant
Next to Canal Park Lodge
RunCenter: Goucher and Flanagan in a verbal sparring match
Duluth native Kara Goucher and her Olympic teammate Shalane Flanagan are friends and training partners … or are they?
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Explore Minnesota Radio
Explore Minnesota and 89.3 The Current have partnered to put together a sampling of popular music from Minnesota bands.
Among the 59 tracks are songs by Retribution Gospel Choir, Cloud Cult, Low and the Alrights.
And, of course, you can hear Minnesota music every Wednesday in Duluth at 5 p.m. on 103.3FM KUMD‘s “The Local.”
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Dial 715 for Superior
Beginning July 17, Duluthians must dial area code 715 to call Superior. The good old days are over.
Starting Aug. 14, some new numbers in the 715 area code will be issued area code 534. What are local calls now will still be local calls, but you’ll have to dial the extra numbers, so it’s pretty much the end of the world as we know it.
Happy seventh birthday to us
Perfect Duluth Day is seven years old today — Tuesday, June 29. Join us for a small degree of antics at Pizza Lucé’s bar around 8:30 p.m.
Tofu raffle * Cocktail consumption * Cliff-dweller camaraderie
Presenting Duluth’s Lineup of Wholesome Fun for the Whole Family, 2010 Edition
In addition to the usual Duluth summertime hoopla there seems to be quite a few new or newish attractions this year.
The luxury expedition vessel Clelia II returns to Duluth five times this summer — June 26, July 10, July 24, Sept. 4 and Sept. 18.
Spirit Mountain’s Timber Twister Alpine Roller Coaster opens July 1. Rides are $8.
International Explorations is bringing its Treasure Adventure to the
former LaFarge cement terminal site from July 24 through August 8. Treasure hunter Scott Mitchen will display over $8 million of lost stuff. (Link to short video.)
Eight Tall Ships will visit Duluth between July 28 through Aug. 3.
Walking With Dinosaurs comes to the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Aug. 6-8.