Paul Lundgren
Duluth and the North Shore in Aug/Sept issue of National Geographic Traveler
“Road trips up the Minnesota shore of Lake Superior begin in Duluth, an industrial harbor town at the southern end of a wooded triangle called the Arrowhead and two-lane Highway 61. Also called North Shore Scenic Drive, the paved boundary between woods and waters delivers views of the ancient volcanic basalt cliffs that plunge into Lake Superior, so vast it merges with the sky on the horizon. At the turn of the 20th century, outbound ships loaded with northern Minnesota’s prized iron ore ranked Duluth among the U.S.’s busiest ports.”
Road Trip: Northern Minnesota
Who cares?
This Duluth campaign sign from 2001 is my all-time favorite. I think what Dan Williams might have intended to suggest was that he was the answer to the question — he cares. But no one took it that way.
Williams was running for the Fourth District City Council seat. He was knocked out in the primary by Roger Reinert and Neill Atkins. Atkins eventually won, topping Reinert by 18 votes.
Hey, so how are those allergies treating you?
Graphic via pollen.com.
Edward Moody back in Minnesota
Former Northland’s NewsCenter reporter Edward Moody will make his debut with WCCO-TV in the Twin Cities on Friday. He has been hired as a weekend anchor/ reporter. He had been working at the Fox affiliate in Indianapolis, but Duluthians will remember him from his KBJR stint from 2002 to 2007.
Hey, leave Duluth out of it, punk.
Minnesota Republican Senator Dan Hall of Burnsville decided to become the next social-media idiot today with this Tweet. We’d typically ignore something like this on PDD, but … isn’t that Duluth’s Inner Pier Lighthouse in the photo?
Duluth 2012 Primary Election Results
Here’s the statewide numbers for races relevant to Duluth.
United States Senator, Independence Party
Stephen Williams – 3,068 | 60%
Glen R. Anderson Menze – 2,074 | 40%
United States Senator, Republican Party
Kurt Bills – 63,380 | 51%
David Carlson – 43,850 | 35%
Bob Carney Jr. – 16,755 | 14%
United States Senator, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Amy Klobuchar – 183,702 | 91%
“Dick” Franson – 6,831 | 3%
Jack Edward Shepard – 6,638 | 3%
Darryl Stanton – 5,161 | 3%
United States Representative for Minnesota District 8, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Richard Nolan – 20,839 | 38%
Tarryl L. Clark – 17,540 | 32%
Jeff Anderson – 15,978 | 29%
Minnesota House District 7A, DFL Party
Thomas Huntley – 3,337 | 82%
Brandon Clokey – 756 | 18%
St. Louis County Commissioner, District 3
Chris Dahlberg – 1,658 | 55%
Debbie Isabell-Nelson – 1,188 | 40%
Dennis Szymialis – 160 | 5%
Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice:
Lorie Skjerven Gildea – 145,004 | 50%
Dan Griffith – 85,828 | 29%
Jill Clark – 61,242 | 21%
Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice 4:
David R. Stras – 139,197 | 49%
Tim Tingelstad – 83,942 | 29%
Alan Nelson – 61,908 | 22%
Operating levy for Duluth schools in November? Well, actually no.
Superintendent Bill Gronseth’s remarks at the August 13 School Board Business Committee meeting:
As you know, I’ve served as Superintendent for about six months. In that time, I have spoken with many groups, organizations, families and citizens.
Recently, I had the opportunity to have a cup of coffee with one of our alums. He told me that he has been a long-time supporter of the schools, but during last year’s operating levy he didn’t feel he could vote “yes.” I asked him why. He explained that it was a loss of trust – he didn’t really understand what the money was for and was confused about the facilities plan and how that might be tied to money for programs.
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Skunk removal advice, anecodotes, etc.
So, apparently, if you see a skunk scurry under your porch and want to know when it has left, so that you can create a better barricade while its not in there, one method is to put a little flour near the escape and see if the skunk messes it up on its way out.
Unfortunately, if the skunk waits until you are asleep to make its nightly rounds of digging in garbage cans and whatnot, you have to figure in the morning that it’s back in there. (more…)
Onion A.V. Club in Hibbing
The Onion A.V. Club’s Sean O’Neal traveled to Hibbing for a video that soaks up the Bob Dylan experience for the series Pop Pilgrims. There’s a nice look inside the Hibbing High School Auditorium — Minnesota’s second-nicest high-school auditorium.
[This post originally linked to the video, which no longer exists on the Onion’s site.]
Duluth Jalapeno Express: Closed
Walt Dizzo reports via Facebook today: “So bummed, best restaurant in town. RIP Jalapeno Express.”
Remember all the ranting and raving about the greatness of this place? What happened?
Duluth Album Releases in 2007
Trampled by Turtles
Trouble
(March 19)
Available on iTunes
Low
Drums and Guns
Sub Pop Records (March 20)
Available on Bandcamp
The Hotel Coral Essex
Glisten
(April 27)
Available on Bandcamp
Video Archive: Robert Bly in 1976, interpreting Rumi’s poem “Feeling and Thinking”
This is an excerpt of the short film “From the Museroom: A Sampler of Minnesota Poets,” shot during a Poetry Collective benefit at the Firehouse in Minneapolis, Minn.
“Feeling and Thinking” by Rumi
Someone struck Zayd a hard blow from behind. He was about to retaliate, when his assailant cried, “Let me ask you a question: first answer it, then strike me. I struck the nape of your neck, and there was the sound of a slap. Now I ask you in a friendly way — ‘Was the sound caused by my hand or by your neck, O pride of the noble?'”
Zayd said, “The pain I am suffering leaves me no time to reflect on this problem. Ponder it yourself: he who feels the pain cannot think of things like this.”
Minnesota Flood 2012: Is that the best name we’ve come up with for it?
It seems to me the best local storm names tend to be tied to a holiday or otherwise significant date:
Leap Day Snowmageddon 2012
The Geek Prom Blizzard of 2008
The Halloween Megastorm of 1991
The Great Thanksgiving Blizzard of 1983
Following that tradition, our recent flood would be the Summer Solstice Flood of 2012. But I haven’t heard anyone call it that, and it’s been over a month.
What are you calling it? Any good ideas? Maybe if we come up with a good one there will be more federal relief money sent our way, so perhaps we should work the word “disaster” in.
The Flame Nightclub, Duluth version
The new Flame Nightclub at 26 N. First Ave. W. in Downtown Duluth opens on July 29.
Trampled by Hippies
Bruce Woodman had the fanciest shirt in West Duluth this morning.
Henry Brick
Since the subject of Henry Brick came up in the “Bring back the bricks!” post, I thought I’d offer some background by way of a retrospective article I wrote 15 years ago for the Budgeteer News.
The man who saved downtown
By Paul Lundgren
Budgeteer News
June 1, 1997
The bricking of Downtown Duluth’s First Street in 1984 created traffic problems, parking hassles and unpleasant noise and dust. Retail shoppers took their money elsewhere. Superior Street was next on the bricking list in the summer of ’85, and business owners feared the effect on business would be similarly disastrous.
Then came Mr. Henry R. Brick, clad in overalls, flannel shirt, black bowtie, hard hat and horn-rimmed glasses. He starred in 38 television commercials that summer, encouraging shoppers to “come on down and jaywalk” through torn up Superior Street. They did.
Henry Brick quickly became one of the most highly recognized people in Duluth. When the construction was finally completed and the future of downtown secure, he disappeared – like any superhero would.
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Duluth National Citizen Survey 2012
The results of the Duluth National Citizen Survey are now available. Click here to open the PDF.
The report provides the opinions of a representative sample of residents about community quality of life, service delivery, civic participation and unique issues of local interest.
- 78 percent of respondents felt the quality of life in Duluth was “excellent” or “good.”
- 56 percent of respondents felt Duluth was headed in the right direction.
- 72 percent rated Duluth’s image or reputation as “excellent” or “good.”
Great Lakes Warriors
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source. The premiere episode of Great Lakes Warriors can be viewed on Vimeo.]
The new deckhand always gets the worst jobs. At Heritage Marine in Duluth, Captain Mike Ojard gives newbie Brandon one of the more unpleasant assignments — clean up the over-full debris pan from the Incinolet, an electric marine toilet.
This clip is from the History Channel show Great Lakes Warriors, which premieres July 19 at 9 p.m.
The adventures of two of Heritage’s boats — The Nels J. and the Helen — are featured prominently in the show.
Duluth SoundCloud Sampler 2
Spilled Milk — “The Real Jersey Shore (Summertime)” (New Teague Alexy project.)
Jaze with Big Jess and Bliss – “Lazy Afternoon”
While I recharge my speaker batteries, maybe you have some suggested listening you can mention/embed in the comments.
7 West Tap House
Apparently the old Ragstock location at 7 W. Superior St. is going to be transformed into a bar. Consider this a “before” shot.
Another post-flood trails update
Note: Please do not use trails if they are wet from today’s thunderstorm. See the link at the end of the post for info on trail work days.
There are a lot of trails open and ready for use, but some are still badly damaged. Here’s the latest report from Duluth’s Parks and Recreation Dept.:
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Hang gliding in Duluth
Have you ever seen someone hang glide in Duluth?
I think I did once, but it might just be a weird dream I had back when I was kid. What I remember is that I was at the Little League baseball end-of-season carnival/Olympics, or whatever it was, at Wheeler Fields. It would have been about 1984. I think I saw some guy launch off the hillside where “The Wall” is on Skyline Drive, and then land on one of the baseball fields at Wheeler.
Is hang gliding just a dying sport in general, or is there something about Duluth — maybe the lake winds are too unpredictable and strong or the hills aren’t high enough to produce a good “ridge lift” or whatever — that makes hang gliding here rare or impossible?
And whatever happened to the guy with the hot-air balloon?
