Paul Lundgren
A few questions regarding sagging pants
In news out of Chaska: Some old guy was arrested for starting a fight with a younger dude over his sagging pants.
Question #1: Was “sagging” ever “in style”? Because rampant sagging has been going on for at least 15 years now. If this is a trend, shouldn’t it go away at some point?
Question #2: Although most people will generally concede that folks should be left alone to dress as they want, how acceptable should it be to be openly annoyed by saggers? (more…)
Sample Ballot for Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota 2010 General Election
This sample ballot is for House District 7B, so, depending on where you live, it might include some stuff you won’t get to vote on (like State Rep for 7B or State Senator for 7) and might not include some stuff you will get to vote on (like State Rep for 7A or 6B, or the big race for District 1 County Commissioner). So heads up on that.
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Sample Ballot for Superior, Douglas County, Wisconsin 2010 General Election
Here it is, a sample ballot so all the folks in Douglas County can practice at home.
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Duluth Lakewalk extension open
The newest Lakewalk section — between 47th and 60th avenues east — is open. Any reviews?
Duluth’s “Union Block” and its Tenants
The two buildings on the corner of First Avenue West and Fourth Street are known as the “Union Block,” though that name probably hasn’t been used much in the past 50 years.
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Da Houze of Flavor
I guess I have a knack for walking past this building whenever a new sign is going up. (Like in 2006, when the Hip Hop Candy Shop opened; this is the same building, different storefront.)
Anyway, someone standing in the doorway told me Da Houze will be a record store and will open in a few weeks. So there’s the scoop. It’s on Fourth Street and First Avenue West.
The question that occurs to me now is, if it’s “Da Houze,” shouldn’t it be of “Flavah”? Is it just me, or should houses be of flavor, and houzes be of flavah?
Free Bloodbath!
In the comments to this post, explain in one sentence why you should win two tickets to see Rubber Chicken Theater’s Evil Dead: The Musical.
The winner will be chosen later today — maybe around 3pm … maybe sooner. We’ll see how it goes.
Last Place of Commerce
I miss the days when the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce headquarters was next to the Last Place on Earth. That was synergy at its finest.
The photo above is from roughly 1993 1996. Last Place hadn’t quite finished moving in. I think the two were neighbors for at least 10 years before the chamber hightailed it to First Street.
Circles of Giving — Saturday, Nov. 6
It’s like a big garage sale, but everything is free.
If you’ve got a quality item you’d like to give away, drop it off at the Valley Youth Center in West Duluth before Nov. 4. You can drop items off Monday through Friday from 12 to 6 p.m.
The items are sorted for display, and people take what they need at no cost during the Circles of Giving event on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Valley Youth Center is located in Laura MacArthur School at the south entrance, by the playground.
Superior has disc golf in Central Park
A new disc-golf course opened in Superior last week. It’s in Central Park, about one mile east of the UWS campus.
Other courses in the area include:
- Mont du Lac
- Miller Creek (by Lake Superior College)
- St. Scholastica
- UMD
- Carlton Disc Golf Sanctuary
Topics for the comments:
- Mont du Lac and Miller Creek are the best courses, right?
- Is this a trend with staying power, or will no one be playing in five years?
- So, what do you think of the new course in Superior?
The Infamous Dr. Thunder paints a mural on the back door of Who’s Bar in Superior
Erik Pearson put down the gray base today for a mural over Who’s Bar’s back door. You wouldn’t believe how frequently used that door is, and how ignored the sign on the inside instructing people to knock before exiting went. Fortunately, Pearson’s quick hands managed to prevent any disasters.
Last week he painted the mural below, which is the back door of an unoccupied space between Who’s Bar and the Palace Bar. Go Dr. Thunder! Go!
William Canning — traveling evangelist known in Duluth for his strange gyrations in Canal Park
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIG1t0ETbog
Apparently, according to the video description on YouTube, some guy named Jon was vacationing in Duluth in the 1990s and came across a fellow “making some very strange moves” that were “too good to pass up,” so he videotaped it. Earlier this summer, he uploaded it to YouTube.
As it turns out, I have the scoop on who the “man dancing in Canal Park” is.
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A Decade as Hot Rod
According to this blurb from the Oct. 18, 2000 issue of the Ripsaw, Cory Ahlm changed his name to Hot Rod 10 years ago this week.
Of course, Hot Rod would later expand his name to Hot Rod Heartthrob, and Bone Appetit would switch from being Duluth’s self-proclaimed “worst band” to its “sexiest band.”
Woah, that’s rock and roll.
The Seaway Market in Norton Park
Someone — I think her name was Gloria — posted this picture of the Seaway Market on Facebook a few months back and asked if anyone remembered the place. I saved the image, but can’t find the Facebook post anymore.
Here’s the deal with the Seaway Market:
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Randy Moss a Viking again?
ESPN, the NFL Network and Boston Herald are reporting that Randy Moss has been traded by the New England Patriots to the Minnesota Vikings for a third-round pick.
Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen, Pat Williams, Kevin Williams … and now Moss? That’s way too many superstars on one team, isn’t it?
At the very least, it’ll be interesting … if true.
Roast Beef Dinner at Chester Park Church
Chester Park United Methodist Church Men’s Club is serving
its famous family-style roast beef dinner.
Wednesday, Oct. 6, 4:30 to 7 p.m
$12 for adults and $6 for children under 12
Drive-through and carry out will be available. There will also be homemade apple pie and a cookie walk.
Chester Park Church is at 819 N. 18th Ave. E. in Duluth, near Chester Creek Café.
Duluth City Cycling Scavenger Hunt
YMCA news release:
The Duluth Area Family YMCA is kicking off a new year of Youth in Government programming with a bicycle scavenger hunt fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 17. This citywide event welcomes community members of all ages and abilities. Teams of 3-5 will compete in one of two tracks, one beginner and one challenging.
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This guy likes to show off his junk
At 5:23 p.m. Saturday I was driving west along Grand Avenue and had to stop for a red light at Central Avenue. A tall, bald guy in a red jacket and black pants started walking across the crosswalk, then stopped and turned to look at the young lady sitting in the car in front of me. He reached for his belt … and … well … what follows is my thought pattern from there.
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Schedule for Free Ice Skating at Duluth Heritage Sports Center
Adult skating is on Thursday mornings, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Family skating is on Wednesday nights, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Duluth Parks and Recreation sponsors the free skating sessions. The Heritage Sports Center is located at 120 S. 30th Avenue W. in Duluth’s friendly West End. Bring your own skates.
Thome at the Plate
I guess this one is right up there with “Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?” and “Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio.”
Inside Denfeld’s Renovation
This is the view looking up from inside the new main entrance to Denfeld High School. The main floor of the new addition connects to the old building through the auditorium lobby. The main floor of the addition will include a new cafeteria and common area, administrative offices and media center.
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The Rentola
Here are two historic photos of the Rentola, a Finnish boarding house at 4 N. 59th Ave. W., in West Duluth. The top photo is from Karl Hagglund, whose grandmother was a maid at the Rentola. The next photo is from 1961, courtesy of the Northeast Minnesota Historical Center. So the story goes, there was an old steam house nearby where Rentola residents took saunas. (more…)
Beaner’s One Week Live, Day Five
Friday, Sept. 24 | 8 p.m. | $8
Beaner’s Central, West Duluth
Mark Anderson Trio * Atlantis Quartet
Kilometers Davis * Billy Don’t Be a Hero
Yep, we’re doing it again. The first person to comment on this post will be on the guest list for free admission to tonight’s show.













