PDD News Sieve
Minnesota Presidential Primary Election Primer 2024
Minnesota’s Presidential Nomination Primary Election is on Tuesday, March 5. The state’s three major parties have an array of candidates to choose from. Each party has a separate ballot; voter’s must request the ballot of the party of their choice. (more…)
MPR Archive: Crew Jones in 2004
As Duluth mourns the loss of Ben Larson, aka Burly Burlesque of the bands Crew Jones and Southwire, we point to a nearly 20-year-old Minnesota Public Radio piece that introduced listeners to the hot new “north woods rap” group. The segment was produced by Chris Julin and features Chris Godsey interviewing Crew Jones.
North Woods rappers Crew Jones | MPR Archive Portal archive.mpr.orgHistoric Lutsen Lodge destroyed by fire
Minnesota Public Radio reports Lutsen Lodge, also known as the historic lodge at Lutsen Resort, was destroyed in a midnight fire. Resort officials say it’s a total loss. (more…)
Tim Cortes Studio West open in Duluth Heritage Sports Center
Heritage Center 'warming house' converted to art studio - Duluth News Tribune | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota
Local artist Tim Cortes has been commissioned to complete pieces for the University of Notre Dame and the Minnesota Twins.
duluthnewstribune.com
The Duluth News Tribune reports artist Tim Cortes has opened an art studio and gallery in the former warming shack at the Duluth Heritage Sports Center’s Sill Arena.
U of M honoring work and legacy of George Morrison
Minnesota Public Radio reports on the new George Morrison Center for Indigenous Arts at the University of Minnesota, which serves as an “interdepartmental study center to support the creation, presentation and interpretation of Indigenous art in all its forms.” Morrison was a renowned abstract painter and sculptor, and a member of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. He died in 2000.
The inaugural exhibit at the center is on display in the Katherine Nash Gallery until March 16. It includes work by Duluth-based artist Jonathan Thunder.
Chester Creek Concert Series now Music in the Park, half of season will be in Lincoln Park
Duluth’s Parks and Recreation division announced today that performer applications are being accepted for the 2024 Music in the Park concert series. Formerly known as the Chester Creek Concert Series, the Tuesday-night shows will be held at Chester Park from June 18 to July 16, then at Lincoln Park from July 23 to Aug. 13. (more…)
Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards 2024 Call for Nominations
Lake Superior Writers is seeking nominations for the 2024 Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards. NEMBA celebrates books that substantially represent the history, culture, heritage or lifestyle of northeastern Minnesota.
The six categories are: nonfiction, fiction, children’s literature, middle grade / young adult, poetry and memoir. (more…)
Falastin will take over former New London Café
Palestinian Cafe, Market To Open In Former ‘New London Cafe’ Building
Fox 21 reports a Palestinian café and market will replace the New London Café at 4721 E. Superior St. in Duluth’s Lakeside neighborhood.
Lyla Abukhodair and her mother Ann have operated a Palentinian pop-up restaurant called Falastin for more than a year. They plan to open their brick-and-mortar location later this year. (more…)
Mayor Reinert puts hold on Duluth library plan
Northern News Now reports Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert is asking city councilors to rethink future plans for the Duluth Public Library.
Duluth Art Institute continuing search for new space
Duluth Art Institute plans for year of continuity amid change - Duluth News Tribune | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota
The nonprofit will be leaving its longtime galleries in the St. Louis County Depot, but is searching for new space — and continuing programming at its Lincoln Park building.
duluthnewstribune.com
The Duluth News Tribune reports the nonprofit Duluth Art Institute is searching for a new home as it prepares to leave the St. Louis County Depot, where it has had galleries and workspace since 1975.
Mixed-use development planned for downtown Grand Marais
Minnesota Public Radio reports a 30,000-square-foot proposed development in Grand Marais seeks to replace three businesses that were destroyed by fire in 2020. Plans for the project include a restaurant, bar and retail space on the ground floor. The second floor would have 10 short-term rental units and an event center with a rooftop courtyard.
Roger Reinert sworn in as mayor of Duluth
Roger J. Reinert was officially sworn in today as Duluth’s mayor during an inauguration ceremony at Duluth City Hall. City leadership and staff, community members and various elected officials gathered at noon in the first-floor rotunda to mark the occasion. (more…)
Last Video Vision store to close
The Video Vision movie rental business at 1418 Belknap St. in Superior is holding a closeout sale. Owner Brian Augustine expects most of the DVDs will be gone before winter ends and his indoor tanning business, Superior Tan, will expand. (more…)
About 50 housing units planned for Silver Bay development
Silver Bay, a city on the shore of Lake Superior about 50 miles northeast of Duluth, is planning for the second-largest investment project in its history. Minnesota Public Radio reports the nearly $25-million plan includes “a mixture of townhomes, vacation rentals, and seven residential lots, along with an event center.”
Duluth’s Inn on Gitche Gumee has new owners
New owners, same charm at Inn on Gitche Gumee - Duluth News Tribune | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota
Britney and Reilly Brennan, of Duluth, recently bought the popular destination hotel and cottage from the Sievert family.
duluthnewstribune.com
The Duluth News Tribune reports Britney and Reilly Brennan are the new owners of the Inn on Gitche Gumee, a destination hotel and cottage on the shore of Lake Superior at the northeast edge of Duluth.
Sparhawk touring Europe with solo project
Alan Sparhawk review – beautiful, obliterating hymns to Low’s Mimi Parker | Music | The Guardian
Sparhawk’s solo debut starts with a jazzy red herring that gives way to a set list of brand new songs which mine the depths of grief for his late wife and bandmate
theguardian.com
The Guardian reported this week on Duluth’s Alan Sparhawk’s European tour, which features a set list of new songs that mine the depths of grief for his late wife and bandmate Mimi Parker.
The tour opened Nov. 11 with a performance at Le Guess Who Fest in Utrecht, Netherlands. It continues with three shows in Spain and two in Portugal.
Duluth 2023 General Election Results
With 34 of 34 precincts reporting, here are the results of Duluth’s municipal election.
Duluth Mayor
Roger Reinert – 17,518
Emily Larson – 11,716
Write in – 61 (more…)
Tour of Superior’s Roosevelt Terrace offered Nov. 18
The Superior Telegram reports that a tour of three of the historic townhouses that make up Roosevelt Terrace in Superior will be held on Nov. 18. The event is a fundraiser for the Douglas County Historical Society and a school project for two Glenwood City High School students.
Roosevelt Terrace was designed by Carl Wirth and built in 1890.
Duluth sidewalk collapses under weight of boom lift
A building maintenance worker on a telescoping boom lift was pinned to the exterior of the Winthrop Building at 325 W. First St. in Downtown Duluth today. The brick sidewalk in front of the building collapsed under two of the boom lift’s four tires, causing the boom to shift, pinning the worker to the building under the weight of the boom. The lift tipped into a vault that extends under the sidewalk. (more…)
Duluth 2023 General Election Sample Ballot
Duluth’s Municipal General Election is on Tuesday, Nov. 7. The sample ballot above includes races in Aurora and the Town of White, along with school district races in Mountain Iron-Buhl (ISD #712) and Nett Lake (ISD #707). Duluthians won’t see those races on their ballots, and the city council and school board races on Duluth ballots vary by precinct. (more…)
Apartment complex planned for West Duluth
Developer to bring housing to former Duluth gas station site - Duluth News Tribune | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota
A state grant will help cover the cost of removing contaminated soil and prepping the property for redevelopment.
duluthnewstribune.com
The Duluth News Tribune reports an 80-unit apartment complex called the Residence is being planned on the former Holiday Stationstore location at 3401 Grand Ave. The 1.9-acre site is between the Wheeler Athletic Complex and the ore docks in West Duluth. Merge Urban Development Group, headquartered in Cedar Falls, Iowa, purchased the land from the Duluth Economic Development Authority in 2022.
Twain’s coldest winter revisited
the coldest winter ... San Francisco — Wordorigins.org
2 October 2023 The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. —Mark Twain Open up just about any guidebook or web site about San Francisco and you’ll find this quote. The trouble is, Twain never said it, or at least it doesn’t appear in any of his published works or extant lette
wordorigins.org
Dave Wilton at wordorigins.org delves into a famous-though-probably-inaccurate Mark Twain quote in his latest article. “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco,” has of course also been spun as “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in Duluth.” Wilton covers it all in detail, as did Tony Dierckins some years ago on zenithcity.com. Lake Superior Magazine also covered the subject in 2003. (more…)
Oasis del Norte restaurant opening soon
Oasis Del Norte opens Lincoln Park restaurant - Duluth News Tribune | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota
Known for its food trailer, the business' Mexican cuisine will be served year-round starting Sept. 29.
duluthnewstribune.com
The brick-and-mortar Oasis del Norte restaurant in Duluth’s Lincoln Park Craft District finally has an opening date. The Duluth News Tribune reports that Eduardo Sandoval Luna will open the taqueria-style Mexican eatery at 2401 W. Superior St. on Sept. 29, pending inspection from the Minnesota Health Department.
Sandoval Luna has operated the Oasis del Norte taco food trailer since 2015.
Duluth 2023 General Election Primer
Duluth’s municipal and school board general election is Nov. 7. Items on the ballot vary depending on which precinct voters live. Below is a rundown of all races in the city. (more…)
R.I.P. Rex Bar at Fitger’s
Patrons gathered at the Rex Bar Sunday for its last night in business. (Photo by Mike Creger)
Rex Bar at Fitger’s closed Sunday after nearly 15 years in business. It opened in 2008, following a brief period when the bar was called Lido. Prior to that the space operated as the Fitger’s Tap Room. (more…)