News and Current Affairs
London Road roundabout plan riles residents
Minnesota Public Radio reports that the Minnesota Department of Transportation is moving forward with a plan to install a roundabout at 60th Avenue East and London Road despite objections from residents.
New York Times back in ‘climate-proof Duluth’
The New York Times is vaguely claiming Duluth “has welcomed thousands of new residents from out of state” in the past four years, citing climate change as the “motivating factor.”
St. Paul nonprofit is new owner of Duluth North Pierhead Light
Minnesota Public Radio reports the historic lighthouse at the entrance to the Duluth Ship Canal is St. Paul-based Rethos, a nonprofit that plans to open the lighthouse to tours.
Efforts revived to assess mercury in St. Louis River watershed
Agate, an online magazine focused on the environment and people of Minnesota and the surrounding Great Lakes region, published a story this week about the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s recently revived effort to calculate how much mercury the St. Louis River watershed can handle and still meet established water quality standards. The goal is to determine the mercury reductions needed to meet water quality standards and support healthy consumption of fish.
PDD Quiz: February 2023
For such a short month, February was chockablock with news. Dig into this week’s current events quiz and see how many headlines you remember!
Another installment of Duluth movie mentions will come your way on March 12. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by March 9. (more…)
Duluth Grill group plans new Lincoln Park burger bar
The Duluth Grill Family Restaurant Group will take over operations at the former Coach’s Bar and Grill, 2113 W. Superior St. The new restaurant will be called Burger Paradox. (Photos by Mark Nicklawske).
A popular Lincoln Park restaurant group is adding another bar and grill to its neighborhood food empire.
Duluth Grill Family of Restaurants co-owner Tom Hanson said this week his organization has secured a 10-year lease on the longtime home of Mitch’s Bar and Grill, 2113 W. Superior St. The site was most recently home to the short-lived Coach’s Bar & Grill. (more…)
Amazing Grace Café and Grocery closing
Amazing Grace Café and Grocery in Canal Park will close on Feb. 27 according to a news release from owner Connor Riley. (more…)
Duluth Mail Bag: Snow Removal, Budgets and Bag Fees
As a two-time Duluth city councilor, now in my final year of service, one of my goals is to make city government more accessible, or at least help citizens become more informed. I figure there are a lot of Duluthians who would like some simple answers to some simple questions. I learned in school that if there is something you don’t understand it’s likely there are many others who feel the same way. Hence the idea of the Duluth Mailbag column.
I won’t divulge who is asking the questions, but I’ll answer them in this format about once a month. Feel free to put a question in the comments for next month’s “Duluth Mailbag” or tweet me via @Hobbs_Duluth or email me at hobbsforduluth @ gmail.com.
Also, if you want to have a longer conversation, you can sign up for a 45-minute cup of coffee through my 100 Cups of Coffee project.
OK, here we go! (more…)
Management shift at WDSE “The North” brings change
At The North 103.3, a year into PBS North ownership, changes cause excitement, concern - Duluth News Tribune | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota
Hopes are high as collaborations between the public television station and the community radio station expand, but a management shift has led to some frustration, including a staff departure.
duluthnewstribune.com
Under new station manager Brian Rickman, 103.3 FM WDSE has moved to new music programming software and begun considering changes to its schedule, the Duluth News Tribune reports.
West Duluth theater project moves forward, seeks city loan
The Alhambra Theater sits just to the east of the West Theatre on Central Avenue in West Duluth (Photos by Mark Nicklawske)
A long-lost vaudeville theater renovation gained ground this week when city officials authorized grant money to fund a business loan for the West Duluth entertainment district project.
The Duluth Economic Development Authority approved a $150,000 grant Jan. 25 to the city of Duluth 1200 Fund for restoration work at the Alhambra Theater, 321 N. Central Ave. The move allows the 1200 Fund to loan building owner Paladin Properties LLC a total of $200,000 for project completion. (more…)
PDD Quiz: January 2023
The first month of 2023 is nearly over; how many of its headlines do you recall? Jump into this week’s PDD quiz to find out!
A Valentine’s Day-themed quiz comes your way on Feb. 12. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Feb. 9. (more…)
Superior FunLand is open at Mariner Business Center
New Superior business brings kids' fun indoors - Superior Telegram | News, weather, sports from Superior Wisconsin
Superior FunLand opened Saturday, Jan. 14, in the Mariner Business Center. It provides a play space for children ages 2-12.
superiortelegram.com
The Superior Telegram reports that a new indoor play space for kids has opened in the Mariner Business Center, 69 N. 28th St. Superior FunLand had its grand opening on Jan. 14. It’s owned by Paul Bothun and Desiree Hughes.
Duluth reconsidering mandated parking minimums
Duluth rethinks parking capacity requirements - Duluth News Tribune | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota
The city could join others around the nation that have ditched parking minimums, as it also considers how to better accommodate electric vehicles and bikes.
duluthnewstribune.com
The Duluth News Tribune reports that proposed changes to city code would eliminate requirements for developers to provide a specific number of parking spots.
Low fights for rights to master recordings
I’m surprised I didn’t know about this yet, but the Star Trib just posted a story about the difficulties Low and other mostly indie bands are having with re-releasing and/or getting the rights back for their older recordings. What a goofy system to deal with art! Art belongs to the artist(s)!
PDD Quiz: 2023 Coming Attractions
Peek into the future with this week’s quiz about 2023 Duluth area happenings.
The next PDD quiz will review this month’s headlines; it will be published on Jan. 29. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Jan. 26. (more…)
Many new Duluth-area restaurants kept it in the family in 2022
Twin Ports food fans gained some favorable new restaurant options in 2022 — from high-end dining to downhome comfort food, tacos and the return of an old classic. (more…)
Miller Hill Mall Perkins leads list of 2022 restaurant closings
The Miller Hill Mall Perkins closed in March after 37 years of service. The national chain still operates at two other Duluth sites. (Photo by Mark Nicklawske)
Restaurants come and go all the time but some seem like they will be around forever. The Miller Hill Mall Perkins is a perfect example. The naugahyde booths, chrome-plated tables, gigantic breakfast menu and sweet pies made each visit feel like the one before — like eating in a time machine that would never end.
But then it did end. (more…)
PDD Quiz: 2022 in Review
Look back on 2022 in the Duluth area with this end-of-the-year quiz.
The next PDD quiz will preview coming attractions for 2023; it will be published on Jan. 15. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Jan. 11. (more…)
“Joel in Duluth” on “Structural Weaknesses in the Democratic Campaign Apparatus”
Santos Scandal Reveals Structural Weaknesses in the Democratic Campaign Apparatus
The revelation that Republican representative-elect George Santos fabricated much of his biography and life story has raised the question of how it is possible that this did not come to light prior to election day. Was it the fault of the press? The...
dailykos.com
“Joel in Duluth” currently has an essay on the front page of Dailykos.com, a hive of fightin’ mad progressives. The essay is a cogent analysis of the recent Santos scandal in New York, where a Dem candidate’s oppo research was so underwhelming, he lost to Santos (above) who immediately became embroiled in a scandal about whether his bio is full of lies. Joel in Duluth diagnoses the problem using his own campaign experiences.
Globe News, landmark store in Superior, changing ownership
Globe News owner Tom Unterberger, left, has sold his store to a new ownership group led by longtime customer Jon Fritsche of Poplar. (Photo by Mark Nicklawske)
A landmark Superior collectible store — along with its iconic sign — has been sold to new owners who plan to maintain all its nostalgic charm.
Globe News owner Tom Unterberger announced last week that he has sold the historic building at Tower Avenue and Belknap Street along with all its contents to a partnership group headed by a longtime customer. Unterberger and his wife, Jill, purchased the building with the help of his parents in 1982 and slowly converted its corner newsstand into a retail store filled with books, music, trading cards and a wide variety of vintage gifts. (more…)
Loiselle Liquor ends 88-year run; new owners plan name change
Loiselle Liquor Store, 413 E. Fourth St., was owned and operated by the Loiselle family for 88 years. (Photo by Mark Nicklawske).
The oldest liquor store in Duluth has changed hands and will take on a new name for the first time in nearly nine decades.
Loiselle Liquor Store, 413 E. Fourth St., was sold by the Loiselle family this spring to Matthew Krueger and Katherine Eagle of Cloquet. St. Louis County property tax records showed the sale price at $360,000 for the two-story building — which was constructed in 1893 as the Goering Block. (more…)
Great Lakes Now episode: “Great Lakes Wildlife”
This contains several segments including one about Enbridge Line 3 (@17:15), and a mention of Duluth’s “Water is Life” festival (@24:58).
PDD Quiz: November 2022
Shake off the post-Thanksgiving malaise with a little current events trivia!
A holiday-themed PDD quiz will come your way on Dec. 11. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Nov. 7. (more…)
Bob Dylan’s Hibbing High School love letters sold for $670K
The Associated Press reports 42 handwritten love letters from Robert Zimmerman to his high school sweetheart, Barbara Ann Hewitt, were sold at auction to a Portuguese bookshop for nearly $670,000.
Photos of an Empty Skywalk
The Duluth News Tribune recently published an article about the Downtown Task Force’s recommendations to improve conditions in downtown. This summer, I spent some time walking through the Skywalk system and was a bit shocked by how empty it was. The summer might not be the most popular time to use the Skywalk, but it wasn’t just the absence of people. So many of the shops that I remembered were gone. I didn’t intend to make a themed photo series about this, but I had my camera and kept turning a corner to find another impossibly long, completely empty hallway. (more…)