Politics
Video: Duluth Inauguration 2016
01:00 – Duluth’s Chief Administrative Officer David Montgomery recognizes outgoing city councilors Sharla Gardner, Jennifer Julsrud and Linda Krug.
04:09 – Sixth District Judge Leslie E. Beiers swears in newly elected councilors Joel Sipress, Gary Anderson, Em Westerlund, Elissa Hansen and Noah Hobbs.
07:40 – Former Duluth Poet Laureate Deborah Cooper reads “We All Wake to the Same Sun.”
11:08 – Outgoing Duluth Mayor Don Ness’ exit speech.
18:22 – Mayor Emily Larson recites the oath of office.
21:35 – Mayor Larson’s speech.
Senator Al Franken roasts Duluth Mayor Don Ness
Duluth Mayor Don Ness held his “Final Mayoral Address and Concert Celebration” at the DECC’s Symphony Hall on Dec. 16. Senator Al Franken was not able to attend, but sent this video in order to, “once and for all tell Don what I really think about him.”
The mystery of a gift not given: Where is it now?
In promotion of his recently released book, Hillsider, Duluth Mayor Don Ness has repeatedly shared his story of “a gift not given.” It’s from pages 155-156, under the title “Clooney & Zellweger.” The abridged version of the story goes like this:
George Clooney and Renee Zellweger made a trip to Duluth in 2008 to promote the movie Leatherheads, the plot of which is loosely based on the Duluth Eskimos football team. Ness was in his first month as mayor, and obviously wanted to impress the celebrities and do Duluth proud in front of the national media. He assigned his staff to put together an appropriate welcome gift for Clooney and Zellweger. The process of hunting down an old leatherhead helmet for an impressive plaque turned daunting, however, and on the morning of the visit the mayor discovered the gift ended up being a rather pathetic-looking miniature leatherhead resting on a small wooden pedestal. Ness made the executive decision to present the customary mayoral proclamation instead. He concludes his story with the punchline: “Over the years I’ve reconsidered a lot of choices. This isn’t one of ’em.”
Ness told the story last night at the DECC, which reminded me that after he told the story a few weeks ago at the Red Herring Lounge I asked him what happened to the silly little leatherhead-on-a-stick. He said he had no idea. It’s not in his office, and he hasn’t really asked around about it.
Did it land in the trash? Is it on a city employee’s mantle? Inquiring minds want to know.
Video Archive: President Clinton and Donny Ness
President Bill Clinton was in Duluth on Nov. 4, 1994. Eyewitness News’ Colleen Mahoney interviewed three Duluth gawkers who were hanging out across the street from the Downtown Holiday Inn, where the president spent the night. One of the two unnamed UMD students interviewed was future Duluth Mayor Don Ness. (more…)
Meet Emily Larson, Duluth’s next mayor
Ever on the lookout to meet interesting people, I reached out to Emily Larson a few days before the election by attempting to invite myself over for dinner with the family. To sweeten the deal, I offered to assist with meal prep and do the dishes. Wishing to protect the privacy of her family, she declined my generous offer. She did, however, carve out nearly two hours from her busy schedule for the sake of an unconventional interview. In the process, I acquired a friend. You can read more from my exclusive interview at Ed’s Big Adventure.
Sulfide Mining Debate + The Holidays = Watch This
Surely sulfide mining is close to the top of the things Minnesotans can disagree about with family and friends as we enter the holidaze. This two-minute video depicts one way the outcome of the PolyMet question could play out. Great for captive audiences who are too stuffed to resist. Enjoy!
Duluth City Council votes to oppose Trans Pacific Partnership
Thanks to the Duluth City Council for voting 8 to 1 to oppose the Trans Pacific Partnership. The DNT article is here.
The TPP has been negotiated in secret for years, and has been called “NAFTA on steroids” and a “corporate coup d’ etat.” If you’ve never heard of it that’s no coincidence. It will offshore jobs, raise the price of medicines, threaten net neutrality, threaten environmental protections, undermine human rights, roll back Wall Street reforms, and perhaps most frighteningly of all it will establish unelected tribunals whose courts will take precedence over U.S. and other national court systems with regard to trade disputes. Laws passed by democracies will no longer be the law of the land. This is an assault on our republican form of government. Please read more about it here and here.
Please email Senator Al Franken and Senator Amy Kobuchar.
Duluth 2015 General Election Results
Emily Larson cruises to victory in the mayoral race. Elissa Hansen, Noah Hobbs, Gary Anderson and Em Westerlund are new city councilors. Alanna Oswald, David Kirby and Nora Sandstad join the school board.
With all 34 precincts reporting …
Duluth Mayor
Emily Larson – 15,352 | 72%
Chuck Horton – 5,862 | 27%
Write in – 125 | 1% (more…)
Video Archive: Gary Doty wins second term
For your Election Day amusement we take a trip to 1995.
Twenty years ago, Gary Doty defeated challenger Herb Bergson to earn his second term as Duluth mayor. Doty served a total of three terms, holding office from 1992 to 2004. He did not seek a fourth term. Bergson became mayor in 2004, defeating Charlie Bell.
The other Horton for Mayor song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trn06N7hzyE
The “Fighting for Duluth” song posted previously on PDD drew a fair amount of attention, and plenty of speculation that it was created as satire. The song in this post seems to have the full endorsement of Duluth mayoral candidate Chuck Horton. According to the credits, the music, lyrics and vocals are by Joe Tuttle, the slideshow was produced by Otiz Mac, and the “message and video are approved by Chuck Horton.”
Note: Normally PDD would not post a campaign ad as content, but in this case the argument can be made that there is entertainment value. And maybe a case for equal time. Let the battle of campaign songs begin.
“Fighting for Duluth”
A very unofficial Chuck Horton campaign song made by an anonymous local musician.
Question 3: Method for setting fee paid to Duluth city councilors
After publishing the Duluth 2015 General Election Sample Ballot, a question arose. We’ve been hearing a lot about ranked-choice voting and Lakeside liquor sales, but what’s the deal with question #3? (more…)
Mr. Nice For Mayor
Join the campaign here.
Mr. Nice Mayoral Campaign Event at Bent Paddle during Bradfest
Continuing his run for mayor, Mr. Nice gives the opening toast for the Bradfest fun run/bar crawl.
Join the campaign here.
Know Your Duluth Liquor Laws!
- Not in Our Neighborhood, Part 1: Buying Booze in Duluth 1934-1973
- Not in Our Neighborhood! Part 2: The Battles Over the Lakeside Liquor Law, 1973-Today
- The ‘Grande Dame’ of Lakeside (A profile of Myrtle Marshall, whose effort to keep the 1891 law in place has been mythologized.)
- Tempered by Temperance: Duluth & Liquor, 1870-1919 (Includes the creation of the 1891 Lakeside Liquor Law.)
- And Never on Sundays (Covers 1934-1973 liquor issues concerning music, dancing, women, etc.)
Mayor Ness banned from Labor Temple’s Wellstone Hall for life
From the Sept. 16 issue of Labor World:
Without opposition a motion was made, seconded, and carried to ban Don Ness from the Duluth Labor Temple’s Wellstone Hall for life.
Duluth 2015 Primary Election Results
With 41 out of 41 precincts reporting, Emily Larson and Chuck Horton are the winning candidates in the mayoral race, advancing to the General Election in November. Jay Fosle and Janet Kennedy advance in the Fifth District City Council race.
Duluth Mayor
(Top two candidates advance to General Election)
Emily Larson – 5,456 | 67.32%
Chuck Horton – 1,505 | 18.57%
Howie Hanson – 732 | 9.03%
James Mattson – 177 | 2.18%
John Socha – 111 | 1.37%
John Howard Evans – 51 | 0.63%
Thomas Cooper – 45 | 0.56%
Robert D. Schieve – 27 | 0.33%
Fifth District Duluth City Councilor
(Top two candidates advance to General Election)
Jay Fosle – 945 | 56.08%
Janet Kennedy – 671 | 39.82%
Allan Beaulier – 44 | 2.61%
Derrick Ellis – 25 | 1.48%
At-large Duluth School Board Member
(Top two candidates advance to General Election)
Renee K. VanNett – 3,351 | 44.70%
Alanna Oswald – 2,437 | 32.51%
Jim H. Unden – 1,708 | 22.79%
District Two Duluth School Board Member
(Top two candidates advance to General Election)
David Kirby – 1,044 | 58.65%
Charles Obije – 461 | 25.9%
Jane Hammerstrom Hoffman – 275 | 15.45%
You can’t put a campaign sign there
One of the more clever Facebook pages of recent times has to be “You can’t put a campaign sign there,” which launched on Sept. 9. The candidates probably didn’t place the signs themselves, of course, but it’s still amusing.
After three days, Chuck Horton leads the race with seven allegedly illegal sign placements, followed by Howie Hanson and Karl Spring, who each have just one. (That’s just counting the gallery images; it looks like there are also a few “visitor posts” that aren’t in the gallery.)
That’s quite a lead for Horton, but at this stage Perfect Duluth Day’s prognosticators still think it’s too close to call.
Duluth 2015 Primary Election Sample Ballot
Keep in mind:
District candidates will appear on the ballot only in the specified districts. Duluth City Council District 5 represents West Duluth and neighborhoods farther west. Duluth School Board District 2 represents the Endion, Congdon, Chester Park and Kenwood areas.
Welcome to Cotton, MN
It’s been a few years since we’ve checked in with the cluster of signs on private property along Highway 53 south of Cotton. Since we last documented the situation in 2010, the “Socialism is freedom in the rearview mirror” sign has been added above the old “Welcome to Cotton” sign. In the middle, two new signs have been added, replacing the old ones denouncing the “Nazi bastard post office.” There is also a tiny new sign above the group of signs on the right to help clarify that those signs were erected in June 2008.
One small touch that motorists might not notice without slowing down and stopping: There is quite a thick tangling of barbed wire surrounding the signs, with a warning that “injury” is “very likely” should anyone trespass.
We Need Nice
Follow Mr. nice on Twitter @mrnicerules and like Mr. Nice on Facebook here.
Public Officials with Cool Names
Brainerd Police Chief
Corky McQuiston
Bass Lake Fire Department Chief Marvin Mullet
Superior City Attorney
Frog Prell
Itasca County District Court Judge Korey Wahwassuck
Duluth 2015 Primary Election Primer
The filing period for Duluth city and school board offices closed on July 21. Below are the offices up for grabs and the names of those who filed. The Primary Election will be held Tuesday, Sept. 15.
Duluth Mayor
(Top two candidates advance to General Election)
Thomas Cooper
John Howard Evans
Jane Hammerstrom Hoffman (withdrew)
Howie Hanson
Chuck Horton
Emily Larson
James Mattson
Robert D. Schieve
John Socha
At-large Duluth City Councilors
(Two positions; no primary in this race, all four candidates advance)
Jim Booth
Elissa Hansen
Noah Hobbs
Kriss Osbakken
First District Duluth City Councilor
(No primary in this race; both candidates advance)
Gary Anderson
Karl Spring
Second District Duluth City Councilor
(No primary in this race; candidate is unopposed)
Joel Sipress
Third District Duluth City Councilor
(No primary in this race, both candidates advance)
Jay Cole (withdrew)
Barri Love
Em Westerlund
Fifth District Duluth City Councilor
(Top two candidates advance)
Allan Beaulier
Derrick Ellis
Jay Fosle
Janet Kennedy
At-large Duluth School Board Member
(Top two candidates advance)
Alanna Oswald
Jim H. Unden
Renee K. VanNett
District Two Duluth School Board Member
(Top two candidates advance)
Jane Hammerstrom Hoffman
David Kirby
Charles Obije
District Three Duluth School Board Member
(No primary in this race; both candidates advance)
Loren Martell
Nora Sandstad
Larson announces she’ll run for mayor
City Council President Emily Larson has announced she will run to replace Duluth Mayor Don Ness, who has said he will not seek a third term.
“I’m running for mayor because the next chapter for Duluth is critical,” Larson wrote on her Facebook page. “I’m running because our community’s continued progress will require new ideas, and because I want to ensure we write Duluth’s next chapter together.”
(more…)