Politics
Red Plan versus Let Duluth Vote?
For those us who are new here, having only lived in Duluth for a decade or less, can any of you proud professional Duluthians add any clarity to this murky and mysterious topic?
I’m sure it goes deep, and emotions run high, and minds are made up, but I can’t seem to find any unbiased sources that describe what has exactly happened here. The available info, that which surfaces when one Googles the keywords seem somewhat scrambled and wishy washy, or Bud Lightish, considering the impact and money involved. So, who are the good guys? Who is right? What’s the deal with Johnson Controls? And did the deal have anything to do with Duluth’s irascible money woes back when taxes spiked when the JCI took control? Also, seeing as how I heard a couple of old timers complaining about this too, is the recent sewage water runoff charge mega increase on city utilities somehow all tied to this, or the casino? Is it starting to read like a Tarantino script? Help the undereducated non-native tax-paying simpletons like myself get up to speed on this complex matter. Thanks.
Duluth Primary 2013 Final Arguments
In one of the most off, off, off election years of recent memory we can really focus our grey matter on pretty much hyper-local politics. In a year like this we get a little more mainstream media coverage of the smaller races, but even still, there are a few candidates who I haven’t met or really heard much about. I’d hate to base my decisions on who to vote for in the primary on who has the most yard signs out, or worse, how I feel about the people who have the yard signs in their yards. So, PDD …
"I Voted" photo, shamelessly cribbed from Tim Kaiser's FB Page
So I am asking, who are you voting for this Primary Day and why?
In the interest of moderation and well-reasoned discussion maybe try to support your feelings and instincts with actual, you know, facts and evidence. Bonus points for spouting your own opinions and not those that have been fed to you by interest groups or ideologues. I haven’t voted yet, and I’ll be reading through the comments before I do, so here is your chance to sway my decision. Polls close at 8 pm. I live in the Duluth Hillside but you can talk about any Duluth-ish race, because, you never know, maybe you can sway someone else’s vote, too.
Mr. Nice in: We Have to Roll Together
NSFW weekly episode. Mr. Nice gives back to the community.
Ultimate Portrait: Mayor Edition
For inspiration in order to capture a “way out there” portrait, I posed the question to the Duluth Mayor Don Ness about the accomplishments he is most proud. This image is the result. See more of the story at photojournal.us.
Listening to Steve O’Neil
More than 15 years ago, Minnesota Public Radio aired a half-hour documentary about Loaves and Fishes here in Duluth. This was not long after Steve O’Neil and Angie Miller had started the first Loaves and Fishes house.
Stephen Smith produced the story. It includes lots of audio from Steve and Angie. You can listen to or download it here.
2013 Duluth Primary Election Primer
The filing period to run for city and school board offices in Duluth has closed. There were a handful of familiar names tossed into the hat at the last minute today in the Duluth School Board At-large race.
The primary election will be held on Sept. 10 and include the following contests:
Duluth At-large City Councilor
Four candidates advance to general election; two will be elected
Zack Filipovich, 219 S. 21st Ave. E., Upper Apt.
Barb Russ, 322 N. 22nd Ave. E.
Ray (Skip) Sandman, 2602 W. Sixth St.
Ryan Stauber, 4723 Pitt St.
Ray Whitledge III, 202 N. 24th Ave. W.
Duluth District One School Board
Two candidates advance to general election; one will be elected
Rosie Loeffler-Kemp, 2902 Bald Eagle Trail
Joseph Matthes, 5319 Colorado St.
Marcia Stromgren, 6179 Lakewood Rd 55804
Duluth District Four School Board
Two candidates advance to general election; one will be elected
David Bolgrien, 1306 N. 57th Ave. W.
Art Johnston, 37 N. 93rd Ave. W.
Justin Perpich, 4211 W. Seventh St.
Duluth At-large School Board
Four candidates advance to general election; two will be elected
Henry Banks, P.O. Box 16811, 55816
Joshua Bixby, 2809 E. First St.
Annie Harala, 1129 N. Seventh Ave. E.
Loren Martell, 623 E. Seventh St.
Nancy Nilsen, 446 N. 85th Ave. W.
Harry Welty, 2101 E. Fourth St.
There will be two other races on the general election ballot Nov. 5. Patrick Boyle is unopposed in the race for Second District City Council. In the Fourth District, incumbent Garry Krause will face Howie Hanson. There will also be a School District operating levy on the ballot.
2013 Duluth Election: The Candidates
The filing period to run for city and school board offices in Duluth runs from July 2 to July 16. This page will update as the candidates file.
The primary election will be held on Sept. 10; the general election will be Nov. 5.
Duluth Second District City Councilor
Patrick Boyle, 2201 E. First St.
Duluth Fourth District City Councilor
Howie Hanson, 2864 Wellington St.
Garry Krause, 1220 Stanford Ave.
Duluth At-large City Councilor
Four candidates advance to general election; two will be elected
Zack Filipovich, 219 S. 21st Ave. E., Upper Apt.
Barb Russ, 322 N. 22nd Ave. E.
Ray (Skip) Sandman, 2602 W. Sixth St.
Ryan Stauber, 4723 Pitt St.
Ray Whitledge III, 202 N. 24th Ave. W.
Duluth District One School Board
Rosie Loeffler-Kemp, 2902 Bald Eagle Trail
Joseph Matthes, 5319 Colorado St.
Marcia Stromgren, 6179 Lakewood Rd 55804
Duluth District Four School Board
David Bolgrien, 1306 N. 57th Ave. W.
Art Johnston, 37 N. 93rd Ave. W.
Justin Perpich, 4211 W. Seventh St.
Duluth At-large School Board
Top two candidates are elected
Henry Banks, P.O. Box 16811, 55816
Joshua Bixby, 2809 E. First St.
Annie Harala, 1129 N. Seventh Ave. E.
Loren Martell, 623 E. Seventh St.
Nancy Nilsen, 446 N. 85th Ave. W.
Harry Welty, 2101 E. Fourth St.
The Two Faces of Al Franken
Minnesota Senator Al Franken loves Big Brother.
Vote on same-sex marriage bill scheduled for Thursday
This is actually happening! Call or e-mail your representative now!
07A Huntley, Thomas (DFL) 651-296-2228 rep.thomas.huntley@house.mn
03B Murphy, Mary (DFL) 651-296-2676 rep.mary.murphy@house.mn
07B Simonson, Erik (DFL) 651-296-4246 rep.erik.simonson@house.mn
Vikings Fumble
Well, I don’t really follow football, and now here’s another reason to despise the world 0f big, corporate sports. Message sent and received–athletics is a place where freedom of speech will kick your football on down the field. Boo team Vikings!
Chris Kluwe’s release by Vikings sends message that gay-marriage talk is not tolerable in NFL
Rockridge Elementary Rezoning
The Rockridge Elementary school property’s proposed rezoning reminds me of the age-old phase “you sleep in the bed you made.” The school district knew from the get go what building zones the schools are in. It also knew the market has its ups and downs. We are now in a down cycle. Why didn’t the district’s budget include a more conservative estimate just in case the market went down?
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2013 State of the City
httpv://youtu.be/Cfri1a8b1kw
Well aren’t you Mr. Popularity, Mayor Ness?
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
And to think that only yesterday you were a hate monger.
Note: KARE 11’s approval rating drops after failing to correctly spell the names of Jason Wussow and Peter Passi.
Open House
Umm.
Ask the City of Duluth to use eminent domain to claim vacant houses for our affordable housing stock.
Concerns surrounding the American Indian Community Housing Organization
I am a community member of the Duluth area and I wanted to voice a couple of things that have been concerning me as well as some things that have been brought to my attention surrounding the American Indian Community Housing Organization.
I know that the community was really excited when AICHO’s Gimaajii Building at 202 W. Second St. opened this past spring. I had very high hopes as to what this venue could do for the people, especially the urban Native Americans within Duluth.
As time has passed and the excitement and buzz about what this “could” be has since faded, I have heard from several current and former tenants of the Gimaajii Building that they have felt there is a lack of spiritual understanding from many of the staff members including the current executive director. They have felt that anything “cultural” that has taken place there has been more for show than for the people it serves.
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Muckety Mucks
Don Ness had his birthday party at Tycoons the same night Al Franken dined there. DFL FTW!
(Photo by Maxwell McGruder)
I’m as lefty as most …
… but am I correct that the City Council agreed to forgive $305,000 in overpayments to retirees, then agreed to a 2.82 percent tax levy increase?
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Upper Chester: Not so fast there people!
Duluth took a beating this past year. But thanks to everyone pulling together we’ve made a remarkable comeback. For proof, you don’t have to look any further than Chester Park. Thanks to the indefatigable Dan Proctor and others the Lower Chester trails are probably in better shape than they were before the floods of June, and that’s saying a lot considering the scope of the mudflows and washouts that ravaged pretty much every inch of the ravine.
Upper Chester, however, is another story. Despite good intentions, there’s been a lot of jumping the gun to clean up or improve things that one could make the argument has ended up doing more harm than good. I’m not going to run down the list, but the latest chapter seems to have taken place largely under the radar, and I think it deserves a public airing.
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Post Election Day Hunt
By David Cowardin
Duluth Outdoors Editor
After the 2012 presidential election, there are only so many things a man can do to come back down to earth. Hunting grouse is one of them.
“Think of it as hiking with a gun,” my friend Luke said.
You see, I’ve never been hunting. Ever. So Luke was showing me how simple it really is.
“It’s really just an excuse to get out into the woods,” he said as he stopped to rub some pine needles between his fingers, telling me how much sweeter they smells after a rain.
We were about 30 miles north on Rice Lake Road, hiking around a small lake listening for the heavy thump of a grouse. The sky was gray and everything was wet: the sweet smell of pine was strong. (more…)
Duluth 2012 General Election Results
With 100 percent of precincts statewide reported, here are the unofficial results in races relevant to Duluth. (more…)
Posted: No Wolf Hunting
Passing along this photo from Ivy Vainio; click the image to see it in context.
Fond du Lac Band passed an ordinance banning the wolf hunt a few days ago.
Dan Kraker provided some fairly decent balanced coverage that explains some of the legal and cultural implications of the wolf hunt in this MPR News story.
David Cowardin says: “No”
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
Recorded live at Beaner’s Central last week.