PDD at Fall Fest
Despite a little drizzle, Fall Fest is happening today as scheduled, Saturday, Sept. 16, at Chester Bowl Park, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Join us in the PDD tent, located between the playground and the stage. You can hang with us in our photo booth and listen to Woodblind, Ingeborg von Agassiz and Mama’s Stolen Horses perform throughout the day. Keep up with happenings via #pddfallfest.
Flying with Dean and Donna Over Superior
In this feature, pilot Bill Bryson III takes Dean and Donna on a flight along the southern edge of Lake Superior. It’s pretty long for an internet video, clocking in at more than a half hour, but it’s a multi-camera shoot with background music and audio from the headsets … so it’s kind of a quirky thing to open in a small window on the side of your monitor and loosely follow along with while working or otherwise browsing the web.
For those who aren’t into “Slow TV,” the sexiest footage starts at 29:20.
Coming soon to Lincoln Park: ice cream and pastrami
Two new businesses are setting up in Lincoln Park’s burgeoning craft district. Love Creamery and Corktown Deli and Brews will occupy 1908 and 1906 W. Superior St., respectively.
The building, which now features an adjoining space, is undergoing renovations to separate the businesses. Tom Hanson hopes to open Corktown Deli and Brews by January, while Love Creamery owner Nicole Wilde anticipates a May opening. (more…)
Minnesota North Shore Fall Colors Report 2017
It is that time of year again when mother natures displays her colorful awesomeness throughout Minnesota. Duluth and the North Shore of Lake Superior always seem to paint a perfect backdrop for her fall colors display over the next month. As of today, we are starting to see some leaves changing and we are at about 0 to 10 percent peak in the area. (more…)
“Gleahan and the Knaves of Industry” now crowdfunding
Local filmmaker Samuel T. Weston is no stranger to filmmaking here in Duluth. Last year he made three short films here in town, and another one premiered on the Duluth CW’s “Night at the Movies.”
Now he needs your help with his next big project: a feature film called Gleahan and the Knaves of Industry. Sam has once again partnered with the team that’s growing at the Duluth Film Collective. They call Gleahan an Adventure Comedy where “an opportunistic asshole joins the quest of a delusional man who thinks he lives in a fantasy world.” (more…)
A Farewell to Summer 2017
Fall is a time for reflection. This montage by Pete Garsow of Approach Productions features shots gathered around Duluth over the summer on his Canon t6i.
Duluth 2017 Primary Election Results
With 34 of 34 precincts reporting, here are the unofficial results.
Duluth At-large City Councilor
Top four candidates advance to General Election
Zack Filipovich – 3,859 | 27.97%
Barbara Russ – 2,797 | 20.27%
Janet Kennedy – 2,462 | 17.85%
Rich Updegrove – 2,456 | 17.80%
Jan Swanson – 1,222 | 98.86%
Brandon Sorvik – 604 | 4.38%
Richard L. Williams – 369 | 2.87%
Duluth Fourth District City Councilor
Top two candidates advance to General Election
Renee K. Van Nett – 622 | 44.94%
Howie Hanson – 468 | 33.82%
Tom Furman – 294 | 21.24%
Duluth At-large School Board Member
Top four candidates advance to General Election; two are elected
Sally Trnka – 3,929 | 30.00%
Josh Gorham – 3,558 | 27.17%
Harry Welty – 2,406 | 18.37%
Bogdana (Dana) Krivogorsky – 1,642 | 12.54%
Loren Martell – 1,560 | 11.91%
A Visit to the North Shore with Maya Angelou
Mike Kenyanya produced this short video of a trip along Lake Superior’s North Shore, with music by Kavuela and the Maya Angelou poem “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me at All” as the backdrop.
Endion Station will remain open this winter
As most seasonal eateries wind down for the winter, Endion Station Public House is planning some changes to embrace the off season.
The pub and cider house at 200 Lake Place Drive opened in the summer of 2014. It weathered that first winter in its Canal Park location but has closed for the winter each year since.
This winter, Endion Station will be open every day at 4 p.m. Closing time is to be determined, but will be later on weekends. (more…)
Laura Mae Sellner – “Awareness”
New video produced by Killy Kay, shot at various Duluth locations in 2016. It features poetry written and performed by Laura Mae Sellner for the Homegrown Music Festival.
KUWS Final Edition episode on the CJMM Memorial
I found the CD that Mike Simonson gave me and uploaded it to SoundCloud. It’s a half-hour segment titled “Teaching History, Literacy and Tolerance: The Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial in Our Schools.” Panelists are Henry Banks, Catherine Nachbar, David Beard, Gail Schoenfelder and Perry Kennedy. Moderators are Jennifer and Mike Simonson.
Labor Day Weekend on the North Shore
Josiah Bondy of Minneapolis put together a few clips from his Labor Day weekend trip to Duluth.
Cramer Tunnel in Lake County
About 70 miles northeast of Duluth, near Crosby Manitou State Park, is a unincorporated community named after its pioneer merchant, J.N. Cramer. There sits Minnesota’s longest train tunnel, connecting the former LTV Steel Hoyt Lakes taconite plant with its ore dock at Taconite Harbor. A recent post on photographer Dan Turner’s Substreet website features a collection if interesting summer and winter photos from the tunnel and surrounding area. (more…)
PDD Quiz Postponed
Due to changes to Qzzr’s terms of service, this week’s PDD Quiz on Twin Ports beer and breweries is postponed. We will resume PDD Quizzes after exploring our options for a new quiz platform. Stay tuned!
Hiking at Gooseberry Falls
Noah Penn and his new friends from the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Chi Alpha chapter, a Christian campus ministry, hike the majestic Gooseberry Falls State Park, about 30 miles northeast of Duluth.
Duluth featured on Gear Junkie website
Gear Junkie, a Minneapolis-based online publication for outdoor adventure news and product reviews, published a feature on Duluth this week as part of its series on “The Great Urban Outdoors.”
My Fancy Foreign Car is a Symbol of American Freedom
When the transmission went haywire on my rusty 1993 van on the day after Thanksgiving 2015, it marked the end of a beautiful seven-year relationship. The ol’ GMC Vandura cost me $1,400 to buy, and while it needed some work here and there, it was a major-league transportation bargain. My average annual cost of driving during those years was $2,200.
To clarify: From mid-2008 to the near-end of 2015 I drove wherever I wanted at an annual cost of $2,200. That number includes fuel, insurance, purchase price, repair and maintenance costs and all other fees. Six bucks a day to go anywhere — basically the same price as a daily pint of craft beer at the trendiest joint in town.
For many months after the tranny crapped out on the van, I continued to drive it short distances on flat roads, shifting into neutral when it fell out of gear, then shifting back into drive. If I needed to go somewhere involving hills or highways, I took a bus or arranged to use my wife’s vehicle. I just wasn’t eager to go car shopping. I figured I’d wait for a car to come to me.
And then a car came to me. (more…)
Selective Focus: Northern Lights
We sure do love our auroras up here. There are predictions of moderate activity tonight and Saturday according to the internet experts and local astronomical legend Astro Bob.
The week of Sept. 17-23, Night Sky Week will be taking place in Duluth. Click here for more information and a schedule of events. The project is organized by Starry Skies Lake Superior, a group raising awareness of the effects of light pollution.
One of the main events will be a showing of the movie Skyglow. The trailer below is pushing some product pretty hard, but there are stunning images in it. (more…)
“Restoring” Chester Creek?
This afternoon I went running in Chester Park for the first time in a while. I parked at the Chalet and immediately noticed this posting on a light pole:
Apparently the city and the Soil and Water Conservation District will be removing the old dams at the foot of the ski hill, revegetating the stream banks, and building a pedestrian footbridge. My first reaction to this was, “Cool! It’ll be great to have a restored stream habitat.” But as I thought about it a little more, I started wondering what it was exactly that needs restoring here. (more…)
Piano teacher has openings for new students
Openings for piano lessons for the 2017 school year and beyond! Email emily@moesewco.com or call 218-464-3287. (more…)
Charlie Parr – “Peaceful Valley”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkdelUlaLXE
“Peaceful Valley,” from Charlie Parr’s album Dog is a fantasy of closing the door, drinking coffee, listening to records and becoming a good recluse.
Animation by Jake Huffcutt.
Charlie Parr discloses depression in City Pages feature
Duluth musician Charlie Parr is featured in this week’s issue of the Twin Cities tabloid City Pages. In an interview with freelance writer Erica Rivera, Parr acknowledges a life spent battling depression and suicidal thoughts.
“It affects everything that I do, all day, every day — and all night,” he says.
Story link: Man of constant sorrow: Charlie Parr’s quiet battle to stay alive
Parr performs at Sacred Heart Music Center on Thursday in support of his new album, Dog.
Breanne Marie and the Front Porch Sinners – “Carousel”
New video for “Carousel” by Breanne Marie & the Front Porch Sinners. Shot at Chester Bowl by Michelle Truax of Duluth.com. From their upcoming album Wildflowers & Tumbleweeds, recorded at Sparta Sound with Rich Mattson.
The record release party is Saturday, Sept. 16 at Beaner’s Central. (more…)
Nat Harvie Trio – “Nat Harvie’s Birthday”
Directed by Caitlin Nielson. Crowdfunding campaign info at indiegogo.com.