Uncle Harvey’s Mausoleum sinking
Oh Snap. Uncle Harvey’s Mausoleum (a.k.a “The Cribs” a.k.a “Duluth Ice House”) seems to be melting away this winter. First the column went missing a few weeks ago and now the whole house seems to be doomed. Let’s hope Lake Superior Aquaman can fix this?
This Week: flicks, goblets, games and more
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
Spring forward into the waning days of winter with a myriad of things to do: The Red Herring is screening the Oscar-winning (right?) White Men Can’t Jump, check out Board Game Night at Rogue Robot, celebrate International Women’s Day at UMD, hear Gaelynn Lea at Bulldog Pizza, make your own wine goblet at Lake Superior Art Glass and check out some experimental theater at the Dudley.
Fans of pugilism should hit up the Jack O’Brien Boxing Invitational, fans of one-night-only cover bands should check out the Ides of March Bacchanalia Festival, ‘zine boosters should hit up the Minerva party and fans of the Pines should, y’know, go to this Pines concert.
New Yorker story features Duluth pacifist who broke into the “Fort Knox of Uranium”
The March 9 issue of New Yorker includes a lengthy article titled “Break-in at Y-12,” which tells the story (with much digression) of Duluth’s Gregory Boertje-Obed and his role in the July 2012 break-in at the Y-12 nuclear weapons facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Boertje-Obed, along with fellow Catholic Worker Movement activists Megan Gillespie Rice and former Duluthian Michael Walli, cut fences to enter the facility and spray-painted messages, poured blood and ceremonially chipped away at the foundation of a building that houses one of the largest stores of bomb-grade uranium in the world.
Selective Focus: In Like a Lion
Kip Praslowicz, untitled
So this Winter hasn’t exactly been last year’s Jack London-esque death struggle. Still, there were moments of peril, and others of extreme, austere beauty. While only visiting in 2013, I wrote something that seems even more true now from this present vantage: “You begin to gather that after the few idyllic months Minnesotans are given, and the many more less-so they’ve chose to endure, that an energy accrues which begs release.” I think we’re due for a blowout. (more…)
Duluth Winter Enduro Video
Jeff Wolf’s view of last weekend’s Spirit Mountain Bike Enduro Race. Music by Red Hot Rebellion.
Icehouse Pillar’s Final Resting Spot
In a follow-up to the “Has a little of Uncle Harvey gone missing?” caper, the Duluth News Tribune reported on Sunday that a three-person team of St. Louis County Rescue Squad members, working with a remotely operated underwater vehicle, located the concrete column from Uncle Harvey’s Mausoleum largely intact on Saturday afternoon in about 9 feet of water. City Pages put together this edit of the underwater video.
Thank you, DTA
To the driver of the #6/7 running past 20th Avenue East Jefferson Street at 8:45 this morning, who saw me looking dejected as he rolled past the intersection (I was running late trudging through the snow) … and pulled over and waited for me … thank you!
You can read minds.
Northlanders: DLH wants you!
Commentary in the Duluth News Tribune:
Local View: Airport must think outside the box to reduce market leakage
Why do you choose to bus, bike or walk?
In preparation for the fourth annual Bus Bike Walk month in May, Healthy Duluth is now collecting stories from community members who regularly bus, bike or walk as transportation.
Research shows that there are many personal and societal benefits to active transportation including physical fitness and overall well being, an improved economy and fewer vehicle emissions than driving. Many people in the Duluth community utilize these forms of transportation, and by showcasing their stories, the community will be inspired to give people-powered transportation a try.
Click here to share your story and inspire others to Bus Bike Walk.
Dave Hoops on Craft Conscious
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
Dave Hoops, master brewer at Duluth’s Fitger’s Brewhouse, was the interview subject today on Craft Conscious, a website that interviews craft beer experts, entrepreneurs and innovators.
Friend of Duluthian comes out of the woodwork
Duluth had another dateline in the Onion last week:
Long-silent Facebook friend comes out of woodwork with post asking about insulating windows (more…)
This Week: the mayor, mustaches, meals and more
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
Mayor Ness’ final State of the City Address is taking place, wooden cars are pitted against each other in the latest Pinewood Derby, Restaurant Week gets underway with meals aplenty and the Zinema’s 2sDays series kicks into gear.
Grab some new jewelry at St. Luke’s, acquire Mary Bue’s latest album at her release show, see the classic musical Oliver!, take in some of the best jazz the area has to offer at the Head of the Lakes Jazz Festival and celebrate Mustache March.
Lots to do, and then some.
Carved Stone Project Placement Experiment
Stoneworker Sean MacManus and I hatched a plan to use his Celtic stonework pieces to fashion an underwater stone garden, geocache, and/or orienteering course. This video is footage of my experiment to test the feasibility of lashing the stones around the base of a boulder. I had two of the stones, each identical with backing mounts affixed with mortar, and I had two ropes. I found this project much more difficult than I imagined, and it failed as a proof of concept as the mortar weakened and would not hold the ropes. This was in addition to simply being deucedly difficult to accomplish even in just a few feet of water. The shot of the stones towards the end by the green leaf is after the mortar failure when I decided to abandon the attempt. I was beat and so left one the stones overnight. The final shot is me retrieving it. After this, I experimented with trying to wedge the stones in place but that didn’t work either. The entire project (still evolving towards this summer) generated a lot of footage of me swimming around enigmatically with these stones, which has already been released here.
Fireworks in February
I’m in the cafe at Barnes and Noble, where I just bought the new issue of Charlie Hebdo. I wish that it didn’t feel so commercially crass to have bought this now. (more…)
Red Mountain – “Home” (Live at Twin Ports Bridge Festival)
Red Mountain performs “Home” at last summer’s Twin Port Bridge Festival, captured here as part of an epic 12-camera shoot by WDSE-TV‘s The PlayList for an episode that aired earlier this month. Upcoming gig: Red Mountain performs March 21 at Papa Charlie’s during the DuLutsen North of North Music & Ski Festival.
Big Wave Dave and the Ripples – “Real Thing”
New Big Wave Dave and the Ripples video by David Cowardin of Lola Visuals and Duluth Outdoors. Upcoming Big Wave gig: Art for Ed’s Sake on March 20.
Green update for Duluth water infrastructure?
Duluth definitely has some gravity-fed municipal water lines running down the hill. Perhaps as we repair/replace our aging water lines we could make upgrades that will generate electricity.
Portland now generates electricity from turbines installed in city water pipes
Economic effect of the arts in Minnesota is big
A couple weeks ago Creative Minnesota went on a road show to promote the findings of a major study. The data showed the arts have been having a major economic effect in Minnesota. The Arrowhead is the second-most vibrant region, though it is only the fourth largest in population. Here’s more information on what was presented.
They sprayed the state of Wisconsin with fire hoses of blood
The latest movie project up for crowdfunding includes a scene at the Anchor Bar in Superior.
House Harker: A bloody, action-comedy in a horror film shell
What happened to Dubrue?
I remember drinking Dubrue at local restaurants and bars around 2011-2012. I also vaguely remember a story of a fire in the building the brewery was located in. Since then, I haven’t seen the brew anywhere. I did some internet searching but I haven’t come up with much. Is Dubrue around anymore?
Vikre Distillery lands #4 spot in Details magazine taste test
The March issue of Details magazine ranks American-made gins in an article titled “The American Gin Renaissance.” Duluth’s Vikre Distillery took fourth place for its Boreal Cedar Gin.
4. Vikre Distillery Boreal Cedar Gin
Duluth, Minnesota
The Gin: Smoky, thanks to red cedar.
Fun Fact: “I developed the Cedar specifically to make my perfect Negroni,” says cofounder Emily Vikre.
The Appeal: For fermentation and proofing, Vikre uses purified Lake Superior water, which is soft and devoid of (taste-altering) minerals. $30
There’s an online version of the article with the more click-baitish title, “10 American-made gins that are too damn good to pass up.”
Another recent honor: Vikre’s Ovrevann Aquavit won a bronze medal in the DSS category at the American Craft Spirits Association’s Distillers Convention & Vender Trade Show in mid-February. (Through exhaustive research — you know, like ten minutes worth — PDD is now able to update this report to clarify that DSS stands for Distilled Spirits, Specialty.)
Mary Bue – “Cheribum” (Live on The PlayList)
Mary Bue performs “Cheribum” with members of American Rebels on WDSE-TV‘s The PlayList. The song is from her upcoming album Holy Bones, to be released March 6 with a party and performance at R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon.
Break Shots
Video by James Holak.