Painting the Community: A Portrait of Jeredt Runions
Recent University of Wisconsin-Superior graduate Jessica Prihoda produced this documentary about fellow UW-Superior student and well-known local artist Jeredt Runions.
Prihoda is one of 12 student filmmakers from across the United States nominated for a top award at the Headwaters Film Festival in Bemidji, which was held in April.
Duluth Lighthouses being updated
My family went down to the ship canal in Duluth on Monday and noticed that the north pier light was being worked on. The light itself was wrapped up, and all the glass had been removed. The entire black upper portion of the light had been painted with grey primer. Three men in hard hats, one up on top, were at work. (more…)
Piedmont/Lincoln Park Hwy 53 stretch
Anyone have any idea who is responsible for the Piedmont/Lincoln Park stretch of Hwy 53? I’m guessing it’s the state that has dropped the ball on this one. Tall grass on sides looks like it’s never been mowed and the sidewalks are completely covered in a 1/8″ of gravel. The street sweepers came through the neighborhood and didn’t touch them.
Any thoughts on who to contact?
Bliss – “When I Grow Up”
Duluth rapper Bliss released his new album The Most Important Things in Life are Invisible on Bandcamp today. Above is the newest video, “When I Grow Up.” (The video for “Go,” released last month, was also part of this post, but has been removed from YouTube for some kind of “terms of service” violation. The video for the album’s title track was posted on PDD back in March.)
Commercial Kitchens in Duluth Area
We are looking for a commercial kitchen to rent as soon as possible. Any help or suggestions would be extremely helpful and greatly appreciated.
What else is Duluth the best at?
Duluth won Outside magazine’s online poll for “Best Place to Live,” — also referred to frequently as “Best Outside City” or “Best Outdoors Town.” Whatever it’s called, Duluth won it.
What else is Duluth the best at?
Guitars stolen from hardworking musicians
Copied from Facebook:
Hey all! My friend Andy Pletcher had a couple of instruments stolen out of his car early Sunday morning (sometime between 2am and 11am) while parked off the street on the 700 block of East Superior Street. They are:
A black Sterling (by Musicman) bass in a soft case
A red Gibson Flying V in a soft case.
So, if some crank-head, drunk, loady or otherwise morally deficit person offers to sell you either of these do me a favor and stab them with your butterfly knife. Or let me or the cops know. I will post serial numbers when they become available. Please share this post on your newsfeed. Be like McGruff and help take a bite outta crime!
This week: racism, expressionism and marathon-ism
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
Pause to reflect on the violence inherent in the system today with a memorial service on the 94th anniversary of the lynching of Clayton, Jackson and McGhie and then go to a presentation by Elizabeth Dorsey Hatle on her book, The Ku Klux Klan in Minnesota, at Fitger’s.
Cult, filmed in Duluth last summer, gets its public premier at Zinema 2 on Tuesday.
Renegade Theater‘s Red, a play about the expressionist painter, Mark Rothko, opens on Thursday at the Teatro Zuccone, with improv darling Jody Kujawa playing the lead. It runs two weekends.
Thursday also marks the opening of the 117th season of the Two Harbors City Band playing in the Band Shell at Thomas Owens Park. There’s a Simple Supper before each Thursday evening concert lovingly prepared at the United Church across the street.
Also on Thursday, you can go hear Perfect Duluth Day regular, Heidi Bakk-Hansen, talk about “The Notorious Madam Gain and the Red Light Ladies of St. Croix Avenue” at The Underground.
It’s Grandma’s Marathon weekend, and that means music, music, music, more music and yet more music in and around Canal Park. And, of course, there’s always Jazz at the Toga.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Somebody in Duluth is doin’ it right
Have you seen this thing circling the internets? How to give your kid a 1970s summer.
From their suggestions:
3. Make them play outside. Like all day. All. Damn. Day.
Well someone out on the upper reaches of the Sucker River is letting their kids do just that. I was out for a bike ride on Friday and came across these two bikes and heard a great deal of 10-yr old (guessing) laughing coming from the river.
Well done Duluth, well done.
(Although it is funny to note: bikes were locked to the bridge. You know, since some jerk might come along and steal them).
RollerDames end the season with energy
… if not with victory.
The Dames lost both bouts. But more importantly, we Rollerdames fans are losing some familiar faces. The following Dames are retiring this year: SoKo Rebel, Wright Around Ya, Killah Cleta, Lady Gotcha, Nasty Fantastic, Hook N Splatter, Janet Smackson, Jilly Willy, Crumpet Crusher, Little Miss Spooky.
I am surely a fan of the Dames, but the first time I met these athletes at Buffalo Wild Wings, I got shivers. They are really, really good at their sport, and they are really, really good as a team. Dames fans will miss them.
Cult screening at Zinema 2 on June 17
If you are into dark and depressing movies (that take place in Duluth) then come check it out! Screenings are at 7 and 9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17, at Zinema 2. I’ll be doing a Q&A after both shows. It recently played to full houses at the Duluth Superior Film Festival and people seemed to dig it. It is unrated, but the MPAA would easily slap an R on it, so keep that in mind. It is very dark.
Poseidon of Lester River
- Water-bug shadow crosses the figure @ :34
- Minnow attack @ :43
- Minnow head-butts a baby crayfish two times @ 1:05
- Crayfish says aw screw it @ 1:26
Check out the storm sewer art by local artists in Superior
The sidewalks beside six storm sewer drains in Superior are looking good. Six local artists have painted their artwork and are helping spread the message about stormwater pollution. The locations and more information is at superiorstormwater.blogspot.com. Click on the Storm Drain Art tab. Map brochures are available at the Wisconsin visitor bureau in the Bong Heritage Center, Fairlawn Mansion, Superior Public Library, North End Arts Gallery, and the Superior Wastewater Treatment Plant. Take time to visit the sites for some outdoor public art.
Chop some rhubarb or interview a veteran
A pair of volunteer opportunities in Duluth:
The Rhubarb Festival is in need of volunteers to assist with the stage show, silent auction, food booths, kitchen preparation and more. Follow this link to sign up. Opportunities vary from pie making, rhubarb harvesting and chopping, silent-auction basket making, event setup, children’s activities, food-booth working, and so on. Volunteers are also needed for a rhubarb harvest and chopping at Peace Church.
Veterans’ Memorial Hall, a program of the St. Louis County Historical Society, needs volunteers for its Oral History Project, collecting first-person accounts of military service through in-person recorded interviews with local veterans. A training session is being held on Saturday, Aug. 2.
World Cup in Duluth
A friend of mine was asking where were the best public places in Duluth to watch the World Cup.
Dubh Linn is says that they will be “showing all the games” and are offering discounts to people showing up in their team jerseys. It was also the only place in Duluth mentioned in an MPR article.
That’s the only place I’ve heard of so far. Are there others?
Boundary Waters 2014
Video by David Cowardin from Duluth Outdoors.
2014 Duluth Primary Election Primer
There are plenty of federal, state, judicial and county offices up for grabs this year, but no Duluth City Council or Duluth School Board races. Sifting in which of the active races apply to Duluthians and sifting out which are uncontested until the General Election is a bit of a chore, but the info below might be as simple as it can be laid out while remaining thorough.
Remember: Aug. 12 is one of those Primary Elections in which you have to choose a party. You can’t, for example, vote for a Republican governor and a DFL congressman. On the partisan portion of the ballot you have to vote for the same party in all races. Below are the contests that will be on that ballot, and some notes about what will be part of the Nov. 4 General Election.
FEDERAL OFFICES
United States Senator, Independence Party
Tom Books
Steve Carlson
Jack Shepard
Kevin Terrell
Stephen Williams
United States Senator, Republican Party
Jim Abeler
David Carlson
Mike McFadden
Patrick D. Munro
Ole Savior
United States Senator, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Al Franken
Sandra Henningsgard
United States Senator, Libertarian Party
Heather Johnson is unopposed in her party and will be on the General Election ballot.
United States Representative, Minnesota District 8
There will be no primary in this race. Green Party candidate Ray “Skip” Sandman, Republican Stewart Mills and Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate Rick Nolan are unopposed in their parties and will be on the General Election ballot.
(more…)
Inducing the gay and frolicsome lumberjack to stop in Duluth
From the March 22, 1909, Duluth Evening Herald:
Auto ride for drunks
New police patrol will be in service next week
“Free ride with every jag” for every woodsmanDuluth’s new automobile police patrol wagon is due to arrive in the city next Friday. After a few trial trips on local hills, it probably will be put in active service the following Monday.
For several years past certain interests in Duluth have been trying to devise ways and means to induce the gay and frolicsome lumberjack to stop off here and spend his money. (more…)
Russ Kendall’s Smokehouse: A few pre-fire photos of the adjoining bar
The May 11 fire that destroyed the processing area of Russ Kendall’s Smokehouse in Knife River didn’t do much damage to the adjoining bar area, but nonetheless I thought I’d share some pre-fire snapshots I took of it in the fall of 2012, before it got “smoked” … so to speak. (The shot above is obviously of the fire, taken from the smokehouse’s Facebook page.)
Pineapple Arts now offering music lessons
Pineapple Arts Center in Downtown Duluth is now offering music lessons. Guitar, bass and ukulele lessons are available, and songwriting/composition help can also be provided.
Here’s what they had to say on the matter:
We’re so excited to have Duluth-area musician and News Tribune music writer Tony Bennett (Cars & Trucks, The Dames, Seed Math) offering music lessons for beginners/intermediates this summer! Lessons will be dictated by what the student wants to learn, with a focus on fun and creativity. Tony is able to cover many styles, including: rock, folk, blues, punk, metal, avant-garde, pop, some country, and much more! Give the store a call at (218) 722-2919 if you want to take music lessons ~~THIS SUMMER~~ acoustic and electric guitar ~~ bass guitar ~~ or songwriting and composition. ~~ Lessons are available on Tuesdays between 6-9 PM. Cost is only $20 for a single half-hour lesson, and $70 for a four-lesson package deal!
Does anyone use Consumer Cellular?
I’m considering switching from Verizon to Consumer Cellular. Does anyone in Duluth use Consumer Cellular? What is your opinion of the company?
This week: books, opera, baseball and roller derby
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
There’s a fundraiser today at Lighthouse at Emily’s for Kendall’s Smokehouse which had a bit too much smoke a few weeks ago and needs to make repairs. If you plan on going farther up the shore, though, be mindful of road restrictions on Highway 61.
The Duluth Public Library Book Sale is this week with a presale for Friends of the Library on Tuesday, then the general public gets to see what’s left on Wednesday. It concludes with a bag sale on Friday.
Duluth Huskies baseball is in full swing this week with four home games Tuesday through Friday at Wade Stadium. In other sports action, the Harbor City Roller Dames have a double header this Saturday at the DECC to conclude their 2013-14 season.
Ring of Fire, featuring the music of Johnny Cash, opens at The Underground on Thursday and runs two weekends and LOON‘s Don Pasquale has only two performances at Lincoln Park Middle School on Thursday and Saturday of this week.
The Formal Age release a new album at Red Star on Friday, sharing the bill with Wino, WI and Turbo Rathvon.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.