R.I.P. West Duluth ICO
The West Duluth ICO on Grand Avenue and 46th Avenue West has been torn down. A CVS pharmacy will be built in its place. I don’t have any ICO memories that are springing to mind, other than that one night in 2010 I decided to shoot a photo of it.
By the way, I think it might have technically been a Spur station, even though everyone called it ICO and there was an ICO sign on it. I’m not really sure how gas-station naming works.
Pearl Harbor Day Reflections
And There Shall Be Wars is a worthy addition to any World War II library.
When the Twin Towers were struck and fell on my birthday ten years ago, 9/11 was immediately being compared to another Day of Infamy sixty years earlier. What’s striking about the two events is how differently the news reached us. In 2001 Americans across the land were glued to their TV sets seeing replays of the horror and hearing commentaries of related unfolding events as they happened, with varying degrees of accuracy but instantly. With Internet access we could also watch reactions from around the world. Information about the 1941 attack came home to us in a far different manner, as this book excerpt shows. (more…)
Destination Imagination Team Managers
We need team managers for Destination Imagination teams at Congdon Park Elementary. I have been trying to tap out other sources before posting here, but schedules are not lining up and I’m getting desperate! (more…)
PDD Ticket Giveaway Clearance
In preparation for the holidays, it’s time to clear the desks at PDD of any hot giveaway items. Mention in the comments how good you’ve been this past year, and which one of the shows below you deserve two free tickets to, and I’ll act like Santa and divvy up the goodies.
(UPDATE: This contest is over now, and Santa has given away all his goodies, but you can still brag about how good you’ve been in the comments if you want. Just be aware that bragging is not being good.)
The Running (Unopposed) Man
Dec. 9, 10, 16, 17, 30 and 31, 7 p.m., The Venue at Mohaupt Block
Dink Tank: Return of the Dinks
Dec. 9, 10, 16 and 17, 8 p.m., Teatro Zuccone
From Havana to Duluth
Dec. 12 and 13, 8 p.m., Teatro Zuccone
Old Knifey and the Cutthroats Holiday Variety Show
Dec. 17, 9 p.m., All American Club
Prøve Gallery Hosts Second Show
The Prøve Gallery promises to be an exciting addition to the Twin Ports arts scene.
Prøve Gallery has announced the opening of a new show, Second, on Friday, Dec. 9. Second will feature the work of Alexander Hanson, Nikki Burger, Michael Beachy, Brittany Sanford, and Zach Gorr. Prøve Collective members Anthony Zappa, Justin Iverson, Nickolas Monson and Steven J Read will also be presenting work. The DJ collective the Crunchy Bunch will be spinning records, food will be provided by Clyde Iron Works and micro-brewed beer will be provided by Carmody Irish Pub. (more…)
A Parachute Project in Duluth
I’m an independent radio/media producer currently living and working in Milwaukee. However, for a variety of reasons, I find myself strongly drawn to Duluth (I’ve visited a few times and a couple close friends currently live in Duluth). (more…)
Is the Last Place on Earth ruining Duluth?
[This post originally featured a video from the Northland’s NewsCenter that is no longer available.]
Goodbye Habeas Corpus
The Senate has voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act , which contains a provision that would allow the military to abduct American citizens, on US soil, without charges or trial, indefinitely. Ex CIA analyst Ray McGovern discusses it here. Both Minnesota senators voted yea. This is a big deal!
William (Billy) Harper found dead at UMD
UMD released the name of a student found dead in his dorm Monday. William “Billy” Harper, 19 from Coon Rapids, was discovered dead in his room at Heany Hall on Monday. Lisa Erwin, chancellor of student life, says it appears he died of natural causes. Billy Harper was enrolled in the Labowitz School of Business and Economics. He was very active in sports and talented football player in high school. My prayers are with his friends and family.
Poverty in Duluth
A public lecture by Dave Benson (executive director of the Damiano Center) happened to a standing-room only crowd at 5pm in the UMD Library Rotunda. I had to sit in the next room and listen intently. (more…)
This week: Avenged Sevenfold, The Nutcracker, Rubber Chicken and more
Tuesday, Dec. 6
The College of St. Scholastica counts down to the lighting of its Christmas trees with a candlelit event.
Wednesday, Dec. 7
Avenged Sevenfold plays at Amsoil Arena.
Thursday, Dec. 8
Dink Tank, Duluth’s only resident sketch comedy act, is back with Return of the Dinks.
Friday, Dec. 9
Two productions of The Nutcracker open tonight. One at the Myles Reif Performing Arts Center in Grand Rapids and the other at the DECC. In its second week is Rubber Chicken Theater’s fourth annual holiday sketch-comedy revue. This year it’s titled “The Running (Unopposed) Man, or, Another Fine Ness You’ve Gotten Us Into”
Saturday, Dec. 10
Lower Chester Park re-opens with ice skating, concessions and a proclamation from the mayor. R.T. Quinlan’s hosts a night of indie rock with A Winter Downpour headlining.
Keep checking the PDD Calendar for continuously awesome events.
Hair Pride?
For all the beards and mustaches raised in Duluth this fall, I expected more of a bang for the end of M’ovember harvest – the epic month of facial hair. Was something posted somewhere? A gallery?
I do some freelance work for SwimCreative and see they posted this video of Mike Malone getting a classic shave on their Facebook page.
Ten Minutes with Photographer John Heino
John Heino photo from his Radiance series.
Just posted at Ennyman’s Territory, an inside glimpse of the creative energies that drive John Heino.
Symptoms that men Paul Lundgren should never ignore
Now on Yahoo News, Paul Lundgren‘s Doppelganger. And it looks like he needs to take it easy.
Bonus trails?
I was just trying to figure out trail mileage in Hartley on the internets. I found a good enough map on the Hartley Nature Center website, but while poking around I also saw on aerial maps that there is a lot of contiguous greenspace across Howard Gnesen Road to the west. Anyone know what is over there? Is it private or public, and are there trails? Not that there aren’t enough trails in Hartley to get good and lost without heading out of the park boundaries.
Duluth’s a beautiful town, man
From last week’s City Pages, “Wilco’s John Stirratt talks about the band’s Minnesotan ties“:
Jeff Gage: Just last year, you guys became honorary citizens of Duluth. Have you been doing any house shopping up there yet?
John Stirratt: I don’t know if I want to move any further north — not that I want to sound wimpy to a Minnesotan. But that’s a beautiful town, man, it really is. I would totally hang out there during a summer.
Duluth’s Downtown Casino
As someone still fairly new to town, I’m not sure I understand the whole story behind the legalities of the Fond-du-Luth casino downtown.
Is it located on sovereign Indian territory or is the Fond du Lac band just the landlords? Why do we have such an eyesore that encourages anti-social behavior in our downtown at all? Isn’t there some way to make it go away entirely in favor of say, a museum, or a book store, or affordable housing, or a cafe?
[BTW — I come from a family of origin where the scourge of gambling wreaked havoc. Yeah, yeah, I know people can enjoy gambling and do it responsibly — but can’t we at least leave that out of downtown and off in Nevada or on reservations? (Of course, I don’t think it’s really healthy for reservations either, but if that’s a sovereignty issue I respect that.)]
Where shall we watch the Vikings lose?
I’m heading in to Duluth today to do some shopping, and I’d like to catch the Vikings game at a local establishment. I live in the sticks and I don’t know enough about Duluth yet to know of a good place to go.
Requirements: game must be on. Reasonably good food – more than just deep-fried bar fare. Places to sit (not super crowded). Not too dive bar-ish.
Help me, PDD. You’re my only hope.
Remote Car Starter and Installation
Winter is upon us, and we have decided to get a remote car starter. We are new to the area, and do not know much about these things. We thought the nice people here might have some advice on what remote starter to get and what local Duluth/Superior business is good to install it. We would like to have a remote starter that can start the car from far away, and have it installed by some good people in the area. Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks!
Yee-eee-eee-haaaw!
Personally, I find it impossible to drive past a situation like this and not have a Dukes-of-Hazzard fantasy. And it always surprises me that no one goes for it. A trailer positioned like this is clearly a stunt-jumping invitation for any West Duluth dirtbag with a muscle car — and I don’t see how any judge could disagree.
“You’re not dead til you’re warm and dead.”
[ted id=796]
Duluth got a mention in this 2010 Ted Talk by cell biologist Mark Roth: Suspended Animation is in our Grasp.
More specifically he mentions the miraculous case of Janice Goodger …
There was a 65-year-old woman in Duluth, Minnesota last year that was found frozen and without a pulse in her front yard one morning in the winter, and they brought her back to life. The next day, she was doing so well, they wanted to run tests on her. She got cranky and just went home.
Highly Controversial Marc Gartman Chocolate and Cheese Ween poster revealed!
I ran into Marc Gartman last night, who had this item hot off Miss Zoey Cohen’s drawing pad.
Although I audibly groaned to myself at every stage of the Ween cover art controversy (starting with “Ween … and you?,” continuing with “Sex and Rock and Roll,” and finally dragging to a temporary halt with “This is what a feminist looks like“) I now personally endorse as much disagreement and debate about this as possible.
The Art Scene This Weekend
Just posted at Ennyman’s Territory, “Twin Ports Area Arts Scene Gears Up for the Holidays.”
This is a small collection of things to see and do here in Duluth and Superior. Always get the full skinny by reading The Wave and The Reader.