You would like it in the Northern Plains: Duluth, Minnesota

This ad for Northern Natural Gas Company ran in Time magazine on Sept. 17, 1965. Hats off to Susie LeGarde Menz for the find. (more…)

New Glocal fair – Dec 11 – global and local artist openings

Local and global artist openings for Glocal, Global & Local Art & Gift Fair to be held Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010 from 10 until 3 p.m. at St. Michael’s Church, 4901 E. Superior St. in Lakeside.
(more…)

Sept. 25 – Come walk for the library – Laps Around the Library fundraiser

Laps Around the Library – a fundraiser walk to support the library, Sept 25, 2010.

Organized by the Friends of the Duluth Public Library
Exercise * Community * Support the Library
(more…)

Google seeking input

Heads up: Google has created a new mailing list for discussing 1 Gbps fiber Internets in our community. Google employees want to know what we’ll do with it, discuss things we have done during the campaign, compare notes with enthusiasts in other cities and that sort of thing. Show them Duluth is still in this by chiming in with your ideas.

Visit the group discussion homepage | Current active thread

Paintings by Bob Pokorney

Lake Avenue Café
Tuesday, Sept. 21, 5-7 p.m.

PDD Gimmick Canopy debuts Saturday

Among the 100 booths at Fall Fest this Saturday at Chester Bowl will be one designed to remind you what an upstanding participant Perfect Duluth Day is in local commerce, civic boosterism and random hyperbole. Come check it out!
(more…)

A Perfect Task for Perfect Duluthians

The New York Times is looking for people to show off their city.

Show us Your City:
A User-generated video project with a local point of view

We all remember the Google Fiber video. I think the PDD universe can produce something better. Better than Visit Duluth. Better than the powers that be.

Anyone up to the challenge?

26-hour Renegade Improv Marathon

Renegade Improv’s Friday and Saturday night crew is teaming up with the New Class to bring you the very first Renegade Improv Marathon. (more…)

Urban Farm Tour Saturday, Sept. 18

Urban Farm Tour
Saturday, September 18, 10 am – 2 pm
sponsored by the
Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association and
Duluth Community Garden Program
(more…)

Scholastica alum Anna Gawboy lights the hell outta Yale

NorShor to Remain Closed

The NorShor received the ban hammer from DEDA today. The building will be closed indefinitely until it meets ADA compliance.

Upset Duluth: In case you missed it

It took a few days to pull together, and the link was kind of buried in the Upset Duluth thread, but in response to demand a gallery of portraits has been started over at the News Tribune Attic. It includes the 1995 photo above, by the News Tribune’s Bob King, of a Superior resident concerned about the condition of the sidewalk near his home. There are photos of people without concerns, too.

I’ll keep adding to it if there’s reader interest in seeing more.

Denfeld vs. Central: The Pranks

HuntersCar

Now that the Denfeld and Central High School student bodies have been united, it seems like a good time to look back at some of the pranks students played on each other.

The most infamous, of course, was during the 1974-75 school year. Denfeld kids somehow managed to hoist a Volkswagon to the top of Central High School. The car had “Hunters” painted on the side.

The statute of limitations is probably up, so anyone willing to come forward, admit participation and explain how it was done will surely be held harmless. (Although I can’t promise some middle-aged Central grad won’t toilet paper your house. And I suppose administrators could still revoke your diploma. Better keep quiet.)

One rumor I heard was that the whole prank was based on a lesson from a physics class at Denfeld.

Another prank I remember hearing about, I think also from the 1970s, involved Denfeld kids setting a greased pig loose at Central. Again, anyone with details should chime in on the comments.

And, of course, there was the fall of 1979, when Central kids threw eggs at the Denfeld marching band before the Homecoming game, which prompted Denfeld kids to throw eggs at Central’s band during halftime. I think that was the last significant prank before Duluth Public Schools entered an era of civility and brotherhood and whatnot.

Certainly there were some other good pranks not mentioned here. Let the discussion begin. Hell, we’ll even let cake eaters participate.

Charities win when you vote Bob in!

Duluth charities and UMD can win up to $70,000 in this year’s Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year contest. Plus the alumni association that rallies the most votes will win an additional $10,000.

Bob Nielson is again in the running for NCAA Division II coach of the year, after nearly winning the title last season. Everyone can vote every day on their smart phone and each of their computers at coachoftheyear.com. Your vote could mean up to $80,000 for our community.

(Video created by three UMD students is no longer available.)

Wednesday Happenings at Hartley

Today, September 15, at Hartley Nature Center:

5-7 p.m. Staff-led Mushroom and Plant Walk- join staff as we stroll through Hartley Park to see what’s growing.

7 p.m. AIS meet and greet – an introduction to the aquatic invasive species found in our area presented by Marte Thabes Kitson, Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Specialist and National Park Service Liaison for Minnesota Sea Grant.

More information at www.hartleynature.org

Friends of the Boundary Waters Seeks Submissions

The Boundary Waters has a long literary tradition. From the works of Sigurd Olson to Paul Gruchow to Helen Hoover, many writers have tried to capture the adventure, solitude and beauty of canoe country.

Now, it’s your turn. (more…)

Laurie Hertzel book launch in Duluth on Thursday, Sept. 16

Laurie Hertzel, author of News to Me: Adventures of an Accidental Journalist, is going to be in Duluth launching her new book, Thursday evening, Sept. 16, at 7 pm, in Fitgers’ Spirit of the North theater.

News to Me tells the story of the 18 years Laurie spent working for the Duluth News Tribune, including her accompanying a group of Duluthians to what was then the Soviet Union in 1986, when they went to talk to the city officials in Petrozavodsk about setting up a sister city relationship. It’s a compelling read, and there’s some fabulous stories about what Duluth was like in the ’70s and ’80s. And to sweeten the deal, there’s going to be a cash bar, free meatballs, and I am introducing Laurie!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OUQoMUYez8

Welcome Home, Full Circle Superior

On September 18, the Full Circle Superior walkers will finish the last few miles of their trek around Lake Superior. All are welcome to join Mike Link and Kate Crowley as they walk the final mile of their journey by meeting at Leif Erikson Park at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. They’ll walk along the Lakewalk to Canal Park Lodge for an informal reception with refreshments. The reception begins at 2 p.m. and will include an outdoor tobacco ceremony.

Mike and Kate will complete their circle of Lake Superior the same weekend that the Lake Superior Circle Tour celebrates its 50th anniversary. It was on September 17, 1960 that the last leg of the Trans-Canada Highway opened in Wawa, Ontario, making it possible to circle Lake Superior by vehicle. A 50th anniversary celebration is planned in Wawa.

For more information about the event, call 218-722-5002.

Douglas County 2010 Election Results

Statewide results for Wisconsin races related to Douglas County and Duluth’s neighboring port, the city of Superior:

FEDERAL OFFICES



United States Senator, Republican Party
Ron Johnson — 500,925 | 85%
Dave Westlake — 61,303 | 10%
Stephen M. Finn — 29,005 | 5%

United States Representative, Wisconsin District 7
Democratic Party

Julie M. Lassa — 28,576 | 85%
Don Raihala — 5,016 | 15%

United States Representative, Wisconsin District 7
Republican Party

Sean Duffy — 41,032 | 66%
Dan Mielke — 21,100 | 34%

STATEWIDE OFFICE



Wisconsin Governor, Democratic Party
Tom Barrett — 210,972 | 90%
Tim John — 22,268 | 10%

Wisconsin Governor, Republican Party
Scott Walker — 360,032 | 59%
Mark W. Neumann — 237,870 | 39%
Scott S. Paterick — 16,609 | 3%

Wisconsin Governor, Independent Candidates
Jim Langer — 12 | 67
James James — 6 | 33
(This result is for Douglas County only. No one seems to be tracking this race statewide.)

Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor, Democratic Party
Tom Nelson — 107,029 | 52%
Spencer Coggs — 43,535 | 21%
James L. Schneider — 37,269 | 18%
Henry Sanders — 19,297 | 9%

Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor, Republican Party
Rebecca Kleefisch — 259,318 | 47%
Brett Davis — 139,211 | 25%
Dave Ross — 80,433 | 15%
Robert Gerald Lorge — 52,199 | 10%
Nick Voegeli — 21,082 | 4%

Wisconsin State Treasurer, Democratic Party
Dawn Marie Sass — 129,510 | 67%
Dan Bohrod — 62,761 | 33%

Wisconsin State Treasurer, Republican Party
Kurt W. Schuller — 169,232 | 37%
Scott Feldt — 166,148 | 36%
Jim Sanfilippo — 123,315 | 27%

Another Station Change

After yet another radio format switch I find myself wondering the reason for it all, and when it will end.  I must admit, the Bridge was one of the few stations left that I could stand to listen to.

Upper Midwest Broadcasting Station News reports:

Midwest Communications’ KDAL-FM/95.7 (Duluth) has dropped its “Bridge” Adult Alternative format and is now carrying Rock of the 1970s, `80s, and `90s as “Rock 96.”

What are everyone’s thoughts?

Furthur at the Northrup

Furthur on Tour

Check out some of the band’s shows from this past summer. Entire Terrapin Suites. Killer.

Dirty Horse rocks the Brewhouse on Wednesday, Sept. 15

Come out and celebrate Ian Kvale’s 21st birthday with Dirty Horse at the Brewhouse!

New PDD Bumper Stickers

I love this time of year. The leaves may be falling, but the Perfect Duluth Day sticker harvest has just begun. Stop by the Perfect Duluth Day booth at Chester Bowl’s Fall Fest this Saturday, Sept. 18, from 9:30am – 4:30pm to pick up your own free Perfect Duluth Day bumper sticker.

This is a brand new batch of stickers with a slightly different design than the original. (If you have an old sticker, you will officially be stuck in the past after Saturday.)

The PDD booth will be on the right side as you enter the park from Skyline, about halfway down the row.

Weather should be good, but the rain date is Sunday, Sept. 19, same time.

If you can’t make it to Fall Fest but still want a sticker, send a S.A.S.E to PDD.

Perfect Duluth Day
P.O. Box 7305
Duluth MN 55807

Tim Kaiser UMD Market in the Plaza Wednesday

UMD Market in the Plaza
Every Wednesday 1:30 – 4:30
UMD Kirby Plaza
1120 Kirby Drive (more…)

Heads up! 12th and 14th Avenues East are now two-way streets!

In case you missed it, or nearly had a head-on collision today … with little fanfare, East 12th and 14th Avenues are now two-way streets! No longer can drivers drag race up 14th in a dash to get to Burrito Union first. Gone are the days of stopping at every stoplight on 12th. Be safe out there.