Duluth Public Schools

Shredded tire mulch: Soft and safe or dirty and dangerous?

This Eyewitness News report from July covers the controversy of shredded tire mulch on playgrounds in Duluth. Cory Kirsling, father of a Lester Park Elementary School student, has started a GoFundMe page to raise money to have the mulch tested “for heavy metals, VOCs, off-gassing and leaching, toxins and carcinogens.” His page notes, “a local lab will collect the samples from our school’s playground, and we will share the research with everyone.”

Don’t worry, the sandstone will be back

Ye Olde Central High School

Lest anyone driving by the Central Administration Building, aka Old Central High School, fear the cool sandstone wall is being replaced with ugly concrete blocks, let it be noted that the 120-year-old brownstone blocks are being restored and will return.

sandstone

Beware the gadfly’s sting

Duluth News Tribune photo by Clint Austin

Duluth News Tribune photo by Clint Austin

The crabby, vindictive majority on the School Board crumpled like wet tissue when Art Johnston stood up and defended himself in court — something he has been unable to do in the majority-controlled environs of the School Board.

In your face, petty tyrants! The First Amendment rules!

Duluth News Tribune: Duluth School Board may opt against removing Johnston

Duluth Reader: Stop swatting the gadflies

Duluth School Board members acting like … high school kids

Our tax dollars hard at work.

Duluth News Tribune: Tempers flare at Duluth School Board meeting as Johnston’s supporters strike back

Red Plan versus Let Duluth Vote?

For those us who are new here, having only lived in Duluth for a decade or less, can any of you proud professional Duluthians add any clarity to this murky and mysterious topic?

I’m sure it goes deep, and emotions run high, and minds are made up, but I can’t seem to find any unbiased sources that describe what has exactly happened here. The available info, that which surfaces when one Googles the keywords seem somewhat scrambled and wishy washy, or Bud Lightish, considering the impact and money involved. So, who are the good guys? Who is right? What’s the deal with Johnson Controls? And did the deal have anything to do with Duluth’s irascible money woes back when taxes spiked when the JCI took control? Also, seeing as how I heard a couple of old timers complaining about this too, is the recent sewage water runoff charge mega increase on city utilities somehow all tied to this, or the casino? Is it starting to read like a Tarantino script? Help the undereducated non-native tax-paying simpletons like myself get up to speed on this complex matter. Thanks.

R.I.P. Lester Park Elementary

A few snapshots from today’s demolition. I’m not sure how far they got, I could only stay about 15 minutes. (more…)

Adams School in Duluth’s West End

AdamsSchool

School faculty must have thought this was a major pain, but I think in the long run it proves worthwhile to drag an entire student body out to pose for a photo in front of the building.

Adams School was built in 1885 at 1721 W. Superior St., serving children in Duluth’s West End neighborhood. Architects of the building were McMillen and Stebbins.

The school closed in 1951, and was demolished in 1960.

Gutter Politics

GutterPolitics34892

I cleaned the gutters on my house today and found, among the clumps of various yard waste, a flier for a school board candidate forum and a slice of bologna slathered in mustard.

Trick or treat?