February 2015 Posts

Selective Focus: Capers

Kip Praslowicz

Kip Praslowicz, untitled

Maybe I slant toward the unorthodox, but I know that images exist of regrettable tattoos, cow-tipping episodes, and numerous other lapses in sense. Not that I’m remotely disappointed with this week’s submissions; stunts, escapades, etc. were very well-represented (ask Richard sometime for the story behind those axes and puckish grins).

Palace Theater tour from 2002

The Palace Theater in Superior was torn down in 2006, but this video of a tour in 2002 has emerged on YouTube.

ARAC seeking new board members

I have been a board member at the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council for, like, four years now. It has enriched my life immensely. Immensely. Consider joining as an Duluth member, at-large.

ARAC is currently accepting applications for the upcoming term starting in June. Positions that will be available include a board representative from Koochiching County and at-large members from any of the seven Arrowhead region counties.

For more information on becoming an ARAC board member and how to apply, click here.

ARAC Organizational Grants Awarded

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council awarded a total of $93,840 in two-year operating support grants in January. There were eight organizations awarded out of 11 applicants. The program awards up to $12,000 over a two-year period to established nonprofit regional arts organizations to maintain their ongoing operating needs and services. The following is a list of organizations granted:

  • County Seat Theatre, Cloquet
  • Lake Superior Community Theatre, Silvery Bay
  • Matinee Musicale, Duluth
  • Mesabi Symphony Orchestra, Virginia
  • Nordic Center, Duluth
  • North Shore Music Association, Grand Marais
  • Northern Lights Music Festival, Inc., Aurora
  • Twin Ports Wind Ensemble, Duluth

ARAC also awarded a total of $39,090 in rural and community art project grants. There were nine organizations awarded out of 10 applicants. The program provides grants up to $5,000 to nonprofit, regional arts groups to support community- or artist-initiated arts activities that will affect the group and/or the community it serves. The following is a list of organizations granted:

  • Chalk.a.Lot, Two Harbors
  • Cook Area Chamber of Commerce, Cook
  • Friends of B’nai Abraham, Virginia
  • Good Harbor Hill Players, Grand Marais
  • Grand Rapids Area Male Chorus, Grand Rapids
  • Grand Rapids Players, Grand Rapids
  • Great River String Ensemble, Aitkin
  • Itasca Choral Society/Itasca Community Chorus, Grand Rapids
  • Minnesota State Old Time Fiddle Championships, Virginia

Duluth Album Releases in 2015

Moors & McCumber
Pandemonium
(Jan. 1)
Available on Bandcamp

Feeding LeRoy - Love is a GambleFeeding LeRoy
Love is a Gamble EP
(Jan. 16)
Available on Bandcamp

Adam Sippola - Rising PointAdam Sippola
Rising Point
(Jan. 24)
Single “How Do You Know” available on adamsippola.com

For Another YearThe Christopher David Hanson Band
For Another Year

(Jan. 26)
Available on iTunes

Four Mile Portage - Can't Find HomeFour Mile Portage
Can’t Find Home

(Feb. 1)
Recorded by Eric Swanson at Sacred Heart Music Center
Available on Bandcamp

Electric buses, statewide bike plans and other transportation tidbits

Proterra Light Pole Charging StationThe Duluth Transit Authority has been awarded a $6.3-million grant to purchase six electric buses and a fast-charge station. Duluth was considered an excellent test location for the development of electric vehicle technology because of its challenging cold weather and steep terrain.

The grant comes from the Federal Transit Administrations Low or No Emission Vehicle Deployment Program; the buses and charging station will come from Proterra, a South Carolina company that designs and manufactures zero-emission electric transit vehicles and systems.

The DTA was one of 10 grant applicants that will receive funding. A $1.1-million local share will bring the total project cost to $7.5 million.

The buses and charging station are expected to be available in 2016 and will be integrated into the DTA’s new Multimodal Transportation Center, which is under construction at Michigan Street and Third Avenue West and scheduled to open before the end of 2015.

In other transit news …

Steve O’Neil Apartments grand opening

Union Block 2010 Steve O'Neil Apartments 2015

That was then, this is now. The photo on the left is the old Union Block in 2010; the photo at right is Steve O’Neil Apartments today. (Apologies for not shooting from the same angle for this before/after comparison.)

A ribbon-cutting and grand opening was held today at the new 44-unit complex located at 115 W. Fourth St. in the Central Hillside. The apartments are providing supportive housing for families that have experienced long-term homelessness. it is operated by Chum, which provides 24-hour supportive services to those living in the facility.

Where in Duluth? #123

WID 1233

Time for another installment of Perfect Duluth Day’s ultra-thrilling photo-trivia sensation. Where in Duluth was this shot taken?

Blind Tigers, Zombie Robots, karaoke, acoustic guitar, trees in the dark

Smash Up at Rogue Robot

Tracing backward …

Seeking Homegrown Photographs

The Duluth Homegrown Music Festival is seeking 2014 festival photographs for inclusion in this year’s Homegrown Field Guide.

DVDs / thumb drives preferred. These will be for print, so they need to be large / high-quality.

Photographs of people and festivities and the spirit of Homegrown are much desired over a dude on stage with a guitar mid-guitaring with a guitar face.

To make arrangements, please contact adam [at] duluthhomegrown [dot] com. Thank you, fans!

Electric Snail: Fake Duluth Tour

Lucas, Andrew, Jack, Barrett and Non-lake-effect Jesse ski Spirit Mountain, Chester Bowl and Mont du Lac.

This Week: theater, rug-cutting, Russian axework and more

Untitled design
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

Tons of new theater and dance is going up in this first week of February 2015. The kids’ show Go, Dog. Go! opens at Marshall Performing Arts Center, Murder Ballad gets underway at Teatro Zuccone, the Celebrity Dance Challenge returns, Beyond Ballroom hits Mitchell Auditorium and 1959 Pink Thunderbird is in the St. Scholastica Theatre.

As if that wasn’t enough, how about the Randy Lee Ensemble playing Getz/Gilberto, the latest of the Tweed Museum’s Tweevenings, Russian romantic guitar music at the Mitchell or the Duluth Dolls doing their thing at Sacred Heart?