Update: The Duluth Police Department reports Todd Sarkela has been located and is safe.
The Duluth Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating Todd Sarkela. He is a 55-year-old white male described as 5-foot 9-inches tall, 120 lbs., with hazel eyes and sandy hair. He was reported missing on Nov. 19. His family last had contact with him on Nov. 16.
The Lincoln Hotel stood at 317 W. Second St. from 1926 to 2004. The location is now a parking lot for St. Louis County’s Government Services Center.
New video single from Sing! A Women’s Chorus’ self-titled EP. Sing! is a non-audition community chorus that meets through Duluth Public Schools Community Education.
Thanks to videographer Daniel Oyinloye.
Here’s what is known about this photo: It was shot prior to 1997 and was part of the Budgeteer Press photo collection that was disposed of just before the name of the weekly paper changed to Budgeteer News.
With the snowboard and ski season upon us, here’s an hour of sick stunts from across the state, directed and edited by Riley Erickson. It’s quite the epic production.
WEBC 560 AM is the oldest radio station in the Duluth-Superior market, dating back to 1924. These days it feeds the 106.5 FM translator branded as “Sasquatch 106.5.”
The audio clip above includes commercials broadcast between songs on Nov 18, 1967. In addition to station promos, the clip includes spots for Ski Hut, WEBC / Jeno’s Pizza Battle of the Bands, and the Big Bash with Dave Gordon and the Expressmen.
When I let the brown-leather Wilson basketball fly — when I ended a slow three-or-four-step run-up more elegantly than you might expect from an oafish 6’2”, 210-lb., 21-year-old boy-man by lightly springing off my left foot, driving my right knee up and out, and launching the ball into its arc with two hands — I wasn’t sure it was going to go in.
I’d taken a lot of half-court shots since my teens: before and after 10th-grade practice at Rochester John Marshall High; while skipping class to play noon ball in Romano Gym with my UMD football buddies; alone, ill-equipped for identifying anything better to do, just shooting around on various playground or gym courts. Sometimes you know, from the moment it leaves your hand, what’s going to happen. Muscle and brain memory and senses I don’t know how to name tell you everything from how you planted your foot to how your fingertips were in relationship with the ball’s seams to which snippet of which song was looping through your head add up to a swish, brick, or something else.
But in that moment in November 1993, in the College of St. Scholastica gym at halftime of a Saints’ women’s game against an opponent I can’t remember, when I sprung off my left foot from just behind the royal-blue half-court stripe laid on blonde hardwood, I didn’t know what the ball was going to do. At least I don’t think I knew. Honestly, I never know what I know or knew. I’ve been admonished a few times recently (with both warmth and contempt) for wantonly admitting what and when I don’t know. For expressing uncertainty and self-doubt and regret instead of [long pause] whatever other state of mind it would be more attractive and credible — and more comfortable to other people — for me to claim. For asking annoying questions about obvious and hypocritical contradictions.
A handful of posts remembering the 42nd anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald sinking (November 10, 1975), and honoring the power in the big lake.
Red Herring Lounge owner Bob Monahan stands outside the former Garon Brothers jewelry store at 217 W. First St. Monahan plans to renovate the building and open a 46-bed hostel.
Visitors to Duluth can soon add a hostel to the growing number of lodging options available in the Twin Ports. Nightclub owner Bob Monahan and an undisclosed partner purchased the former Garon Brothers Jewelry store at 217 W. First St. and plan to open a 46-bed hostel in the space next spring.
Fisk Rubber Company had retail stores in 40 states during the 1920s. The Duluth sales and service station was at 749 E. Superior St. The photo above was shot by Hugh McKenzie and dated Oct. 23, 1920. Below, the same location at Eighth Avenue East and Superior St., shot Nov. 7, 2017.
How does Perfect Duluth Day publish 800 events per month in its online events calendar? Through the hard work of Tony Bennett, Jessica Morgan and the occasional intern, that’s how. Sadly, Jessica will be leaving Duluth soon, and if someone new isn’t quickly found to help Tony he’ll collapse on his laptop and weep uncontrollably.
So here’s another rare opportunity to get inside the PDD media empire and earn slightly above minimum wage with no benefits while working in pajamas. Read the full job description on the PDD employment page.
The global video company Great Big Story features Duluth’s Gaelynn Lea in this video from the “Funk Plus One” series, hosted by Chris Funk of the Decemberists.
Outside Magazine’s list of the 100 best places to work included Duluth Marketing Agency Hailey Sault at the #15 spot. The agency is located in the recently renovated top floor of the Dewitt Seitz building in Canal Park.
Perks mentioned include: Jigsaw puzzle area, dogs, beer and bingo.
According to the stats, PR and Marketing firms made up nearly a quarter of the list, and common traits of companies on the list were “letting Fido sleep under your desk, having plenty of games, and having offices that are close to plenty of adventure.”
In late October, as many businesses in the remote community of Grand Marais were shuttering for the season, Wunderbar Eatery and Glampground was quietly making its debut.
Wunderbar occupies the former Harbor Light supper club, which has been closed for about five years. The building at 1615 Highway 61 W. dates back to 1930.
I’m cleaning out my hard drive in preparation for a sabbatical. So here are some videos of Carla Stetson, then a Duluth artist, talking to my writing class. She’s addressing the process of designing and constructing the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial.
