News and Current Affairs Posts

Lincoln Park craft district booms; West End furniture row dies

Nov 04, 2018 3 Comments
    Robert’s Home Furnishings owner Bob Rothenberger and longtime associate Rick Lowney stand at the counter inside the Lincoln Park store. Rothenberger has worked in the neighborhood for almost 50 years and recently retired, closing the store.

Before Lincoln Park became a craft district lined with trendy breweries, colorful boutiques and new restaurants it was called the West End — where furniture was king and Duluthians shopped for sofas, beds and dining room tables. Those days are pretty much over.

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Grand Avenue Nordic Center trail opening soon

Nov 01, 2018 No Comments

(Photo courtesy of Spirit Mountain)

Eric Chandler reports on his Shmotown blog that Duluth’s first cross-country trail system with snowmaking capability is expected to open in December.

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News and Current Affairs, Outdoors ,

Winery provides another reason to visit North Shore

Oct 29, 2018 No Comments
Photo by Lissa Maki

Photo by Lissa Maki

With its rugged terrain and sometimes unforgiving climate, Lake Superior’s north shore seems like an unlikely place for a winery. But that didn’t deter wine connoisseurs Chuck and Kim Corliss from founding North Shore Winery near the base of Lutsen Mountains in 2015.

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Mr. Nice for Governor

Oct 28, 2018 No Comments

News and Current Affairs, Politics, Videos

Historic Duluth hotel reborn for modern downtown living

Oct 25, 2018 7 Comments

Zenith City Revival LLC owner Mitchell Holmes, left, and designer Kori Kneeland stand in the kitchen of a condominium model at Building No. 12 in downtown Duluth. Zenith City Revival LLC spent more than two years renovating the historic hotel property and is now marketing space inside the building.

Developers have completed major renovation work on a 19th Century Duluth hotel and will market the condominium space to buyers interested in modern downtown living.

Zenith City Revival LLC announced last week a model condominium and more than two floors of unfinished residential space is now open for showing in the rechristened Building No. 12. The historic four-story property at 12 N. Lake Ave. was constructed in 1890 and most recently known as the Gardner Hotel.

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News and Current Affairs

A Duluth to be Proud Of

Oct 20, 2018 No Comments

“I remember the young people on the trip who said, ‘How come we’re not learning this in school? How come we didn’t know that this had happened?’ …it’s an American story.” –Carl Crawford – Human Rights Officer, Duluth to Montgomery Reflections.

We Duluthians are a proud people. We’re proud of our cityscape and the landscape around us. We’re proud of our ability to withstand the cold, even as we complain about it. We’re proud of our ability to move forward, as Mayor Emily Larson expressed in her open letter to the Rolling Stones this past summer. We Duluthians pride ourselves in the fact that we don’t hide from issues but rather actively engage with them. It was this Duluth pride that prompted a new, local podcast from the NAACP.

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History, News and Current Affairs

Report scores Minnesota’s progress in sustainability

Oct 11, 2018 No Comments

Minnesota’s state agencies are making progress toward sustainability goals according to a report by the Department of Administration’s Office of Enterprise Sustainability.

The Enterprise Sustainability 2017 Annual Report is the first collection of data that documents progress on cutting costs and increasing efficiency through sustainable practices.

The report can be viewed online at mn.gov.


News and Current Affairs ,

Selective Focus: Canal Park, Brighton Beach and Park Point flooded

Oct 10, 2018 1 Comment

Standing water in the Canal Park business district. Debris and open manholes beneath the water. Waves pushing debris and rocks onto the Lakewalk.

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Hall-pass crackdown at Denfeld riles some students, parents

Oct 04, 2018 No Comments

New measures at Denfeld High School designed to limit the time students spend outside class prompted some angry social media posts last week suggesting it restricted students from accessing restrooms.

“No more permission to pee,” read a graphic accompanying some of the posts on Facebook.

Denfeld Principal Tonya Sconiers was not available for comment this week, but said via email the school does not have a new lavatory policy.

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Hostel du Nord opens Oct. 25

Oct 03, 2018 No Comments

Duluth’s first modern hostel opens Oct. 25. Hostel du Nord, located in the former Garon Bros. Jewelers building at 217 W. First St., will offer an alternative to traditional lodging options.

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Twin Ports Interchange Reconstruction EAW

Oct 01, 2018 No Comments

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has prepared an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the Twin Ports Interchange Reconstruction project and is seeking public input. The project proposes reconstructing the I-35/I-535/US 53 interchange, US 53 between I-35 and West Third Street, and I-535/Garfield Avenue interchange located in Duluth.

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People mag chooses Duluth Grill as Minnesota’s top breakfast

Oct 01, 2018 No Comments

Duluth Grill is highlighted in the October 2018 issue of People magazine as part of a feature on Top Breakfast Restaurants in each state. The grill’s recipe for Smoked Salmon Hash Skillet, featuring salmon smoked at OMC, the Duluth Grill’s sister restaurant, is spotlighted.


News and Current Affairs, Restaurants ,

PDD Quiz: September 2018 in Review

Sep 30, 2018 No Comments

As we gleefully (or reluctantly) dive into autumn, let’s look back at the events that made headlines in September 2018.

The next quiz, on spooky Duluth, will be published on Oct. 14. Please email question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Oct. 11.

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News and Current Affairs

Wasabi Japanese Cuisine to open in Duluth’s Old City Hall

Sep 26, 2018 No Comments

The main floor of Duluth’s Old City Hall will soon be transformed into a sushi restaurant. The owners of Superior’s Wasabi Japanese Cuisine signed a lease on Monday for the space. They anticipate opening this second eatery by the same name in November or December.

The building at 132 E. Superior St. is owned by Rod Raymond of the Just Take Action restaurant group. Since 2011, the main level space has housed three restaurants: Tycoons Alehouse, the Blind Pig, and more recently Sound.

Dennis Kempton, who handles media relations for Just Take Action, says the new Wasabi Japanese Cuisine location will be modeled after its sister restaurant in Superior, which opened in March in the former O’Neill’s Pub & Liquor building at 3333 Tower Ave.

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St. Louis County Board approves $136.7 million property tax levy

Sep 25, 2018 No Comments

The St. Louis County Board has unanimously approved its proposed property tax levy at $136.7 million for 2019, an amount that should result in a minor tax decrease for most property owners, due to an increase in the county’s property tax base.

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News and Current Affairs