Duluth MN News and Current Affairs from Perfect Duluth Day

Kink in Duluth

Sep 11, 2013 No Comments

The Onion:
“Masochist dog enjoys being walked around on leash while naked“

Duluth 2013 Primary Election Results

Sep 10, 2013 No Comments

With 34 of 34 precincts reporting:

Duluth District One School Board
Two candidates advance to general election; one will be elected
Rosie Loeffler-Kemp – 871 | 54.3%
Joseph Matthes – 454 | 28.3%
Marcia Stromgren – 278 | 17.3%

Duluth District Four School Board
Two candidates advance to general election; one will be elected
David Bolgrien – 463 | 37.6%
Art Johnston – 411 | 33.4%
Justin Perpich – 356 | 28.9%

News and Current Affairs, Politics Election Information

Duluth Primary 2013 Final Arguments

Sep 10, 2013 9 Comments

In one of the most off, off, off election years of recent memory we can really focus our grey matter on pretty much hyper-local politics. In a year like this we get a little more mainstream media coverage of the smaller races, but even still, there are a few candidates who I haven’t met or really heard much about. I’d hate to base my decisions on who to vote for in the primary on who has the most yard signs out, or worse, how I feel about the people who have the yard signs in their yards. So, PDD …

"I Voted" photo, shamelessly cribbed from Tim Kaiser's FB Page

So I am asking, who are you voting for this Primary Day and why?

In the interest of moderation and well-reasoned discussion maybe try to support your feelings and instincts with actual, you know, facts and evidence. Bonus points for spouting your own opinions and not those that have been fed to you by interest groups or ideologues. I haven’t voted yet, and I’ll be reading through the comments before I do, so here is your chance to sway my decision. Polls close at 8 pm. I live in the Duluth Hillside but you can talk about any Duluth-ish race, because, you never know, maybe you can sway someone else’s vote, too.

News and Current Affairs, Politics

Real Shorts — Ray and the Bees

Sep 08, 2013 1 Comment

Ray Lopez is a beekeeper. And he’d probably be willing to help you keep bees, too.

Part of the Real Shorts series telling true stories in under two minutes.

realshorts.wordpress.com

News and Current Affairs, Videos

How are you liking the Lakewalk extension?

Sep 06, 2013 12 Comments

It’s not a long extension, but it’s a vital one, connecting Lakeside to Brighton Beach. It officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony today at noon at the 61st Avenue East and bridge section.

News and Current Affairs

Twins Bar re-opening?

Aug 28, 2013 18 Comments

I have heard rumors but cannot confirm. Does anyone have any info?

News and Current Affairs Bars / Drinking Establishments, Queries, Twins Bar

DNR moves to formalize changes to Threatened, Endangered and Special Concern lists

Aug 19, 2013 5 Comments

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is moving to formalize proposed changes to the list of endangered, threatened and concerned species which was last updated in 1996. A media release was sent out today:

Twenty-nine species, including the bald eagle, wolf and snapping turtle, were removed from the list; 180 species of plants and animals were added; 91 species had their status either upgraded or downgraded while remaining on the list. The changes were based on large amounts of new information gathered by DNR and other researchers.

The “bald eagle, wolf, and snapping turtle” reads like a “who’s who” list of beings that are considered sacred to local Native American people. Although I am not aware of any plans for a turtle (Mikinak) hunt the DNR did authorize a highly controversial eastern grey wolf (Maiingan) hunt in 2012. A bald eagle (Migizi) hunt seems unthinkable, but many people would have said the same about a wolf hunt 15 years ago.

Someone at the DNR also thought maybe that it would be a good idea to frame the discussion of endangered species from the perspective of European explorers in the 17th and 18th centuries, rather than focusing on the healthy hunting and land-use practices of the Dakota and Ojibwe people who managed the lands for centuries before the Europeans arrived. You can look it over here while I knock this chip off my shoulder. (Screen grab below)

Source: Updating MN list of endangered, threatened, special concern species

Cultural faux pas aside, I think that some of the most significant changes to the listings are the inclusion of moose, and a large number of fish, plants, and insects to the state’s protected lists. For example, after eyeballing the charts accompanying the release, listings for dragonflies, mosses, lichens and plant-life have increased maybe ten-fold or more since 1996. I’m no biologist by any means, but I think that there may be both good and bad news in this report for environmentalists, hunters, loggers, farmers, and miners. Not that a person couldn’t be more than one (or all) of those things concurrently. But the enormous increase in threatened/endangered/special concern species overall is somewhat alarming to me.

The entire list is here (it is an enormous pdf). A shorter summary is here

News and Current Affairs, Outdoors

R.I.P. Gangsta/Ghetto Spur

Aug 12, 2013 15 Comments

Well, that was the word that I heard From my brother in a fur hanging out at the Gangsta Spur He said, “it always begins behind The Twins they trade a bottle a gin for night full of sin.” -Giljunko

Tonight is your last chance to patronize the infamous Gangsta/Ghetto Spur. It will soon be razed and a new SA will be built farther back toward the alley.

The GS joins its fallen brethren Johnny Ray’s Pizza, House of Donuts, Members Cooperative Credit Union and others I’m probably forgetting. Share your memories in the comments.

News and Current Affairs, R.I.P. Central Hillside

Mr. Nice Out of the Bag

Jul 20, 2013 1 Comment

News and Current Affairs, Politics, Videos Mr. Nice

Listening to Steve O’Neil

Jul 17, 2013 1 Comment

More than 15 years ago, Minnesota Public Radio aired a half-hour documentary about Loaves and Fishes here in Duluth. This was not long after Steve O’Neil and Angie Miller had started the first Loaves and Fishes house.

Stephen Smith produced the story. It includes lots of audio from Steve and Angie. You can listen to or download it here.

History, News and Current Affairs, Politics, R.I.P.

2013 Duluth Primary Election Primer

Jul 16, 2013 3 Comments

The filing period to run for city and school board offices in Duluth has closed. There were a handful of familiar names tossed into the hat at the last minute today in the Duluth School Board At-large race.

The primary election will be held on Sept. 10 and include the following contests:

Duluth At-large City Councilor
Four candidates advance to general election; two will be elected
Zack Filipovich, 219 S. 21st Ave. E., Upper Apt.
Barb Russ, 322 N. 22nd Ave. E.
Ray (Skip) Sandman, 2602 W. Sixth St.
Ryan Stauber, 4723 Pitt St.
Ray Whitledge III, 202 N. 24th Ave. W.

Duluth District One School Board
Two candidates advance to general election; one will be elected
Rosie Loeffler-Kemp, 2902 Bald Eagle Trail
Joseph Matthes, 5319 Colorado St.
Marcia Stromgren, 6179 Lakewood Rd 55804

Duluth District Four School Board
Two candidates advance to general election; one will be elected
David Bolgrien, 1306 N. 57th Ave. W.
Art Johnston, 37 N. 93rd Ave. W.
Justin Perpich, 4211 W. Seventh St.

Duluth At-large School Board
Four candidates advance to general election; two will be elected
Henry Banks, P.O. Box 16811, 55816
Joshua Bixby, 2809 E. First St.
Annie Harala, 1129 N. Seventh Ave. E.
Loren Martell, 623 E. Seventh St.
Nancy Nilsen, 446 N. 85th Ave. W.
Harry Welty, 2101 E. Fourth St.

There will be two other races on the general election ballot Nov. 5. Patrick Boyle is unopposed in the race for Second District City Council. In the Fourth District, incumbent Garry Krause will face Howie Hanson. There will also be a School District operating levy on the ballot.

News and Current Affairs, Politics

Iron Ore Mine in Northern Wisconin

Jul 16, 2013 6 Comments

The sloughs of the Bad River comprise 40 percent of the coastal wetlands of Lake Superior. A mining company is now drilling test wells it hopes will eventually lead to a 22-mile-long open-pit iron ore mine in the wooded, rolling hills at the headwaters of the Tyler Forks and Bad Rivers.

Pollutants associated with iron ore mining include sulfuric acid, arsenic, copper, mercury and phosphorous. The Republican-led Wisconsin legislature has passed legislation exempting iron ore mines from complying with environmental standards. The proposed mine will turn these beautiful woods into an industrial wasteland, and severely threaten the Bad River Indian tribe.

Google Streetview Update

Jul 03, 2013 7 Comments

In case anyone is interested, it appears there was recently an update to the Google Streetview images of Duluth and the surrounding area. It looks like it may be from early last fall. Check out if you’ve been inadvertently (or not) immortalized … or just creep on your neighbors.

News and Current Affairs

2013 Duluth Election: The Candidates

Jul 02, 2013 2 Comments

The filing period to run for city and school board offices in Duluth runs from July 2 to July 16. This page will update as the candidates file.

The primary election will be held on Sept. 10; the general election will be Nov. 5.

Duluth Second District City Councilor
Patrick Boyle, 2201 E. First St.

Duluth Fourth District City Councilor
Howie Hanson, 2864 Wellington St.
Garry Krause, 1220 Stanford Ave.

Duluth At-large City Councilor
Four candidates advance to general election; two will be elected
Zack Filipovich, 219 S. 21st Ave. E., Upper Apt.
Barb Russ, 322 N. 22nd Ave. E.
Ray (Skip) Sandman, 2602 W. Sixth St.
Ryan Stauber, 4723 Pitt St.
Ray Whitledge III, 202 N. 24th Ave. W.

Duluth District One School Board
Rosie Loeffler-Kemp, 2902 Bald Eagle Trail
Joseph Matthes, 5319 Colorado St.
Marcia Stromgren, 6179 Lakewood Rd 55804

Duluth District Four School Board
David Bolgrien, 1306 N. 57th Ave. W.
Art Johnston, 37 N. 93rd Ave. W.
Justin Perpich, 4211 W. Seventh St.

Duluth At-large School Board
Top two candidates are elected
Henry Banks, P.O. Box 16811, 55816
Joshua Bixby, 2809 E. First St.
Annie Harala, 1129 N. Seventh Ave. E.
Loren Martell, 623 E. Seventh St.
Nancy Nilsen, 446 N. 85th Ave. W.
Harry Welty, 2101 E. Fourth St.