Random Posts

Bobcats and Trapping and a Happy Ending

Five weeks ago, a couple in northern Minnesota noticed that a bobcat on their property seemed to have part of a snare around his neck. They wanted to help, but weren’t sure what to do.

So, who thought this was a good idea?

Someone wrote a headline like this once and it was shared on Facebook. Then something amazing happened …

Do you miss the days on Facebook when all the clickbait headlines your friends shared were numbered lists?

Matilda says: “Duluth is to Ticket to Ride what Madagascar is to Pandemic.”

I’m assuming this has something to do with the tabletop games, but I’ve never played either. Just another addition to the random Duluth mention files…

Cold Weather = Danger for Homeless

In recent weeks, several Duluthians experiencing homelessness have suffered severe frostbite that may require amputation. With more people homeless than any time in recent memory, and another brutal cold snap on the way, please help the Duluth Street Outreach Team keep folks safe.

Day after Christmas, I

On the town after Christmas. My car needed work, so I dropped it at 4th Street Auto (discussed on PDD here) and decided to walk downtown from there — always fun.

Driver Pays the Price

Is it true that on a very cold winter day a bus driver was assaulted by a rider? The DTA #2 bus was running late due to I-35 South being closed and traffic running slow due to icy road conditions. A rider waiting for about an hour boarded the bus and allegedly grabbed a phone-like devise and began to beat the driver. The driver was buckled in his seat and thus defenseless so other riders came to his rescue. Did this really happen in Duluth? It’s great to see the customers stepping up and helping their driver. Did anyone witness this?

Ideas for Charity Giving for the Holidays

This year for Christmas my family decided to skip the gift giving and donate to local charities. I’m looking for ideas — whether it’s “adopting” a family for Christmas, donating winter clothes, food shelves, etc. I know there is a lot out there in the Twin Ports I could donate to, but thought I would ask PDDers for ideas that maybe I never thought of. Thanks for your help!

What are we naming this storm?

The Cyber Monday Snowopolis?

Thankful in Duluth — 2013 Edition

It’s an annual tradition at PDD to take a moment and reflect on what we are thankful for. How unique, right?

For starters, we’re thankful for the new old Nordic ski trails at Spirit Mountain, Sax-Zim Bog, wicked North Shore icicles, artisan bread at the Red Mug, lift-accessed mountain biking at Spirit Mountain, animated music videos, Boreal owl irruptions, Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe and a lot of other things I’m thankful I don’t have time to link to because it’s time to make the Thanksgiving glogg.

Could Duluth lose Christmas City status?

This story is four days old, but I just heard about it and it’s pretty much the biggest controversy in the history of Duluth, so it needs some space on PDD.

Apparently the commentators of the Christmas City of the North Parade telecast — Michelle Lee, Kevin Jacobsen and Barbara Reyelts — did their announcing in front of a green screen inside the Northland’s NewsCenter studio. And they still wore jackets.

This revelation, of course, has me fearing that Santa Claus might strip Duluth of its Christmas City of the North status and perhaps bestow it on Superior or Thunder Bay.

Help-Portrait donations/volunteers needed

Duluth’s Help-Portrait Committee is organizing the second annual Help-Portrait event to take place on Dec. 7. Donations are needed to help provide free portraits this holiday season to those who may have never had the opportunity to have a professional photograph. We also need volunteers in the form of photographers, hair and make-up artist and people with big hearts.

“Christmas City” 45 for sale on eBay to support Bentleyville Tour of Lights

Security Jewelers is auctioning off a mint condition 45 of Merv Griffin’s “Christmas City,” the song recorded 50 years ago to promote the Christmas City of the North Parade. Check it out on eBay. The proceeds are being donated to Duluth’s Bentleyville Tour of Lights — America’s largest free, walk-through Christmas lighting display.

Wanted: Urbanism blogging about Duluth

I’ve been a fan of this site, and your city, for many years. I’m also the “editor” (unpaid) of Streets.mn,  a website trying to start conversations about urban design and transportation issues in Minnesota cities. We need people from Duluth who might be willing to blog about things up there … things like new developments, freeways, Duluth skyways, bike lanes, how to cross Superior Street, the bus system, etc.

If you or anyone you know is interested, or if you have any ideas / hate mail, please e-mail me at blindeke @ gmail.com. Streets.mn is about two years old, and has grown to over 40,000 hits per month. We really want to include more of Minnesota’s urban areas, and Duluth is my personal favorite.

Thanks for your help and understanding, and may the Duluth Family Sauna always be a weird place straight out of Twin Peaks (c. 1991).

P.S. Here are some of my posts about Duluth, just to prove that I’ve been there before: Sidewalk of the Week: Canal Park, Duluth and Other City Sidewalks: Morgan Park, Duluth.

Snazzy Winter-time Stationery

Perched on the scandalously beautiful hillside of Duluth – where winter can reign – this winter-time stationery was cooked up out of a love for the quirky side of life and the delight it brings. It also was designed and printed in our Zenith City and even features a design of our harbor, illustrated with pizazz by moi.