Marius Anderson of London Road Films shot this aerial footage in Duluth on Tuesday after an ice sheet broke from the shore and took a group of nearly 30 ice anglers out into Lake Superior. The Duluth Fire Department rescued all of the anglers; most of the equipment was lost.
I have some comments and observations about the ice angler rescue on Tuesday, Feb. 9.
First off, I watch ice closely because I am nutty for skating the biggest lake in the world. No, not Lake Baikal, that piece of shit lake. I mean Lake Superior, the queen of the unsalted seas. Ice cover has been minimal this year so I have been sad, and nearly desperate in this COVID season for recreation and release.
But as my house has a decent lake view, I watched with some interest as ice plugged the outer harbor. It seemed too much to ask for that it should become safe enough to skate on — keeping in mind that ice is never safe. But whatever.
The sign I watch for is the appearance of ice houses. Once they appear, I grab my skates. My logic is this: those guys know what they’re doing. I figure the ice angler community is right on top of the Department of Natural Resources, and is tracking ice thickness so I don’t have to. If they feel safe, I feel safe.
Yet another opportunity to drink local. This one, however, is homegrown from “branch to bottle.”
Canosia Grove Farm & Cidery, north of Duluth.
Greetings friends of Duluth!
I thought I would share a postcard with you from my Gramma Myrtle’s collection. My Gramma built an extensive collection and I have been taking some time to organize it during our frigid February.
Produced one year ago by Andrew Kirov and Adam Jagunich, this Fox 21 News feature delves into northeastern Minnesota’s filmmaking industry. Interviewed in the story are Steven Sanders of Ironbound Studios in Chisholm, writer-director Alexander P. Gutterman of Duluth, and Catalyst Story Institute & Content Festival Executive Director Philip Gilpin, Jr.
This brochure from 1929 highlights “Winter Sports in Duluth,” including the old toboggan chute at Chester Park, as seen on the cover.
Ice anglers rescued after ice sheet breaks away from shore.
KBJR. WCCO-TV. Star Trib. Duluth News-Tribune.
I was skating that ice 48 hours ago, so I’m going to crawl under my bed now.
Rich Mattson and the Northstars put out a new album last week. Skylights can be ordered at spartasound.bandcamp.com. In lieu of the usual release concert, the band has produced an online “variety show” featuring three music videos from the album and a pair of live performances.
Steve Solkela and his Iron Range friends have produced another novelty song and music video. This one features a certain studmuffin who can get any gal he wants … at the nursing home.
The cast features Nathan Benson as the Studmuffin, Ruthy Morgan and Ruthy Wrinkleskins, Jordan Masieniec as Gladys Gray, Nathan Peterson as the bingo caller and vomiting grandson, Colton Flack as Edith Ainchant, Loralie Arbola as Ethel Manniyrs, Fika as Gertrude O’galanen, Brekaroni Pallas as Sylvia Dentures, Ian Carlson as Ralph Eonago, and Solkela as Gladys Vanderboobin.
Duluth’s Cory Coffman has released the second music video promoting his 2020 album Canvas and Color. “Weeping Willow” was directed and produced by Steven Yasgar and features Angela Schmitz on lip synch.
From the makers of the infamous “hockey hair” videos comes this profile of the Grand Rapids High School Pep Band. What came first, the wagon on the ice or the band behind it?
Skated the big lake today in -30 windchill or so. Had it all to myself because I’m a baller, shot caller, 20-inch blades on the Impala
Twenty years ago today — Feb. 6, 2001 — City Pages published a cover story on Duluth’s “tiny counterculture.” The Twin Cities alternative weekly paper ceased operations last fall and its online archive is on hiatus, but Perfect Duluth Day is here with the flashback goods.
Did anyone read the opinion column “Street grids a better option than subdivisions” in the Duluth News Tribune on Monday? The conflict between user groups and the city over the missing segment of the Cross City Trail from Irving Park to Munger Trail was avoidable. Had the city not abandoned the historic plats and in turn vacated rights of way (paper streets and utility easements), there would be a clear and defined route for the trail.
