Heely Tricks with JamesG: January 2022

Another monthly installment of wheeled-sneaker stunts by former Duluthian James Geisler, also known as the hip-hop artist JamesG.

Postcard from Duluth, St. Lawrence Seaways Westerly Terminus

This undated postcard, published by Northern Minnesota Novelties of Crosslake, Minn., offers a nice pre-freeway aerial view of Downtown Duluth on it’s upper image and a shot of the Aerial Lift Bridge and shipping canal on the lower side.

New Salty Dog – “Done and Done” (Live in the Kitchen)

What’s all that noise in Duluth’s Endion neighborhood? Damn New Salty Dog is jamming in the kitchen again.

Alan Sparhawk of Low on American Football

This video is more than three years old, but with the Super Bowl coming up this weekend it seems appropriate to get Duluth musician Alan Sparhawk’s take on the sport of football.

The video was shot during Low’s tour of the United Kingdom prior to the release of the 2018 album Double Negative. Luke Turner, editor of the rock music and pop culture website the Quietus met Sparhawk at the Barbican Centre in London to talk about football as part of the website’s “At Leisure” series, looking at musicians and their non-musical interests.

Selective Focus: Winter Recreation and Icy Silliness

Sledding, paddling, lollygagging … drifting off on an ice chunk. Collected here are a few images from Instagram of simple winter pleasures.

Freethinkers host Visiting Scholar on the Jiu Jitsu of Argument

The Lake Superior Freethinkers hosted Shane Courtland for a talk at the College of St. Scholastica. Courtland is a Superior native who completed an undergraduate degree at UMD, a PhD at Tulane, and now serves as a leader in the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University.

Trampled by Turtles with Suzanne Santo – “Ooh Las Vegas”

Trampled by Turtles were joined by fiddler Suzanne Santo at Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin, Texas on Jan. 14 performing a cover of Gram Parsons’ “Ooh Las Vegas.” The video was shot by Evan Adamson and Scott Perry, edited by Scott Perry and mixed by Adam Krinsky.

Mystery Photo: Drag Racing on Lake Superior

Allouez Bay in Superior was recently the scene of a stock-car racing event, which might have seemed like a newish idea, but … the undated photo above has a handwritten message on the back that reads: “Taken on Lake Superior. Duluth in distance. Thousands on ice at time of races. A new sport. 24 in. of ice at time.”

Thank you for the coffee …

To the angel who prepaid several people’s coffee at a mall-area coffee shop on Sunday — thank you. I appreciate the kindness.

The Slice: Shane Nelson

Superior’s Shane Nelson plays his new song “Hold On” and shares what songwriting means to him and his love of performing. Nelson’s next gig is Feb. 12 at the Cast Iron Bar & Grill.

In its series The Slice, WDSE-TV presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.

A Saturday Night in Winter 1987

“Keep it high, like this!” Michelle said, transmitting party wisdom over her shoulder with a cheerleader smile, holding a Marb red and a Schmidt can in one hand up near brunette Aqua Net bangs as she inched us through someone’s mom’s apartment packed with mostly white teenagers. I followed close in the crush, trying to protect my beer and not bump into her. She was a tiny junior glowing with charisma and cool. I was a six-foot sophomore with a spiked mullet and a forehead full of zits. So skinny. Still 15. Only 15. Not good at parties but wanting to be. It was a Saturday night in January 1987. Maybe early February.

In October a couple cops had taken me to detox after busting an outdoor party. The guys I was with ditched me because I was unconscious and ill and Steve, who I barely knew, thought I might mess up his immaculate brown Camaro. At the party, juniors and seniors I looked up to had laughed at me and pissed on me and tied my Reeboks to my Levi’s 501 belt loops while I laid in weeds on the edge of woods next to a nature center parking lot. I don’t know what else they did. They could have done much worse. I don’t know if anyone tried to help me. I’m not mad at anyone who didn’t. I wish more people would help, but I understand why they don’t. I can still smell the combination of vomit and Adidas cologne on my black and purple shaker-knit Oak Tree sweater.

Bob Mason with the save in 1982

This 40-year-old press photo shows University of Minnesota Duluth goalie Bob Mason about to make a save at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. It is credited to Star Tribune photographer Cletus “Pete” Hohn.

Selective Focus: Seeking River Stories

The St. Louis River Alliance typically organizes an annual Winter Walk event in February, but the rise in COVID-19 cases led the organization to cancel it for the second year in a row. Instead, stories, photos and videos are being collected throughout the month to to be shared on the alliance’s social media accounts to encourage people to get outside and enjoy winter.

Featured in this post as examples are photos by the alliance’s development director, Alyssa Johnson.

Chester Creek Concert Series 2022 band applications sought

The 39th season of the Chester Creek Concert Series will run Tuesday nights from June 14 to Aug. 16 at Chester Park. Bands interested in playing a 90-minute set on one of those Tuesday can apply with Duluth Parks and Recreation.

As a part of the application process, bands are asked to provide a bio, contact information, up to three sound samples and other information.

MNDOT names eight more plows for 2022


After tallying 60,000 votes, MNDOT has named eight more plows in the fleet. They join Plowy McPlowface and Duck Duck Orange Truck from last year’s naming contest. In Duluth, you can be on the lookout for No More Mr. Ice Guy to be clearing the roads.