24-year-old receives sage counsel from venerable 27-year-old
DULUTH, MN—Generously bestowing the kind of wisdom that only comes with age, worldly and venerable 27-year-old Matthew Owen took the time last night to offer his enlightened counsel to 24-year-old family friend Dennis Paige.

Other Onion stories with Duluth datelines:

• Boy finds own real-life E.T. (2009)

• Antique dealer sick of appraising Smurf collections (2002)

• What this town needs is a really shitty community newspaper (2002)

… and there are probably some we missed.

I have been working as a radio producer lately, and I increasingly find myself in situations where I need to try and be even-handed and to try to represent different perspectives on nuanced issues. Racial diversity is one of those things that keeps popping up for me.

The issues surrounding racism and inclusion are loaded with bad history, a lot of grey area, and many answers that seem to pull good people in opposing directions. Potentially worst of all, people just stay with the status quo, trapped by indecision.

So on Friday I was out trying to cover this hastily announced press conference at UMD. (I got the announcement in my Facebook inbox sometime around lunch, and the gathering was at 4 p.m.) From the start I could see that this was a good topic for PDD. I intended to edit this up and add some captions and titles on Friday and post it here to see what folks had to say.

Then I left my laptop power cord at work and with gas at $4-something a gallon I decided to just let it go and try to just relax and spend some time with family this weekend. That was the right call because I did enjoy myself and had a great time with my wife and kids. Also, I did not have a response from the university until today.

The response from UMD Chancellor Lendley Black is posted below the video.

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This is a video created by Higher Base Media of everyone having fun on their bikes on a Tuesday night at The Encounter. We have some very talented local riders.

You will be missed by all.

Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.

We’re celebrating Bob Dylan’s birthday this week and, among other things, there will be a film fest on Tuesday at Red Star and the Freewheelers (aka the Boomchucks) will be doing Dylan covers on Wednesday at Fitger’s.

Kevin Kling will be featured at the Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards on Thursday at UMD.

Go poke around a big mansion for free on Friday during Community Day at Glensheen.

Berserkon rages in the DECC Friday through Sunday with three days of gaming.

The sliding scale of gender identity will be on display at the Gender Blender Fashion Show at Teatro Zuccone on Saturday.

And brush off your washboard ’cause it’s the Annual Battle of the Jug Bands at Amazing Grace on Sunday with an open stage on Saturday.

So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.

The blockbuster movie remake of Fitgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, doesn’t mention Duluth … but the book does (chapter VI). Check it out on Jim Heffernan’s Blog.

This recently unearthed clip from KDLH-TV’s Newschannel 3 This Morning, features the Hospital People performing the song “Crash” in support of their April 2003 Geek Prom gig at the NorShor Threatre.

There is nothing quite like rawking and spaz dancing at 6 a.m. Maybe that’s why the video is so faded.

Lake Superior Writers is pleased to announce the winners of its 2013 Open Theme Writing Contest. The winners and their entries are:

Kathleen Roberts, poetry: “American Dream,” “The Fisherman” and “The Soldier”

Jill Hinners, short-short fiction: “Tending”

Jim Brakken, creative nonfiction: “Justice.” Also, Brakken is the author of The Treasure of Namakagon, a fact-based 1883 lumberjack adventure available at badgervalley.com, amazon.com, and many museums and shops in the northland.

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Hello! This is a quick invitation for folks to explore my new Kickstarter project. We are looking to fund the new “North Woods Collection,” in which are five classic weaves of stainless steel chainmaille jewelry.

If you love chainmaille as much as we do you can check out my new ETSY online shoppe. For instant gratification, we have several items available in EG steel at the moment.

If you secretly harbor chainmaille desires, send me a PM and we’ll do what we can to fulfill your chainmaille fantasies. Thanks for exploring this project!

Great event, fun ride and good job to Healthy Duluth for making it happen!

It was great to see former Congressman Oberstar, Mayor Ness and a whole pack of cyclists rolling down to Valentini’s!

For about two months PDD has been having problems with its “Recent Comments” feature — the item in the left column that highlights which posts have new comments you might not have read.

This week we installed a new plugin for Recent Comments that we hoped would be better, but unfortunately it isn’t.

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Where for 10 points; why so worn out for 50 points.

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Video by students at the Bethany Lutheran College Media Arts department in Mankato.

I know there are a lot of music recording folks out there in the PDD community, so I am posting this plea for help.

I participate in a number of drum circles with a dear friend. I had discussed making a CD of some of our sessions for her to send to her sister. My friend has fallen ill, so now time seems to be of the essence.

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KUWS‘s Final Edition is a valuable local resource — a place where media professionals can reflect on the work they do and the impact they have on the community.

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