Enroll your child in the exciting Whirligigs Preschool Program at Great Lakes Aquarium! Sponsored in part by the MinnAqua DNR Program, this is a 1.5 hour drop-off program for children ages 3-5. Topics and dates this fall are as follows:

Oct. 12/13: The True Colors of Trees
Oct. 19/20: Going Batty
Oct. 26/27: Jack-O-Lanterns Galore
Nov. 2/3: Weather Detectives
Nov. 9/10: Squirrelly Squirrels
Nov. 16/17: Tremendous Turkeys

Classes are filling up quickly! Contact Lindsay for registration information: lbrandt @ glaquarium.org or 218-740-2031.

Photographer looking for talented people to do hair and makeup for fashion photo shoots. Some paid gigs, some just for experience and portfolio padding. Please contact dpi@duluthphotographyinstitute .com and I thank you very much!

In between Tribute Fest and the Orpheum Centennial at the NorShor Theatre is another big event this weekend, the Bayfront Park Art Fair.

Over 80 artists will display their gallery-quality art in Bayfront Park on Saturday, Aug. 21, and Sunday, Aug. 22. Admission is free. Food vendors range from mini donuts, cotton candy and cheese curds to hot dogs, burgers and chicken fried rice.

It’s gonna be a perfect Duluth weekend. Click the links above for the details.

In 1994 I worked for six months at the Holiday Stationstore at 3401 Grand Ave., next to Wheeler Fields. (It closed roughly seven years ago and the building is empty now.)

As you can imagine, there were a number of characters that frequented the store. One of them we called Turban Lady.

Turban Lady was a cranky old woman who, obviously, wore a turban all the time. One day I remember her coming in and complaining to me that I shouldn’t sell candy bars to kids because they just throw the wrappers on the ground.

Anyway, I saw Turban Lady walking down Grand Avenue a few years later and wanted to capture her image in order to better preserve the memories of my summer at Holiday. So there she is in the photo above — September 23, 1997.
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Duluth Family Sauna

Maybe a month ago a hole appeared out of nowhere on the avenue in front of our house. Not a pothole mind you, more like a door leading to a banquet hall. I myself have examined it, as well as just about every curious soul in the neighborhood. I’ve even seen people throw their trash in it.  At this point it’s roughly a foot in diameter, but opens up into quite a cavernous void directly below the asphalt. My wife can insert her leg up to her hip and fully extend it.

The city hasn’t shown much interest in fixing it, but probably a week ago it did put a fantastic orange warning sign over it, including a blinking light to shout warning to all those who travel along Ninth Avenue East. The problem is, is that the blinking light doesn’t work, nor does the nearest streetlight leaving it an extremely dark corner. The closest lamps are, well, a block away in all directions leaving this marker useless after dark.

Which brings me to the excitement of this eve. The sound of the neighborhood jackanapes knocking over the sign got our attention at around 11:30pm, but I didn’t pay much mind to it as of course, this isn’t the first time some goof pushed over the sign while walking down the street in the extreme darkness trying to impress a chick. What did turn my head was the sound of said sign throwing down fiery fisticuffs with the underbelly of a car not slowing for the yield sign. Plastic shattered, sparks flew, and metal screeched for several blocks before the driver stopped, looked under his car, and then kept driving until what looked like hitting a major pothole or “bump” in the road, dislodging what was left of the sign. I have yet to investigate the corpse, but I’m guessing I will see blaze orange extremities spread over a good 3 blocks on my way to work tomorrow.

After all this time of waiting to see or hear the front end of someone’s vehicle being devoured by the massive darkness beneath the city street it turned out to be a device of warning, placed to protect Duluth’s citizens, that has taken a victim.

And the sinkhole laughs, and waits.

*Writers note: The sign was nowhere to be seen this morning, which is unfortunate because I really wanted to see the carnage. Oh well, I’m sure this isn’t the last time this will happen.

Dailybeast.com has posted it’s top 20 Best U.S. Cities to find a job (not necessarily a career) and our beloved Duluth ranks 12th and Rochester, MN is #1. Hailing from Rochester I could understand it being nemero uno, but stating that Duluth is 12th in the country is a little baffling. Is it that good here?

#12. Duluth, MN
Job Growth: 11.26 percent
Jobs Gained: 14,208
Manufacturing and mills are a major part of Duluth’s economy, and the city is a huge transportation hub for manufacturing materials. But health care and education are major employers, too.

20 Best Cities to Find Jobs

I wonder what statistics the DailyBeast accessed to get Duluth placed right behind Boulder, CO and right in front of Brownsville, TX?

Using the fresh, cold water of Lake Superior we will twist and tie with dye a garment of your own or one of ours provided. You get $2 off if you bring you own item to dye.

*must call and register (218) 722-2919

Where: Meet at Pineapple Art Center
124 W. First St., Duluth
When: Sunday Aug. 15, 1:30-3pm
Cost: $10 or $8 w/own garment
Includes: Healthy Snack and a six-block walk

This post is a follow up to the post requesting information about Duluth’s old bowery district. The focus here is on Tom Madden, who managed to find himself in the news a lot. Set the Wayback Machine for 1891 and we’ll go in chronological order from there.

Dec. 13, 1891 | Duluth News Tribune

WILL IT BE MURDER?
——————————
Patrick Mulligan May Die From Injuries Received From Chief Madden.

Patrick Mulligan, who runs the “Little Diamond saloon on Central avenue, and who had his jaw broken a few days ago at the brickyard bagnio by a blow from ex Chief of Police Madden, was taken yesterday to St. Mary’s hospital, where he is now hovering between life and death. His jaw was set by Dr. Magie a day or two ago, but serious inflammation has set in, and the doctor said yesterday it would probably be necessary to put a silver tube in his throat to enable him to breathe. His case is a very serious one and the chances are even between life and death. (more…)

Announcing some exciting last-minute additions to the festival: Retribution Gospel Choir & Crew Jones! Here is the line-up:

Friday 8/13:
6-Spindrift, 6:45-Zenith City Tribal, 7:15-Rosebud Social, 8:20-Acrylic, 9-Anna Ferguson, 9:30-The Acceleratii, 10:30-Zenith City Tribal, 11-Retribution Gospel Choir

Saturday 8/14
1-Crew Jones, 2:30-The Sessionists, 4:20-Red Label, 5:50-High Volt Rustler, 7-Burnsville City Limits, 8-Meat Raffle Road, 9-Expressive Machines (music robots!!!), 9:30-Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank, 10:30-Ziola, 11-Arcwelder.

Hope to see you there!
bradfest.org

3:31 am — Single flash of light and a long rolling thunder… or was it the ship coming to a stop? Keep your eye out for cover-ups.

Anyway, it just seemed strange without any other lightning that I can tell.

Nevermind, there’s the second one, and I saw it too. That’s some huge creepy lightning I tell ya. Hope Lakeside is still there in the morning. Or do I? Yeah I guess I know some people out there.

Good story.

-A

After 42 summers of swimming in “the big lake they call Gitchee Gummi” I’ve got to say that this afternoon I experienced what has got to be the warmest temperatures I can remember. I don’t know if this has been covered in the local press, as I don’t read the DNT anymore. I’m wondering if anyone has any specific data and/or similar perceptions.

I just found a post on Vinyl From Hell where the entire album is available for online listening.
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Around 3:15 pm today, MPR Classical Radio will broadcast songs performed by From Age to Age Choir. Steve Staruch will play two selections that will be included on the upcoming CD: “Hic Est Martinus” by Eric William Barnum and “Bogoroditse Devo, Radiusya” by Sergey Khvoshchinsky.

From Age to Age, directed by Andrew Miller, is a 16-voice professional choral ensemble comprised of singers from across Minnesota and beyond.  The ensemble performs a cappella choral music representing many eras and styles.  It features tight harmonies, warm sound, and a careful blend of voices.
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Everyone on PDD seems to give great suggestions/ideas, so what are the best “little” towns to visit in either Minnesota or Wisconsin? A few friends and I are planning a road trip, but are completely okay with not hitting up the Twin Cities and Madison/Milwaukee. Love big cities, but we’ve been to them so much that we’d prefer something different. Any cool roadside attractions?

Can anyone tell me anything about the beautiful artwork under the Ninth Street Bridge on the east side of Chester Creek?  I’m going back with a camera today!

Duluth Protest

These photos were taken by the late Mark Arvilla. Can you guess where and when these protest photos were taken and were you there?

I wanted those Nikes so bad. Why do I get so bothered by it now? I think I might be jealous.

Has anyone seen this yet? Is it a good show? I’m debating on going tomorrow evening.

Author Laurie Hertzel will be in Northern Minnesota this September and October promoting her new book News to Me: Adventures of an Accidental Journalist.
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The Playhouse could use some volunteer sound engineers on the mezzanine for the Orpheum Theatre Centennial Celebration at the Historic NorShor Theatre on Saturday, Aug. 21. There will be a full system, so you need to know how to run a board and plug stuff in. Bonus if you know the acoustics of the mezzanine. Daytime 12–4PM and nighttime 8PM–2AM.

Also needed are a couple volunteer door / security volunteers. Nothing too heavy, just watching the stage door and back door and “keeping an eye on things.”

Please email me if you are interested: adam [at] transistormag [dot] com. Thanks!

What better way to welcome Big Country back to the Northland than a renegade rock show…well country show actually. Take a stroll down to the REX tonight from 11-2am and feast your eyes upon Big Country and his loyal Circus Fantastic!

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulet!!

Glensheen’s Festival of Fine Art and Craft is this weekend, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This juried show offers fantastic art, free admission, and a free shuttle bus from UMD.

Questions? Give us a call (726-8910) or shoot us an email, info@glensheen.org

The old bowery district is a part of Duluth’s history that seems to be forgotten, or at least not talked about too often. Bowery Bros. (new pub with delicious food I might add) is located where Duluth’s bowery district used to be. Kinda cool. Anyone have any old stories about this?

Darin Bergsven
Lake Avenue Cafe
Wed, Aug 11, 7 pm

The Friends of the Duluth Public Library invite you to the Annual Used Book Sale. The dates this year are August 18 and 19 from 10 until 5:30 p.m. and the Bag Sale on Friday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. There is early admission for Friends members on August 17 from 10 until 5:30 p.m. People can join Friends at the sale. Shop for bargain books, CDs, DVDs, books on tape. A silent auction will be held with older and rarer books. All proceeds from this fundraiser go toward Duluth Public Library book and media purchases and toward programs held at the library.

Are you a Member of the Friends of the Duluth Public Library? It’s only $10 per year and let’s you get into the sale on Tuesday, Aug 17 – 10 to 5:30. You may join the Friends of the DPL on-site.
Also, early notice for a new library fundraiser through the Friends. Laps Around the Library will be held on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 9:30 a.m. Go the duluth.lib.mn.us/CS/Friends.html to download registration form. Sponsors and walkers wanted!

Come down Thursday to Fitger’s and check out the Boomchuck’s and the Low Numbers!

The Low Numbers is the latest and greatest project from Eric Levy (the ATF and Cockfight!), Andy Iwanin (the ATF), and Matthew Moon Wells. Expect some bitchin’ rock and roll!

The Low Numbers

Retribution Gospel Choir will be interviewed on the national program the World Cafe on 103.3 KUMD today. The show runs 3-5pm, interview will be in the first hour.

Does any photo published in the DNT even exist on celluloid? I would have thought not, but this suggests otherwise. Or read in your own perceptions of bias. From the home page this morning.