The ice volcanoes of Park Point are spouting off big-time right now. Grab your ski goggles, your rain pants and your windbreaker and head on down.

Thursday, March 24, 7:30 pm
Weber Music Hall

Recently awarded the Peabody Institute’s George Peabody Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Music in America, Larsen is one of America’s most performed living composers. This chamber music concert features fresh and lively favorites and a premiere of her newly commissioned work for piano four-hands.

Please join us for a Meet the Composer reception following the concert. While in residency at UMD, Ms. Larsen will present the following FREE events: a noon lecture and masterclass from 2-4:30 on March 24; and on March 25 a Forum from 10-noon and a youth workshop from 1-3:30.

Adult $10 – Senior $8 – Student FREE
Questions? call 726-8877

Drum roll!!! Trumpets!!! Wildwoods Rehabilitation is now an official nonprofit organization!!! (Applause!)

About Wildwoods
Wildwoods, a Minnesota nonprofit, is a group of wildlife rehabilitators and volunteers in Duluth. We work to help injured and orphaned animals return to their natural lives. Though we are currently based out of the homes of our individual wildlife rehabilitators, we plan to open a free-standing center in the Duluth area in the next 6-12 months.

We invite you to browse the pictures and stories of the wild animals on YouTube on pffarr’s channel. We are very fortunate to live in such a wild, wonderful corner of the world. Enjoy!

Phone
* 612.619.5450

Email
* duluthrehabber @ yahoo.com

Facebook
* http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001386579814

If you’ve ever wondered “what do I need to do before I plant wildflowers to make sure they will thrive?  do I leave the sod/existing vegetation in place or remove it?  what if I have sandy soils?  what if I have clay?”  then this program is for you.  It’s free and opne to the public.
 
What: “Soils for Wild Flower Gardens: Laying a Solid Foundation”
When: Wednesday, March 23, beginning at 7 PM.  

Wild Ones members and other interested persons are invited to come at 6:15 for a short, informal meeting regarding upcoming projects and events our Wild Ones chapter is undertaking to share examples and info re: native plants

Where: Hartley Nature Center, Duluth MN
Who: John Pastor, UMD Professor, Dept. of Biology, co-owner and maintainer of a yard that is nearly 100% native and/or edible, and long-time member of Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes

Minneapolis power duo Peter Wolf Crier is set to take the stage at the UMD Kirby Rafters Wednesday night. Local pontoon rockers Dirty Horse will open the show. Music starts at 9 p.m. $5 for non-students.

This time it isn’t a book trailer; he’s announcing that he’s exploring a bid for the presidency.

Related posts:

• There’s something about this book cover that makes me want to spend all day making alterations to it in Photoshop
• Tim Pawlenty, president of the United States of Apocalypse
• Colbert takes on Pawlenty’s dramatic ads

A Readers Theatre presenting historical accounts of American Indian boarding schools.

Scripted and directed by Carl Gawboy. Sponsored by the College of St. Scholastica, Department of Social Work and FdLTCC Anishinaabe Student Congress.

Friday, March 25, 7pm
Auditorium at Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College

Readers Theatre has become an important medium for delivering historical facts associated with colonization.  Through dramatic readings of actual narrative from historical materials the people and social systems that formed, carried out, fought against, and fell victim to forces of structural oppression are brought to life.  In “The Great Hurt” the focus is on the boarding school period affecting American Indians. Discussion following the performance will focus what is helpful and/or needed on the journey of healing.

Event is free and open to the public. For information contact 218-723-5981

From the Rep’s D.C. office:

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Congressman Chip Cravaack (MN-8) announced the hiring of Sheldon Anderson as his new District Director. The District Director position manages all staff and activities in the Congressman’s district offices.

“Sheldon Anderson is a great addition to my staff and I am pleased he’ll be assisting me as I strive to provide excellent constituent services to the people of the Eighth District,” said Cravaack. “Sheldon knows northeastern Minnesota well. His father worked as a pipe-fitter in mines on the Iron Range, and he has served as Mayor of Wyoming and as a private sector appointee to Governor Pawlenty’s ‘Corrections Strategic Management Operations Advisory Task Force.’ Sheldon has also been a small business owner for the past 20 years so he understands how important they are to the economic health of Minnesota.”

Currently, Mr. Anderson is President of Capital Investigations, a company that provides security and investigative services. He will be based out of Congressman Cravaack’s North Branch office, serving as the Congressman’s chief representative in the Eighth District.

A bass in the Pacific Lutheran University Choral Union will speak on “The Choral Music of J. S. Bach: Repeat, Recycle, Revive!” on Monday, March 28. Pre-registration is required.
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Driving around this weekend I noticed more potholes than usual. What are the worst streets in town so I can avoid them to save on my shocks?

I’m seriously considering relocating myself and my family to Duluth. It’s easily one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. After a great deal of thought and reseach I really do believe we’d be happy there. I read through a blog on PDD about why people like living in Duluth and I think I smiled like an idiot the whole time!

My last major concern at this point is the job market. I’m alarmed that I can’t find jobs listed in your newpaper. Only links to jobsHQ or other job seach engines. We are coming from an area that doesn’t have a great job market so my standards are probally pretty low but we can’t live somewhere where there’s nothing! 

I am a licensed practical nurse and it has never dawned on me that I’d have trouble anywhere. There always seems to be jobs for me. My husband, however, has no degree and has always worked in industrial/warehouse/forktruck kind of places (think John Deere).  He recenty lost his job and there is really no reason to stay where we are.

Any thoughts on the current job market? Thanks for your time.

Ground Zero in Madison

Duluth gets a shout out of sorts in this PlayStation ad. I thought they said Duluth Mutton Hut at first, which sounded appealing, but I’m pretty sure it’s puttin.

I don’t think there is a puttin’ hut either, sadly.

The retired mine and active tourist site & research lab at the Tower/Soudan mine appears to be on fire, about a half mile beneath the surface.

Minnesota Brown collects the story.

The DNR has a release here:

“Fire underway in mine shaft at Soudan Underground Mine State Park (Released March 18, 2011)

“Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center (MIFC) are responding to a fire that has been detected inside the mine shaft at Soudan Underground Mine State Park near Tower, Minn. There have been no injuries or loss of life due to the fire. It does not pose a risk to nearby communities or the environment.
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REBUILDING IS FUTILE!!!

Friday night! Music starts at 10:30 p.m.

Hole
The Clash
Descendents

Dance party in between and after sets
w/ DJ Path Annu and DJ Nola

Come shop from over 30 local and area artists who make things out of natural materials or recycled/upcycled items. The fair will be held from 10 -3 p.m. on Saturday, March 26 at the Unitarian Church, 835 W. College St. Food will be available to purchase.

The fair is organized by WendyUpNorth.com. For other local art fairs go to the website to see the calendar. There are a few more openings in the July 23, Woman-Made fair.

Entry to Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon being auctioned for charity on ebay.

100% of proceeds to benefit Northland Honor Flight.

How many out-of-town guests have you brought up the North Shore to Gooseberry Falls? It’s the nearest of the North Shore’s “greatest hits.”

Now you can wow your out-of-town friends before they even get here. Take a waterfall photography class at Gooseberry, from Paul Sundberg. Paul is the former manager of Gooseberry Falls State Park and father of Duluth’s own biking chiropractor, Adam Sundberg. It’s March 26. Preregistration is required.

Come see The Acceleratii at R.T. Quinlin’s for St. Pat’s! They will be joined by Big Wave Dave and the Ripples. Show starts at 10:00 and the cost is a meager $5.

The United Way Bike Swap team has recently secured extra storage space for donated bikes before the sale.  If you have bicycles in reasonable condition that you would like to donate to the United Way, you can bring them to Continental Ski & Bike (1305 E. First St. in Duluth) any weekday between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. or weekends until 5 p.m.  100% of the profits from the sale of donated bikes goes to United Way of Greater Duluth, and when you donate you will get a form for tax purposes, a coupon from Continental, a warm thank you from United Way, and the satisfaction from having done a good deed.

(If  you want to sell a bike, check-in is at Continental on Friday, April 15, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m and Saturday April 16 from 8 to 9:45 a.m.  If your bike sells you get 75% of the selling price and the remaining 25%  goes to United Way.)

Join the Bike Swap Facebook page if you want more news and updates.  Thanks!

Did you know that Lake Superior was considered for a nuclear power plant site, near Knife River, in the 1960s? It’s scary to think what might have been … but it happened. Check out Jim Heffernan’s blog to learn more.

“Completely Hollywood (abridged)”, March 25-26, April 1-2, 8-9.

Rubber Chicken Theater takes on Tinseltown in this seriously silly show at The Shack. (Try saying that fast five times.) 186 classic movies, crammed into one show. Plus, yummy food and YOU could help recreate a zombie scene, live onstage!

Call (715) 392-DINE to reserve your spot.

Found – 1 year (?) mixed-breed dog, brindle coat, fixed male on Grand Ave & 80th Ave. W. Please call 218-349-5808 if this guy is yours.

Pesticide corporations are destroying bee colonies. A pollination-free world is a place you don’t want to go. Sign the petition and tell the EPA you disapprove of living without fruits and vegetables, and support banning pesticides which kill bees. Start your apiary this summer!

St. Patrick’s Day Irish Ceili Dance and Dinner
Thursday, March 17
Dinner begins at 6 p.m. and dancing starts at 7 p.m.
St. Paul’s Church
1710 E. Superior Street — use the back entrance
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The Minnesota State Arts Board is conducting a census to find out just how many Minnesotans are “engaged in creative expression.”

Starting last week, the state agency has been encouraging people to fill out an online survey indicating whether they are an artist, work in the arts, or help facilitate or promote creative expression. The state legislature directed the State Arts Board and the state’s eleven regional arts councils to conduct the census to help measure the influence of arts in the state.

Brian Strub, communications & government relations director with the MN State Arts Board, explains the parameters this way:

We are asking participation from anyone state wide who, professionally or personally, sings, acts, dances, writes, draws, paints, sculpts, illustrates, photographs, films, knits, weaves, directs, plays an instrument, composes, shares stories, designs, or any other form of creative expression; and any agency, business, facility, or organization that produces, presents, or promotes creative expression. I’ve been telling people, “If you’re creative, be proud. Be counted.”

Strub says the MN Arts Count will continue through the end of April. You can participate in the survey here.