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.
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.
Kelsey Krautkremer is a UMD early-childhood education student suffering from chronic kidney disease. This spring Kelsey received news that her kidney function had dropped from 34 percent to 18 percent and was put on the national deceased donor list. Kelsey is in need of a type-O kidney donor. If she doesn’t find one by the fall she will have to go through dialysis treatment. This will dramatically decrease the chances of her getting a new functioning kidney.
Read her story at lakevoicenews.org and donate to help her and her family cover medical costs.
Duluth’s Parks and Recreation Dept. has issued its annual plea to the public to refrain from using city hiking trails, snowmobile trails and cross country ski trails until the mud dries up. Refer to the 2010 PDD post “Where to hike in Duluth when it’s muddy,” for guidance.
If you enjoy the mud, well, the Mudman Race will be held at Spirit Mountain on July 20. It features 5k and 10k courses with obstacles to “test strength, endurance and mental fortitude.” So, in addition to mud, you better enjoy hopping over hay bales and climbing through a spider web of ropes.
Just to tie this all together, it bears mentioning that Mud Sisters Pottery will open a new exhibit at Washington Studios on May 10 called “Mud Madness, Mud Magic, Mud Sisters.” It features a collection of functional and decorative pottery, and sculpture in clay and bronze.
Hello beautiful readers of PDD. I was wondering if anyone had any information on the following:
My uncle, Bob Miller, has been an advocate for protection of the Indian burial ground located at the end of Wisconsin Point and has been working on this project for over ten years. My ancestors are buried out there and the foundation from my great grandmother’s childhood home still remains. We are descendants of Chief Osagie who owned the land before selling it to Wisconsin (he’s my greatx5 grandfather). Many of us go out there to perform ceremony and the land is held sacred by all local Anishinaabe people.
I was heartbroken when my uncle called me last night to tell me that he had gone out there for a ceremonial purpose to find trees being cut down and land being bulldozed. There are large piles of left over trees and sticks that we worry some delinquents might set on fire. I have a couple of questions for the readers of PDD:
1. I know this was the piece of land Fond du Lac hoped to purchase … has this become final?
2. Does anyone know why this kind of activity is going on?
3. Who do I contact to find out why it’s going on?
I just wanted to make people aware that this is happening. It’s a tragedy to me as this land has been so disrespected in the past and for it to be happening again makes me lose hope. As a fellow native friend of mine said “it’s time to paint up” and I want to know who to give what for.
During the past few months, LakeVoice reporter and UMD student Daniel Badhwa set out to learn more about the issue of homelessness within the Duluth community. With a camera in hand, Badhwa explored the city, talking with people he encountered. Several of the people Badhwa photographed and interviewed shared stories of their current struggles with homelessness, but not all identified themselves as homeless.
His project, featured on the student-run community news magazine, LakeVoice, includes a video, produced by Badhwa, that describes how he went about this project and what he learned both about himself and society. The article he wrote shares some of the intimate portraits Badhwa captured as well as stories from Duluth people living on the margins.
The 2014 race for Minnesota Governor is already underway. Republican Scott Honour, a businessman from Orono, has launched his campaign website. (Amusing sidenote: The announcement page is at “/splash/#prettyPhoto.” Well, it is a pretty photo.)
Zenith City Online launched a redesign today and has delved into the history of the Tycoons Alehouse building, formerly Duluth’s City Hall, answering the question, “Was Tycoons Alehouse ever a jail?” Spoiler: For one year the Rathskeller was home to a holding cell, not an official jail.
The Rockridge Elementary school property’s proposed rezoning reminds me of the age-old phase “you sleep in the bed you made.” The school district knew from the get go what building zones the schools are in. It also knew the market has its ups and downs. We are now in a down cycle. Why didn’t the district’s budget include a more conservative estimate just in case the market went down? (more…)
The board of directors of the North Shore Striders will dedicate our next group run to those affected by the bombings at the Boston Marathon. We encourage runners and non-runners alike to come out in support for those injured on Monday. There will be a free-will offering collected at the run that will be sent to the One Fund Boston, Inc. to help those afflicted by the attack. Everyone is encouraged to wear a race shirt or blue and yellow as a visual show of support.
The Run will meet at the Rose Garden parking lot at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 22, and be approximately 5k.
On Thursday, LakeVoice will release its first ever photo issue. For this issue, LakeVoice staff will go out into the community to capture snapshots of people living their lives in Duluth. The project is inspired by Humans of New York. The goal is to share stories of people’s everyday lives through photos. LakeVoice would like to invite you to join in the project. (more…)
The Rustic Olive, an olive oil and balsamic vinegar bar, opened in the Paulucci Building on Dec. 8. The store doesn’t have a sign or a website, but both are coming soon. There is a Facebook page, though. The owners are Tom and Tami Thoma. They have another store in Wisconsin.
Emily and Joel Vikre are planning to open a distillery next to the Rustic Olive. What kind of “spirits” will be distilled is left vague on the Vikre Distillery website, but bourbon and gin are the words on the street. Apparently the state legislature has work to do before Vikre is allowed to offer samples.
One block away, Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe is apparently looking to add a few intoxicating beverages to its offerings. Next week’s Duluth City Council meeting agenda includes a resolution “approving the issuance of an on sale wine license and issuing a 3.2 percent malt liquor license.”
Of course, we are morally obligated to remind you that Canal Park remains a Skateboarders GTFO area.
An article in the Duluth News Tribune (read here) says the state of Minnesota is withdrawing from a research project regarding mercury pollution in the St. Louis River, even though much of the river’s fish are inedible to women and children, and despite the fact that 1 out of 10 North Shore infants have unsafe levels of mercury in their blood. The article states that sources of mercury in the environment are well known. They include power plants, taconite plants and sulfate pollution ( like the pollution from sulfide mining). Officials from the MPCA said the state first needs more research on how mercury behaves in nature, but later in the article the proposed study is said to have included new research on how mercury behaves in the environment. Huh? It seems this research would be especially timely due to proposed copper -sulfide mining in Northern Minnesota.
This week, LakeVoice releases its fifth spring issue, featuring stories on Mentor Duluth and its search for volunteers, the Re-Leaf Duluth program and its plan to replenish the city’s landscape, the Duluth Transit Authority’s plans for a new station and the changes that are coming to next year’s Bentleyville season. (more…)
DTA buses are sliding all over the place and bus service might be stopped before the end of the work day.
The Duluth Police Dept. reports that slippery conditions and poor visibility have contributed to over 20 crashes within the past two hours. The department is asking that residents stay home and only travel if necessary.
The zoo is closed. Goodwill is closed. Open skating at the Heritage Center is cancelled. The Duluth Parks and Rec clean up event at Chambers Grove Park is cancelled. Assume most things aren’t happening.
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 
