Hear samples and “like” Marc Gartman’s Fever Dream on Facebook.

My part-time Duluth group, Two Beat Band, has a new EP out today. Stream the whole thing online, or download the tunes and album art for $5. Also, we’ll be playing the Saturday of Homegrown at Pizza Luce before Southwire and Cars & Trucks. I hope you like it. –Jordan Taylor

The DNT has run two recent articles on special education in our public schools. Both articles seem to be to be blaming the current overcrowding and school budget crisis on special education costs.

Special education costs squeeze all classrooms
State rule forces Duluth district to pay costs for special education students in other districts

Now, I am not unbiased here, I am the father of an autistic boy in the Duluth public school system. I am also a home owner and I pay taxes in Duluth. Does educating special needs children cost more? I am sure it does, but by helping special needs children become educated, we are increasing the chances that they can become productive members of our society. Like all forms of public education, it is an investment! My son does not have an aid to help him through the day, nor does he receive any “Cadillac benefits,” he also does not participate in several school programs: He doesn’t participate in art, music, or gym. He does not play any organized sports. If the Duluth school system could become more competitive in offering services needed by special needs students, it would not have to send funds to other districts that can.

It’s articles like these that show why we need federal mandates to provide for our special needs children.

KUMD’s student-run programming, the Basement, will be featured on mtvU’s College Radio Countdown beginning tomorrow. We’ll celebrate our national television debut with a premiere party on Tuesday, March 26 at 7:30-9:00 pm in the UMD Lake Superior Hall Lobby.

KUMD students produced a fun one-minute video to introduce the mtvU audience to KUMD and Duluth; it starts with a broadcast from a local ice fishing house. The video will introduce our ten video picks of songs that represent the sound of the Basement, including two Minnesota artists, Trampled by Turtles and Polica.

In addition, KUMD’s Music Directors picked five local videos to be featured on mtvU’s tumblr; our first pick, Brian Barber’s brilliant video for the Black-eyed Snakes’ “Rise Up,” has already been posted and more will follow each day this week.

In the Duluth area mtvU is available on digital cable channel 327 and the show will also be available online at www.mtvu.com.

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

First of all, if you haven’t checked out our new video links on the calendar, do. It’s a nice upgrade to the calendar.

As part of the One Book, One Community program, there’s a glass art demonstration at Lake Superior Art Glass today.

Nerd Nite XXII has presentations on the NASA Gemini program, podcasting, and Daylight Savings Time at the Play Ground on Tuesday. (Speaking of which, I need to start working in earnest on my presentation.)

There’s a Waldorf Education discussion group at Amazing Grace on Wednesday, the first of a series, sponsored by the Spirit of the Lake Community School.

If you are a web professional there’s a meet up of area web pros at Co.Lab on Thursday.

Friday is Good Friday and there is a “walk for justice” based on the stations of the cross starting at the County Courthouse.

On Saturday there’s an Easter Eggstravaganza at the zoo and an Easter Egg Hunt at Pilgrim Church.

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

First Covenant Church
St. Michael’s Catholic Church
US Bank Building
Superior Public Library
Peace in Christ Church
Asbury United Methodist Church
First United Methodist Church
Mariner Mall

There is one week left to enroll in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3. For dates and details visit cps3twinports.org

The “Lake Superior ice sheets breaking at Brighton Beach” post reminded me how much I want some clean recordings of the amazing things the lake does with its ice.  Does anyone in our PDD community have some field recording gear (418, 702 or the like)?  And would this person be willing to head out on a sound hunt for these phenomena?  We could barter some of my recordings or work something out.  That crazy ice stuff just doesn’t happen in Seattle.  I was back in Duluth in December with gear, but the conditions weren’t right.  Here’s hoping…

The mad scientists in the Perfect Duluth Day Calendar Labs are continually applying their impressive craniums to just one question, “How can we make our calendar that much cooler?”

Well, pop up videos, that’s how! Starting now, if there’s a video linked to the event, just click on the “Watch Video” link and it will pop up in your browser window. Movie trailers, music videos, game tutorials and more are just a click away! Then you can click away the video and keep browsing events.

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On Thursday, Kate and I went to see Wm Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead (by Renegade Theatre) at Teatro Zuccone.
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Kate and I walked downtown for Merch Madness and we found some friendly shopkeepers, some great deals, and some yummy food.
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This has been up on YouTube for a while, but I don’t think it ever made it to PDD. The Grammy speech referencing Duluth is included.

Hello fellow Duluth/Superior mamas out there. Now that it’s “spring,” it’s the time we all start to think about getting outside and running again, or to start running. We’re starting our season off with a kickoff breakfast at the Miller Hill Perkins on Saturday, March 23, at 9 a.m. The hope is to offer people a chance to get to know each other a little prior to going running together to ease some of the pressure to going to something new.

The Facebook group link is listed below and we will be getting group runs set up for everyone to get together. We’re hoping to get several options of days/times for everyone since we know there’s never a consistent “good time” to do things as a mom! The group is for anyone who is interested in running, starting to run, training for a race … anyone!

This is not a coached group, but rather a social running club so moms can spend time with other moms to commiserate about the trials, tribulations and joys of being a mom while trying to stay fit.

Duluth, MN MRTT on Facebook
Moms Run this Town website

Can anyone name this artist or song? A friend of mine has had it for about 15 years and has never been able to find out what it is titled or who it is sung by. Zune, Shazam, and Soundhound have not been helpful. Perhaps this august group will be…

Unknown by Unknown on picosong.com

This May, the Duluth Preservation Alliance is recognizing Duluth homes which are turning 100 years old at its annual awards ceremony. The DPA is looking for applicants whose homes are turning 100 years old this year and that have retained their historic character.

If you would like to apply, or know someone who might qualify, you can download an application at duluthpreservation.org under the “Centennial Homes Recognition” tab. Applications are due April 18.

If you have any questions, please contact Bob Berg at 218-341-6143 or robert.berg @ duluth.k12.mn.ust.

I just found out about this by reading on the TWOP blog about the show. The character Charles Duluth (played by Reg Rogers) has been in two episodes so far. I wonder how they decided on his last name?

Just released on duluthhomegrown.com.

* Roughly 186 bands.
* Big Wave Dave at Mr. D’s on Tuesday
* Stellar lineup at Grandma’s Sports Garden on Wednesday
* Too much everything after that

Snöbarn (photo by Shawn Stigstill)

Peter Pain (photo by Rich Narum)

With the Homegrown Music Festival coming up PDD launched a series of polls six weeks ago, tournament style, to determine which Duluth-area band has the sweetest pic. Last week Tangier 57 defeated Duck Duck Punch. This week we ask …

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This poll is now closed. The results were:

Snöbarn — 52.2 percent
Peter Pain — 47.8 percent

Note: Only people who are logged in to their Perfect Duluth Day blogging account are allowed to vote (to prevent people from voting multiple times). To create an account, click here. If you need help figuring it out, click here.

Murder Pretty, a local independent group of film makers dedicated to producing fun and interesting horror films, is producing its first slasher movie, How Pretty You Die right in Duluth. Filming begins March 28. Check out the Kickstarter campaign.