Bitching Posts

Duluth Monitor on the London East Townhomes

Regularly, I am ecstatic to live in a city whose politics so smoothly reflects my values. And regularly, the Duluth Monitor reveals that, when it comes to its regulatory authority over developers utilizing the limited resources of space and property, my city lets me down, always choosing to side with people with money.

Roundabout wrong for London Road and 60th Avenue East

As part of its repaving and redesign of London Road, the Minnesota Department of Transportation is planning to put a 150-foot diameter roundabout at 60th Avenue East and London Road. The build will take two years, will destroy a two-household historic home, and will take parkland that was granted to the city on condition that it would always be parkland.

It will be accompanied, of course, by many streetlights, because roundabouts are only safe if they are very well lit.

My message to FedEx about their Duluth branch

Messaged this to FedEx’s Facebook page even though I was off the clock (I am not speaking for my unnamed place of business in any capacity but only as a private concerned citizen): “Hello – I work for a Duluth MN business that is having consistent problems with your drivers being unmasked in violation of our store policy, FedEx policy, and a citywide masking ordinance.

Richardson Bros. Podcast: A Robot Legal Analyst on Rittenhouse Verdict

Save the Street Grid

Did anyone read the opinion column “Street grids a better option than subdivisions” in the Duluth News Tribune on Monday? The conflict between user groups and the city over the missing segment of the Cross City Trail from Irving Park to Munger Trail was avoidable. Had the city not abandoned the historic plats and in turn vacated rights of way (paper streets and utility easements), there would be a clear and defined route for the trail.

Petitioning to Change Duluth in 2020

It might be no surprise that 2020 saw more Duluth action on change.org than any year before it. And it’s hardly surprising that the petition with the most virtual signatures is a plea for Duluthians to wear masks.

Most natural surface trails in Duluth now open

Woohoo! The city has opened most of its natural surface trails. Now we all get to figure out the dance required to stay six feet apart when meeting someone on those narrow trails.

Duluth News Tribune publishes article by white nationalist

On Nov. 25 the Duluth News Tribune published an opinion article, ostensibly about over-population, by a writer flagged by the Anti Defamation League for white nationalist comments, and for appearing on a notoriously anti-semitic website.

UWS Chancellor’s Ball protested over program cuts

Two dozen spirited students, faculty, alumni and community members braved the cold on the evening of Dec. 2 to protest in front of the UWS Yellowjacket Union. The protest was held outside of the glitzy Chancellor’s Ball fundraiser to show outrage at the devastating academic program cuts that were announced on the morning of Halloween.

Protesters wore costumes to symbolically reclaim the Halloween that was ruined by the announced cuts. They handed fundraiser attendees candy with the following message printed on them: “Thank you for supporting UWS students! Please ask Chancellor Wachter to reconsider the program suspensions at UWS. More choices for students, not fewer, is what make UWS great.”

The response from those attending the fundraiser was overwhelming supportive, demonstrating yet again how deeply opposed our community is to the gutting of our university. The action closed with a rousing chant of “We’ll Be Back, We’ll Be Back!” And rest assured we will be – again and again – until these draconian cuts are consigned to the dust bin of history!

Homeless in Duluth?

Have you walked past the Lakewalk entrance by the Electric Fetus on Lake Avenue and Superior Street lately?

Seems that it’s become the cool place to hang out — at least for Duluth’s homeless. In spite of the availability of nearby public restrooms, the smell of urine and feces is ubiquitous.

This is a public health issue. Sanitary issues at homeless encampments have lead to 16 deaths in a hepatitis outbreak in San Diego.

July 12: Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality

Radiophiles and Sportphiles

Fill me in; educate me. Local FM sports station, 92.1 WWAX, a KFAN affiliate known as “The Fan,” recently sold. Before and after the sale the station’s Duluth airspace remains stale with on-air talent imaging bites that are very old. After sale, IDs are played saying the station is owned by Red Rock Radio Corporation … but it was sold. Finally, too many dead, off-air minutes or hours. What gives? I wrote to both owners when they were in charge, no responses. I like radio, I’m a dinosaur in that respect. Even dinosaurs don’t like listening to “old-time radio” imaging bites over and over and over again.

When principals tried to run Mötley Crüe out of Duluth

motley crue DNT-Motley Crue

Left: Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe performing at the Duluth Arena on Nov. 5, 1985; photo by Bob King for the Duluth News-Tribune & Herald. Right: Clipping from Nov. 22, 1985.

Oh, the profanity! Mötley Crüe got Duluth-area principals’ undies in a bunch back in 1985. Attempts to ban the Los Angeles-based glam metal band went nowhere. Mötley Crüe returned to Duluth for two more concerts, one in 1990 and another in 1998.

218-955-3416 | Breckenridge MN

The PDD Headquarters has been flooded with calls from this number. I’ve answered twice and no one responded.

In a meeting yesterday my cell phone rang with the same number. “Breckenridge again,” I said.

“I just got that call five minutes ago on my cell,” was the response from across the table.

Why can’t 21st Avenue East, Woodland and Arrowhead be a highway like Piedmont?

There was a study I cannot find now where some bigwigs came to Duluth back in about 2006 and decided that access to the mall area from the east side of town is one of the largest problems we have here. Every single road has many traffic lights and the speed limits are all 30 mph. Even Howard Gnesen rolls along at 30 mph in the middle of nowhere. The stretch from Kenwood Avenue on Arrowhead Road to Rice Lake Road is just a basic speed trap before it finally opens up to a whole 45 mph.

Why not make from the freeway exit at 21st Avenue East, Woodland Avenue and Arrowhead Road more like what was done on the west side of town near 21st Avenue West?

I know many people live on the stretch, but we have two major colleges and the city keeps “calming traffic” everywhere it can. That was the actual term that I heard at meeting when they decided — against the wishes of everyone in attendance — to make London Road go from four lanes of traffic to two. Then they said the city would plant all kinds of trees and beautify the area. Still waiting on that one.

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