Shippee – “You & Me”

The latest music video from Duluth’s Blake Shippee is a tribute to his partner Shanna on her birthday.

Kill the Spider

When I stepped into the shower, I didn’t see the spider. Once the water was running, I looked down and there it was at my feet, floating near the drain.

They don’t struggle when they’re fully soaked. Instead, they ball up and wait for the tide to take them to a surface they can latch on to.

There will be no escape for this spider, however, because I won’t let it happen. This spider is in my shower, and that kind of disrespect demands an execution.

There are plenty of spider sanctuaries — the utility room, the garage, the shed, the attic — where I’ll look the other way. I don’t enjoy killing them, and would rather not, so I let them be when they know their place.

Although spiders are creepy, they have some positive attributes. Most notably, they eat a lot of insects. It’s probably not intelligent for me to kill something that’s doing so much killing on my behalf.

Postcards from the Androy Hotel

Superior’s Androy Hotel opened 100 years ago today — May 15, 1925. It was advertised as the largest and only fireproof hotel in Superior.

View of Downtown Duluth from Observation Hill in 1965

This photo is dated 1965; photographer unknown.

Alan Sparhawk – “Not Broken”

The video for the second release from Alan Sparhawk‘s second solo album, With Trampled by Turtles, was directed by edited by Alexa Viscius and features vocals by Hollis Sparhawk. The album releases May 30 on Sub Pop Records.

Hockin Brace & Paleen opened larger furniture store in 1925

One hundred years ago today — May 11, 1925 — the Hockin Brace & Paleen furniture store opened in the new building on the corner of Lake Avenue and West First Street in Duluth. The location is best known today as the Usan building, home of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce since 2002.

PDD Quiz: For the Birds

Take flight with this ornithology-adjacent quiz that tests your knowledge of bird-related trivia.

The next PDD quiz, slated for May 25, will recap the month’s headlines. Please submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by May 22.

Ripped at Eagles Aerie 80 in 2005

[Editor’s note: For this week’s essay we’ve once again pulled out a relic from the archive of Slim Goodbuzz, who served as Duluth’s “booze connoisseur” from 1999 to 2009. Twenty years ago the Sultan of Sot paid a visit to Eagles Aerie 80 at 1710 N. 12th St. in Superior, and composed this article for the May 2005 edition of the Ripsaw newspaper.]

So, what is the Fraternal Order of the Eagles? Well, according to the group’s motto, “Eagles are people helping people.” How do they help people? Well, who cares? They help me by selling 34-ounce mugs of beer for $2.50 during “late-night happy hour” from 10 p.m. to midnight. Thank you, Eagles Aerie 80. “People helping people,” indeed.

The Eagles are also big on disaster relief. For example, all this cheap beer is causing a 9+ magnitude gutquake in my stomach, but, this being a Saturday, I can count on a wholesome breakfast to be served tomorrow, right here, hopefully in time to prevent a reverse tsunami.

Right now, however, I’m so fucktarded drunk that, despite being surrounded by philanthropists, I’m seriously thinking about stealing an old guy’s jacket. It’s a Rusty Nail jacket, advertising my favorite South Superior bar, and I think it will look good on me.

Annie Humphrey – “500 Years”

Twenty-five years ago today — May 9, 2000 — Annie Humphrey-Jimenez released her debut album, The Heron Smiled.

At the 1:54 mark she sings:

Louisiana to Duluth
it is buried in the white man’s truth

Postcard from Lake Superior in Action at Grand Marais

We’ll always have Duluth

Today’s Daily Cartoon in The New Yorker references Duluth. The comic is by Jason Adam Katzenstein.

EmbalmingEva – “Cement”

“Cement” is the latest from the Duluth synth act EmbalmingEva. The musicians, Galalee Wright and Jesse Hatten, directed and shot the video.

Childhood memories lead to future inspirations

Etta Glinsek is a junior at the University of Minnesota Duluth majoring in environment sustainability and geography and minoring in environment and outdoor education. She is working toward graduating in spring 2026 and a career in the environmental field.

This semester, Glinsek is taking the class Nature Interpretation. Part of the coursework is to create a plot study, finding an area where the student can study and observe nature. Glinsek has chosen an area in Bagley Nature Area near a stream in hopes that it will create a more diverse environment. Her goal is to help preserve the environment and find a job that will allow her to do it.

Selective Focus: Homegrown 2025

Via Instagram, a smattering of images from the Homegrown Music Festival.

Swimming in Duluth

Summer is fast approaching, which means warm weather and swimming. With that in mind, my video “Swimming in Duluth” has been attracting attention in recent national and international online festivals and even garnering a few awards.