Month: April 2019
Shooting with Sparky: Canada Lynx Jinx Broken
Sparky Stensaas had a rare Canada Lynx encounter in the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota on March 21.
“As I came over a rise, there it was,” Stensaas wrote on his blog, the Photonaturalist. “It saw me and bounded off the road and into the 3-foot deep snow. I stayed put thinking that it might come my way via the pine woods. And after a few tense minutes of me second-guessing my intuition, it did!”
Annual reminder: Stay off muddy trails in spring
Duluth’s Parks and Recreation Division has put forth its annual reminder that all natural-surface trails are closed until further notice due to wet soil conditions from the annual spring thaw.
So, where should people hike in April? (more…)
The Mysterious and Ferocious Serpent Monster of Lake Superior
Duluth politicians can keep bragging about keeping Lake Superior free of sharks, but what about the “enigmatic lake monster”?
What about the “giant and ferocious serpent”? The “underwater panther”? The “lizard like fish around 10 feet long” with “a head like a turtle”? The “hideous” thing “cruising through the water with a 15-foot long neck and a huge jaw”? The “immense humped creature” with “huge horse shaped head and large dark left eye” with a nose bearing “a visible catfish type whisker, maybe two feet in length and wiggling”? The “gigantic serpent with 3 to 5 humps” rising out of the water?
Well, for those into myths, legends and stories short on attribution but with the words “supposedly” and “apparently” repeated throughout, there’s a new article that has it all. (more…)
Selective Focus: @fatherfigures
We all know living on Lake Superior is epic, but these images from @fathersfigures take landscape photography to a whole other galaxy. Be sure to check out the behind-the-scenes Instagram stories.
Monthly Grovel: Bonus tip about PDD Calendar map view
Before delving into this month’s pitch for donations to keep the PDD Calendar chugging along, we’re taking a moment to offer a little tip on a different way to use it.
There are numerous ways to sort, filter, view and search events on the PDD Calendar. By default the calendar shows a list view in chronological order. That’s obviously the best way to look at what’s happening in the moment and scroll to the future. But there are three other view options — day, map and photo. We’ve never taken time to explain that before, because it’s always seemed obvious to us that list view is the best option. But our traffic statistics are starting to show more and more people using map view, so perhaps it’s time to mention it. (more…)
Duluth Band Profile: Attom
Kyle Stern’s first show wasn’t at a VFW or an empty coffeehouse. It just happened to be Bonnaroo Music Festival. Under the moniker Attom, Kyle explains how he fits into the changing world of electronic music. Click on the image above to hear the podcast.
Upcoming gig:
May 3 at Rex Bar at Fitger’s during Homegrown Music Festival
Postcards from Duluth Motel
According to this postcard, Duluth Motel sat in some mysterious forest, perhaps offering the only toilet available for miles and miles. In reality, “Northwest’s Most Luxurious Motel” was near Denfeld High School and surrounded by West Duluth homes and businesses. A lush, undeveloped hillside was indeed in the distance, though not very similar looking to the illustration on the postcard. (more…)
2019 Duluth Homegrown Mix Tape
2019 Duluth Homegrown Mix Tape Curated By: Gaelynn Lea by Duluth Homegrown Music Festival
Duluth’s Lodging & Dining … circa 1979-’82
This promotional pamphlet is from roughly 1980. Within the text might be clues that narrow down a specific year. (more…)
Duluth Band Profile: Prone
Prone dabbles in the realms of hip-hop and electro-funk. Chris LeBlanc explains how the group started out of necessity. Click on the image above to hear the podcast.
Upcoming gig:
May 4 at R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon during the Homegrown Music Festival
Joan Osborne to perform Dylan tribute in his native Duluth
Grammy-nominated singer Joan Osborne will perform a special Bob Dylan tribute concert on the eve of his 78th birthday at Sacred Heart Music Center, just blocks from where the legendary songwriter was born in Duluth. (more…)
Aurora Borealis of March 30, 2019
Ben Sullivan captures the northern lights north of Duluth.







