PDD News Sieve, Author at Perfect Duluth Day

PDD News Sieve Posts

A & Dubs set to reopen this summer

Computer-generated illustration of A & Dubs in Duluth’s Lincoln Park neighborhood courtesy of the restaurant’s Facebook page.

Duluth’s iconic A & Dubs seasonal drive-in restaurant will reopen after sitting idle for two summers. The new owners, Mike Koralia and Ryan Spears, wrote in a post on the A & Dubs Facebook page they plan to announce an opening date soon.

Duluth, America and Public Disorder

Chris Arnade, a writer who is walking around the world and recently posted about “Walking Duluth,” references the Zenith City in his latest piece, “America and Public Disorder.”

Three weeks ago, in Duluth, half the riders on every bus I took were mentally tortured and/or intoxicated. The downtown Starbucks, pedestrian malls, and shuttered doorways of vacated buildings all housed broken people. Same in Indianapolis, El Paso, New York City, Jacksonville, LA, Phoenix, and almost every community I’ve been to in the U.S., save for those gated by wealth.

Walking Duluth With Chris Arnade

Chris Arnade is walking around the world, publishing dispatches from different cities. The most recent stop on his “Chris Arnade Walks the World” website is Duluth, a place he calls “a fantastic underappreciated town.”

St. Louis County Historical Society Strategic Planning Survey

The St. Louis County Historical Society is in the discovery phase of a major strategic planning initiative. The goal is to transform how the organization preserves more than 13,000 artifacts, stabilizes operations and ensures its storytelling is inclusive. A new community survey is designed to offer feedback to shape the society’s new mission and strategic goals for the next three to five years.

DuluthiLeaks: MacArthur Elementary PTA Budget for 1979-80

For the seventh edition of DuluthiLeaks — Perfect Duluth Day’s series in which public documents are presented as if they contain secret information leaked from an anonymous whistle blower — we present the Laura MacArthur Elementary School Parent Teacher Association’s proposed budget for the 1979 to 1980 school year.

Chuck Haavik – “Nothing to Say”

Duluth’s Chuck Haavik has a new EP, Friend For the End of the World. The single “Nothing to Say,” embedded above, features Dave Mehling on electric guitar, Emily Haavik on backing vocals and Luke Mirau on drums. Mehling produced and mixed the album.

Haavik’s EP release show is Dec. 27 at Wussow’s Concert Cafe.

Northeastern Minnesota Book Award Winners for 2025

Eight books in four categories have been recognized for this year’s Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards, which celebrate books that substantially represent the history, culture, heritage or lifestyle of northeastern Minnesota.

Unpaid air traffic controller sending all planes to Duluth

An article on The Babylon Bee satirical news website reports that an air traffic controller who works out of Los Angeles International Airport “reportedly coped with his missing paycheck as a result of the government shutdown by deliberately sending planes to Duluth, Minnesota, for laughs.”

Duluth 2025 General Election Results

With all precincts reporting, here are the unofficial results for Duluth municipal and school district races.

R.I.P Todd Eckart

News broke today that Duluth musician Todd Eckart was one of two people killed in a head-on automobile collision in the southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 53 at Berg Park Road in Amnicon Township on Oct. 22.

Eckart was one of the city’s busiest performers, playing gigs at virtually every possible venue. Below is just a small sampling of his vast array of gig posters.

Duluth 2025 General Election Sample Ballot

General Election Day for the city of Duluth and Independent School District #709 is Tuesday, Nov. 4. The sample ballot above does not reflect what an actual ballot will look like in any part of the city. Some voters will not see any district races; others will see either District 1, 2 or 4 races on their ballot.

R.I.P. Lakeside Professional Building

Demolition of the Lakeside Professional Building began in August. (Photo by Gina Temple-Rhodes)

The Lakeside Professional Building, formerly St. Michael’s School, is no more. St. Michael’s Catholic Church announced in December that the building at 4915 E. Superior St. had been deemed structurally deficient and would be demolished. The tenants, which included Gabriel’s Used Bookstore and the Sami Cultural Center, cleared out in the spring. Gabriel’s had operated out of the building’s basement since 1994.

The Secret Life of Data Centers

Agate reports that cities around Minnesota — including Farmington and Hermantown — have signed non-disclosure agreements with developers for projects that might be data centers. The article notes the Hermantown facility is “multiple buildings totaling nearly two million square feet” and the description of the project is “so vague that the Minnesota DNR objects that citizens would have trouble offering any comments because it’s unclear what the proposal is.”

Agate is an online magazine covering nature, science and conservation.

Duluth 2025 Primary Election Results

With 34 of 34 precincts reporting, here are the vote totals.

Duluth At-large City Councilor
Top four candidates advance to General Election; two will be elected
Terese Tomanek – 3,192
Jordan Johnson – 2,468
Derek Medved – 2,129
Asher Estrin Haire – 811
Zachary Davis Moder – 721

Duluth Second District City Councilor
Diane Desotelle – 1,055
Christopher Adatte – 224
Pierre Tournier – 41

Duluth At-large School Board Member
Top four candidates advance to General Election; two will be elected
Amber Sadowski – 3,036
Kelly Durick Eder – 2,680
Harry Welty – 1,477
Loren Martell – 1.027
Jane Hoffman – 970

Duluth 2025 Primary Election Sample Ballot

Duluth’s primary election ballot on Aug. 12 includes citywide races for at-large seats on the city council and school board, and a school district referendum question. Citizens in the Endion, Congdon, Chester Park and Kenwood neighborhoods will also vote on the Second District City Council race.

The general election on Nov. 4 will include three more races — Fourth District City Council, District One School Board and District Four School Board.