PDD News Sieve
Redstone redevelopment nearly complete
The mansion that was home to the Congdon family while Glensheen was built is being remodeled into luxury apartments. A news release from Heirloom Property Management announces the majestic Redstone Lofts will have “12 modern style loft apartments and a commercial space that will all be available for lease beginning early 2019.” (more…)
DLH passenger numbers up 13 percent
Duluth International Airport announced today that 280,865 passengers flew through the facility in 2018, marking a 13 percent increase over 2017.
Both United and Delta saw increases, with United’s addition of the airbus flight in May leading to a nearly 30 percent increase year-over-year.
United offers three daily nonstop flights to Chicago and Delta offers five daily nonstop flights to Minneapolis/St. Paul. American Airlines is set to begin direct service to Chicago on May 23.
“We now have the three largest carriers in the country flying out of DLH,” Tom Werner, the airport’s executive director, said in a news release. “We’re hoping to use that momentum to add Denver to the growing list of places we fly and ways we connect our region to the world.”
Endion Station to be converted into ‘brewtique’ hotel
A former railroad depot will soon become Duluth’s first “brewtique” hotel. (more…)
Glamourous Duluth
Duluth’s Ashley Sullivan, sporting a Duluth Cider hat, is part of a feature in the online women’s magazine Glamour titled “Insanely cold polar vortex temperatures are literally freezing people’s eyelashes.” The article refers to a social media trend of people “posting commentary and photos of themselves turning into Elsa from Frozen simply by going about their lives in a polar vortex.”
“Depending on how cold it is, you can feel them freeze right away,” Sullivan told Glamour reporter Abby Gardner. “It doesn’t hurt and doesn’t affect your eyesight, but by the end of a hike, you get the pretty frost. The aftermath isn’t so pretty as the ice melts and mascara runs down your face. But it’s like Mother Nature’s art on while you’re outside, if you think about it. It’s like you’re your own snowflake with the frost vibrating to your own energy.” (more…)
Hoops Brewing’s Dave Hoops profiled in The Growler
Craft-beer pioneer Dave Hoops, owner of Hoops Brewing in Duluth, shares his views on finding a niche, avoiding trends and “promoting the Minnesota brand” in the latest issue of craft-beer lifestyle magazine The Growler.
Lake Superior Magazine 2019 Photo Contest Winners
North Shore image by Like He
Canal Park image by Dan Lee Vander Ark
Duluthians took first place in two categories of Lake Superior Magazine‘s 24th Annual Photo Contest. Like He’s photo from Lake Superior’s North Shore landed top honors in the maritime category. Dan Lee Vander Ark had the favorite in the artsy/altered category for his photo of the Aerial Lift Bridge in winter. Galleries of all the winning photos and runners up can be seen on lakesuperior.com. The winners are featured in the magazine’s February/March issue. (more…)
Geek out on this Canal Park history map
Students enrolled in a Fall 2018 visual journalism course at the University of Minnesota Duluth used ArcGIS software to tell stories about Canal Park using mapping technology. The collaborative project tells 25 stories spanning more than 100 years.
Link: A History of Canal Park
Students curated visual materials and other sources for this project from various places that include the UMD Kathryn A. Martin Library; UMD Archives & Special Collections; the Duluth News Tribune archives; Zenith City Press and other publicly available sources.
Update: Trigger back home
Trigger has been found and reunited with his family.
Petitioning to Change Duluth in 2018
The most successful petitions at change.org — at least as far as Duluth is concerned — tend to be related to local colleges. A search of “Duluth” on the site finds six petitions in the past three years that have more than 1,000 signatures; five of those are associated with the University of Minnesota Duluth or College of St. Scholastica. (more…)
R.I.P. Sclavi’s Italian Restaurant & Bar
Sclavi’s Italian Restaurant & Bar in Superior has announced it’s closing for the third time. This time seems to have more finality to it. (more…)
One more year for Marcia Hales’ holiday light display
Marcia Hales’ “Holiday Spirit in the Lights” display in Duluth’s Park Point neighborhood is returning for a final run. (more…)
Independent Television Festival moving to Duluth
The five-day Independent Television Festival is moving from Manchester, Vt. to Duluth. ITV plans to open an office in Duluth early next year and have year-round programming. The company estimates the festival could bring more than $1.5 million into the local economy.
The 14th annual festival is scheduled for Oct. 9-13. It showcases episodic television shows for TV executives, agents and producers from outlets like Netflix and Bravo, but is also open to the public. The goal is to discover new television programs created on independent budgets. (more…)
Surfin’ Superior 2008
Ten years ago — Dec. 10, 2008 — City Pages profiled Duluth surfer Greg Isaacson.
In 1975, he found himself paddling out onto Lake Superior with a few local fishermen looking at him like he was insane. Isaacson went out in the middle of a storm. He wore the top half of a diving suit, which gave his arms all the flexibility and natural movement of the Michelin Man. This jerry-rigged outfit, combined with the glacial temperatures of the water, allowed him just 20 minutes of water time.
But the first wave he caught was magic.
City Girl Coffee now in Minnesota Target stores, on Amazon
City Girl Coffee, a Duluth-based coffee roaster dedicated to empowering women in the coffee-growing industry, has announced its varietals and blends are now available on amazon.com and at Minnesota Target locations.
The expanded distribution follows the company’s third anniversary on Nov. 12.
City Girl sources its beans from women-owned or managed farms and cooperatives whenever possible. The brand offers a product line of organic and Fair Trade varietals and blends from Guatemala, Brazil, Sumatra and Peru that are packaged in 12-ounce bags and single-serve cups.
The company was profiled on Perfect Duluth Day in 2016 and featured in Forbes magazine and the New York Times in 2017.
Missing Person: Janeen Bauer Peters
Update: The body of Janeen Peters was found on Nov. 28 about 500 yards from her vehicle near County Road 2 in Lake County. The vehicle was covered in snow and there were no fresh tracks near it. The cause of death is unknown.
The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office had asked for the public’s help in locating Peters. She was reported missing on Nov. 19 and was last seen Nov. 11 driving her vehicle north of Duluth on North Shore Drive. Investigators believe on Nov. 13 she was at a restaurant in Duluth.
Wasabi Japanese Cuisine opening Duluth location Nov. 23
Wasabi Japanese Cuisine will open at 132 E. Superior St. in Downtown Duluth on Black Friday, Nov. 23. The restaurant’s Facebook page notes the grand opening will be from 2 to 10 p.m.
For more information, read Perfect Duluth Day’s previous story on the subject: “Wasabi Japanese Cuisine to open in Duluth’s Old City Hall.”
The menu, shown below, features dine-in and take-out items. (more…)
Duluth 2018 General Election Results
With 4.113 of 4,113 precincts reporting statewide, below are the results for races relevant to Duluth.
FEDERAL OFFICES
United States Senator
Amy Klobuchar – 1,566,015 | 60.30%
Jim Newberger – 940,454 | 36.21%
Dennis Schuller – 66,264 | 2.55%
Paula M. Overby – 23,150 | 0.89%
Write in – 994 | 0.04%
United States Senator (special election to fill two-year term)
Tina Smith – 1,370,375 | 52.97%
Karin Housley – 1,095,777 | 42.35%
Sarah Wellington – 95,634 | 3.7%
Jerry Trooien – 24,369 | 0.94%
Write in – 1,165 | 0.05%
United States Representative, Minnesota District 8
Pete Stauber – 159,388 | 50.71%
Joe Radinovich – 141,972 | 45.17%
Ray “Skip” Sandman – 12,768 | 4.06%
Write in – 178 | 0.06%
(more…)
Duluth Cider opening Nov. 14
Valerie and Jake Scott announced today that Duluth Cider will open Nov. 14. It’s Duluth first cider production facility. Six ciders will be on tap at the opening. Flights of four sample pours will be available, as well as take-home growlers.
For more info on Duluth Cider, visit PDD’s previous story on the subject: “Craft cider coming soon to Duluth.”
Grand Avenue Nordic Center trail opening soon
(Photo courtesy of Spirit Mountain)
Eric Chandler reports on his Shmotown blog that Duluth’s first cross-country trail system with snowmaking capability is expected to open in December. (more…)
Report scores Minnesota’s progress in sustainability
Minnesota’s state agencies are making progress toward sustainability goals according to a report by the Department of Administration’s Office of Enterprise Sustainability.
The Enterprise Sustainability 2017 Annual Report is the first collection of data that documents progress on cutting costs and increasing efficiency through sustainable practices.
The report can be viewed online at mn.gov.
Duluth 2018 General Election Sample Ballot
The 2018 General Election ballot in Duluth is a two-sided monster with federal, state, county and judicial races galore, plus a three-parted school district referendum question. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. (more…)
Duluth’s Financial Crisis of 2008
Duluth was featured in the Oct. 6, 2008 issue of New York Times in an article about cities facing economic hardship.
To help close a gap of more than $6 million that yawned open over the summer, the artsy shipping city on Lake Superior had considered selling its prized Tiffany stained-glass window depicting Longfellow’s American Indian character Minnehaha, a one-of-a-kind work donated by a civic group more than 100 years ago. And some even pushed forward with plans to sell valuable beachfront property along the lake.
Hostel du Nord opens Oct. 25
Duluth’s first modern hostel opens Oct. 25. Hostel du Nord, located in the former Garon Bros. Jewelers building at 217 W. First St., will offer an alternative to traditional lodging options. (more…)
Twin Ports Interchange Reconstruction EAW
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has prepared an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the Twin Ports Interchange Reconstruction project and is seeking public input. The project proposes reconstructing the I-35/I-535/US 53 interchange, US 53 between I-35 and West Third Street, and I-535/Garfield Avenue interchange located in Duluth. (more…)
People mag chooses Duluth Grill as Minnesota’s top breakfast
Duluth Grill is highlighted in the October 2018 issue of People magazine as part of a feature on Top Breakfast Restaurants in each state. The grill’s recipe for Smoked Salmon Hash Skillet, featuring salmon smoked at OMC, the Duluth Grill’s sister restaurant, is spotlighted.