David Beard Posts

Medical Marijuana

My colleague and friend Shane Courtland pulled a great event together.  I hope you’ll read the stories and advance the conversation.

Minnesota medical marijuana bill forum draws huge crowd

Legislation by an Iron Range DFL’er is drawing big attention in Duluth.

More than 200 people attended a public forum at UMD Monday on a bill to legalize marijuana introduced this spring with help from Rep. Carly Melin, DFL-Hibbing. Since then she’s been getting input and feedback from the public.

Melin said medical marijuana will offer pain relief with fewer side effects. She also said there are stiff penalties should anyone misuse the system.

See also: Minnesota lawmakers, experts debate legalizing medical marijuana

“Awareness Now”

I’m looking for information about a public activist campaign from the 1960s called “Awareness Now,” or something like it, possibly co-sponsored or sponsored by the Duluth chapter of the NAACP.

If you can help, post below or email!

Winter will be Hard: Wildwoods Retreats and Raccoon Relocation

Shopping on a Fall Day

Today was cold, it was oftentimes overcast, and I was kind of depressed. So I went shopping.

Rollerdames!

Saturday was Rollerdame action — at least for the last half of the game. The Harbor City Roller Dames A/B teams were divided, one team to represent Superior and one to represent Duluth. For the first half, the game was played in increments, as each skater would score 4 points, then call off the “jam.”  So the game progressed in inches until about the half.

Perfect Duluth Soda?

So, I make Fizzy Waters a regular stop while I am in Canal Park, but it’s not the only place I get tasty sodas.

Traps, again

Via Wildwoods Founders:

Yesterday evening, friends called about a red squirrel caught in a leghold trap set on the edge of a city park. We don’t know how long the squirrel had been trapped there. See the brown discoloration on the fur by his mouth? He’d been trying to chew his way out of the trap.

Bonding Bill

Someone please read this:
…and please explain to me why this is a good idea:
Spirit Mountain wants $3.4 million in state money for a new water-pumping system to use St. Louis River water instead of treated Duluth city water to make snow.

Nerd Nite

An account from Tim Broman:

NERD NITE: Had a fine dining experience friends, followed by Nerd Nite.

Media Night Owls, Early Birds, and Loners

I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately, and so at late hours, I hop online. The vexing part of Facebook is the way that it tells you who else is online. But are they really online, or did they fall asleep with Facebook open?

Transplants

Last night was another night of hipness for me.

I joined Kate VTB and Katie B for dinner at the “last Thai restaurant standing,”Sala Thai in Woodland (remember, Thai Krathong closes this week). Yummy.

Then, off to Prøve Collective. The “Transplants” show featured amazing work by Rob Adams, Ray Allard, Rodrigo Bello, Zach Gorr, Marcus Meldahl, and Aphtin Rapp. Bello did the amazing image posted at the top, and his work was worth a thousand times the price of admission. (Have I mentioned how lucky we are that events like this, with music by the Crunchy Bunch, are free?)

Prøve has an Indiegogo Campaign working to help bring it to the next level. It deserves your support. My life in Duluth would be less without its efforts.

MSAB Grants III

Grants with Duluth Connections

Trapping Incident: An Opinion Piece from Wildwoods

Two officers from Duluth Animal Control brought Wildwoods a juvenile skunk from near an apartment complex in central Duluth. The following is from Wildwoods Staff:

Minnesota State Arts Board Grantees II

Continuing my posting of FY 2013 grantees with implications for Duluth.

Partners in Arts Participation
Project grants to nonprofit or public human service organizations to give underserved individuals or groups opportunities to experience the arts.

Number of grants awarded as of May 1, 2013: 37
Total dollars awarded as of May 1, 2013: $523,000

Grand Rapids

Too far to be a suburb, too close to be another major metropolitan area? I spent Saturday visiting the MacRostie Art Center, Infinite Games, this tasty Chinese Buffet across from the Village Bookstore, their Riverwalk… what a pleasant community.

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!