News and Current Affairs
WTF?!? (Puppy Edition)
A warning to all dog owners out there: some asshole is going around Duluth’s Lakeside neighborhood poisoning dogs (DPD, DNT, Strib, Fox21, MPR). Unlike the dog-napper rumors, this appears to be real.
Watch your doggies, bring them to the vet if you notice symptoms, and keep an eye out for suspicious people giving your pets “treats.”
Three years of road rage (and wide open left lanes)?
Since we have to endure this “mega-project” for so long, we better all get on the same page.
I’m one of those who follows the signs that say USE BOTH LANES when backed up and TAKE TURNS AT THE MERGE, which means take turns at the merge to me. I’m pretty sure these signs, their positioning, and the whole setup have been thought out and planned to make the situation as easy as possible for everyone.
Despite those instructions, it seems a majority of people decide to fall in line to the right, maybe assuming they’re eventually going to have to merge anyway. This creates a very long backup in the right lane and a wide open left lane up to the merge, which leads to angry drivers in the right lane who see others cruising by them in the left lane. If a majority of us would actually drive through this the way I think it was intended, I think it would be a lot smoother, similar to the second merge going west from downtown, where traffic spreads out a little and left laners can seamlessly get right without anyone having to slow down at all.
I bring this up after seeing the attempts by some to take up both lanes and actually getting swerved at yesterday for using the wide open left lane. Thank goodness the kids weren’t in the car. Seriously who “fake swerves” their vehicle at another moving vehicle?
Am I wrong here? And if not, how do we get everyone through this as intended? I’ve seen letters to the DNT addressing this and basically saying the same thing I am, obviously without impact.
2010 Minnesota Governor Race
You’ve got until Tuesday, June 1, to pick a running mate and file your candidacy for governor in Minnesota.
Your list of opponents will surely grow in the next week, but here’s the lineup so far:
Tom Emmer & Annette T. Meeks (Republican)
Ole Savior & Todd “Elvis” Anderson (Republican)
Margaret Anderson Kelliher & John Gunyou (DFL)
Mark Dayton & Yvonne Prettner Solon (DFL)
Congratulations to Ole Savior for being more hilarious than ever this time around. Elvis Anderson? Really? Wow.
By the way, in Wisconsin the list of candidates for governor is up to 20 already. Lieutenant governor candidates run separately in Wisconsin. There are 10 of them, including Superior Mayor David Ross.
And how about the crazy scramble to run for Prettner Solon’s Minnesota Senate District 7 seat now that she’s running for lieutenant governor? No one has filed yet, but that one is bound to get interesting.
Oh, and I apologize in advance for provoking a discussion of politics.
Duluth Google Fiber Movie!
Thoughts?
Tour of Old City Hall
A wonderful video tour of Old City Hall made by Dan Hartman. Very cool. Can’t wait for it to be done!
Council says yes to purchase of NorShor
Predictably, it was a 6-3 vote. The easy part is over. Now the work begins. This ought to be interesting.
Challenge #1: Actually close the sale.
Challenge #2: If the strip club agrees to move out, will it open somewhere else? Wherever “somewhere else” might be, that’ll be a fun little controversy.
Challenges #3 through #209: Figure out how to fix the place up, get someone running it who can make it work, and everything that comes up along the way.
Downtown Ace Hardware closing
Losing Daugherty Hardware was bad enough. Now Ace Hardware downtown is closing. The big-box stores cannot compare, and downtown takes another hit. Poop!
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
This didn’t make a lot of news, and that’s a shame. Thanks Rep. Laine.
NEWS RELEASE
New Law Gives Minnesotans a Natural Choice for Care of Deceased
Saint Paul, Minnesota – Governor Pawlenty has signed into law changes that will give Minnesotans a more natural choice in how they care for their deceased loved ones. Under current law, a body must be embalmed if there is a public viewing, but State Rep. Carolyn Laine (DFL – Columbia Heights), who authored the bill, said this practice is largely unneeded. The new law permits dry ice to be used for public viewing of a deceased body within private property, such as a home, church or funeral parlor.
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More NorShor Details
I was going to post this as a response in a previous thread, but made it a post instead…
There are questions about the sale price. Legitimate questions, $2.6 million is a lot of money. Between the three buildings, there is a lot of value. This is both a fair price and makes economic sense for the city. I’ll share our value assessment with you.
First, we have examined the sq ft comps in the neighborhood. There is 40k sq ft of commercial / office space in the Temple and Annex space. The average per sq ft cost for sale in old downtown is $37.75 based on building sales of Coney Island Bldg and Gardner Hotel (and other area building sales). I think we could make a strong case that the Temple is a much more valuable property than those, but using this standard, the value of the commercial and office space would be $1.5 million.
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NorShor and Temple Opera Block
On Saturday Eric Ringsred signed a purchase agreement to sell the Temple Opera Building, NorShor Theatre, and NorShor Annex to DEDA for $2.6 million. The sale is contingent on approval by DEDA and the Council. It’s my intent to make the NorShor the crown jewel of the downtown, to make it the center of a regional arts and entertainment district.
There is a lot of discussion on this, let me fill in with a few thoughts:
UMD Spring Sustainability Fair – Thursday, April 22nd – 9am-2pm – UMD Kirby Student Center
This semester the theme of the UMD Sustainability Fair is Art and Design. What can you do at the fair? Attend an engaging conversation with community experts! Architect David Salmela, FAIA, will discuss architecture and sustainability. Pastor David Carlson of Duluth’s Gloria Dei Lutheran Church will talk about his experience with the Early Adopter’s training and how the Natural Step Framework as affected the congregation. Susan Meyers, graduate of UMD’s Masters of Liberal Arts program, will talk about her project, Creating a Journey into Healing with Art. Ryan Jordan, UMD Admissions Diversity Counselor, will present on Music and Social Change. You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about sustainability efforts in the Twin Ports by visiting over 20 community and campus organization’s informational and interactive booths! Also, check out UMD and Duluth elementary student art on display at UMD Stores Express and around campus! Sustain Fair Poster Spring 2010
UMD Parking Q’s: www.d.umn.edu/parking
Check out UMD’s Sustainability website: www.d.umn.edu/sustain
It’s not over yet, Netflix.
As Business North reports, the West Duluth Video Vision closes April 17. As the banners at Hollywood Video report, that store will be closing soon as well.
Other West Duluth video stores that came and went over the years include Mr. Movies, All Star Video and Late Night Video. The Redbox outside Super One and scattered convenience stores are the only movie rental choices in West Duluth now.
UPDATE: Video Vision owner Brian Augustine has changed his mind and will open a new location in the Spirit Valley Shopping Center.
For Really Fast Sermons
The First Presbyterian Church is located in Duluth on the corner of 3rd Ave E & 2nd St.
Lift Bridge changes
From MinnPost:
Duluth considering new lift bridge plan that would limit openings for small vessels
Duluth’s Aerial Lift Bridge may be in for a new schedule that will mean small boats may have to wait.
Jitterbug for Jitterbug TONIGHT
Jitterbug for Jitterbug
TONIGHT!
April 9th, 2010
6 – 11 pm
Peace Church – 1111 N 11th Ave E – Duluth
People of all ages, shapes and sizes will have a chance to learn some basic, advanced and even “trick” swing dance steps taught by a team of professional dancers (rumor has it that the area’s premier mix tape master will also make a guest DJ appearance sometime during the night slinging his favorite swing tunes).
Looking for something other than a tea party on tax day?
Coleen Rowley, you may remember, was the veteran FBI agent who blew the whistle on pre-9/11 intelligence failures and tried to warn the Bush Administration against the war in Iraq. She’s retired from the FBI now, but still working for a more transparent and ethical government.
If you miss her at the rally, she’ll be giving a public lecture that same evening at UMD, 7:30pm in Room 120 of the Solon Campus Center.
New Taxi Rule in Duluth
Attention Duluth cab customers: From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. you have to either pre-pay or prove you have the ability to pay before the cab driver will begin the trip.
Details in a Duluth Police Department news release published on John Ramos’ Cheerleader Blog.
Thank You President Obama (UPDATED x 3)
Thank you for the health care bill; I would have preferred a public option but I’m sure we’ll get there. But I really appreciate the fact that this bill protects the little guy from getting screwed by insurance companies – nice to know I can sick now without getting dropped. Hopefully my costs will go down too. I also appreciate that this bill cuts the deficit. I’m glad Oberstar quit playing chicken and voted for it.
I gotta say that it’s pretty hilarious that the right-wing fringe thinks this bill will end the world. If my grandma gets sent to any death panels I’ll let you know. Eek, socialism!
I also want to say thank you for the “Cash for Caulkers” tax rebate for the new windows and insulation I bought. That reduces my oil consumption and saves me money. It’s about time the government did something for the people that also helps the country as a whole. A refreshing approach, after all, despite what the glibertarians say, government is good.
Next up: financial reform, and immigration! If you thought the crazies were going crazy over health care, it’s time to put on some popcorn. And brace yourselves for another wave of right-wing violence and racist rhetoric. Hell of a party they’re running.
Voting Democratic in 2010,
Jim Richardson
UPDATE: A couple of pertinent fun links to share. Here is “An open letter to conservatives” which I take as a studiously hyperlinked treatise on why, even if you have no love for Democrats, the game has become one of keepaway from the crazy. And then here is some more on escalating threats of rightwing violence.
UPDATE x2: Some perspective on deficit hawk hysteria here. Right wing violence/vandalism tracker here. Republican Eric Cantor’s claim of his office getting shot at debunked here.
UPDATE x3: A full to bursting catalog of the recent right wing rhetoric of violence, and here is some additional commentary. Provocative stuff. Y’all ready for the immigration debate?
Obama’s going to need our help, and that includes voting in more, and better, Democrats. If we can keep Republican gains to a minimum in 2010, we are well-positioned to send them entirely packing in 2012.
We got your back sir!
Mayor Ness in New York Times
The mayor’s jump in the lake to support Google Fiber made a splash in the New York Times. How about that?
Mr. Nice in: Death From Above
Featuring the Keep Aways.
This is the maiden voyage of the Gonzo Science youtube channel, the Gonzonomicron.
“Cities Go Gaga for Google Fiber”
Catching up on some of my favorite tech blogs this morning and found this familiar face headlining a post on Gizmodo.
Duluth, Minnesota
But wait! Patrick Garmoe, public information officer of the Google Twin Ports Initiative laughs sheepishly as he explains Googlefest, an event that is one part rally, one part carnival and all parts enthusiasm for the promise of Google Fiber. In the midst of bands, choirs and other entertainment, “We’ll be shooting a movie with real actors and a Hollywood director and live-streaming the event to impress Google,” Garmoe says. The new initiative comes on the heels of Deluth mayor Don Ness’s own stunts. In a spoof video proclamation that in honor of Google, all first born males would be henceforth named GoogleFiber and first born females would of course be Googlette. Also, he literally sunk to a new low in the brutal battle for business. He jumped into the freezing waters of Lake Superior. Hizzoner, perhaps you’ll be deterred from further lunacy by these extremely gnarly Google Image results for “frostbite.”
Sen Al Franken Resurrects “Duluth Answer Man” to Support Twin Ports Google Fiber
MARCH 10, 2010 – Minnesota Sen. Al Franken has joined The Google Twin Ports Fiber Initiative by resurrecting his Duluth Answer Man clips.
Duluth’s campaign combines a fun and creative grassroots campaign with a very serious effort to build a strong business case for bringing Google Fiber to the Twin Ports.
The Duluth Answer Man campaign was produced in the mid 80s by the Duluth Convention and Visitors Bureau, known today as Visit Duluth. The series ran in the Twin Cites market as the summer tourism campaign for Duluth.
Please don’t cheese
From DNT article…
“We found a Hollywood director with ties to our area to shoot a short movie, about 10 minutes long, that we are gearing for Google,” Garmoe said. “We want to make sure that Google sees us, and this is one of our many efforts make us stand out from other cities.”
In my head, a collage of clips from movies and songs that mention Duluth would be pretty cool. Make it artsy, I says. Other ideas that aren’t terribly cheesy? (i.e. DBU commercials; no offense)