News and Current Affairs
Hillside Market re-opens
It will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. This is going to remain a family-owned business, as it has been since I can remember. But like every small business, they have almost overwhelming competition from [insert-name-of-big-box-chain-retailer here] so, they need all the support they can to make it, or better yet, to prosper.
This is a good opportunity for people who are boosters of small, family-owned businesses to engage their mouths along with their wallets. So, if you count yourself in that group, please stop in make a purchase as soon as you can, and thank them for making a commitment to our city’s economy. Then … keep coming back, whenever you can.
Publishing, in the future
Here’s a really cool video showing one R&D company’s view of the future of e-readers. Having been in the publication design biz for years, I loved seeing somebody take the idea of an electronic magazine beyond the blog or web site format. Some of the stuff they do in here is really cool, and features the photography and art beautifully.
Somewhat related, I saw a few posts today speculating about the fabled Apple Tablet, what it will actually be, and whether it will be a disappointment or not. I was saving up for an iPod touch, but I think I’ll wait to see what shakes out from Steve Job’s announcement in a few weeks.
Lake Superior Brewing wins Gold Medal at World Beer Championships
Lake Superior Brewing Company‘s Oktoberfest won a gold medal at the World Beer Championships.
Not sure why I feel like the resident apologist for Lake Superior Brewing especially since I’ve never tasted the stuff but … somehow I am a big booster of this gem of a Duluth business and I was very glad to see them get some recognition. Who knows? Maybe this is a stepping stone to better and better things for them and our fair Lincoln Park. Congratulations Dale and boys.
R.I.P. Lakeview Castle Duluth
Word on the street is the Lakeview Castle will be closing it doors.
Merry Christmas!!
Kenny wishes you all a Happy Holiday!
After numerous comments on my “Merry F***ing Christmas” thread, I got a phone call from Chief Gordon Ramsey. He was most cordial and apologetic about my ticket and offered to take care of it in a manner amenable to me. So, I deleted the previous thread- and have a lot of respect for the power of this little ol’ PDD blog and for our DPD Chief. Kenny wishes you all a Happy Holiday (and he is still for sale).
Coal Train (Soultrane?)
Parked (?) train blocks view of Lake Superior from https://duluthdailyphoto.vox.com/
I thought this was intended as a temporary winter seawall.
But Duluth Daily photo (above) and later the Duluth News Tribune had some good coverage of this that straightened me out, apparently these coal cars are just being stored on those tracks, even though they do sit in a storm prone spot. Now, DNT’s Brandon Stahl writes that the train will be moved to Leif Ericson Park. (more…)
“Precious Waters” – Minnesota’s Sulfide Mining Controversy
The short film “Precious Waters” which takes a hard look at the sulfide mining industry’s history of failed predictions and the potential impacts it will have on northeastern Minnesota will be showing in Duluth this week and next.
Thursday, December 3
Duluth League of Women Voters Forum
US EPA Conference Center
6200 Congdon Blvd, Duluth
Showing of Precious Waters at 6:30 p.m. followed by a panel discussion and audience questions
Monday, December 7
Teatro Zuccone
222 E. Superior St.
Movie showing at 7 p.m., followed by a panel of local speakers
Tuesday, December 8
Teatro Zuccone
222 E. Superior St.
Movie showing at 7 p.m.
The film is also available in it’s entirety for viewing online along with more info regarding this important topic at https://preciouswaters.org.
More harsh online criticism of the Duluth News Tribune
Just when PDD had gone a full month without a post specifically targeting the local daily newspaper, Business North coughs this up for us to share:
Body Love, Size Acceptance & Health at Every Size
A Women’s Resource & Action Center Brown Bag Presented by Linda Gokee-Rindal
Wednesday, Nov. 18th 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Kirby Student Center 268
Sponsored by UMD Women’s Resource & Action Center, UMD Women’s Studies Department & UMD Health Services
Free and open to the public.
Contact info:
UMD Women’s Resource & Action Center
Kirby Student Center 266
[email protected]
218-726-6292
https://www.d.umn.edu/mlrc/wrac/
When the Weather Outside is Frightful: The Science Behind the Weather and How to Stay Safe
Thursday Nov. 12, 2009
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Great Lakes Aquarium
Cost: FREE (more…)
No Can Haz Drunken La-z-boy
Only a few hours left in the infamous motorized La-z-boy auction, and it’s nowhere to be found on ebay! Anyone know what happened to it?
Oh well. If I can’t have an infamous motorized La-z-boy, I can at least bid on this.
UMD Fall Sustainability Fair: Nov. 4
UMD Fall Sustainability Fair
When: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 10-3
Where: UMD Kirby Student Center
What: Sustainability is the balance achieved when a society is able to provide for its own needs without compromising the needs of future generations. The bi-annual UMD Sustainability Fair has been established to highlight the progress of sustainability efforts within our community. The Fall 2009 Sustainability Fair will feature panel discussions and presentations focusing on the issue of food, in conjunction with the Superior Grown Food Summit which will be held at UMD on Saturday, Nov. 14. However, sustainability encompasses multiple, overlapping issues, including: education, energy, natural resources, government, economy, health, transportation and social justice. Public and private groups representing these facets will be present to showcase their progress.
Regarding Rod Raymond
Rod Raymond is a fitness instructor at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He was investigated by UMD administrators this past summer and reprimanded for sexually harassing students. The issue became the hot topic in town last week when the Duluth News Tribune reported on it.
A post was made on this Web site last week regarding the issue, and a lot of people weighed in with comments. The person who made the post ultimately grew uncomfortable with it and decided to change the post and remove all the comments, except one.
Since then, PDD administrators have opted to not approve two other posts about the issue — one that didn’t seem to make any sense, and another that was purely mean spirited. A third post was automatically published, but was later removed because it was considered to be in poor taste.
This is a sensitive issue, but it’s also an important one. It is not the intention of PDD’s administrators to shut down all commentary about this. On the contrary, we encourage you to add your comments to this post. If you feel Mr. Raymond’s punishment was too light or that he was unfairly judged, by all means say so.
Just keep it productive, please. Don’t go all batshit loonball.
Honkers get together on Facebook
Surely this will come as no surprise, but there’s now a Facebook page for the Honking House.
Minnesota Supreme Court: Bong water is a controlled substance
In a split decision today, the Minnesota Supreme Court said possession of 25 grams or more of bong water that tests positive for a controlled substance can be prosecuted as a first-degree drug crime. (more…)
Relax, kick back, and get a DWI
Okay, this one’s bound to go viral.
“According to the criminal complaint, Anderson drove his motorized chair into a vehicle parked near a Proctor bar. Anderson told police he was traveling from the Keyboard Lounge after consuming approximately eight or nine beers. His blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.29 percent, more than three times the legal limit to drive.”
…
“Anderson had to forfeit his motorized chair to Proctor police, who plan to auction it with other forfeited items, Foucault said.”
Duluth News Tribune : La-Z-Boy crash leads to DWI in Proctor
Oct. 17 Twin Ports Anti-War Protest
Oct. 17 Duluth Anti-War March & Rally
NATIONAL DAY OF LOCAL ACTIONS TO END THE WARS
Saturday, October 17 is a national day of local actions against the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Around the country over 40 cities and towns will be holding protests, among them will be Duluth, Minnesota.
To give local citizens an opportunity to demonstrate their opposition to the ongoing wars this country is waging, we’ll be holding a march and rally in downtown Duluth starting at noon. We’ll be assembling at the Clayton, Jackson & McGhie Memorial at the corner of 2nd Ave. E. & E. 1st Street. From there we’ll march to the Duluth Federal Building. (more…)
Is Duluth “anti-growth”?
On his DNT blog, Buzz Duluth, Brandon Stahl interviewed St. Scholastica Econ Professor Tony Barrett about the city council’s frequent talk regarding “expanding the tax base,” and what that actually means. In the post, Barrett explains that the only direct way that the council can expand the tax base is to attract new business “through subsidies or TIFs,” or through zoning changes, or “to eliminate steps” involved with business development.
Barrett then goes on to explain that Duluthians are often resistant to this kind of growth.
“Every community has certain groups that oppose growth; environmentalists who don’t want to see trees cut down, or less green space… people who fear that growth is going to require higher taxes,” he said. “Duluth has a strong element of people who just don’t want Duluth to change. They like it the way it is. That’s why they didn’t move away to the Twin Cities, maybe get a better job. Duluth, of all the communities I’ve lived in, has the strongest anti-growth sentiment. And I think it’s really our culture of people liking Duluth just the way it is.”
The comments, of course, blame the DFL and “environmentalists.” But in light of the recent Honking House fiasco, the Lakewalk townhomes, and the debate over the reorganization of Duluth’s schools, it seems that the conflict in opinions is far more complex than some would like to admit.
So what do you think?
Peace Cabaret
Mississippi Civil Rights Project Fundraiser: Music and Performance
Carmody Irish Pub, 308 E. Superior St, Duluth, Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 7:30-10 pm
Peace Cabaret: Welcome by Claudie Washington. Barton Sutter, Rabbi Amy Bernstein, Mary Cameron, David Comer, Portia Johnson, and Claire Kirch read short pieces by Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy, Fannie Lou Hamer, Stokely Carmichael, Sojourner Truth, and Barbara Jordan. Jazz by Perfectini.
This November, photographer/activist Sue Sojourner is returning again to Holmes County after working there in the Civil Rights Movement for five years in the 1960s. This time the Oral History Center of the University of Southern Mississippi-Hattiesburg is holding a gathering for the surviving veterans of that Movement. The event uses a workbook Sue created on the Holmes Movement History as a memory catalyst. It will be a unique local-community-led oral history documentation project.
This fundraiser will help defray travel costs to Mississippi. It will also help Sue finish her memoir and catalog her historical collections for transfer to two archival institutions.