News and Current Affairs
Girl’s hockey co-coach stepping down
DuluthJournal.com is reporting that Amber Fryklund has stepped down as co-coach of the Duluth Northern Stars high school girl’s hockey team. The team’s other co-coach, Jim Knapp, stepped down in late May. Read more.
WCCO Reports: Favre will be at Vikings’ training camp
I know. I know. We have heard so much about nothing about this that, who cares? Well this is finally news that seems pretty legit coming from WCCO.
Wonder if Cory Hollenhorst thought Favre would ever actually be a Viking when he doctored up this SI cover as a joke? According to WCCO’s Mark Rosen it seems Favre will be a Viking and the equipment manager already ordered the Purple #4.
Well I guess the good news is we will not throw a 3-yard dump off to the fullback on a 3rd-and-8 with Favre at the helm. Can you say Super Bowl?
Green Brief 7
“Mousavi and Khatami’s offices have told their supporters to use a different tactic to get their demands by going to the bazaars with their families everyday starting Tuesday at 9 and not buy anything at all. If anyone is to ask them, they’re to say they’re there to shop.”
Howie Blog: Pies ‘n boats
Volunteers have prepared over 900 pies for Saturday’s 5th annual Rhubarb Festival.
“We are even selling rhubarb burritos again this year,” Pies and Treats committee co-chair Char Juntunen said in a prepared statement. “We tried the Burritos last year at the last minute and they were a hit!” Read more.
Row, row, row your boat
Over 250 rowers from more than six clubs are expected to compete in the Duluth Rowing Club’s 51st Annual International Rowing Regatta on Saturday, July 11. Read more.
From the Ripsaw Archive | June 1999
Ten years ago, cartoonist Israel Malachi poked fun at Duluth City Councilor Marcia Hales for pushing an ordinance that made it a ticketable offense to play a car stereo loud enough to be heard 50 feet away. (more…)
Perfect Duluth Domestic Partnership
The city of Duluth opened Domestic Partnership registration yesterday (apparently nobody showed up). You can find info & forms here.
Helpful American
“Injured protests are confirmed to be being removed from hospitals and taken away.” [ https://twitter.com/ProtesterHelp ]
Proxy Info | Anonymous Iran | Tehran 24 | Tatsuma’s Iran Update
Green Brief 6 | Green Wave Info | Hackers Without Borders
Chris Raabe wins Grandma’s Marathon
Here’s Chris Raabe with a half-mile lead passing Ironic1’s house. He’s the first Minnesotan since Dick Beardsley to win Grandma’s Marathon! Yowza! It was a hot one out there.
Where will you hide this weekend?
With the impending Grandma’s Marathon, where is the best place to hide?
Father’s Day
Some father’s day notes …
I read this great book (above) to my daughter at the dentist’s office yesterday. Working with fathers for my “real” job, I notice these things like how medical offices are decorated and set up, many are very friendly to mothers (great), but some are a little daunting for dads (too bad). It’s wonderful that in addition to providing great quality and accessible health care, the Lake Superior Community Health Center also makes an extra little effort like this to make dads feel comfortable and welcome at their kids’ appointments.
I read a lot of books for kids and adults about dads, this book was really great I had never seen it before. I think it would make a good father’s day gift for a dad of school age kids, or one who appreciates crafty art like Steve Jenkins’ paper cut images in the book ….
My proposal: Superior-to-Skyline Run
It’s Grandma’s Marathon week, so runners will be flooding into town for the long, rolling race along the shore of Lake Superior. It’s an iconic setting and an iconic race.
I’ve wondered a few times since moving here, though, if there should be another iconic running race in Duluth, one that celebrates another facet of Duluth like Grandma’s celebrates the lake. My proposal: A run from the shore of Lake Superior to the top of the hill. Call it the “Superior-to-Skyline Run.” Short, simple and steep. Let’s start crowning Duluth’s Kings (and Queens) of the Hill.
RIAA In Duluth
Ars Technica coverage of the trail can be found here.
You Gotta Go
It’s quilters vs. poets in the ultimate face-off in Duluth. This weekend, see the po-po-poetry take on the stitch-stitch-stitchers in what promises to be a fight to the death. Watch as quilting bees are disrupted with spoken word jams with gangs from each side rumbling over the merits of hands-on artistry vs. word assembly. It’s tactile vs. fragile. Quilts against quatrains.
It all starts Thursday when the heavyweights of QuiltCon and PoCon square off. Beatrice Ludden takes on Rainbow Star. Val Struthers takes her needle against Will Strom’s pen.
It all leads to the ultimate showdown Saturday night when the machines take center stage for an inhumane stand-off: Stitcher 2000 vs. Thesaurus Rex. Be there as lines and threads are crossed with any means necessary to come out on top.
It’s all at the DECC, and in the alleys after dark. Take a stitch in rhyme and see this mixed arts extravaganza melee. Limited engagement, only in Duluth.
Honking Tree Commentary on MPR
Like many North Shore residents, commentator Catherine Conlan had come to see the 113-year-old white pine as much more than a tree.
Farmers Market at UMD
Farmers Market at UMD
EVERY WEDNESDAY 2:00-4:30
UMD Kirby Plaza Bus Hub
LOCAL Produce, Music and Artisans! (more…)
Kako Foundation Benefit
Perhaps you saw the article in the DNT a year ago about Rudy Perrault’s 16 year old cousin, Kako, who was brutally murdered in Haiti, after being kidnapped after school on his way to his grandmother’s house. The silver lining to this heinous act, is the KAKO Foundation, a music education program that has already begun in Haiti, with plans to eventually be established in the Twin Ports. The 2nd Annual Haiti Worthy Cause Concert will celebrate this emerging Foundation with great music and food – and, will celebrate Kako, a beacon for us all.
Sunday May 1, Chester Park United Methodist Church
3 PM, Program
4:30 PM Haitian Dinner
Monkey with a Tool Belt Day
According to today’s Duluth Tribune, today is the second annual Monkey with a Tool Belt day (there was a first?).
Local author/artist/target of much local adoration Chris Monroe will be at Marshall Hardware today signing copies of her book. Apparently there will be hot dogs, root beer, and prizes. It’s unknown if any monkeys will be there.
For your consideration…
Just want to make sure everyone is on the same page regarding the “mystery barrels”. The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa out of Bayfield, WI have secured over $1 million from the Department of Defense to remove about 70 of the barrels for testing. PDF here of the 2008 MN DOH “Health Consultation” regarding the barrels. Link here to Nukewatch’s compendium on barrel research including a full collection of local news releases on the subject.
Please share this info with friends and neighbors.
Stimulus Watch-Duluth projects total $413,263,980
I’m hoping the crater-sized pot hole that nearly swallowed my car on a recent trip to Kohls (Sundby Road) falls under MSA street reconditioning. I realize the Lift Bridge takes a lot of paint, but $5,000,000 worth? That’s crazy talk. https://www.stimuluswatch.org/project/by_city/Duluth/MN
Winners in Play Competition at the Play Ground
Lake Superior Writers Announce Winners in Play Competition
“The Voice of the Turtle” by Teresa Boyle Falsani
“The Voice of the Turtle” explores life’s losses, the unpredicted impact of important decisions, and the challenges of commitment over the long term.
“This Too Shall Pass” by Matt Wall
will also play
See these award winning plays on
Sunday, May 24
2pm at the Play Ground
Both plays will be performed in reader’s theater format
Free to the Public.
Pomp and (Impressive) Circumstance
I spend a lot of time on what I affectionately call “the dark underbelly of Duluth.” That is, around people in really rough circumstances with tough, long odds against them. As soon as I post this, I am headed up to the Arrowhead Juvenile Center, to spend some time with young dads up there, for example. But one thing that circumstances can’t extinguish is hope. It will live on even against the greatest odds, I’ve seen it happen over and over again and I’m convinced that it’s true.
Celebrate with Ellie Schoenfeld
The public is invited to celebrate the release of Ellie’s new book: “The Dark Honey: New & Used Poems,” published by Clover Valley Press.
When: 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28
Where: UMD Library Rotunda (4th floor), 416 Library Drive, Duluth.
Free parking.
For information, call 218-525-4552 or visit www.clovervalleypress.com
Uses for the Honking Tree
Mayor Bolen of Two Harbors will be convening a public meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at the Two Harbor Community Center to discuss ideas for using the remains of the Honking Tree.
Suggestions?