News and Current Affairs Posts

Sample Ballot for Superior, Douglas County, Wisconsin 2010 General Election

Here it is, a sample ballot so all the folks in Douglas County can practice at home.

Independence of Duluth News Tribune Political Endorsements

The recent DNT endorsement of Chip Cravaack, a conservative Republican who enjoys a lot of Tea Party support, made me want to tap the PDD community for information and discussion of the DNT endorsements over the years. The Fargo-based, private company Forum Communications became owner of the DNT in 2006. Since then, the DNT and the many other Forum newspapers overwhelmingly tend to endorse conservatives and Republicans as a bloc.

Monahan Brothers Make it to D.C.!!

Remember back in May!?!?! Well, 3,100 miles later, the old guys made it! This photo was taken at the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday, where organizers from movetoamend.org unfurled a ginormous (20×100 ft.) preamble to the Constitution for people to sign. It was quite a display, both visually and emotionally (I’m pretty proud of my pops). The crowd was receptive and security was … cooperative. Pics from the action made it into USA Today and the Washington Post. Anyway, what a day! If this is inspiring at all, consider signing the motion at movetoamend.org. If you’re curious, here are the rest of the pics from my epic political activism adventure:

SmugMug: Monahan Brothers in DC 10-2010

Rowdy crowd at Oberstar/Cravaack forum

It was an emotional crowd at the Congressman Jim Oberstar and challenger Chip Cravaack forum on Tuesday, Oct. 19. A crowd filled the main level of the DECC Auditorium and didn’t heed the requests of forum moderators Dave Orman or Chuck Frederick to keep the event civil.

At the beginning Orman told the crowd that there had been a fist fight in the Skywalk (which this blogger thought was a joke, but apparently not). See more photos and the whole Hillsider blog post here.

Hillsider intern attends presentation about Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Our Hillsider intern, Sam Elmquist, attended a presentation about Domestic Violence. Here is his post.

Power and Control Wheel

October is nationally recognized as violence against woman awareness month. In honor of this I attended a presentation about physical violence against women, more particularly about a women’s shelter here in Duluth called Safe Haven. The shelter works with men, women, and children involved in abusive relationships. Safe Haven provides a safety net which allows women caught up in abusive relationships to come and stay at the shelter, hopefully allowing them the time they need in order to try and settle themselves as individuals. Specifically they give these women a place to stay and time to figure out what it is they want to do.

Various support groups help them realize the situation they are in and give them the chance to relate with other women who are going through similar circumstances. The shelter offers women looking for help up to thirty days to figure out what it is they want to do, this is not necessarily a time limit because the shelter is willing to make exceptions for women who need more time and are seriously committed to change.

Read the whole post here.

Dayton, Emmer and Horner answer Hillsider questions about Duluth’s workforce and economic recovery

Minnesota gubernatorial candidates at the Duluth Chamber of Commerce The Forum event on Sept. 7, which was held at the Duluth Playhouse. From left to right: Tom Horner – Independent, Tom Emmer – Republican and Mark Dayton – DFL. (Photo by Naomi Yaeger-Bishcoff)

In the Hillsider’s October issue, the three gubernatorial candidates were asked:

How do you perceive Duluth’s workforce meeting the required skills for economic recovery from this recession?

Here are their answers:

Mark Dayton
Tom Emmer
Tom Horner

Duluth Farmers Market

The Market is still open through Oct. 31 from 7am – noon. Lots of pumpkins, squash, garlic, etc, and fresh herring from Lake Superior Fish Co. The wild rice is also in great supply and the chocolate truffles are too! 14th Ave. E. and Third St.

Ford and Rubin answer our questions

Have you decided who you will vote for in the race between Melanie Ford and Mark Rubin?

The October issue of The Hillsider is out. We have a candidate questionnaire for several of the candidates running for office this November. Read all the candidates who answered by picking up a paper copy.

Here are links to the St. Louis county attorney candidates’ answers to our most recent questions.
Melanie Ford
Mark Rubin

The questions we posed:

  • What things in the County Attorney’s office would you like to see change, expanded or improved upon.
  • What is the greatest injustice that needs correction?
  • What is your favorite place in any of the three neighborhoods that we cover, i.e. Central Hillside, East Hillside or Lincoln Park.


This guy likes to show off his junk

At 5:23 p.m. Saturday I was driving west along Grand Avenue and had to stop for a red light at Central Avenue. A tall, bald guy in a red jacket and black pants started walking across the crosswalk, then stopped and turned to look at the young lady sitting in the car in front of me. He reached for his belt … and … well … what follows is my thought pattern from there.

Northland Anti-war Coalition Statement on FBI Raids

On Friday, Sept. 24, FBI agents raided four homes of anti-war and social justice activists in Minneapolis, the offices of the Twin Cities Anti-War Committee, two homes in Chicago, and others in Michigan and North Carolina.

All of the activists targeted have been involved in legal, open political work against U.S. wars and for solidarity with the people of Palestine and Latin America. None have yet been charged with any crime.

Reports indicate that this raid was more than a year in the making, and it follows on the heels of a U.S. Justice Department investigation revealing that the FBI has been illegally spying on activists in the peace and social justice movements for several years.

Wednesday night at Hartley Nature Center

Adult Night Out at Hartley Nature Center:

This week, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m.- Fabulous Ferns! Learn to identify our areas “top ten” most common ferns and which work well in home gardens. Speakers include Carol Andrews, President of the Arrowhead Chapter of Wild Ones, and Clayton Oslund, author of What’s Doin’ the Bloomin’?

Free for Wild Ones and Hartley members, $4 donation for non-members

Presenting the most complicated ballot question of all time!

If you live in Duluth, this fall’s ballot asks the question below, which I will not even try to simplify.

School District Ballot Question
Approval of School District Bond Issue

Shall the School Board of Independent School District No. 709, Duluth, be authorized to issue general obligation bonds totaling $128,000,000 to be used with an estimated $66,092,086 in bonds and investment earnings previously approved by the board for alternative facilities to build two new middle schools and two new elementary schools; repair and remodel three high schools, one middle school, and five elementary schools; repair and expand two elementary schools; and repair and remodel Old Central High and the Secondary Technical Center?

My question to you, PDD readers, is do you even want anyone to explain what this means?

It would be awesome if a local TV news show asked people on the street what they think this question means. The answers would be precious.

NorShor to Remain Closed

The NorShor received the ban hammer from DEDA today. The building will be closed indefinitely until it meets ADA compliance.

Another Station Change

After yet another radio format switch I find myself wondering the reason for it all, and when it will end.  I must admit, the Bridge was one of the few stations left that I could stand to listen to.

Upper Midwest Broadcasting Station News reports:

Midwest Communications’ KDAL-FM/95.7 (Duluth) has dropped its “Bridge” Adult Alternative format and is now carrying Rock of the 1970s, `80s, and `90s as “Rock 96.”

What are everyone’s thoughts?

One hiker could be freed on Saturday

The Minneapolis Star Tribune is reporting that one of the three American hikers jailed in Iran for more than a year could be released Saturday.

Iran to release 1 of 3 jailed American hikers

There is no word on which hiker might be freed. One of them, Shane Bauer, is a Minnesotan. His sister and brother-in-law live in Duluth, and he also has family in Shakopee and Pine City.

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