News and Current Affairs Posts

Rebuilt Civil War veteran’s house part of historic properties tour

Diane and Steve Dick stand outside their renovated home on 43rd Avenue East and London Road. The home was built in 1889 by Civil War veteran John Mallman and will be featured on the Duluth Preservation Alliance Historic Properties Tour this Sunday. (Photos by Mark Nicklawske)

A long abandoned duplex in Duluth’s Lakeside neighborhood was a complete wreck that showed no sign of its historic past when Steve and Diane Dick purchased it. Their simple renovation plan was to make room for an aging parent and host regular gatherings with their children and grandchildren.

Eight years on, the project has accomplished all the necessary family duties and more. The house stands out among its stately London Road neighbors and keeps an important piece of history alive: its original owners were Civil War veteran and early mining-exploration Captain John Mallman and his wife Catherine.

Duluth 2023 General Election Primer

Duluth’s municipal and school board general election is Nov. 7. Items on the ballot vary depending on which precinct voters live. Below is a rundown of all races in the city.

New restaurant to offer salads, soups and mystical gifts

Cori Zastera, left, and her husband Jason, stand in front of the Ritual Salad location at 1802 W. Superior St. in Lincoln Park. The new restaurant is scheduled to open in October. (Photos by Mark Nicklawske).

A new fast-casual restaurant featuring healthy salads and soups is in the works for Lincoln Park as the booming Duluth neighborhood sees redevelopment push east along Superior Street toward Garfield Avenue.

PDD Quiz: August 2023

Dive into this edition of the PDD Quiz and see how many local headlines you remember from the past month.

The next PDD quiz will highlight area hiking trails; it will be published on Sept. 10. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Sept. 6.

R.I.P. Rex Bar at Fitger’s

Patrons gathered at the Rex Bar Sunday for its last night in business. (Photo by Mike Creger)

Rex Bar at Fitger’s closed Sunday after nearly 15 years in business. It opened in 2008, following a brief period when the bar was called Lido. Prior to that the space operated as the Fitger’s Tap Room.

Kaylee Matuszak’s Duluth Dive Bar Guide

Duluth’s Kaylee Matuszak delves into Duluth dive bars in an article published today in the Twin Cities alternative news website the Racket.

Perfect Duluth Day seems to have not published a rundown on dive bars since the klunky Movable Type era, when Barrett Chase asked in 2007, “What are your top 5 Twin Ports dives?” The inclusion of Superior allowed the Anchor, Charlie Brown’s and Belknap Lounge to get mentions. Numerous bars that no longer exist were also part of the discussion, along with a few places in nearby townships.

Bali Asian Cuisine bringing Pan-Asian food to Duluth

Bali Asian Cuisine owner and chef Nevi Mariadi stands in front of her Lincoln Park restaurant bar.

A restaurant featuring Indonesian food and an array of other Asian fare will open in Lincoln Park as early as September. Bali Asian Cuisine will serve up fresh and flavorful food, according to chef and owner Nevi Mariadi.

Duluth 2023 Primary Election Results

With 34 of 34 precincts reporting, here are the unofficial results of Duluth’s municipal primary election.

Duluth 2023 Primary Election Sample Ballot

Duluth’s Municipal Primary Election is on Tuesday, Aug. 8. The first two races on this sample ballot — mayor and at-large city council — appear on ballots citywide. The fourth-district council race is pertinent to the Lincoln Park, Piedmont Heights and Duluth Heights neighborhoods. The third-district school board race is pertinent to Duluth Heights, Piedmont Heights, Central Hillside, Central Business District and Park Point.

PDD Quiz: July 2023

As we close out another month of summer, take this week’s PDD quiz to see how many July 2023 headlines you remember.

The next PDD quiz will be published on Aug. 13. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Aug. 9.

State fast-tracks funds for I-35 pedestrian bridge in Lincoln Park

A cyclist travels over I-35 on the Lincoln Park pedestrian bridge last week. The bridge has been targeted for replacement by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. (Photo by Mark Nicklawske)

A longstanding I-35 pedestrian bridge that connects Lincoln Park to its working waterfront and serves two well-traveled trail systems through the city has been fast tracked for replacement by state officials.

Duluth Mail Bag: What does a city councilor do?

Hobbs Mail BagAs a two-time Duluth city councilor, now in my final year of service, one of my goals is to make city government more accessible, or at least help citizens become more informed. I figure there are many Duluthians who would like some simple answers to some simple questions. I learned in school that if there is something you don’t understand it’s likely there are many others who feel the same way. Hence the idea of the Duluth Mailbag column.

I won’t divulge who is asking the questions, but I’ll answer them in this format about once a month. Feel free to put a question in the comments for next month’s “Duluth Mailbag” or tweet me via @Hobbs_Duluth or email me at hobbsforduluth @ gmail.com.

Also, if you want to have a longer conversation, you can sign up for a 45-minute cup of coffee through my 100 Cups of Coffee project.

OK, here we go!

Duluth-area beer production back on an upswing

When Perfect Duluth Day last took stock of regional craft beer production in 2020, the Twin Ports and surrounding region had generated roughly 50,000 barrels of brew — more than 1.5 million gallons. Pandemic production dipped slightly but has stabilized and started to rebound. The 2022 tally shows a production level of more than 61,000 barrels of brew as well as optimism that there’s still some untapped potential for growth.

PDD Quiz: June 2023

See how many June 2023 headlines you remember with this edition of the current affairs quiz.

The next PDD quiz, coming your way on July 9, will test your knowledge of area waterfalls. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by July 5.

Round-up Bar and Grill plans new patio space

Round-up Bar and Grill owner Mike Ronning stands outside the site of a new side patio. Landscaping, furniture, games and a small stage will be built on the site of the former Fine Frog Emporium. (Photo by Mark Nicklawske)

A longstanding Duluth bar known for its family-owned roots and connection to country music will add a new outdoor patio after an adjacent antique store was condemned and torn down earlier this year.

The Round-up Bar and Grill, 415 E. Fourth St., will construct space for outdoor dining and bar service along with a small stage on the east side of its building this summer. Fencing and signage have already been assembled and final landscaping work, lighting and furniture installation is expected to take place in the next few weeks.

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