Duluth MN News and Current Affairs from Perfect Duluth Day

Lollygagger Pale Ale: Bent Paddle and Loll Designs collaborate on new beer to support local bikers

Jun 26, 2015 3 Comments

Loll Designs and Bent Paddle Brewing Company are teaming up to release Lollygagger Pale Ale in the coming weeks. It states on the can that 5 percent of sales will be donated to Cyclists of the Gitchee Gumee Shores, a group with the mission to improve cycling opportunities in the Twin Ports. The contribution will be split between Loll and Bent Paddle. The new can design was a collaboration between Bent Paddle owners and Loll graphic designers. Cheers to drinking beer for a great cause. The beer should hit liquor stores by mid July.

News and Current Affairs Beer and Breweries, Bent Paddle Brewing, Loll Designs

Is this bear poop on my front lawn?

Jun 21, 2015 5 Comments

These droppings were six feet from my front door this morning on North 42nd Avenue West in West Duluth.

News and Current Affairs, Outdoors Bears, Poop, West Duluth

St. Paul gets all up in Duluth’s craft-beer capital-proclaiming face

Jun 21, 2015 11 Comments

A new billboard has popped up on Grand Avenue in West Duluth with fighting words issued from St. Paul. Duluth, many will recall, claimed the title of “Craft Beer Capital of Minnesota” back in February 2013.

Lake Superior masons, past Portorama leader and more in the Look at Lakeside newsletter

Jun 13, 2015 1 Comment

The Look at Lakeside newsletter turned three years old with its 18th issue, published a few weeks ago (six issues per year). The newsletter is online at lookatlakeside.com. It was interesting to get a tour of the masonic lodge in Lakeside. How many buildings do we drive by often but haven’t been in? Maybe I’m a curious person but it’s interesting to me to think about all the people who have been in a place over the years.

News and Current Affairs Lakeside

Dead tree or stunted bloomer?

Jun 10, 2015 1 Comment

A recent news release from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports that “foresters are seeing many silver maples and some elms with stunted or no leaves and an abundance of seeds this spring. These trees are not dead and will rebound over the next couple of years.”

The image above is of a tree I planted last fall that hasn’t produced leaves this spring. I can’t remember what kind of tree it is, but I think it’s a northern pin oak. The DNR lists elms, maples, ashes and oaks as potential stunted bloomers.

Canal Park parking has been … um … streamlined

Jun 09, 2015 13 Comments

The Duluth News Tribune reported on Monday that rates have changed at three parking lots in Canal Park. Two examples are the Northwest Iron lot (between Grandma’s Saloon and the DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace) and the Lighthouse lot (near the lighthouse pier). The minimum rate is now $3 for three hours, up from last year’s $2 for two hours.

The DNT notes:

Parking Operations Specialist Mark Bauer said the city decided to make the changes to streamline the parking process.

“Instead of trying to interpret and guess how much time you’re going to be there, we thought it would be easier to just simply pay for this three-hour block of time,” Bauer said. “It simply covers you up to that three-hour limit.”

There has been no word yet on whether hotels in the area will be streamlining their processes by invoking a three-night minimum stay or whether bars will enforce a three-drink minimum for customer convenience.

Canadian wildfire haze over Duluth

Jun 08, 2015 5 Comments

Forest fires burning across Saskatchewan are making for a rather psychedelic afternoon.

News and Current Affairs, Photos Weird

Great Lakes Trail

Jun 01, 2015 2 Comments

If all the existing trails, trails under construction and trails in the planning phases in Duluth aren’t quite enough, here’s a rather ambitious plan that would upset a few local backyards. The Detroit Free Press reports of a plan for the “Great Lakes Trail” — a 10,900-mile trail spanning at least eight states and two Canadian provinces, following the shores of the five Great Lakes.

World’s longest marked trail proposed around Great Lakes

As the Great Lakes states were admitted into the Union, the federal government granted them the lake beds and waters of the Great Lakes up to the ordinary high-water mark — from the point on the bank or shore where continuous wave action has made a distinct mark, to the water.

This was affirmed by a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1894, in the Shively v. Bowlby case. The justices found that lands below the high-water mark were “for the benefit of the whole people.” (This may come as news to owners of $750,000 lakefront homes whose deed tells them the shoreline is theirs.)

News and Current Affairs, Outdoors Hiking

Rhubarbarism

May 29, 2015 13 Comments

Once upon a time I would not have guessed that I’d ever witness somebody stealing rhubarb, but yeah, that’s what this guy did behind our neighbors’ garage this afternoon.

As far as having to clear a windshield in May goes, not so bad

May 26, 2015 No Comments

News and Current Affairs, Photos

Happy tick season to all

May 25, 2015 2 Comments

Ticks are most active from mid-May through mid-July.

Walk in the center of trails.
Conduct frequent strip searches.
Tweeze ’em and torch ’em.

News and Current Affairs, Videos Ticks

Beware the gadfly’s sting

May 13, 2015 19 Comments

Duluth News Tribune photo by Clint Austin

The crabby, vindictive majority on the School Board crumpled like wet tissue when Art Johnston stood up and defended himself in court — something he has been unable to do in the majority-controlled environs of the School Board.

In your face, petty tyrants! The First Amendment rules!

Duluth News Tribune: Duluth School Board may opt against removing Johnston

Duluth Reader: Stop swatting the gadflies

News and Current Affairs Duluth Public Schools

Old Klearflax warehouse is a-comin’ down

May 13, 2015 14 Comments

As previously reported on PDD, Walker Display has moved its operations out of West Duluth, and its former location on Grand Avenue is being demolished to make way for a Kwik Trip convenience store. The demolition process has revealed the former exterior of the building’s west side — a reminder that it once served as a warehouse for Klearflax Linen Rugs Co.

Apparently the mayor was too focused on sharks

May 06, 2015 No Comments

Photo by Ken Greshowak

Last we heard, someone was dressed in a bear suit in front of City Hall, trying to coax this poor critter down from the tree.

News and Current Affairs Bears

Missing Person: Helge Rohm

Apr 30, 2015 No Comments

Update: The Duluth Police Department reports that Helge Rohm has been located and is safe.

The Duluth Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating 72-year-old Helge Rohm. He is a Duluth resident and was last seen in the area of Second Avenue East and Sixth Street on Saturday, April 19.

Rohm is a 6-ft.-tall, 190-lb. white male with blue eyes and white/grey hair. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or the Violent Crimes Unit at 218-730-5050.

News and Current Affairs Missing Persons

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