Selective Focus: Editor’s Choice
One year of Selective Focus would be impossible to capture in a single post, so I’ve gleaned just a few personal favorites. I think we’ve accomplished together many of my initial desires to foreground the real people who live work and play here, and to build community through art, no matter how homely or grand. (more…)
Sulfide Mining Debate + The Holidays = Watch This
Surely sulfide mining is close to the top of the things Minnesotans can disagree about with family and friends as we enter the holidaze. This two-minute video depicts one way the outcome of the PolyMet question could play out. Great for captive audiences who are too stuffed to resist. Enjoy!
Duluth City Council votes to oppose Trans Pacific Partnership
Thanks to the Duluth City Council for voting 8 to 1 to oppose the Trans Pacific Partnership. The DNT article is here.
The TPP has been negotiated in secret for years, and has been called “NAFTA on steroids” and a “corporate coup d’ etat.” If you’ve never heard of it that’s no coincidence. It will offshore jobs, raise the price of medicines, threaten net neutrality, threaten environmental protections, undermine human rights, roll back Wall Street reforms, and perhaps most frighteningly of all it will establish unelected tribunals whose courts will take precedence over U.S. and other national court systems with regard to trade disputes. Laws passed by democracies will no longer be the law of the land. This is an assault on our republican form of government. Please read more about it here and here.
Please email Senator Al Franken and Senator Amy Kobuchar.
Mayor Ness profiled on MinnPost
“Don Ness doesn’t want to be America’s most popular mayor anymore,” reads the headline of a feature on the Minneapolis-based nonprofit news website MinnPost. “Ness, at 41, is doing what is inconceivable to some: stepping away from politics indefinitely at the height of his career — a move that has left many in Duluth and around the state wondering: Why?”
On Twitter, Ness offers an alternate title for the story:
Twin Ports Joyride: Reduced-cost taxicab rides on the west side
A program designed to provide $7 taxicab vouchers to tipsy bar patrons in western Duluth and Proctor has been ramping up exposure leading into the holidays. Twin Ports Joyride is funded by participating bars, beer wholesalers and other donations. (more…)
Led Zeppelin Live in Duluth | Oct. 19, 1968
Don’t let the “Minnesota Blues” or the “Live in Duluth” on this album cover fool you, Led Zeppelin never performed in Duluth. But what is the story behind this Zep bootleg? (more…)
This Week: turkey time, Small Business Saturday, rooms that need escaping and more
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
It’s Thanksgiving week, so of course there’s a lot of turkey business going on in addition to the usual tomfoolery. Minnesota Congressman Rick Nolan comes to town on Monday for a forum, tap dancers, mayors and musicians come together in what’s being called a “lavish feast of local talent,” a locally-made Christmas coffee-table book is released, a man who spent two decades in prison speaks and comedian Josh Blue performs in Canal Park.
The Twin Ports Thanksgiving Buffet takes place, there’s a Thanksgiving Day Walk/Run in Lake Nebagamon, self-guided Christmas tours get underway at Glensheen Mansion, there’s a Funked-Up Dance Party at R.T. Quinlan’s, UMD Women’s Hockey gets discounted, Small Business Saturday is in effect with a multi-entrepreneur pop-up shop and the Northland’s first live-action-adventure escape room opens.
Video Archive: Deer hunters outside Chet & Emil’s
This film, circa 1975, was shot by the late Emil Praslowicz in Birnamwood, Wis., and digitized by his grandson, Kip Praslowicz.
Board Games in Duluth
Is there anywhere in Duluth (bar or coffee shop) with a good collection of board games? Classic games, not weird ones that take days to learn. I’d like to get some people together outside of my home. Just need a good place to do it! Thanks!
St. Louis River Corridor Parks Survey
Community input is being sought by Duluth’s Parks and Recreation Department to develop mini-master plans for eleven neighborhood parks in the St. Louis River Corridor: Historical, Fond du Lac, Blackmer, Smithville, Riverside, Norton, Keene Creek, Grassy Point, Merritt, Harrison and Piedmont. Preliminary concept plans have been developed for the parks following public meetings held in September and October.
An online survey is available at the City of Duluth website. (more…)
Low’s “Things We Lost in the Fire” on film
Just stumbled across this dark little film on Netflix and our pals Low provide some of the soundtrack.
Selective Focus: Loss
Karen Owsley Nease, “Selling Mom’s Car”
There is a perverse fullness in loss. Loss propelled me here. It informs my need to make art. It makes space for the unexpected to grow. Atul Gawande’s recent book “Being Mortal” describes “the chasm of perspective between those who have to contend with life’s fragility and those who don’t.” Loss widens our apertures to see farther down narrow, well-worn paths. It opens us to risk, and to more keenly-felt joys. (more…)
New Radisson Hotel coming to Duluth Gateway!
They’re going to spend $3.6 million. Isn’t that a lot of money?
(From the Minneapolis Tribune, April 22, 1967.)
Painting Charlie Parr’s guitar, and who the heck is Dave Hundrieser?
My wife, Shawna Gilmore, has an interesting job. Today, for example, she painted the back of Charlie Parr’s amazing guitar. The instrument is a phenomenal work of art, both front and back. Next Tuesday is a great opportunity to come out and hear Charlie make music with it alongside his good buddy, Dave Hundrieser. Read more about Charlie and Dave, and see the garage they recorded in together previously, at Ed’s Big Adventure.
By the way, Teague Alexy, Tin Can Gin, Don Ness, Emily Larson, a stunning tap dancer, and I, will also be participating in Cornucopia at the Red Herring Lounge. Check out this amazing event on Facebook/a> and the PDD Calendar.
Jim Hall – “Beast in the Yard”
When Jim Hall was at my house I asked him if I could record his song “Beast in the Yard.” It’s sort of a meditation on consumerism with some great imagery nude celebs in the lyrics. Hall plays at Tycoons Supper Club this Saturday at 9 p.m.
Sports on Traditional Duluth Radio
Where can one get a regular and accurate list of the location “on the dial” of live sports on radio? I have found the Duluth News Tribune sports page wanting.
PDD Gift Guide 2015
’Tis the season for the seventh annual PDD Gift Guide — a list of holiday gift ideas with a local connection. We present 15 ideas to get things started, and invite everyone to add their own suggestions and links in the comments below. (more…)
Training with Silent Sam
“Silent” Sam Olson rides quickly and silently through Duluth. Video by Max Fierek.
This Week: Santa, denim, undergarment-centered theater and more
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
Take it With You comes back to the Underground for their latest shenanigans, a denim-centric party goes down at the Red Herring, the one-act comic opera Trial By Jury is performed at UWS, the Heritage Center holds a skating event called the Gobbler Glide, country-rapper Big Smo plays the Sports Garden and a bunch of people named Watson become one at the Dudley Experimental Theatre.
The Christmas season truly gets underway with the arrival of Santa during the Christmas City of the North Parade, the Duluth Gingerbread City opens at the Nordic Center, the play The Underpants opens at UWS, Bentleyville is officially a-twinklin’ and it’s the Festival of the Season at the Duluth Farmers’ Market.
Images of Spirit Mountain piping project on St. Louis River
More videos and images below and in the Google gallery linked here.
Spirit Mountain’s piping project will draw water from the St. Louis River and pipe it to the lower chalet area where another pumping station will send it into the snow gun system. There are two pumping stations: one at the lower chalet area, the other right next to Tallas Island Bay on the Western Waterfront Trail in the Riverside neighborhood. That is the area these photos were taken. (more…)
R.I.P. Nick Bockwinkel
Professional wrestling great Nick Bockwinkel died Nov. 14 at age 80. The image above is from what was probably his last appearance in Duluth, as special referee during a World Wrestling Federation card at the Duluth Arena in 1987. (WWF is now World Wrestling Entertainment; Duluth Arena is now the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center Arena.) (more…)
The Next Bite: Lake Superior Walleyes
Gary Parsons of The Next Bite, along with Josh Teigen and Chris Meyer, troll Lake Superior’s South Shore for walleyes.