Babe Ruth visited Duluth
. . . in 1926. For the story of that visit see the latest posting at the Reference@Duluth blog.
2013 in Slow Motion – Local Action Sports
We have had the opportunity to experience countless incredible adventures this past year. We hope you take advantage of our area and all of its unique offerings. No matter what your passion, this beautiful city has something for everyone to enjoy. 2013 was a great year for us and we hope it was for you too! Can’t wait to see what 2014 will bring for Higher Base Media.
Should ATVs be allowed on trails within Duluth city limits?
According to an article in today’s DNT, City Councilor Jay Fosle has “introduced a resolution asking city staff to consider the feasibility of opening one or more city trails for ATV use. The resolution is on the consent agenda, which means its passage is virtually assured Monday night.”
PDD Calendar mobile version … you know, for your phone, so you can read it better
Perhaps it’s strange to pick a day when most events are cancelled to make this announcement, but … well, we do things when we get around to them so here it goes: The PDD Calendar now has a mobile version. We actually launched it on Sunday, so maybe you’ve already noticed.
If you view the calendar on a phone, you should automatically see the mobile version. (more…)
Employment at Chester Bowl
Snow making started a couple weeks ago at Chester Bowl. With this snowstorm and the stolen lift chair returned, the hill should be ready to go for the projected December 14 opening date.
Thom Storm, who has operated the ski program at Chester since the 70s, is planning to retire at the end of the 2015 ski season. Clearly, those are going to be some big shoes to fill, and the Chester Bowl Improvement Club is looking to hire someone to begin working with Thom this year.
Also hiring:
ski instructors and snowboard instructors.
Check the links for more info.
Snowmaking photo by Jeremy Kershaw.
Name Origin of Clough Island
Does anybody know who is the “Clough” behind the name of Clough Island?
Happy Holidays from Rubber Chicken and Perfect Duluth Day
Here’s a little ditty from this year’s Rubber Chicken Theater holiday comedy revue — How the Grinch Shut Down Christmas, or, I Saw Rudolph Twerking Santa Claus — featuring Greg J. Anderson, Sharon Dixon Obst and Anders Hultstrom.
Thanks to Dean Vogtman at Happy Tree Productions for the use of his studio, and the fine folks at Beaner’s Central who had to shimmy around our cameras to get across the room.
All outdoor scenes were actually shot outdoors.
This week: double headers, global warming and a boy who wouldn’t grow up
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
Monday, Monday, Monday at Duluth City Hall! It’s a city planning double header with public meetings to discuss revising zoning regulations and street improvement back to back! Get your civics on! Update: The street improvement meeting has been postponed due to snow.
And, speaking of double headers, the Harbor City Roller Dames are hosting a double header on Saturday at the DECC.
“Dear Mr. Watterson,” a film documentary about Calvin & Hobbes and its creator, Bill Watterson, is showing on Tuesday at Zinema 2 as part of the Explorers Club series.
Four plays open on Thursday: “Peter Pan” opens at the Duluth Playhouse and runs three weekends, “Compleat Female Stage Beauty” opens at UMD and runs two weekends, and “The Odyssey” opens at Harbor City Theater and “Yes, Virginia” opens at Denfeld, both running just this weekend.
And, as we enter into the holiday season, you can track Christmas events right here.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Old Seven Bridges Road sled hill
I remember fondly tubing down a hill on Seven Bridges Road. You used to be able to rent tubes from the chalet. They have a nice lighted trail system for cross-country skiing at Lester Park. What would be needed to get the sled hill going again?
Information Overload – Need a virtual tutor
Spent a few minutes with Google looking for a decent app or website we can direct our kids to for working on the skills and concepts being introduced in the classroom. We are open to a subscription service, but don’t want to commit without some endorsement or referral from a trusted PDDer. Sure, there is plenty out there for free, but weeding through advertisements and such makes it complicated and cumbersome at times – we’d also like to track progress. Any of you using anything you can recommend? Specifically looking for math, spelling and phonics for the K-5 audience.
Trampled by Turtles – “Pipe Knot”
Video by Daniel McCord, shot live at the Georgia Theatre on Nov. 14. Next local TBT gig: Dec. 21 at Papa Charlies in Lutsen.
Fond du Lac Park’s Winter Sports Center: The Lake Placid of the Northwest
The subject of Fond du Lac’s old Winter Sports Center came up on PDD once before, about a year ago. Earlier this week, I came across this Feb. 4, 1940, Duluth News Tribune clipping at the Duluth Public Library, reporting on construction of the ski jumping hill and amenities.
The floods of 1972 marked the end of this western Duluth attraction, when the ski jump was removed due to erosion.
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Thankful in Duluth — 2013 Edition
It’s an annual tradition at PDD to take a moment and reflect on what we are thankful for. How unique, right?
For starters, we’re thankful for the new old Nordic ski trails at Spirit Mountain, Sax-Zim Bog, wicked North Shore icicles, artisan bread at the Red Mug, lift-accessed mountain biking at Spirit Mountain, animated music videos, Boreal owl irruptions, Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe and a lot of other things I’m thankful I don’t have time to link to because it’s time to make the Thanksgiving glogg.
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Could Duluth lose Christmas City status?
This story is four days old, but I just heard about it and it’s pretty much the biggest controversy in the history of Duluth, so it needs some space on PDD.
Apparently the commentators of the Christmas City of the North Parade telecast — Michelle Lee, Kevin Jacobsen and Barbara Reyelts — did their announcing in front of a green screen inside the Northland’s NewsCenter studio. And they still wore jackets.
This revelation, of course, has me fearing that Santa Claus might strip Duluth of its Christmas City of the North status and perhaps bestow it on Superior or Thunder Bay.
Motorcycle Trials at Spirit Mountain
August 23-25 of 2013 marked the weekend of the American Motorcyclist Association NATC Motorcycle Trials Rounds 9 and 10, which were held at Spirit Mountain. This is a short video recap of some of the riding that took place that weekend. The event was quite amazing to watch. These riders have unbelievable skill and balance and have definitely honed their craft. If you ever have the chance to see this type of competition in person I highly recommend it!
PDD Gift Guide 2013
Get your commerce on. Here is PDD’s annual reminder that the real purpose of Christmas is to obtain material things … as long as they are locally made.
This being the fifth year of the PDD Gift Guide, most of you know the drill by now, but for uninitiated newbies the concept is simple: The folks behind the curtain at PDD select 15 locally-based holiday gift ideas. The community at large is free to add other suggestions and links in the comment section below, with some effort to not be too redundant and repeat items from the Gift Guides of Christmases Past. (more…)
This week: motorized snow sports, turkey and the Russians are coming! The Russians are coming!
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
Want to make the old Nettleton School into a paintball course? A Buddhist temple? A cereal museum? Let the Duluth City Planning Commission know at the public meeting tonight at Old Central High.
The UMD Women’s Hockey Team takes on the Russian National Team at Amsoil Arena on Tuesday.
Thursday is Thanksgiving with free dinners being served at the DECC and at Faith UMC in Superior.
The Duluth National Snocross starts Friday and runs through Sunday at Spirit Mountain.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Call for Vendors
Hardworking craftspersons and working artists looking to share their creations and make some extra cash during the holidays are invited to participate in Washington Studio Artist Co-op‘s upcoming Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival.
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Paved Trails at Hartley
I was out at Hartley Park this morning and saw that someone had posted signs letting visitors know that the city is considering paving a bunch of trails there. I looked up the mini master plan for Hartley that SRF Consulting Group prepared, and it does indeed call for paved trails running through the park to provide access for bikers, wheelchairs, and parents with strollers. I’m curious about what other PDDers think of this proposal.