Perfect Duluth Day

Great Lakes as Carbon Corridor

Dave Sorensen Mar 21, 2014 2 Comments

Maude Barlow published a report on March 17 about plans to make the Great Lakes a carbon corridor for oil from the tar sands of Alberta and the fracking wells of North Dakota. Mayor Don Ness recently stated his support for more pipelines, saying his previous commitments to lowering carbon emissions were irrelevant because “the pipeline makes no impact on carbon consumption in the city of Duluth.”

I think Mayor Ness is a good mayor with a good heart, but this sounds like sophistry considering the global nature of climate change. And it may show the type of compartmentalization of thought we all indulge in to protect ourselves from larger truths.

Mayor Ness also recently stated on MPR that he was not well-enough informed to have an opinion on shipping oil by tanker across Lake Superior. I hope he will appreciate a lot of respectful pressure from his constituents on this issue, because here’s the deal: On one end is Tar Sands and fracking devastation and on the other end are climate-changing emissions. In the middle is a lot of fresh water we would be absolutely mad to put at risk. Now is the time to stand up for the big lake we all love and depend on.

Historic barred owl!

David Beard Mar 20, 2014 3 Comments

Wildwoods was brought a barred owl yesterday (deceased, unfortunately, likely from a window collision). This owl, when already at least 1 year old, was banded at Hawk Ridge by Dave Evans back in 1998. Based on this, he is at least 16-17 years old, and the third oldest barred owl on record.

R.I.P. Duluth~Superior Magazine

vheffernan Mar 20, 2014 26 Comments

Sad to see the Duluth~Superior Magazine cease publication, announced today in a Duluth News Tribune story. DSM made Duluth feel classy. Jim Heffernan comments on his blog (Jim Heffernan’s Blog) on his six year stint writing for this print magazine headed by former Duluth News Tribune publisher, Marti Buscaglia.

News and Current Affairs, R.I.P. Magazines / Periodicals, Media, R.I.P.

Portage – Columns

Paul Lundgren Mar 20, 2014 No Comments

The band Portage was formed in Duluth, but is now located in Minneapolis. Band member Trent Waterman shot and directed this video. Portage plays at Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe on May 2 during the Homegrown Music Festival.

Music, Videos

Mont Du Lac Ski & Recreation Area

Cory Fechner Mar 19, 2014 4 Comments

Mont Du Lac Ski Area

I learned to ski at Mont Du Lac with my dad back in the early 1980s. I just came across this picture of the new chalet at the top of the hill and wow! This looks stunning. Apparently it is called the Trophy Lodge. Is it open yet? Has anyone been inside? Is the bar/restaurant open? I’m sure this old news but it sure looks nice. I really need to get back out there and make some turns to check it out. Lots of great memories of skiing with my dad, close calls and goofing off with friends. I remember Ridge Run but wasn’t West and East Bowl called something else back in the day? There also used to be a lift and run off the back side of ridge run.

Mont Du Lac Ski Trail Map

Outdoors, Photos Mont du Lac, Skiing and Snowboarding

Hops and Hoops

MNcyclone Mar 19, 2014 4 Comments

I’m new to town and am looking for a fun place to watch the NCAA tournament games. Any suggestions for sports bars or other venues? Local beer on tap would be a plus!

Recommendations, Sports Bars / Drinking Establishments, Queries

Jolly Fisher: “If it swims, we have it.”

Paul Lundgren Mar 19, 2014 8 Comments

Jolly Fisher is one of Duluth’s best-remembered old restaurants. It was in business for 50 years, from 1942 to 1992. The original location was at 15 E. Superior St., where the Duluth Technology Village sits today. After 1979 it was at 10 W. Superior St., presently the Minnesota Power Plaza.

Jumbo fried shrimp was the specialty, but as the slogan noted, Jolly Fisher had everything that swims. Chet and Mary Turnbull were the original owners, followed by Paul Andrews. “Skipper Andy” and Gloria Maras ran it for its last 30 years, until competition from Red Lobster proved to be too much.

When the Dames opened for Melvins

Paul Lundgren Mar 19, 2014 1 Comment

On March 19 and 20, 2004, a little Duluth band called the Dames opened for Melvins at Grumpy’s Bar & Grill in Coon Rapids. Unlike a lot of old, abandoned blogs, Tony Bennett’s Journal is still parked on the web with the story of his brush with the influential punk metal band.

They’re my heroes, you know. They’re my band. Just like there are tons of rockers out there with old Metallica or Kiss or Led Zeppelin fixations (me included), the Melvins are up there just like that. They’re an obsession for me. So it’s a little weird suddenly standing there with all three of them, shaking hands and having Buzz say “Yeah, I remember you guys from last year; you were good.” And then following that up with “Did you cut your hair?”

Yes, king Buzzo asked me about my hair. Does it get weirder than that for a Melvins nut from Duluth? I don’t know.

History, Music The Dames

Goat Pro Camera

jdwindsurfer Mar 19, 2014 1 Comment

Spankie eating cheese balls.

Videos Weird

People of “Doolith,” you’ve been warned

Lawrence Lee Mar 18, 2014 10 Comments

News and Current Affairs, Videos

Under the Ice at Stoney Point

Jim Richardson (aka Lake Superior Aquaman) Mar 18, 2014 No Comments

Outdoors, Videos Lake Superior, Stoney Point, Weird

Homegrown 2014 schedule released

Paul Lundgren Mar 18, 2014 No Comments

The schedule for the 2014 Homegrown Music Festival, April 27 to May 4, is now available on the Homegrown website. PDD’s Homegrown Chick App also has the schedule formatted for easy viewing on smartphones. There are 200 acts in this year’s festival. Plot your future bar hopping, and rest up for now.

Events, Music

Duluth Band Profile: Red Mountain

Seth Langreck Mar 18, 2014 3 Comments

Red Mountain surrounds listeners with an eclectic blend of sounds and rhythms. In this interview, band members talk about how the song “Chad” began as a friend’s dream. Red Mountain is working on a follow up to its debut album Scowl Lightly. Click on the image above to listen.

Music Band Profiles, Red Mountain

This week: green beer, green art and bluegrass

Lawrence Lee Mar 17, 2014 2 Comments

Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.

Today is St. Patrick’s Day and to celebrate there’s a Ceili Irish Dance at St. John’s Episcopal Church, a family friendly party at Clyde Iron, a not family friendly party at Dubh Linn and other events. What are you doing today to celebrate? Let everyone know in the comments.

UMD is hosting a free three-part seminar this week on Teaching the Holocaust. This is designed for K-12 teachers and runs Tuesday through Thursday.

Yoga North is starting a bunch of new five and ten week classes this week, including Beginning Yoga starting today and The Chemistry of Joy starting on Wednesday.

Renegade opens its new rock musical, Next to Normal, at the Teatro Zuccone this Thursday and it runs three weekends.

The Cabin Fever Bluegrass Festival is back at the Inn on Lake Superior and runs Friday through Sunday.

Local artists are displaying their earth-friendly wares at the Treasures of the Earth – Green Art Fair at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Saturday.

So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.

Events

Duluth “Underground Historian”

David Beard Mar 16, 2014 2 Comments

The SubStreet Underground page yesterday released one of it most compelling stories, about the demolition of a St. Paul power station.

While the story is about St. Paul, the photographer/archivist/ storyteller behind the project is Duluthian Dan “Glass.” His page of Duluth projects is here. If you have yet to see Dan’s work, now is a good time.

History