Since 2005 I’ve been posting on PDD about the first tick of the season to crawl up into my business. There’s probably no reason for it, other than to let you feel my pain and generally announce that it’s the time of year to check yourself after you’ve been in the woods.
I picked up this year’s inaugural tick at Ely’s Peak, where I never left the trail, so don’t chalk it up to bushwhacking.
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.
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.
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.
As a graffiti artist, I feel the city should open up that desolate spot under the bridge again, so artists like myself don’t have to be in constant fear of our police department. I also believe that Duluth should have designated legal graffiti areas, like many other cities around the world. The reason we do what we do is because galleries won’t accept our work as “art.” They never even glance at the little guy. All we’re trying to do is make our mark on the world.
Yes, I’m a sports fan, I enjoy ice hockey, and I go to the state high school tournament often. Now time for the whining. Why are two local sports stations broadcasting the same high school hockey game live (e.g., Jan. 29)? This is not the first time. Both 560 and 1490 have it and 1490 is the “home of the Minnesota Wild” in these parts. The Wild have a game this evening, which would be on 1490, that I assume will be preempted or joined in progress. One station for the high school game tonight is enough. My suggestion: Trade off or put Wild game on another station owned by whatever radio group. Looking forward to reading comments and other views on this situation.
Is it just me or do you notice that a lot of people refer to this blog as “Perfect Day Duluth?”
1) What’s up with that? Why do people make that mistake?
2) When they do, do you correct them? How do you correct them without sounding like a pretentious know-it-all? I am a pretentious know-it-all, so that’s why I ask.
Just got a creepy mailing here in upper Woodland that accuses Ray Sandman of being a liberal and out of touch on issues such as Polymet, minimum wage increase, and war. It made us want to vote for Sandman! — until I looked up who paid for the ad — the 501c4 PAC led by former Minnesota Republican Senator Norm Coleman. A vote for Sandman is, unfortunately, a vote for Mills.
A few fundamental questions on the on the Chester Ski Jump Memorial Plan City of Duluth RFP.
Is not art, true art — spoken, written, painted, sung, or mixed media — an expression of that which comes from places that are intangible or elusive? i.e.: from within, a collaborative, the Netherlands, the proverbial Vibe?
Yes, the history of a place, lived out by a people is vital — I get that (and the real magic still is to have been there and lived it out) — however, most of us probably don’t have that benefit.
But a request put out on an RFP – a bid – along with city hall upgrades and roofing repairs not only diminishes the call, but is the antithesis of artistic inspiration. Just my opining.
Does anyone have any word on building restrictions on Skyline Parkway? I’m asking because someone built a house on the lower side of Skyline a block above my house. Someone is working on a plot of land to the east which is also directly above my house and they need a variance (for which there is a meeting at City Hall on Tuesday next week).
My street has had a drainage issue ever since I moved in, but the first house to be built up there caused the issue to escalate. With more housing being built directly above, I fear that the problem will get increasingly worse. If anyone has any info on the corridor management plan or building on Skyline in general please let me know, and if you think this issue might directly affect you, let me know so I can forward the meeting info on to you.
I love Duluth and hope that we can work together to make things better. Above is a panoramic picture of ice taking up half the street due to water running down it.
I bike most places, and almost always wear my backpack because it has everything I might need. I decided to take in a movie at the Duluth 10 theater, and biked down as usual. Also as usual I locked my bike to the only thing within two blocks of the theater that you can lock a bike to, which is the H.C. parking sign post. I proceeded in to pay for my ticket and was informed that I couldn’t take my backpack in. That is where my beef begins.
OK, did I miss a memo or something? When the hell did the downtown meter enforcement time get extended to 9 o’clock? And who thought that was a good idea when we’re trying to get people downtown to frequent shops and restaurants?
Here in Lakeside we love our extension of the Lakewalk. One of the best features are all the wildflowers that grow along the fence, including stands of milkweed which is essential for Monarch butterflies.
So, I was shocked today to see City crews with weed whips cutting down the wild flowers along the fence.
Who could have thought this was a good idea? And how can we tell that person to stop destroying this wonderfully beautiful and diverse wildflower habitat?
Yes, even though it’s Duluth, summer is way too hot to leave your dog inside a car, windows cracked or not! Yesterday, I encountered a women at Home Depot who was a few minutes from having her windows smashed to rescue her dog.
Even if you don’t have dogs (or are a responsible owner and already know that you shouldn’t leave your dog in the car), please be aware of other cars in parking lots. If you see a dog in distress, you can call the police/animal control, or contact the store to have the vehicle owner paged. Please do not assume the owner will be out in time – death can occur within minutes!
And true, the thoughtful dog owner may thank you for your concern for their animal by denying the danger of hot cars and flicking you off, but at least you may have helped the save the dog’s life by getting their ungrateful asshole owner called out of the store. 🙂
