It’s an all too familiar story. A new child at school is ruthlessly harassed by bullies time and again. No matter who the child tells, no action is taken – no discipline doled out. No one in an authority position cares. Of course, the new kid isn’t perfect: they call names, exaggerate, get loud, but…
Category: Real Stories North
Lessons from 2020
2020. The year opened with such potential – the first year in a new decade… the country on an economic high… even 20-20 is synonymous with “perfect vision” – how could anything go wrong? You know how they say “Make plans and God laughs”? He must have really been rolling on the floor with this…
Dear Santa: All Duluth Wants for Christmas
2020 has been rough on everyone and Duluth is certainly feeling the effects. If the big man in red could find Duluth on the “good list” this is what we’d ask for: A reprieve from COVID from those who have lived and breathed it for the last 9 months – the doctors, nurses, long-term care…
Duluth to Lisa Bender: We Don’t Want Any
Rumors abound that the President of the Minneapolis City Council, Lisa Bender, the voice and face of the Defund the Police movement (whether she likes it or not), is moving to Duluth. The instant gut reaction this burps up is something I learned from an experience while fundraising for an elementary school walk-a-thon decades ago,…
Emily Larson at it Again: Rude Response to Hospitality Industry
This week a group of leaders in Duluth’s hospitality industry drafted a letter to the DECC and Visit Duluth Boards of Directors to share their concerns with the boards’ push to merge the DECC and Visit Duluth (VD). Both organizations are struggling due to the pandemic and members of the Board of Directors for both…
DECC Saliva Testing Experience
Remember when “you’ve been exposed” meant someone found out you messed up and the most you had to worry about was dying of embarrassment? Now when “you’ve been exposed” your life comes to a screeching halt and the worst-case scenario could be a battle with the deadly version of the Coronavirus. As the case count…
Why “Right to Work” is Wrong
Nearly 75 years ago, following a rash of labor protests that turned violent between laborers and the police/private security, the United States Congress came together to approve the Taft-Hartley Act (also known as the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947), over the veto of President Truman. The bi-partisan act presented by a Republican-controlled Congress and significantly…
How to feel #blessed when you “just can’t right now”
You’ve seen the memes, the doormats, and the hand-painted wall décor reminding you to be grateful. You’ve seen the #blessed social media posts, maybe you even attempted a gratitude journal. Being actively grateful can be a challenge and it’s definitely something you have to practice. Add a year like 2020 to the mix and feeling…
Homelessness: Duluth Fails to Plan
In an article on this site a couple of months back, we asked the City of Duluth “what’s the plan for the homeless this winter?” A few weeks ago local organizations like AIM Twin Ports and Loaves and Fishes Community along with concerned Duluth residents pitched tents to represent the 250 plus people that sleep…
2020 Election: An Opportunity for Integrity
You may not have heard, but there was a big election held last week. The main event – the election for the President of the United States, remains unclear a full week later. As they typically do, the media declared an “apparent winner”, but votes remain to be counted and several states fall within the…