If you’re so inclined and want things to get on track for Duluth, email or call the mayor’s office, and all city council members telling them their priorities are messed up. It may not change anything right now, but time will tell. It’s unacceptable the way our city is run. If we don’t let them…
Mayor’s Chief Concern Should be City’s Very Real Problems
Tonight, at Mayor Emily Larson’s request, the Duluth City Council will vote on whether to amend the city charter to proactively remove the word “chief” from two city positions: chief administrative officer and chief financial officer. She is also exploring changing the title of Police Chief and Fire Chief as well. Emily was quoted as…
Part 2: The Problem on First Street
That problem on First Street… It’s worse than we thought. And it’s been a problem for a really long time. Mayor Emily Larson knows, she worked for CHUM for 12 years in the drop-in center – and her husband, Doug Zaun’s company, Wagner Zaun Architecture, built CHUM’s Steve O’Neil Apartments. It really is puzzling how…
Local News Ignores Would-Be Jumper Closing Downtown Duluth Streets for Hours
As it turns out, Downtown Duluth is full of secrets. Tuesday, June 15th, the overwhelming drug and homeless problem in the area took a back seat to what happened at the Medical Arts Building at 4th Ave W. & Superior Street. In the early afternoon, a local man who appeared to be in his early…
Writing on the Ream
Last week, Verso announced that they would be idling their Duluth and Wisconsin Rapids mills indefinitely. The news comes as another blow to the already fragile economy of the Northland. Not only will 235 good-paying jobs be lost, but the impact of the idling will ripple through Northern Minnesota as truckers, loggers, and other industries…
Where’s the Leadership?
The large majority of the city of Duluth citizens seem to be oblivious and unconcerned about the events taking place in their city. I am not writing about the protesting events that draw attention to police officers actions or Black Lives Matter issues. I am writing about what happens when our city leaders, supposedly led…
Clean-Up Dollars Don’t Make it Up Hill
Duluth city administrations have for years encouraged unfair and discriminatory policies which include defining an area that would be used to assess a fee to businesses that met parameters established by the city. The fees would be used to keep the streets safer and cleaner and would help the businesses attract customers because the streets…
Part 1: The Problem on First Street
A father and his young daughter walk down First Street in downtown Duluth. The little child bends to the ground and pops back up with a curious “Daddy! Look what I found!”. A used hypodermic needle. The little girl could have repeated this more than a 1/2 dozen times in their one block stroll. A…
Use Your Group for Good
About a week ago invitations started popping up to join a private Facebook group called “I don’t support racist businesses”. My first thought was, “of course I don’t!”, but I didn’t click “join” because I don’t like all the notifications and posts from people I don’t know showing up in my feed. Before declining the…
Business Beware: Social Lynch Mob
As if months on lockdown and the threat of riots weren’t enough for businesses in the Duluth/Superior area to deal with, they are now being targeted by a group of self-proclaimed do-gooders hoping to blacklist businesses and business people they deem racists for either speaking out against the looting and riots happening in our region…