MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Surging coronavirus cases in Minnesota schools have reduced the number of counties where the virus is spreading at low enough rates to allow for full, in-person instruction. State health officials say statewide, more than 500 schools had at least one positive case in the last two weeks, and 24 public and private schools reported outbreaks with at…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota judge has rejected a prosecution request to put a 48-hour hold on filings in the criminal cases of four Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill said Thursday that a natural lag in the court filing system gives prosecutors sufficient time to see filings and ask that they be…
GENEVA (AP) — The world’s largest randomized trial of COVID-19 treatments found “conclusive evidence” that remdesivir, a drug used to treat U.S. President Donald Trump when he fell ill, has little or no effect on severe cases, the U.N. health agency said Friday. The World Health Organization announced the long-awaited results of a six-month trial that endeavored to see if…
DULUTH, Minn. – Both St. Luke’s Hospital and Essentia Health are becoming overwhelmed with patients and most of them are non-COVID-19 related hospitalizations. On Thursday, leaders from the two hospitals hosted a press conference pleading with the public to get care when needed. Health officials from St. Luke’s Hospital say they have already reached capacity, while Essentia Health is also…
DULUTH, Minn. – The annual Great Pumpkin Train departed Thursday morning for the first time this season. In all, there are five trains a day taking off from the St. Louis County Depot with the trains being sanitized before and during the ride. With this excursion, passengers get to see the pumpkin patch on the North Shore and take the…
MT. IRON, Minn. – Mountain Iron-Buhl Public Schools announced on their Facebook page Thursday morning that all students will be moved to distance learning start Wednesday, October 21. According to the post, schools will not be in session next Monday and Tuesday. Students will then move to distance learning from October 21 until Friday, October 30. Mountain Iron-Buhl Public Schools…
(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski) ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – The Minnesota Senate sent a $1.9 billion package of construction projects, tax breaks, and spending to Gov. Tim Walz’s desk, ending a six-month stalemate in the Legislature. The vote was 64-3, getting overwhelming support from both parties. All three votes against came from Republicans: Bruce Anderson of Buffalo, Michelle Benson of Ham Lake,…
DULUTH, Minn. – According to recent reports from the Star Tribune, a St. Louis Park property management firm is looking to turn the old Central High School building into mixed-income housing apartments. The news comes after the Duluth School Board unanimously voted Tuesday to move ahead with the potential sale of the historic building in downtown Duluth. The decision allows…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 117,106 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Thursday morning and 19 new deaths bringing the death total to 2,199 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 2,403,811 tests have been completed to date. There are 104,547 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 8,652 patients have required hospitalization…
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Minn. – Retired St. Louis County K-9 Kilo passed away Wednesday according to a Facebook post from the Northland K9 Foundation. K-9 Kilo had served with the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office for nine years alongside Sgt. Silgjord. In March of last year, the Sheriff’s department announced Kilo, who specialized in narcotics detection and searching for suspects,…
ATLANTA (AP) – The Atlanta Falcons shut their facility Thursday following one new positive test for COVID-19. The team remains scheduled to play at Minnesota on Sunday. Defensive tackle Marlon Davidson was placed on the COVID-19/reserve list this week, and the addition of a second unidentified person caused the Falcons to act out of caution. All team activity will be…
(courtesy: Fox 9) (FOX 9) – An Anoka, Minnesota man has some big-time bragging rights after his massive pumpkin was crowned champion in the “Super Bowl” of pumpkin weigh-offs out in California. Over the summer, Travis Gienger spent hundreds of hours out in his small garden, carefully tending to his pumpkin patch. “I bought this one little seed for $80, and I…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota House has finally passed a $1.37 billion public works construction borrowing package after months of gridlock. Twenty-five Republicans crossed over Wednesday night to give the Democrats the 60% supermajority the legislations needed to pass. The vote was 100-34. The bill now goes to the Republican-led Senate, which was scheduled to reconvene Thursday. The bonding…
DULUTH, Minn. – Ecolibrium3 has started a new program to help homeowners in low-income communities address energy efficiency in their homes. Homeowners can sign up for virtually energy efficiency audits. These audits will analyze a house’s energy usage and help give recommendations on ways to make improvements. This can also help estimate some of the savings homeowners can get by…
CLOQUET, Minn. – Food insecurity is becoming a big concern for many people in communities across the Northland. A joint partnership between the Fond Du Lac Reservation and the Second Harvest Food Bank is helping address the need in that community. hundreds of people in their cars lined up in the parking lot of the Fond Du Lac Headstart building…
HIBBING, Minn. – The Minnesota National Guard has been called to assist two Minnesota nursing homes battling coronavirus outbreaks amongst staff and residents. According to recent reports, one of the facilities is located in Austin and the other is located in Hibbing. The Minnesota Department of Health says the Guard was called to help the Guardian Angels Health and Rehabilitation…
(FOX 9) – The Minnesota Department of Health reported 29 more COVID-19 deaths Wednesday, the highest single-day number since early June. The state also reported 1,254 new COVID-19 cases, making this the seventh straight day of more than 1,000 new cases. The newly reported deaths include people ages 50-100 and older. Of the 29, 11 lived in long-term care facilities, 12 lived in private…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – A Level 3 predatory offender has been located and taken into custody thanks to a tip from the public. In a Wednesday press release, the Minnesota Department of Corrections asked for the public’s help in locating 33-year-old Royce Anthony Drift who was wanted for violations of the conditions of his supervised release. Drift had been listed as fugitive…
ELY, Minn. – The Ely Police Department announced on Tuesday that the 16-year-old suspect arrested earlier this month for assaulting and stabbing a 13-year-old male has been charged with attempted murder. Authorities say, Michael William Haapala, 16, is currently being held at the Arrowhead Juvenile Center in Duluth and is charged with second-degree attempted murder. According to reports, officers were…
PEMBINA, N.D. (AP) — Enbridge Energy officials said Wednesday they have completed a small section of its Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement project in North Dakota, leaving only the Minnesota stretch that has been challenged by state officials and others. Line 3 starts in Alberta and clips a corner of North Dakota before crossing northern Minnesota en route to…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 115,943 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Wednesday morning and 29 new deaths bringing the death total to 2,180 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 2,383,527 tests have been completed to date. There are 103,830 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 8,585 patients have required hospitalization…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota House reconvenes Wednesday for what could be its last chance to pass a $1.37 billion public works construction borrowing package, but it requires at least six Republican votes. The legislation, known as a bonding bill, requires a 60% supermajority to pass. And the Democratic-controlled House must approve it before the Republican-controlled Senate can…
NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is spreading out its traditional one-day Black Friday deals over three weekends in November in an effort to reduce crowds in its stores during a pandemic. The company’s plans announced Wednesday offers the first glimpse from a major retailer of what a reinvented Black Friday will look like during a pandemic. Others like Macy’s have…
MIDWAY TOWNSHIP, Minn. – St. Louis County Deputies responded to a call of a three-car accident at the intersection of Midway Road and Stark Road in Midway Township on Wednesday night around 7:30 p.m. Upon arrival, deputies found that a vehicle traveling southbound on Midway Road attempted to turn East on Stark Road in front of a northbound vehicle. The…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth School Board unanimously voted Tuesday night to move forward with the potential sale of the Historic Old Central High School building in downtown Duluth. The vote allows the district to enter into a final purchase agreement with a potential buyer down the road. “A purchase agreement allows a buyer to conduct due diligence prior to…
DULUTH, Minn. – Firefighters have to be ready for any situation. The Duluth Fire Department put its team through drills to help keep their skills fresh. Firefighters from the DFD were put through survival and confidence training. They practiced different skills including how to call for help if they are ever lost or trapped. Also, the group went through an…
DULUTH, Minn. – The sisters of the Benedictine Monastery of Duluth spent the day selling some of their homemade jams and other treats for a fundraiser. Typically the jams are sold at the monastery’s Christmas Bazaar, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event has since been canceled. The jams are usually a hot ticket item every year at the…
PROCTOR, Minn. – A father and son from Proctor came up with a creative way to help give neighborhood kids the opportunity to trick or treat while social distancing. The duo built their very own candy zipline. It spans from the front of the house to the sidewalk. On Halloween, the basket attached will get filled with candy and be…
CLOQUET, Minn. – Charges have been upgraded for a Cloquet man accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend along with her son earlier this year on the Fond du Lac reservation. 33-year-old Sheldon Thompson now faces eight total charges including five counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in connection to the deaths of 27-year-old Jackie Defoe and…
(FOX 9) – Minnesota will soon have 10 COVID-19 saliva testing sites open, Gov. Tim Walz says. Walz joined the Minnesota Department of Health’s briefing Tuesday, where he said new saliva testing sites are opening in Winona and Moorhead this week and Brooklyn Park next week. This is in addition to the saliva testing site that opened last month in Duluth. The state is currently…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota health officials have rolled back rules that prevented many families from visiting loved ones in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities because of the coronavirus pandemic. The new guidelines put in place Monday allow indoor visitations at most senior homes that have not had new infections in the preceding two weeks and when the infection rate in…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 114,574 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Tuesday morning and 7 new deaths bringing the death total to 2,151 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 2,355,124 tests have been completed to date. There are 102,624 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 8,500 patients have required hospitalization…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A dispute over the future of the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine goes before the Minnesota Supreme Court on Tuesday. The state Department of Natural Resources and PolyMet are challenging a ruling by the Minnesota Court of Appeals that canceled three major permits for the project. The appeals court ruled in January that the state agency…
DULUTH, Minn.- Members of the Duluth Fire Department Monday boosted the spirits of a young boy just starting his battle with Leukemia. Firefighters delivered dinner to first-grader Roman Laakso and his family, thanks to his kindergarten teacher who is married to one of the firefighters. Little Roman was diagnosed not long ago, and according to his GoFundMe, the family says…
DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth City Council unanimously passed a resolution Monday to leave a missing part of the Duluth’s Lakewalk trail disconnected after storms severely eroded the shoreline in 2018. The resolution calls for the indefinite closure of the shoreline trails behind the Ledges Townhomes on 21st Ave. East, and indefinitely halting construction of a new footpath from the Beacon Pointe…
DULUTH, Minn.- The attorney for an unarmed man shot by Duluth Police one month ago during a domestic assault call is calling for the officer to be fired, and for the city to be more transparent. This comes as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has not yet concluded its independent investigation into the case. In pictures provided by Duluth…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Transit Authority will be temporarily reducing its routes starting on Tuesday. This change is the reflection of a bus driver shortage the company is currently experiencing. DTA officials say this is due to one of their drivers testing positive for the Coronavirus and four others out for quarantine as a result of contact tracing. “We…
DULUTH, Minn. – Colder weather has already started showing up in the Northland, leading many restaurants to think about the challenges they face this coming winter. One major concern is outdoor dining no longer being an option for them as temperatures drop. This dining option has been a big advantage for many Northland restaurants and has helped them get through…
DULUTH, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Health is reporting that there are multiple COVID-19 cases linked to recent presidential campaign visits in Minnesota. A representative with the MDH said that there are three cases linked to the President Trump rally that happened on Sept. 30th in Duluth. Two of those people live in the same home, so the department…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 113,439 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Monday morning and 3 new deaths bringing the death total to 2,144 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 2,337,122 tests have been completed to date. There are 101,376 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 8,421 patients have required hospitalization…
(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota House and Senate convene Monday for their fifth special session of 2020 and what’s likely their last chance to pass a public works construction package known as a bonding bill this year. A Senate committee met Monday morning to walk through a package that would borrow $1.36 billion in general…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge has upheld a Minnesota state court agreement that allows counting of absentee ballots received up to seven days after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel ruled late Sunday night that the plaintiffs in the case don’t have standing and denied their motion for a…
DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth City Council is expected to vote on whether to scrap plans to connect a missing link to the popular Lakewalk behind some shoreline properties. At their last meeting two weeks ago, the council tabled the resolution that would reallocate $915,695 in FEMA funds. Those funds were granted to repair the 2018 storm-damaged trail behind the Ledges Townhomes…
DULUTH, Minn.- One family’s dog in Duluth is proving that man may not be dog’s only best friend — a deer has taken that spot. In a video recorded from the Miller house’s window, a black lab and a doe carefully watch each other, each rearing to go. But this was not a vicious hunting or attack video. The dog…
COLERAINE, Minn. – A Bovey man is dead after being hit by a vehicle along Highway 169 at Bay Road in Coleraine Sunday morning. The Minnesota State Patrol says the accident happened around 1 a.m. The victim, Michael Marok, 59, was walking in the southbound right driving lane when a 55-year-old man from Grand Rapids struck him with his Ford…
DULUTH, Minn.- It’s apparently never too early to get into the Christmas spirit for Bayfront Park, as the Bentleyville Christmas Tree went up Saturday. Volunteers worked four hours to install the 128-foot tree in front of Bayfront Pavilion. The hardest part of installing the tree, crews said, was moving the bottom piece — weighing over 16,000 lbs — from its…
DULUTH, Minn.- One man is in custody, according to the Duluth Police Department, after pulling a firearm on another man during an argument at a Dunkin Donuts. A spokesperson with the Department said around 11 a.m. Saturday officers responded to a report of a person with a gun at the Dunkin Donuts on Central Entrance Road. According to the spokesperson,…
DULUTH, Minn. – Spirit Mountain is gearing up for the skiing season. The ski hill has opened up eligibility to purchase season passes for the winter. After shutting down for the entire summer season due to the pandemic, management says that they have a plan for the hill in place and are ready to re-open. “We’re really excited to be…
PINE COUNTY, Minn. – One person is dead after an officer-involved shooting that happened on I-35 in Pine County around 2 p.m. on Friday. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says the shooting took place in the northbound lanes nearby the Mora exit along the interstate. Autorities say at about 1:45 p.m. on Friday, law enforcement responded to a 911…
ITASCA COUNTY, Minn. – A Nashwauk man charged with fatally hitting a two-year-old boy and injuring his teenaged aunt with his truck last August appeared in court for his sentencing Friday. 40-year-old Jake Michael Place was sentenced to 105 months in prison, the maximum sentence under the law. Place pleaded guilty in March to criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular…
