Articles

Couple decides on smaller wedding

The stress of planning a big wedding prompted Katy Blackwood and Todd Kuball to scale back their plans and move up their wedding date. Instead of having a big wedding in June in Duluth, they are planning a smaller wedding with 80-100 guests on Saturday at Grand Superior Lodge in Two Harbors. It will be an evening wedding on the shore of Lake Superior.

• Todd Kuball and Katy Blackwood

A pumpkin-carving party started 10 years ago has become a family tradition

A pumpkin-carving party that two sisters arranged for their children 10 years ago has transformed into a family Halloween tradition. Every October since then, Cindy Syria of Saginaw and Sandy Manion of Hermantown have thrown a bring-your-own-pumpkin-to-carve family party. This year it will be Saturday.

• Carving pumpkins

Balanchine works are centerpiece of Minnesota Ballet season-opener

The work of legendary choreographer George Balanchine will star in Friday’s season-opening performance of the Minnesota Ballet.

• Ballet

Family Matters

Parents of children with chronic problems struggle to find care

When you have a child with a chronic medical problem, finding child-care providers willing to provide the special care takes extra effort. Janel Schmitz found that out after her youngest daughter, Kiara, now 8, was diagnosed with insulin-dependent (Type I) diabetes. She also has a 10-year-old daughter, Mayisha, who is borderline diabetic.

• Child care hard to find

Church hosts GLBT service

People who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and their families and allies will find acceptance at the “Honoring the Spirit” service on Sunday at Pilgrim Congregational Church in Duluth.

• If you go

Poems evolve into a Rubber Chicken political parody

Former Duluth poet laureate Barton Sutter’s poems turned into “Bushed: A Poetical, Political, Partly Musical Tragicomedy in Two Acts,” which opens tonight in the Harbor City International School Theater in downtown Duluth. Brian Matuszak’s Rubber Chicken Theater is staging the production.

• IF YOU GO

Muslims grateful for Northland’s only mosque

Sunday marked one year since the Islamic community bought the former Unitarian Universalist church in Duluth’s Woodland neighborhood. It’s the only mosque in the Northland.

• Photo

Teachers offer advice on helping with homework

If homework struggles dominate your family’s evenings, there’s hope.

Church organist to retire after 74 years of playing

Judith Miller’s fingers danced over the organ keys as she practiced an old hymn, making a joyful noise in the small Meadowlands church. For the past 74 years, Miller has shared her gift for music with the congregation of First Lutheran Church. After Sunday’s service, the 88-year-old organist will retire.

• Photo

Columns

A driving force for anxiety

My older daughter recently survived the most dangerous year of her life so far. She turned 17 and she’s still alive after a year of driving.

Time to take the wheel

When I brought my dad back to his Sun City home that day, I was determined. “Dad, it’s time to stop driving,” I told him.