Articles

Embattled Iron Range police chief steps down

Virginia City Council members met Friday night to accept the retirement of Police Chief Dana Waldron. The city will pay the embattled chief $130,000 in severance and about $25,000 in earned benefits.

• Dana Waldron

Duluth East English teacher says Goldfine award ‘just a bonus’

Greg Jones from Duluth East High School was named this year’s Goldfine Gold Star Teacher. The annual honor, which comes with a $5,000 award, was announced Wednesday evening at a reception at the Inn on Lake Superior in Canal Park.

• Greg Jones of Duluth East

Northland's rural post offices on closure list will stay open, but with hours cut

Maybe it was the hundreds of signatures on the petition. Or the packed house for the public meeting, the huge oversized card and envelope sent with their comments, the banner hung across State Highway 23, or constant contact with state and federal legislators.

• Fan of mail

Duluth wants to increase housing density in St. Marie area near UMD

Susan Relf is one of those rare Duluth homesteaders who doesn’t mind being surrounded by college students who rent homes.

• St. Marie Triangle

Respectful discussion covers Occupy, Tea Party movements

In an era of screaming cable television news shows and divisive debates via Internet comments, Thursday night’s discussion at the Friends Meeting House in Duluth reflected the venue’s name: It was friendly.

• Debate

Tea Party, Occupy to square off tonight in Duluth debate

Robin Monahan and Richard Ward consider themselves everyday citizens with strong opinions. With Monahan on the side of Occupy Duluth and Ward siding with the local Tea Party organization, the two will debate in Duluth tonight on what might link the camps along with what divides them.

• Debate poster

Youth take the stage at Homegrown

Brown Eye Blue Eye might be the youngest band to play at the Homegrown Music Festival. They charmed a packed theater Tuesday with their original songs performed a cappella and with piano.

• Brown Eye Blue Eye
• Gallus garners golden Homegrown spot
• Homegrown events for May 2

Meet Duluth Homegrown's youngest band

They charmed a packed theater Tuesday with their original songs performed acapella and with piano.

• Brown Eye Blue Eye
• Today’s Homegrown Music Festival events

Report: Lack of affordable housing, options for seniors pose challenge for Duluth's future

With baby boomers hitting retirement and Duluth housing getting older along with them, a recent report points to a pressing need for affordable rental housing and alternative housing for older residents.

• Older homes

Dayton signs bill tightening penalties for synthetic drugs

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton signed into law Friday a bill that will allow stronger enforcement and stiffer penalties on synthetic drugs.

Columns

First Oscar-winning silent film's links stretch to the Northland

MIKE CREGER: It clicked after hearing for the millionth time Sunday that “The Artist” was the first “silent” film to win an Academy Award for best picture since 1929. “Wings,” released in 1927, was named the “most outstanding picture” at the first awards ceremony, which celebrated films made in 1927 and 1928.

• Old "Wings" booklet

At Occupy camp, taking time out to talk

While in the midst of reporting on the Occupy Duluth camp last week, I came across an interesting story in a Minneapolis paper. A man had set up a card table and some chairs in a city park and put out a sandwich board reading, “Free Conversations.” Like the lost act of letter writing, it was an earnest attempt to bring back the art of the conversation.

• Mike Creger