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County Board to host public meeting to get input on 2026 budget
By Dana Kazel The St. Louis County Board will hold an evening public meeting to receive comments on its proposed operating budget and property tax levy for 2026. The meeting is Tuesday, December 2, at 7 p.m. at the St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth. It will include a
AT THE DECC – Hosted by a celebrity guest host, Wheel of Fortune LIVE! brings the excitement of everyone’s favorite TV game show to life, giving fans the chance to solve puzzles, win prizes and possibly become a Wheel of Fortune® TV contestant.
Howie: Buy stock in the Plante brothers
Write this one in stone: Victor Plante, the youngest of the Plante brothers and a forward tearing it up with the U.S. Under-18 Development Team, is the one with true star power. He joins the Bulldogs next season — and by every indication, he’s the most gifted Plante yet.
Swim Creative wins 2025 w3 Award for website
Swim Creative delivered a fully custom site featuring rich visuals, storytelling rooted in Minnesota’s folklore, and an interface designed for both exploration and ease of use. The project also emphasized mobile-first design, search optimization, and user accessibility.
Howie: Fix downtown before you try to sell it
You can’t sell people on “vibrancy” if they don’t feel safe walking to their cars. You can’t advertise “connection” when the skywalks are dark and half-locked. You can’t preach “momentum” when storefronts still sit empty after a decade of ribbon cuttings.
Howie: Bulldogs, Viktor Plante, Mirage, Jason Watt
There’s something quietly magnetic about Jason Watt on a Bulldogs hockey broadcast. He’s not trying to sound like anyone else. He doesn’t force energy or jargon. He just explains the game — clearly, comfortably, and with the kind of authenticity that comes only from having lived it.
Howie: C.J. Ham’s clock is ticking
The likeliest play is a polite handshake extension — one year, maybe two, at something closer to $2 million per. A team-friendly, locker-room-cred deal.
Take a bow, Hermantown football team
Hermantown’s 2025 football season came full circle Friday night — ending against the same team that handed the Hawks their first loss of the fall. Grand Rapids, physical and efficient from the start, again proved too much, defeating Hermantown 41-0 in the Section 7, Class 4A championship game to end
Hawks advance to Section 7AAAA football final
Hermantown led 14-8 at halftime and 28-16 after three quarters before Sleen’s third touchdown in the fourth extended the margin to 35-20.
Howie: We’ve seen this movie before. Same script, different salesman.
The old fellas at the café won’t need a study to understand it. They’ve seen this dance too many times before. They’ll sip their burnt coffee, shake their heads, and say what they always say when the next “big thing” blows through town: “Should’ve just built another rink.”
Hermantown blitzes North Branch, rematch Saturday in playoff semifinal
“I thought we were the most physical we have been to date. We did a pretty darn good job bottling up that power-T offense that North Branch runs — which has notoriously caused us problems in the past.” -- Hawks coach Mike Zagelmeyer
Swim Creative wins 2025 w3 Award for website
Swim Creative delivered a fully custom site featuring rich visuals, storytelling rooted in Minnesota’s folklore, and an interface designed for both exploration and ease of use. The project also emphasized mobile-first design, search optimization, and user accessibility.
Longtime WDIO 10/13 news anchor Danielson to retire
“We are so happy for Darren and his wife Vicki to be embarking on their great adventure of retirement.” -- WDIO General Manager Deb Messer
The Minnesota Star Tribune announces return of The Wrap
MINNEAPOLIS — The Star Tribune will host the second annual edition of The Wrap on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the newspaper’s Heritage printing facility in Minneapolis’ North Loop. The immersive year-in-review event offers a look back at Minnesota’s most defining stories of 2025 through interactive exhibits, live music, food,
Howie: Laura Lee the next television anchor voice of the Northland
You can sense Lee's broadcast discipline the moment the red light clicks on. Her voice carries polish without pretense, her cadence deliberate but not cold. She has that calm, centered presence that suggests she’s not there to perform — she’s there to communicate.
Howie: Buy stock in the Plante brothers
Write this one in stone: Victor Plante, the youngest of the Plante brothers and a forward tearing it up with the U.S. Under-18 Development Team, is the one with true star power. He joins the Bulldogs next season — and by every indication, he’s the most gifted Plante yet.
Howie: Vikings burning it down
Every move is sold as “strategic.” Every mistake is “part of the process.” Every loss is “valuable learning.” It’s a corporate PowerPoint in shoulder pads. This isn’t football anymore. It’s asset management in cleats.
Howie: Bulldogs, Viktor Plante, Mirage, Jason Watt
There’s something quietly magnetic about Jason Watt on a Bulldogs hockey broadcast. He’s not trying to sound like anyone else. He doesn’t force energy or jargon. He just explains the game — clearly, comfortably, and with the kind of authenticity that comes only from having lived it.
Howie: C.J. Ham’s clock is ticking
The likeliest play is a polite handshake extension — one year, maybe two, at something closer to $2 million per. A team-friendly, locker-room-cred deal.