“At Allete, our success is driven by the diverse talents and perspectives of our people and by living our values. Inclusion shapes our leadership, our decisions and our future.” -- Bethany Owen, Allete chair, president and chief executive officer
Bethany Owen. Submitted
Allete Inc. has been named an Honor Roll Company of Special Distinction in the 2025 Minnesota Census of Women in Corporate Leadership.
The designation marks the seventh consecutive year Allete has received Special Distinction recognition and the ninth straight year it has appeared on the Honor Roll.
The annual report, produced by St. Catherine University School of Business, examines the representation of women on boards of directors and among executive officers at Minnesota’s largest publicly traded companies. The 2025 report reflects board membership and executive roles reported in SEC filings as of June 30, 2025.
Honor Roll companies exceed statewide averages for women in executive positions (25.9%) and on corporate boards (33.4%). Twenty-three companies were named to the 2025 Honor Roll. Of those, nine — including Allete — achieved Special Distinction for reaching gender parity on their board of directors, among executive officers, or both.
“At Allete, our success is driven by the diverse talents and perspectives of our people and by living our values,” said Bethany Owen, chair, president and chief executive officer. “Inclusion shapes our leadership, our decisions and our future.”
Allete and other Honor Roll companies were recognized April 14 at an event at the Saint Paul RiverCentre hosted by Twin Cities Business, which published the research in its April/May 2026 issue. Owen accepted the award on behalf of the company.
Public comment suggested more work is needed to review two areas: rules regarding storage of six or more inoperable vehicles, as well as classification of data centers.
Hundreds of people filled the gym at the Loon Lake Community Center to speak or listen to testimony on proposed changes to the county's land use ordinance. Submitted.
By Dana Kazel
The St. Louis County Board on Tuesday voted to send proposed updates to the county's land use Ordinance 62 back to the Planning Commission for further review. The vote was 6-1 with Commissioner Keith Nelson voting opposed.
The vote follows a public hearing that was part of the County Board meeting in White Township. Hundreds of residents packed the gym at the Loon Lake Community Center, with dozens speaking against proposed changes to the county’s land use ordinance. Additionally, opponents of the proposed changes presented a stack of petitions that they say had more than 2,600 signatures.
The Planning Commission and County staff from the Planning and Zoning Department have been working to update the ordinance to provide better clarity on issues they often receive questions about. However, public comment suggested more work is needed to review two areas: rules regarding storage of six or more inoperable vehicles, as well as classification of data centers.
There is no immediate schedule for when the Planning Commission will again begin reviewing this.
I think we can expand on the already great Lester River Rendezvous as our own contribution to Duluth’s unique neighborhoods and provide another special weekend for those visiting Duluth.
During my City Council run in the 2024 cycle, one glaring need in Lakeside and Lester Park appeared to be the need for a Lake Side / Lester Park Chamber of Commerce.
With over forty (40) businesses located in Lakeside and Lester Park, there is a great need for a more organized, energized business organization promoting business in Eastern Duluth. We even made movements toward organizing an “Eastern Duluth Chamber of Commerce.”
The idea had some momentum when some initial Meetings were held at Lake Superior Brewing and Lester Park Community Center. What I learned in campaigning about the neighborhood was the District had been even more organized in the past.
I also had my first experience that year at the Lester Park Rendezvous, a magnificent event that for some reason I had never attended. It had an enormous number of vendors selling food, beer, art, crafts, informational booths, political organizations and was just an overall great event for the neighborhood. It occurred to me; it could be even better and become a real catalyst for the business community and Lakeside / Lester Park Business District.
Around the same time, I had just been in the Spirit Valley Days Parade and learned that Lakeside and Lester Park had its own parade version and felt that “Hey! We can do the same thing in our neighborhood!” and tie it to the rendezvous and have a weekend all our own to celebrate our community of Lakeside / Lester Park and I would include Woodland, Hunter’s Park, and Morely Heights.
In fact, a magnificent event for greater Duluth. I was told there had been a Kids Parade at Lakeside sponsored by the great people at Marshall Hardware, and we all know there are nowhere near enough activities involving our children.
Lake Superior Brewing is our Community Center and “Living Room” in Lakeside and Seth & Sarah Maxim have made a wonderful addition to our neighborhood and were incredibly supportive of the Chamber concept and a more organized business organization in Lakeside and Lester Park. We are incredibly lucky to have them and especially Sarah’s baking. I confess to an addiction to her fresh French bread and Seth’s Hazy IPA. My son even asks to have Sarah’s French fries after school, allowing Dad a Hazy IPA while we eat fries and wait for pizza to take home. What a wonderful place and something to build in our neighborhood.
I cannot help but see that this became possible with the passing of allowing Liquor Licensing in Lakeside / Lester Park. Long a family oriented “dry” neighborhood in Duluth. It is still a great family neighborhood.
It also allowed Lakeside Liquor to come to fruition. I will never forget the fact of my first months in 1991 when friends came to visit me and the shocking moment that indicated there was no liquor store in Lakeside and I would need to drive several miles to find one. I still get teased about joining a “dry” neighborhood. I do applaud the efforts to keep Lakeside a “Family Neighborhood” and it still is and with alcohol retail as a permissible use, has made for an even better Lakeside, in fact I would challenge other business with it.
I still have a vision for an expanded Rendezvous weekend, one that adds our own Eastern Duluth parade, an Outdoor Music Festival to be held in the park or a generous business owner’s parking lot. Bring back the Kids Parade and a 5K or 10K race that could build on the traditions of the Marathon, and something focused on our neighborhood.
I think we can expand on the already great Lester River Rendezvous as our own contribution to Duluth’s unique neighborhoods and provide another special weekend for those visiting Duluth. Run the steam trains between the Depot and Lakeside and give families an exciting way to come out to Lakeside and Lester Park and enjoy and expand Rendezvous.
Maybe the Canal Park Trolley adds a loop into Lakeside and Lester Park, to make it an event shared with our Canal Park Visitors.
In the Winter, how about snowmobiles? I am told Duluth through the 1970’s once embraced snowmobile traffic from the state trails and could once more be brought into the community to visit the Superior Street businesses, down even into Canal Park. Maybe we will do our own mini-Bentleyville Lighting display at Lakeside and Lester Park.
The thing about my experience in trying to set up an even more active business organization in our neighborhood was that a lot of business owners are just plain busy. But a few hours here and there, could help us build a Festival that is already really great in our neighborhood and in the tradition of Spirit Valley Days, add a new, true Duluth tradition, that can be enjoyed by residents and visitors to Duluth alike. It can be even better!
The point being, Lakeside and Lester Park areas are a special neighborhood in Duluth, and I think it can be even greater, if we work together, find our community spirit and pride again and show it off to the region.
Albany wide receiver Duane Brown emerged as the league’s top scoring threat in Week 1, finishing with two touchdown receptions and a league-high 12 points.
By Howie Hanson
The opening weekend of the Arena Football One season delivered what the arena game promises at its best — tempo, space and quarterbacks pushing the pace — while four teams established early footing in the standings.
Albany, Oceanside, Kentucky and Oregon all opened with victories, while Nashville had a Week 1 bye.
The early statistical leaders reflect a league already leaning heavily on the pass, with quarterbacks dictating both production and identity.
Michigan’s Malik Henry turned in the most yardage performance of Week 1, throwing for 244 yards and accounting for a league-high 246 total offensive yards. His ability to stretch the field in a compressed indoor setting stood out, even as Michigan did not join the list of opening-week winners.
Albany quarterback Joshua Kulka delivered the most efficient scoring performance, throwing five touchdown passes to lead the league. Kulka’s command of the Firebirds’ offense helped reinforce Albany’s status as an early standard, pairing scoring efficiency with balanced distribution.
Dalton Oliver (190 passing yards) and Ja’Vonte Johnson (135) also provided steady production, while Dalton Cole added three touchdown passes in a secondary tier of passers who kept offenses moving.
The receiving numbers underscored the league’s emphasis on playmakers in space.
Kentucky’s Jalin Marshall led all players with 110 receiving yards, highlighting the two-way versatility common in arena football. Teammate Clarence Williams (73 yards) and Albany’s Jairus Grissom (68) followed closely.
Albany wide receiver Duane Brown emerged as the league’s top scoring threat in Week 1, finishing with two touchdown receptions and a league-high 12 points. Brown was part of a cluster of productive receivers that included Grissom, Marshall and Kris Lewis, each with two touchdown catches.
The running game played a secondary but situationally important role.
Minnesota fullback Shannon Brooks led the league with 32 rushing yards, narrowly ahead of Trevon Shorts (30). Rushing touchdowns were distributed evenly, with five players — including Oregon offensive lineman Freddie Booth-Lloyd — each recording one score on the ground, reflecting the short-yardage and goal-line nature of the indoor run game.
Defensively, Kentucky set the tone.
Jalen Wilson led all players with 11 solo tackles, while Drew Singleton added 10, giving the Barrels a strong tackling presence in their opener. Ezekiel Rose recorded two sacks to lead the league, anchoring a pass rush that produced early disruption.
Albany’s Alphonso Taylor was among a group of defenders to record interceptions, part of a Week 1 trend that showed defenses capable of generating turnovers despite the league’s offensive lean.
Through one week, the numbers point to a familiar arena formula — high-volume passing, multi-role athletes and scoring driven by efficiency in tight spaces.
Albany paired that formula with execution in the standings. The rest of the league, after one week, is already chasing.
Week 2 Games
Friday
Michigan (0-1) at Nashville (0-0)
Saturday
Albany (1-0) at Beaumont (0-1)
Sunday
Oceanside (1-0) at Kentucky (1-0)
Oregon (1-0), Minnesota (0-1), Washington (0-1) byes
Defending champion Albany opened its 2026 Arena Football One season by overwhelming the Minnesota Monsters 50-23 on Saturday night, using a dominant second half to turn a competitive game into a runaway at MVP Arena.
Albany led just 21-17 at halftime before seizing control after the break.
Quarterback Joshua Kulka, thrust into the starting role earlier in the week following the departure of 2025 league MVP Sam Castronova to the United Football League, delivered an efficient and decisive performance in his debut. He threw five touchdown passes, including four in the second half, as Albany pulled away.
The turning point came early in the third quarter.
Clinging to a four-point lead, Albany’s defense forced a fourth-down stop deep in its own territory. Moments later, Kulka connected on a long fourth-down pass to Darien Townsend for a touchdown that stretched the lead and shifted momentum decisively in Albany’s favor.
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From there, the Firebirds controlled the pace on both sides of the ball.
Duane Brown, the league’s reigning offensive player of the year, scored three times — twice on receptions and once on a missed field goal return — to lead a balanced offensive attack. Albany had five different players reach the end zone.
The defense matched that production with timely plays.
Alphonso Taylor and Markus Smith each recorded interceptions, and Albany limited Minnesota to just one second-half touchdown. A late interception return set up Kulka’s fifth scoring pass, pushing the margin to 50-23 and putting the game out of reach.
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Minnesota, playing its first game as an AF1 franchise after winning a 2025 title in The Arena League, showed early signs of competitiveness.
Quarterback Ja’Vonte Johnson threw two short touchdown passes in the first half as the Monsters kept pace. Minnesota also added a rushing score in the fourth quarter but struggled to sustain offense against Albany’s pressure after halftime.
Penalties and discipline issues affected both teams, with multiple players ejected following a series of unsportsmanlike conduct calls during the second half.
The game also featured the debut of AF1’s new “one-point” scoring rule, awarded when a kickoff return is stopped in the end zone.
Albany, which went undefeated during its championship run in 2025, opened the new season in front of an announced crowd of 3,892 and quickly reinforced its position as the league’s benchmark.
