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Howie: Pederson Jandl, Azrin Awal, Jerry Staley in the news
Howie's column is powered by Lyric Kitchen · Bar | eMail Howie The Duluth Entertainment Convention Center has hired Jane Pederson Jandl as its new associate director of sales. Jandl will oversee revenue development and manage key client relationships for events booked within an 18-month window. Her portfolio will include
Howie: Essentia Health hosts bipartisan lawmakers, highlights rural care challenges
“Essentia Health shows the vital role Minnesota-headquartered companies play in communities across our state. This visit gave legislators a firsthand look at how policy decisions impact access to quality health care for rural and Tribal communities.” -- MBP CEO Kurt Zellers
Howie: Duluth's housing needs built on fiction
Duluth’s most significant population story of the last 60 years is not growth — it is survival. That alone deserves credit. But it does not justify the current narrative.
Howie: Class of 2028 the most anticipated college women's basketball guard class in years
Tatianna Griffin, Chloe Johnson, Amel Cook and Ella Peper are rising faster than the sport around them — and college basketball is taking notice.
Howie: Monsters' QB Ja’Vonte Johnson poised to have another big season
“Winning changes the city. When you see jerseys on kids, when people are stopping you at the grocery store, when you feel that excitement start to build every season — that’s when you understand why this matters.” -- Ja’Vonte Johnson
Howie: How the City of Duluth learned to live on borrowed time
The City of Duluth now spends roughly $1 of every $7 in the general fund on debt service. That’s money that can’t pave streets, fund libraries, or expand housing programs. And yet the answer to each new challenge is the same: another bond.
Hermantown Sports Notebook
Beau Christy and Ford Skytta each scored twice to lead Hermantown to a 7-2 victory over Mahtomedi on Friday night at the St. Croix Valley Recreation Center. Hermantown scored three goals in both the second and third periods. Kole Lendzyk and Bode Madill each contributed a goal and an assist
Hermantown Police and St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office introduce new K-9s, honor retiring K-9s
Three new law enforcement K-9 teams have graduated from training and are ready to begin working patrol shifts. The teams were introduced to the community on Monday during a special event at Hermantown City Hall. They include: . K-9 Bruno is partnered with Hermantown Police Officer Olivia Gottschald . K-9 Kylo is
Hawks showed grit in a season-opening loss at Princeton
“The most encouraging thing, in my eyes, was the fact that no matter which five guys we had on the floor, no matter the score, they were playing their hearts out.” -- Hermantown boys basketball coach Andy Fenske
Prep Sports Preview: Hermantown boy's basketball
“We only graduated two players from last year and had a fantastic summer with our players.” -- Hawks coach Andy Fenske
Obit: Rolland Neal Mammenga
Rolland N. Mammenga, 91, of Hermantown, MN passed away on Monday November 17. 2025 in Essentia Health, St. Mary’s Medical Center. He was born on the family farm in Waterbury Township, MN on February 19, 1934, to William and Ida Mammenga. Rolland graduated from Mahnomen High School Class of
Howie: Hermantown sports in the news
Martin Sleen named All-Minnesota, Hawks expected to battle Hibbing-Chisholm in 7A hockey
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.”
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: Darren Danielson, WDIO's statesman
That perfectionism has made WDIO what it is — the region’s dominant newscast for years running. Viewers know exactly what they’ll get: no chaos, no stunts, just clean, confident journalism. Danielson’s the face of that brand, but also its conscience.
Howie: Dan Hanger’s quiet reign over the Twin Ports airwaves
If you watch Hanger closely, you’ll notice he occasionally glances at the prompter with a smirk, like he’s reminding himself not to take any of it too seriously. That’s a healthy instinct in an industry where self-importance runs rampant.
Howie: The Gold Seal of Trust
“We are so fortunate and proud to have not one but two AMS-certified meteorologists. Justin and Sabrina have the passion and dedication needed to provide incredible forecasting to our community.” -- Debra Messer, WDIO's Vice President and General Manager
Minnesota Star Tribune introduces MN Rising – sharing stories of community good
The Star Tribune, founded 158 years ago, is Minnesota’s largest news organization and has earned seven Pulitzer Prizes. Its parent company describes its mission as “building the leading model for local news in America.”
Howie: The Great Duluth Spin Parade: Everyone’s cheering, nobody’s buying it
It’s civic theater, and everyone knows their lines. The officials announce. The media nod. The television anchors beam. The advertisers clap. And the citizens — the actual audience — sit at home wondering if they’ve accidentally tuned into satire.
Duluth Marshall, Hermantown battle to OT tie
Hermantown moved to 3-0-2 and will remain home Thursday to face Centennial. Marshall is 5-0-1 heading into Friday’s trip to Rochester Mayo.
Howie: Class of 2028 the most anticipated college women's basketball guard class in years
Tatianna Griffin, Chloe Johnson, Amel Cook and Ella Peper are rising faster than the sport around them — and college basketball is taking notice.
Hermantown Sports Notebook
Beau Christy and Ford Skytta each scored twice to lead Hermantown to a 7-2 victory over Mahtomedi on Friday night at the St. Croix Valley Recreation Center. Hermantown scored three goals in both the second and third periods. Kole Lendzyk and Bode Madill each contributed a goal and an assist
Monsters hire prized line coach
With Derrizett Croop coaching both offensive and defensive fronts, Minnesota also gains a unified voice — consistent technique standards, shared terminology and a system built around player development rather than roster churn.
Howie: Why arena football struggles with public perception -- and how leagues try to fix it
Stability is the real product. If teams stay in their markets, if players get paid on time, if the community sees the league year after year, the perception changes. But you can’t fix 30 years of history overnight.
Meet the Monsters: Javonte Haynes
Javonte Haynes, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound defensive back, returns to the Minnesota Monsters as one of the most productive defensive players from the former Harbor Monsters roster, bringing championship pedigree and a reputation as a ball hawk in the secondary. The former Indiana University of Pennsylvania standout earned co-MVP honors in
Prep Hockey Notebook
Hermantown shook off a slow start and scored three unanswered goals in the third period to beat Rock Ridge 3-1 in boys high school hockey Tuesday night at Iron Trail Motors Event Center in Virginia. Senior forward Bode Madill pulled the Hawks even early in the final period, and juniors
Howie: Arena football battles history and perception as new and old leagues try to chart a stable future
Note: This is the second column in six-part series on the state of arena football — from the sport’s bruised past to its uncertain future — with a sharp focus on AF1, the upstart league the Duluth-based Minnesota Monsters will join when they relaunch in Spring 2026.
Prep Report, Tuesday Scoreboard
Hermantown spotted Rock Ridge a lead in boys hockey Tuesday night in Virginia and then did what the Hawks usually do — finished the game on their terms. Down 1-0 entering the third, the Hermantown ripped off three straight and walked out with a 3-1 win. Bode Madill got them even,