By Kelli Latuska
The Duluth Fire Department was dispatched to a call of a wildland fire located near 215 South 37th Avenue West in Duluth at 9:30 a.m. today.
Crews from Headquarters, Lincoln Park and Duluth Heights, along with a crew from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, responded to a 2.5-acre wildland fire with 10-foot flame length and were able to attack the fire before it reached the BNSF railroad tracks at the location.
“Even with precipitation falling across the area today, a wildland fire can still spark up and spread,” said Duluth Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Edwards.
No injuries were reported during the response. The incident is under investigation by the Duluth Fire Marshal’s office.
Information about wildland fire risk is updated daily on the Minnesota DNR’s website, which can be viewed here: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html
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After a thorough investigation into Friday’s homicide in Downtown Duluth, arrest warrants have been issued for three individuals who are suspected to be involved in the incident:
. Darrius Plummer, a 34-year-old Canton, Michigan, resident, is wanted for 2nd Degree Murder Without Intent
. Trayvon Walters, a 26-year-old Duluth resident, is wanted for 2nd Degree Assault with a Dangerous Weapon
. Kimonte Cadge, a 26-year-old Duluth resident, is wanted for 2nd Degree Assault with a Dangerous Weapon
“Holding these offenders accountable and conducting an extensive and thorough investigation into this tragic homicide was a top priority for our police department,” said Duluth Police Chief Mike Ceynowa. “We hope that the arrest of these three men will bring peace to Chantel, her family, and her loved ones as they are grieving her loss.”
The incident remains an active and ongoing investigation.
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The City of Duluth will resume the Third Street Reconditioning Project on Monday.
The right lane of Third Street will be closed from 12th Avenue East to Mesaba Avenue to allow for work on the upper side of the road. No parking will be allowed on the right lane side of the road, but pavement markings and signs will be removed on Sunday evening to allow for parking on the left lane side. Avenues may be closed as required to safely complete the work within the intersections.
Due to the work that was completed during phase one of the project in 2023, it is not expected that Third Street will need to be closed this year for the reconditioning project.
The first phase of the project involved reconstructing the intersections at Lake Avenue and Sixth Avenue East and installing new signals at those intersections in 2023. The second phase of the project will consist of concrete pavement repairs, bituminous mill and overlay, ADA intersection improvements, and the removal of the signals at Fourth Avenue West, Third Avenue East, and Fifth Avenue East.
Work on the upper side of Third Street is anticipated to be completed in early July. Traffic will then be switched and work will then begin on the lower side. Construction is anticipated to be complete by the end of September 2024.
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The City of Duluth has again placed road sand collection sites in various locations. As residents begin their spring clean-up, the collection sites serve as a place for the disposal of road sand, salt, and other by-products of winter maintenance. Picking up the sand and salt left in the boulevards, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters helps to keep our area streams clean and our water quality at a high level. In the past, Duluthians have averaged a whopping 15 tons annually of road sand dropped off at collection sites.
Large roll-off dumpsters labeled “Road Sand Collection Site” are placed in five disposal locations throughout the city. The five disposal locations, which are similar to locations used previously, are:
. Wheeler Field
. Piedmont Community Center
. Duluth Heights Community Center
. Chester Park
. Portman Park
The disposal dumpsters will be available for use from April 22 to May 10.
Street sweepers collect road sand from the streets as quickly as possible in the spring, but any additional clean-up help is greatly appreciated and helps keep our streams clean, our eco-systems healthy, and our water safe. City of Duluth street sweepers collect an average of 6,000 tons of road sand from city streets annually.
Additionally, residents may choose to “Adopt a Storm Drain” near them, and report on their clean-up activities. Participants will receive instructions on how to adopt a drain near them, get to choose and name their storm drain, and receive a welcome packet with a small yard sign showing their participation. Residents can sign up to Adopt-a-Drain in Minnesota at https://mn.adopt-a-drain.org/
Please do not sweep or rake road sand or other materials into the street or ditches. These sites are also monitored for illegal dumping. Please disposed of any brush and yard waste at the WLSSD yard waste site.
Stormwater catch basins lead directly to our streams, St. Louis River, and Lake Superior, not to the wastewater treatment plant. Please do not dump anything into them. Contact the City of Duluth at (218) 730-4130 during business hours or (218) 730-4100 on evenings and weekends to report any illegal discharge or dumping.
