Duluth Mayor Emily Larson on Thursday is expected to announce the Love Your Block mini-grant recipients for the remainder of 2023.
The Love Your Block program supplies small mini-grants to support resident-led projects that reduce blight in the Lincoln Park and Central Hillside Neighborhoods.
Love Your Block is part of a rich tapestry of current efforts by agencies, organizations and individuals to improve the health, safety, and quality of life for all Duluthians.
The question is no longer simply whether Roger Reinert deserves another term. The question is whether Duluth believes it is on the path it wants — and if not, who has the discipline, clarity and courage to alter it. November 2027 will deliver the verdict. The work of deciding it begins now.
This time, the leverage isn’t casino revenue. It’s downtown frustration — visible poverty, safety complaints, business dissatisfaction and the persistent sense that downtown Duluth has not lived up to decades of promises.
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.
"As with any wild animal, we want to remind the community that you should exercise caution in their presence and never approach them." -- Duluth Police Department
The question is no longer simply whether Roger Reinert deserves another term. The question is whether Duluth believes it is on the path it wants — and if not, who has the discipline, clarity and courage to alter it. November 2027 will deliver the verdict. The work of deciding it begins now.
Essentia’s downtown campus functions as a Level I trauma center — the highest designation available — meaning it must have surgeons, anesthesiologists, neurosurgeons and critical care specialists available at all hours. Not on call from home. Available.
Union members have announced plans for an informational picket next week on Essentia’s downtown campus. Essentia said the picket is not a work stoppage.
If the current ownership group can deliver sustained contention, it will be welcomed. If not, it may be time to ask whether a broader form of ownership — one rooted in the community — could provide the stability and commitment required to build a true, lasting winner.
