DULUTH — A judge has dismissed the bulk of a federal lawsuit from an interracial couple who said they were targeted by racist neighbors and repeatedly harassed by police. Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz in March tossed five of the six counts brought by Aaron and Amy Kirk against the city of Duluth and several current and former officials, ruling that the allegations were too old to be considered. The Kirks filed the suit last June, faulting police and Human Rights Office employees for failing to address a long pattern of "objectively false police reports, express racial slurs and ..read more

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration said on Friday, May 10 it will provide nearly $200 million to fight the spread of avian flu among dairy cows, in the government's latest bid to contain outbreaks that have fueled concerns about human infections with the H5N1 virus. The virus has been detected among dairy cattle in nine states since late March. Scientists have said they believe the outbreak is more widespread based on U.S. Food and Drug Administration findings of H5N1 particles in about 20% of retail milk samples. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $98 million available ..read more

ST. PAUL — Minnesota will mark its Statehood Day on Saturday by changing its look — namely, the flag that’s been flying outside buildings and the seal that’s adorned podiums and paperwork for generations. The deep blue flag with the state seal in the middle will be brought down the poles outside Capitol buildings — and some other places around Minnesota — for the last time. And a new-look flag that emerged from thousands of public design submissions will take its place. The roughly 120 state flags scattered across the Capitol complex will be among the first to get swapped out. Local governm ..read more

SUPERIOR — A residential structure fire in the village of Superior claimed one life and damaged two homes Friday morning, May 10. There were no injuries to firefighters, according to a news release from Superior Fire Chief Camron Vollbrecht. The Superior Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire at 6528 John Ave. at 4:23 a.m. Friday. When fire crews arrived on the scene, they found a large amount of fire coming from the attached garage of the single-story home. Firefighters attacked the fire from the exterior garage door, knocking down a large amount of the fire before making ..read more

PENNINGTON COUNTY, Minn. — A Red Lake woman has been pronounced dead and three people have been hospitalized after a two-vehicle crash on May 3 in rural Pennington County. According to a report from the Minnesota State Patrol, at around 9 p.m. on Friday, May 3, a Chrysler minivan was driving east on Center Street East and a Buick LeSabre was driving south on 310th Avenue NE in Highlanding Township when the vehicles collided. The driver of the minivan, 49-year-old Mary Jean May of Red Lake, was pronounced dead. The two passengers in the minivan were transported to hospitals in Thief River Fa ..read more

PARKERS PRAIRIE, Minn. — The name of a 28-year-old man who died in a farming accident near Parkers Prairie on Tuesday, May 7, has been released. The Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office confirmed he was Kyle Laverne Olson of Parkers Prairie. At about 1:30 p.m., the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office and emergency personnel responded to a report of a farm accident with critical injuries at a farm site north of Parkers Prairie. Olson had been working with others to repair a piece of tillage equipment, when a part of the machinery fell on top of him and pinned him underneath, according to the ..read more

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Senate approved a bill Thursday boosting the penalty for purchasing a firearm for someone not legally allowed to have one on a party-line vote of 34-33. The measure is likely the only gun restriction that will pass this legislative session. Sen. Grant Hauschild, DFL-Hermantown, told reporters that he wouldn’t support a bill that would require gun owners to lock, unload or store a firearm when it’s not in their possession, nor another that would require owners to report a firearm stolen within 48 hours. Democrats hold a one-vote advantage in the chamber, so while the ..read more

DULUTH — The University of Minnesota Duluth officially has a new chancellor. According to a news release from the University's Board of Regents on Thursday, Charles Nies, Ph.D., has been confirmed as the school's 10th chancellor effective July 1. “I’m honored to be a part of this remarkable institution and to work alongside the amazing people who are advancing the mission of teaching, research and outreach. It’s inspiring,” Nies said. “I'm grateful to the board and Interim President Jeff Ettinger for appointing me to this incredible opportunity, and for the campus community for being so wel ..read more

DULUTH — A youth climbing instructor has been charged with nine felony counts of possessing child pornography. Lucas Matthew Kramer, 45, of Duluth, has served as climbing coordinator for the Recreational Sports Outdoor Program at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He is also a past president of the Duluth Climbers Coalition, a nonprofit organization that encourages and organizes various ice, rock and indoor climbing opportunities for all ages. Court documents indicate two tips were submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by Kik, an instant messaging app. The f ..read more

News Tribune, May 10, 1924 Duluth's flappers are exulting with the appearance of "kiss-proof" lipstick in the city's drugstores. Sellers of the cosmetics have reported many requests for the new product and no complaints. News Tribune, May 10, 1954 An Eveleth woman and a Cloquet man were killed in car crashes over the weekend, while a 43-year-old Duluth man died in a hospital where he'd been since an April 28 hit-and-run that sent the driver to a work farm. News Tribune & Herald, May 10, 1984 An air search and divers have been unable to locate a pilot whose amphibious plane was dis ..read more