Howie Hanson is Duluth's first and only full-time blogger (HowieBlog.com). Hanson is generally regarded as Duluth's 'most-connected' journalist and active community-builder. He recently developed and continues to operate a daily news and activities site for Duluth Public Schools. Read more about Howie Hanson.
The unprecedented rainfall and flash flooding of June 20, 2012 left an immediate mark on Duluth and its neighboring towns.
Amid the damage, many feared the local hospitality industry would take a massive perception hit. But local citizens and leaders came together, acting fast and working hard to make sure would-be summer visitors knew that Duluth was still open for business.
People like Terry Mattson (right), the president and CEO of Visit Duluth, the city’s official destination marketing organization, was recognized with a 2012 Vision Award for Leadership by the editors of Meetings: Minnesota’s Hospitality Journal (mn-meetings.com). He was presented with the award September 27 in Minneapolis.
The Best in Minnesota’s Hospitality Industry Leadership Award, bestowed for calling others into action and making an impact, is one of seven Vision Awards that celebrate professionals who demonstrated best practices over the past year.
It’s exactly what Mattson did in the aftermath of the storm — immediately working with city, state and federal officials to create a unified message that the city’s tourism infrastructure was undamaged and ready for business. The slogan, “Duluth is open for you” was created and infused into a strategic communications plan for traditional and social media.
In countless news interviews, the message of reassuring travelers that they could still come to Duluth had to be carefully crafted so as not to minimize the significant damage that had occurred to residential areas and surrounding communities.
It paid off, according to one indicator: Duluth tourism tax collections increased by five percent in July 2012 over July 2011 — despite the storm and its publicity aftermath.
“Terry Mattson leads with a passion and desire to serve the best interests of our community,” said Anna Tanski, Visit Duluth director of sales and marketing. “He opened clear channels of communication between industry stakeholders and multiple agencies. He gathered input and feedback, then set a plan in motion based on one collective voice. Without his proactive leadership, the negative impact to Duluth’s tourism industry could have been devastating.”
Visit Duluth is Duluth’s only officially recognized destination marketing organization. Chartered in 1935, it represents approximately 400 businesses that make up Duluth’s tourism industry and is dedicated to promoting the area as one of America’s great vacation and meeting destinations — providing comprehensive, unbiased information to all travelers.
Meanwhile, here's a YouTube blog Sen. Roger Reinert, DFL-Duluth, posted during the height of the flood:
Lake Superior Magazine names 2012 Achievement Award winner
Lake Superior Magazine has named the winner of its 2012 Achievement Award – The Bad River Watershed Association. The award was announced in the October/November issue of Lake Superior Magazine currently available on the newsstands.
The award will be formally presented at the November 15 meeting of the association in the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute building at Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin, at 6 p.m.
The Bad River Watershed Association (BRWA), based in Ashland, was formed in 2002. Its mission encompasses education about the watershed, developing ways to connect residents to the watershed and activities geared toward protecting the water quality of the rivers, streams and Lake Superior.
Despite the small size of the area population and of the association membership, the group has undertaken many ambitious and critical projects within and slightly beyond the large watershed. Volunteers do regular monitoring of water quality, establishing a base of data helpful in reviewing future developments.
The association has connected federal programs to local governments to replace inadequate culverts in the district and for other projects. It has also begun working with landowners to encourage water-health practices.
“Our annual Achievement Award is meant to honor and call attention to the work of groups or individuals who have significantly contributed to the well-being of Lake Superior and its people,” said Lake Superior Magazine Editor Konnie LeMay. “For us, the Bad River Watershed Association is a perfect choice. It demonstrates through its staff and volunteers that people can make a difference for water quality. The association also can serve as a true role model for other small communities around Lake Superior also interested in protecting their watersheds.”
Lake Superior Magazine began giving out an annual Achievement Award in 1994. The bimonthly, full-color magazine has subscribers in all 50 U.S. states, most Canadian provinces and 26 foreign countries. It is part of the family-owned Lake Superior Port Cities Inc. with offices at 310 E. Superior St., Ste. 125, Duluth, MN 55802. The 33-year-old company produces books, calendars, maps, posters and its Lake Superior Collection of products. For details, visit www.LakeSuperior.com or call 888-BIG LAKE (888-244-5253) or 218-722-5002.
-- Sources: Visit Duluth, YouTube, Lake Superior Magazine
Minneapolis-St. Paul professional dance theater Black Label Movement, in partnership with Duluth-based Zeitgeist Arts, will present Carl Flink's critically-acclaimed evening length work Wreck at 7:30 p.m. today and Wednesday at historic Clyde Iron Works in Duluth. Read more.
Tweetsville: Former Gophers hoops legend Rick Rickert scored two new pairs of sneakers, here.
Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Yvonne Prettner Solon joined the U.S. Army Parachute Team, nicknamed the Golden Knights, in a tandem skydive exercise today in St. Paul. Click here to download a video of her courageous leap of faith.
. . .
The Duluth steam plant is officially under new management.
Ever-Green Energy Duluth has taken over management of the Duluth District Energy System to study and seek improvements that impact efficiency, help Duluth meet environmental regulations and set the city on the path towards integrating renewable energy sources.
The change brings in a company with a proven track record of helping District Energy St. Paul’s transition from a coal powered plant to one that primarily uses thermal and solar, cold water storage, and biomass energy sources for its operations today. Ever-Green is recognized for being customer oriented and providing outstanding customer service.
Ever-Green’s management contract with Duluth entails a one-year study of the steam operations, developing a five-year strategic plan, increasing efficiencies and growing the customer base.
“The Duluth Steam Cooperative Board and staff have done an incredible job over the years and we are grateful for their commitment,” said David Montgomery, the city’s chief administrative officer. “We are fortunate to retain the expertise of current employees who now join the Ever-Green team. This is an exciting time as Duluth enters a new partnership with Ever-Green Energy to look at the potential for systems development and integration of renewable energy sources.”
The Duluth City Council approved the five-year management agreement with Ever-Green Energy on June 11, 2012.
“Ever-Green Energy Duluth is honored to have been selected by the City of Duluth for this opportunity and to continue the great work of the Duluth Steam Cooperative and the Duluth Steam employees,” said Ever-Green Energy’s President and CEO Ken Smith. “Ever-Green’s team is poised to immediately begin work to gain an in-depth understanding of the Duluth Steam system and to fully engage its partners and customers to bring reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy solutions to the City of Duluth.”
. . .
Duluth-based Maurices registered record profits of $14.7 million, 7.3% to sales, for the fourth quarter ending July 28, 2012, according to Brian Thun, SVP/Chief Financial Officer.
Sales increased $18.5 million, or 10%, to $202 million for the quarter, with comparable store sales rising 1%. For the fiscal year, operating income was $102.7 million, 12.0% to sales. Sales increased $76.4 million or 10% from last year, to $853 million.
Goldfarb
"While we had record profits for the quarter, we were disappointed with the 1% comp store increase, and felt we missed executing on some key fashion trends," said Maurices President George Goldfarb. "In fiscal 2012, we opened 57 new stores, including our first six international stores in Canada, and plan to continue our growth with a total of 70 new stores, including 15 additional Canadian stores, projected for fiscal 2013. We are extremely pleased with our entry into Canada and see this as an excellent growth opportunity.
"At year-end, Maurices operated 832 stores in 45 states and Canada. Strong online sales growth was a contributing factor to our performance. As always, we feel our focus on the customer and providing fashion at a value will lead to another successful year in 2013.”
Recently, Maurices' parent company, Ascena Retail Group, announced plans to be the anchor tenant in the proposed Duluth Corporate Tower, a 15-story business tower in Downtown Duluth.
On 'da Range
An exhibition of rag rugs is now on display at Minnesota Discovery Center, in partnership with the Range Fiberart Guild, featuring over 150 selections from Minnesota rug makers and fiber artists.
The exhibit highlights the historical importance of rag rugs in the settlement of Northeastern Minnesota while showcasing diverse techniques of rug making including weaving, knitting, braiding, hooking, locker hooking, crochet, twining, nalbinding, wagon wheel, toothbrush and more.
Classes are being offered for those interested in learning the art of various rag rug making techniques.
An opening ceremony will be held on Saturday, October 13th from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. with guest speaker and author Janet Meany of The Rag Rug Handbook.
The exhibit runs through April 13, 2013.
Credits: City of Duluth, Maurices, Minnesota Discovery Center, Howie Blog
Ascena Retail Group, Duluth-based Maurices’ parent company, will be the anchor tenant in the proposed Duluth Corporate Tower, a 15-story business tower in Downtown Duluth, the Duluth News Tribune is reporting.
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Five individuals and a team will be inducted in the St. Scholastica Athletics Hall of Fame today in a ceremony at Burns Wellness Commons on campus. New members include Bill Courchaine (hockey), Janice (Monsaas) Sayovitz (basketball), Tim Radosevich (basketball), Desiree (Budd) Essler (cross country), former St. Scholastica President Father Francis X. Shea and the 1987-88 women's basketball team.
. . .
Former Duluth News Tribune and Murphy McGinnis Media advertising director Aaron Becher has been named general manager of The Forum, a Forum Communications newspaper in Fargo-Moorhead.
"Aaron's proven track record with our company has propelled him to his next challenge," The Forum Publisher Bill Marcil Jr., said in a prepared statement. "I look forward to having him help The Forum as we continue to face the challenges of the constantly changing media landscape."
. . .
The College of St. Scholastica is once again rated one of America’s “Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report magazine.
U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” rankings for 2013 list St. Scholastica 27th among institutions in the Best Regional Universities-Midwest region. The survey defines the category as institutions that provide a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s programs but few doctoral programs.
The category includes schools in 12 states stretching from the Dakotas in the west to Missouri in the south and Ohio in the east.
“We are pleased that we continue to be highly ranked within the top-tier of regional universities in the Midwest,” said Dr. Beth Domholdt, vice president for academic affairs at St. Scholastica. “In addition, our recognition as an ‘A+ School for B Students’ reflects our commitment to serving a wide range of students really well, from those at the very top of their high school class to those with solid, but less spectacular high school records.”
The ‘A+ School for B Students’ category considers the school’s performance in the Best Colleges rankings and the average freshman retention rate, that is, the percentage of freshmen who return for their sophomore year.
Nationwide, the 2013 Best Colleges survey examines how about 1,400 accredited colleges and universities compare on a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Among the factors weighed in determining the rankings are assessment by administrators at peer institutions, retention of students, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.
The College of St. Scholastica is an independent private college offering programs in the liberal arts and sciences and professional career fields. Ninety-seven percent of graduates are employed within career fields or graduate school within six months of graduation. St. Scholastica has been called a “hidden gem” by The Washington Post.
-- St. Scholastica
QUOTE CITY
Duluth Mayor Don Ness on the proposed 2013 city of Duluth budget: "We have achieved a hard-earned stability in city operations and city finances. Despite facing $1.7 million increase in health care costs, the 2013 budget will be $1 million smaller than the 2012 budget. Despite facing a million dollar decrease in revenue, we recommend only a 1.6-percent levy increase. We have made a lot of painful decisions over the past five years, but we are now seeing the benefits."
Motorists traveling on Interstate 35 between Duluth and the Twin Cities during Labor Day weekend will encounter two single-lane construction work zones. Motorists can expect delays of up to one hour or more during peak travel times, especially during holiday weekends or weekends when major events are scheduled. Read more.
. Haley Bonar, who launched her brilliant music career in Duluth, will perform at Teatro Zuccone in Downtown Duluth on Friday, Sept. 14. Read more.
. Jeff Corey, a Duluth resident and executive director of One Roof Community Housing, has been selected to attend the prestigious NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence in Community Development program conducted in conjunction with Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.
. Three nationally known experts will discuss addiction and recovery in a new speaker series at The College of St. Scholastica. Read more.
. The library-depot upper lot, located at 6th Avenue West and Michigan Street, has reopened this week after a substantial reconstruction of the facility. The parking facility now offers easy to use payment options and a roomier feel with an additional foot per parking space to accommodate most vehicle sizes. Read more.
. The Pyro Jet Truck will make a cameo appearance at a Lincoln Park drag race and car show, performing a smoke and fire show as a preview to the upcoming Duluth Air Show. Read more.
. The Steve Anderson Legacy Foundation golf tournament will be held Friday at Nemadji Golf Course in Superior. Read more.
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