Duluth's homegrown columnist. Since 1971.
Editor & Publisher of HowieHanson.com
I write about power, business, sports and civic life in Duluth and across Minnesota. My columns examine the people making decisions, the organizations behind those decisions and what their choices mean for the communities they serve.
My journalism career began in 1971 at the Cloquet Pine Knot. More than five decades later, I'm still reporting and writing from Duluth. I publish HowieHanson.com, an independent site built around original columns, local reporting and Minnesota sports coverage.
My work combines reporting, analysis and commentary. I believe in checking facts, asking direct questions and giving readers enough information to make up their own minds. My reporting and opinions are mine, and I stand behind the words I publish.
I welcome story ideas, questions, corrections and tips from readers. Email is the best way to reach me.
Email: GuyHowieHanson@gmail.com
The skywalk was engineered for a different downtown — one built around banks, utilities and insurance headquarters moving employees between ramps and desks without touching Superior Street. That downtown is gone.
By Howie Hanson, 50 Yard Football Several teams in America Football One made roster moves Friday, adding size along the lines and adjusting depth
It is time to bring major community stakeholders and economic drivers — such as UMD and the College of St. Scholastica — downtown. With them would come students, faculty and staff, along with parents, friends and visitors, fueling a historic rebirth of downtown Duluth.
Maurices has been backed by the same private equity fund and group of investors since 2019, and that ownership structure remains in place. The transition involves a change in the advisory firm supporting the fund, with advisory responsibilities shifting to Torpen Capital.
The Hawks led by senior forward Ford Skytta, a team captain and four-year varsity player, senior goaltender Bryce Francisco and freshman defenseman Nickolai Zhokov. Junior forwards Beau Christy and Mick Martalock tied for the team scoring lead with 38 points.
Tim’s column will dive into the issues that shape this city in real time: housing, community development, downtown reinvestment, sports, politics, business decisions that ripple through neighborhoods, and the constant tug-of-war between nostalgia and progress.
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our mother, Maria Giuliani, who was born in 1929 in León, Guanajuato, Mexico.
The Class 1A, Section 7 girls hockey championship will be decided Wednesday night in Proctor, where top-seeded Proctor/Hermantown will face second-seeded
Cory Thiesse of Duluth and Korey Dropkin of Southborough, Mass., did something Sunday no American mixed doubles curling team had managed since the event
DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota Power is proposing new and expanded assistance programs and future bill credits aimed at easing energy costs for residential customers, including
Minnesota Class 1A No. 1- ranked Hermantown (16-4-4) will wrap up regular season play Tuesday night at Grand Rapids (11-12-1).
By Dana Kazel St. Louis County Public Health is seeking nominations from the public to recognize individuals or groups who have made significant effort
The Right to Pause does not argue that neurodivergence is a superpower. It does not deny disability, impairment or struggle. Instead, it affirms legitimacy — the idea that experiencing the world differently does not require correction to be meaningful.
Howie Hanson is Minnesota’s Columnist, writing about power, money, sports and civic life across the state. This column is sponsored by Lyric Kitchen
Detentions require law enforcement coordination, court time, public defenders, translators and jail space. Families separated by enforcement actions often turn to emergency assistance, nonprofit aid and school-based services. Local governments end up managing its aftershocks.
"This (Minnesota governor) election feels less like a referendum on any one leader and more like a conversation about what kind of state
Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse stayed perfect Friday, rolling to an 8-1 win over the Czech Republic’s Julie Zelingrova and Vit Chabicovsky
Lake Superior Publishing assets have been sold to Linda Nervick of e-lynx, LLC. Nervick has worked in the publishing industry for 32 years.
This column will remain independent and accessible outside a paywall. Experienced commentary should not be restricted to subscribers alone. Independence call things what they are—without institutional filters, without commercial hesitation, and without negotiating language to protect access.
Grandma’s has endured economic downturns that emptied dining rooms across the country. It has survived shifts in tourism patterns, changes in labor laws, rising food costs and the relentless pressure that comes with operating in one of Duluth’s most visible locations.
Strip away the noise, and what remains is a familiar question Minnesota voters answer the same way every cycle: Who can assemble a winning coalition on this map — as it exists, not as either party wishes it existed?
A County-by-County Watch List
Partnership with News Literacy Project and ThreeSixty Journalism aims to combat misinformation among Minnesota students
Klobuchar is not running to rescue a party or reset a narrative. She is running because the existing electoral terrain already fits her strengths. She knows where her votes are. She knows where she must hold ground. And she knows where simply limiting losses is enough.
A release date for Minnesota 2050 will be announced in mid-February. Minnesota 2050 looks at compounding pressures already visible across Minnesota’s cities and regions.
The Star Tribune did something smart: it didn’t just roll out a slogan. It put reporters in front of readers and let them explain what they were seeing, what they were verifying, what they still didn’t know, and what it costs — emotionally and operationally — to cover a story that is still moving.
The livestream itself is another step. It blends print reporting, digital-first engagement, live video, audience participation and donor relationships into a single moment. It’s a test of whether a statewide news organization can operate comfortably across platforms without diluting its authority.
“At moments like this, people everywhere are paying attention. They’re asking why they should care, where to turn, and who they can trust. This campaign reflects the importance of local journalism when the world is watching.” -- Chris Iles, vice president of communications and brand marketing
The Hermantown High School boys hockey team closed January with its most demanding weekend of the season, shutting out defending Class 1A champion East
Wilf spoke plainly—and in doing so, reminded everyone what leadership is supposed to sound like.
Klobuchar’s greatest asset is also her sharpest test: total name recognition. She does not need to introduce herself. She does not need to prove seriousness. She does not need to build trust from scratch. That saves time, money, and risk.
Legendary Canal Park entrepreneurs Andy Borg and Mick Paulucci bet on Duluth before betting on Duluth was fashionable. They could have wished Scott Keenan luck and gone back to worrying about lunch service. That their restaurant brand didn’t need a long-distance running experiment attached to it.
