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
In the end, Minnesota's governor's race will test whether longstanding geographic voting patterns hold under the pressure of a controversy that has placed the competence and accountability of state government squarely before the electorate.
The arena will accommodate Monsters home games during the spring and summer, outside the university's primary college hockey and basketball seasons. The move also gives the Monsters access to a substantially larger population base and a major professional sports market.
For Hermantown and Hibbing-Chisholm, the road to a state hockey championship runs through each other. For Proctor, it runs through a demanding Class 2A basketball field that will have months to prepare for Chloe Johnson.
The Legacy, nearly a decade in the making, will include 30 income-restricted apartments and seek to attract students, young professionals and workers in critical industries.
At 80, the Minnesota Star Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse remains a reporter first, a skeptic always and one of the most distinctive voices in Minnesota journalism.
Mayor Roger Reinert has delivered measurable results on housing, infrastructure and property taxes. But the city's financial problems, housing shortage and uncertain downtown recovery raise a more difficult question: Is Duluth becoming stronger, or simply managing its problems more effectively?
Minnesota Duluth looks to recover from embarrassing weekend at Augustana; winless Minnesota brings new coach, talented roster and its own questions into two-game series.
The Bulldogs represent one of college hockey's most accomplished programs, backed by a tremendous facility, passionate supporters and a recruiting reputation built through decades of success. They compete in the NCHC, where championship expectations are established long before the opening faceoff.
“We’ve been working diligently to keep customer bills as low as possible, especially as they are facing increasing costs related to fuel, food and other household bills. Selling these land holdings and crediting those proceeds back to customers is an important effort to do just that.” Jennifer Cady
I'm approaching my 72nd birthday, and I've been thinking lately about the thousands of athletes, hundreds of coaches and countless
HERMANTOWN — Martin Sleen’s explosive start has moved well beyond being simply a Hermantown football story. The Hawks standout has established himself among the
The Spirit of Duluth has grown during its five decades into a December tradition that combines high-level youth hockey with one of the state’s strongest hockey communities.
Stauber's assertion might sound persuasive during a televised debate. It becomes considerably less persuasive when subjected to independent examination.
FREDENBERG TOWNSHIP — A 33-year-old Fredenberg Township man suffered serious injuries Monday night when his vehicle left a roadway, struck a large rock
HERMANTOWN — Hermantown already had the makings of one of Minnesota's most dangerous offensive teams entering the 2026-27 boys high school hockey
Muck Rack's 2026 State of Journalism report found that 82% of surveyed journalists had used at least one AI tool during the previous 12 months, up from 77% in 2025. ChatGPT was used by 47%, while substantial numbers reported using AI transcription tools, Grammarly and other applications.
With roughly a month to go until election day, political signs are a common sight. However, state law limits where signs can be posted
At approximately 4:30 a.m., Monday, October 5, Duluth Police responded to a report of a shooting in the 4600 block of East
HERMANTOWN — Hermantown football coach Mike Zagelmeyer isn't interested in moral victories. Not after Friday night's 24-15 Northeast Red loss
Dudley has demonstrated that Community Action Duluth can expand services, improve its unrestricted operating performance and direct a substantial majority of its spending to programs. The next step is to build the institutional support around her that will make those gains sustainable.
The planting of 9,254 trees marks the completion of one major seasonal project. Protecting those trees as they mature and continuing the campaign against invasive phragmites will determine how much of that work translates into lasting environmental improvements.
GRAND RAPIDS — Hermantown’s explosive offense finally ran into a defense capable of slowing it down. Grand Rapids handed the Hawks their first loss
GRAND RAPIDS — Grand Rapids answered one of the biggest questions of the northeastern Minnesota high school football season Friday night. Grand Rapids won a
