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
Auntie Anne’s will join a roster of longtime mall eateries and retailers as the property continues to position itself as a destination for both everyday needs and occasional indulgences.
"After reviewing the City’s finances, community needs, and individual economic realities, I have proposed a 2.7% inflation-only maximum levy for 2026." -- Reinert
Scott Sandelin is the founding member, the inaugural giant, the first name etched into the roll call of the Howie's Legend Club. From now on, when he walks into Amsoil or down Superior Street, the whispers will follow: “There goes Legendary Scott Sandelin.”
Witnesses told investigators the vehicle had been heading north when it crossed the centerline, veered off the roadway and came to rest in the west ditch.
The HowieHanson.com is powered by Lyric Kitchen · Bar The Minnesota Mile will bring runners back to Enger Park on Friday evening, offering a
Minnesota publishers aren't listening to readers when they cut print or redesign their websites for the hundredth time. The future isn’t in the layout. It’s in the personality. It’s in having columnists embedded in every neighborhood, every small town, every city council chamber, every rink and gym.
The HowieHanson.com is powered by Lyric Kitchen · Bar A suspected chlorine gas leak prompted an evacuation at a Canal Park apartment building late
So here’s Neal Pionk, sitting in the back row of orientation camp, probably wondering if anyone will remember that winning hockey games requires more than highlight-reel goals and “branding initiatives.” If history holds, they won’t.
Despite Hermantown’s defensive grit and Lilah Conley’s all-around effort, the Greyhounds' consistency down the stretch proved too much.
The outcome will depend on whether Duluth can move from vision to action. “Only in working together will we make this happen. No one is going to do it for us,” said Shaun Floerke, president and CEO of Boreal Waters Community Foundation.
By state law, counties must set their maximum levy by the end of September. The board can lower the figure before adopting a final budget in December but cannot increase it.
The HowieHanson.com is powered by Lyric Kitchen · Bar The Duluth Fire Department responded to a blaze early Tuesday morning on the 600 block
Bird, a Twin Cities–based studio artist, uses basketry techniques as the foundation for contemporary sculptural forms that push past utilitarian design. Her work is in the Minnesota Historical Society collection and private collections in New York, Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania.
The cast features Trevor Lindley Craft as Elvis Presley, Wyatt Andrew Brownell as Jerry Lee Lewis, Davis Wood as Johnny Cash and Drew Black as Carl Perkins. Tyler Railey plays Dyanne, the sharp-witted singer, while Dan Prevette takes on Sun Records founder Sam Phillips.
Duluth will spotlight jobs and training this week as Mayor Roger Reinert proclaims Wednesday Workforce Development Day in the city. The declaration comes during
Grove writes about his work in Gov. Tim Walz’s administration during the pandemic and the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, while reflecting on how the Midwest shaped his views of community and the country’s future.
A windfall of state aid helped soften the edges. Local Government Aid jumped by $4.4 million in 2024, the largest increase in more than two decades and the equivalent of a double-digit property-tax hike. The city collected $35.2 million in aid in 2025, nearly one-third of its General Fund.
The Minnesota Wilderness named Craig Larson assistant coach Sunday, filling the spot vacated by Evan Alexius, who left for an NCAA job. Larson, a
“Overall it was a beautiful night for football … a big crowd, a new flag pole dedicated to a tremendous man and coach (former Hawks coach Gary Bowen) and a Hermantown win … really couldn’t ask for much more than that.” -- Hermantown Coach Mike Zagelmeyer.
Picture it: Ham in sweats, headset strapped on, coaching up young backs on the sideline like he’s been auditioning for the job all summer. He’s never been the rah-rah type in uniform, but suddenly he’s Mr. Clipboard? This isn’t rehab. This is a trial run for the next phase of his career.
Negotiations continue at Solvay Hospice House and Essentia Health Surgery Center-Miller Hill in Duluth. Two bargaining sessions were held this week, with additional meetings scheduled for Sept. 8 at Solvay and Sept. 10 at the Surgery Center.
Minnesota’s defense dominated from the outset, holding Buffalo to just 151 total yards and limiting the Bulls to 1 of 11 on third down. The Gophers forced six three-and-outs and kept Buffalo’s rushing attack under 40 yards.
And lest anyone think St. Scholastica is just a nice regional option, the rankings folks beg to differ. U.S. News puts them among the Best National Universities, Money magazine says it’s one of the “Best Colleges for Your Money,” and the Princeton Review keeps listing it among the Midwest’s best.
This December, Bill Oswald's seat at the table will be empty, but his fingerprints will be on every shift, every goal, every frazzled parent clutching a cup of bad coffee. The Spirit of Duluth is back. It never really left. And he wouldn’t want it any other way.
The real story is simple: the Vikings needed a guy who knows the offense and won’t panic on third-and-six. Nostalgia just happened to be the bonus prize.
Hermantown used a balanced scoring attack to defeat Proctor 4-0 in a girls soccer match Thursday night. The Hawks jumped out early with
I’ve met many people eager to be called heroes. Fred is the opposite. He shrugs away attention. He’d rather talk about his students than himself. But the truth is this: Fred Friedman is the greatest man I’ve ever met in my career — a hero who never wanted the title.
Northwood Children’s Services and Valley Youth Center will host a back-to-school party and free backpack giveaway Thursday, Aug. 28, at Memorial
Post Secondary Enrollment Option enrollment rose by more than 90 students compared with last fall. The Lake Superior College Foundation awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships, with about 75% of applicants receiving aid.
This is precisely how the Koi Perich saga began. Esko’s Swiss Army knife was suddenly the kid everyone wanted to talk about, and before you knew it, P.J. Fleck’s staff was tripping over themselves to lock him down.
MY9 Sports has carried Bulldogs athletics since 2010. In 2022, the agreement was extended through the 2027-28 season, guaranteeing broadcasts of all home men’s hockey and football games, along with expanded coverage of women’s hockey, volleyball and basketball.
