Howie: When downtown’s believers start dreaming of leaving
Whether every fear about downtown is fully borne out by hard crime numbers is, in one sense, beside the point. Perception drives behavior. Customers act on what they feel. Employees act on what they experience walking to a car. Owners act on what they hear from both.
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Howie: Reinert has failed Downtown Duluth
The library debate generated plenty of noise and no resolution. Skywalk conversations took up oxygen without producing a clear direction. The broader Imagine Downtown Duluth effort exists, but still feels like a $300,000 plan waiting for a moment when it becomes real in ways people can’t miss.
Howie: Arena Football One reports surge in early-season digital viewership
AF1 is a professional arena football league, the circuit of the Minnesota Monsters, focused on high-scoring gameplay and fan accessibility. Games are streamed live each weekend on the league’s official website, with additional content available across its social media platforms.
Howie: FOX 21 surges as Northland news habits shift online in real time
In March 2026, the newly redesigned FOX21Online.com saw nearly 100 percent growth in web traffic compared to March 2025. That number is the kind that doesn’t happen by accident. It happens with volume, speed and a willingness to treat digital not as a side product, but as the front door.
Howie: After 50 years, I’m asking — what do you want to read?
After 50 years, the only thing that still matters is whether the work connects. And the best way to make sure it does is to listen — even now. Especially now.
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Howie: Reinert has failed Downtown Duluth
The library debate generated plenty of noise and no resolution. Skywalk conversations took up oxygen without producing a clear direction. The broader Imagine Downtown Duluth effort exists, but still feels like a $300,000 plan waiting for a moment when it becomes real in ways people can’t miss.
Howie: Forsman the best choice for Duluth’s next mayor
Arik Forsman doesn’t posture. He doesn’t spend his time trying to win the internet for a day. He leans into the unglamorous mechanics of governing — budgets, policy detail, stakeholder conversations — and does it with a steadiness that’s easy to overlook if you’re chasing noise instead of results.
Howie: IFL, AF1 tout digital growth as indoor football shifts to streaming-first model
The IFL said the shift in distribution represents a multi-thousand percent increase compared to its YouTube-only model from two years ago, when live audiences were significantly smaller.