Ryan Kern’s vision took flight — and Duluth’s sky hasn’t been the same since
At a time when the city was searching for ways to reinvent itself beyond shipping and snow, Kern dared to see Duluth as a destination. The airshow he created has now become a staple of the summer tourism calendar, injecting millions into the local economy year after year.
Related
Howie: Thursday Community News
Ten search warrants were executed. Twenty-four people were arrested. Cash, drugs and guns were taken off the streets: $28,609 in currency, more than 330 grams of methamphetamine, nearly 140 grams of fentanyl, close to 80 grams of cocaine, and an illegal firearm.
Howie: Minnesota didn’t just lose Tim Walz. It lost a political skill set.
Walz connected emotionally with parts of the Democratic base in a way Klobuchar never has. Progressive activists tolerated him because he felt authentic, grounded, unpretentious. Klobuchar does not inspire that same patience. Her politics are transactional, not aspirational.
Howie: Hermantown Schools chosing accountability over applause
In an era when public trust in institutions is fragile, Hermantown Schools has earned its credibility the old-fashioned way: by respecting taxpayers, confronting reality, and governing with integrity.
Howie: Hughes trade, DECC to host World Junior Championship exhibitions
This is a bet that Hughes ages cleanly, that his body cooperates, that the cap continues to rise, and that the surrounding cast can be managed without suffocation. It’s a bet that Minnesota can finally pull off the superstar contract that doesn’t end in regret.
Latest
Howie: Indoor Football League Notebook
Note: The Indoor Football League is the longest-running continuously operating indoor football league in the United States and the second-longest-running professional football league overall, behind only the NFL. Founded in 2009, the IFL will enter its 18th consecutive season in 2026, firmly established as the sport’s top indoor league.
Howie: Indoor Football League enters new era with FanDuel, Yahoo Sports deals
Nearly the entire 2026 IFL schedule, including playoff games and the league’s championship, will be available either on television or through widely used digital platforms such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Prime Video, Plex and other free ad-supported channels.
Howie: Minnesota Star Tribune often first and only in the Twin Ports
Veteran print journalists Jana Hollingsworth and Christa Lawler, elite writers formerly with the legacy local newspaper, don’t parachute in. They don’t rewrite press releases. They don’t treat northern Minnesota as an afterthought or a curiosity.
Howie: How AF1 is quietly building its 2026 season
The looming television and streaming announcement may become the league’s most visible milestone yet. It will not just determine how fans watch games. It will determine how sponsors value the league, how players view its legitimacy and how teams recruit talent.