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HowieHanson.com Section
There is a buzz in the air right now about Minnesota Monsters arena league football at Amsoil Arena. Training camp opens on March 23. You can feel it. Something special is building.
If Duluth decides it prefers less marketing and more governing, voters may discover that the model for that kind of leadership has been sitting in plain view at City Hall for several years. His name is Arik Forsman.
Under the leadership of Chamber President Matt Baumgartner, Duluth and St. Louis County Days has become a respected presence at the Capitol. Legislators expect it. Policymakers notice it. And participants leave knowing their region’s voice has been heard.
The Minnesota Monsters have made their move by stepping into a stronger league and bringing the team into Amsoil. Tuesday afternoon is the community’s opportunity to meet the players, see the vision for the franchise and decide whether Duluth intends to build something lasting around it.
“As with any large customer, Google will cover the costs associated with the necessary energy infrastructure to meet its energy needs. The agreement enhances grid reliability and protects other customers,” Minnesota Power Chief Operating Officer Josh Skelton said.
Johnson is one of the nation's top prospects in the Class of 2028, and Brown is a rising star who will draw a lot of attention from college scouts next summer.
If Kirill Kaprizov ever gets a true sniper riding shotgun -- Brock Boeser? -- the rest of the Western Conference might suddenly discover something Minnesota fans have suspected for a while now. The Wild are closer than they look.
Duluth and St. Louis County are not asking for luxury investments. They are asking for help maintaining systems — water treatment plants, shoreline protection, waste management infrastructure — whose costs exceed what local taxpayers alone can reasonably sustain.
Every venue eventually tells the truth about its city. Not through press releases or attendance numbers, but through what finally fills the seats.
When ownership asks fans to pick their seats at $200, they’re not just selling tickets. They’re asking the city to co-sign the project. They’re saying: Trust us early. Commit early. Help us build this from day one.
The question is no longer simply whether Roger Reinert deserves another term. The question is whether Duluth believes it is on the path it wants — and if not, who has the discipline, clarity and courage to alter it. November 2027 will deliver the verdict. The work of deciding it begins now.
Essentia’s downtown campus functions as a Level I trauma center — the highest designation available — meaning it must have surgeons, anesthesiologists, neurosurgeons and critical care specialists available at all hours. Not on call from home. Available.
Essentia’s strength in Duluth lies in its scale, integration and specialty depth. Without that concentration, northern Minnesota would export far more complex care to the metro. The region would lose physicians, revenue and economic stability. Its vulnerability lies in the same concentration.
Howie Hanson is Minnesota’s Columnist, writing about power, money, sports and civic life across the state. His daily column is sponsored by Lyric Kitchen . Bar of Duluth. Healthcare systems now hold more economic sway in parts of Minnesota than mining companies once did. In northern Minnesota, Essentia Health sits
The responsible posture is straightforward: acknowledge the verified damage, pursue every recoverable dollar, prepare for the possibility of additional exposure and insist on public updates as investigations progress.
Healthcare is Minnesota’s largest employer. It should become Minnesota’s greatest public priority — not merely in charity or philanthropy, but in economic and civic strategy.