Saddams letter.

There will be more on this, but if you have not heard Saddam wrote a letter and this storys cover it, again we will have thoughts on it later.

Here is the link, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16368242/.

Your thoughts welcome.

Gerald Ford dies at age 93.

Gerald Ford Americas 38th president passes on. Today marks a sad day.

Merry Christmas.

There will be no posting the rest of this week on DP. We hope you and your family have a great Christmas, we will resume posting after the big day.

Our Daughter will love it this year, she has not liked santa to much but hopefully next year she will.

Again hope all goes well for all of our read's this Christmas.

Merry Christmas !!!!!

NFL Sunday

Hoping to post more then NFL updates today but I will not make any promises as I am very busy. So for now here is what we are following.

UPDATE,

Jets lead 10-7 in the second qaurter. The jets are out playing the vieks to this point, the vikes are still stopping the run but again having a tuff time against the pass on defence. The offence still is struggling to advance the ball.

Packers and lions tied at 3 in the second qaurter and it is not a very interanting game to this point.






Update----

Vikes and Jets tied at 7 in the 1st quarter, Bears lead 7-0 in the 1st qaurter. YOu can follow all the scores at www.espn.com


Vikes and Jets

The vikes forced a fumble and recoverd it. Then had a very nice short TD drive lead by Brad Johnson, vikes lead 7-0 but the Jets are on the move.

Detriot and Green Bay 0-0 and other games as well

Updates will be at the top of this post as we can. Again we hope to most more info here today as well but don't know if we will be able to.

Joan Rivers

Joan Rivers just called Santa a big red moron, I am guessing Santa will not be going to her house. I can't stand Joan Rivers, she did this on QVC. I am Watching ( listenting) to it, I like to see what they have this time of .

Now Rivers is you can beat I will not buy anything with her on.

Grandma's marathon

As you may have heard the winner of this years race was disqualified by officials on Thursday. She was caught cheating as she tested positive for a banned steriord. This in no way posses any threat to the race and it is in fact good for the race I believe, it proves to everyone hey we will get you if you cheat.


you read read what the paper said, www.duluthnewstribune.com

Apartments downtown good or bad? City tif good or bad?

A company building apartments downtown on first street wants the city to develop a tif district for it. The tif would put the city on the hook for part of the project along with some other benefits for the developer.

Some councilors feel that helping with this project (granting the tif) would revitaliz the downtown area. I disagree, there is a lot more that needs to happen to help our downtown, or any. First there needs to be a reason for people to go downtown (other then going home). There is nothing downtown, it needs big name shops and restrants to take a chance. The city has tried many times to talk Maricuis into going downtown with no luck.

The area would need a huge overhaul in appearance, would a new apartment complex help? Maybe but there are so many old run down buildings it would not come close to what needs to happen.

There are many steps that need to happen before we deal with apartments plus I have trouble sudsidisinzing apartments.

This however is not step one in revitaliz downtown in stead it is more like 4 or 5.

Update on best and worst of year.

We have been getting votes in. Will post more about it tonight as well. Remember if you want to vote you can either sent email wich has been the chose so far, email address is duluthneedshelp@yahoo.com or left a post at one of the best and worst of post.

There are some interesting results so far on some things.

Busy time of year.

As you may all guess this time of year is very busy, with shopping, party's and just life. Post will come tonight however. The wife will be out shopping for me and our little one, so I will have time to post tonight. This week has been busy and no slow down tell after the new year, but will post as I can. So please check back.

Merry Christmas!!!!!

That will be the close to every post from here on out.

Downtown apartments.

So a company building apartments wants the city to develop another tif district for them. What will these apartments really do?

Some councilors have an idea that these apartments will help revitaliz the downtown. I don't think so, not yet anyway. There are many thinks that need to be done downtown before building apartments will help the downtown.

I agree with councilor Stewart and Krause, so far the only two councilors that have indicated not supporting this TIF district. I have more to say on this but for now it is off to work. Come back for more on this and other things later today or tonight.

This is just something for you to think about, should we give this tif district why or why not?

Check in tomorrow.

Post coming tomorrow some time. Check back and see what is going on here at DP. We will have a post about UMD hockey, the apartments downtown, and much more.

More best and worst of the year.

Best political move?

Worst political move?

Best Duluth paper?

Worst Duluth paper? (note the paper can be free or cost money for both of these votes.) That means the reader or twin ports paper can be voted for on either one of these.

Best place to shop?

Worst place to shop? (note reasons must be given for it to be posted.)

Remember the talk about Hatch and Swanson signs together?

If you remember the talk about the Hatch and Swanson signs being put together whether people wanted them or not. Well the plan was shown earlerier this week.

As we all know Hatch lost his bid for Governor to Pawlenty, but now he is more then likly going to stay on as a top aid to Swanson in the AG office. Wait I mean Hatch will retain his AG post.

http://duluthpolitics.blogspot.com/2006/08/hatch-and-swanson-signs-update.html

Above is just one of many post we had about the issue but if you want to look back on it click the link above.

For Swanson and Hatch to even consinder this is wrong!!!!!

Best and worst of the year

Okay it is time for the best and worst of the year.

This will be the first annual Duluth Politics best and worst of the year.


Here are some categories you can vote on.

Best place to Eat out?

Worst Place to eat out?

Best gas station?

Worst gas station?

Best local event of the year?

Worst local event of the year?

Best politician ( local)?

Worst politician (local)?


Others to follow. You can vote two ways. You can email duluthneedshelp@yahoo.co or you can post a comment here and we can chat about your nominee.

Did you see the paper yesterday.

The front page of the paper had the day wrong, it read Wensday December 7th. Every other page read Thursday.

Oops!!!!!

This election was a mess part 2.

Okay so the election between Allan Mitchell and Melanie Ford was a mess. There were different winners on three occasions.

Is it that hard to count votes. First the Ford won then oh wait Mitchell wins now yesterday Ford won a recount.

I believe there are some questions that could be raised about the recount. I however don't know if Mitchell fells the need to fight for the seat a 20 years plus veteran. We will have to see.

This election was a mess.

I have some thoughts but would like to know your first.

All I will say now is, that this election was a mess. Here is a story from the DNT http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=30096&section=news.

Kroc Center update.

Kroc Center passed with ease after an amendment. The center passed on a 8-1 vote, there were about three or four councilor who still had questions however and were questing which way to vote.

Straight talk dead wrong.

I was listening to straight talk with host Brad Bennett today. There was one thing I think he failed to understand. Council Krause is asking and has prosed a resolution to use different lighting in a billboard sign on central entrance.

The sign has a number of different ads as it is a electonic sign with some ads being so bright it lights up the sky in the area at night. The light is worse then hi-beems on a car.

A person emailed making light of the resolution and saying that christmas lights also cause a distraction so should be ban them. Then Brad went on and joked about it, missing the point of this resolution completely.

I understand there are more important things then this but it is a big issue in a heavily traveled area. If this sign cases one accident I believe that is to many.

The point of the resolution is not to, not allow advertising or even muti advertising it is asking that a dimmer light be used, common sense to me.

Off to yet another council meeting.

Update
More then likely not going to be able to make it to the meeting because of an emergency in the house.

update
I was not able to make it to the meeting but am watching I will have an update later.

Tonight's agenda has yet another council meeting for the host of this blog. After eating dinner here and few other things it will be off to the meeting.

tonight's meeting starts at 7 p.m. The Kroc Center is one big topic on tonight's agenda at the meeting.

We need the Kroc Center, the council should approve this on a 9-0 vote I don't think that will happen. I believe the center needs 7 votes to pass. Right now there are 5 solid votes with these councilor unsure of how to vote, Ness, Little,Stewart. I think there maybe one other undecided but I can't guess why some one would vote against this project.


The DNT has a story at www.duluthnewstribune.com

More on Coon Rapids man that shot and killed an intruter.

Check out the Star's story it is very interesting. Thanks to Brad for drawing my attion to it. http://www.startribune.com/467/story/842425.html.


There are many intereisting part to the story that the Star choice to write I will highlight some of them.

"I can see both sides of it," said Otteson, 30. Somebody "was in the house and he [the homeowner] was scared and didn't know what to do. ... He was waiting for them. Why couldn't he have gone out the back deck before he shot them?"

YOur Step son or not he has no right to brake into some ones house. He got what he had coming to him, the owner of the house sure did not have to go to his deck what a joke. I am sure if I had a gun I would do the same thing. It is protecting your self and what you have in your house. Get over it you idiot. You may have lost a step son but to bad he was doing an act that is not good, breaking into some ones house. Weather you think some one is there or not, it is not right, nor legal. Yet you seem to be okay with your Step son's action. Get over it.

"He was definitely not a thief," Otteson said.

Again what a joke, if he is not a thief then why break into a home? Let me guess it was a "bad Choice

More to come!!!

Kroc Center yes!!!!

Here is a good piece in the paper today.

It is written by Ron Stone of Duluth, and for those that don't know as well Ron is the GM of clear channel Duluth radio stations.

Kroc center is symbolic of Army’s Christian charity
The Salvation Army is offering Duluth something few organizations in the private sector or not-for-profit sector have ever offered: A new community center 75 percent paid for with funds from the bequest to the Salvation by Joan Kroc. What a gift!


I am amazed and appalled by people who continue to stand in the way of this great facility in the name of “separation of church and state.” Shame on you. Your shortsightedness and selfishness will get in the way of benefits that would come to all children who would utilize this facility and the Salvation Army.
The proposed Kroc community center will bring high-quality programs in sports and recreation, the arts, education, ministry, music and family enrichment, along with necessary social services to families and individuals in need from across Duluth and northern Minnesota. At a time when so many things are being lost in Duluth, why would we close our hearts to an organization offering such a gift?


The Salvation Army is a Christian organization. That should come as no surprise to anyone. It also should come as no surprise to anyone that the majority of charity work done in our great nation is done by Christian organizations, not by government. If you are opposed to tax dollars being mixed with charity, your cause is already lost.
If there has ever been a case for the people in Duluth to say to the extremist that enough is enough, now is that time. Let’s build the Kroc center for the youth of Duluth, who otherwise will not have similar opportunities. Give them a chance for success. This should be about less-fortunate children, not about an extremist point of view.

Ron Stone
Duluth

Cherry man died because of a shot to the heart.

Cherry man killed by State Trooper was a result of gun fire to the heart.

There were other shot fired at him, however they were not fatal and it was not disclosed how many other shots were fired by the trooper.


Here is what we will hear next.

Cherry man family to sue State and trooper on counts of exsive use of fire arm. Along with other counts because remember this guy was a perfect person he just made bad choices says his family. http://duluthpolitics.blogspot.com/2006/12/good-man.html

UMD Bulldog Hockey.

Okay so the bulldogs are a young team this year, but in the past the team has not been and the only good year Scott Sandlin had was with the finly recruites from Mike Sertich.

When you lose to UAA Alaska the most pathic WCHA team for year and countinues to be this year. It maybe time to pack in the season and look for a new coach.

Here is part of what the paper had to say about the game. Read more here, www.duluthnewstribune.com

The Seawolves hockey team got a gift Friday night, a 2-1 win over Minnesota-Duluth they probably did not deserve.


That's not to say the Bulldogs deserved a win, either.

Both teams stunk up the joint for most of the game. A scoreless tie would have been a just ending.

The Bulldogs still have the talent but need good direction. I don't believe they are getting that from there current head coach.

Not happy with Citizen Blog?

I know there are a number of people that don't like citizen blog, if you are one of those people check out this site, www.duluthsolution.com .

I enjoy citizen blog, I also enjoy Duluth Solution. Both issues to chat about, here is what I like about Duluth Solutions, you must register. Well register you must use your real name. This way when you say something you know who it is.

I like blogs as well because you can use a made up name, like you can do on Citizen blog, you can also use your real name there if you choice to.

Both sites have something to offer so weather you don't like citizen or you just want to check out another place again go to www.duluthsolutions.com

B-105 poll

Duluth Country music station B-105 www.kkcb.com has a poll up about Troy Gentre and should they continue to play the groups music because of his scandal of shooting a bear.

You can vote by click in the kkcb link above. It is close right now if you do vote I would ask that you say they should still play there music. After all this is nothing compared to what the Dixie chunks ( chicks) said about President Bush yet it is okay to still play there music. What a joke.

A good man?

As you all know by now earlier this week a State Tropper shot and killed a man after a traffic stop. The man had a gun with him. The man is from Cherry.

The Daughter wanted to let us know he was a good man, what do you think. Here is part of what she said from a news story by the Duluth News Tribune.

“We just want people to know that despite what has been reported about our father, he was not a horrible person,” Alyssa Hannuksela said in a handwritten note that she gave the News Tribune. “He was a good father, son, brother, uncle and good friend to many people. My dad may have made some bad choices in his life, but in so many ways he was a good person. We want the trooper involved to know that our hearts go out to him at this time, also. We know this has to be very hard for hitoooo.”

He was wanted in three counties, here is the list of what for.

Hannuksela was a native of Gilbert but lived along Highway 37 in Cherry, an area with a Mountain Iron mailing address.

Law enforcement had been actively searching for Hannuksela in connection with felony warrants in separate counties: St. Louis, Carlton and Pine.

In St. Louis County, he was wanted on an outstanding felony warrant of felon in possession of a firearm. In Carlton and Pine counties, he had outstanding felony warrants from a first-degree controlled substance crime.

Hannuksela also had convictions for harassment, stalking and violating restraining orders.

I am not sure this is just a case of bad choices. What are your thoughts.