Show Notes
This month we feature two members of our Planning and Economic Development team to chat about housing and downtown revitalization. Tom Church is our "housing guy," and Tricia Hobbs is Manager of Economic Development and Executive Director for DEDA. We chat a bit about their personal stories, what brought them to Duluth, and why they stayed. We also talk about the work being done to support our industry partners and the need to find housing for current and future employees. Lack of housing is curbing many manufacturers' ability to fill job openings. Which makes housing a workforce and economic development issue. No surprise, downtown Duluth is another one of this team's top priorities. Neighborhoodification is a concept they are working on as they look provide leadership for the City's role in revitalizing the heart of our community and region, and a critical tax base. There is a shared vision and tangible progress, and also significant work still to be done.
More from Welcome to Duluth!
This month I sat down with Pez Davila, Executive Director of Neighborhood Youth Services and the voice behind the Light Skinned Podcast and Taste Twin Ports Podcast.
This month we feature the Special Olympics. Mayor Reinert talks with Duluth Police Officer Ryan Temple to talk about the DPD's long history of supporting these athletes, as well as the 2026 Special Olympics. The national event this year will be held in Minnesota, and Duluth is one of a few communities nationally to participate in the carrying the torch to the opening ceremonies.
This month we feature Beatrice Ojakangas. Bea is an icon of the northland. She has published more than 32 cookbooks, written for a variety of magazines and is familiar face from public television who has shared her love of cooking and Finnish heritage with audiences across the country. Our conversation covered everything from her journey in the kitchen to what it was like to get a call from Julia Childs.
This month we feature our Chester Bowl Improvement Club's Executive Director Dave Schaefer. Dave gives us some park history, we tall about their programing and our partnership model. We also have a real time update on the Chalet renovations and their Growing Up Chester Campaign.
This month we feature our Street Maintenance Operations Coordinator, Geoff Vukelich. Geoff. We cover a lot of ground from sled dog racing to carpentry and Geoff's take on pizza (he's done over 900 reviews!). Importantly, Geoff also gives us insights into everything that goes into winter snow removal operations in a city that is 26 miles long, eight miles wide, and has over 1500' of elevation gain. We discuss P1s, 2s, and 3s, snow emergencies, and what to do during the big storms (stay home if you can!).