Good morning, Duluth.

Crews installed new traffic lights Thursday at the intersection of Lake Avenue + Railroad Street as part of a resurfacing project that has reopened more of the road after months of closures.

The work is set to finish early September.

Imagine Downtown leaders updated on efforts to improve housing, safety and public spaces in downtown as part of their five-year plan + local nonprofits working to address rising homelessness and boost affordable homes, marking an ongoing push for a more welcoming community.

Carter Nelson (an IT specialist) was the first to sign up for ImOn and is now receiving a year of free fiber-optic internet, a bonus that came with his surprise enrollment.

The company also extended the offer to its first customer in Superior, promising improved connectivity for local work-from-home needs.

The Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth euthanized its beloved Giant Pacific Octopus Fitzgerald on Wednesday after she reached the end of her natural lifespan, with staff noting her gentle nature (she laid eggs in Oct.

2025) and engaging enrichment activities.

Lauren Sandbulte, Duluth’s Chief Solutions Officer (Giant) was named to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s 2026-2027 Leadership Minnesota Class to join statewide business leaders in sessions addressing challenges and opportunities in Minnesota’s diverse economy, beginning in September and continuing through February 2027.

UMD associate professor Aaron Boyson cautioned that a 17 billion dollars settlement with Meta requiring stronger age verification and parental controls may take years to improve online safety for youth.

He said the deal, representing only a small fraction of Meta's revenue, leaves questions about its long term impact.

Cirrus and STARBASE in Duluth are packing free STEM kits for elementary schools across Minnesota.

About 200 Cirrus employees are preparing lessons with chemistry, robotics, and coding (plus salt packet experiments) to boost students' interest and critical thinking skills.