2nd Annual Willie Kruger Dance Competition

 

The 2nd Annual Willie Kruger Dance Competition was held on November 18, 2012 at Grandma's Sports Garden, Canal Park, Duluth MN. It was an amateur open style competition of ages 12 and up. I didn't know quite what to expect and found how surprised I became at the amount of talent one room could hold. I also couldn't tell you the type of dances, except for the belly dancer.

 

What I can tell you, it was a night where young people could come and dance their dance to their hearts content and be able to do it in an environment of their peers, friends and some family members.  Free expression in dance.  Free expression from our youth.

 

Photographs and blog by Joni Tauzell





 

 

 

Globe News - A trip for collectibles, cards, comics and history

Globe News on the corner of Tower Ave and Belknap St. is your trip for collectibles, cards, comics, magazines, books and even some history.  Globe News is an icon in Superior.  It is the place to go if you want the unusual magazine without going across the bridge to Duluth; it is the place to go if you are looking for a long lost CD or for a comic book. 



 

 

And if you are looking for a fun history lesson, you can always spend a few moments with Tom Unterberger, owner of Globe News and a big bit of local historian. Here's Tom as he is visiting with customers. You will most likely find Tom, not in the front of the store, rather in the back room engaged in conversation with his customers, who by the way knows many of them by name.

Globe News has one of the largest selections of magazines.  As you first walk in, there is a long row of shelving for magazines on both sides and at the end of the row you will find more on the back wall.  Most are current, and some are dated. 
Spending time at Globe News was fun and interesting and on a day that was extremely busy for collectors. 

Sometimes if you are as lucky as I was, you get a chance to peek at some other items that are sure to take you back in time.
Next time you are in Superior, WI check out Globe News.  Enjoy the atmosphere and the staff and your trip back in time.  You will not be disappointed.  If you want the added bonus of a local history lesson, ask for Tom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graffiti Graveyard

Photos and Text by John D D'Auria

Graffiti Graveyard in some respects is a graveyard, but not the kind that the average person is used to. There are no headstones or plots, but there is a hidden gallery of Murals, Tags and Roll pieces done by graffiti artists that find this secluded place to be a peaceful place for their creativity to show their talents without being harassed or arrested for defacing the city's property.
Sooner or later some of  their art will die, not literally but it will fade or be covered up by a newcomer to the gallery that wants to leave his mark on the cement walls that lay beneath the freeway,  a rival artist that wants to tag over it just to deface it or someone that wants to update a piece to bring some freshness to the walls.

Graffiti artist creating a new piece of art work.

 
Sources say that Graffiti Graveyard basically was founded back in the mid 1980's because of a lot of vandalism going on in the city of Duluth, MN. A lot of artists were being arrested for defacing public buildings, skywalks, trains, and pretty much any smooth surface they could find that they thought someone would be able to appreciate their work on. The only problem was, the city officials and some of the taxpayers of the city of Duluth didn't appreciate the art, they felt it looked trashy and chased away the tourists, which took money away from the city. So in some people's opinion an unwritten compromise was established between the city of Duluth and the local artists that they would verbally be given this spot under the freeway that could not be seen from the citie's population unless they went searching for this hidden gallery. Apparently both sides have kept their word in this verbal agreement to some degree because there has been  less graffiti thrown up all over the city of Duluth in the last 30 years and a lot of residents and tourists seem to enjoy going to the gallery and experiencing the hidden talent that rests under thousands of vehicles that pass over it daily.

UMD Alworth Planetarium

(Photo and text by H. Brian Rauvola)

What would environmental portraiture be without a challenge? I knew that this type of situation was going to be a bit difficult, but I knew just about what needed to be done to get a nice, solid, portrait that presented what the planetarium had to offer. This image ended up a composite of 3 images, one for the sky, one for the subject, and one for the wall posters under black light.

 

 

Our gracious subject is UMD senior and Planetarium Technician Steve Hendrickson. He is from Duluth and is majoring in History and German Studies. Thanks go to all of the guys and gal at the Planetarium for letting us invade for a couple of hours!