Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Duluth (Minn) 'just a different town nowadays' - Gangs and Crime Rising
Minneapolis StarTribune (aka The Red Star) ^ | 10/09/06 | Chuck Haga - Staff Reporter

Posted on 10/09/2006 7:30:37 AM PDT by MplsSteve

Jennifer Randa didn't need to see the official numbers released this month by the Duluth Police Department: crime up nearly 20 percent from 2004 to 2005, with drug crime more than doubling and violent crimes up by 32 percent.

From the Union Gospel Mission, where she helps provide meals and clothing to the homeless, Randa monitors the daily fistfights and street prostitution, the bustling drug trade and random vandalism sapping life in the city's Central Hillside neighborhood.

(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Minnesota
KEYWORDS: barbarians; citydwellers; crime; drugs; duluth; gangs; minnesota; uncivilized
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last
This is an interesting article.

For most of us, Duluth is a fun city to spend a weekend in. It's near the North Shore. You get to see the ocean-going ships steam in and out. Everyone loves Canal Park and Skyline Drive.

But there is a seedy part of town. Duluth has always had this area - but now it seems like it's getting worse.

Comments or opinions - anyone?

1 posted on 10/09/2006 7:30:38 AM PDT by MplsSteve
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: NorthWoody; Manic_Episode; mikethevike; coder2; AmericanChef; Reaganesque; ER Doc; lesser_satan; ...

WELCOME TO FREE REPUBLIC'S MINNESOTA PING LIST!!!

Let me know if you want on or off this list!


2 posted on 10/09/2006 7:31:44 AM PDT by MplsSteve
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve
Is Duluth experiencing an influx of new arrivals to "do the jobs at wages Americans won't work for"?

Owl_Eagle

If what I just wrote made you sad or angry,
it was probably just a joke.

3 posted on 10/09/2006 7:34:26 AM PDT by End Times Sentinel (In Memory of my Dear Friend Henry Lee II)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve

It's like Uptown in Minneapolis. The bad guys have finally figured out that Duluth is a hotbed of liberalism. That translates into people who aren't into the whole self-defense thing.

That equals victims ripe for the pickin'.


4 posted on 10/09/2006 7:34:46 AM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo (Offended By Islam.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve
So the two major cities in the Blue parts of the State have rising gang and crime problems? Guess the Moveon.org crowd is getting it just desserts for who they elect to run their local Governments. Don't expect any solutions anytime soon. They will blame the state, namely Pawlenty, for not giving them unlimited access to the state treasury while they continue to waste millions on feel good "prestige" and mass transit boondoggles. Their voters, happy that they have a Republican to be mad at, will follow this PR line like the sheep like fools they all are.
5 posted on 10/09/2006 7:36:38 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (Evil Dooer, Snowflake, Conservative Fundamentalist Bush Bot Dittohead reporting for duty!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve

It's that diversity thing going on. Minnesota was just so boring when all those Swedish Lutherans were the only ethnic group in town. Someone should post the crime stats for places like Rochester, where the Somalis have settled, to get a more complete picture of present-day Minnesota.


6 posted on 10/09/2006 7:38:13 AM PDT by kittymyrib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve

Randa monitors the daily fistfights and street prostitution, the bustling drug trade and random vandalism sapping life in the city's Central Hillside neighborhood

Everything old is new again. Up until the 50s Duluth had a much deserved reputation as a place to go and fight & party.

Duluth is run by some pretty leftwing moonbat types. It's not the city I grew up in anymore.


7 posted on 10/09/2006 7:38:21 AM PDT by Valin (http://www.irey.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve


Duluth?
8 posted on 10/09/2006 7:44:17 AM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve

Since the perps are just taking advantage of lefty policies, I can't see it changing any time soon. If they would only put as much energy into fighting crime as they do secondhand smoke...


9 posted on 10/09/2006 7:45:45 AM PDT by AmericanChef
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Liberty Valance

Hibbing Mn.


10 posted on 10/09/2006 7:47:00 AM PDT by Valin (http://www.irey.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: AmericanChef

Of course you do understand that there is no difference.
/sarcasm


11 posted on 10/09/2006 7:48:01 AM PDT by Valin (http://www.irey.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: kittymyrib
Someone should post the crime stats for places like Rochester, where the Somalis have settled, to get a more complete picture of present-day Minnesota.

Don't forget the Hispanics in the turkey processing areas of central MN. Melrose (St. Cloud area) used to 101% German heritage; now they're struggling with that whole bilingual thing and learning all about anchor babies.

12 posted on 10/09/2006 7:50:18 AM PDT by ErnBatavia (Meep Meep)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve
I stayed in Duluth one night last summer on my way up to International Falls. Not a bad place -- especially since that whole waterfront district east of I-35 was new to me.

Will the city be able to weather the decline of the iron shipping?

13 posted on 10/09/2006 7:50:41 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (Can money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child

The city has never been quite the same since the decline in the need for iron ore back in the 60's and 70's.

But there's still a health shipping season with lots of ag products (corn, wheat) going out as well as concrete and coal.

Duluth has diversified away from iron ore somewhat - but it's still a blue-collar town.

Duluth, to its credit, has really done a lot to bring the tourists in. They have really cleaned up the areas east of 35W.


14 posted on 10/09/2006 7:54:46 AM PDT by MplsSteve
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve

I grew up in Bloomington in the 60s and 70s.

Back then Bloomington was behind Duluth in population. I guess Duluth lost enough people to fall behind Bloomington.

Bloomington, especially in the northeast corner where I grew up, is rapidly becoming a cesspool as well. There are apartment complexes that are known gang hangouts. And the Mall has its own set of problems.

I'm not sure if the decline is due to state or city policies.


15 posted on 10/09/2006 7:59:55 AM PDT by kidd
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve
How much does it cost to ship taconite to China?

Chrysler may carry China's Chery: Report
Sep. 25, 2006. 07:01 AM
MATT MOORE
ASSOCIATED PRESS

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1159177925664&call_pageid=968332188492
16 posted on 10/09/2006 8:03:08 AM PDT by dgallo51 (DEMAND IMMEDIATE, OPEN INVESTIGATIONS OF U.S. COMPLICITY IN RWANDAN GENOCIDE!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MplsSteve

Hmmn... have they considered midnight basketball?


17 posted on 10/09/2006 8:08:30 AM PDT by badgerlandjim (Hillary Clinton is to politics as Helen Thomas is to beauty)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child
When I was growing up there (50s-60s) the population was over 100,000 today it's dropped off considerably. The reason> You can't live there, not much in the way of work. There was the railroads, shipping, a steel plant, cement plant, the Air Force base. Today it's got shipping and tourism.
The shipping is not so much taconite (although it is shipped from there) as grain from the Dakotas.
18 posted on 10/09/2006 8:09:29 AM PDT by Valin (http://www.irey.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Valin

You're right about that.

From what I've read, Duluth's city govt has a high level of disfunction in it.

Lots of personality conflicts and various personal agendas are getting in the way of running the city properly.

That doesn't surprise me because that's the type of govt you get in a city dominated by the DFL.

Lots of screwy behavior and screwy decisions.


19 posted on 10/09/2006 8:12:28 AM PDT by MplsSteve
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Valin

Ah-ha, thank you.


20 posted on 10/09/2006 8:13:07 AM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson