A Look Back in 2014, Pt.1

DULUTH, Minn. – The year started off with a bang, proving how cold winter could be with some parts of the Northland dipping down to 50 below zero."I got a thermometer from the weather service that goes to 100 below...if it gets that cold I don't wanna be here."This prompted Governor Mark Dayton to cancel all schools in the state of Minnesota ahead of the dangerous cold.This hadn't happened since 1997.Days later Northland brides were left shocked and without wedding dresses when Princess Bride closed its doors.Halfway through the month the community of Babbitt was left in disbelief..."Everybody knows everybody.""Yea it's kind of a shocker you know."Twenty–four–year–old Shawn Doherty was accused of killed his mother's boyfriend, 55–year–old Paul Bulen.Animal Allies severed ties with the city of Superior over plans of building a new shelter leaving the project in jeopardy.Tensions ran high as more than one thousand supporters and opponents of PolyMet's proposed copper–nickel mine were able to publicly comment for the first time.International Metallics Considers a potential $800 million project on land outside of superior.A Superior woman, Natasha Lancour, informs the public of an alleged police brutality act she was involved in.In the end, charges were dismissed against Officer George Gothner and he returned to work.The Superior Police Department gave him a 10–hour unpaid suspension for his actions.A propane shortage swept the Midwest causing propane prices to soar and put families in a tight spot."You want to be able to go on trips and things like that and this year we won't be doing that," said propane purchaser Tami Robarge.In February, a brother speaks out."The twenty hour, twenty four hour flight is too long and we are not willing to take that risk," said Shahraiz Bajwa.An international UW–Superior student, Shahzaib Bajwa was allowed to stay in the states despite the fact his student visa was up February 28th.He was in a coma after a car–deer crash.The polar vortex caused icy conditions and a 32–car pile–up in the tunnels on i–35 in Duluth."A car rear ended me into another car, and then I spun, and then I got rear ended again.""I sat there for a good couple minutes just watching more cars get hit and hit and hit but there's nothing you can do about it."The death of a 6 year old girl had authorities in Bemidji scratching their heads.Her body was found lifeless in the entry–way of an apartment.Temperatures were around 27–below zero with a wind child of 40–below when the girl was found.Her cousin was charged with second degree manslaughter.March brought a new vision for St. Louis River Area of West Duluth.Mayor Don Ness said, "Just as Canal Park has become a premiere tourist destination in Minnesota the St. Louis River recreation hub will become Duluth's next great visitor experience."Victory for midway township as it won it’s 20 year annexation battle with proctor.The public comment period for Polymet's proposed mine comes to an end with more than 40,000 comments received by the DNR.Harsh winter conditions forced the DNR to allow an emergency deer feed.The first time since the 95–96 winter this had been approved.March came to a close with a snow storm hitting 100 inches of snow in Duluth over the winter making it one of the top 5 snowiest seasons ever.