Barrett Chase
@barrettchase.duluthnewstribune.com
Digital editor at Duluth News Tribune. (That's in Minnesota, not Georgia.) Frequenter of the public library's local history center. Lover of data. Anti-dis/misinformation.
Today I learned that there was once a proposal to construct a sixth Great Lake. The idea was that it would make construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway easier, reduce dredging costs and provide more water to Chicago.
November 17, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Today I learned that there was once a proposal to construct a sixth Great Lake. The idea was that it would make construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway easier, reduce dredging costs and provide more water to Chicago.
I was going to post a thought about the Right to Repair question on the ballot in Duluth next week, but the single-sentence question is 255 characters too long to post here.
My thought is that the question is probably too complicated for the average person to understand.
My thought is that the question is probably too complicated for the average person to understand.
October 28, 2025 at 1:41 PM
I was going to post a thought about the Right to Repair question on the ballot in Duluth next week, but the single-sentence question is 255 characters too long to post here.
My thought is that the question is probably too complicated for the average person to understand.
My thought is that the question is probably too complicated for the average person to understand.
Be careful of which hat you buy for your kid, lest they look FREAKISH.
October 26, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Be careful of which hat you buy for your kid, lest they look FREAKISH.
Reposted by Barrett Chase
We've been so pleased with the reception for episode one of the @duluthnewstribune.com five-part podcast about the Edmund Fitzgerald: nothing but five-star ratings on Apple Podcasts. Episode two is out today.
Listen to 2nd episode of ‘Edmund Fitzgerald: 50 Years Below’ podcast
Could anything reasonably have been done to avert the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald? What did Capt. McSorley know about the weather he was facing when he steamed out of Superior on Nov. 9, 1975?
www.duluthnewstribune.com
October 20, 2025 at 1:44 PM
We've been so pleased with the reception for episode one of the @duluthnewstribune.com five-part podcast about the Edmund Fitzgerald: nothing but five-star ratings on Apple Podcasts. Episode two is out today.
Last week I reduced my phone screen time by 70% and I think this is the secret to happiness.
October 19, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Last week I reduced my phone screen time by 70% and I think this is the secret to happiness.
This 1955 wire story that ran in the DNT, touting how a 14-year-old killed 300 animals while on safari in Africa, should leave no doubt as to why certain animals are endangered.
August 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM
This 1955 wire story that ran in the DNT, touting how a 14-year-old killed 300 animals while on safari in Africa, should leave no doubt as to why certain animals are endangered.
There’s a bee in our yard whose jam seems to be attacking other bees when they land on the flowers. We’ve named her Re-bee-na George.
August 13, 2025 at 7:45 PM
There’s a bee in our yard whose jam seems to be attacking other bees when they land on the flowers. We’ve named her Re-bee-na George.
I'm really thankful we have AI to provide 30-word summaries of 30-word emails.
August 13, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I'm really thankful we have AI to provide 30-word summaries of 30-word emails.
I feel like we used to celebrate, or at least be a bit more OK with, misfits and standouts in public. Today, people seem to be way more isolated and afraid of anything outside a very narrow norm.
August 6, 2025 at 4:39 PM
I feel like we used to celebrate, or at least be a bit more OK with, misfits and standouts in public. Today, people seem to be way more isolated and afraid of anything outside a very narrow norm.
I want to get into the psychology of people who tag the media when posting political memes. Like: “Journalists! Investigate what this Minion is saying!”
August 4, 2025 at 6:32 PM
I want to get into the psychology of people who tag the media when posting political memes. Like: “Journalists! Investigate what this Minion is saying!”
Municipal elections are wild. Candidates will claim there are no photos of them and they don’t know how to get one, or they will submit a pinky-nail-sized photo that’s 12 dpi, or a photo so heavily filtered that they barely look human.
July 30, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Municipal elections are wild. Candidates will claim there are no photos of them and they don’t know how to get one, or they will submit a pinky-nail-sized photo that’s 12 dpi, or a photo so heavily filtered that they barely look human.
I was trying to identify a native bee in my yard and discovered the whimsical names of bee species: Perplexing Bumble Bee, Unequal Cellophane Bee, Modest Masked Bee, Metallic Epauletted Sweat Bee and Neighborly Mining Bee to name a few.
July 29, 2025 at 2:49 PM
I was trying to identify a native bee in my yard and discovered the whimsical names of bee species: Perplexing Bumble Bee, Unequal Cellophane Bee, Modest Masked Bee, Metallic Epauletted Sweat Bee and Neighborly Mining Bee to name a few.
Ozzy performed in Duluth in 1982 and on Easter Sunday in 1984. He had opinions on England's tax rates.
The Black Sabbath frontman performed twice in Duluth during his prime. Read our interview, reviews, stories and yes, the letters to the editor.
Read the News Tribune's 1982 interview with Ozzy Osbourne
The Black Sabbath frontman performed twice in Duluth during his prime. Read our interview, reviews, stories and yes, the letters to the editor.
www.duluthnewstribune.com
July 22, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Ozzy performed in Duluth in 1982 and on Easter Sunday in 1984. He had opinions on England's tax rates.
Spreadsheets are not the lined notebook paper version of docs.
July 10, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Spreadsheets are not the lined notebook paper version of docs.
Freeze Pops aren’t nearly as fun once you know about microplastics.
July 7, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Freeze Pops aren’t nearly as fun once you know about microplastics.
I agree with Gen Z about at least one thing: The phrase “you’re welcome” is awkward and weird, and it sometimes comes off a bit rude.
July 2, 2025 at 2:03 PM
I agree with Gen Z about at least one thing: The phrase “you’re welcome” is awkward and weird, and it sometimes comes off a bit rude.
It's now legal for motorcycles to split and filter lanes. Considering the backlash about zipper merging and roundabouts, I can't wait to see what the keyboard warriors think about this.
Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center | Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Our Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center is dedicated to preventing motorcycle crashes by providing high-quality rider education, training and licensing information.
dps.mn.gov
July 1, 2025 at 4:04 PM
It's now legal for motorcycles to split and filter lanes. Considering the backlash about zipper merging and roundabouts, I can't wait to see what the keyboard warriors think about this.
Today, I got a sneaking suspicion that a Facebook commenter was an AI bot. A reverse image search revealed approximately 25 accounts across various social channels, all with different names, that used the same profile picture.
June 30, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Today, I got a sneaking suspicion that a Facebook commenter was an AI bot. A reverse image search revealed approximately 25 accounts across various social channels, all with different names, that used the same profile picture.
I'm a big believer in the zipper merge, but one thing I recently learned is that you're not supposed to merge in front of a semi. Though there's usually a lot of space in front of them, they need that space to stop if they have to.
From the editorial: "'Don't worry about being ‘Minnesota nice.’ ... It is much safer for motorists to remain in their current lane until the point where traffic can orderly take turns merging.'”
Our View: Another summer, another plea to do the zipper merge
From the editorial: "'Don't worry about being ‘Minnesota nice.’ ... It is much safer for motorists to remain in their current lane until the point where traffic can orderly take turns merging.'”
www.duluthnewstribune.com
June 24, 2025 at 8:24 PM
I'm a big believer in the zipper merge, but one thing I recently learned is that you're not supposed to merge in front of a semi. Though there's usually a lot of space in front of them, they need that space to stop if they have to.
You may know that Garry Bjorklund was the first winner of Grandma's Marathon, but who was the first person to come in last? Well, here you go.
Bonus in this story: A guy who decided to run after downing a bunch of beers the night before, and finished in the middle of the pack.
Bonus in this story: A guy who decided to run after downing a bunch of beers the night before, and finished in the middle of the pack.
June 21, 2025 at 12:03 PM
You may know that Garry Bjorklund was the first winner of Grandma's Marathon, but who was the first person to come in last? Well, here you go.
Bonus in this story: A guy who decided to run after downing a bunch of beers the night before, and finished in the middle of the pack.
Bonus in this story: A guy who decided to run after downing a bunch of beers the night before, and finished in the middle of the pack.
I can't decide if I want to get my news from a Facebook group that mainly posts about lost pets, or from a 17-year-old on TikTok who starts every video with "Guys, we have some breaking news right now ..."
June 17, 2025 at 3:09 PM
I can't decide if I want to get my news from a Facebook group that mainly posts about lost pets, or from a 17-year-old on TikTok who starts every video with "Guys, we have some breaking news right now ..."
Please remember today that when chaotic events like this happen, misinformation runs rampant. Pause and follow your intellect, not your emotions, as you analyse and share details about this incident.
Hortman and her husband Mark, and Senator John A. Hoffman and his wife were shot by an individual impersonating a police officer, according to Gov. Tim Walz and law enforcement
Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and husband dead in shooting, Rep. Hoffman and wife stable
Hortman and her husband Mark, and Senator John A. Hoffman and his wife were shot by an individual impersonating a police officer, according to Gov. Tim Walz and law enforcement
www.duluthnewstribune.com
June 14, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Please remember today that when chaotic events like this happen, misinformation runs rampant. Pause and follow your intellect, not your emotions, as you analyse and share details about this incident.
I wish people who comment on crime stories understood this.
June 10, 2025 at 3:35 PM
I wish people who comment on crime stories understood this.
If you want a Northlander to stop talking about the 1991 Halloween blizzard, just change the subject to forest tent caterpillars.
Flies that lay eggs on cocoons followed the caterpillars.
Bygones: 'Army worms' invaded Northland 5 consecutive years in 1950s
Flies that lay eggs on cocoons followed the caterpillars.
www.duluthnewstribune.com
June 3, 2025 at 1:20 AM
If you want a Northlander to stop talking about the 1991 Halloween blizzard, just change the subject to forest tent caterpillars.
All of this is from the June 1, 1991, Duluth News Tribune.
Duluth's manufacturing labor costs remain too high for it to compete with most cities in the region. While costs are competitive with those in the Twin Cities, they are significantly higher than those in Sioux Falls and St. Cloud.
Duluth's manufacturing labor costs remain too high for it to compete with most cities in the region. While costs are competitive with those in the Twin Cities, they are significantly higher than those in Sioux Falls and St. Cloud.
June 2, 2025 at 2:39 AM
All of this is from the June 1, 1991, Duluth News Tribune.
Duluth's manufacturing labor costs remain too high for it to compete with most cities in the region. While costs are competitive with those in the Twin Cities, they are significantly higher than those in Sioux Falls and St. Cloud.
Duluth's manufacturing labor costs remain too high for it to compete with most cities in the region. While costs are competitive with those in the Twin Cities, they are significantly higher than those in Sioux Falls and St. Cloud.