The Duluth DFL has pulled an TV advertisement that accused incumbent city councilor Jim Stauber of putting up roadblocks to street repair.

According to Deb Taylor, the DFL produced a number of ads for possible airing, the Stauber attack ad included. "Upon reflection, we decided that the Stauber ad was not the direction we wished to go," Taylor said.

Taylor said when the DFL made the decsion to drop it, the ad had already been entered into certain station's schedules.

Fire Station #5 on Park Point is moving forward. Next week the city council will be voting to pay an additional $36,000 for an architect to get the design plans done. Chief Strongitharm says the aesthetics of the station will be in-line with the look and feel of Park Point.

Construction is expected to start in the spring of 2010.

The Duluth DFL is airing an attacked ad portraying Councilor Jim Stauber in a not-so-pretty light. The ad accuses him on putting up roadblocks to street repair and job creation. It also mentions his 'no' vote on Mayor Don Ness' Street Improvement Program.

I asked him what he thought about the advertisement and he responded through an email saying "I guess they don't want me to win."

As to why he voted against the street plan, he gives two reasons:

"1) [The Mayor] was hiring about 20 people to city staff to do much of the work and buying tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment rather than contract with local companies.

2) The funding for the new program was coming from the casino at a time when we had received strong indications the Band may not be willing to give us as much. (As you know they have stopped all payments.)"

A big announcement for the next phase of Clyde Park near the Duluth Heritage Sports Center.

At a news conference scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday), project leaders will announce the launching of a $9.1 million project to rehabilitate two more historic buildings, bringing new businesses, employment and further revitalization to the Lincoln Park neighborhood, according to a news release.

Developer Alessandro Giuliani, Duluth LISC Executive Director Pam Kramer, Mayor Don Ness and other project leaders will be at the announcement scheduled for 11:30 at the Clyde Park-Duluth Heritage Sports Center.

Beginning next year, all off-duty police work will have greater oversight from the police department, according to Chief Gordon Ramsay.

Right now, police who work off duty for weddings, bars, DECC events, etc. manage their own off-duty jobs with approval from the police administration.

There is a Public Safety committee meeting planned for Sep. 24 on the topic. Chief Ramsay wouldn't comment further on the changes saying only, "We are still tweaking how it will work and are not quite ready to roll the whole thing out to the public."