What if Bob was one of us? Just a slob like one of us? Well, he pretty much is. Duluth’s Dylan Fest will hold its annual celebration of its native son Bob Dylan May 18-26, 2019. Meanwhile Dylan’s Iron Range hometown of Hibbing continues efforts to commemorate its complex influence on one of the world’s… Read More →
What if Bob was one of us? Dylan Fest features music, culture and Joan Osborne
May 13, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Prairie River Minerals aims to restart scram mining on western Mesabi
April 11, 2019 by 15 Comments
Amid high demand and temporarily limited global supply, another new scram mining venture aims to reclaim natural iron ore on the western Mesabi Iron Range. Prairie River Minerals seeks to mine about 1.3 million tons of iron ore annually, mostly in Itasca County, hiring about 125 union workers in the process. The chief partners in… Read More →
Dylan monument at Hibbing HS to be revealed fall 2019
March 8, 2019 by 8 Comments
Like an eddy in a fast-moving stream, Robert Zimmerman matriculated from Hibbing High School in 1959. Just three years later, under a new name of his own design, Bob Dylan began transforming the musical world from the stage of Carnegie Hall in New York. Decades before I was born, Dylan lived in the same neighborhood… Read More →
In Northern Minnesota, economic trends collide
February 24, 2019 by 4 Comments
The people of Northern Minnesota need the same things they did 100 years ago. Employment. Food. Medical care. Places to shop and seek entertainment.
Yet, how we satisfy these needs changed considerably over the past century. Indeed, these fundamental functions of society continue to transform before us. Only two questions remain: 1) Will we accept change? And, 2) will we plan our future based on the new reality?
Hibbing Community College to name buildings
February 20, 2019 by Leave a Comment
If you’re like me, you wonder how places got their names. There’s usually some story involved, even if it’s boring. At college you might have sat in a building named for some dusty old multisyllabic poo-bah from the past. A plaque in the lobby identified the crusty oldster, who we all assume forked over a… Read More →
Regenerating hope in mining’s wake
February 10, 2019 by 4 Comments
Like a lot of kids who grew up on Northern Minnesota’s Iron Range in the 1980s and ‘90s I saw plenty of reasons to leave. Many of my friends did. But I’m glad I found good reasons to stay. Many friends did that, too. That doesn’t mean, however, that our lives are easy or our fate resolved. It will take much more than waiting to secure a future beyond what the mines will give us.
A bright light in winter
January 27, 2019 by Leave a Comment
So I’ve been doing some squats lately. I’ve done squats before. This isn’t new. But I’ve never been afraid of my insides popping out like a tube of crescent rolls before. That is new.
For many of us, trying to get back in shape is a cycle. When I think about exercise, I picture snow outside my winter, never autumn leaves. That might be part of the problem, but is most assuredly part of my reality. Every day I eat my Lucky Charms and watch the Peloton commercials on ESPN. That’s not the kind of cycle I’m talking about.
Hear Great Northern Radio Show from Hibbing High School auditorium
January 6, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Fans of Aaron Brown’s Great Northern Radio Show on Northern Community Radio can hear the full Nov. 17, 2018 program broadcast live from the historic Hibbing High School auditorium.
MinnesotaBrown’s Top Posts of 2018
December 31, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Aaron J. Brown shares the top posts of 2018 at MinnesotaBrown.com.
New Year’s Eve in Northern Minnesota
December 30, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Can I tell you a secret? I’ve always really wanted to host a live New Year’s Eve show. It has to do with how I typically spend New Year’s Eve. That is, sitting inside of my home watching television. All those years Dick Clark performed a vital community service. He brought the energy and excitement… Read More →
