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Liz Olson first to announce bid for open 7B seat
Liz Olson, a Duluth community organizer, has announced her candidacy for the open District 7B seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives. The district covers much of western and central Duluth. “I believe in a Minnesota that promises all of us a chance to live with dignity — A Minnesota that offers access to living…
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Great Northern Radio Show coming to Aurora
I’m excited to announce that my next Great Northern Radio Show will broadcast live from the Mesabi East High School auditorium in Aurora, Minnesota, on Saturday, Feb. 6. A good Iron Range Finn would know the significance of that place and date: This will be our Laskiainen Show. Laskiainen is the Finnish Sliding Festival held the…
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Cliffs CEO defies global trends, predicts strong 2016
In today’s earnings report, one in which earnings were less than expected, the CEO of Cliffs Natural Resources said that he sees the domestic iron ore business turning around later in 2016. Lourenco Goncalves said Iron Range mines at Northshore Mining and United Taconite in Eveleth would stay closed through March, but would reopen after that.…
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Range economic talk needs focus on future, not past
It’s been interesting reading the responses to my recent post about the Highway 53 bridge. On one hand, we have a question about an expensive bridge and its place in our infrastructure planning for the future. But really, like most things related to mining, it quickly becomes a litmus test on your perspective toward the…
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Talkin’ middle school parking lot blues
Let me be clear. I do not plan to murder anyone. But if I did the crime would almost certainly take place in the parking lot of my son’s middle school. Winter parking in Northern Minnesota is hard enough. Ice and snow cover the yellow lines. Every slight maneuver involves spinning tires and the risk…
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GOP now floating proposal for special session
On Thursday, Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) seemed skeptical about a special session to extend unemployment for laid-off Iron Range miners. But yesterday, the Mesabi Daily News ran a story indicating there is, in fact, a Republican proposal for a special session. It hinges on a shorter extension for the benefits, and eliminates any discussion of addressing economic disparities in…
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Hwy 53 bridge project forces city to borrow $3.4M
The Mesabi Daily News reports today that the city of Virginia, Minnesota, is forced to seek a $3.4 million loan to complete critical early work on the new Highway 53 bridge. The new bridge is part of a more than $240 million project to reroute Highway 53 at the behest of mining interests who demand access…
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Colbert segment features Minnesota accent showdown
This was a very enjoyable Minnesota-centric web extra from the Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Comedian Maria Bamford from Duluth and writer Ariel Dumas from Long Lake flexed their Minnesota bonafieds in this “Late Show Accent-off: Minnesota Edition” showdown. Well worth a watch. Nice to see and hear all these authentic Minnesota references on national television. To…
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Bernie Sanders to campaign in Duluth
When I started this blog in 2006 it was much more dedicated to the daily tit-for-tat of national politics than it is now. I wrote an absolutely insane number of posts about the 2008 election, for instance. This year I’ve taken a more relaxed view of the national election. For one thing, I refused to…
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Special session for miners remains elusive
Gov. Mark Dayton and Minnesota legislative leaders met again Thursday, Jan. 21 to discuss a possible early special session, but again failed to agree to terms. Dayton’s proposed special session would address, among other things, an extension of unemployment benefits for Iron Range miners laid off during the ongoing mining downturn. Dayton, State Senate Majority…
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From twilight darkness comes new dawn
Last weekend, Star Tribune columnist D.J. Tice penned a piece entitled “The long twilight struggle of the Iron Range.” Certainly aware he’d elicit grumbling from Iron Rangers, Tice’s argument was that the Iron Range has been in a managed decline for several decades. He asks why we debate paying for miners to stay unemployed in this region when…
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Fit, just a bit
I recently went to the thrift store to buy “surrender pants.” This is the periodic occasion where I acknowledge that, yes, most of the pants in my house no longer fit. Nevertheless, I am not willing to pay normal prices for new pants. What a waste! Or rather, waist. Both, I guess. Why not? Because,…
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Panama Canal expansion sails both ways
When President Theodore Roosevelt relentlessly advanced the digging of the Panama Canal more than 100 years ago they called him crazy. In the politics of the moment, it seemed like a long slog. Financial and political delays plagued the project. Workers died by the score, if not from malaria than from some other disease or…
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Iron Range Rep. Carly Melin won’t seek re-election
Today State Rep. Carly Melin (DFL-Hibbing) announced that she would not seek re-election to the House of Representatives. Her announcement was a surprise to many, but those in politics knew the challenges she faced in balancing her job as a lawyer in Hibbing with a young family and legislative service. Melin won a special election to…
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Laid-off miner sticks up for Range industry at SOTU
Iron Range Steelworker Dan Hill of Hibbing was the guest of Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) at President Obama’s final State of the Union address at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Tuesday. Hill is currently laid off from his job as a millwright at United Taconite in Eveleth. Hill spend the entire day meeting with officials…