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Minnesota Power to run on anchor power
Hey, remember Channel 3? We used to have this channel (3) here in northern Minnesota that was like a real channel. It had news and people worked there and back in the 1960s there were clown shows and whatnot, the whole deal. There is still a Channel 3 (CBS) in Duluth, but it’s operated by…
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The pet owner vote
We live in a stupid world. Here is a headline from today’s MSNBC news ticker on my blog: “Poll: Pet owners prefer McCain” What’s next? “Poll: Pets prefer food, water” Related posts: No related posts.
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Go to hell, KSTP
Let me begin by saying the way things have been done on the Iron Range hasn’t always been perfect. It’s an area with a unique governance structure because of our mining tax system and that system has taken time to make more efficient. There’s been plenty to criticize and I’ve been one of the critics.…
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Range school woes like canaries in the coal mine
Public schools everywhere face challenges from unfunded federal mandates, tighter state aid and local tax bases that are tapped out. But here on the Iron Range some special circumstances threaten the very existence of two districts, which I think are like canaries in the coal mine for school districts all over the state. First, in…
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Just deal with the scary flood pit already!
Janna Goerdt of the Duluth News-Tribune reports today on the ongoing saga of the Canisteo Mine Pit near Bovey. The long abandoned mine pit has been filling with water for decades, causing what many residents and scientists fear will be a major flood risk. Others, including those at the DNR charged with monitoring the pit,…
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For sale, cheep!
Economic gloom reaches the Iron Range. A sign seen along a country highway north of the western Mesabi today reads: “Lake home for sale. Cheep!” That’s not a typo. The home is owned by large, sentient birds who can’t afford the rising cost of seed. Related posts: No related posts.
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More on Reinert in House 7B race
I continue to monitor the House 7B race, which has become vastly more exciting after last month’s surprise retirement by longtime State Rep. Mike Jaros (DFL-Duluth). Currently there are four DFLers and one Republican running, with the potential for more to jump in before the filing deadline of July 15. A source tells me that…
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Two perspectives on an Iron Range Wal-Mart protest
There are two ways to look at the front page of the Sunday Hibbing Daily Tribune, which features a Jeff Warner story and photo (“Union workers protest Wal-Mart; Al Franken visits to show support“). A) This was a great cover story and photo for Al Franken. The picture features Franken speaking to a group of…
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Iron Ranger profiled in Star Tribune
The front of the state edition of the Star Tribune features Chisholm native Philp Falcone, an Iron Ranger turned New York hedge fund manager, who made it big betting that the mortgage bubble would pop. I don’t know Mr. Falcone, but I wonder if growing up on the Range influenced his success as someone known…
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The ‘Wall-E’ election
Frank Rich of the New York Times has a great column today about the Pixar movie “Wall-E” that effectively sums up my present opinion of the summer’s best movie and the state of the presidential election. Check out “Wall-E. “It’s a much more important movie than the previews would indicate. Related posts: No related posts.
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After the Fourth
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, July 6, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. After the FourthBy Aaron J. Brown Last I checked we still live in the United States. Don’t worry, I’m not about to ramble off on an anti-immigrant tirade or demand that the foreign language directions for my recent electronics purchase be…
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We must never speak of this again
I’m finding very little to write about this weekend, other than “mmm, food!” and “mmm, beer!” which is a tad overwrought this long holiday weekend. So I’ll spread some link love. MinnPost has created a three part series entitled “150 Minnesota Moments We’d Like to Forget” highlighting some of the state’s low times. It’s amusing…
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Happy Fourth from MinnesotaBrown and the Muppets!
I found this on Wonkette, but it’s probably being used on countless blogs today. Take a look at a patriotic offering from the Muppets as they demonstrate their cross-generational appeal. Happy Fourth of July! Related posts: No related posts.
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Derbis enters 7B race in West Duluth
The race for State Representative in West Duluth’s House District 7B keeps getting more interesting. John Derbis, a UM-Duluth student and longtime DFL activist, announced his candidacy today at the Boys and Girls Club in West Duluth. Durbis, 23, lives in West Duluth. His campaign presents this biography: (Derbis) … was born in Minneapolis and…
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KSTP readies hit piece on Iron Range landmark
A promo that aired on KSTP Channel 5 in the Twin Cities indicates that everyone’s favorite news whore station is preparing a hit piece on Ironworld. “See what your state dollars are paying for” says one tag line of Monday night’s “expose.” Except I’m betting KSTP lacks the attention to nuance to realize that Ironworld…