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Range editor Hanna survives harrowing health scare
On Thanksgiving, Bill Hanna of the Mesabi Daily News wrote a heartfelt personal column. That’s not an unusual assignment for the editor of the Iron Range’s biggest daily newspaper, but the subject matter probably surprised many. Hanna wrote of his recovery from a heart attack and near-death experience, publicly explaining why his byline has been…
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Taconite Tuesday at Grand Rapids Library
This Tuesday, Nov. 29, I host a discussion at the Grand Rapids Public Library with Professor Jeff Manuel, author of “Taconite Dreams” and a well-respected voice researching deindustrialization in the United States. Longtime readers might recognize Jeff’s name. I spoke highly of his book “Taconite Dreams” last winter. He’s one of the few people I’ve…
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Flawed Obamacare bridge to better system
When President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act in 2010, supporters celebrated the first major victory in a century of fruitless struggle to create a universal health care system in the United States of America. For liberals, the ACA was a triumph over what had seemed an impossible political barrier. To conservatives, “Obamacare” represented a…
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Great Northern Radio Show hits Zenith City
That second week in November was a doozy. It started with a wild election result that left the nation speechless (for a few minutes, anyway). Then the Great Northern Radio Show made its Duluth debut on Saturday, Nov. 12. You now have a chance to hear this broadcast again. Northern Community Radio will rebroadcast both…
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Minnesota gobbles top turkey status
On Monday, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton presided over our state’s annual celebration of the many turkeys who lay down their lives for the betterment of Thanksgiving dinner. More than 450 Minnesota turkey farmers produce 46 million turkeys a year for a hungry America. Unlike the federal government, Minnesota’s leaders do not pardon the turkey in attendance. Minnesota is…
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Iron Range’s 100-year housing woes
One of the most critical problems facing Iron Range communities is the age and aesthetic appeal of our towns. The downtowns present one particular problem. The housing stock presents another. My father, who moved to the Twin Cities area almost 20 years ago, often talks about his trips to visit us. He drives through the same Mesabi…
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‘As Bob Dylan Turns’ in Hibbing
Last week, Bob Dylan formally thanked the Swedish Academy for the Nobel Prize for Literature. Dylan also sent regrets that he wouldn’t be able to attend the Dec. 10 ceremony in Stockholm. Dylan cited a prior commitment. This is something I forecast in a monologue in last Saturday’s Great Northern Radio Show. No born-and-raised Northern Minnesota…
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How to be right for the holidays
Across America divided politics rule our lives like no time in recent memory. We comb social media and cable news for evidence supporting our cause. Strong opinions stake out the limits of friendships and family ties. With Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching, gathering loved ones may share views you find abhorrent. But don’t worry. You’re right…
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They say snow; it ain’t gonna snow hard
[One half of a composite of several recent conversations] They say it’s gonna snow hard. It ain’t gonna snow hard. You know how I know? The deer ain’t movin.’ Them deer know when a blizzard is comin.’ You see ‘em movin’ all over hell an’ back. It ain’t gonna snow hard. You remember that guy…
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Rawr: ‘Cougar’ catfight stirs controversy
Last week, a young hunter perched in his deer stand near Nashwauk got the story of a lifetime without even firing a shot. Here’s the description from an article by Dave Orrick of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: I wasn’t there, but I know this: Jordan Bowen saw a big wildcat try to attack a deer. The…
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Bankruptcy court lets Essar keep mineral leases
On Tuesday, a federal bankruptcy judge denied the state of Minnesota’s request to strip Essar Steel Minnesota of mineral leases. This move breathes new life into Essar, though perhaps only temporarily. It’s a significant setback for hopes that Cliffs Natural Resources could quickly take over the project. The beleaguered Essar, stuck with a half complete taconite…
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How to unite a divided Iron Range
For the first time since Herbert Hoover in 1928, a Republican presidential candidate won the Iron Range city of Hibbing. Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton by seven votes in a town that typically boasts a 30-point advantage for Democrats. In 2004, before targeted campaigns were in vogue, Democrats urged a citywide Election Day door knock…
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Portable joy at Great Northern Radio Show in Duluth
This has been a hard week for a lot of Americans. Even if you were happy with how the election turned out it’s pretty evident the divisions in our country will endure long past balloting. Of course, slightly more people in this country are horrified with how the election turned out. So that’s how that goes. I’ve…
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Shock election to create 5-4 partisan split on IRRRB
The legislature wasn’t the only thing that changed dramatically after Tuesday’s election. The Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) will introduce four new members when it reconvenes in the new year. In addition to the new faces, the board will have a 5-4 DFL majority. That means the IRRRB will include the most Republicans who…
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Nolan survives Trump wave in MN-8
Despite a 13-point victory by Donald Trump in Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan narrowly held on to his seat against Republican challenger Stewart Mills. Nolan received almost 50.2 percent of the vote to Mills’ 49.6 — about half a point. Just over 2,000 votes separated the candidates in the most expensive Congressional race…