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The parasite debate
This is my weekly Hibbing Daily Tribune column for Sunday, June 15, 2008. I went a little crazy this week. This is the result of living in the deep woods of northern Minnesota and watching too much political news on cable. The parasite debateBy Aaron J. Brown Good evening and welcome to Nature’s Hall at…
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Steel barons of the 21st century
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, June 8, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. It was held over from last week because Essar made an announcement reiterating their commitment to the Minnesota Steel project just beforehand. My original sentiment remains, though; the Range must not depend on large steel companies or consultant-driven projects to deliver…
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Range project loan payments were extended as favor to company
Another Excelsior Energy audit story ran Sunday in the Hibbing Daily Tribune. This one focused on the decision by Iron Range Resources Commissioner Sandy Layman to unilaterally extend the interest payment deadline for this company a couple different times. The story seems fairly benign, but the bigger story for me is that the DFL dominated…
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Evolution of Exercise
My Hibbing Daily Tribune column for this week was supposed to be about the Minnesota Steel story, but details emerged late in the week that may change the column so the paper held it. Instead I offer this charming (but not newsbreaking) piece about exercise. KAXE fans know that a version of this first appeared…
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You say ‘review,’ I say ‘audit’: Either way, the Iron Range is getting bamboozled
As reported, the Office of the Legislative Auditor is spending two months reviewing two loans totaling $9.5 million given by Iron Range Resources to a collection of lobbyists and lawyers calling themselves “Excelsior Energy.” Isn’t that kind of like an audit? Apparently there’s a difference. Anyway, the Hibbing Daily Tribune followed up on my post…
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Grills, grills, grills!
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Dylan changed the world; so can we
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True knowledge in the north woods
This is my weekly Hibbing Daily Tribune column for Sunday, May 11, 2008. I archive my columns at my writing site. True knowledge in the north woodsBy Aaron J. Brown The other day, my almost-three-year-old son Henry and I walked down to the lake to throw sticks, a favorite pastime of Henry’s and a ritual…
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Anzelc speaks truth on Mesaba boondoggle
In this Mike Jennings story rescued from last Saturday’s edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune, my friend and colleague Tom Anzelc becomes the highest level public official to acknowledge the foolishness of the Mesaba Energy Project: Efforts to sort out the legal and administrative tangle that has ensnared Excelsior Energy will continue next week, but…
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Buck up, Dollar!
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, May 4, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. I archive past columns at my writing page. A shortened version of this piece also aired as a radio commentary on KAXE’s “Between You and Me” yesterday. Go to http://www.kaxe.org/ and click into the archives if you would like me from…
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Brown on the Air: "The Almighty Dollar"
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Drug bus visits Iron Range today; hauls propaganda, drugs
From Wednesday’s Hibbing Daily Tribune: HIBBING — Area residents who are uninsured or having difficulties financially have a way to connect with programs that provide prescription medicines at low or no cost. The “Help Is Here Express” Bus Tour will stop in Hibbing on Thursday, May 1. From 2 to 3 p.m., the bus will…
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Losing mind, one child at a time
This is my weekly Hibbing Daily Tribune column for Sunday, April 27, 2008. I archive my columns at my writing site. Losing mind, one child at a timeBy Aaron J. BrownSo we’ve got these babies all over the house. Two actually. Twins. And a toddler. All boys. And while that particular configuration is neither historically…
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Newseum shows that in journalism, puns reign supreme
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Blight Me: the unique aesthetics of the Iron Range
