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COLUMN: ‘The talk of any town’
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. The talk of any townBy Aaron J. Brown The best part about being from somewhere is knowing the story of that place. I still can’t understand the transient nature of my generation, the random iPod shuffle between Atlanta,…
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Brown on the Air: BUG CONGRESS!
I almost forgot to promote this morning’s edition of “Between You and Me” on 91.7 KAXE. This call-in and music program features the voices of northern Minnesota discussing a new topic every week. On this Independence Day the topic is “Insects.” So as you’re driving around, enjoying parades and such, probably swatting bugs, tune in…
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New GOP chair is from Iron Range
It bears mentioning that Tony Sutton, the new Minnesota Republican Party chair, is originally from Hibbing, right in the heart of the Iron Range DFL bastion. The Hibbing Daily Tribune reminded me of this today. I’m embarrassed I didn’t recall that detail on my own. Though the Iron Range reliably produces 2-1 DFL majorities, it’s…
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Ironworld becomes Minnesota Discovery Center
Ironworld, the Iron Range’s museum, historical library and event center, has changed its name to the Minnesota Discovery Center. While it’s a foregone conclusion that resident Iron Rangers will continue to call it Ironworld until they are two weeks dead what are your thoughts about this name? The premise is they are trying to broaden…
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The Iron Range builds America … on your TV!
On my book tour for “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range” I’ve heard several positive comments about the new documentary “Iron Range: Minnesota Building America.” Well, I must admit that I haven’t had the chance to see it yet (they’ve been playing it on one of those digital broadcast channels we don’t get out…
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Thank you, Virginia (again)
Last Friday I spoke at the Virginia (Minn.) Historical Society annual dinner about my book “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range.” It was a fun evening with a very welcoming crowd. I get a kick out of giving speeches when people audibly “harrumph” at the mention of Bob Dylan. There aren’t many crowds left…
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Histro-tainment at sunset tonight
Tonight I’ll be giving the keynote presentation at the Virginia (Minn.) Historical Society Annual Dinner at the Elks Club on 5th Ave. North. As usual I’ll be exploring some aspects of my recent book “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range.” I’ll also be sprinkling in some newer material to keep my brain from smoothing…
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Rock out, Friday night history style, as my ‘Overburden’ road show forges ahead
I’ll be giving the keynote speech at the Virginia (Minn.) Historical Society Dinner this Friday. The social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. with the dinner and my whatsit to follow. Unfortunately, I didn’t get this up in time for anyone to RSVP for the dinner but you can check out the events page at the…
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Dylan on Obama, Grant, Sam Houston and the accordion
The must read interview of the week features prominent northern Minnesota native Bob Dylan, who was born in Duluth and raised in Hibbing on the Iron Range before leaving for New York and international fame. Bill Flannigan interviewed Dylan for the Monday London Times. Normally I’m not one for the heavy-handed personal interviews of famous…
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‘Dark Days, Hope, and the New Deal at the Grass Roots’
It’s a little late for tonight, but try to check out one of Pam Brunfelt’s programs at the Lyric Center for the Arts “First Stage” in Virginia. Pam is a great Iron Range historian who provided crucial perspective for my new book “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range.” I’ve heard Pam talk about these…
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A ‘vital’ life in the ‘Zone of Plenty’
One of the best things about writing a book like “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range” is all the stories, clippings and first hand accounts that people give you afterward that weren’t in my book. This little number arrived in the mail last week from a Mr. Earl Currie. It’s a 1943 advertisement for…
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Chuck and Abe
Happy 200th birthday, Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln! It is likely that no two people born on the exact same day in history will ever shape history as much as these two men, born Feb. 12, 1809. I hold dim hope that German pop star Senna Guemmour and I might hold similar influence from our…
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The Mountaintop
Many of you have probably seen this several times, but if you haven’t, check out this clip from the speech Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered in Memphis the night before he was murdered in 1968. I show this in my public speaking classes. Some people on this earth are sent to things so important that…
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Jeez, I guess history will vindicate just about anyone these days
Bless their hearts. The Mesabi Daily News ran an editorial today in the heart of Northern Minnesota’s blue collar Iron Range pumping up the legacy of George W. Bush. Sometimes I wonder if the MDN‘s editorial positions are, in fact, some kind of elaborate sociological experiment of which I am an unknowing participant. Well, anyway,…
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Iron Rangers know recession is a time for defiance
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. Iron Rangers know recession is a time for defianceBy Aaron J. Brown These days I think more about the little houses I see along the train tracks at the edges of our Iron Range towns. Every time a…