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Final EIS released for Iron Range boondoggle
Today, the Minnesota Department of Commerce released the long awaited final Environmental Impact Statement for the Mesaba Energy Project, a proposed (and beleaguered) Iron Range coal power plant. (WDIO has the story). The EIS is a large and nuanced document, but my cursory reading of the nuts and bolts reveal few surprises. The project’s fundamental…
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COLUMN: "Notes from November"
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. It represents the rare “notes” column on my part, in which I invoke the spirit of an elderly weekly newspaper editor to write about all sorts of things in seemingly random order. Notes from NovemberBy Aaron J. Brown…
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COLUMN: "A ‘vital’ life in the ‘zone of plenty’"
The following is my weekly column for the Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. Fans of the blog might recognize part of this column that ran as a post last winter. Check it out to see an image of the Great Northern ad I talk about. A vital life in the…
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WDIO: KeeTac restart delayed
WDIO is reporting about a potential setback in the economic recovery on the Iron Range. Steelworkers suspect that the scheduled October restart of the idled U.S. Steel Keewatin Taconite plant will be postponed. It’s not known how long the delay will last, but maintenance workers are apparently winterizing the equipment. That’s not good. Unemployment continues…
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‘Ho, Ho, Ho’ does it feeeel?
The reviews are mixed for Bob Dylan’s new Christmas album. This is the least surprising news I’ve ever heard. Regardless of your opinion, Dylan Days 2010 in Bob’s hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota, will be held well after Christmas, May 27-30. Related posts: No related posts.
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Owner of Iron Range papers faces default
Offered without commentary because of its potential significance to local media: “Superior Publishing owner faces technical default” (Business North, Oct. 13, 2009) In another sign of distress in region’s newspaper industry, the owner of 11 dailies and weeklies in Northeastern Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin confirmed it expects to be in technical default on loan covenants…
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Sertich the next Speaker?
With two Iron Rangers vying for governor it should be noted that the Ranger most likely to ascend to high office next year is State Rep. Tony Sertich (DFL-Chisholm). According to Zack at the well-regarded liberal blog MNPublius Sertich is the leading candidate to succeed Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher. Kelliher is also…
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Entenza wins Itasca County straw poll
I haven’t been blogging regularly because of a variety of writing projects. Otherwise I would have told you about last night’s DFL Expo in Grand Rapids which featured yet another forum for DFL candidates for governor. Though not all candidates were in attendance, seven of them did make the trek to Itasca Community College. I…
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Chisholm tonight!
Just a reminder: I’ll be speaking at 6 tonight at the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm with a humorous look at how snowmobiles, hunting and other northern mainstays play a part in Iron Range culture. The lecture is part of “Snow Dogs: Snowmobiling in Minnesota.” Thursday night is free admission night at the center, formerly…
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6, not 7
I was circulating some bad info on my Thursday night talk at the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm. The event will begin at 6 p.m. If you show up at 7 all you’ll see is the spent torches from the angry mob. Related posts: No related posts.
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Tell your economic story
Minnesota Public Radio is looking for stories of how the economy is affecting you. They are particularly interested in finding stories from the Iron Range and St. Louis County, the state’s leading county in unemployment. Related posts: No related posts.
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Who let the Snow Dogs out?
I’ll be giving a public lecture at the Minnesota Discovery Center (Ironworld) at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8 in the auditorium. Thursday nights are “free nights” at the center, so you can see the permanent exhibit along with the current special exhibit “Snow Dogs: Snowmobiling in Minnesota.” You might ask why I’m hooked up…
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High speed in the sticks
A quick link today. This Sharon Schmickle story on MinnPost highlights what will be the untold central battle in northern Minnesota economic development: high speed internet. Private or public or both? To do nothing is a major mistake, as I have previously opined. A network of high speed internet access in rural Minnesota isn’t for…
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COLUMN: ‘Why dogs? Why snow dogs? Why not?’
Here is my weekly column for the Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. I post this in advance of my Thursday night lecture at the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm as part of the “Snow Dogs” exhibit and lecture series. Me, talking about snowmobiling? Yes. Don’t ask why (drink Bud Dry?).…
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Brown on the Air: TOWN TALK!
Tune in Saturday morning for my weekly contribution to 91.7 KAXE‘s call in and music program “Between You and Me.” This week’s topic is “Your Town.” What makes your town special, different or important? What are the sights of your town (or city, or township, or unorganized land mass) that you would show visitors? I…