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Northern Minnesota moose meta-crisis
Dan Kraker of Minnesota Public Radio reports on efforts to find out why Minnesota moose populations have been in serious decline in recent years. The problem has caused the indefinite suspension of the Minnesota moose hunting season and a series of studies as to why so many moose are dying young. Ironically, one of the…
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MN services for Jim Oberstar set June 26-27
After former longtime Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar died last month, funeral services were held in the Maryland community where he and his wife have lived since he left Congress. Many here in Minnesota were disappointed that additional events couldn’t be held back in the northern Minnesota District which he served in Congress for 36 years. Oberstar’s hometown…
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Company: Essar Steel Minnesota not for sale
Essar Steel Minnesota isn’t for sale. That according to the India-based steelmaker seeking to build a new taconite plant on the western Mesabi Iron Range. Earlier reports had indicated that the company might be packaging its new plant for sale once its completed in 2015, but Essar says those reports were speculative and incorrect. Given the…
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Northern MN lessons from the ‘town for misfits’
For weeks, I’ve been enjoying some success at this blog writing about “Fargo” the TV show on the FX network. One of the most common questions about that show is “why do they call it ‘Fargo’ when most of it takes place in northern Minnesota?” My view is that in both the movie and the book, “Fargo” describes…
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U of M students commended for skeptical PolyMet paper
This is certainly one of those stories that will be read very differently by various audiences, but it’s worth a read regardless. A group of undergraduate economics students at the University of Minnesota won scholarships in a juried competition for an ethical economic analysis of the PolyMet project in northern Minnesota. Their finding: PolyMet is not…
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The DFL mining battle that wasn’t
Last week the question was how badly a pro-mining resolution would damage the electoral prospects of DFLers after this weekend’s state convention in Duluth. What we’ve learned is that Democratic-Farmer-Laborites have at least figured out that the more they bicker in public on this issue, the worse things get for them — especially among a…
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Mesaba Park arts camp is June 16-19
The Mesaba Co-op Park, one of the unique vestiges of Iron Range labor history, will be holding its 20th Annual Northstar Arts Camp, “Poetry in the Park” this summer from June 16-19. If you’re interested in a cool arts and outdoor activity for 8-14 year old kids, check this out: Registrations are being accepted for the 20th Annual…
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Range students build working hovercraft
Students in an engineering class at Nashwauk-Keewatin High School recently demonstrated their year-end project: a working hovercraft that can fly over water, snow and land. WDIO has the story, and video: The hovercraft uses a snowmobile engine and is built from a design the students drafted in class. Related posts: No related posts.
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‘Red Ore Renaissance’ on the Iron Range
Magnetation continues to grow on the western Mesabi Iron Range. Gov. Mark Dayton named Thursday, May 22, “Red Ore Renaissance Day” in Minnesota. Last night, the company celebrated the ongoing construction of its fourth processing plant, turning piles of waste rock from early iron mining operations into quality iron concentrate for the production of steel. Here’s…
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Here come the ticks
Yesterday, as I was leaving a store in Hibbing, it occurred to me that I was outside without a jacket and it didn’t hurt. I was completely comfortable walking around in northern Minnesota like a human. That’s a big deal around here, especially when winter goes into overtime as it did this year. You get…
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On China, spies, steel and intrigue
On Monday, the U.S. Justice Department announced it was prosecuting five Chinese military officers for corporate espionage. From the BBC, emphasis mine: In Washington on Monday, [Attorney General Eric] Holder said a grand jury had laid hacking charges against the Chinese nationals, the first against “known state actors for infiltrating US commercial targets by cyber…
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Rukavina will run for St. Louis Co. Board
It’s official. The rumor we discussed a few weeks ago is true. Former Rep. Tom Rukavina is running for St. Louis County Board, District 4. The announcement marks the end of a political retirement that lasted about 20 months. In retrospect, it was amazing that it lasted that long. UPDATE: The Duluth News Tribune offered some more…
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My micro-mining argument in The Daily Yonder
I’m in the Daily Yonder today talking about the microscopic realities of the mining debate in northern Minnesota. Here’s a taste from my story “Tiny molecules, big fight over wild rice”: The reason for all these emotions over tiny molecules isn’t because of numbers, or even, for most people, science: it’s a cultural battle. Will…
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Range lawmaker, family key to medical marijuana win
This piece is cross-posted with my Up North Report blog at the Star Tribune. Yesterday, House and Senate leaders announced they had a deal to allow medical marijuana in Minnesota. Gov. Mark Dayton announced he would sign the bill, which allows for two major medical marijuana producers to be created in Minnesota, and eight locations…
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Grand Rapids city sales tax headed for ballot
Citizens from the far western Mesabi Range town of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, will vote on whether the city will seek a $0.01 Grand Rapids city sales tax when they cast their general election ballots this fall. The Grand Rapids City Council unanimously approved the ballot measure at a recent meeting. The only northern Minnesota city with a…