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DNR fights fire, time in underground blaze at Soudan mine
The DNR reports that fire fighters are making significant progress in its battle against the fire at the Soudan Underground Mine State Park. The advanced physics laboratory at the 27th level, just below the fire at the 23rd-25th levels, is still OK. The fire might still be burning, however, and more work and danger lies…
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In northern Minn., Soudan mine fire menaces underground science lab
The uncontrolled fire deep in the Soudan Underground Mine now threatens the advanced $60 million scientific MINOS laboratory two levels below the fire, reports WDIO. It’s not the fire, but the water collecting at the bottom of the mine that poses a risk. Pumps that normally keep the mine dry are without power. In 1-2…
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Reports of fire at historic Soudan Underground Mine
I’m trying to find details, but the Mesabi Daiy News is reporting a fire between the 23rd and 25th levels of the Soudan Underground Mine burning since yesterday. UPDATE: A press release from the DNR: Fire underway in mine shaft at Soudan Underground Mine State Park Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Minnesota…
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Census shows decline in most Range towns, boom in Itasca County
The Census released its 2010 population data for Minnesota Wednesday. Population and demographic trends that were forming in recent years were confirmed. Last year I wrote a piece about how the demographics of the Iron Range region of northern Minnesota were changing. The changes were not just in population. In actuality, northern Minnesota population isn’t…
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Electricity problems, fireball problems … brother, Minnesota has some problems
We drove to Grand Rapids this morning to bring our dog to the vet. The whole town and several surrounding towns had lost power after a Minnesota Power transformer blowout at 9:15 a.m. Grand Rapids is still without power here at 12:30 p.m. and could be for several more hours. We’ve heard from our son’s…
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‘Prospects for the Arrowhead’ to shake blues off this dusty place, or dance trying
I’ll be at this MPR/Northland’s NewsCenter “Future of the Region” event on April 5, participating in some yet unknown way. Come on down, if only to see what the Oscar and Felix act of MPR and KBJR collaboration might look like. “What is this, B-Roll of people jumping in Lake Superior? Get that out of…
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China and the Range: one degree of separation
Asian demand for steel has had a large and positive influence on northern Minnesota’s Iron Range economy for several years, mostly because of how it affects prices and demand for steel products. Chinese demand, in particular, fueled the historic Range taconite production of 2007 and early 2008. Chinese stagnation spurred the widespread shutdowns in late…
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Iron Range job fair to be held Tuesday, March 22 in Virginia
I had an opportunity to check in with Craig Walter from the state Department of Employment and Economic Development this week. He was reminding me of the 13th Annual Iron Range Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22 at the Thunderbird Mall in Virginia, Minn. With the Range economy sputtering…
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90 minutes on the bus one way, and back
Susan Maricle has an interesting personal post from her Poultry and Prose blog featured on MinnPost’s “Blog Cabin” today. She writes of her son’s 90-minute one-way bus ride to school from her family’s central Minnesota farm. The post struck a chord with me because our oldest son has a similar length bus ride to kindergarten…
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The night I stole an hour from time
From 1996 to 1998, the years I was in senior high school, I worked weekend overnight shifts as an easy listening DJ at 97.9 WEVE in the iron mining town of Eveleth, Minnesota. Specifically, I’d come home from school on Friday afternoon, prepare a bowl of Campbell’s soup and cheese sandwich, take a sleeping pill…
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Brown on the Air: RANGE UPDATE 3/14/11 on 91.7 KAXE
I’ll be on the KAXE Morning Show at 7:20 a.m. Monday talking Iron Range issues, with special attention given to my comments in my recent “On mining and the future in northern Minnesota” post from last week. Listen at 91.7 FM within 70 miles of Grand Rapids or streaming live at www.kaxe.org. You can access…
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Governor to tour Iron Range amid state tourney fervor
Gov. Mark Dayton will be touring the Iron Range Friday and headlining the annual meeting of the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools that night. The more amusing detail of his schedule is that he will be visiting Hibbing High School at the moment the Bluejackets will be wrapping up play against the Hermantown Hawks…
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On mining and the future in northern Minnesota
Nothing’s going to get better for the Iron Range until we stop talking about 30-year mining plans and start talking about five year reform plans. These thoughts have been building for a time and it will take more than one post to explore them all. A recent headline pushed me to start. David Shaffer at…
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Highway 53 (to be) Rerouted
Iron Range history brims with tales of highway rerouting for mining purposes. Indeed, entire towns have been moved or abandoned to extract iron from the ground. The taconite era has been light on these moves, until recently. Now one of the Iron Range’s central arteries, Highway 53, must be rerouted near the entrance to Virginia…
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Former Range lawmaker charged with animal cruelty, hoarding
The Iron Range is a place of characters and stories. One of the most interesting characters I’ve met is former State Rep. John Spanish. Unfortunately, his story has taken a sad turn. Related posts: No related posts.