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Polymet delays environmental review in Range mine project
Also this week, Polymet has announced another delay in releasing its environmental review, a step in getting the necessary permits to mine copper and other minerals in northern Minnesota. The debate over nonferrous mining, or sulfide mining, continues to consume much of the region’s political energy. This news is perhaps welcome in that a more…
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Range reels as Magnetation considers other locations for plant
Yesterday, the Duluth News Tribune wrote about the reaction of some local leaders to the news that Iron Range-based Magnetation might locate its proposed taconite plant in Superior instead of near its scram mining operations in Itasca County. Give it a read. Notably, Rep. Tom Rukavina appears to be in open revolt. Yeah, after reading…
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Bluegills fight terrorists to the death
On the wall of my boys’ bedroom is a poster picked up at the county fair a few years ago. It’s a picture of a bluegill with the caption: “The Bluegill: A Creature of Fresh Water.” Bluegills hold a place of honor in our family. My father-in-law is an avid “pan” fisherman who eschews trophies…
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Laskiainen ‘slides’ into many Iron Range weekend plans
The Laskiainen Finnish Sliding Festival weekend is coming up. Saturday and Sunday bring this longstanding east Range tradition in Palo. The description: Finnish sliding festival celebrating the ethnic heritage of customs, crafts, music, sports, marketplace, foods and of course sliding! A true family event. Loon Lake Community Center is located 10 miles south of Aurora…
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Have I mentioned the junkyard before?
The other day I was driving the family somewhere and one of the boys pointed out a junkyard along the highway. “Hey, boys,” I said to my three sons. “Did you know Daddy grew up on a junkyard?” A pause, then George, 4, uttered a begrudging, “Yeah.” Then he sighed. My wife laughed at me.…
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Jeff Anderson: the MinnesotaBrown/KAXE interview
Today I feature an interview with Jeff Anderson, DFL candidate for Congress in MN-8. Anderson is a recent Duluth city councilor and radio ad executive who grew up in Ely. This interview was conducted Jan. 18 at the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm as part of a series that includes Anderson’s DFL opponents, Rick Nolan…
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Blogging from a ‘man camp’
Covering politics and economic development in the upper Midwest these days invariably brings about a conversation about North Dakota. Have you heard? North Dakota is booming. And it is, mostly owing to massive new oil drilling projects in the west. Conservatives like to point out North Dakota’s more lenient regulatory environment and lower taxes as…
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More MN-8 candidate interviews on the way
I was hoping to run all three MN-8 DFL candidate interviews this week but we have experienced delays. Rendering these massive digital files has taken longer than expected and Richie has been working hard to polish the videos up for broadcast. I still hope to run Jeff Anderson today, but it looks more like we’ll…
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Superior vs. the Range: Business North explores Magnetation story
Business North has an update on the Magnetation pellet plant discussed here yesterday. Their sources place Superior, Wisconsin, as a leading contender for the facility, though it sounds like the deal is not yet done and Itasca County remains a logical candidate as well. It could be that the smokestack chasing and economic development gamesmanship…
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Cravaack pens op/ed on Range mining permits
The next couple days will feature the thoughts of DFL candidates seeking to replace Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN8) in this unique northeastern Minnesota district. I’ll be talking to Cravaack in a couple weeks, but for those who seek an immediate counterpoint Cravaack has an op/ed in today’s Duluth News Tribune about Iron Range mining projects.…
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Rick Nolan: the MinnesotaBrown/KAXE interview
Today I feature an interview with Rick Nolan, DFL candidate for Congress in MN-8. Nolan is a former Congressman from the Crosby area. In 1980 Nolan opted not to seek re-election and has since run a sawmill and international trading business. This interview was conducted Jan. 18 at the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm as…
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Magnetation mulls Northland pellet plant
This has been rumored for a while, but Magnetation is now confirming to WDIO they are considering several sites for a new iron pellet plant in the region. A site near their scram mining operations in Itasca County and a site in Superior, Wisconsin are among those under consideration. I had heard whispers about the…
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Young thespians add heat (hot air?) to January air
It’s been a while since I’ve shared much in the way of Iron Range arts and entertainment news. There are always things going on around here, especially in the winter. We’re still in the juicy center of winter. By March it is all bones and gristle. I don’t mean culturally. I mean spiritually. What I…
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Anzelc introduces bill demanding IRRRB loan transparency
Rep. Tom Anzelc (DFL-Balsam Township) has officially introduced a bill demanding more transparency in the loans given by the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) to private companies. The IRRRB is the unique state agency that governs mining production taxes paid by iron mines in lieu of local property taxes. The agency’s economic development…
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The cold touch of metal, the language of machines
I grew up a mechanic’s son of a mechanic’s son on the Iron Range of northern Minnesota. My family has long lived around the Range’s tamarack swamps, seldom within its cities and often many miles out. Always more focused on the machines, the woods and the work than the machinations of the region’s booming, busting…