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Leave Marble Alone
When I described my feelings wandering around the Iron Range city of Marble last weekend in a recent post, my observations spurred some unexpected squabbling in the comments. Alert reader Tony used the opportunity to create this: I think this needs to go viral. The less context the better. Related posts: No related posts.
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IRRRB to meet Friday; anger to be sustained afterward
The Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board meets 1:30 Friday afternoon at the agency’s headquarters south of Eveleth. Afterward there will be a press conference by Iron Range legislators to discuss several issues, most notably the economic development fund at stake in the legislative budget negotiations in St. Paul. Related posts: No related posts.
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Knights, Eagles become Night-hawks in symbolic Range school news
Yesterday Janna Goerdt wrote a story for the Duluth News Tribune about the renaming of the Babbitt-Embarrass school to reflect the St. Louis County school district internal consolidation between B-E and Tower-Soudan. The school will be called the Northeast Range School and its mascot will be the “Night-hawks.” Naturally, the locals are not sure about…
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The places of the Range, bypassed, bygone, but not to be ignored
The other night Christina and I went out to dinner and took our time getting home, driving around the towns of the western Mesabi. For as long as I’ve lived and worked around this part of the state there are still corners I’ve never had happenstance to visit. One of those places was Marble. If…
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MPR: Lagging connections in rural areas a drag on Minnesota’s prosperity
I’ve got the feature commentary spot at Minnesota Public Radio’s website today. In “Lagging connections in rural areas a drag on Minnesota’s prosperity,” I talk about the digital divide between the Twin Cities and rural Minnesota, particularly the Iron Range. This gap threatens more than just the future of rural Minnesota, but the whole state’s…
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On matters of pants, I stand with George F. Will
Every word of this Washington Post column, “Demon Denim,” by conservative intellectual columnist George F. Will is in accordance with my beliefs about pants. Will and I are in total, unmitigated agreement. I am disturbed by this, but not as disturbed as you after you read the column. It bears mentioning that I am 31…
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Peruvian copper mine blocked after protests
For a different take on how nonferrous mineral mining debates can proceed, check out this story from Peru. The government there is stopping a copper mining project after locals rioted. We in northern Minnesota can take some comfort that no one has died during our debate on mineral mining. Nevertheless, the environmental impact of this…
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Young voices in rural Minnesota
MinnPost’s Jeff Severns Guntzel interviews young adults in the “Rural Minnesota: A generation at the crossroads” project. He talked to some of my students at the college. These voices are very important to a region like northern Minnesota to understand itself and make the right policy choices down the line. This will be a project…
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Ladies & gentlemen, Columbia recording artist Baobo Dilun
Last month we learned that the Iron Range’s top export, taconite pellets to make steel, would be making the long journey to China for the first time in history. This week the Range’s second biggest export, recording artist Bob Dylan, made his first ever appearance in the large Asian nation. Dylan, who was born in…
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Range future debate enters crucial phase
I have almost too much to talk about this morning, so I’ll just cover the basics. Yesterday was a notable day. MPR and Northland’s NewsCenter hosted a “Economic Prospects for the Arrowhead” forum at the Radisson in Duluth. Immediately before that the state House voted to strip $60 million in local mining revenue (the Iron…
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LIVE: MPR presents Prospects for the Arrowhead
Follow the “Prospects for the Arrowhead” northern Minnesota economic forum below. I’ll be joining other speakers in talking about the future of the region. Time permitting, I’ll add some live blog content below. MPR’s Minnesota Today is offering a liveblog. MPR Presents: Prospects for the Arrowhead Hit refresh if you aren’t seeing new content. The…
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Midwest Energy News sifts through "vapors" of reeling Range project
Today, Midwest Energy News posted a story from Minnesota writer Dan Haugen about the past, present and unknown future of Excelsior Energy’s beleaguered Mesaba Energy Project. I’m quoted therein, along with other Excelsior opponents and supporters. I hope you’ll find this to be a reasonable, balanced look at the history of this project and its…
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State House to debate fate of Range economic fund this afternoon
While I’m preparing for tonight’s MPR “Economic Prospects for the Arrowhead” forum in Duluth tonight, the state House is debating the slashing of an Iron Range economic development fund in St. Paul at 3 p.m. You can follow the debate, which I expect to be colorful, here on the House web TV channel. This conversation…
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Tuesday Night at the Forum: MPR/KBJR’s Prospects for the Arrowhead
There’s still time to register for Tuesday evening’s “Prospects for the Arrowhead” forum at the Radisson Hotel in Duluth. This event is organized by Minnesota Public Radio and Northland’s NewsCenter and will be hosted by Cathy Wurzer. The reception starts at 6 to be followed by an open discussion of the region’s economic future at…
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Problems admitted in Range pension issue; important days ahead
As previously discussed, retired Iron Range miners from National Steel (now Keetac, under new management) have been through the wringer on their pensions after National folded in 2003. A specific group of miners receives pennies on the dollar, less than half the promised amount. Late last week the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, a federal organization…