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Ice dams are a thing
Reuban Saltzman from the Structure Tech Home Inspection Blog has a great post today on the MinnPost “Blog Cabin” about how to prevent or address ice dams. If you don’t know what an ice dam is you were just like me before I moved into my first 1920s-built home on the Iron Range. They are…
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Spreading link love outside the metro
I heard from a new blogger in Chisago County, Minnesota, running a site called Fiefdom Politics. She seems to focus on local and regional issues in the southern part of Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. I can’t promise I’ll do this every time I hear from someone but there are so few blogs focusing on northern…
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The question facing the Iron Range
I had another conversation about the Iron Range yesterday. I have these talks from time to time. Along with a few working historians, a few journalists and no shortage of political leaders, I’m one of the people who get the call when someone wants the story — the real deal — about the Iron Range…
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Bring on the top news lists, including bears
The Duluth News Tribune released its annual list of the top 10 northern Minnesota news stories for 2010. I don’t argue with the top story, the Republican gains and defeat of Jim Oberstar in Minnesota’s Eighth District. That was easy, though. The editorial decisions made after that are dubious, in my opinion. I wasn’t going…
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Must be Santa
A year old now but still worth a play. Iron Ranger uses accordion to reinterpret classic Christmas song. Also, bar fight. Related posts: No related posts.
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Porky Pig sings Blue Christmas
Sometimes the remake is better than the original. Porky Pig sings Blue Christmas. Merry (blue) Christmas! Related posts: No related posts.
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Duluth Metals and Magnetation make the news
Here’s a couple developments in Iron Range mining projects. Unless something blows up this is my last newsy post for a while. Holiday features and good times on the way. Duluth Metals has acquired Franconia Minerals, consolidating two proposed nonferrous underground copper mining initiatives. This will simplify permitting and capitalization. We spent plenty of time…
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The Ocho lives!
Minnesota has retained its 8 Congressional seats after the release of today’s U.S. Census numbers. It was literally the last state “on the bubble” for losing a seat, just narrowly edging out Missouri. Minnesota gained population but not at the national average rate. Texas is the big winner, gaining four (!) seats, mostly in Hispanic…
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Good thing we can explain this
There’s a total lunar eclipse tonight to go along with the gorgeous but haunting yellow moon I saw over the treeline on the northwestern horizon this early morning. I was out on the country road by our house in northern Minnesota waiting for the bus with my kindergartner who was seeing his first yellow moon.…
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Cravaack handy with snowblower, planes, etc.
John Lundy of the Duluth News Tribune had Sunday’s front page profile of incoming U.S. Rep-elect Chip Cravaack (R-MN8). Cravaack is an impressive political candidate who caught fire at the right time and managed to avoid almost all negatives during a first-time run against an 18-term incumbent. He’s known as a good neighbor down in…
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Cravaack named to transportation commitee
Incoming Rep.-elect Chip Cravaack (R-MN8) has been assigned to the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee, the same one chaired by his 2010 opponent, longtime Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN8). House members generally serve on one committee, so this is a pretty sweet assignment for a freshman. Oberstar served there for his 36 years in Congress, succeeding…
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Iron Range agency OKs loan for PolyMet
The Iron Range Resources board approved the $4 million land swap loan to the PolyMet mining company Thursday afternoon. This was expected as the nonferrous mining project proposed by PolyMet for the eastern Iron Range is politically popular as a job creation plan. It’s a complicated deal, though, one that puts the Iron Range public…
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Google delays fiber decision until early 2011
Google is delaying its decision about which community it will choose to pilot its high speed Google Fiber. Duluth, Minnesota, is considered a strong candidate among the thousands of communities that applied. An MPR report explores Duluth’s chances. Google said it will announce its decision in early 2011. Related posts: No related posts.
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In which I make a libertarian argument on Range mining (for once)
PolyMet, the company proposing new nonferrous mineral mining on the East Range in northern Minnesota, is back in the news. PolyMet is asking Iron Range Resources for a $4 million loan as the project approaches the end of a very long permitting process. I expect they’ll get the loan. This is an interesting development partly…
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Range pensioners await (good?) news
Every place has its morose story of woe and heartache, its cyclonic sucking vortex of public and private outrage. For the Iron Range that story is the troubles facing pensioners from the former National Steel plant in Keewatin. A few hundred miners caught between owners of the plant, now run as Keewatin Taconite by U.S.…