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My daring escape from A4
The Hibbing Daily Tribune, my column’s home for the last eight years, kindly ran a story on today’s front page about the recent success of my book “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range.” I think it’s the first story of the summer for their intern Matt Nelson, a former student and fellow conflicted intellectual…
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What happens when unemployment runs out?
A casual conversation with a friend last week leaves me with lingering questions. We live on the Iron Range, you see. Like the rest of the state, nation and world, the Iron Range of northern Minnesota is experiencing an economic downturn. But things are always a little different on the Range where iron mining is…
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COLUMN: An organizer’s lament (Dylan Days is coming)
This is my weekly column that was published in the Sunday, May 17 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. An organizer’s lament (Dylan Days is coming!)By Aaron J. Brown When I was a reporter I used to marvel at the busybody community activists who were in charge of such things as Chisholm Parallel Parking Days…
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‘Overburden’ wins Northeastern Minnesota Book Award
Tonight I was honored to accept the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award for my book “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range.” I guess they said some nice things in the judges’ comments but I don’t think I comprehended a single word after I heard the syllables “O-VER-BER…” This was my first book and the first…
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Book nerds say what, what
If you’re a reader looking for something to do in northern Minnesota today check out the Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards at the University of Minnesota Duluth. The book fair starts at 12:30, with author readings going on at the Marshal Performing Arts center from 1-3 until the 3:30 p.m. awards ceremony. I’ll be reading from…
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No obvious spoils in federal coal money for Range boondoggle
The U.S. Department of Energy announced support for a series of carbon capture and sequestration projects (what the industry calls “clean coal”) through the economic recovery act. Though some of the the $2.4 billion in funding areas will still grant funds to applicants, this list seems rather grim for Excelsior Energy’s proposed Mesaba Energy Project…
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My way or I’ll cut your highway (and by highway I mean everything)
Here’s the Iron Range take on Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s edict yesterday about the state budget negotiation process. (Story by Jon Collins for Hibbing Daily Tribune, Mesabi Daily News and others). Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, said cuts to health and human services would be “devastating” for the Iron Range. “People are going to understand the pain…
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A week out from Dylan Days 2009
There might not be as many political or Range news posts this week. Why? We’re a week away from Dylan Days in Hibbing and the excitement (and organizational pressure) is rising. I’ll be on 103.3 KUMD Radio in Duluth Friday morning shortly after 8:20 talking about Dylan Days. I’ll also be recording an interview for…
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We say "re," you say "count"
OK, so I’ll bite: Barkley Throws First Pitch; IP Throws Fundraiser St. Paul, Minn. (May 12, 2009) – Dean Barkley, Independence Party candidate for U.S Senate, will throw out the first pitch at the St. Paul Saints game on May 23rd. The former U.S. Senator will participate in what the St. Paul Saints are calling…
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NEMBAs on Sunday
This weekend the “Overburden” road show will be working without a net as the missus and I head south to Duluth for the Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards at UMD. I am one of scads of nominated authors in the creative nonfiction/memoir category (it’s not a juried nomination system; they let anyone in, even me). I…
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Dicklich strikes back, demands satisfaction
Last week I mentioned Hibbing Daily Tribune publisher Wanda Moeller’s editorial smackdown on Ron Dicklich’s appointment to the Laurentian Energy Authority. Well, somehow I missed the significant fact that Mesabi Daily News editor and co-publisher Bill Hanna hit Dicklich with a similar argument on the same day. You ever see professional wrestling? You ever see…
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Mitchell Bridge to be toppled this summer
On the subject of roads, we learn today in the Hibbing Daily Tribune that the Range-famous Mitchell Bridge between Hibbing and Chisholm will be removed this summer thanks to MNDOT and federal stimulus money. The rough looking landmark will be replaced by new infrastructure that will actually route the Mesabi Trail underneath the new highway.…
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Road lamenting
The Mesabi Daily News makes hay out of an AP news analysis of the federal stimulus plan’s transportation goals, saying that the spending overlooks some areas hit hard by the economy. The MDN ran the story out front and included a corresponding editorial. My favorite line about the stimulus package in the editorial: “It was…
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A worthy counterargument on government spending
In the swirling hurly-burly of what passes for today’s political discourse I do enjoy this offering from KAXE’s Republican commentator Charles Marohn. He’s leading people toward a conservative argument without actually making a specific call. I would contrast this kind of argument with the more shrill diatribes against government spending you often see posted to…
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Thank you, Virginia (again)
Last Friday I spoke at the Virginia (Minn.) Historical Society annual dinner about my book “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range.” It was a fun evening with a very welcoming crowd. I get a kick out of giving speeches when people audibly “harrumph” at the mention of Bob Dylan. There aren’t many crowds left…