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On hockey and the Iron Range’s real problems
I’ve been meaning to pass this along all week. Doug Grow of MinnPost profiled Mike Antonovich, the former Gophers hockey great and new mayor of the Iron Range town of Coleraine. Read it. The story seems to have several purposes. One, it shows how a hockey stardom is still great currency in Minnesota small towns.…
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DNT editorial roughs up commissioners
Check out the anti-establishment clarion call from the Duluth News-Tribune editorial board today. They are calling for the ouster of four long serving members of the St. Louis County Board in the 2010 election for various transgressions, mostly related to sexual harassment cases and the resulting failure of the board to acknowledge any wrong-doing. ……
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The thick blue line
Business North ran a great story by Beth Bily about the political trends emerging in Duluth and the Iron Range after the 2008 election. Check it out. Related posts: No related posts.
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Alaska’s new senator takes an Iron Range name to D.C.
Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, a Democrat, has officially defeated longtime U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) after late absentee ballots were counted yesterday. There are plenty of places to read about the political implications, but I just want to point out the fact that two names originating from the Iron Range now decorate U.S. Senate offices:…
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Hot book action in Gilbert tonight! Be there!
In the early days of the Iron Range, most iron ore miners lived in company location towns where alcohol sales were restricted so that the miners would not drink too much. To defy their bosses, and also to drink vast amounts of alcohol and visit with, uh, professional ladies, these miners would trek across the…
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Cliffs coal merger is off
I hope they didn’t print t-shirts yet. Cliffs Natural Resources (formerly Cleveland Cliffs) is no longer merging with Appalachian coal giant Alpha Natural Resources even though Cliffs changed its name to match theirs. Awkward. The Duluth News Tribune has the full story. It appears that this another example of the economy influencing the long range…
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East Range mining rumble coming to St. Paul
This Mesabi Daily News story from yesterday explores the legislative strategy of environmental groups opposed to the PolyMet mining project on the East Range. The MDN also writes about the legislative strategy of pro-development groups, but usually in the form of drippingly-ironic editorials. Is drippingly a word? Anyway, there will be a legislative smackdown over…
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Irv Anderson dies; Northland mourns
Former House speaker and longtime former State Rep. Irv Anderson (DFL-International Falls) died Monday morning at age 85. This short breaking story comes from the Mesabi Daily News and will be updated for the morning edition. There will be many obituaries recorded across the state on Tuesday that will show a fuller picture of the…
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At least they didn’t try to hug
Ever have to make exactly one minute of small talk with someone you recently called “wrong for America?” Ever have it filmed and put on CNN? Awkward 2 D Xtreme! My favorite is when they try to talk about football. H/T Wonkette Related posts: No related posts.
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Iron Range agency adds blog
Over at the Iron Range Resources agency, longtime area newspaper reporter and current IRR public information officer Lee Bloomquist has begun blogging for the agency. It’s a “company blog” to be sure, but his first post gives some interesting information and pictures on the new Mesabi Nugget plant near Hoyt Lakes which will be operating…
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Poor is the new rich
Check out this interesting feature from today’s Duluth News Tribune profiling people who choose to live at the poverty line in northern Minnesota. Anecdotally, I can say there are LOTS of people like this up here, often living below the radar. The fact that you can do this is a testament to the greatness of…
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Paul Thissen: The MinnesotaBrown interview
Last week I had a conversation with State Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL-Minneapolis) shortly after he announced his candidacy for governor. Rep. Thissen has been a friend to this blog, occasionally offering insightful comments on health care reform (his specialty area). I first talked to Thissen when he brought his health and human services committee to…
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Coming up at MinnesotaBrown
You may have noticed less political content at MinnesotaBrown lately. I’ve been focusing on my book and resulting book promotion lately, much of which is apolitical. Also I’m trying to detox after the busy election season. The ongoing U.S. Senate recount in Minnesota is to a decompressing political junkie what Black Velvet whiskey is to…
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MinnesotaBrown on the Twin Cities airwaves
If you want to hear me on KTNF’s Mark Heaney Show from Wednesday you can listen to the archive here (other listening options here). The show highlights some of the things I talk about during my usual reading/lecture for my new book “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range.” I also threaten to raise an…
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I love you, Duluth!
Thanks to the many who came out to the Duluth Barnes and Noble last night for my reading and book signing. I saw a few familiar faces, but mostly a lot of new friends who have been following the blog and book. I sure appreciate everyone who showed up. If you couldn’t make it you…