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Range town wants balls back
From today’s Mesabi Daily News, the new administration in Virginia, Minn., has revived the tradition of the annual “Mayor’s Ball,” a big formal dance that was abandoned by his predecessor. I’m sure this adult prom is a fun tradition and that it could raise money for charity (in this case, perhaps a bit too ironically,…
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Famous people almost here!
Certified famous people George Clooney and Renee Zellweger will be appearing in Duluth at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum soon. Their event (rally?) is scheduled for 11 a.m., with public “greeting” at 1 p.m. I’ll liveblog it using 19th century blog rules. In other words, I’ll find out later and tell you when I damn…
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Closing gender gap in Range leadership a worthy goal
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, March 23, 2008 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. My columns are archived at my writing page. Closing gender gap in Range leadership a worthy goalBy Aaron J. Brown Anyone familiar with the news these days knows that the issues of race and gender play a big…
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Ron Paul vandalism just catching on up north
I know the stereotype is that the Iron Range is behind the times when it comes to trends. These punks aren’t helping. Vandals deface Iron Range welcome signsBy Janna GoerdtDuluth News Tribune Four highly visible signs on the outskirts of Eveleth, Virginia, Gilbert and Mountain Iron were spray-painted with obscene political messages earlier this month.…
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Fire damages landmark Iron Range pizza joint
Perhaps not big news to everyone, but the original Sammy’s Pizza in Hibbing was damaged by fire yesterday. (Well, actually the original was in Keewatin before moving to a different location in Hibbing and then to this spot, but that’s just the sort of local local history tedium that you don’t need). The Hibbing Daily…
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Update: Clooney, Zellweger to interact with Northlanders
The Star Tribune reports on Monday’s George Clooney/Renee Zellweger visit to Duluth. We now learn that common folk without media passes can meet the famous people at 1 p.m. at the entrance to the Depot. We also learn that the pair’s movie, “Leatherheads,” based on the real 1920s pro football team in Duluth called the…
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Quick, before the malaise breaks through the dam
The good news (if you’re an Obama supporter and/or sick of primary election news coverage): The media, at least the pieces I saw on “Good Morning America” and in the New York Times today, are finally starting to openly question how Hillary Clinton could win the Democratic nomination at this point. The likelihood that Barack…
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Aftermath of ‘the speech’
Daily Kos has a good roundup of the reviews of yesterday’s Barack Obama speech. First Read also has some good reactions. There are all overtly positive in their appraisal of the speech, but I’ll take on the task of looking at this from another point of view. The real question here is whether the American…
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OMG! George Clooney, Renee Zellweger coming to Duluth!
At the top of the Duluth News-Tribune on this important news day is the BIGGEST STORY OF ALL TIME. George Clooney is coming to Duluth. WITH RENEE ZELLWEGER. AT THE SAME TIME! Oh Jesus, my heart. My heart is beating SO FAST right now. Rumors have been swirling for awhile that George Clooney might be…
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Obama delivers unprecedented speech today
Barack Obama delivered his much-anticipated speech on race issues in America and how they have become a divisive factor in this presidential campaign. He addressed the matter of his controversial former pastor, but did much more than that. Read the text of Obama’s speech today from the Obama website. This also includes a video link.…
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The Iron Range’s global connection
Though not providing any new information, regional editor Charles Ramsey has an informative piece in today’s Mesabi Daily News explaining how the Iron Range is plugged into the global economy. A good refresher or backgrounder for those unfamiliar with Iron Range current events. PS: Perhaps you’ve noticed, but you need to create an account if…
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Damning comments about Mesaba boondoggle covered up; project faces new criticism from key federal agencies
The federal Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued comments last month in the matter of Excelsior Energy’s Mesaba Energy Project, a coal-gas power plant proposed for the Iron Range. I’ve declared this project a boondoggle that will produce neither electricity nor jobs before its “owners” walk away with bags of…
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Iron Range high speed internet at crossroads
Public investment in high speed Internet on the Iron Range should be among our highest priorities. Whether we use this method or another, we need to make tech infrastructure happen. It’s not for the people who are here now, it’s for the people we need to come here and stay here. Range fibernet project at…
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Range Wars in tomorrow’s DFL county unit conventions
County unit conventions are taking place all over Minnesota in the DFL and Republican parties. The only matter of statewide significance is who the Democrats will endorse in the U.S. Senate race to oppose Norm Coleman, Al Franken or Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. Both have agreed to abide by the party’s endorsement. One of the most important…
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Generational change in the Democratic party
For all we see in the media, especially television, you would think that the campaign for the Democratic nomination is all about the identity politics of race, gender and style. But that’s just what’s visible on the surface. When you consider history, voting trends and technological advances, what we’re seeing in Obama vs. Clinton is…