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AAAOOO! New Minnesota parks license plates
Here’s something cool. MPR and others report that the state has announced its finalists for the new Minnesota state parks and trails license plate design contest. Each design was submitted by a citizen artist to reflect the state park experience. One of the designs depicts Itasca State Park, the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Another…
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Appeals court backs man who cut garage in half
I feel obligated to mention the latest on the bisected garage still spurring conversation along Itasca County Highway 8 out in my neighborhood northwest of Nashwauk, Minnesota. Last week, a state appeals court ruled in favor of Roger Weber, the former state House candidate who cut his late father’s garage in half with a chain saw as the…
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Forum to profile two hot Range primaries
On Thursday, June 23, candidates in the House 6A DFL primary and St. Louis County board district 7 primary will participate in a forum at the Hibbing City Hall sponsored by the Hibbing Area Chamber of Commerce. Even though the prior is a legislative race and the latter a county race, both districts overlap at their…
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China vows ‘zombie’ hunt in steel wars
One of the frustrations in living through the booms and busts of the Iron Range economy is the simplistic way our mining-based economy is portrayed in the media. It’s either, “The Range will die soon,” or “EVERYTHING IS GREAT!” The problem is neither of these statements have been true at any point in history. It’s especially true…
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Competitive 2016 races set in Northern MN
The filing period for federal, state and many local races closed Tuesday, May 31. Here in Northern Minnesota some interesting races have emerged alongside many sleepy contests. Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District No surprises here. Incumbent U.S. Rep Rick Nolan, a Democratic-Farmer-Laborite from Crosby faces challenger Stewart Mills, a Nisswa Republican. The only news from filing is that there…
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Tuesday is last chance to file for many offices
Tuesday, May 31, brings the last day to file for local, state and federal offices in Minnesota. While there are some interesting legislative and county races shaping up across Northern Minnesota in 2016 (I’ll have more on those Wednesday), something else stood out to me. City council races on the Iron Range are fairly quiet. In…
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Four advance to DFL primary in House 6A
After five ballots, Iron Range DFLers opted not to endorse a candidate in the race to succeed State Rep. Carly Melin (DFL-Hibbing) in House District 6A. The endorsing convention was held this morning and into the afternoon at Hibbing Community College. All five candidates had stated they would not abide by the endorsement anyway, so a competitive…
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Junkyard Politics in Northern Minnesota
Another election year has arrived in Northern Minnesota, though this is hardly news. In our country it’s difficult to tell when there isn’t an election. American society has built up a politics tolerance that would require a rigorous treatment program if it were, say, whiskey. Thus my approach to the 2016 election, so far, has…
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Mt. Iron-Buhl OKs $29 million school
UPDATE: On Tuesday, May 3, Mountain Iron-Buhl voters approved the bond referendum, paving the way for the new school proposal to move forward. The original piece, published May 2 follows: Voters in the Mountain Iron-Buhl school district will decide Tuesday on whether to accept a $29 million plan to build a new high school on Highway 169.…
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MPR: Abuse cover-up at Buhl juvenile center
For residents of the Iron Range, the KidsPeace Mesabi Academy in Buhl is just a part of the tapestry of the region’s economic metamorphosis. Once the beloved neighborhood Buhl school, the building was “saved” by becoming a juvenile correction center for boys. This week, American Public Media Reports — a organizational relative of Minnesota Public…
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Hooking up: Broadband in Minnesota
On Saturday, a postcard arrived in the U.S. Mail. Perhaps ironically, this small piece of snail mail told us that MinnesotaBrown World Headquarters in Balsam Township, Minnesota, would be connected to high speed fiber optic internet access later this year. It’s official. Paul Bunyan Communication’s Central Itasca Fiber project currently includes my rural neighborhood. You can see the company’s final…
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60 Minutes: Nolan laments telemarketer Congress
Last night U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN8) was featured on the venerated CBS news magazine show “60 Minutes” for his work on campaign reform. Nolan is co-sponsoring the STOP Act, co-authored by Florida Republican Rep. David Jolly and others, which would prevent federally elected officials from directly soliciting funds. You can see the story here:…
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Simonson prevails in SD7 DFL endorsement battle
Almost 500 DFL delegates met Saturday in Duluth to endorse a candidate to succeed retiring State Sen. Roger Reinert (DFL-Duluth). After a strong 57-43 percent showing on the first ballot, State Rep. Erik Simonson was endorsed on the second ballot over former city councilor Sharla Gardner. Gardner vowed to support Simonson, unifying the Duluth DFL apparatus…
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Melissa Scaia to run for St. Louis Co. Board
Melissa Scaia of Chisholm, a well-known family advocate on the Iron Range, today announced she would run for the St. Louis County Board of Commissioners in the Seventh District. Scaia’s entrance into the race ensures a primary. Other candidates include Chisholm Mayor Mike Jugovich and county social worker and Hibbing School Board member Jeff Polcher. The…
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The chilling effect of IRRRB board structure
Even as multitudes turn their eyes toward economic diversification on the Iron Range this week, today we confront with one of the biggest barriers to breaking unsuccessful economic patterns here: a parochial establishment seemingly unable to handle dissent. The Duluth News Tribune and others reported on Tuesday’s Cook County board meeting. At that meeting, County Commissioner Frank Moe proposed a resolution offering…