-
Dayton vows no state land for Twin Metals
On Monday, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton took a stand against allowing Twin Metals to access public land for its proposed copper nickel mine near Ely and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. From Gov. Dayton’s letter: I have grave concerns about the use of state surface lands for mining related activities in close proximity to the Boundary…
-
Blows to Chinese steel offer hope to Range miners
This week, twin blows to the Chinese steel industry offer hope, at least temporarily, to the struggling American steel and iron mining industries. Yesterday, the U.S. Commerce Department announced it was planning to impose a 266 percent tariff on Chinese and other foreign steel due in response to the longstanding practice of “dumping.” China’s steel industry…
-
Sanders, Rubio win Minnesota caucuses
On the night of Super Tuesday, Bernie Sanders won the Democratic caucuses in Minnesota, while Marco Rubio won the Republican contest. Sure, Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton sailed to victory in eight of 12 other contests around the nation. Republican frontrunner Donald Trump racked up the most delegates as well. But Minnesota provided a symbolic victory for two guys…
-
MN Caucuses: canary in U.S. political coal mine
This evening, Minnesotans head to their precinct caucuses to declare their preference for the next President of the United States. The Minnesota Caucuses begin at 7 p.m. I wrote about what to expect at your caucus in my Sunday column. (Also includes jokes). Meantime, 10 other states will hold primaries or caucuses today as part of Super…
-
Obama OKs more enforcement to block steel dumping
Late last week, President Obama approved new measures to better enforce trade protections against illegal steel imports. The efforts would provide more funding to investigate allegations of steel dumping, or selling steel for less than it costs to make. The move comes amid some relief in steel pricing on the world market, a factor that…
-
In union jacket, Bernie Sanders speaks in Hibbing
By Aaron J. Brown and Courtney Kerns / Photos by Wes Bailey and Courtney Kerns This morning Bernie Sanders brought his Democratic Presidential campaign to the historic Hibbing High School auditorium on the Mesabi Iron Range. Wearing a United Steelworkers jacket from Minntac Local 1938, the Vermont Senator took the same stage where a teenage Bob Dylan once played. Hibbing…
-
Nolan staffer Tom Whiteside to run for 6A DFL nod
Today, former Rick Nolan staffer Tom Whiteside, 28, of Hibbing joined the growing field of DFL candidates for District 6A in the Minnesota House of Representatives. This central Iron Range seat will be open this year after Rep. Carly Melin (DFL-Hibbing) announced she would not seek re-election. “I am ready to serve and motivated to…
-
Bernie Sanders to campaign on the Iron Range
Minnesota’s storied Mesabi Iron Range will host a major presidential candidate this Friday. Sen. Bernie Sanders plans a Feb. 26 morning rally at the Hibbing High School auditorium. See Sanders’ website for information. Doors open at 7:30. Minnesota’s presidential preference vote will take place at major party precinct caucuses next Tuesday, March 1. The Hibbing…
-
On the Anzelc-Layman race in MN-5B
This week Republican Sandy Layman of Grand Rapids announced her candidacy for Minnesota House District 5B in Itasca and Cass counties. She will challenge incumbent State Rep. Tom Anzelc (DFL-Balsam Township), who last week announced his plans to seek a sixth term. Layman is the former commissioner of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board…
-
VIDEO: Obama vows to address steel dumping
UPDATE: U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN8) has issued a statement saying that White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough has told him that a comprehensive plan to address steel dumping will be revealed over the next two weeks. UPDATE II: The Duluth News Tribune reports on Obama’s pledge to address steel dumping. Today, President Obama…
-
UPDATE: Interesting races on St. Louis County board
St. Louis County is a huge swath of land in Northeastern Minnesota. The county includes the region’s largest city of Duluth, more than half of the Mesabi Iron Range, and much of the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area — along with miles and miles of woods, waters and small towns. Geographically St. Louis is the state’s largest…
-
DFLer Mike Thompson joins crowded 6A race
Mike Thompson, a DFLer from Cherry, announced in today’s Hibbing Daily Tribune that he will run for the House 6A seat being vacated by State Rep. Carly Melin (DFL-Hibbing) this fall. Thompson is a car salesman who works at the Hibbing Chrysler Center. Though it’s not clear how many candidates plan to honor the DFL…
-
Bakk explains failed bid for Range special session
We can now agree that Gov. Mark Dayton’s effort to call a special session to address pressing economic issues has been undone. The casualties include, most notably, expiring unemployment benefits of Iron Range miners caught in the gears of international commerce. Dayton cited Republican resistance to agree to terms for a special session, while Republicans seemed to blame Dayton for not calling one…
-
How many economic collapses will it take?
I drove to work this morning past more evidence of our zombie economy. There’s an electronic billboard along the Highway 169 as you go through Hibbing. It’s one of those low res, pixelated types, not as sharp as the ones you see along Twin Cities highways. Kind of like the difference between a 60-inch rear…
-
Nashwauk mayor Ben DeNucci enters 6A race
Nashwauk Mayor Ben DeNucci announced his candidacy for the DFL nomination for House of Representatives in District 6A on the central Iron Range. DeNucci is the owner of DeNucci’s Saloon in downtown Nashwauk and Keewatin Auto Repair in nearby Keewatin, where he also works. DeNucci made his announcement in a Crystal Dey story in the Hibbing Daily Tribune.…