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Despite industry crisis, steel provisions fail Minnesota House
With a summer of political and economic hardship ahead, Iron Range lawmakers tried to attach “buy American steel” provisions to state projects under debate this week at the legislature in St. Paul. These kinds of provisions have been used in the past, particularly in association with the new Vikings stadium and other large projects. New…
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McCollum bill seeks to protect BWCA from mining
As the mining industry readies its strategy for the next few years, those seeking environment protections in Northern Minnesota generated headlines this week as well. Yesterday, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), representing the St. Paul metro district, introduced legislation that would prevent mining in the same watershed as federal wildernesses like the Boundary Waters Canoe…
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‘Rural agenda’ without broadband is rural sham
Yesterday the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities and others jumped on a troubling aspect of the House GOP budget proposal. Speaker Kurt Daudt’s caucus proposes to essentially end the Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program and eliminate the state Office of Broadband Development. This, even as universal broadband is now widely embraced by Democrats and Republicans alike as…
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Watch MN Gov. Dayton’s State of the State address
Tonight, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton delivered his annual State of the State address at the Capitol in St. Paul. You can watch the speech below, courtesy of The Uptake. Gov. Dayton entered the speech with a healthy approval rating in the mid-50s, but facing a stiff challenge from a staunchly conservative Republican State House and a…
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Governor’s bonding bill tilts toward Greater Minnesota
Yesterday, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton released his proposed $842 million bonding bill. While a bonding bill is expected from the DFL-controlled State Senate, there are mixed signals coming out of the GOP-led State House as to whether a full bonding bill will be on the table or not. The governor’s plan invests in economic development,…
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U.S. Mail pickups changing across the 218
Across Northern Minnesota, the U.S. Postal Service is bumping up post office pickup times with the impending closure of the Duluth mail processing center. Starting April 18, Duluth post office mail will be picked up at 3:15 p.m., with much earlier times in post offices outside of the Zenith City. Places like Floodwood and Alborn will see pickup…
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U.S. Steel to idle steel mill at same time as KeeTac
Today, U.S. Steel announced it will temporarily idle its Granite City Works steel mill in Granite City, Illinois in 60 days, at roughly the same time the company idles Keewatin Taconite here in Northern Minnesota. The closure of the Illinois plant, near St. Louis, Missouri, will lay off more than 2,000 workers until the plant re-opens.…
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Watershed map shows Minnesota’s true geography
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) released this fascinating map of the state’s watersheds. The Minnesota PCA describes a watershed this way: A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that drains off of it goes into the same place—a river, stream or lake. The smallest watersheds are the drainage areas…
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The little town with blazing fast internet
This is an extended news feature I produced for Northern Community Radio that was broadcast today on the Morning Show and this week on the news magazine “The Give and Take.” This web version includes some visual add-ons. Please support Northern Community Radio during their pledge drive this week. In addition to being a vital producer of…
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Rukavina Strikes Back: colorful Range pol rebuts Strib
Today, the Star Tribune features an op/ed from former Iron Range State Rep. and current St. Louis County Commissioner Tom Rukavina rebutting recent stories about the political nature of a IRRRB call center project. I wrote about those Star Tribune stories here, and again here — both times pointing out how damaging this year has been…
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Minnesota winters confound mound septics
Just a couple weeks ago it was thirty below zero. Now teenagers are wearing shorts and the dirt roads are breaking up. I saw forecasted highs in the 60s coming down the pike. That’s how fast the weather turns in Northern Minnesota. A few weeks ago I warned about the possibility of frozen septic mounds this year…
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Political storm over IRRRB project rumbles on
Today, the Star Tribune‘s Jennifer Bjorhus follows up her Sunday story about IRRRB funding for a failed, then resurrected, Democratic telemarketing firm. This story focuses on state law’s that allow such transactions, even if they “smell bad” to the general public. Minnesota Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles said he would examine the loans made by the Iron Range…
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Range schools show strong grad rates, but challenges loom
Last week, the state Department of Education released graduation rates for Minnesota high schools. Graduation rates across the state increased to 81 percent last spring, and also increased for all groups of students tracked by the state. Here in Northern Minnesota’s Iron Range region, our rates were higher, often much more so. Here’s a rundown of what…
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Dayton’s $6B transportation bill includes Highway 53 funds
This week Gov. Mark Dayton (D-Minnesota) released details of his enormous $6 billion transportation package, which uses gas taxes to fund and otherwise accelerate highway and bridge repairs around the state. More than two-thirds of the projects would be located in Greater Minnesota, with the rest in the densely packed metro counties. The topic will…
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Gov Dayton on Sen. Bakk: ‘I can’t trust him’
Sometimes the phone rings and you’re told that a relative was arrested for a crime — maybe drunk driving or maybe bank fraud, depending on your brand of family. To be honest it’s not surprising news, though the situation spurs family drama, deep uncertainty and consequences. Ultimately this could be a good thing if used as an opportunity to change…