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Johnson tapes show history’s many possibilities
As a student of history, it’s hard not to marvel at stories like this (“The Lyndon Johnson Tapes: Richard Nixon’s ‘treason’“). It was President Lyndon Johnson who installed the famous policy of recording everything that happened in the Oval Office. His idea was that the tapes would provide the historical record to correct the speculations…
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The Ides of March: culture on the Iron Range
The Death of Caesar, by Jean-Léon Gérôme Friday is the Ides of March, the famous day in which Roman Emperor Julius Caesar took a little walk down to the forum in 44 B.C. and was stabbed 23 times by 60 prominent conspirators. The term comes from a warning he received on the street, “Beware the…
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Poll shows rising opposition to new mines
A poll paid for by the Minnesota Environmental Partnership shows flagging support for copper-nickel mining in northern Minnesota. For the first time in almost five years of polling, more Minnesotans say they oppose such new mining than support it. The question asked: As you may know, new mines are being proposed near the Boundary Waters…
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Radinovich named to famed ‘Range Delegation’
State. Rep. Joe Radinovich (DFL-Crosby) has been officially granted membership in the Iron Range Delegation of state lawmakers. Here he is with Reps. Jason Metsa (DFL-Virginia) and Carly Melin (DFL-Hibbing). Radinovich is already on the record making elementary teachers swoon. Though in recent decades membership has been limited to representatives and senators with active mining…
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Nolan argues for Range taconite mines at EPA
For all the kerfuffle during the 2012 U.S. Congress election in northern Minnesota’s Eighth District, it appears that the “I’m more for mining” argument really was just posturing. As one would expect of the member of Congress from the Iron Range, newly -elected U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN8) is arguing for Iron Range taconite mines…
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Ze editorial! Ze editorial!
I’ma go ahead and link this Bill Hanna Mesabi Daily News editorial about the state budget forecast solely because he commits to a “Fantasy Island” motif in describing how government functions. Headline: “‘Ze Plane! Ze Plane!’ bringing money to St. Paul’s Fantasy Island“ Bill’s point is ultimately that government should focus on jobs, not government…
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Ness ‘drops’ State of City video at hipster hot spot
As we’ve already discussed, Duluth Mayor Don Ness delivered his annual State of the City address via video this year. The film was released last night and you can see it here: Ness wanted to discuss the impact of last year’s floods and used video tools to explore the devastation and recovery. The State of…
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Freshman MN state rep seeks 1st grade class presidency
Here’s something adorable and yet just uncomfortable enough to qualify as funny. State Rep. Joe Radinovich (DFL-Crosby), newly elected from Minnesota’s Cuyuna Iron Range and Aitkin County, recently spoke to a McGregor first grade class. After receiving letters from the students after the visit, he recorded this video in which he announces his candidacy for…
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The cancer of low expecations
Timothy Collins pens this essay for The Daily Yonder about the specter of low expectations found in rural high schools. While it is mostly a persuasion piece, with a flare for the dramatic, part of its effectiveness might be found in that those of us who know rural schools might feel some of the pressure…
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Duluth mayor gives big speech from nasty snowbank
Peppy longshoreman Duluth, Minn., Mayor Don Ness is trying something new this year, delivering his annual state of the city address by cable access video instead of in a glitzy ceremony. Doing it this way will cost less and allow more people to see the speech, Ness argues. The speech, which was recorded this week,…
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Even great state of Mesabi can’t save Electoral College
You know how I love maps, so the recent hubbub over a map project by artist Neil Freeman caught my eye. Rather than try to figure out how to reform the bizarre, arguably archaic Electoral College method of electing the President of the United States, why don’t we just re-align our state borders to reflect…
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Minnesota DFLers push Oberstar for SecTrans
Minnesota’s Democratic Congressional delegation, including five representatives and both senators, sent a letter to President Obama earlier this month, urging him to appoint former Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN8) as transportation secretary. Oberstar was a leading transportation expert in the Congress and former chair of the House Transportation Committee before his loss to Republican Chip Cravaack…
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DEED commish talks Dayton budget tonight in Grand Rapids, MN
Tonight, Minnesota DEED commissioner Katie Clark Sieben will hold a forum to discuss Gov. Mark Dayton’s budget in an event sponsored by TakeAction Minnesota. Those interested in that process may wish to to check it out. Various forms of the budget are beginning to shape up at the legislature and that process will play out…
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New IRRRB rules could change board composition
Changes to the composition of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board are in store after redistricting and the fall elections made it constitutionally impossible to convene. Urmila Ramakrishnan, legislative correspondent for the Mesabi Daily News and other northern papers, reported the story earlier this week. Law currently requires that half the board be comprised…
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Oberstar mentioned for Obama cabinet position
With the resignation of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today, former U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN8), the former House Transportation Chair and Iron Range political veteran, is being mentioned as a potential successor. Oberstar was mentioned four years ago as well, but passed in order to keep his chairmanship. After his 2010 re-election defeat, he finds…