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When the vote fails, rural districts hold few cards
On Tuesday, voters in the Floodwood, Minn., school district rejected a $700,000 operating bond referendum by a vote of 352-336. This close vote in a small district will make a big difference. Teachers and officials suggest up to eight teachers could lose their jobs without the local funding. Elementary sections could be combined. Most electives…
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Minnesota’s 8th District losing bellwether status
After five consecutive nationally-significant campaigns in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District, this rural blue collar bellwether slips out of the spotlight. Simone Pathé of Roll Call reported yesterday that national Democrats aren’t even targeting new incumbent U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber in their early plans for 2020. Meantime, they are focusing on new suburban districts in states…
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Study shows rural ‘recreation counties’ holding population
In real terms, the biggest factor in most of the challenges facing Iron Range communities is population loss. The economic contraction of the late 1950s and 1980s sent people away from core Range communities. This impacted local businesses, school enrollments, housing values, and myriad other issues. There are other factors, more to consider, but basically…
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Rarick, GOP win special election in MN Senate Dist. 11
History shows that mighty campaigns die in the winter and all dynasties come to an end. State Rep. Jason Rarick (R-Pine City) defeated DFLer Stu Lourey in the Minnesota Senate District 11 special election Tuesday. Rarick racked up big numbers in his home House district and kept the vote close enough in the DFL-leaning northern…
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Tuesday special election in SD11 clouded by midwinter blues, ballot issues
Voters in Minnesota Senate District 11 will go to the polls Tuesday to elect a new State Senator. Though SD11 projects the image of a swing district, the election outcome remains even more uncertain than usual. Candidates aren’t just sparring with each other, they’re fighting to get people to vote in the middle of winter. In…
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Stu Lourey wins DFL nod in SD 11 special election
Stu Lourey won the Senate District 11 special election DFL primary Tuesday. He defeated Michelle Lee in a snowy showdown marked by low turnout. I’m projecting the result based on Lourey’s strong performance in Pine County, where most remaining returns will come from. Lourey will end up winning by about 250 votes or 6.5 percent.…
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Lee wins DFL endorsement in SD11; primary Tuesday
DFL delegates in Minnesota Senate District 11 endorsed former news anchor Michelle Lee for Tuesday’s special election primary. Lee carried 93 votes to 63 for Stu Lourey on the first ballot. Lourey conceded the endorsement as Lee emerged just tenths of a percent short of the necessary 60 percent. However, Lourey vowed to continue campaigning…
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DFL primary in Senate District 11 special election
Flickr CC) Two Democrats, four Republicans and a member of the Legal Marijuana Now party filed for the District 11 special election for the Minnesota State Senate. The field could narrow today during the drop period, but the rest will be decided in a Jan. 22 primary election before the rapidly approaching Feb. 5 general…
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Petition to give Northwest Angle to Canada lacks support
A petition to give Northern Minnesota’s Northwest Angle to Canada seems to lack local support. Nevertheless, we are left to contemplate geographic oddities and the peculiar existence of this strange appeal to President Trump.
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Walz reappoints Phillips at Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation
After an active search, Gov.-elect Tim Walz opts to reappoint Mark Phillips as commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation.
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Lourey appointed to Human Services, prompting special election in SD 11
State Sen. Tony Lourey (DFL-Kerrick) will be the next commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Gov.-elect Walz made the announcement Thursday. Lourey’s appointment creates a special election for Senate District 11, which includes Carlton, Pine and parts of St. Louis and Kanabec counties.
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In corporate welfare gone wrong, the end never comes
After 17 years of failure and broken promises, you’d think Excelsior Energy would just go away. But the largest Iron Range economic development failure in history isn’t done rubbing our noses in the grift.
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Stauber sworn into Congress for Minnesota’s 8th District
U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN8) took office today with the new United States House of Representatives.
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State OKs Highway 53 upgrades in 2019
Highway 53 between International Falls and Cook to receive $7.2 million upgrade this summer.
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We can save rural, but we can’t stop change
A controversial news analysis from the NY Times asks whether rural America can be saved.