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Bittersweet inspiration on the road to Randall, Minn.
In a big world with big problems, we should not overlook small places. My writing has mostly focused on one such place: Minnesota’s Iron Range. It’s not that this one place explains everything about everywhere, but rather that taking the time to understand the many layers of a place helps you understand the composition of…
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The lack of movement that slows our housing market
Maybe it’s my age and the fact that my kids are starting to fledge, but I often think about the phoebe nest underneath our deck. The nest was constructed by some enterprising lady bird two years after we built our house in 2005. She and her mate raised their first clutch and then they skipped…
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The value of philosophy in a world of rocks and numbers
The comedian and actor Steve Martin turned an apt phrase on the study of philosophy. “If you’re studying geology, which is all facts, as soon as you get out of school you forget it all,” he said, “but philosophy you remember just enough to screw you up for the rest of your life.” That’s a…
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When safeties fail, we must act
What do you do when it feel like the whole world is falling apart? The answer begins with a simple choice: do something or do nothing. We assess whether doing something would make a difference, whether it is safe, and then what to do. This is where most people stop. That’s just not where folks…
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Plenty of precariousness to go around
The Rick Kupchella documentary “A Precarious State” was clearly designed to dominate Minnesota’s political conversation. The program aired on Hubbard Broadcasting stations last Thursday, Oct. 2. My column today responds to Kupchella’s documentary. You may have already seen partisan reactions to the film, including the stunning fact that we still don’t know who paid for…
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Electricity is all about power, but not that kind
Last week, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved the proposed acquisition of Minnesota Power by two private equity firms. The majority partner is owned by BlackRock, the largest private equity company in the world. This deal saw widespread opposition early on, but began to collect support when the new owners bundled investment dollars, assorted promises…
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Emergency vet care out of reach for many rural pet owners
Pet ownership is a daily comedy and longterm tragedy, but so is life and that’s why so many of us find comfort in pets even when they lead to drama. When our little dog Daisy had a medical emergency earlier this year, we found out how challenging it is to find care in rural Minnesota.…
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Trump uses U.S. Steel ‘Golden Share’ to maintain status quo when industry needs deeper investment
These are challenging times on the Iron Range in more ways than one. Of course, prices are rising while economic uncertainty settles in across the United States. But there is a great sense of generalized anxiety surrounding this region’s mining industry, dominated locally by U.S. Steel and Cleveland-Cliffs. Cliffs’ Minorca mine was idled indefinitely last…
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Duluth shipping trends hint at economic challenges and opportunities
The Port of Duluth is a remarkable part of our lives in northern Minnesota. The people who settled here over the centuries hold many different cultural traditions, but they all share a connection to the far western terminus of the Great Lakes. Those lakes are the aorta of the continent. As much as I geek…
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Safety concerns rise from more ATVs on trails and roads
Growing up in a machine-oriented family in northern Minnesota, ATVs and later UTVs were always around. Four-wheelers were never my passion, but I got to operate them time to time. I get the appeal. To some rural residents, owning one of these devices is almost as important as a septic system. Though you can get…
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Economic fear amplifies wild rice sulfate debate on the Iron Range
I have stayed on Minnesota’s Iron Range my whole life for two reasons. First, it is my home in every sense of the word. Second, I am a writer by trade, and like the fruited plains the Range has always provided ample subject matter. One of the most interesting dynamics in writing about the Range…
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How Minnesota helium could boost regional business
I’ve written about the helium deposit being explored in northern Minnesota several times now. Pulsar Helium continues to see green lights in its test data and market position. But today I’m exploring an aspect of the story that might be more impactful than the helium processing plant alone. In today’s column, I expand on the…
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Keeping the humanity in labor
I’ve written a lot about the changing nature of work over the years, probably because I’ve always felt a little funny about how I’ve made a living. Untold generations of mechanics, tinkers, engineers and craftsmen built my family tree. Then I arrived with aptitude for writing and speaking. Is this work? My family always accepted…
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Forestry for birds
Longtime readers have watched my cliched descent into middle aged bird watching in cringeworthy real time. Ten years ago I would have made fun of birders, now I am one. Today’s column touches on that amusing transition, but also expands a conversation I’ve been having with readers about forestry and resource management. The best management…
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Stuff and more stuff
Today’s column is about stuff. The stuff in our house moves through a metaphorical digestive tract. We pay for stuff we like and savor it somewhere in our home, perhaps in the closet or the living room. Years later, the good stuff becomes old stuff. Usually it goes to the basement where a jumbled family…