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Duluth senator Reinert won’t run again
State Sen. Roger Reinert (DFL-Duluth) announced today he would not seek re-election in 2016. “2015 was amazing,” said Reinert in his statement. “I finished my first year of law school, was promoted to Lt. Commander in the Navy, and most importantly – got married. 2016 is the right time for the next chapter of life.” Reiner…
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Last chance to be Duluth’s next lift bridge operator
Applicants have until 11:59 p.m. Monday to apply for the highest-profile blue collar job in Duluth: Operator of the Aerial Lift Bridge. Pay starts at $42,444 per year and includes benefits. The gig involves pulling levers to make the bridge go up and pulling levers to make the bridge go down. That’s the fun part, probably what…
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Radinovich to lead Nolan’s campaign
Last week, U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN8) announced that former State Rep. and IRRRB assistant commissioner Joe Radinovich would helm his re-election campaign in 2016. This move has been in the works for some time, but the announcement was held until Radinovich had made official his departure from an administrative position at the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation…
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Essar accepts Gov. Dayton’s repayment terms
On Dec. 31, Gov. Mark Dayton announced that Essar Steel Minnesota has accepted the repayment terms he laid out just before Christmas. This means that the company will repay almost $66 million over the next five years. “This project is tremendously important to the Iron Range, supporting more than 700 construction jobs and an expected…
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Iron Range miner to be State of the Union guest
Dan Hill, a laid off Steelworker from United Taconite in Eveleth, will be Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s guest at the State of the Union address on Jan. 12. Hill and his family live outside Hibbing. Hill has been an outspoken union miner during the current downturn in the Iron Range mining industry. According to people present, he…
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MinnesotaBrown’s Top Posts of 2015
Each year, my top posts are usually a hodgepodge of Northern Minnesota interests. Sometimes, however, they present a real trend. That’s certainly the case this year as my posts about troubles in Northern Minnesota’s mining industry and related musings dominated my annual list. More on that below. Before we dive into the specifics, let me again…
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‘Microaggression’ top word of 2015
Before I begin, have you checked to see what you’re supposed to be outraged about today? See, it’s important to know, because the bulk of small talk in our times dwells on anger over etherial, untouchable matters. That might be a red cup at a coffee shop. The comments of a mayor in a small…
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Actual Wolf: Christmas in Chisholm
Merry Christmas! I wasn’t going to post anything today, but then I ran across this holiday offering from Actual Wolf (aka Eric Pollard). He took an old John Prine melody and penned a timely, funny, heartfelt Iron Range Christmas song. Without further ado, here is Actual Wolf, “Christmas in Chisholm“: Love the lyrics on this…
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My Christmas story in the Star Tribune
Merry Christmas, dear reader. I’m very proud to share this piece I wrote for the Star Tribune, which runs today as part of their “10,000 Takes” essay series. It’s a Christmas story, but much more than that. In fact, I’ve never written anything as personal as this piece, certainly not for a large publication. I’m a little…
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The year Santa came early on the Iron Range
Every Christmas I’ve known occurred in the same place, in pretty much the same way. We spend Christmas Eve south of Eveleth with the Browns. Christmas is in Keewatin with the Johnsons. It’s been this way since before I can remember, all through childhood and long after I left home and got married. When my…
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Gov. Dayton issues terms for Essar repayment
Today, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton’s administration released a letter sent to Madhu Vuppuluri, CEO of Essar Steel Minnesota, demanding the company accept repayment terms for about $66 million in state grants. Dayton gives the company until Dec. 30 to accept the terms of the repayment agreement in writing. Essar owes the grant money because it did not…
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Iron Range plight at heart of White House visit
On Tuesday, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough met privately in Virginia, Minnesota, with local officials, mining executives and Steelworkers. At issue was the major downturn in the American iron and steel industries related to a collapse in global prices. About 1,500 miners are laid off right now. One part of the problem is a glut…
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IRRRB OKs major Itasca broadband project
Today, the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board approved a $1.25 million matching grant for the Paul Bunyan Communication broadband project in Itasca County. The funding secures a project that will connect 1,250 households, 3,500 people and up to 100 small businesses with service as fast as 1GB/second. The IRRRB vote was 7-1, with Sen.…
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U.S. places big tariffs on Chinese steel
The Times of Northwest Indiana reports that U.S. regulators have slapped huge tariffs on foreign steel in response to accusations that some countries are “dumping” their products on the American market. “Dumping” means that companies sell the steel for less than it costs them to make it. This is possible in countries that subsidize their steel industry…
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Essar pays back $6 million to IRRRB
The Mesabi Daily News reports that Essar Steel Minnesota has paid back $6 million owed to the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB). The loan was part of the initial public financing for the project back in 2007. Though the agency was essentially calling the loan, Essar officials were the ones to tell the…