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LIVE BLOG: MN House 3A DFL Primary
Today, four candidates — Rob Ecklund, Bill Hansen, Eric Johnson and Heidi Omerza — sought for the DFL nomination in the House 3A special election DFL primary. The winner will face Republican Roger Skraba and independent Kelsey Johnson in the Dec. 8 general election. I will provide news and analysis on the race throughout the evening in…
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Glencore implosion shows troubling reality of Range projects
Right now people are voting on DFL primary day in the Minnesota House 3A Special Election. It’d be safe to assume that a good number of people are voting at least in part based on their opinion of controversial Northeastern Minnesota nonferrous mining proposals in the Lake Superior and BWCA watersheds. Some for. Some against. But the outcome…
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Polls open in House 3A special election DFL primary
Polls are open until 8 p.m. in today’s Minnesota House District 3A special election DFL primary. It’s been a fascinating campaign, full of inky barbs and clashes between Northern Minnesota political factions. Going into today’s election, Ecklund and Hansen have emerged as frontrunners, but with the potential for low turnout and the general unpredictability of this vast, rural…
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Developer considers Duluth Armory renovation
The Duluth News Tribune reported last week that a new developer is considering purchasing the Duluth Armory for redevelopment as a cultural center and concert venue. From the story by Peter Passi: The Armory Arts and Music Center, a local group of people working to save the building on London Road between 13th and 14th…
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Feds OK environmental review on Highway 53 project
Federal regulators have approved the environmental review for the Highway 53 relocation project on Northern Minnesota’s Iron Range. The state seeks to move the existing road — a vital north-south artery for the whole region — to accommodate an old agreement with mining interests who wish to extract iron ore beneath the current road. The…
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Twilight for the unlovable chair
NOTE: Today’s column is a condensed version of a monologue I did in the Sept. 19, 2015 Great Northern Radio Show which re-airs today at 11 a.m. on Northern Community Radio and will be made available as a podcast in coming days. *** My wife and I have a term for the decorating style of our…
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Hear the Bemidji State edition of Great Northern Radio Show
LISTEN NOW to the Bemidji State show. This Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. you can hear the rebroadcast of last Saturday’s Great Northern Radio Show, which aired live Sept. 19 from the Bangsberg Theater at Bemidji State University. This was one of our more successful shows. The musical lineup featured American Scarecrows, Corey Medina…
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KeeTac staying down indefinitely
As many media outlets have already reported, U.S. Steel announced Friday that, come Oct. 11, the company would lay off all remaining maintenance workers at Keewatin Taconite. The mine has been idled since May. The local newspaper reported that it was “another” shutdown, but it is important to note that the plant never started up again. The cooling…
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U.S. Steel, ArcelorMittal back to table with Steelworkers
Next Monday U.S. Steel and ArcelorMittal will resume negotiations with the United Steelworkers of America over labor contracts at Mesabi Iron Range mines. Cliffs Natural Resources is also negotiating with Steelworkers over contracts at its mines. All of the Minnesota’s 4,500-some miners are affected by these talks. U.S. Steel took a break from talks nine days ago to allow…
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Old fashioned newspaper fight in 3A special
We reported yesterday on the rising tumult in the race for next Tuesday’s DFL primary in the House 3A special election. Earlier this week the Iron Range’s largest newspaper attacked candidate Bill Hansen on some rather overdramatic accusations that he was speaking against unions in his criticism of copper-nickel mining rhetoric and boom-chasing economics. The next…
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Climate change’s local impact subject of talk tonight
Climate change is the kind of issue that generates predictable political reactions. That’s why it’s good sometimes to change the tone, localize the story and talk in practical terms about the scientific observations people are making. For instance, our forests are changing. Trees that once thrived here are being replaced by trees that once did…
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Ecklund rides labor tide as 3A race enters final week
Tonight the International Falls Chamber of Commerce held a House 3A special election DFL candidate’s forum in advance of next Tuesday’s primary election in the race to succeed the late Rep. David Dill. Two of the four candidates call International Falls home — labor leader Rob Ecklund and businessman and former Republican nominee for this seat Eric Johnson.…
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Ely adventurers begin year in the BWCA
At this hour, Ely and Grand Marais-area educational adventurers Dave and Amy Freeman are entering the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. That, in itself, isn’t very surprising. The Freemans make a living showing people the BWCA while going on educational adventures all over the world. But one thing is unusual: they aren’t coming back for…
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Range paper lashes at 3A candidate; Hansen strikes back
The most interesting dynamic in the House 3A special election DFL primary is the competition between a nonferrous mining skeptic in Tofte businessman Bill Hansen and three candidates who generally support copper-nickel mine proposals in the district. Most campaigns in Northeastern Minnesota have been a knock-down drag-out battle to see who supports mining MORE. Now mining…
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Nolan, Mills rematch appears likely in MN-8
Stewart Mills is planning another campaign for Congress, laying groundwork for a rematch against U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN8) according to a Michael Brodkorb post at the Star Tribune. Nolan defeated Mills in the 2014 midterm cycle by about 4,000 votes or 1.5 percent. This isn’t terribly shocking, as Mills seemed to be hinting a…