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The politics of the ‘walleye session’
Today Gov. Mark Dayton holds a public forum on the hardships facing business owners on Mille Lacs after the DNR warned that it may have to suspend walleye fishing on the big lake in August. Earlier this week, the governor’s spokesman Linden Zakula made this statement: “Governor Dayton spoke today with both Senate Majority Leader…
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St. Louis County offers generous lease to Hibbing Taconite
This week, the St. Louis County Board approved a rather lopsided lease agreement with Hibbing Taconite. The deal gives the Cliffs-run mining company access to 21 acres of land for a one-time cash payment of $20,700 and annual lease payments of $1,650 for up to 25 years. If those numbers sound more like a home mortgage…
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Range-area lawmaker Dill faces serious cancer
Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) is gravely ill and receiving cancer treatment at the Mayo Clinic. The Tower Timberjay reported the news first, followed by the Duluth News Tribune and other media outlets. Dill and his family have not yet released a public statement explaining the situation, but several area officials have confirmed the serious…
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Sam Miltich & Co. to perform at B’nai Abraham on Iron Range
The B’nai Abraham Cultural Center in Virginia continues its free summer concert series with a show this Saturday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. featuring Sam Miltich and his band. Sam Miltich is a Gypsy Jazz guitarist, born and raised in the woods of northern Minnesota. He is a musician by profession and plays regularly in…
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Cliffs to idle United Taconite in Eveleth
Today, Cliffs Natural Resources announced the indefinite idling of United Taconite on the Mesabi Iron Range, including the mine in Eveleth and the production plant in Forbes. The move affects about 500 employees. United Taconite is the mine that needs Highway 53 to move to access its next body of iron ore. A source tells…
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Actual Wolf to play hometown Tall Timber Days
It’s always fun to see Grand Rapids’ own Eric Pollard AKA Actual Wolf do some low key shows back home when he’s around. I don’t know if the rowdy streets of this northern paper mill town count as low key, but he and his band will be playing in the heart of the city for…
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Another restrictive deer hunt in Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced the regulations for the 2015 deer hunting season. Like last year, it’s a more restrictive approach. For the rifle season, most of the state will have a lottery for antlerless permits. However, several zones in the Northeast (including my family’s shack) will be bucks only. The primary rifle season…
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Broadband push just first part of new economy
Universal access to affordable broadband isn’t just about getting more people on the internet, it’s about giving more people in more places the opportunity to generate a sustainable balance of labor and wealth in their communities. Over the past 10 years I’ve written many pieces about the importance of high speed internet infrastructure throughout Minnesota and the potential…
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Mesabi Daily News calls for economic diversification
Today’s Mesabi Daily News editorial, “Diversify, diversify,” cheers the news that Minntac will soon resume full production, but primarily demands leaders to dedicate new focus on economic diversification. So, yes, let’s rejoice in Minntac going back to full operation in about two weeks. And let’s also hope that the company’s Keetac facility on the west Range will…
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What’s ahead for the Great Northern Radio Show
Since October 2011 I’ve produced, written and hosted a radio variety program called the Great Northern Radio Show on Northern Community Radio based in Grand Rapids and Bemidji, Minnesota. We’ve been fortunate enough to air on independent public stations around the state and even on the cable access channel in the Northeast suburbs of the Twin…
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Talking Iron Range on Strong Towns podcast
A while back I had a conversation with my friend and fellow Northern Minnesotan Charles Marohn for his Strong Towns podcast. Chuck is an engineer, planner and nationally-renowned thinker on the topic of sustainable development and small town survival. Aaron Brown — author, college instructor and radio producer from Minnesota’s iron range — joins the…
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Building s’more character
My youthful excursions to Cub Scout and Boy Scout camps run together in a blur. Tents. Fires. Tripping on tree roots. One thing I do remember is that my dad was there, especially for my first camping trip as a Webelos Scout. He could only stay one night and his snoring shook the tent flaps…
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Warm greetings from Minnesota’s northern hellscape
All through yesterday friends and neighbors collectively set ablaze my social media feed with a link to an article entitled “These Are the 10 Worst Places to Live in Minnesota,” posted on a website called RoadSnacks.net. To save you the suspense, Nick James of RoadSnacks.net lists the worst cities are as follows: Cambridge Brainerd Grand…
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U.S. Steel announces September restart for Minntac
WDIO is reporting that U.S. Steel will call back all its laid off workers at Minntac for a September restart of its idled lines at Minnesota’s largest taconite mine and production plant. That date is consistent with estimates of the shutdown’s duration when it was announced earlier this year. U.S. Steel’s other mine at Keewatin…
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Rez comedians heal, hearten with laughs
“When people hear the words ‘Indian Reservation,’ they think of alcoholism, drugs, addiction, abuse and suicide,” levels Jon Roberts, a comedian from Red Lake. “We want to send a message that those shouldn’t be the only words you think of when you see us. Laughter is what brings communities together. That is the reason we…