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Late night wars go international
Yesterday, Comedy Central surprised nearly everyone by announcing Trevor Noah as the next host of its flagship “The Daily Show,” succeeding the accomplished Jon Stewart. Noah is a Daily Show correspondent, but had only filed three pieces before the announcement. He’s no rookie though, having extensively toured the world as a stand-up comedian and hosted his own news comedy…
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A close look at Essar construction
Yesterday, Dan Kraker of Minnesota Public Radio filed a report about Essar Minnesota, the new taconite plant under construction near Nashwauk, Minnesota, on the Mesabi Iron Range. In essence, the long awaited project — funded in part by massive state and regional investments — has reached the critical mass needed to see completion (as soon…
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Then came the donuts
The Duluth News Tribune reports that a Central Entrance liquor store is being demolished right now to make way for the city’s first Dunkin’ Donuts franchise. This event is replete with the symbolism of the end of a business that supports active alcoholics and the beginning of a business that supports recovering alcoholics. Will Dunkin’ Donuts complete…
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Stunning video shows new Hwy 53 route
If completed as planned, the Highway 53 relocation project on Northern Minnesota’s Iron Range will be the region’s biggest transportation project for a generation or more. We’ve discussed the project’s pros and cons, its route and how it will affect communities here at MinnesotaBrown, but do we really understand what it will look like? Aerial…
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Chaos Theory reigns in global iron ore war
I must admit, somewhat sheepishly, that I first learned about the mathematical concept of Chaos Theory not from exhaustive graduate study, but from Jeff Goldblum in the movie “Jurassic Park.” To quote his character, the wry Dr. Ian Malcam, always quick with a cynical retort amid encroaching dinosaurs, “A butterfly can flap it’s wings in…
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‘Global highway’ would reach Minnesota
The head of Russia’s railway system revealed an extraordinary plan this week that may one day involve the state of Minnesota. Vladimir Yakunin, a high ranking member of Vladimir Putin’s cabinet and widely seen as a potential successor to the Russian leader, is proposing a global highway that would start in London and traverse Europe and all…
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Status quo wins out at RAMS
The Range Association of Municipalities and Schools (RAMS), source of much controversy earlier this year, held their mail-in election for chairperson of the board. The Mesabi Daily News reports that Silver Bay City Councilor Carlene Perfetto won the election 22-18, defeating Virginia City Councilor Charlie Baribeau, who had called for sweeping reforms of the organization’s…
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Big names circling Duluth mayor’s race
Though it’s been slow in starting as Don Ness wraps up his final term, Duluth’s 2015 mayoral race is showing signs of intrigue. So far, only one candidate has announced a campaign for mayor: City Councilor Emily Larson. And while Larson is a strong contender, she’ll likely face challenges for the important DFL endorsement in this…
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U.S. Mail pickups changing across the 218
Across Northern Minnesota, the U.S. Postal Service is bumping up post office pickup times with the impending closure of the Duluth mail processing center. Starting April 18, Duluth post office mail will be picked up at 3:15 p.m., with much earlier times in post offices outside of the Zenith City. Places like Floodwood and Alborn will see pickup…
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Questions linger over Highway 53 plan
Plans to relocate one of the Iron Range’s busiest highways to accommodate a mining company continue to progress, though the Virginia City Council opted to hold off its support, for now, after a recent public forum. The Mesabi Daily News reports that Virginia councilors remain concerned about how the new route of the highway will…
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U.S. Steel to idle steel mill at same time as KeeTac
Today, U.S. Steel announced it will temporarily idle its Granite City Works steel mill in Granite City, Illinois in 60 days, at roughly the same time the company idles Keewatin Taconite here in Northern Minnesota. The closure of the Illinois plant, near St. Louis, Missouri, will lay off more than 2,000 workers until the plant re-opens.…
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Lake by lake: complex plan to protect wild rice, industry
This has been a huge week of developments for those closely watching the debate about the intersection of industry and the environment as related to wild rice in Northern Minnesota. Yesterday, March 25, Gov. Mark Dayton said in an interview that the Minnesota wild rice sulfate standard of 10 parts per million was “outdated,” arguably too strict…
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Governor: strict water regulations ‘outdated’
In an interview with Minnesota Public Radio’s Tom Scheck, Gov. Mark Dayton said that the state’s controversial wild rice sulfate standard might be needlessly strict and could threaten Northern Minnesota’s iron mining industry. The comments come after a number of bills from House Republicans and the mostly DFL Iron Range legislative delegation seek to strip…
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Port of Duluth opens season amid uncertainty
First, the good news. Today, the Port of Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, kicks off the 2015 Great Lakes Shipping season with the departure of the S.S. John G. Munson and its 24,000 tons of iron ore. The start of the Duluth shipping season represents the region’s de facto spring, a time when the industrialists definitively conclude…
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The forgotten dome city of Northern Minnesota
One of the most compelling aspects of studying history are the “what-ifs” of our past. In our personal lives “what-ifs” can drive us mad — “What if I?” “Why didn’t she? If only he” — but in the abstract “what-ifs” make for enjoyable party talk. Since I don’t go to parties (I have children) I’ll…