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The Bobby Aro Story airs tonight on PBS North
UPDATE: I watched The Bobby Aro story on WDSE last night and it was well worth it. If you were a Bobby Aro fan in the day you’ll be amazed at the memories, but even if you’re younger, like me, you’ll hear a story about a radio star with a compelling personal story who did…
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PolyMet EIS out Friday; what happens next?
This Friday, U.S. officials will release the environmental impact statement for the proposed PolyMet mine near Hoyt Lakes in northern Minnesota. The project, which would mine copper, nickel, palladium, and other nonferrous minerals, has been part of a long-boiling political and cultural controversy for more than a decade. And while the EIS won’t resolve that…
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First winter storm bears down on Duluth, Iron Range
A three-day winter storm is underway here in northern Minnesota. That sounds worse than it is. It will snow gently but steadily for three days, resulting in predicted snow totals of about a foot. But the plow drivers will be out. These are weekdays, so relatively little overtime is required. Track the storm if you…
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Ciao! Rustic Italian in Side Lake to close
Sad news over the weekend as the owners of Ciao! Rustic Italian restaurant in Side Lake announced they would be closing the restaurant at the end of the year. In a blog post, the owners said they have decided to pursue other opportunities that would not allow them to run the restaurant anymore. They did…
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Goodnight Loon: Minnesota twist on kids’ classic
“Goodnight loon … Goodnight ox jumping over the loon … Goodnight lamp and the hungry raccoon … Goodnight walleyes, goodnight pies …” So go the words of a new Minnesota children’s book, “Goodnight Loon,” that is one part satire, one part Minnesota whimsy, and yet still endearing for the ears of kids who still grow…
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Northern MN’s Locally Laid eggs up for Super Bowl ad
UPDATE: Voting continues today through tomorrow (Dec. 1). I’ve been impressed with Locally Laid’s grassroots campaign to drive “Vote Lola” supporters to the Intuit ballot page. One of the other companies up for the competition, GoldieBlox, got some big attention and then some big blowback for its demo ad, which was cool but barely showed…
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Paging Dr. Strangelove? Nuclear code was “00000000”
From 1962 to ’82 the nuclear launch code at all U.S. missile silos (if they were password protected at all) was set at “00000000.” Military leaders openly defied orders to tighten missile launch safeguards, in part using the lax nuclear code. Full security improvements weren’t implemented until 2004 when a guy published an article explaining…
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Iron Range unemployment still above state average
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development reports that the state unemployment rate has hit 4.8 percent, its lowest point since 2007, before the recession that began in 2008-2009. However, Iron Range unemployment remains higher: 6 percent in the Virginia area; 7 percent in Hibbing, and 7.6 percent in Grand Rapids. These numbers trail…
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In Minnesota, turkeys pay their sentence in full
With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, the odd American ritual endures in which various leaders “pardon” turkeys before the big meal on Thursday. President Obama will pardon two Minnesota turkeys this week in keeping with the old tradition. The farm that is providing these turkeys for the ceremonial pardon selected the three best behaved birds in…
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Rebecca Otto responds to Iron Range critics
State Auditor Rebecca Otto was on northern Minnesota’s Iron Range this week responding to criticism over her executive council vote against new nonferrous or sulfide mining leases on state-controlled land. The Mesabi Daily News has led a drumbeat of criticism that coincides with an anonymous “Dump Otto” campaign based on the eastern Iron Range. That…
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Duluth Mayor Don Ness will decline pay hike
Last night the Duluth City Council voted 5-3 to increase the mayor’s salary by 25 percent. The proposal was advanced by City Councilor Sharla Gardner, who said that the salary hasn’t been increased since 2000. Today, Duluth mayor Don Ness said that he would not accept the pay increase, saying that adjusting the salary might…
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Christmas City of the North charade
Last Friday night brought the annual frozen spectacle of the Christmas City of the North Parade in downtown Duluth, Minnesota. What’s to say about the Christmas City of the North Parade? It’s a holiday parade with floats and high school bands from throughout the region. What makes it different? Special? Nothing, except for one thing.…
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Interactive Dylan video ‘channels’ new art concept
Though it’s already been around the internet for a week or so, this new interactive Dylan video is a groundbreaking must watch. Bob Dylan’s classic song, “Like a Rolling Stone,” has been named by the magazine Rolling Stone as the most important rock ‘n’ roll song of all time (to be fair, the magazine drew…
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Court rules against Timberjay information request
The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in a case with wide-reaching public information implications last week, declaring that a private contractor employed by an Iron Range school district did not have to divulge data to the Timberjay newspaper. The Timberjay information request, led by its publisher Marshall Helmberger, sought more information about the multi-million dollar St.…
