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Minnesota music in the spotlight up north
The Minnesota music scene is drawing a lot of attention, both in Minneapolis and up in Duluth. Even further north the Iron Range Original Music Association encourages songwriters and a wide variety of musicians here in Bob Dylan’s original North Country. I host and produce the Great Northern Radio Show for Northern Community Radio, a…
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New web project shares Minnesota election results
For those interested in Minnesota politics, a new offshoot of Left.mn provides clear, visually appealing breakdowns of recent Minnesota election results by Congressional and legislative district. You can find it here: http://elections.left.mn Sure, we can always go to the Secretary of State’s website to find specific Minnesota election results, but if you’ve ever tried to get a…
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Enrollment surge fuels expansion at Cherry School
Enrollment at the Cherry School on the Mesabi Iron Range, my alma mater, has increased by 45 percent since a controversial reorganization plan by the St. Louis County school district. Enrollment this year checked in at 453, up from 312 in the 2009-2010 school year. The Cherry School is small, granted, but this is a…
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Bemidji Axemen cometh
Last week we learned that a northern Minnesota city has attracted its first professional sports franchise: the Bemidji Axemen of the Indoor Football League. The Axemen will play a 14-game schedule that begins in February. The league consists of upper Midwest franchises and Bemidji’s central location was a key reason for the city’s selection. Twin…
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Iron Range pumpkin patch power void
This weekend the Hibbing Daily Tribune reported that Nordic Ridge Gardens in rural Calumet will no longer be in the Iron Range pumpkin patch business. While Nordic Ridge will continue some of its berry operations, it sold off the land where the locally famous pumpkin patch and autumnal adventure world were held. This was one…
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Iron Range mining commentary in the works
The nonferrous mining debate in northern Minnesota continues its holding pattern around the flaming, riot-scarred airport of Progress. I’ve written a two-part Iron Range mining commentary series for the Hibbing Daily Tribune, the first of which ran today. I have decided that instead of running the two-part series here on the blog, I’ll release an…
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Water skiing to school in Bemidji
I’ve mentioned the Saxton family from the Bemidji area before. They wrote and prepared a very amusing sketch for our Bagley show last March on just a few hours notice. They also ice skated across a lake to school a couple years ago. With a very warm week in northern Minnesota, last week the kids…
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Lake Superior Aquaman cleans up litter
Aquaman doesn’t get much respect in the pantheon of superheroes, his super power being the ability to politely request assistance from otherwise normal wild animals. But Lake Superior has its own Aquaman, in the form of Duluth’s Jim Richardson. WDIO had the story last night. Nutshell: Richardson dresses like Aquaman and dives underwater to pick…
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Bigfoot says ‘Good for you’ to area fitness walkers
As a resident of Itasca County in northern Minnesota, the western edge of the Mesabi Iron Range, I am growing to appreciate the whimsy this northern county shows in comparison to its larger St. Louis County neighbor. Case in point: Spud, the Bigfoot (pictured here). Get Fit Itasca commandeered this Bigfoot cut out from a…
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6 vie for O’Neil St. Louis County Commissioner seat
Six candidates have filed for the special election to replace the late Steve O’Neil as the St. Louis County Commissioner for District 2. They include: Patrick Boyle Adam P. Jaros Scott Keenan Nick Patronas Jim Stauber Cary A. Thompson-Gilbert Boyle is the current Duluth City Council president. Stauber is retiring from the city council and…
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‘Odd’ poll suggests silent coup at NoMinn newspaper
What silent protest is going on at the Duluth News Tribune? The newspaper’s Sept. 3 online poll asks the question “Do you keep the volume on your TV or car stereo at an even or odd number?” The options include the following: Even Odd Doesn’t matter You have to log in to the DNT site…
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Mr. Ed’s Farm shows off true Iron Range horsepower
This Saturday I’d recommend a family fun day at Mr. Ed’s Farm in Hibbing. Mr. Ed’s Farm will be holding its official “grand opening” Saturday, Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 10796 Foss Road, found south on Highway 5 near the Hibbing/Cherry line. It costs $5 per person, free for kids 2…
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Rick Nolan draws hard line on Syria intervention
U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN8) ran for Congress in this “mines and pines” northern Minnesota district with an unusually large amount of foreign policy in his platform. From Day 1 of his campaign, Nolan used language like “avoiding wars of choice” to have more funding for the things that matter back home. This week, Nolan…
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Bear #56, in memorium
Bear #56, a female black bear from the Marcell, MN area, died of old age last week. She was the oldest wild bear ever recorded. Was she the oldest wild bear ever? Hard to say. Is this Jordan Carlton Schaul National Geographic piece the best obituary for a bear you’ve ever read? Probably. I know…
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Just a Cold War, drug running, snowmobile mystery
The marketing wizard behind “Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan” has shared with me another northern Minnesota-themed film project, the documentary “Wild Bill’s Run” by independent Minnesota filmmaker Mike Scholtz. This is the strange but true story of Wild Bill Cooper. Part Arctic adventure and part crime caper, WILD BILL’S RUN is an unforgettable…