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We’re not out of the woods, but hope grows
Today’s column (gift link) dives into a surprising, and very welcome, piece of good news for those of us who live in rural Minnesota communities. The Center for Rural Policy and Development issued its “State of Rural 2026” report last week, which shows a slight increase in population across most rural Minnesota counties, along with…
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The divergence of humanity and productivity
As I share today’s column (gift link), I confess trepidation. After all, how much more does the average person want to hear about artificial intelligence? Here’s the thing, I already know the answer. I’ve seen statistical evidence. Most people don’t want to know about AI, talk about AI or click on AI-related articles. (Indeed, a…
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Ironically, war in Iran shows feasibility of Minnesota’s green tech
Today’s column (gift link) introduces three new Minnesota industries that could relieve some of the economic chaos caused by the war in Iran. Shortly after the first bombs of “Operation Epic Fury,” prices for anhydrous ammonia used for fertilizer, helium used in medical and tech sectors and minerals used in everything else quickly increased. Like…
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Shining a light on townships
It’s been busy here at MinnesotaBrown World Headquarters. I wrote a column about Kristi Noem’s ouster at DHS that ran Saturday and forgot to post about it. Oops! (Here it is, if you’re still interested). Today’s topic is decidedly more local. If you didn’t know, today is Township Day. Local elections will be held in…
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Making it harder to vote will hurt more than help, and that’s the point
In today’s column (gift link), I warn against new federal voter laws using a local example of why we should be wary. I rewatched “Goodfellas” the other day and mused over Henry Hill philosophy about life as a gangster. He points out that the only records of his life were his birth certificate and his…
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High demand turns abandoned public buildings into new housing
The very moment a school stops being a school, with students running through its halls and janitors mopping the floors and oiling the furnace, it become a bologna sandwich rotting in the sun. So many small rituals go into keeping our human artifices intact. We only notice them when they’re gone and reality comes calling.…
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Welcome to our big wet water funding crisis
Today’s column (gift link) is about water infrastructure. One of civilization’s greatest secrets is that we, as individuals, are much more necessary to its continuation than we might think. Have you ever seen the show “Life After People” on the History Channel? It uses digital effects to imagine what would happen to cities and other…
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Talking immigration and literature for WGN ‘On Books’ podcast
Listen to my “On Books” interview with Steve Bertrand from WGN Chicago. *** The most enjoyable book I’ve read this month is one I probably should have read a long time ago. “Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill” is part of the “Betsy-Tacy” series by Minnesota author Maud Hart Lovelace. Written in the…
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The Supreme Court strikes back
On Friday, Feb. 20, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s signature trade policy. Justice’s found Trump’s blanket executive branch tariffs on most foreign goods to be unconstitutional. I wrote a quick column (gift link) in response that fell back on some of the issues caused by tariffs in Minnesota and specifically on…
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Handling the sheer scope of coming change
My latest column uses an antique car to explain the human impact of today’s changing technology. You should check it out (gift link). And, if you’re interested, let me explain the sobering reasons why I wrote it. I knew a forester who saw climate change in the trees before most in northern Minnesota would acknowledge…
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Minnesota’s immigration story never ended, we just lost the plot
Today’s column (gift link) tells a story of a beloved children’s author from Minnesota, but not the one that most people know about. Of course, like many, I grew up hearing the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her semi-autobiographical “Little House on the Prairie” series. It was practically required reading. My mom read a…
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A bad bet for our future
Like some of you, I yearn for relief from the stressful condition of our world today. Quite often, this comes from sports. Because of my job, I am constantly engaged with the news, but when I feel the familiar pangs of anxiety, I switch to sports. Sports, sports broadcasting and sports talk are gleefully, unapologetically…
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The language of a culture renewing itself
I grew up on the historic land of the Anishinaabe, though that certainly wasn’t something discussed. After a few generations, the past becomes a story told to the teller’s liking. My family lived an immigrant story. My grandfather bought the 40 acres of swamp that would become our junkyard, and that was all we needed…
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And now we’re arresting journalists
Journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were arrested this week after documenting a protest that took place in a St. Paul church on Jan. 18. The indictments of the protesters and journalists implied that there was some real threat to the church-goers there. This is a dubious claim, but regardless, the arrest of journalists covering…
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What ‘the battle for Minnesota’ means to the world
I took the job at the Minnesota Star Tribune in part because these are historic times. I thought that being a columnist for a large media organization would allow me to make a difference. Not even a year in and I’ve had enough history to last me a while. But even with last summer’s political…