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Two Many Banjos bring more than banjos to April 7 Great Northern Radio Show
The Great Northern Radio Show broadcasts live this Saturday, April 7 from the historic Chief Theatre in downtown Bemidji, Minnesota. Our headline guests are Marc Gartman’s Two Many Banjos, a talented progressive bluegrass/folk group from Duluth. While known for banjo work, Two Many Banjos rotates a lot of different instruments in its playlist, demonstrated well…
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Dayton signs bill streamlining permits, could aid Range project
Yesterday, Gov. Mark Dayton signed a bill streamlining the state environmental permitting process for several projects in development. The bill included language proposed by State Rep. Tom Anzelc (DFL-Balsam) that makes it easier for Magnetation to build their processing plant in Itasca County. Magnetation still hasn’t committed to a site for its proposed pellet/nugget plant,…
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More from the Great Northern Radio Show preview week
This will be a busy week for the Great Northern Radio Show, slated to go live from 5-7 this Saturday, April 7, from the Chief Theatre in Bemidji, Minnesota. This will be our second episode of what is now a quarterly variety show on Northern Community Radio and other independent public radio outlets. You can…
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Reif Center release has height, width AND depth
Happy April Fool’s Day! I’m sure there are a lot of great gags out there, but my favorite so far is this press release from the Reif Center for the Performing Arts in Grand Rapids, Minnesota: Reif Arts Council President David Marty has announced that, effective immediately, ALL performances at the Reif Performing Arts Center…
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Highway 53: Herbie Rides the Range
This is my Sunday column for the April 1, 2012 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. SCENE: Jesse, a dejected-looking boy of 12, looks out over the Mine Overlook south of Virginia, Minnesota, in the heart of northern Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range. He speaks with his mentor Mort, the kindly retired miner who staffs the…
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Celebrity guest on April 7 Great Northern Radio Show?
In keeping with tradition I’ve prepared this fun little promotional video for the April 7 Great Northern Radio Show on 91.7 KAXE/90.5 KBXE Northern Community Radio. We’ll be live on the air from the Chief Theatre in Bemidji and streaming at kaxe.org from 5-7 p.m. that Saturday. Still some free tickets available but they’re going…
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Brown on the Air: KITCHEN GADGETS!
I’ll be on Northern Community Radio’s “Between You and Me” this Saturday morning with a commentary on kitchen gadgets. This should be a fun show, featuring guest hosts Maggie Montgomery and Ross Williams. I detail my ineptitude with kitchen gadgets and my predisposition toward the sort of canned, processed foods common to people who grew…
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Talking live radio on live TV tonight
I’ll be on WDSE-TV’s “The Playlist” tonight at 9 p.m. talking about our upcoming performance of the Great Northern Radio Show from Bemidji on April 7. This would be the variety show I produce, write and host with talent from around the region. The Playlist is a live arts and entertainment program by the Duluth…
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Anderson touts mining, commits to MN-8 DFL primary
Today former Duluth City Councilor and Ely native Jeff Anderson announced that he, too, would bypass the DFL endorsement process and run directly in the MN-8 primary. This virtually ensures that there will be a three-way DFL primary to challenge U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN8) taking place on Aug. 14. Former State Sen. Tarryl Clark…
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Iron Range Maidens roller derby bout set for Saturday
The Iron Range Maidens roller derby team takes to the flat track this Saturday night from the Hodgins-Berado arena in Colerpain … I mean Coleraine, Minnesota. The Maidens will play the Fargo Furies. The Maiden’s parent organization GRARDA also has a B-team called the Attackonites, who will play a B-team from Duluth’s Harbor City Roller…
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Mining company describes ‘underground city’ in N. Minn. plans
Twin Metals, one of the companies proposing nonferrous mineral mining near Ely, announced this week it is drawing up plans for its mine. This March 27 John Myers Duluth News Tribune story paints quite a picture of Twin Metals’ mining aspirations. The so-called Nokomis project along Minnesota Highway 1 near the Kawishiwi River is now…
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KFAI profiles Range’s ‘Iron Lady’ Veda Ponikvar
Britt Aamodt of KFAI-Minneapolis profiled groundbreaking Iron Range newspaper publisher and civic leader Veda Ponikvar recently as part of the station’s series on Women’s History Month. The piece is about 30 minutes and gives you a good introduction to the Iron Range and the woman who rose from immigrant roots to great local and even…
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Nolan posting big lead in MN-8 DFL delegate race
I suppose it’s time for a quick update on northern Minnesota politics. As this Star Tribune story clearly shows, U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN8) will face a tough race for re-election in this northern Minnesota district. Three DFLers are vying to challenge him, former Duluth City Councilor and Ely native Jeff Anderson, former St. Cloud…
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Highway 53 reroute options become more clear
This Duluth News Tribune story details the two leading plans for rerouting Highway 53 as it approaches Virginia, Minnesota, from the south. Because of a deal forged between mining companies and the state back in 1960 the Minnesota DOT is on the hook for an expensive route change as the mine, in this case Cleveland…
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Magnetation eyes 1,000 acres in Itasca County
The fast-growing scram mining operation Magnetation plans to acquire 1,000 acres of land in Itasca County near Taconite. This land is adjacent to the infamous Canisteo Pit which had posed a serious flood risk to the Iron Range city of Bovey. Recent “de-watering” efforts have stemmed the complaints, but Magnetation is touting its ability to…