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MPR: The lesson in Superior’s surprising economic win streak
I have the commentary on MPRnews.org this morning, a discussion of the recent economic success in Superior, Wisconsin, and its meaning for the entire region, including here in northern Minnesota. As an added bonus it includes a poem I wrote in creative writing class at the University of Wisconsin-SUPERIOR. The easy, breezy relationship between Superior…
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What you need to know about MN-8; also, updated numbers
With the conclusion to the MN-8 DFL straw poll the race for Congress in northern Minnesota enters a new phase. If you missed my radio piece about DFL candidates Rick Nolan, Jeff Anderson and Tarryl Clark on 91.7 KAXE you can hear it online now. KAXE has also compiled my candidate interview videos. I’ll be…
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Hello readers! This is the Iron Range blog
The day’s political news is bringing some new traffic to this Iron Range blog today. Welcome! Consider following MinnesotaBrown on Facebook or Twitter or Google+ or plug us into your RSS feed. These things help me keep the blog going in ways that aren’t costly or annoying to you. MinnesotaBrown.com is the fastest-growing web-log in…
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Nolan wins MN-8 straw poll; implications abound
Rick Santorum’s massive win in the Minnesota Republican caucuses is dominating headlines this morning, but we should also take note of the nonbinding MN-8 DFL straw poll held in Democratic caucuses last night. With incomplete returns and unclear origins of the reporting precincts, early results from the MN-8 DFL show Rick Nolan with a large…
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Santorum wins MN GOP caucus; delays in MN-8 DFL polll
Tonight brings a crushing victory for Rick Santorum in Minnesota’s GOP precinct caucuses. Santorum also won Missouri and has a chance for the sweep in tonight’s Colorado caucuses. That will add some intrigue to the Republican race. Meantime, I am predicting slow reporting of the MN-8 DFL straw poll. I won’t have it tonight. I…
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Tonight’s caucuses have added meaning in MN-8
Tonight, Minnesota holds its biennial precinct caucuses, the first step of organization of the state’s major political parties. Eligible citizens are asked to gather at 6:30 p.m. at their community location for their respective party. You can find out where you’re supposed to go here. Voting begins at 7 p.m. Republicans will vote on their…
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I endorse growly Clint Eastwood’s vision for America
Keeping up with my car theme today, this Chrysler ad with Clint Eastwood was probably my favorite Super Bowl commercial. I say that for a few reasons. 1) It wasn’t stupid or directed at people who are, which is enough these days. 2) It recognized that in a down economy you don’t scream at people…
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The car is only OK at guitar, but still
Yes, I will share a music video that involves a song about unrequited love and a car that plays all the instruments. OK Go! is known for it’s “one take” music videos, usually involving elaborate choreography of humans and machines. Worth watching. Related posts: No related posts.
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Tune to 91.7 KAXE radio story on MN-8 interviews
For some, the 35-minute format of my video interviews with MN-8 DFL candidates Rick Nolan, Jeff Anderson and Tarryl Clark might have been too long. If so, consider listening to a distilled version of my conversations with the potential challengers to Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN8) on Monday’s KAXE Morning Show. At 7:20 a.m. Monday I…
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COLUMN: A Tuesday night civic tradition
This is my Sunday column for the Feb. 5, 2012 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. UPDATE: Well, heck, I don’t know how it happened but there was an error in the day of the week in the first graph. It’s obviously Tuesday, as the headline indicates. A Tuesday night civic traditionBy Aaron J. Brown…
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Brown on the Air: ACCIDENTAL RECIPES of RADIO FARCE
This week’s topic on “Between You and Me” is one of those classic ones: Accidental Recipes. That would be recipes improved by unexpected changes. And of course, they don’t have to be good. Maybe it was bad. By all means, call in. My contribution to the show is not about food, however. I talk about…
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Tarryl Clark: the MinnesotaBrown/KAXE interview
Today I feature an interview with Tarryl Clark, DFL candidate for Congress in MN-8. Tarryl Clark is a former State Senator from the St. Cloud area. She is now co-chair of the Jobs 21 initiative based in Duluth. This interview was conducted Jan. 18 at the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm as part of a…
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Polymet delays environmental review in Range mine project
Also this week, Polymet has announced another delay in releasing its environmental review, a step in getting the necessary permits to mine copper and other minerals in northern Minnesota. The debate over nonferrous mining, or sulfide mining, continues to consume much of the region’s political energy. This news is perhaps welcome in that a more…
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Range reels as Magnetation considers other locations for plant
Yesterday, the Duluth News Tribune wrote about the reaction of some local leaders to the news that Iron Range-based Magnetation might locate its proposed taconite plant in Superior instead of near its scram mining operations in Itasca County. Give it a read. Notably, Rep. Tom Rukavina appears to be in open revolt. Yeah, after reading…
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Bluegills fight terrorists to the death
On the wall of my boys’ bedroom is a poster picked up at the county fair a few years ago. It’s a picture of a bluegill with the caption: “The Bluegill: A Creature of Fresh Water.” Bluegills hold a place of honor in our family. My father-in-law is an avid “pan” fisherman who eschews trophies…