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COLUMN: History echoes through our modern democracy
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, July 24, 2011 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. History echoes through our modern democracyBy Aaron J. Brown Maybe you’ve got a book like this in your house, a big one: heavier than most new computers, too big to hide. For me this book was “The Rise…
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Time out of Mind on Minnesota’s Iron Range
There are a lot of odd patterns on the Iron Range. Finding them is great fun, and why I’ve endeavored to stay here and write. Most people see the economic patterns. Mines up, mines down. Pawn shops and the Wal-Mart. There’s the drawn out process by which the Friday night boys cruising main street in…
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Brown on the Air: OMENS!
This Saturday morning on 91.7 KAXE‘s “Between You and Me,” guest hosts Michael Goldberg and Gail Otteson explore the topic of omens with music, calls from listeners and the writing of several commentators such as myself. Omens can be good, but most folks tend to focus on “ominous” signs, or the bad. But not all…
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Successful first term, future cuts leave Duluth’s Ness unopposed
And in regional political news, Don Ness will be unopposed this fall in his bid for a second term as mayor of Duluth. That’s right, the town that usually celebrates every fourth year with a bellowing kerfuffle on the city ballot will instead crown the youngish, internetty Ness the Hipster King of the Zenith City.…
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Northern Minnesota air service may die by federal blade
Here’s a story that shows how things have changed in northern Minnesota politics. A federal budget debate in D.C. could end rural transportation subsidies which would cause the suspension commercial air service to the Iron Range, International Falls and Thief River Falls. The program to ensure air travel to rural areas was strongly advocated by…
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The sound and the fury over Range taconite revenue
This morning Gov. Mark Dayton signed the last of the budget bills ending the Minnesota state government shutdown and funding the next biennium. Though the deal was messy and unpopular, arguably unwise, it will be nice to have a semblance of normalcy return to what was once regarded as a good governance state. I’m also…
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Rural, post-industrial closures are opportunities in disguise (For real!)
One thing people in rural and post-industrial places like the Iron Range need to do is … Sigh. Here I go again. Listen, just look outside your window right now. Do you see a green or blue thing that is not a building where animals live or could live? I mean big ones, not squirrels.…
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The internet freedom fight for the future
Last week I had a conversation with a local business owner in northern Minnesota who provides WiFi internet to her customers. Or, at least, she did. Her internet provider shut down her service because someone, presumably a customer, had illegally downloaded music using the connection. Efforts to implement security to prevent such downloads did not…
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Cravaack’s Granite State situation adds more intrigue to MN-8
One time I was at this woeful cocktail party at a private college in Iowa. By that I mean it was a VIP gathering for college donors in which students like me were to intermingle harmlessly as a sort of living reminder of why guests paid too much to drink white wine punch mixed in…
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Brown on the Air: MINNESOTA’S FIGHTIN’ EIGHTH
I’ll be on the radio Monday with Scott Hall on the 91.7 KAXE Morning Show at about 7:20. The topic is Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District and the 2012 election featuring incumbent freshman Rep. Chip Cravaack (R) and his three announced DFL challengers: Jeff Anderson, Tarryl Clark and Rick Nolan. Themes will closely match my blog…
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COLUMN: Bad ‘economojo’ plagues Range, and beyond
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, July 17, 2011 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. Bad ‘economojo’ plagues Range, and beyondBy Aaron J. Brown These are unsettling economic times for American small towns, particularly the mining towns and surrounding region here on northern Minnesota’s Iron Range. It’s not that the Range economy is…
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The #mnshutdown could still become a #mnshowdown
By now those interested have absorbed much of the analysis of the tentative compromise between Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican majority leaders in the legislature to end the state’s two-week shutdown. Dayton loyalists are calling this the best the governor could have gotten under the circumstances and that’s probably true. It’s still a terrible budget.…
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‘Iron in the Sky’ air show slated July 22-23 at Range airport
To quote one airplane, “BBBBWWWWEEEEWSSSSSCCHHHHH!” “RRRRUUUUUUSSSSSSCCCHHHHWWWAAA,” added its friend, another airplane in the sky. Range Regional Airshow Announced Hibbing, Minnesota, June 24, 2011 – The Chisholm-Hibbing Airport Authority is thrilled to announce the 2011 Range Regional Airshow, July 22-23, at the Range Regional Airport, Hibbing. The event celebrates 80 years of providing business and leisure…
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Brown on the Air: BRUSH WITH FAME!
“Between You and Me” on 91.7 KAXE this Saturday morning calls for stories of your “brush with fame.” Guest host Julie Crabb will be taking calls, playing tunes and sharing material from contributors like me. My piece begins with the phrase “I am a quintessential B-list local celebrity.” It’s self-indulgent, sure, but I like to…
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Deal to end #mnshutdown could be near
Today could be a big day in negotiations to end the Minnesota state government shutdown. Gov. Mark Dayton has offered to accept an earlier all-cuts budget deal if it includes a substantial bonding bill. Dayton meets with GOP leaders this afternoon with the possibility of a special session in the near future. Follow the Shutdown…