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Cravaack handy with snowblower, planes, etc.
John Lundy of the Duluth News Tribune had Sunday’s front page profile of incoming U.S. Rep-elect Chip Cravaack (R-MN8). Cravaack is an impressive political candidate who caught fire at the right time and managed to avoid almost all negatives during a first-time run against an 18-term incumbent. He’s known as a good neighbor down in…
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COLUMN: To boldly go where we’ve been before
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. A version of this was broadcast as my weekly contribution to yesterday’s “Between You and Me” on 91.7 KAXE. To boldly go where we’ve been beforeBy Aaron J. Brown In science fiction, such as Star Trek and Star…
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Brown on the Air: HOLIDAY TRAVEL!
“Between You and Me” on 91.7 KAXE this Saturday morning features calls, music and commentary about travel for the holidays. Many of us will be on the roads, rails or in the air this upcoming week. Host Heidi Holtan will be listening to your stories and sharing some great music on the last Saturday before…
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Cravaack named to transportation commitee
Incoming Rep.-elect Chip Cravaack (R-MN8) has been assigned to the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee, the same one chaired by his 2010 opponent, longtime Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN8). House members generally serve on one committee, so this is a pretty sweet assignment for a freshman. Oberstar served there for his 36 years in Congress, succeeding…
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Iron Range agency OKs loan for PolyMet
The Iron Range Resources board approved the $4 million land swap loan to the PolyMet mining company Thursday afternoon. This was expected as the nonferrous mining project proposed by PolyMet for the eastern Iron Range is politically popular as a job creation plan. It’s a complicated deal, though, one that puts the Iron Range public…
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Google delays fiber decision until early 2011
Google is delaying its decision about which community it will choose to pilot its high speed Google Fiber. Duluth, Minnesota, is considered a strong candidate among the thousands of communities that applied. An MPR report explores Duluth’s chances. Google said it will announce its decision in early 2011. Related posts: No related posts.
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In which I make a libertarian argument on Range mining (for once)
PolyMet, the company proposing new nonferrous mineral mining on the East Range in northern Minnesota, is back in the news. PolyMet is asking Iron Range Resources for a $4 million loan as the project approaches the end of a very long permitting process. I expect they’ll get the loan. This is an interesting development partly…
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Range pensioners await (good?) news
Every place has its morose story of woe and heartache, its cyclonic sucking vortex of public and private outrage. For the Iron Range that story is the troubles facing pensioners from the former National Steel plant in Keewatin. A few hundred miners caught between owners of the plant, now run as Keewatin Taconite by U.S.…
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Thanks again, readers!
Thanks to all those who participated in my “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range” signed book promotion for the holidays. We had takers from Las Vegas, southern California, suburban Washington, D.C., and, of course, Cook. A few more are in process. Thanks to everyone! You can still order the book online in time for…
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Today Congress honors an Iron Ranger
This evening at 5:30 the House of Representatives is slated to offer its tribute to departing U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-MN8), the outgoing House Transportation and Infrastructure Chair. Check out C-SPAN. There might be a lot of dispute about Oberstar’s politics but his legacy in Congress for the latter 20th century into this 21st is…
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COLUMN: Light unto the holiday night
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, Dec. 12, 2010 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. Light unto the holiday nightBy Aaron J. Brown The other night we did something many northern Minnesota families do this time of year. Despite the availability of electricity and light bulbs in our own home we trekked the…
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Footage of Metrodome collapse
Here’s exclusive Fox Sports video of the Metrodome collapsing from the inside. Minnesotans seem torn on whether this will ultimately send the Vikings into a new stadium or to Los Angeles for a boatload of money and a new name. Then again, they could go the Lakers route and just keep the Minnesota-specific name for…
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Metrodome collapses under heavy snow
The roof of the Metrodome collapsed last night under the estimated 17-20 inches of snow that fell in yesterday’s near-record Minnesota blizzard. Fortunately today’s Vikings football game had already been rescheduled for Monday (and now probably some other time, possibly some other place). It bears mentioning that the officials’ decision to postpone the game was…
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Brown on the Air: O CHRISTMAS TREE!
I won’t say it’s been a slow week on the Iron Range. It really hasn’t. But I’ve not been able to write the things I normally would what with classes winding down at the college. Meantime, take a listen to “Between You and Me” on 91.7 KAXE this Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to noon.…
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Johnny Cash and the Iron Range
My friend Jason Scorich wrote a history column for the Hometown Focus about the time Johnny Cash played the Iron Range (Eveleth, specifically) in 1958. This is worth a read. Scorich juxtaposes Cash with the Range’s own Bob Dylan. Then Robert Zimmerman, Dylan lived in Hibbing at the time of the Cash show and was,…