-
Gaertner interview coming
Thursday I’ll be interviewing DFL gubernatorial candidate Susan Gaertner after the meeting of the Itasca County DFL Social Club in Grand Rapids. Gaertner will be meeting with local DFLers starting at noon at the Itasca Co. DFL headquarters on Highway 169. You don’t have to be a member to attend. I’ll be releasing the post…
-
The key to our future
This MinnPost article shows how broadband usage by the American population continues to grow even as the economy shrinks. My back-of-the-envelope math, however, shows that the demographics of the Iron Range still put us in risk of falling behind the rest of the country (and certainly the industrialized world) in both usage and understanding of…
-
Oh, and one more thing while I’m getting warmed up
If I can add anything else to my earlier post about Excelsior Energy’s changes to the Mesaba Energy Project it is to remind everyone in Minnesota politics that this project DOES NOT represent a universally agreed-upon solution to economic development or energy policy for the Iron Range or anywhere else. Take heed, our new U.S.…
-
Major (and baffling) changes coming to Mesaba Energy Project?
Business North‘s Beth Bily is reporting that Excelsior Energy, an eight-year-old start up company, received some rather hushed assistance in the waning hours of this year’s legislative session from gubernatorial candidate Sen. Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook). It now appears the company is exploring the option of building a 100 mW natural gas peaking plant on the…
-
No sound, no work
Mesabi Misadventures describes the feelings of an Iron Range mine worker when there is no mining work. She does a great job incorporating the sights, sounds and emotions of the Iron Range behind the well known news headlines of our various mine shutdowns amid the slumping economy. Related posts: No related posts.
-
No Boom
What a difference a point of view makes. This story from today’s Hibbing Daily Tribune explores the exact same data as a similar story from last week’s Mesabi Daily News that I wrote about. Iron Range population is holding, with a very slight loss of people. However the headline here, “No Boom,” reminds us that…
-
COLUMN: ‘Swimming lessons for life’
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, July 5, 2009 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. A version of this essay was featured on an episode of “Between You and Me” on 91.7 KAXE recently. Swimming lessons for lifeBy Aaron J. Brown I live in Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes, in a northern…
-
NY Times: Franken & MN’s ‘Odd Politics’
The New York Times has a fun, fascinating look at the “odd politics” of Minnesota after last week’s conclusion of the U.S. Senate Recount Legal Proceeding/Election, Inc. Good Iron Rangers won’t like the characterization of late former Gov. Rudy Perpich, but it is true that Perpich, Ventura, Bachmann, Ellison, Franken, Wellstone, McCarthy, Humphrey, Mondale and…
-
Brown on the Air: BUG CONGRESS!
I almost forgot to promote this morning’s edition of “Between You and Me” on 91.7 KAXE. This call-in and music program features the voices of northern Minnesota discussing a new topic every week. On this Independence Day the topic is “Insects.” So as you’re driving around, enjoying parades and such, probably swatting bugs, tune in…
-
Franken enjoying warm reception on Iron Range
Northland NewsCenter covered the first of several Iron Range parade appearances by Sen.-elect Al Franken in Aurora last night. It looks like the DFL-friendly environs of the Iron Range were glad to see him. But you have to see the video because it shows all sides of the contentious political recount battle to be crazy.…
-
God Bless America, and the Wienermobile
Happy Fourth of July! Yesterday, my family and I were able to see the most American of American meat-related vehicles, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, in Grand Rapids, Minn. This was significant to more than just the kids. In fact, my kids — like most of the kids I saw that day — were only moderately…
-
The MinnesotaBrown Palin files
On a night when Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin executed her holiday weekend news dump of her impending resignation, I share my previous posts. These were all pre-election, but share some unique, sometimes first-hand observations. See Russia, sure, but true Alaskans throw their garbage at Russia, tooIt’s good to have Alaska friendsNorth to Alaska, going north,…
-
‘Overburden’ and the Fourth of July on the Iron Range
With so many Iron Range natives returning to the area for the Fourth of July for parades, street dances and festivals, I must point out that my book “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range” won the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award and is available now at book stores all over the state and online at…
-
The Wienermobile is coming
NEWS FLASH: The Oscar Meyer Wienermobile will be in Grand Rapids today from 11-1 p.m. at Ogles. I AM SO THERE! Look for pictures later. At the right time I will explain why the Wienermobile played an important role in my youth. Not now. No time! Related posts: No related posts.
-
Franken to take part in legendary Range Fourth parades
Sen.-elect Al Franken will be joining Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Jim Oberstar in the Iron Range’s famous Fourth of July parades. Everyone in Range politics got their start at these parades. They have a reputation for controlled chaos. Their reputation for good times is why we’ve got both senators here so soon after last…