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Minnesota: Still different or same dif? A big, big question
This is my weekly column published yesterday in the Hibbing Daily Tribune. You’ll recognize some of this from blog posts I’ve done in the past. In fact, as my column goes this is among the hodge-podgiest I’ve done in some time. Minnesota: Still different or same dif? A big, big questionBy Aaron J. Brown Both…
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South St. Paul and the Iron Range: shared fate, forgetful governor
This Jon Tevlin column in the Sunday Star Tribune explains the effect of Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s unallotment and Local Government Aid cuts on Pawlenty’s hometown of South St. Paul. I have new affection for South St. Paul since my dad moved there. I’ve visited several times now and I always remark on how this working…
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Brown on the Air: Monday 6/15 Range Report
I’ll be offering Iron Range commentary at 7:20 Monday morning on the 91.7 KAXE Morning Show. There seems to be a lot going on in our neck of the woods that matters to more than just the woodsfolk. Scott Hall previews the segment at the KAXE Blog. Related posts: No related posts.
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Unemployment makes for good blogs, anyway
Another fine post from Mesabi Misadventures. She writes personally and well about what it’s like being a young professional working in an out-of-the-way place like the Iron Range. This week’s topic: unemployment. Related posts: No related posts.
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SoCal squirrel shares local rodent desire for glorious death, baseload power disruption
Many of you might know that I make light of how often the power supply to Iron Range towns, especially Hibbing, seems to be disrupted by squirrels vaporizing themselves in the transformers. Well, the west coast bureau of MinnesotaBrown has sent word of a similar squirrel-induced power outage in Los Angeles as reported by the…
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Staff curmudgeon offers his take
My former neighbor Jack Lynch has a great column in today’s Hibbing Daily Tribune. He’s the only writer I know whose official byline reads “curmudgeon.” I mentioned Jack briefly in my book. He’s one of those timeless characters in Iron Range journalism. He even manages to drop a Billy Martin joke in this column about…
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Hot times in K-Town
I’ll be reporting on an important Iron Range economic indicator today: Keewatin citywide yard sales. If a guy drives up on an ATV looking for furniture for his woodstove: good times. If grandmas start fighting over onesies: bad times. Both: normal. Related posts: No related posts.
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Range paper offers praise for Bakk’s campaign
The Iron Range’s largest newspaper, perhaps not surprisingly, has reviewed the gubernatorial campaign strategy of State Sen. Tom Bakk(DFL-Cook) and likes what they see. Related posts: No related posts.
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Hot guns, we’ve got letters
A couple of compelling letters to the editor ran in today’s Hibbing Daily Tribune and relate to recent posts here. The first, penned by former Tribune editor Al Zdon, takes on Ironworld’s new name. (My post on the topic). The second, arguing for the preservation of HCC Theater, is signed by several local theater people.…
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Massive college cuts threaten Iron Range’s flagship theater program, and much more
Amid a 15 percent budget cut due to Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s unilateral state budget unallotment, Hibbing Community College has announced plans to downsize its celebrated theater department. Because I work for HCC (in the communication department no less) I am dangerously close to the politics of this. As such I won’t comment much on this…
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Brown on the Air: CONFESSIONS!
Tune in this Saturday morning for 91.7 KAXE’s “Between You and Me,” a call-in and music show featuring the voices and spirit of Northern Minnesota. As usual, I’ll have an audio contribution. Each week features a new topic and Saturday’s is among the more tantalizing: confessions. What are your secrets? Anonymous confessions will be accepted…
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Ironworld becomes Minnesota Discovery Center
Ironworld, the Iron Range’s museum, historical library and event center, has changed its name to the Minnesota Discovery Center. While it’s a foregone conclusion that resident Iron Rangers will continue to call it Ironworld until they are two weeks dead what are your thoughts about this name? The premise is they are trying to broaden…
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This is not about furniture
Some sad news from the one time Finnish bastion of Meadowlands, Minnesota. Schneiderman’s Furniture will close its flagship Meadowlands location. The clearance sale begins today. OK, let me stop for a moment and explain why this is significant. Furniture stores generally don’t elicit excitement of any kind. Why should they? What can you tell me…
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Iron ore shipments down 60 percent
From Business North: CLEVELAND — With the capacity utilization rate for the nation’s steel industry still hovering around 40 percent, iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes in May totaled only 3 million tons, a decrease of nearly 60 percent compared to a year ago. One dock loaded only one cargo during the month. Another…
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Broadband should be Job #1, even if our leaders don’t know what that means
This USA Today story explains how rural Americans long for faster internet and explains what broadband could mean for rural and out of the way places. I submit rural Minnesota and the Iron Range as my own example. Another blog post I found (“It’s the Internet Stupid“) explains a key aspect of this issue: Broadband…