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Governor to sign Iron Range health study bill
I just got word from a source at the Capitol that Gov. Tim Pawlenty will sign a bill funding mesothelioma research for former and current Iron Range miners to determine if there is a link between this rare cancer and taconite fibers. Funding for the study will come from state sources and not from the…
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Debate analysis: Media hungry! Media feed!
From the wooded wilderness in the shadow of the Mesabi Iron Range’s western ridge, I offer a brief commentary on the national political scene. The progressive blogs are hammering last night’s ABC Democratic Presidential debate moderated by Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos (along with more objective media critics and journalism experts). I’m glad that I…
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Minnesota Steel groundbreaking delayed
Financial close on Essar’s Minnesota Steel plant has been delayed until May or even June, according to reports I’m hearing. I have confirmed this in Range political circles. The worldwide financial market is bad, so Essar is having trouble locking in on “financial close” for what would be the first iron to steel facility on…
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JNP trying to poach Range area Franken delegates
It’s been fairly quiet on the DFL Senate endorsement front lately, but I did get a tip last night that yields some insight on the Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer strategy to close what seems to be a wide deficit between him and Al Franken in pledged delegates. Apparently, JNP is inviting pledged Franken delegates to meet him…
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Tuesday’s Range headlines
Here’s an abbreviated roundup of stories with Range impact this morning: Pawlenty fires shot at House Majority Leader Tony Sertich (Duluth News-Tribune) for going public with comments the governor admits making in private. In his rebuke, T-Paw said Sertich is “fond of the theatre,” which sounds like some kind of 1872 insult. The outlook for…
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7 random things
I don’t normally play along with crazy Internet forward games but since this one came from my wife (the Northern Cheapskate), and she knows all our account numbers while I don’t, I’ll play along with this one. Here’s the game. I’ve been tagged to share seven random facts about myself on my blog. At the…
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Dylan’s Pulitzer montage
City Pages has a post about the Iron Range’s own Bob Dylan and his recent special citation Pulitzer Prize. The post includes a unique collection of You Tube clips showing Dylan’s increasingly unusual career path. Dylan’s Pulitzer is going to be mentioned often as we continue to promote Dylan Days, May 22-25, in Hibbing. Related…
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Corn is for eating
I don’t know that the world faces an economic crisis like some are saying but I will say this. If the United States does spiral into a major recession or depression it now appears that our decision to use one of our major food sources — corn — as a a major part of our…
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What my TV told me this morning…
As many who consume political news online know, the only reason to watch political news on television is to see how political events are playing “on the street.” For instance, I read Barack Obama’s comments about the frustrations of small town voters in context last weekend and formed my own opinion. Then, over the course…
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Too many Thomas videos
We can’t be news and politics all the time. If you’re like me you grew up during the 1980s. If you grew up in the 1980s there is a statistically significant chance you now have young children who love Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. If so, this clip will please you. Related posts: No…
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Blight Me: the unique aesthetics of the Iron Range
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, April 13, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. I archive my columns at my writing homepage. Blight Me: the unique aesthetics of the Iron RangeBy Aaron J. BrownIt’s spring on the Iron Range. I know this because last week we had to hire a guy with a loader to…
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Pawlenty vs. Range battle running hotter
More evidence of increasingly difficult relations between Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the Iron Range legislative delegation. This story is from today’s Duluth News-Tribune: ST. PAUL — House Majority Leader Tony Sertich says Gov. Tim Pawlenty erased $1.5 million in state construction projects from his district as revenge for comments he made about the Republican governor.…
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Coal gas boondoggle circling the drain
There hasn’t been much coverage about the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission meeting from this past Thursday. Two decisions regarding my least favorite Iron Range economic development project emerged from that meeting. As you may know, Excelsior Energy is proposing the Mesaba Energy Project, a coal-gas power plant for the Iron Range. The project enjoys a…
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Enjoy these fine Range blogs
I’d like to point out a couple of quasi-political blogs that people have sent me. The blogging community on the Iron Range is rather small so I am happy to spread the love, and links, when I can. These two blogs are both run by guys named Paul, but one is east Range and the…
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Snow Day Roundup
Schools are closed across Northeastern Minnesota today, including the college where I work. I get another day (two in one week!) to catch up my ungodly to-do list. One item on my to-do list is to compile the results of the Dylan Days Creative Writing contest. We should be announcing winners soon. We run five…