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Anzelc bill would put $10 minimum wage on MN ballot
State Rep. Tom Anzelc (DFL-Balsam Township) will introduce a bill in the 2014 legislative session that would pose a Minnesota constitutional amendment question to establish a $10 minimum wage permanently attached to the rate of inflation. The ballot question that would be posed to voters in the Anzelc bill is this: Shall the Minnesota Constitution…
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Scenes from a northern battleground district
Tom Anzelc’s sign on the corner of Itasca 8 and 336. It should be noted that the Balsam Deer Hunter’s Supper does not feature Michelob, though it is on the sign. Lord, give us votes, but thanks for the roast beef. This is the first election in a few cycles where the Minnesota deer hunting…
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Whitepine down
When we first considered building our current house in the country, what struck me about the site was this tall white pine along the property line. The woods around northern Minnesota’s Iron Range once teemed with some of the largest white pine in North America, a fact that literally put the place on the map…
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COLUMN: The weather alert radio of love
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. A version of this piece ran was broadcast as commentary on the July 31 episode of “Between You and Me” on KAXE. The weather alert radio of loveBy Aaron J. Brown Since first dawn storms have rumbled across…
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COLUMN: Survival of the Finnish
This is my weekly column for the June 27, 2010 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. A version of this piece aired on the June 5, 2010 episode of “Between You and Me” on KAXE. Survival of the FinnishBy Aaron J. Brown As Independence Day approaches, thoughts turn to the survival of our republic. Survival…
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Revisiting the seven precincts on the Iron Range; Obama holds the line
As I’ve said, the Iron Range held for Obama with only slightly reduced margins. The strange nature of the Senate race put Franken’s totals far behind Obama’s. On the Range, however, I’d attribute almost every Barkley vote as a lost Franken vote. Those were by-and-large disaffected Democrats. Coleman held the GOP index (which isn’t much…
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Seven Iron Range precincts that could decide the election
Today is election eve and, like most of you, I’m all charged up about what could, would or should happen tomorrow. On the Iron Range, I don’t expect any surprises in the legislative races. I also expect U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar to enjoy another easy re-election. The most interesting story on the Iron Range will…