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Old fashioned newspaper fight in 3A special
We reported yesterday on the rising tumult in the race for next Tuesday’s DFL primary in the House 3A special election. Earlier this week the Iron Range’s largest newspaper attacked candidate Bill Hansen on some rather overdramatic accusations that he was speaking against unions in his criticism of copper-nickel mining rhetoric and boom-chasing economics. The next…
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Ecklund rides labor tide as 3A race enters final week
Tonight the International Falls Chamber of Commerce held a House 3A special election DFL candidate’s forum in advance of next Tuesday’s primary election in the race to succeed the late Rep. David Dill. Two of the four candidates call International Falls home — labor leader Rob Ecklund and businessman and former Republican nominee for this seat Eric Johnson.…
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Range paper lashes at 3A candidate; Hansen strikes back
The most interesting dynamic in the House 3A special election DFL primary is the competition between a nonferrous mining skeptic in Tofte businessman Bill Hansen and three candidates who generally support copper-nickel mine proposals in the district. Most campaigns in Northeastern Minnesota have been a knock-down drag-out battle to see who supports mining MORE. Now mining…
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Hear the House 3A DFL showdown
Tonight at 7, the four DFL candidates in the House District 3A special election will participate in a forum at Vermilion Community College. The forum will be aired live on WELY and recorded for rebroadcast on Ely TV. The four DFL candidates are Koochiching County Commissioner Rob Ecklund, Tofte business owner Bill Hansen, International Falls…
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Everybody to the primary in House 3A special
The local DFL will not hold an endorsing convention for the Sept. 29 primary in the House 3A special election to replace the late Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake). This settles an important question many had about the process spurred by the loss of the popular, moderate DFL lawmaker to cancer last month. That means Koochiching County…
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Big mix of candidates, intrigue in House 3A special election
Filing has closed for the Sept. 29 primary and Dec. 8 general election in the House District 3A special election to replace the late State Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake). Six candidates spanning the wide geographic and ideological spectrum that characterizes this enormous rural Northeastern Minnesota district will vie for one ticket to St. Paul. Early…
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House 3A special election will be Dec. 8
To update my earlier report, the House 3A Special Election to fill the seat vacated by the untimely death of State Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) will now be held Dec. 8, with a primary on Sept. 22 29, according to sources familiar with the situation. The Governor will likely issue his call for the special…
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DFLers already running in 3A special election
Though official word on the special election has yet to be announced, DFL candidates have already emerged in the House 3A race to succeed the late State Rep. David Dill. UPDATE: A supporter tells me that Ely City Councilor Heidi Omerza, current president of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, is also considering a run for State Representative in this…
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Iron Range-area lawmaker dies of cancer
State Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) died Saturday after battling a rare cancer. He was 60. He had been ill most of the year, but took a turn for the worse this summer. As we reported last week, Dill lived in Crane Lake near Orr but spent a good deal of his time operating a fly-in…
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Range-area lawmaker Dill faces serious cancer
Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) is gravely ill and receiving cancer treatment at the Mayo Clinic. The Tower Timberjay reported the news first, followed by the Duluth News Tribune and other media outlets. Dill and his family have not yet released a public statement explaining the situation, but several area officials have confirmed the serious…
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Range business, gov’t leaders call for summit
In Sunday’s paper, the Mesabi Daily News published a story about the fact that Minnesota Power (Allete) executive Al Hodnick, former State Sen. Doug Johnson and IRRRB Commissioner Mark Phillips were joining to call for an Iron Range economic summit. From the Bill Hanna story: Hodnik wants an Iron Range economic summit soon to provide…
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Northern MN art teacher crowned Miss Minnesota
A Northern Minnesota high school art teacher was crowned Miss Minnesota last Saturday and will now use her campaign for the Miss America crown to highlight education issues. Rachel Latuff is the art teacher at North Woods High School serving Cook and Orr. You can catch the whole story in this Tom Klein article from the hometown…
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IRRRB mulls $33 million 2016 budget
Even though the legislative session may go to the wire tonight at midnight, Iron Range lawmakers — who comprise the statutory Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board — will meet Tuesday morning in St. Paul to hash out the agency’s $33 million FY 2016 budget. “I am pleased that over half of the proposed budget…
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Fishing for end to MN legislative session
Last weekend brought the opener of the Minnesota walleye and northern fishing season, one of our northern state’s most cherished traditions. Each Opening Day our state’s governor is expected to navigate the cold waters of a lake on a borrowed boat to catch a walleye regardless of his or her skill or interest in doing so. In…
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Rukavina, Hujanen face off in marquee local race
I was out of town when last week’s Primary Election results came rolling in. I’m back and it’s time to analyze some of the more interesting races. I’ll start with the race for St. Louis County District 6 Commissioner, where longtime Iron Range State Rep. Tom Rukavina of Pike Township seeks a return to elected office.…