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… Read More →
Paper shows PolyMet runoff could reach BWCA after all
August 25, 2015 by 14 Comments
While the proposed nonferrous Polymet mining project near Hoyt Lakes nears the end of its environmental review process, questions remain about the speed with which it could receive permits. One of the most fascinating developments I’ve seen recently is this Marshall Helmberger story in last week’s edition of the Tower Timberjay. According to a June 18,… Read More →
House 3A special election will be Dec. 8
August 24, 2015 by Leave a Comment
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… Read More →
DFLers already running in 3A special election
August 17, 2015 by 5 Comments
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… Read More →
Ely adventurers to spend year in BWCA
July 19, 2015 by 13 Comments
Dave and Amy Freeman, who split time between Ely and Grand Marais in far northern Minnesota, are adventurers in every sense of the world. It’s their job, their hobby, and their way of life. I’ve written about their adventures in my column and here on my blog. Amy appeared on my radio show when Dave was kayaking Rio Roosevelt in… Read More →
Northern Lights Music Festival brings classics back to Range
June 30, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The Northern Lights Music Festival is returning to the Iron Range this summer with its annual classical music and opera tour across the region. Last summer, I spoke with Veda Zupancic, the accomplished musician and director from Aurora who founded the event. This year, the Northern Lights festival kicks off today and includes events that run through July 20…. Read More →
First-ever Ely Marathon will be run Sept. 26
June 23, 2015 by Leave a Comment
If you’d like to run a marathon in a place where there are more moose, bears and wolves than usual, you’ve got a chance Sept. 26 with the first-ever Ely Marathon. Starting on the north arm of Burntside Lake, the marathon route follows the historic Echo Trail down into Winton and eventually ending in downtown Ely…. Read More →
Ely Folk School slated for June 6 opening
May 27, 2015 by Leave a Comment
In a digital world, one is often left to ask, Who is it that actually knows how to do stuff? Make things. Build structures. Produce crafts and useful items. Get by when the power goes out. Who does that now? Enter the Ely Folk School, slated to open on June 6. A story about the… Read More →
IRRRB mulls $33 million 2016 budget
May 18, 2015 by 2 Comments
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… Read More →
‘Dirty Shirt’ a rough hewn yet moving tribute to BWCA, family
April 20, 2015 by Leave a Comment
My Sunday column referenced a new book by Jim Landwehr called “Dirty Shirt: A Boundary Waters Memoir.” I figured I’d spend a little more time talking about that book today. Here’s what I said in “On Wilderness“: Landwehr, a St. Paul native now living in Wisconsin, writes about he and his family’s special relationship with… Read More →
