Today it was announced that Adolph Ojard, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, is retiring. Shipping is a big deal in the Twin Ports of Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, a vital transportation artery for the mining industry of the Iron Range and many agriculture and manufacturing interests.

It's important that we know the port authority is in good hands once the capable Mr. Ojard steps down. That's why I've hired a crack team of researchers to develop technology to predict the next hire for the port authority using only the fanciest of the fancy sciences.

First, let's take a look at Ojard:


OK, got it. Now, Malory ... Malory, can you lock cell 568 into the binary pandometer? Yeah, about 70 decijoules. There you go.

Next, let's look at the previous executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, Davis Helberg. Helberg was a Duluth shipping legend who took the helm of the port authority in 1979. Here he is:



Great. Manmohan, load the polarity meters into the desceleron chamber. I figure, maybe 45 percent opacity? No, wait. Try 55 percent. Good. Very good.

Using our advanced technology we can now project with 98 percent accuracy who will be selected as the next executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority.

Kendra, initiate magenta protocol. Ready? Go!

Click below the jump to find out what the data show.

Read more...

Though it's an area that prides itself on its public works, the Iron Range tends to do better economically when private equity moves around. That's why Magnetation's announcement yesterday of a $325 million investment in their new concentration plant by Coleraine and pellet plant in Indiana is potentially the sleeper story of the year on the western Mesabi.

Essar Steel is also moving around some private funds by Nashwauk. Point is, two large new facilities that didn't exist a couple years ago will soon exist and employ several hundred people between the two. We've discussed these things in the abstract for a long time, but the logistical end-game will be very helpful to the communities here.

Here is the press release from Magnetation:

GRAND RAPIDS, MN, May 21, 2013 – Magnetation LLC (Magnetation) announced today that it has successfully completed a $325 million senior secured notes offering and has entered into a $50 million senior secured credit facility. The proceeds from the notes offering will be used for capital expenditures to construct a new concentrate reclamation plant northwest of Coleraine, Minnesota and a new manufacturing plant in Reynolds, Indiana to produce high-quality iron ore pellets, a critical steelmaking raw material. Production from the pellet plant will supply AK Steel’s blast furnaces located in Ohio and Kentucky.

In addition, Magnetation announced today that it has received a $50 million contribution from AK Steel as part of AK steel’s remaining $150 million commitment to Magnetation LLC. Thus far, AK Steel has invested approximately $200 million of a planned $300 million. AK Steel will contribute the final $100 million during 2014 or as needed to support the construction of the new pellet plant.

“We are excited to announce that our expansion projects are now fully funded,” said Larry Lehtinen, CEO of Magnetation. “With this financing secured, we anticipate producing high quality fluxed pellets during the fourth quarter of 2014. Upon startup of the pellet plant and Plant 4, Magnetation will become a 4 million tonne per year iron ore producer employing about 500 people, providing high quality iron oxide pellets to AK Steel, low residual iron ore concentrate to AHMSA of Mexico and high grade iron oxides to various specialty market customers. We couldn’t be more pleased with the progress made by all of our team members and stakeholders.”

Between the lines we can now read that AK Steel will remain a very big player in Magnetation's future, to the degree that the two companies have locked their destinies together to some extent.

Hill Annex Mine State Park in Calumet is the only one of only two Minnesota state parks that honor mining history. If you haven't seen it yet, I'd recommend you check it out this summer. You should anyway, but this might be the last summer the park is open.

Buried in the park's charter is a provision that it could be closed if the iron ore reserves below the park were ever deemed commercially viable. Essar Steel, which aims to start operations north and west of Nashwauk next year is saying they might be interested in mining there.

Hill Annex Mine Park shows what a mine site looks like and conducts tours of the pit lakes, but also does a lot of exploration into the unique geology of the area.

Scott Stein with the Scenic Range News Forum reported this in last week's edition. The Scenic is under new management and has invested in putting more work into local reporting.

UPDATE: Duh. Hill Annex isn't the only mining-related state park. Soudan's underground mine is also a state park. Was I thinking camping? I don't know. Anyway, Hill Annex and Soudan are very different animals, despite the mining connections. For instance, they have a secret laboratory at the bottom of the Soudan mine. No bull.

The Minnesota state legislature adjourned late last night, passing the last of its necessary budget bills -- all of which will be signed by Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN). This is the first time in more than 20 years that our state's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party has held the House, Senate and governor's mansion at the same time. Naturally, the budget they passed reflects a very different set of priorities than the one negotiated after last year's state government shutdown.

It's this picture again. Second time!

You'd think it couldn't happen again but it JUST DID.

The Mesabi Daily News has made another Fantasy Island reference, again quoting Tattoo's famous line, "Zee plane! Zee plane!"

Last time it was a March 7 reference to the function of state government in job creation. That was a stretch, which really forced the newspaper's hand this second time.

You see, the MDN has been covering allegations of waste by the Lake Country Power executive board. LCP is the cooperative energy provider for much of the Iron Range (including MinnesotaBrown world headquarters). Turns out, Lake Country bought a $11 million private airplane, which costs $1.4 million a year to operate. So, in this case, it is literally a plane. But there's more. The plane is apparently emblazoned with the words "Zee Plane!"

This time Tattoo gets a straight-up shout-out in the story.

OK, I'm just going to own up to the fact that I've never seen Fantasy Island. Was it really the cultural touchstone these news items would suggest? What the hell happened to these 50-something men when they were younger? Is this how it will be with SpongeBob in the future? Oh my God, it probably is.

But seriously, Lake Country Power is a mess right now. They locked into expensive contracts for far too long. Rates shot up and now members are getting really mad. "Zee plane" does not bring fantasy, only furor.

A few weeks ago I wrote about "Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan." I found the concept of a Paul Bunyan horror film to be quite divisive among my readers. For some, the trailer evoked the kind of excitement seldom seen for a movie that proudly bills itself as a latter-day B-movie. For others, the appeal was utterly absent.

Well, count me in the first camp. The first blood-stained lumber camp, that is. I've been working behind the scenes to help the film producers get the movie shown on the Iron Range or in Paul Bunyan's unofficial hometowns of Bemidji and Brainerd. My enthusiasm has not translated to success yet, but there are some big blue oxen in my sights. Are you an organization that could front a small amount of money to get the film shown to a live audience? I don't think you'll regret it.

Perhaps the Comet Theater in Cook, now that it successfully met its fundraising goal for digital projection, would be interested in taking a chance on a showing? I bet we could fill that theater.

The producers have announced their Minnesota premier dates, including one sponsored by the ... wait for it ... Minneapolis Beard and Moustache Club:

This summer, Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan will whack its way across the North Star State. The film, featuring a menacing version of the tall tale favorite, has upcoming screenings and special events around the state. Would you write about this?

On June 5, Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan screens at the Trylon Microcinema in Minneapolis. The event is co-presented by The Minneapolis Beard and Moustache Club, which has a special fondness for Paul Bunyan. Says Michael Johnson, Founder of the Minneapolis Beard and Moustache Club:

"The Minneapolis Beard and Moustache Club sees Paul Bunyan as one of our founding fathers. With his magnificent, angular, traditional beard, Paul Bunyan remains an inspiration to facial hair-growing men today. We're glad to co-present this screening, at which we will also preview our Midwestern facial hair competition that takes place the following weekend."

June 7 through 13, Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan screens at the Zinema in Duluth. Opening night is a double bill co-presented by the Free Range Film Festival, which is presenting their festival favorite "LumberJill," about a girl from Cloquet discovering her regional roots. Says Annie Dugan of the Free Range Film Festival:

"LumberJill, from Cloquet actress Summer Hagen, is a great example of the kind of creative, idiosyncratic, community-based filmmaking we try to cultivate at the Free Range Film Festival. We're excited to be able to share it with another audience in Minnesota, and how better than alongside another zany film about a Minnesota Lumberperson?"

Then later this fall, Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan will screen in Winona at the Winona Film Society.

An Iron Range premiere screening is near confirmation.

All details including a great trailer, are available at j.mp/bunyanmn. Tickets for the hotly in-demand shows are only available in advance and can be found at j.mp/bunyanmn.

 Did you see the trailer? You gotta see the trailer at the bottom of this post.

I may or may not have gotten a hold of a preview of the movie and may or may not be REVIEWING the movie when the time is right. I've seen some of it and ... IT IS WHAT YOU THINK IT IS! And that, to me, is a good thing.

The Comet Theater in Cook, the oldest active single-screen theater left in Minnesota, faced an existential crisis this spring and has survived. Last week, the theater announced it had met its Kickstarter goal of raising $80,000 for new digital equipment allowing them to show modern features. Movie studios are no longer sending film versions of their releases anymore.

This reflects a lot of work and generosity on the part of people around the state. Good for them!

Now that you know about the Comet Theater, try to stop by and catch a show if you're up north this summer.