Mesabi Misadventures shares the most poetic defense of mining you'll read today.

Last night the Hibbing City Council opted out of the Central Iron Range Sanitary Sewer District, leaving Chisholm, Buhl and other nearby townships on their own for a new sewer plant. Read the entire account from the Hibbing Daily Tribune. This project has been in the works a long time and I don't quite know how I feel about this right now. Here is my initial gut reaction:

We on the Iron Range -- officials, non officials, everyone -- need to figure out how to make a long range plan on public services that crosses traditional government unit lines and then stick to it amid parochial criticism. There were problems with the governance structure of CIRSSD, but I didn't see much effort to fix them. Who was doing the arm twisting? Why weren't some of these problems anticipated in advance?

Frankly, the disappointing thing here is that everyone quoted in the story was hands off about the implications of all the wasted time, money and effort on this project. The local officials were concerned with their local issues, understandably. Rep. Tony Sertich was understandably focused on the logistics of the bill he and Sen. David Tomassoni had crafted in St. Paul. The local protesters of the project were understandably focused on the remaining mercury problem at the city's existing sewer plant. It was all so understandable.

Great. Now what? Who's in charge here? Nobody seems to have an eye on the big picture. That's easy to ignore when the issue is a sewer plant that many townsfolk don't want. But I'm just so damn tired of people on the Iron Range accepting change only when a budgetary gun is pointed at our heads.

Shared services and a regional plan is the only way the Iron Range can break the cycle of decline. This will require uncommon leadership from a large number of people across the Iron Range. Do we have what it takes to make our communities vibrant and competetive in these new times?

U.S. Steel is not accepting voluntary layoffs to mitigate the affects on young families of the additional 250 job cuts at its MinnTac plant. The Duluth News Tribune reports. Arcelor-Mittal's Minorca Mine did accept volunteer layoffs for their upcoming shutdown and many experienced workers agreed to take temporary layoffs to allow young families to keep their health benefits. U.S. Steel won't accept similar volunteer layoffs unless the union offers additional concessions, including allowing more outside contractors.

For those who missed it, this is the interview I did for Dylan Days on KAXE two Mondays ago. Dylan Days 2009 is May 21-24. I'll be feeding you some Dylan Days tidbits through the month of May.

I've written about what I think "sustainability" means to Iron Rangers, but its worth noting that the legitimate concept of "sustainable living" seems to be catching on. The first annual Iron Range Earth Fest was last week and tomorrow, May 1, Hibbing Community College is hosting a Sustainability Fair from 4:30-8:30 p.m. The event features presentations including an interactive theatrical production of Dr. Suess's "The Lorax," and talks on water resources and living off the electrical grid. Should be interesting stuff. I think home-grown methods of self-provided electricity might be a big deal in places like northern Minnesota in the future.

You might remember me writing about the closure of Golden Crest nursing home in Hibbing last fall. Not much has changed in the landscape of nursing home policy and funding issues, but the status of the building caught my eye this past weekend. It was advertised in the Hibbing Daily Tribune at a bargain list price of $199,000 (this is a huge three story facility on First Avenue). Among the potential uses of the building was listed "man-camp."

What the hell? Man-camp? Paging the zoning department. This town won't abide a new sewer plant but the downtown "man-camp" is OK? Those transients better be pooping in Chisholm.

I'll be interviewing Matt Entenza today for my series of profiles and analysis of 2010 gubernatorial candidates. Look for the post tonight or more likely tomorrow.

The Hibbing City Council is having a huge meeting tonight (Hibbing Daily Tribune). At issue, whether to opt out of the Central Iron Range Sanitary Sewer District, a longstanding effort to create one sewer service for Hibbing, Chisholm and other nearby small towns and townships. A vocal citizen's group and some city councilors have long been trying to get the city out of the deal.

I hope the council takes its time with this issue and that the best longterm interests are sought instead of the will of the largest group of people in the chambers. Centralized sewers are probably where Range towns are headed eventually and if there's a cost savings, they should be pursued. If not, the alternatives need to be clear.

250 more hourly worker layoffs at MinnTac, the Iron Range's largest mine (from the Mesabi Daily News). About 2/3 of MinnTac's workforce is on layoff right now.

From today's Mesabi Daily News:

Today we begin a new regular feature — “Power of the Press” — which will tell, through the words of our readers, the impact that Mesabi Daily News stories have had on their daily lives and the lives of others. It will run on various days of the week.

You've got to read the whole thing for the full effect.

Being married to a self-described cheapskate is complicated business. We divide fabric softener sheets. I'm eating some kind of rabbit food for breakfast because it was free with a coupon. But it's all worth it. We don't have to worry about money because I'm not spending it on boomerangs (Seriously, one time on a high school field trip I spent all my food money on a boomerang. It didn't come back. The money, that is).

And my cheapskate bride (The Northern Cheapskate) is also helping all of you buy my book, "Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range," for 20 percent off at Barnes and Noble online today through May 2. Have you been thinking about buying "Overburden" but finding yourself saying, "I wish it cost $3.39 less." This is your day, brother or sister. Buy a second book and you'll slide up over the free shipping threshold. Mother and Father's Days are coming soon! So is the birthday of someone you know!

Young folks say the book is "funny." Old folks say the book is "interesting." If you're an old soul who's young at heart this thing will blow your pants off. In a good way!

(Click on "Book News" to find out more about the book).

In case the 2010 speculation isn't enough, Swing State Project is exploring possible outcomes of Congressional redistricting in 2012. Minnesota is expected to be on the line between keeping and losing its Eighth Congressional District (the one that has historically housed the DFL labor bastions of the Iron Range and Duluth). With seven districts, redistricting could be quite dramatic and at least one incumbent will be ousted or forced to retire. SSP has projected two possible Minnesota district maps under the premise that incumbents will seek to protect themselves.

Under one "bipartisan" scenario Rep. Tim Walz (D) would be pitted against Rep. John Kline (R). Under the other "DFL-controlled" scenario Rep. Michelle Bachman's (R) district would be eliminated and she'd face a tough race against Rep. Keith Ellison (D) in a heavily Hennepin County district.

But that's not why I'm posting this. Both of SSP's projections have Itasca and Koochiching Counties heading over to Rep. Collin Peterson's (D) district, now called CD6, leaving St. Louis County and most of the Range staying with Rep. Jim Oberstar (D) in the new CD7. The Range would be divided! SSD says this:

Collin Peterson's new 6th and Jim Oberstar's new 7th are configured similarly in both maps, with Oberstar's diluted a bit and Peterson's shored up a tad to create two mildly Dem-friendly rural districts (though Peterson's is still tough, especially with its geographical identity changing as population loss forces it to leech toward the Iowa border!).

SSD points out, the result is two districts that would be perpetual swing districts upon Peterson's and Oberstar's eventual retirement. Not that swing districts are bad, but it seems short sighted that Democrats would seek two new swing districts instead of taking the safe district. Peterson's district is Democratic because of Peterson, not because it is naturally Democratic. Also, as an Itasca County resident who identifies far more with the Iron Range and Duluth than I do with the farms of the Southwest I don't like the idea of having to explain the Range to what would likely be a farming-focused Congressperson. (And, by all means, feel free to attack my Range-centric world view).

In any event, the message here is for all Minnesotans to participate in the Census because there is still a chance that Minnesota could keep its eight districts, a scenario that probably works best for both Democrats and Republicans in the long run.

This week on "60 Minutes," Scott Pelley reports on coal in America's energy production.


Watch CBS Videos Online

The segment is somewhat bullish on Carbon Capture and Sequestration technology with most sources saying the technology works. However a look at this story will show you how monumental the engineering challenge for converting our nation's coal plants into CCS coal plants would be. (Conservatively, it would take a trillion dollars, but that's just a number pulled from a dank hole). At that price you can't tell me nuclear isn't a more reliable, feasible option for base load power. Sure, there's waste involved, but the science involved in reprocessing nuclear waste is arguably at the same place as CCS. And besides, these numbers are so astronomically large that if we were to actual spend these amounts all sorts of potential technology becomes feasible.

And I still think the proposed CCS plant called the Mesaba Energy Project -- the Range's boondoggle addition to this debate -- is powered more by politics than anything else. I'd rather give engineers a couple billion to find the cheapest, cleanest way to make electricity than give them a couple billion and marching orders from one big industry ... unless that industry is ponying up the cash. Remember, these billions are coming from taxpayers.

One of the "controversial" Iron Range political topics I've waded through since my earliest days as an editorial writer has been school district consolidation. Most Iron Rangers are raised to fight consolidation. In a place losing population like the Iron Range, consolidation always brings school closures. But at the same time, declining enrollment strangles our schools to death and with them the upward mobility of our students. On KAXE, I recently floated the idea of "one Iron Range school district" with large regional schools serving "hubs" and smaller schools filling specialty purposes like technical training, advanced placement and alternative education. Has anyone run numbers on this? It's not a new idea. Actually, it was recommended in a 1968 comprehensive plan for the Iron Range that I am trying to get my hands on.

Anyway, the alternative to doing this with our eyes open and our free will intact is to allow collapsing budgets force the issue.

• The St. Louis County district will almost certainly close schools and consolidate students at new or refitted sites (Mesabi Daily News, today).
• A consultant study recommends that the Mountain Iron-Buhl and Virginia districts build a new shared high school. Apparently we can't call this a consolidation, though (Mesabi Daily News, April 18).
• Nashwauk-Keewatin and Greenway are going to share administrative services, pitting their superintendents against one another in a contest that I hope will be decided by some sort of pay-per-view bloodsport. They could pay for AP classes if there is a cage match involved (Hibbing Daily Tribune, April 23).

Kidding aside, all of this is overdue and being done under budgetary gunpoint. There has to be a better way.

Justin Piehowski with the Minnesota Blog Cabin at MinnPost has a great post today about the lack of "blue collar" bloggers. You can find plenty of tech help, coupons and political opinions on the internet, but where are all the blogs about transmissions, engines and heating systems?

Piehowski interviews a guy who has a home inspection blog with lots of practical tips on judging the soundness of a home. Anecdotally, this post struck on some questions I continue to have about being a news and politics blogger on the blue collar Iron Range. Frankly, I've found the Iron Range internet audience to be somewhat limited and that I am often "playing" to people beyond the Iron Range's boundaries. The Internet community -- from Facebook to the blogs -- is growing in size and relevance, but vast portions of the population are willfully absent. What does this mean?

This is my weekly column that ran in the Sunday, April 26, 2009 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. It is based in part on an essay that I wrote for KAXE last year.

The real dog days
By Aaron J. Brown

They’ll tell you the dog days come in August when it’s hot, but I think April deserves the title. The snow just melted, reminding people all over the northern states that they own dogs and that those dogs have been going outside all winter to do something. What, you ask? You know. Now, we all know. Anyway, something about combing the yard with the “scooper” has me feeling wistful about the dog days of yore.

The current dog in my life is named Molly, but we usually call her MoDog. She’s a cairn terrier, a breed bred to kill varmints in Scottish cairns – rocky formations that do not exist in our back yard. Without any cairns to patrol MoDog divides her attention equally between barking at anything that moves anywhere in her conscious vision and sleeping on the couch.

If you ask me to name the greatest moment with Molly I really couldn’t give you just one. There was the time she got her collar caught on the wire basket that held all her toys. She bolted across the living room in a panic, spraying squeaky toys everywhere while trying to escape the metal menace attached to her neck. One time, back when we lived in town, I came home on my lunch break to find her sleeping on a sunny spot on the kitchen table. MoDog is always there when you want to hug a warm mammal in a totally platonic way. MoDog pretends to resent our three young boys for all the attention they get and fur they pull, but every morning she is the first to check on them in their bedroom and she wags her tail when they smile at her.

Yes, MoDog has a heart of gold and the list of special moments with her grows every day. But on this day, in deference to the belief that MoDog’s greatest times may yet be ahead of her, I instead consider the past. I point to what was once a greatest dog moment for my sisters and I growing up on an Iron Range salvage yard during the Reagan Administration. It was the moment our first dog appeared by accident and it lasted until a few days later when we realized our new dog was cheating on us.

One day a happy, black and white specked dog showed up at the back door of our green and white trailer house. We would learn later (from a book I think) that she was some kind of Australian Retriever, bred to herd sheep. I secretly hoped that this meant that this dog had actually been to Australia, something that brought an exotic flair to a place that always smelled like used oil. This dog was hungry. Can we feed her, mom? Can we keep her, dad? Murmur, murmur, something about that dog looking familiar. Murmur, murmur, I guess you can feed it but don’t get attached.

Dottie was our first dog. How can three kids ranging from ages four to seven NOT get attached to the most awesome dog on the planet. I mean, she was from Australia! For several days we ran around the yard with Dottie, fed Dottie, frolicked and fed her some more. Then, suddenly, Dottie disappeared. My sisters and I were very concerned. Where could Dottie be? But we would later learn that our first dog had never been ours at all. She belonged to a family living up the road a couple miles. She had a different name. She was never really our dog.

We were devastated, for sure, but the benefit of time has allowed me to look back at those days when Dottie was ours, when this playful, bouncing, Australian dog had come from nowhere to be our friend. Those were good days. Good dog days.

Aaron J. Brown is a columnist for the Hibbing Daily Tribune. Contact him or read more at his blog MinnesotaBrown.com. His book “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range” is out now.

I'll be continuing the new segment at 7:20 a.m. on the Monday KAXE Morning Show. This week we'll probably explore some state and local political issues. You can listen at 91.7 FM or streaming online at www.kaxe.org.

UPDATE: OK, so you should listen in but there is a chance this might not happen. If that's the case you can join Facebook, become a fan of KAXE, and listen to my interview about Bob Dylan and Hibbing from last Monday. Just as good, if not better.

The Mesabi Daily News editorial page has a decent idea about how to objectively compare the House, Senate and Governor's budget plans.

A new city ordinance means no blaring music in the Iron Range city of Keewatin after 5 p.m. (Story from Anna Kurth at the Hibbing Daily Tribune). That means music that can be heard plainly from outside a house or more than 50 feet from the source. Violations could mean jail time. Knowing what I know (and love) about Keewatin I think this means that half the town is going to be in jail soon and the other half will be deputized as sound patrol agents.

A friend of this blog, Donovan Strong, was just elected to the Lake Country Power Board of Directors. Congratulations, Donovan! Other results listed in today's Mesabi Daily News.

If you're looking for a great piece of escapist art I strongly recommend Hibbing Community College Theater's production of "The Pirates of Penzance" playing this weekend and next. We caught the show last night. Though the show relies on a much more benign perception of pirates than seen in the news lately, it's a great example of classic musical theater and whisks the audience out of the problems of the day to another time and place.

Having never seen the show before, I was most amazed at how many recognizable tunes originated from this play. The research I did for my book, "Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range" led me to learn that the Browns came from Cornwall, England, where the play is set, which also made the play a fun chance to imagine. I didn't see any pasties in the show, though, which struck me as inauthentic.

As always, my friend director Mike Ricci has produced a professional-level product on a small town stage. This is your last chance to see a Ricci musical as Mike will be leaving for the Twin Cities next year. We'll miss him but he's leaving on a high note.

The show is tonight at 7:30, Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and then next Thursday through Saturday, April 30-May 2, at 7:30 with a closing matinee next Sunday, May 3 again at 2:30. The Hibbing Community College Theater is located on the 23rd St. side of the college along Highway 169 in Hibbing.

Nate Silver over at Fivethirtyeight.com explores some alternative universe concepts today. You're probably familiar with Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas) and his threat to lead his state into secession over ... federal spending I guess. Well, secession is an unlikely prospect, but Nate explores the very real constitutional right that Texas enjoys to subdivide into several new states (a holdover from the Texas Republic unification). You've got to see this. Political nerds will go weak in the knees.

Someday I'd like to do a similar workup for "The State of Superior," a long abandoned concept that would form northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula into a state. Other versions have just the Wisconsin and Michigan portions. Think of the spreadsheets!

Maybe that could be my summer project. It's hard to justify that kind of time investment for something that practically could only happen if the global economy melted down taking out most of the world's major governments.

Hmm. Maybe it is worth the trouble.

My weekly contribution to the KAXE program "Between You and Me" this Saturday will be a live report from the Itasca County Children's Fair in Grand Rapids. Each week the program explores a new topic and this week guest hosts Doug MacRostie and Jennifer Poenix will talk about parenting. Doug and Jennifer are (separately) new parents in northern Minnesota. So am I! In fact, my wife and I will be parenting my three young boys at the children's fair when I call in. The scene at this event is usually raucous, so it should be entertaining.

"Between You and Me" shares calls, music and the voices of northern Minnesota each Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. My contribution usually comes in the first half hour. You can listen at 91.7 FM in northern Minnesota or streaming live across the world at www.kaxe.org.

Back during the 2008 presidential primaries, when Hillary Clinton's campaign was on its last legs, my mother in law angrily demanded use of my wife's e-mail address so she could donate to Hillary's campaign. Since then she's received an amusing amount of Hillary Clinton fundraising solicitations as Clinton seeks to retire her large debt from the campaign. Other than that my wife uses that address for zero political work. She hates politics, actually, and doesn't look at political websites.

When Matt Entenza officially announced his campaign for governor yesterday I was one of many who predictably received an e-mail from him. But my wife got one too. Why? Is it possible that Matt Entenza has acquired Hillary Clinton's e-mail list? Can anyone corroborate? Maybe this is a normal thing but it struck me as interesting and another example that the Entenza campaign intends to play hard for this nomination.

I'll be interviewing Entenza next week.

And has anyone else noticed that Tim Pawlenty has been buying Google text ads under the keywords "governor" and "2010"? Oh, early drama!

On Wednesday, April 22, I sat down for about 45 minutes with former Sen. Mark Dayton, one of several DFL candidates for the 2010 Minnesota gubernatorial nomination. I've been interviewing candidates infrequently (Tom Bakk last summer, Paul Thissen in the fall) with the hope of talking to all of them as the 2010 campaign heats up. Next week I'll be meeting with Matt Entenza.

My conversation with Mark Dayton ranged from policy, to message, to strategy and explored Iron Range and state economic issues.

The interview

For regular readers of this blog, it probably isn't a coincidence that Dayton opened the talk with a pledge to make dramatic improvements to rural high speed internet access. "I will appoint a Public Utilities Commission that will protect the public interest in rural internet," said Dayton. This could include provisions to demand universal internet access from private providers.

The bulk of the interview focused on jobs and the economy. Dayton, the former Commissioner of Economic Development under DFL Gov. Rudy Perpich, has broad experience in state economic development policy. He hearkened Perpich's famous priorities: "Jobs, jobs, jobs."

"Rudy Perpich is my model," said Dayton. "He made things happen. He would get on a plane and talk to people who could bring jobs to Minnesota."

In fact, two unique aspects of Dayton's candidacy that he promotes are that he is the only candidate to run a state agency (he ran three different agencies) and he is the only one with a long term working relationship with the last DFL governor (and Iron Range favorite son) Perpich. Economic recovery through job creation was his dominant message.

"The difference between me and the others is that this is not just rhetoric," said Dayton. "These are not just words. I believe the role of a governor is to pursue opportunity for the state. Start with the real life possibilities and go from there. I've helped put people to work and receive health benefits."

He later put his job creation approach into terms familiar to the political activists who will dominate the early caucuses.

"It's like Get Out the Vote," said Dayton. "One vote plus one vote and so on adds up. Well, one job plus one job and so on adds up too."

When asked his primary message for this campaign, Dayton joined the chorus of many DFLers:

"My plan is to change the terrible misdirection the state has taken," said Dayton. " I see Minnesota heading profoundly into the wrong direction. We're hearing about a western Minnesota school district going to four days a week. That is a canary in the coal mine. We need to increase funding for public education and return to a tax system that was part of the Minnesota Miracle (under Govs. Wendell Anderson and Perpich)."

Dayton directly addressed current budget proposals before the state legislature, saying that the DFL State Senate plan to return tax rates to 1985 levels -- amounting to a tax increase on all Minnesotans, including the lower and middle classes -- was a bad idea.

"Middle income taxpayers are already seeing tax increases from property taxes," said Dayton. "Under my plan, the wealthiest 10 percent would pay more." The goal, said Dayton, is to restore a progressive tax distribution that includes state and local taxes in the equation to ensure relative equity.

On health care, Dayton joins the common DFL cause of universal coverage. His initial strategy would be to explore the viability off single payer coverage by pooling state plans together to bring down costs and helping uninsured people buy into that plan.

"The (current) health care system is terribly flawed," said Dayton. "Profits are more important than people and denying care is more important than providing it."

Dayton suggests one bargaining unit for the state health plan. By doing so, he predicts that patient costs will be reduced. By combining what people already contribute to their private insurance plans and the state taxpayer contribution to health care, he believes some form of a single payer system could become viable over time.

Dayton's most difficult hurdle in this race might be to address concerns over how he left the Senate after just one term. For many, Dayton is best known for temporarily shutting down his Senate office amid concerns about terrorist threats in October of 2004, attracting criticism from some quarters. Later, citing frustrations with the office and serving in the minority, he would announce that he wouldn't seek re-election. Dayton did not shy from discussing the matter.

"I acted to protect my staff," said Dayton. "The intelligence I saw made 9/11 pale in comparison. The likelihood of an attack against Washington was heightened. I didn't communicate my decision as well as I should have, but we senators were leaving for the recess anyway and it would have been immoral and unethical to leave the staff members there unaware of the threat."

Dayton pointed out that other public officials have recently made decisions to evacuate amid threats of natural disasters when those disasters would later not manifest as predicted.

"Everyone else played Russian Roulette with the lives of their staff members," said Dayton. "I'm willing to stand alone in a decision and accept criticism later."

On his prospects in this election, Dayton claims some advantages. He's won five of seven statewide elections (including primaries) when no other current governor candidates have won any.

"I'm going to build a broad base of support," said Dayton. "This is a big state ... I always campaign on what I believe in, what I hear from the people and then come to believe."

Dayton is running in the primary and will not aggressively seek the DFL endorsement, though he does ask for the support of DFL activists.

"I believe in a democracy," said Dayton. "The people should decide and the party leadership should make a recommendation. We should direct our criticism at Gov. Pawlenty or his would-be successor."

Dayton concluded the talk with some details about his spending priorities (education and transportation). He suggested using extended federal bonding to modernize the state's transportation system (which would include the completion of four lanes on the cross-Range expressway Highway 169, a pet issue of this blog).

"Insufficiency (in transportation infrastructure) breeds resentment across the state," said Dayton.

Ultimately, Dayton suggested that Minnesota needs to do more than close the current budget gap.

"When your car is running out of gas it seems OK at first -- 55, 50, 45 mph -- but then it stops," said Dayton. "...We need to get caught up with where we should be. We need to become an attractive place for economic growth, especially in greater Minnesota because we are jeopardizing our future otherwise."


My analysis

Don't rule out Mark Dayton. My initial impression of the Dayton candidacy was that he was a boring candidate who would struggle to explain why he only served one term in the Senate before bowing out. It's true that Dayton is not Barack Obama or Bill Clinton on the stump. Almost anyone who's seen Dayton campaign would agree. But that's the thing. Almost all DFL activists (and primary voters) have seen Dayton in action over his long career in Minnesota politics. While many may criticize his style, few criticize his motives or competence. And from my vantage point Dayton seems comfortable with who he is. (He dresses exactly like me -- rumpled khakis and button shirts -- so I might be biased).

A friend of mine recently commented to me that Dayton treats his elected offices like "Christmas toys," leaving them when he becomes bored (he also served one term as State Auditor). Dayton may have become disillusioned with the Senate and Auditor's seats, but it could be argued that his experience has always been far more suited for the office of Governor. As an economic development and energy commissioner, Dayton has far more experience with the minutia of state government than the other announced candidates. While that's not the only important aspect of being governor, it is vital.

Dayton's biggest "strike" in my book was the widely publicized and panned decision to close his Senate office in 2004 amid terror threats. In our talk, he not only addressed this matter but stuck with his decision. You could argue that this is his only option but it jives with what I've heard from two other people I know who have worked for Mark Dayton -- he takes care of his staff. That's a character thing. If he explains the issue correctly he can turn this big negative into a big positive.

Fact is there might be a half dozen people in the primary, just like 1998. Dayton is a well-known, widely respected former Senator. Most people know him as a policy guy, not a campaign guy, but if there is no clear frontrunner or if the endorsement battle is contentious or yields an unpopular or unknown candidate, who knows? I can easily imagine a scenario where Dayton uses a well financed campaign, name recognition and basic geniality to coast around a contested primary field. I don't think he's the favorite -- not yet -- but he is in the running and could find himself the last candidate standing under the right circumstances. Ultimately, like many candidates in the field right now, he could do the job well.

For more information check out Dayton's website and his biography.

My interview with former U.S. Sen. and DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton was yesterday. I'll be posting a synopsis of the interview and some analysis this evening.

Those who follow Minnesota politics already know the basics of the state's budget debate. We've got an historic, crushing budget deficit amid an economic downturn. All three "legs of the stool" -- the GOP Governor, DFL State Senate and DFL House -- have kicked in their budget proposals for consideration now and there isn't a lot of agreement, except that the back of the envelope math on re-elect numbers is bad for everyone. Frankly, all three proposals represent unpleasant prospects for large numbers of Minnesotans. The Goldilocks "just right" option appears to be on fire out in the driveway.

The governor's proposal, as expected, raises no income taxes for anyone and relies instead on a variety of sin taxes and the premature emptying of the tobacco settlement. The rest comes from the largest amount of cuts proposed so far. The House DFL budget seems to rest in the middle. They would raise the top tier of the income tax, do the tobacco shift, raise sin taxes, and then cut less than the governor. The Senate DFL budget is the one that sounds the "worst" politically speaking. They return tax rates back to pre-Pawlenty levels which, from another perspective, means tax increases for most Minnesotans. They also cut services, but the least of the three.

It doesn't take a political genius to know that the Senate bill will be the most difficult to sell. But I look at it this way. When you're facing a monumental challenge the best option is often the most difficult. I respect that, on first blush, the Senate seems to be attempting a long term fix to the state's budget woes. The House bill is better, but relies on sin taxes a bit more than I would like. Booze and cigarette taxes are generally popular because no one wants to be the one to say "But my Busch Light costs enough already!" (But it does, I switched to Milwaukee's Best Light a few months ago. I don't want to complain, but ...). Furthermore, such taxes are generally regressive, affecting lower income people more than higher income earners. This was the argument of several Iron Range lawmakers in yesterday's House debate and is properly summed up by this Mesabi Daily News editorial today. Sure, people shouldn't smoke or drink and those taxes could probably be raised a little, but we shouldn't base our budget solutions on people continuing to smoke and drink at high levels into a biennium. I expect higher sin taxes would drive down revenues.

Pawlenty will never, never sign the Senate bill. He'll probably not sign the House bill unless the tax cuts are made toothless somehow. An override would be a possibility under older political conditions, but I can't name any House Republicans that would want to go through what the "override six" went through last year in the passage of the transportation bill. Frankly, Pawlenty's adherence to an overly rigid and regressive approach to taxation and the role of government, coupled with his presidential aspirations, is in effect paralyzing good faith negotiations. (Remember, the lower and middle classes have lost ground under Pawlenty when all taxes are considered). Mr. 47 Percent won't compromise with the overwhelmingly Democratic legislature, elected by a vast majority of Minnesotans. Lacking a better idea, my advice to the DFLers in the House and Senate would be to do whatever would cause the most damage to a Pawlenty presidential run and hold out into the summer if necessary. This budget problem is historic and requires more than a stopgap measure.

I'll have a couple exciting interview posts coming over the next week or so. Tomorrow I'll be sitting down with former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, an early DFL candidate for Minnesota governor. Next week I'll be meeting with former State Rep. and Minnesota 2020 leader Matt Entenza, another candidate. I've interviewed other DFL candidates like Tom Bakk and Paul Thissen. I try to ask some Iron Range-specific questions and form some kind of synopsis of the candidates' message and strategy at this early stage.

From Perfect Duluth Day: Apparently the Duluth News Tribune ran a picture of an empty cubicle next to a Monday story about double digit jobless rates in northern Minnesota. The catch? The cubicle appears to be from the newspaper's own offices.

Bo Obama (the First Dog!) has a half sister who lives in Bemidji. Oh, man. Everyone has a half sister who lives in Bemidji. (Story from MinnPost).

Bob Kelleher of Minnesota Public Radio has a fascinating look at the potential minerals future of northern Minnesota, which brings with it environmental concerns. The PolyMet project will be the bellwether for all sorts of nonferrous mining in this region.

UPDATE: corrected spelling on Bob's name. Every time you misspell a reporter's name, an angel has to work the night desk at the Heaven Tribune.

Add the Mesabi Daily News editorial page to the Sean Hannity school of situational outrage.

"Tea Party" protests over a tax increase for the wealthy (along with an unmentioned tax cut for 95 percent of the population) are equated to tyranny and fascism during an economic crisis: OK. And screw you, MSNBC, for not taking them seriously.

War protest occur during the 2003 invasion of Iraq: Bad. And anyone who disagrees should submit now while we are at the peak of our nationalist urges.

Of course, both protests deserve attention and legal protection. The First Amendment protects all speech. It would seem that it's a little easier to defend freedom of dissent during a budget negotiation process than it is during a war. Hindsight might make this a pot shot, but can we all just stop pretending that our mainstream media outlets are any less subject to bias than blogs like this?

The only currency of our times is information. Opinions are a dime a dozen (including mine, unfortunately). An active media doing its job might have prevented our nation's mistakes after 9/11, just as an active media is now needed to make sure that the federal recovery efforts are employed wisely. But we don't have an active media. We have a pack of animals. ("Growl," said the blogger).

Minnesota 2020 has a fascinating analysis of a Minnesota Department of Revenue tax study. When you factor in local taxes with state taxes, high income Minnesotans pay less as a percentage of their income than low income Minnesotans.

Local property taxes are taxes. Tuition is a tax. Fees are a tax. Minnesota has abandoned its history as a state with unmatched public services and schools paid for by a fair, progressive tax code and embraced a budgetary shell game advanced by those who think the Deep South is a model for how government should run. If numbers were exciting, they'd be throwing tea at the governor. Wait until suburban school districts start to taste decline. Then they just might.

An Iron Range citizen group is cautioning public utilities in Minnesota against any power purchase deal with the startup company Excelsior Energy, the proponent of the coal gasification Mesaba Energy Project. Mike Jennings posts a story for the Hibbing Daily Tribune:

The message, which a leader of CAMP says was sent by e-mail last week to more than 300 recipients, lists concerns intended to cast doubt on Excelsior’s claim that it is likely to receive federal loan guarantees covering most of the project cost. It also cites findings by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and administrative law judges that have dealt repeated blows to Excelsior’s prospects.

CAMP is presenting its arguments to municipal utilities in response to reports that the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association (MMUA) has helped Excelsior present utilities with arguments in favor of investing in the company’s planned Mesaba plant, which is estimated to cost more than $2 billion.

Charlotte Neigh of CAMP said her group put more than 50 hours of research into identifying officials associated with municipal utilities in Minnesota that produce electric power. Recipients of the message included utility managers, members of public utility commissions, city administrators and mayors and city council members, she said.

The project remains where it has been for years now, proposed and deeply political. No customer, no plant, millions of taxpayer and Iron Range dollars down the carbon sequestration tube that calls itself "clean coal."

My weekly morning Iron Range news roundup on 91.7 KAXE continued today (I forgot to shamelessly plug the appearance ... that won't happen again!). Today the topic was Dylan Days, the grassroots arts event held each May in Hibbing of which I am one of the organizers. We had a great talk about Bob Dylan's relationship with the Iron Range, including his gravitation toward the accordion in the latter stages of his career. (You can hear the interview in the archives for a week; it aired 7:20-7:40 a.m.). Here is our fresh new press release going out today:

Dylan Days boasts full new schedule for 2009
Lineup features music, art and literature in music icon’s hometown

HIBBING, Minn. (April 20, 2009) – As Bob Dylan prepares to release another new album, his hometown of Hibbing, Minn., is preparing to honor him with its annual celebration of music, literature, visual art and Dylan history. Dylan Days 2009 takes place May 21-24.

Dylan, born Robert Zimmerman in Duluth, Minn., on May 24, 1941 and raised in Hibbing, turns 68 this year and adds to his storied discography with a new album, “Together Through Life.” Dylan Days has built a reputation of honoring Hibbing’s famous son with a grassroots showcase of singers, songwriters, authors, poets, artists and actors.

“Visitors from all over the world come to be a part of something that you have to experience to fully understand,” said Aaron Brown, Dylan Days co-organizer and Minnesota author. “Our mission is to help connect the Iron Range arts community and the story of Bob Dylan in Hibbing to the larger universe of artists and Dylan fans across the globe.”

This year’s Dylan Days features annual staples like the Singer/Songwriter contest, Literary Night, the Bobby Zimmerman bus tour and the Dylan Days Benefit Concert. This year, the benefit concert features violinist Scarlet Rivera and Gene LaFond and the Wild Unknown. Five authors will be part of Dylan Days, including Cathy Wurzer, Michael Gray, Steven Heine, Colleen Sheehy and Brown. Anyone with an interest in performing in Dylan’s hometown will have several opportunities to participate during the event.

"With our music, writing and visual arts contests, the various participants from all over the world become the stars of Dylan Days," said Brown.

More information at www.dylandays.com. And yes, I did write my own quotes into this press release. Yes it is weird to do that ... at first. But then you get used to it which, eventually, makes you feel even weirder.

I missed this gem of an editorial from the Mesabi Daily News last week. Those weren't pirates, those were "Somali Muslim Terrorists!" This one comes complete with an unsubstantiated suggested al Qaida link, a la spring '03. Can't beat the classics.

Using this new definition of terrorism we should all be on Red Alert. Any day now, an Iron Range gas station could be robbed by American Christian Meth-Addicted Terrorists! I wonder if there will be an editorial when that happens?

My book "Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range" was featured in Sunday's "What are you reading?" segment in the Duluth News Tribune. This is the segment that replaced an actual human book editor with submitted reader reviews. But hey, why sweat the journalistic implications when a reader has something this nice to say about your book?

With stories of politics, history, culture and a funny tale of a picnic gone wrong, the reader will walk away with a much better understanding of what it means to be a Ranger in modern times. This is not a typical historical narrative of the Iron Range. Brown shows a conflicted relationship with the place he grew up. He does not glorify life on the Range, but his pride in where he comes from is present throughout the book. If you have lived on the Range, visited the Range, or have even heard of the Range, this book will not disappoint.

The review comes from Nikolas Bayuk of Duluth. I just met him at my UW-Superior event last week. Thanks, Nik!

I like to point out when other blogs from northern Minnesota's Iron Range start up. I have to recommend this one, Mesabi Misadventures, which I quoted in my column this week. This is a very funny blog but her most recent post is sobering for me to read and deeply related to the column I just wrote about the importance of welcoming new people to the Iron Range.

Anyway, Mesabi Misadventures is the journal of someone living on the Iron Range who will be traveling across the Range this summer to interpret our unique region to others ... indeed, to ourselves. I look forward to her findings.

This is my weekly column that ran in the Sunday, April 19, 2009 edition of the Hibbing Daily Tribune. Ironically, this piece written in an 18th century format was inspired by a prompt from the ProBlogger 31 Days to a Better Blog challenge. What a world!

A better welcome wagon means fewer farewells
By Aaron J. Brown

This week we learned that very dear friends of ours are moving to the Twin Cities. They aren't the first friends to go. Being a fifth generation native Iron Range professional means watching talented people leave all the time. Our Christmas card list is checkered with strange addresses of former co-workers and departed friends who light out across the world after living here. And that's not even counting the classmates who couldn't find work after college. Those folks are everywhere, either mournful of their lost roots or embittered by the slow-changing society of the region that cast them out.

That's the sad reality and the pressing challenge of the Iron Range and its people. It’s probably true of any Rust Belt city or rural region, but that’s no comfort. I know plenty of folks who would say that people don't like what they see on the Range they should go. “Love it ‘r leave it.” Well, that works for country songs, but not for industrial regions in the 21st century. “Love it ‘r leave it” is a recipe for economic ruination that will creep across the Range until our towns are boarded up.

Iron Rangers often refer to out of town people who move here for jobs as “packsackers.” Only their children, if born here, may be called “pure” Iron Rangers. I wasn’t able to isolate the precise origin of the word “packsacker,” but the word as it is now used duplicates the word “carpetbagger” from the American South during Reconstruction. Carpetbaggers were northern opportunists who came to the South to work lucrative jobs that usually involved having authority over recently humiliated Southerners. I don’t know that “Post Civil War South” is where we want to go, sociologically or economically speaking.

I found a new blog last week written by a self-described Iron Range packsacker (www.mesabimisadventures.wordpress.com) who explains her experience this way: “Packsackers seem to shock the natives – ‘we know why we’re here, but why are you?’” We need to get over this shock. The Iron Range must attract new, creative people to augment our population and support our cherished institutions. Along those lines, I've put together some thoughts on what we need to do to welcome more (not less!) packsackers to the Iron Range.

1. Don't call them packsackers.

Yeah, I’ve used the word about 100 times so far. I’m working on it! It’s good to be proud of your Range roots, but it doesn’t help that every new Range resident I’ve met usually describes being called “packsacker” within their first week in country. The term says “go away.”

2. Talk to the new people.

I’ve heard plenty of stories of people who visited the Range and never had a single person reach out to say hello. It wasn’t that Rangers were unfriendly, it was just that everyone assumed someone else would do the hard work of figuring out who these new people were. I’ve learned that Iron Range culture can be explained by its history, geography and economy. Tell people the story so they know. If you don’t know the story, learn it yourself.

3. Be willing to change.

New people bring new ideas. Young people often seek change. To dismiss new ideas out of hand is to tell the new people and the young people to leave. Sound familiar?

4. Make our communities inviting and vibrant.

Economist Richard Florida describes the “Creative Class,” the creative people who generate economic growth and wealth in the 21st century economy. These people go where they feel that their skills are valued and that tacking great challenges equals great rewards. Our towns need to be wired, attractive and ready for new growth in their cores and on their edges.

5. Support the arts. Even on weeknights or when it's nice outside.

This one is selfish. I’ve been involved with so many arts and culture events that suffered from low turnout because it was a long weekend or just plain warm outside. Supporting the arts begets more art. The arts attract creative people while telling the story of this area to the outside world. If the outside world sees the Iron Range as a unique, historic but changing region full of opportunity it can grow.

No one has to follow these suggestions. Things can more or less continue as they have. A handful of hearty Rangers might remain here 100 years from now, polishing the robots that will mine the ore and extract the fresh water. Others will find work serving the tourists and seasonal residents, hoping that one day their children could be so fortunate as to leave with the masters at the end of the season.

Aaron J. Brown is a columnist for the Hibbing Daily Tribune. Read more or contact him at his blog MinnesotaBrown.com. His new book “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range” is out now.

Today's "Between You and Me" program on 91.7 KAXE kicks off the station's goal of getting 1,000 Facebook fans before the station's 33rd birthday next Thursday. Ironically, this is the same sort of thing that many 33-year-olds who rely on the generosity of others like to do.

Wocka wocka!

In all seriousness, KAXE has a lot going for it and you'll find the updates very interesting whether you dig news, the outdoors or Minnesota music.

Become a fan of KAXE!

Thanks to everyone who came out for my "Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range" lecture at UW-Superior yesterday. It was a nice crowd, especially considering how beautiful the weather was over in Superior Friday afternoon. Outside, college students wandered around in shorts. All the beverages and foodstuff that had frozen in my car over the winter went from thawed to stinky. And it spite of that warmth, several dozen poured into the Manion Theater to hear me talk about my quirky homeland and the challenges facing the next generation of Iron Rangers.

Next event: My May 8 keynote speech at the Virginia Historical Society annual dinner.

My essay for KAXE's Saturday morning call-in and music show "Between You and Me" will join the weekly program's current topic: social networking. If you didn't know, this show seeks to showcase the unique culture and voices of northern Minnesota. Unfortunately for hipsters like me that means living in a world in which half the people you know are on Facebook and the other half think Facebook is some kind of devil trick ... from the DEVIL. But my Keewatin grandma is on Facebook which means the times are, indeed, a' changin.'

You can tune in between 10 a.m. and noon on 91.7 FM in northern Minnesota or streaming live at www.kaxe.org. There is an archive feature if you miss the show. My essay often airs in the first half hour.

If you are a social networker, KAXE has a major presence on Twitter and Facebook. They are trying to get 1,000 "fans" by next Thursday, hence the show's topic. Become a KAXE fan! You can follow MinnesotaBrown on Facebook as well.

Don't forget: I'll be giving a free lecture/reading at UW-Superior today for my book "Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range. The program begins at 2 p.m. in the Manion Theater of the Holden Fine Arts Building. I'll be talking partly about the book, a blend of humor, history and cultural observations of the unique blue collar place where I'm from. But I'll also be exploring the challenge facing Gen Y and Gen X Americans growing up in places like the Iron Range, where decline and opportunity run on parallel tracks.

After the reading I'll be signing books. I guess there will be cookies. Something like that. Also I'm going to set my "charm factor" to 11. That's one more than 10.

Did I mention the cookies?

Read more about "Overburden" at my book page. Links to order online and my upcoming events are in the right sidebar at all times.

The Wilderness at Fortune Bay, on the eastern Iron Range, has been named a a top course by Golfweek. Here's the story from the Northland News Center (Channels 6, 3, 11 et al).

I gave up golf for all practical purposes after I was no long eligible for the cheap student green fees, so I've never golfed the Wilderness (unless you count the time I whacked my remaining golf balls out into the woods some time ago). I'm sure it's excellent. But something about an Iron Range golf course winning such an honor seems like Lakeville winning a drinking contest. Wha?

A new University of Minnesota-Duluth study indicates that mining remains the immovable foundation of the current Iron Range (indeed, northeastern Minnesota) economy.

In all, mining activities account for 34 percent of the Northland’s gross regional product, said Jim Skurla, the study’s author and acting director of UMD’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

“How important is mining to northeast Minnesota?” asked Skurla, pointing to a pie chart that depicted mining’s one-third contribution to gross regional product. “Here’s your answer: It’s very important.”

Our challenge: Responsibly maintaining the practice of mining as long as possible while growing the economy outside the mining sector. If we haven't figured it out yet, this study demonstrates the exact definition of "all your eggs in one basket." The Duluth News Tribune and Mesabi Daily News both explore the study which was revealed at the annual meeting of the Society for Mining Metallurgy and Exploration in Duluth. It bears mentioning that the study was funded by many groups and companies, such as Minnesota Power, that rely on mine business ... but these findings nevertheless remain plausible and worthy of note.

Another item I'm passing along:

“We Are Change” Forum at Itasca Community College

The “We Are Change” Progressive Forum will be held on Friday, April 17, from 1 – 9 p.m. at Itasca Community College, 1851 E. Hwy 169 in Grand Rapids. This will be an opportunity for the community to listen, learn, and exchange ideas on issues of concern in our world today. Topics include caring for the environment, health care reform, corporate responsibility, renewable energy, and peace/ justice issues. A complete schedule can be found at www.iccforum.intuitwebsites.com This event is free and open to the public. Food and beverages will be available throughout the day and a light meal will be served between 5 and 7.

“We Are Change” reflects the belief of the organizers of the forum, that change is possible, but that the citizens of this country must continue to work for that to happen. It is not enough to work on campaigns and elect representatives that we support, but the people must remain involved and support the change they hope for. The forum will be an opportunity to hear about exciting ideas for change and learn what can be done to move this forward.

Keynote speaker is Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, professor in Justice and Peace studies at the University of St. Thomas . Nelson Pallmeyer will speak on ”It’s the End of the World as We Know it but a Soft Landing is Possible: The Role of Movement Building Politics in the Most Important Decade.” The keynote address is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Special guest will be State Senator John Marty, who will speak at 7 p.m. Marty has served seven terms in the Minnesota Senate, where he chairs the Senate Health, Housing and Family Security Committee and is the author of the MN Health Plan, a bold initiative to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to affordable health care.

Dr. Michael Andregg, a professor in the Justice and Peace Studies at St. Thomas University and also teaches at the University of Minnesota, will present three workshops, on the history of war, weapons of mass destruction and coming changes to the U.S. Intelligence Community.

What: “We Are Change” Forum
When: Friday, 4/17/09 1 – 9 p.m.
Where: Itasca Community College Davies Hall, 1851 E. Hwy 169 Grand Rapids MN
Sponsors: DFL Progressive Caucus and ICC Philosophy Club
Contact: Shirley Loegering 218-326-0252 or Vicki Andrews 218-326-0653 or 259-4254

If you're in the Twin Ports on Friday come catch the "Overburden" road show at UW-Superior.

Matt Perrine of the Duluth Budgeteer interviewed me for the "Five Questions" segment this week in advance of my Friday appearance at UW-Superior. The post also appears at the Duluth News Tribune website. Asked to describe Iron Range economic development in one word, I chose "constipated." How could you not click on that?

Get your Bobby Aro fix for the day. Highway 7 Forever!

This Friday, April 17, the "Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range" tour returns to the road. I'll be giving a lecture and reading from the book during a special appearance at the Manion Theater in the Holden Fine Arts Building on the campus of the University of Wisconsin at Superior. Superior is across the bridge from Duluth. This is where I went to college for my undergraduate and graduate degrees.

I like Superior. It reminds me of the Iron Range and enjoys some of the same reputation for some of the same reasons. It's a blue collar place that grew quickly about 100 years ago with a huge influx of immigrant workers. Now the critics call it dirty and downtrodden, but I think there's a charm in its gritty ways. Like many Range towns, they combat their foes with a dazzling logo. I write often about the same ideas in regard to the Iron Range. In any event, UWS is a fantastic small liberal arts public university and I'm proud to return as an author of minor note.

I talk a lot about the challenges facing Gen Y professionals in rusty places like the Iron Range. As a fifth generation Ranger I've learned to love the place and its potential, but bang my head on many walls along the way.

The lecture begins at 2 p.m. and will be followed by a book signing and what the university is calling "light refreshments." Read more on the event from UWS.

On a side note, the book was published by Red Step Press, which was founded by UWS alum Lindsy O'Brien. Her sister Kelly O'Brien took the cover photo.

Below is a press release for the Rural Go Run program, which gives Iron Range area women the training and tools they'd need to run for political office. Though my gender renders me ineligible for this program, I heartily endorse any effort to increase the number of people involved in political leadership on the Iron Range. Our lack of depth and diversity in this department will cost us dearly if not rectified.

Virginia City Councilor Nevada Littlewolf recently gave a great interview on the KAXE Morning Show. She effectively sums up the program and the need for more involvement. More information is available in the links below.

IRON RANGE WOMEN TAKE THE POLITICAL LEAD
Innovative Political Leadership Training Program Comes to Rural Minnesota May 1-3

Tower, MN–Today, The White House Project announced their second annual Rural Go Run political leadership training program for women in Northern Minnesota. This innovative three-day event, which runs May 1st – 3rd, aims to create a permanent, nonpartisan pipeline to women’s political leadership among women on the Iron Range and across the country.

“In rural Northern Minnesota, women have always been a part of our strong political history, but are not well represented in elected positions,” said Nevada Littlewolf, The White House Project’s Rural Leadership Field Organizer and Virginia City Councilmember. “It's time for women to share equally in all seats of leadership – and our Rural Go Run training is making that happen.”

After a successful five-year track record in the state of Minnesota, The White House Project is continuing to develop a model training program that speaks to the needs of rural women that can be replicated nationwide. A study by the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota found that political participation by women was lowest in rural counties, noting that while women currently make up 34.8% of the Minnesota state legislature, at the local level, just 11.2% of county commissioners are women.

Go Run aims to change those statistics by starting at the grassroots level, training women of all political persuasions and backgrounds to run for political office. A recent study by The Humphrey Institute on the effectiveness of Go Run showed that 98% of women surveyed felt inspired to run for office as a result of the training; 94% reported an increased confidence in their ability to run; and 86% said that the training had improved the skills they need to run.

At the May training, women from all walks of life will come together to network with fellow trainees, learn from elected officials, and increase the necessary skills to lead in their communities and world. Women do not need to be running for office in order to attend; in fact, the communication, organizing, and fundraising skills offered in the training can be used to promote leadership in business and non-profit leadership roles as well as in politics.

“Many of the women who come to Go Run are already leading in the community” said Littlewolf. “We will encourage them to support each other and to take their leadership dreams to the next level.”

Go Run aims to demystify the political process for women—a group not traditionally tapped for positions of political leadership. Through regional offices based in Minnesota, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, and New York, Go Run has trained some of the most underrepresented women in our political system: 41% are women of color; 46% are low income; and 50% are under the age of 35.

Among the local, regional, and national speakers at this year’s Rural Go Run will be: Marie C. Wilson, President and Founder of The White House Project; Karen Diver, Fond du Lac Tribal Chair; Eveleth City Councilor and Go Run Alumna Liz Kuoppala; Organizer and Go Run Alumna, Ida Rukavina; Peggy Flanagan, Director, Native American Leadership Program, Wellstone Action; Itsaca County Commissioner Lori Dowling; St. Louis County Attorney; Melanie Ford; and Wright County Commissioner Rose Thelan, among others.

Rural Go Run will take place from May 1st – 3rd at The Fortune Bay Resort and Casino in Tower, MN. Applications can be submitted online at: http://thewhitehouseproject.org/voterunlead/gorun/2009/RuralGoRunApp2009.php

The White House Project is a national, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization that works to advance a richly diverse, critical mass of women into leadership positions, up to and including the U.S. Presidency. For more information, please visit: http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org.

There were some technical difficulties that cut out part of my interview with Scott Hall on today's KAXE morning show. The whole interview is posted here. I talk briefly about Essar Steel and at length about my suggestion for an Iron Range Congress.

Our working plan is to try to do this style of conversation on a regular, if not weekly, basis for the Monday morning show.

Just another recession in Northern Minnesota. Pawnshops are booming and the Communist Party is recruiting on the Iron Range. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going with the outfit that offers top dollar for my old Spin Doctors CD. What can you do for me, comrades?

This Green Bay Press Gazette story by Nathan Phelps connects the economic dots from a laid off miner on Minnesota's Iron Range to a struggling small business owner in Sturgeon Bay, Wis. It's a good demonstration of the integration of economies, especially here in the Great Lakes states.

There's a lot going on this upcoming week. One item I've been meaning to share is the first annual Iron Range Earth Fest, an April 17-18 exhibition of all manner of sustainable living practices for northern Minnesota. Local farmers and small businesses, among others, are participating in the event which will be held at the Mountain Iron Community Center and adjacent Messiah Lutheran Church. The Mesabi Daily News has a rundown. The Iron Range Earth Fest website features more specific information. Looks like an interesting event!

The Hibbing Daily Tribune talked to Rep. Tom Anzelc (DFL-Balsam Township) who explains that Essar's description of their timeline and business plan is consistent with what they told him last year when they bought the previously named Minnesota Steel project. Essentially, Essar is trying to create vertical integration in their North American operations, mining and making steel in companies they exclusively control. Though Essar is delayed by financing issues and the steel industry is weighed down by low prices, the big companies seem to be betting on a recovery a few years down the line. The full story was in Sunday's edition.