Candidates gearing up for House 3A special election
The September 29, 2015 special election primary narrowed the ballot for Minnesota House 3A to three candidates. Rob Ecklund of International Falls, one of four candidates on the Democratic-Farm-Labor ticket, successfully advanced to the December 8 special election. Ecklund now faces independent candidate Kelsey Johnson of Babbitt and Republican Roger Skraba of Ely. Mail ballots are being sent out this […]
Cleveland Cliffs to temporarily idle Silver Bay operations
In July 2015, the 42 employees of Minnesota Power’s Taconite Harbor Energy Center in Schroeder learned that the power plant would be idled in the fall of 2016. Now the approximately 500 employees at the Cliffs Natural Resources’ Northshore Mining operations at Silver Bay and Babbitt are facing layoffs effective December 1, 2015. Although Northshore Mining is in Lake County, […]
City reduces proposed 2016 budget increase
With an eye toward reducing the city’s proposed 2016 tax levy, Grand Marais city councilors met Nov. 13 to make some adjustments in next year’s budget, with the result being a drop from a 12.2 percent maximum increase to a lower figure of a 6.87 percent increase. The new draft budget sets the property tax levy at $880,746–down from the […]
County approves bid to reconstruct tennis courts
Although the organization is still short of funds, the Cook County Tennis Association (CCTA) came before the Cook County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, November 17, to ask the board to approve a bid of $121,300 submitted by Dermco-Lavine Construction to reconstruct two of the county’s tennis courts. The board was also asked to approve a contract to Fred Kolkmann […]
The same God?
It is interesting to consider that the three major one god faiths all worship and pray to the same god. Both Judaism, Christianity and Islam hail the god of Abraham as their god. They may have different names and interpretations as to who that god is and they may hold each other for infidels. However, when they pray they call […]
After Paris, the nation should pray
It is a complete, total amazement to me that at this crucial time in our nation and world, even in the aftermath of the gruesome Paris attacks, I have not heard even one leader or candidate calling people to prayer. The media is full of statements about “solidarity,” “standing shoulder-to-shoulder,” “full support,” as if these things mean even a fig […]
Iron and steel playing field not level
This year, hundreds and hundreds of Northland workers have been sidelined or laid off, taking a heavy toll on families and communities throughout the region. The news that Cliffs will idle its Northshore Mining Operation is yet another blow to our domestic mining industry, which has been harmed by unfairly priced steel imports being dumped into American markets. The idling […]
Northshore Mining layoffs caused by bad trade deals
Today’s announcement that several hundred Northshore Mining workers are to be laid off is terrible news–especially as we approach the holidays. Our first thoughts are with the families and businesses affected in the Babbitt and Silver Bay areas. They’re going to need help to get through this– and we will be in contact with the Administration this morning to assure […]