The Power of the Dinner Invite
Thanksgiving week is upon us! With gloriously warm temperatures, it does not seem the holiday is this Thursday. But here it is, and with it the dinner invites, planning and celebration. But not everyone has someplace to go. Last week in my “Hello, Range” meetings I was introduced to Iron Range newcomers in a couple […]
Winter Survival: Gear List Included
Last week I had the opportunity to present on Hello, Range! at the East Range CAP meeting in Biwabik. These meetings are a great opportunity to connect, and I met a newer resident working with NewRange Copper Nickel and living in Ely. We had just gotten our first snow, and our conversation turned to the […]
Keeping the Range Sweet since 1905
Living on the Iron Range, we live a regional life. While I live in Hibbing and get most of my groceries, household products, and gear here, Virginia holds my Target, Aldi, dry cleaner–and CANDY. Wednesday I had a meeting in downtown Virginia, and when in downtown Virginia, it’s time to stop at Canelake’s Candies for […]
Pumpkin Fest Greets 30 New East Rangers
Perhaps I take for granted the number of folks who are moving to the Range. But when Mary Mulari shared her stats from last weekend’s Pumpkin Fest in Aurora–she gave 30 swag bags to East Range newcomers last Saturday –I was excited. Not only do we have folks moving in and bolstering our economy and […]
Movers and shakers take on the Lybba–and more!
I heard been hearing rumors: The Lybba Deli in Hibbing had new owners, and the word on the street was that their potatoes were amazing. Autumn is the time for root vegetables, and just the idea of salty, oven roast potatoes made my mouth water. So off I went. I was not alone. Arriving at […]
Air Quality “Excellent”
Fresh air. This morning I got a four-wheeler ride around Buhl, and the wafts of cool, fresh pine combined with the combination of changing leaves and evergreens tickled my sense of delight at Iron Range living. Where else can a person sneak in a four-wheeler ride before work? We (I) don’t always realize what a […]
Happy Indigenous People’s Day!
Growing up on the Range (1980’s, early 1990’s for context) our Ojibwe people were virtually unknown to me. The boys I played with down the street were 1/2 Ojibwe, but I took for granted that I didn’t know anything about the history, culture, and practices of the people. At that time we didn’t cover this […]
Belonging in NE Minnesota: Commentary
Yesterday I attended the 3rd Annual Equity Summit: Belonging in Northeastern Minnesota. Pre-registered attendees numbered at 180. I’m not sure how many registered that day, but the conference area of the Iron Trail Motors Event Center was full. And EVERYONE was there wanting to learn how to create a welcoming and inclusive region.
The Real Deal: Ranger Culture
Like any rural place, here on the Iron Range we have our own distinct culture. When I taught “culture” at our local community college, I would begin by asking my students to describe the clothes, hobbies and behaviors that were “Ranger.” Invariably students would begin by noting flannels and Carharts. They would say we hunt […]
Good Coffee and Building Community
Stopping at the Black Bear Bakery and Cafe in Chisholm yesterday was one of those great small town moments. My intention was to simply meet and welcome the new owners and express my great appreciation for their coffee shop (whenever I bike at Redhead Mountain Bike Park I invariably start to crave a cup of […]