It IS the summer road construction season and a project that's set to begin on Monday will affect one of the routes residents on the Iron Range use to get to the Twin Cities.
The Highway 53 relocation represents one of the largest highway projects that the State of Minnesota has ever undertook. The move is necessary to allow for mining expansion. Today, the Minnesota Department of Transportation issued a statement suggesting that they may not hit the 2017 target date for relocation.
A popular Iron Range festival is about to happen without it's signature street dance. The Lane of the Loon Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22 in Virginia, Minnesota. The two-day fest celebrates the arts, crafts, and culture of the eastern Iron Range with a parade, food, music, and more.
Although there are many arguments about the the geographical boundaries of Minnesota's Iron Range (I.E. - do you include Cotton? Floodwood? Canyon?), one can generally agree that the center-expressway would be represented by Highway 169 - say from Grand Rapids to Virginia. There are plenty of communities on either side of that roadway, but it's easy to call that the main artery of the Iron Rang
A meeting to update the public about the latest regarding the Highway 53 Relocation Project has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 3 at the Hoover Road MNDOT Building in Virginia. The start time for this event is 10AM.
The public is invited to take part in the session, which will address the status of this project...
Highway 53 south of Virginia must move to make way for future mining expansion by United Taconite. Plans have been in the works for the last few years to propose, design, and move the major arterial highway by 2017. No compromise has been reached yet on a new route and now new wrinkles appear to create an even deeper quagmire.
After a first place finish at the 2014 John Beargrease Sled Dog Race, Nathan Schroeder is pursuing his dream to complete the Iditarod in Alaska - the 1,049 mile race that tests the endurance of both dog and man.
The Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota is planning a full scale push for funding for the newly-established Lake Vermilion State Park during the 2014 session.
More years ago than I care to admit to, I had Bob McDonald as a teacher for World History. He was also someone that I knew as a classmate of my dads in high school and of course I was aware of his basketball career - even though I never played sports in school.
Tonight's premier of The Taste on ABC-TV has a local tie-in: Chef Sarah Master is originally from Hibbing. The 1996 Bluejacket graduate heads up the kitchen these days at Barbette in Minneapolis, and this show is an excellent way for her to show off her culinary skills on a national level.
With no offense to Walker-Hackensack-Akelyy, all eyes were on Chisholm and Bob McDonald last night, as the infamous basketball coach achieved his 1,000 career victory in his final season before retirement.