In 1978, a small automation company incorporated in Crosby with just three employees.

Today, the Graphic Packaging International facility is part of the world’s number one manufacturer of beverage packaging machines.

The 114 employees at Graphic Packaging International manufacture a variety of bottle and can multi-pack beverage packaging machines which are sold throughout the world. 

From engineering design to welding, fabrication, computer (CNC), electronics, paint, and assembly, the massive packaging machines are built within a 170,000 square foot manufacturing facility that’s the second largest employer in Crosby.

“I’m very proud to have the unique opportunity to be a part of this story and work with such a great group of dedicated people who are building the best possible packaging machines on the market,” said Matt Sundquist, general manager of the Crosby facility. 

IRRRB assisted the city of Crosby with a grant to construct a retaining pond and overflow area to prevent storm water flooding at Graphic Packaging.

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Pictured above: Lee Johnson, Graphic Packaging machine technician, tests a beverage packaging machine at the company's Crosby manufacturing facility.

While Karl Jacob is busy shooting a film about deer hunting in northeastern Minnesota, his family is shooting deer.

Jacob’s independent movie “Cold November” is currently being shot at locations near Hibbing and Goodland – in the same area where his family has coincidentally shot five deer. 

“We’re shooting the film, but everyone else is shooting deer,” joked Jacob, whose filmmaking company Cold November LLC is shooting the movie. “I guess this movie is a good luck charm.”

“Cold November” is the second part of a trilogy that Jacob plans to shoot. “Cold November” is the story of a 12-year-old girls’ rite of passage in shooting a deer for the first time. 

The film utilizes local actors. The film crew is 100 percent Minnesota-based with the exception of the director of photography.

Filming began in late October and continues until Thanksgiving. Plans are to release the movie next year. 

IRRRB is supporting production of the movie with a Film Production Incentive grant.   

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Pictured above: "Cold November," a film produced by Hibbing native Karl Jacob, is currently shooting on the Iron Range.

While Dan Jurek was riding the Cuyuna Mountain Bike Trail System in 2013 with a friend and sons, a powerful rainstorm and strong winds blew down their tent.

That unpleasant event – and the outstanding world-class mountain bike trail system they rode on – has led to the opening of a new year-round camping facility for adventure sports enthusiasts.   

True North Basecamp, built along the shore of the former Armour Mine Lake 2 in Crosby, opens Nov. 27.

True North Basecamp Lodge, located within the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, is opening six cabins and 33 campsites to outdoor enthusiasts. The basecamp will also have a community bathhouse with showers and bathrooms. 

“We want to be a destination for winter family events and a destination year-round,” said Dan Jurek, of Minneapolis, True North Basecamp Lodge co-developer.

IRRRB supported the project with a development infrastructure grant to the city of Crosby.

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Pictured above: Dan Jurek co-developed True North Basecamp with his friend Jeff Bajak. 

Dorothy Molter was more than just the “Root Beer Lady.”

In addition to the famous homemade root beer that she sold to tourists, Molter, the last non-indigenous resident of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, was also a naturalist who loved birds.

In keeping with Molter’s affinity for birds, an outdoor portion of the Dorothy Molter Museum in Ely, is being developed into “Birds’ Landing at Dorothy’s,” a year-round community bird watching area. 

“It ties in nicely with the Dorothy Molter story because she was a huge birder,” said Sarah Guy-Levar, executive director of the Dorothy Molter Museum. “She really studied all of the animals that visited her island and wrote about them in depth.”

Birds’ Landing at Dorothy’s is designed to attract nesting birds during summer, migrating birds in the spring and fall, and large flocks of winter birds.

Development began two years ago with installation of a perimeter fence, a bird wheel, and a number of bird feeders.

IRRRB is supporting development of the site with a Culture and Tourism grant.

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Pictured above: Visitors enjoy the community bird feeding area at Birds' Landing at Dorothy's.

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