IRRRB Commissioner Mark Phillips will testify in front of the International Trade Commission (ITC) about the real-world effects of the steel import crisis on northeastern Minnesota.

Phillips’ testimony is Tuesday, April 12, at an ITC hearing in Washington, D.C. 

Phillips will address the impact of the steel import crisis on the companies, communities, workers, and people of northeastern Minnesota as a result of unfairly traded steel imports.

Seven of 11 northeastern Minnesota iron ore operations were idled in 2015, impacting 2,111 miners and more than 1,500 employees of vendors.

One of the idled operations, Northshore Mining Co. in Silver Bay and Babbitt, is scheduled to resume operations in mid-May.

GRAND RAPIDS – Applied Learning Institute students and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are partnering in an important wildlife project to research the Chippewa National Forest bear population.

Twenty-nine Applied Learning Institute (ALI) welding students at Greenway, Grand Rapids, and Deer River schools are fabricating bear capture traps to help the DNR trap, collar, and monitor up to 20 live bear this summer.

“We’re starting a new project in the Chippewa National Forest to see what has changed within the forest, so we need more traps,” said Dr. Andy Tri, DNR bear research biologist. “There’s been a decrease in the bear population in the forest from 1985 until now, so we’re trying to figure out the cause.”

The Applied Learning Institute is a workforce development initiative that enhances technical education in 17 northeastern Minnesota school districts.

“The project touched on stenciling, metals, welding, and carpentry,” said Tim Larson, Grand Rapids industrial technology instructor. “It took teamwork and collaboration to build each one of them.”  

It’s the first time that ALI schools and the DNR have collaborated on a project. The result is a benefit to students, the DNR, and with success, to the bear population. 

Instructors say the project is teaching students about working together as a team, problem-solving, and collaborating with others. 

“It’s nice for the students to be able to work on a project like this so they can get their workforce skills out there,” said Al Flinck, Greenway industrial education instructor. “Our main goal in a project like this is for the students to learn about partnerships and how to collaborate.”

Pictured above: Grand Rapids Industrial Technology Instructor Tim Larson (left), Greenway Industrial Technology Instructor Al Flinck (right) and their students show off two of the bear capture traps built by the students.

A leading mining conference will examine the impact of global economics on northeastern Minnesota’s mining industry.

The 89th annual Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, Inc. (SME) conference is April 11-13, at Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center.

The annual conference focuses on issues and trends affecting the mining industry.

With a surge in imported steel, a global oversupply of iron ore, low world iron ore prices, and a slowdown in the oil exploration industry, this year’s theme is “Global Economics, Local Effects – the impact global industry changes have on local economies.”

Hundreds of mining professionals from across northeastern Minnesota, the state and nation will attend the conference.

More than 200 mining vendors from the region and beyond will exhibit.

According to the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota, Minnesota’s iron mining industry contributes $1.9 billion to the state economy annually, employing 4,400 direct workers and 11,000 additional workers throughout the state at businesses that provide goods and services to the mining industry.

More than 400 high school students from 15 northeastern Minnesota schools will be learning more about health care career opportunities at the 2016 Health Care Fair.

The Friday, April 15 fair at Hibbing Community College is organized by IRRRB in collaboration with Northeast Higher Education District Colleges.

Students attending will participate in a variety of hands-on activities, discover what types of health care jobs are in high demand, and learn about health care programs available at area colleges.

Two sessions will be held, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m. Reservations for the fair are full. St. Luke’s is sponsoring lunch for the volunteer workers. 

The health care industry is the largest employer in northeastern Minnesota.

Community leaders from Keewatin, Nashwauk, and Nashwauk Township will be participating in the seventh in a series of IRRRB listening sessions.

The session, with IRRRB Deputy Commissioner Mary Finnegan, is from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Friday, April 15, at Nashwauk City Hall.

The session is aimed at gathering input from community leaders on business, community, and workforce development priorities within their communities.

Mayors, city councils, economic and community development, education, chamber of commerce, community leaders and the public are invited to the sessions.

RSVPs for the sessions are requested to sara.ferkul@state.mn.us or 218-735-3043.

Pictured above: Community leaders offer priorities at the March 22 Chisholm, Buhl, Kinney, Balkan Township, and Great Scott Township listening session with IRRRB Deputy Commissioner Mary Finnegan.

Souper Sundays Ski Food Drive: Giants Ridge Recreation Area held a food shelf drive on four consecutive Sunday evenings through February and March to collect donations for the area food shelf. Customers were asked to bring a donation of two non-perishable food items and then received reduced lift ticket pricing for night skiing. The annual food drive collected 475 pounds of food and is held in partnership with the East Range Rotary, who presented a $500 cash match to the food shelf.    

Giant Golf Deal: Giants Ridge is offering a "Giant Golf Deal" to kick off the season. Golfers can play 18 holes for $52 Monday through Thursday, or $62 Friday through Sunday. This special is valid at the Legend or Quarry from the course opening date through May 26. 

To book tee times, call 218-865-8030. 

Get details on the Giant Golf Deal.

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