The upcoming virtual Iron Range Brownfield Lunch & Learn will feature Kristin Prososki from Kansas State University Technical Assistance to Brownfields (KSU TAB). She will discuss what KSU TAB is, the services it provides to communities and how brownfield assessments can help identify and prepare underused properties for redevelopment.

Prososki serves as the assistant regional director for EPA Regions 5 and 7. For the past 20 years, she has worked at both the state and local levels on community and economic development projects, fueling her passion for brownfield redevelopment. Her past roles include serving as a planner and as a project manager in the Brownfields and Redevelopment Unit at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. She has also been part of the city of Mankato team, where she helped facilitate numerous redevelopment and affordable housing initiatives, and she has assisted communities with funding strategies and resources at SEH Inc.

KSU TAB offers free assistance to communities, tribes and states to help them understand, inventory and plan the reuse of brownfields, which are properties that may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants.

The free Iron Range Brownfield Lunch & Learn will be held Tuesday, Nov. 25, from noon to 1 p.m. 

Register for the Lunch & Learn.

The session is hosted by the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools and Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation.

The city performed site diligence on 60 acres of contiguous property within the park, which is located advantageously along the U.S. Highway 2 corridor. The site is situated along the southern boundary of Dovetail Boulevard, and the electrical line upgrade will run parallel. Bear Ridge Drive lies along the south western boundary of the site and is the primary access point.

Last month, IRRR’s Business Development staff toured the project with representatives from Lake Country Power, Itasca County and the city of Cohasset.

“Due to insufficient electrical infrastructure and service, the city recently missed out on a couple of job creation opportunities from companies conducting site selection searches,” said Cohasset Mayor Josh Casper. “We’ve also received an influx of interest by large industrial utility users. Expanding the utilities will help position the city for economic and job growth.”

Cohasset Industrial Park is currently 72 acres with an additional 360 planned for the future. Businesses currently operating in the park include Crane Engineering, Dakota Fluid Power, Ferguson Plumbing Supply, Keller Fencing and Yoder Building Supplies. The park is also home to the Lake Country Power headquarters.

Learn more about Cohasset Industrial Park.

Email Janelle Greschner or call her at 218-735-3029 for business assistance information.

A contiguous trail for cross country skiing, skijoring, fat biking and snowshoeing will be open this winter on the Virginia Golf Course and free for public use. The Winter for ALL Trail first opened last year and was signed and groomed by volunteers with Mesabi Recreation.

In preparation for this winter, Iron Range Partnership for Sustainability (IRPS) purchased a used snowmobile to pull the groomer and maintain the trail. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $1,485 Culture & Tourism grant. Total project investment was $2,970.

“In the past, volunteers used their personal snowmobiles to pull the groomer that we purchased last year. The trail was groomed and open last winter, however there was limited snowfall. We are optimistic for more snow this year and excited that Mesabi Recreation volunteers now have access to a dedicated snowmobile. The groomer and the snowmobile will be stored at Mesabi Recreation’s shop near the golf course. The trail adds a free, family-friendly amenity that enhances quality of life in our community for all ages,” said Marlise Riffel, IRPS board chair.

The trail maintenance and new snowmobile received support from Essentia Health, Iron Range Half-Marathon, Iron Range Tourism, Mesabi Recreation, Natural Harvest Food Co-op and the city of Virginia.

Email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022 for Culture & Tourism grant information.

Northeastern Minnesota is home to numerous legacy mine pit lakes, which are former natural iron ore mines that have gradually filled with water. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation (IRRR), in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), has stocked these mine pit lakes since 1984 as part of ongoing mineland reclamation efforts. The DNR advises IRRR on which pits to stock and appropriate quantities.

In fall 2025, IRRR stocked four mine pit lakes with a combined 1,400 pounds of rainbow trout. Stocking took place Oct. 27 and Nov. 3, with fish delivered to St. James Pit in Aurora (350 pounds), Mott Pit in Mountain Iron (300 pounds), Kinney Pit in Kinney (400 pounds) and Tioga Pit in Cohasset (350 pounds).

The program supports outdoor recreation across the region, providing anglers with unique trout-fishing opportunities in deep, clear mine pit lakes. The long-running effort continues to contribute to area tourism, outdoor activity and local economies.