Star Tribune
On the Iron Range, the most evenly divided city in Minnesota simply doesn’t talk politics
“I was raised to be a Democrat, period. If you were a working-class person, you voted Democrat no matter what,” said Pat Lesemann, 37, an electrician at Minntac who plans to vote for Trump. “That’s changing now. The Democratic Party, they’re not looking out for the blue-collar worker.”
Shelby Karakas holds a photo of her group of friends who graduated from Roosevelt High School in the neighboring city of Virginia in 1966. The group had gathered at BG’s Bar & Grill in Mountain Iron, Minn. (Glen Stubbe/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Mountain Iron’s downtown used to be vibrant. But decades ago, the mines purchased downtown homes, knocked them down and mined the iron ore beneath. Now downtown has a few dozen homes but is mostly shuttered businesses, a post office and a vacant school. Action centers on the highway bordering Virginia or in newer development on the west side of town — a gleaming new school, a new subdivision of big suburban homes, a Wal-Mart-anchored shopping area.
The town’s biggest business success in recent years is indicative of change. On top of an old tailings pile sits a 90,000-square-foot manufacturing facility for Heliene, the third-largest solar cell manufacturer in America. The town that for generations was defined by the old-world mining industry has added 400 jobs in the new-world green energy industry.
As the former mayor of Mountain Iron for 18 years, Gary Skalko knows how jobs have determined the politics of the Iron Range for generations: The mining boom years that led to this becoming a DFL stronghold, the downturn that severed that connection, the Democratic embrace of environmental concerns that turned many miners against the party.
At 75, he’s still an old-school Range DFLer with a big Harris-Walz sign out front. When Skalko spoke at a Biden rally two months before the 2020 election, Trump fans protested. But things seem quieter now. Skalko has breakfast with a group of retired miners, mostly Trump fans, once a week at Village Inn, and political talk has become muted.
Still, politics can disrupt relationships. Skalko has been friends with Shawn Goerdt, a blaster at Hibbing Taconite, for years. In 2020 Skalko asked his friend, an ardent Trump supporter, to stop texting about politics. “Shawn, I’m not going to change you, you’re surely not going to change me, so knock it off,” recalled Skalko.
Star Tribune
After millions in renovations and years of planning, Northstar Center to reopen in downtown Minneapolis
Dining is now concentrated in the first-floor atrium connecting the east and west buildings. The former Northstar Market is now a more charming general store that will offer UPS and dry cleaning services as well as sundries and takeaway meals.
The beloved Walkin’ Dog hot dog stand will resume its decades-long tenure in the food court, where now-retired owner Dave Magnuson will license his brand and serve as a consultant.
A vintage Coca-Cola refrigerator is the centerpiece of the Northstar Center’s new market. (Aaron Lavinsky/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Good Eating Company, the white-tablecloth arm of the global food services provider Sodexo, will run the building’s food services, including the food court’s Northstar Cafeteria. Alexandre Oliver, the company’s district manager, said his team aims to bring the fine-dining experience to quick-service concepts, with a number of self-pay kiosks and grab-and-go options.
“We’re leaning into that retro theme, so bringing out very classic stuff,” said Nathalie Cassidy, general manager of hospitality services for the building. “Think: beef bourguignon, coq au vin, chicken pot pie, homemade sandwiches.”
On the street level, the Krona Cafe (an ode to the old Krona Bar) will sell house-made doughnuts and St. Paul’s SK Coffee.
Global security firm Prosegur will provide services and house its regional headquarters on site, hopefully mitigating safety concerns potential tenants might have about downtown, Legge said.
A 27-year-old man remains jailed on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of a woman in Woodbury this week, officials said Friday.
The man was booked into the Washington County jail Wednesday night about 12 hours after first responders were called to the 500 block of Woodduck Drive for what police called a medical emergency.
The woman, 29, died at the scene, police said. Her identity has yet to be released.
A statement from police called her death an “isolated incident” with no danger to the public. Police have not addressed a possible motive in the incident.
Police Cmdr. Tom Ehrenberg said his department’s investigation has yet to be completed, “therefore charges have not been requested.” The Star Tribune generally does not identify suspects before they are charged.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said it is assisting police with the investigation, but a spokeswoman declined to comment further.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is considering new taxes as downtown property values plummet and city costs go up.
Frey said he will “bring experts together” to look at “new revenue streams” in the coming months to ease the burden shifting onto residential property.
Most of the changes being floated would require approval from state lawmakers.
Property taxes are the largest revenue source for the city’s general fund. But with high vacancy rates and office towers selling at deep discounts – one pair of downtown towers recently sold for 9% of the price paid five years ago – in this new post-pandemic work paradigm, they are worth less, so their owners will pay less in taxes.
In August, Frey proposed an 8.1% increase in the amount raised from property taxes next year to fund his proposed $1.9 billion annual budget. That’s the biggest tax increase since the mid-2000s, fueled by inflation, higher city employee salaries, millions required for police reforms, and the loss of federal pandemic funds.
The city had a projected deficit of nearly $22 million before Frey made adjustments to balance his budget proposal. During the Sept. 18 meeting of the Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation, Frey said the additional revenue could offset shortfalls projected in 2025 and beyond.
Council President Elliott Payne said at the meeting he will “be in partnership” with Frey when it comes to raising new revenue, saying the council has a “huge appetite” to look closely at the budget and identify opportunities to keep the property tax burden as low as possible.
Steve Brandt, president of the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET), said he thought the mayor’s proposed tax increase was too high but would support it if Frey took a serious look at diversified revenue sources so the city doesn’t depend on property tax revenue “ad infinitum.”
