Aaron Brown_Journalist_Iron Range

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Melin to be sworn in Tuesday in Hibbing Posted: 21 Feb 2011 11:55 AM PST From the wires: Carly Melin to Take Oath of Office for the Minnesota House of Representatives at Hibbing City Hall on Tuesday, February 22nd at NOON. Hibbing- Carly Melin will be sworn into the Office of Minnesota House of Representatives this Tuesday, February 22nd. The swearing in ceremony will be at noon at the Hibbing City Hall in the Council Chambers. The oath of office will be administered by the Honorable Gary J. Pagliaccetti, who has served as an Iron Range District Court Judge for over 20 years. Melin said: "I am honored to take my oath of office right here in Hibbing. While I could have been sworn in in St. Paul, I wanted to be surrounded by members of my district when I pledge to serve them with honor and dignity. When I take my oath, I will be surrounded by citizens of Chisholm, Hibbing, Floodwood, Meadowlands, and folks are far South as Fredenberg Township. When I go to St. Paul I will be representing the people of Northern Minnesota, and that's why it's important for me to be sworn into office in the Northland." All members of the community are welcome and encouraged to attend. There will be cake and coffee following the swearing in. To my knowledge this will be the first time a state representative is sworn in on Iron Range terra ferma. (Anyone else have a precedent on that?) I'm in favor of this. This is not just a smart political moveWatch problems solve themselves after that.

Congratulations to the Iron Range Maidens on winning their first roller derby bout Saturday night in Grand Forks. It is one thing to talk about starting a roller derby team. It is another to form a confederation of inexperienced women ranging in age from college to middle age and begin drilling them. It is another still to practice for several months. It is yet another to show up to a venue wearing prom dresses and defeat another team 143-61. I do not know what this means. I only know that it is awesome.

The Almanac Trip, or "So now I guess I really should write a novel" Posted: 21 Feb 2011 05:40 AM PST If you missed my segment on TPT's Almanac this weekend here's the link (My bit is at the :30 mark, halfway through). The trip to the Twin Cities was a success and a welcome February diversion. We got home Saturday night before the big snow storm hit Sunday. As I wrote last week, Almanac is the brass ring of Minnesota-based TV shows. My dad drove me to St. Paul and we waited in the green room, which is really just the TPT lunch room. I got antsy and talked my way into the studio early. Dad got to see the chortling class prepare for the panel discussion next to a giant "Dragon Tales" poster. I got to see the run-through. After years of watching the show repeat a comfortable Friday night formula it was reassuring to watch the program operate much as you'd expect. Almanac is like wearing an old pair of slippers while walking down the hall where you hang the family pictures, each year's school photo hidden behind the new one. The people at Almanac were kind to me. Naturally there's the thrill and drama of live TV, but it all seemed pretty understated. Everyone seemed calm and experienced. Many mildly amusing things took place, and the people there seemed genuine in their mild amusement. I didn't hear any cuss words. I don't know why I thought I might. Gov. Mark Dayton was on the show. He has to be the least assuming governor in the nation. He walked in with one young aide who waited by the door. Dayton shook hands with Cathy Wurzer and Eric Eskola and then sat off in the peanut gallery wearing what I assume was the same anxious expression I had before he was called to stage. I always think of Dayton as the kind of guy who could dig a tunnel with a spoon over a 30 year span. Then one day he's gone and people realize, holy crap, he was digging a tunnel with a spoon this whole time. I mean this as a compliment. My segment went alright for the time we had. Like my recent MPR interview, also with Cathy Wurzer, it's hard to cover a broad topic in five minutes but I crowbarred a couple moderately amusing/thoughtful tidbits into the conversation. I also unflinchingly stated that my next book will be a novel. Ooooo. Had to go there. I've been turning over two different stories in my head for a couple years now. It's time to go back down to the fiction mines. Meantime, the family and I had an excellent visit with my dad and stepmom in South St. Paul. It was the boys' first visit to the Twin Cities and they were impressed with the sites and traffic of the city. We drove in through St. Paul. The gang was mostly speechless as we crossed into the city. An evening of spoilage at grandpa and grandma's place took place. The next day we went to a place called Adventure Peak at Edinborough Park in Edina. It's an indoor .... well, park I guess, but that doesn't do it justice. It's a climbing,