Aaron Brown
Editorial Columnist
Iron RangeAaron Brown is a columnist for the Minnesota Star Tribune Editorial Board. He’s based on the Iron Range but focuses on the affairs of the entire state. He was raised in a trailer house on a local junkyard and is the first in five generations of his family to never work in an iron mine. He lives down a dirt road on the western Mesabi. His past writing can be found at MinnesotaBrown.com.
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Latest from Aaron Brown
Brown: Self-driving cars in Minneapolis? A small Minnesota town did it first.
Autonomous transit came to Grand Rapids in 2022 — years ahead of the Twin Cities.
December 2, 2025
Brown: Bitterness dies, but gratitude lasts generations
Remembering a grandfather whose gruffness couldn’t erase his moments of kindness.
November 25, 2025
Brown: With money flowing and change afoot, Minnesota’s iron industry must modernize or die
It’s tempting to argue that boom times are coming, but trade and economic uncertainty cloud the crystal ball.
November 24, 2025
Brown: From South Beach to Superior shore, bringing resilience back home to Duluth
If climate solutions don’t help people, they aren’t solutions after all.
November 23, 2025
Brown: As Minnesota braces for winter, federal cuts leave energy assistance in limbo
Backlogs threaten the timely distribution of assistance that can make a huge difference, even if relied upon just once.
November 17, 2025
Brown: Why the white pine matters in Minnesota
Diversity is key to restoring the state’s biggest trees and creating a resilient forest.
November 12, 2025
Brown: One takeaway from Mamdani’s win? Affordability is a winning message.
Two generations of Americans have been disappointed by politics. They will rise.
November 10, 2025
Brown: Why you should try deer hunting this year
The crisp November weather and a healthy deer population make this season a great setting for a first-time hunter.
November 8, 2025
Brown: Hungry tech sector will force tough choices over critical minerals
Critical mineral mining proposals dot northern Minnesota’s landscape, each attracting environmental scrutiny and political heat.
November 2, 2025
Brown: These days, tensions between Minnesota and Canada spill off the ice
The Minnesota-Canada relationship is defined by friendly competition, but the trade war hurts both sides of the border.
October 27, 2025
Brown: As rural challenges grow old, new efforts are needed
The scale of the problems facing rural America is daunting. This bipartisan commission wants to get to the bottom of them.
October 22, 2025
Brown: As a small town mourns its only elementary school, opportunity grows from loss
Rural people know well the pain that comes from losing something they can never get back.
October 20, 2025
