Hibbing Daily Tribune
Angie Riebe

Sean Pelkey recalls helping his dad with rudimentary welding projects in his garage when he was just 7 years old.

The Mesabi Range Welding program student today plans to open a “small-time repair and fabrication shop out of my own garage.”

But he is also working as a “temp to hire” at Joy Global, Inc., in Virginia, a company that services the mining industry’s heavy equipment.

Pelkey and many of his fellow students in the college’s Welding, Industrial Mechanical Technology (millwright), and Process Automation Systems programs will be part of a workforce that is either directly or indirectly related to mining.

Read more: http://www.hibbingmn.com/mine/hands-on-industrial-education-at-mesabi-range-college/article_8fe6f527-abd5-58a0-8ab9-c2ef9941865a.html

Mesabi Daily News
Angie Riebe

Bryan Harp grew up in Aurora, the son of a miner.

It was never his own dream to go into mining. Yet, his career path has been tied to the industry for years.

He thoroughly enjoys his current work.

It’s work that, in fact, at one time he didn’t even know existed.

Read more: http://www.virginiamn.com/mine/career-path-in-mining-country-i-can-do-that/article_7a39950c-bc6c-11e4-aca9-3b6047761aa3.html

Hometown Focus
Jean Cole

High schools students in the region who are interested in exploring career options in mining and mining-related fields can do so through the Applied Learning Institute (ALI). ALI is a partnership between the five community colleges of the Northeast Higher Education District (NHED) and 22 northeast Minnesota high schools whose purpose is to return and expand technical education opportunities in our high schools.

It’s an opportunity for secondary students to explore a career path, and earn college credit, while still in high school. ALI has six program areas, but we’re talking mining here today, so I’m focusing on their Industrial Technology program.

Read more: http://www.hometownfocus.us/news/2015-02-20/Mining_Features/MINING_and_HIGHER_EDUCATION_003.html

Mesabi Daily News
Editorial

The proposed Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Superior National Forest because of copper/nickel/precious metals mining projects was an incredible waste of time brought to everyone by extreme environmentalists.

While we are pleased that U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials finally put a stamp of common sense on this issue by saying there is no need for such a far-reaching environmental impact study, here’s what they should have also said to the environmentalists who sought it: “Why are you wasting our time and money to even have to consider this. It’s a frivolous request.”

The PEIS would have been a duplication of what is already being done as far as an environmental impact statement for the PolyMet project near Hoyt Lakes and what will be done for the nonferrous Twin Metals project near Ely and Babbitt.

Read more: http://www.virginiamn.com/opinion/editorials/peis-consideration-was-waste-of-time/article_2652a4e8-b64e-11e4-9e96-43f14a34bb2e.html?_dc=402006589341.9087

Mesabi Daily News
Bill Hanna

There will be no far-reaching Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Superior National Forest regarding potential copper/nickel/precious metals ventures.

Eighth District Democratic U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan said in a telephone interview on Friday that he has received confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that a PEIS will not be necessary as requested by some environmentalists.