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: Did President Donald Trump just nationalize U.S. Steel?
Japanese ownership, government control mark consequential deal for landmark American company
June 20, 2025
Worth It podcast: Clawcades, Grandma’s Marathon and mapping queer history
Each week we share the happenings around Minnesota worth your time, money and attention.
June 20, 2025
Brown: Assassination, political violence a symptom of 'soul sickness'
We are experiencing a social disease that elevates violent rhetoric, mocks decency and civility, and worships power above all else.
June 18, 2025
Brown: Minnesota helium could lift airship reboot
The aircraft could safely move cargo, even people, with game-changing fuel efficiency.
June 15, 2025
Worth It podcast: Hidden gems for eating out in downtown St. Paul
Each week we share the happenings around Minnesota worth your time, money and attention.
June 13, 2025
Brown: The forest takes care of itself, but we can help
Done right, conservation and profit can go hand in hand.
June 8, 2025
Worth It podcast: Prince week, a giant pencil, pool parties and women’s sports
Each week we share the happenings around Minnesota worth your time, money and attention.
June 6, 2025
Brown: Rising costs force small towns into tough spots
Grand Rapids, Minn., is doing well — but might have to close its library for several days a week anyway. It’s not alone in its budget woes.
June 4, 2025
Brown: Relying on law enforcement to solve mental health crisis puts lives at risk
Police officers today are “de facto mental health workers.” But should they be?
May 31, 2025
Brown: The good, bad and ugly of Trump’s blessing U.S. Steel, Nippon deal
This stunning turnaround, cloaked in the dawning hours of a long holiday weekend, deserves inspection.
May 27, 2025
Brown: As once-giant Joann Fabrics shutters its doors, the DIYers must sew our economy back together
Crisis breeds opportunity, and for those who seek to keep small town economies going, now is your time to spin gold from this mountain of straw.
May 26, 2025
Brown: How little fish and secret mushrooms can salve Minnesota’s culture wars
Culture doesn’t have to come from a screen or empty your wallet — it pours from the woods and waters of the beautiful place where we live.
May 21, 2025
