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Promoting businesses through education and advocacy to advance prosperity of the region. |
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Monday, Nov. 9, 2026
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Congratulations to everyone elected Nov. 3. Also this week: Breakfast Connections takes Veterans Day off, Laurentian Main Streets meets Thursday, and Funspiel registration is open.
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President’s Report
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Teresa Appelwick
President & CEO |
Last week, the Chamber board met to begin the strategic planning process with our facilitator, Ed Zabinski. The plan that comes out of these sessions will set the Chamber’s priorities for the next several years. Thank you to Iron Trail Motors for sponsoring our use of the Iron Trail Motors Event Center for these sessions. Thank you also to Janet and the team of helping hands at the Iron Trail Motors Event Center for setting us up for our planning! |
“At Iron Trail Motors, we believe the strength of the Iron Range comes from the people and businesses who call it home. Supporting the Laurentian Chamber of Commerce is one way we invest in the relationships, opportunities, and local businesses that make our region thrive. Together, we’re driving opportunity and growth right here at home to keep our communities moving forward.”
Amanda Schacht, sales director, Iron Trail Motors
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A proposed state credit would put empty buildings back to workRethos toured the Zenith DCHS apartments in Duluth to highlight the proposed Catalyzing Underutilized Buildings (CUB) credit. Buildings at least 15 years old that are converted to a new use or have sat vacant for years could qualify, as long as most of the structure stays intact. Smaller projects could take a grant instead of a credit. Think vacant upper stories downtown, closed schools, empty churches, and storefronts that haven’t had a tenant in years. The CUB credit needs more investors to move it forward. Do you own or know of a building in Eveleth, Gilbert, Mountain Iron, or Virginia that could be a candidate? Reply and tell me. Local examples are what make the case at the Capitol. Read the CUB credit fact sheet from Rethos (PDF) Enjoy the rest of the week! Watch for deer. Rifle season opened Saturday, and they are moving into town. Good luck, hunters. 🦌 Teresa
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2026 Election Results
Election results are out, and several newly elected officials will be in office come January 2027. Congratulations to everyone elected to serve our communities. Thank you to every candidate who carved space into their life for a campaign, the many volunteers who supported them, and each and every citizen who submitted a vote. Results become official on Thursday, Nov. 19, when the State Canvassing Board meets to canvass the votes for state and federal races. See full results from the Minnesota Secretary of State
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Upcoming Chamber Events
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Nov.
11
Wed.
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No Breakfast Connections on Veterans DayThere will be no Breakfast Connections in observance of Veterans Day. Thank you to every Veteran who honorably served. |
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Nov.
12
Thu.
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5:30-6:30 p.m. | Location coming soon For Main Street businesses in Eveleth, Gilbert, Mountain Iron, and Virginia. This session covers the Main Streets Small Business Hub and Yiftee, a community gift card program that keeps gift spending with local businesses. Come ready to share what’s working and what isn’t. Add to calendar |
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Nov.
18
Wed.
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5-7 p.m. | Silver Lake beach, Virginia Kick off the holiday season on the shoreline with music, s’mores, hot chocolate, and apple cider. Open to everyone, so bring the family. Thank you to Virginia Parks and Recreation for building the bonfire and the Virginia Fire Department for safely extinguishing it. Add to calendar | Get directions |
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Dec.
11
Fri.
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8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Curl Mesabi, Eveleth The 17th annual Gary Carlson Memorial Funspiel is our business curling tournament. Up to 32 teams, lunch and bar on site, raffles, and the trophy on the line. First-timers welcome. Want to sponsor? Reply to this email. Add to calendar |
See the full Chamber calendar
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Chamber Member News
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Lakehead Constructors | Superior, Wis. Bretto previously served as director of human resources and labor relations at Cleveland-Cliffs. He will lead Lakehead’s human resources, field resources, and safety functions under one leadership structure from the company’s headquarters in Superior. Read the full announcement on LinkedIn |
Giants Ridge | Biwabik Worried about the “Super El Niño” forecast? With three weeks until opening day of its 69th winter season, Giants Ridge says a warmer winter doesn’t have to mean a worse one. Its snowmaking system, improved grooming, and terrain built for learning make it less of a challenge than it would have been 20 years ago. Read more on the Giants Ridge blog Giants Ridge is targeting a 9 a.m. opening on Friday, Nov. 27, with free winter beanies for the first 100 guests at the Sarajevo Express lift. New this season: kids 12 and under ski free, everyone skis free on Thursdays from 4-8 p.m. starting with a New Year’s Eve fireworks kickoff, and the resort joins the IKON Pass network as a Bonus Mountain. Returning skiers will also find a new glade run, upgraded snowmaking, and new lesson programs. Read the full press release (PDF)
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Range Mental Health Center | Biwabik Range Mental Health Center, Veteran-owned Biwabik Pizza Company, and Biwabik Mayor and Veteran Steve Biondich are hosting an evening of food, conversation, and community on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 5:30-8 p.m. at Biwabik Pizza Company. Enjoy a meal, visit with community members, and connect with local support. Veterans, active duty service members, and their guests are welcome, and there’s a free gift while supplies last. Made possible by the Arrowhead Behavioral Health Initiative. Add to calendar | View the flyer |
Have news to share? New hires, promotions, expansions, anniversaries, and awards. Send it to us and we’ll feature it here. |
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Policy Watch
S. 5653, the bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, is a 417-page overhaul of federal permitting. It would set deadlines for federal decisions after environmental reviews, create a 150-day window for legal challenges, limit agencies’ ability to revoke permits already issued, and shorten Endangered Species Act consultations from 90 to 60 days. It would also require data centers to cover the cost of grid upgrades built to serve them, so those costs aren’t shifted to other electric customers. The House passed its own bill, the SPEED Act, in December 2025, so the two chambers would still need to agree. Read IEDC’s coverage Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act is the review that weighs how federal projects affect historic places. Proposed changes are moving through Washington right now, including new review timelines in S. 5653. Much of the debate focuses on regulatory requirements, but Section 106 has also protected historic places and shaped the character of downtowns like ours. Main Street America is asking downtown businesses and advocates to make their voices heard on this subject. Learn more about Section 106 |
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Opportunities for Your Business
The Saturday after Thanksgiving is one of the biggest shopping days of the year for local businesses. Make sure yours is part of it: sign up through American Express Shop Small to join the national rally and bring your customers in. Sign up your business State Capital Grants-in-Aid support preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, building systems, and accessibility projects at publicly owned historic properties. Sites must be listed on the National Register or determined eligible by the State Historic Preservation Office, and applicants need a 1:1 match. Learn more Heritage Partnership Grants fund history projects where two or more Minnesota organizations collaborate. Pre-applications for requests of $10,000 or more are due Friday, Jan. 22, 2027. Learn more Finding staff is hard, and ADA guidance can feel like a maze. DEED’s Employer Reasonable Accommodation Fund reimburses Minnesota employers for eligible accommodations for employees and job candidates with disabilities. Learn about ERAF |
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Worth a Read
Minnesota Chamber Foundation The 2026 Grow Minnesota! report ranks Minnesota 10th of 12 Midwestern states in expansion projects per capita, and 63% of surveyed employers still report difficulty finding workers. Read the 2026 Grow Minnesota! report International Economic Development Council The OECD’s Lamia Kamal-Chaoui writes that regions with faster licensing processes see about 25% higher rates of business formation, and that scattered, unpredictable permitting hits small and rural businesses hardest. Read the article |
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Available Trainings
Tuesday, Nov. 10 | Community Education | Cherry A fast-paced workshop on public speaking and interview skills, taught by Melissa Versich. Registration includes a take-home workbook. Enroll | See the fall Community Ed catalog |
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The Gary Carlson Memorial Funspiel is Friday, Dec. 11, at Curl Mesabi. Registration is open.
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Laurentian Chamber of Commerce
Serving Eveleth, Gilbert, Mountain Iron, and Virginia
Events calendar | president@laurentianchamber.org
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