Opinion | The Iron Range needs jobs, not hysteria over the Boundary Waters Let’s be clear on what this resolution actually does. It does not open a mine. It restores the ability for a rigorous permitting process to move forward. Guest contributor(s) to the Minnesota Star Tribune "Minnesota’s unemployment rate hit 4.4% in January 2026, surpassing the national average for the first time in nearly 20 years, according to the state Department of Employment and Economic Development," Ryan Davies writes.