Hello friends
Mino and i are walking through the forest on January 6th. i am in a dark place on this, the fifth anniversary. My mind wanders back to 9/11. On that day, i got up in the morning and went directly out to my garage without checking the news or weather. i had a canoe that i was hired to paint; i was on a deadline to get it done before the beginning of ricing season, which was late that year. So i rolled up my sleeves and got busy on that beautiful, sunny day ... occasionally stepping out to take note if it. i worked all day, and when i was finished and satisfied with the canoe's appearance, i was hungry. i drove up to Wolf Bay Lodge because the food was good and there was a band playing that night. Everything seemed fine when i walked in but as i was waiting for my meal, one of the band members asked us all to rise and sing 'Good Bless America' because our country had taken a 'hit' that day. i had no idea what he was talking about but complied with his directive. When the band took a break later, i found a familiar face in the crowd and went over to ask her what Eric was talking about. The blood left Sandy's face as she explained to me what happened that day and asked what rock i lived under. i was in disbelief and asked more questions. After a time, the reality of what she said sank in. i hastily gathered my food and raced home to watch the news, needing confirmation and time alone to make sense of things. On this day, today, i remember watching the news all day figuring there might be trouble. Little could i imagine
what was unfolding before my eyes on the screen ... the horrors unfolding in real time. No one can tell me that wasn't real ... or that much has improved since then.
My eyes aren't lyin' to me today, either. And tomorrow i will wake up again, shake off my fears, and get back to work trying to make something beautiful again.
— jester
Special Membership Meeting
All are welcome!
- When:
- Wednesday, January 14, 3:00pm
- Where:
- Cook Community Center
510 Gopher Dr.
Cook, MN
- Special Guest
- Richard Carlbom, DFL Party Chair
Richard Carlbom will be touring the our region for several listening sessions. See more below.
Please bring a donation for the Cook Area Food Shelf.
Next NP Meeting
All are welcome!
- When:
- Wednesday, January 21, 6:30–8:00pm
- Where: (note change of location)
- Vermilion Park Inn
30 Center Street
Soudan, MN
(Soudan is about a mile east of Tower on Hwy. 169. Take the Main Street exit off the highway and go north on Main St.. Main Street turns to the right in two blocks, and Center St. is two blocks east of the turn. The Park Inn is just south of the corner. Use the side entrance. Meeting room is downstairs.)
- Special Guest
- Twin Ports Rapid Response
- Topic
- Constitutional Observer Training
Twin Ports Rapid Response and Northern Civil Defence Network will offer Constitutional Observer/Rapid Response training for our members and friends.
Please bring a donation for the Cook Area Food Shelf. Light refreshments will be served.
Breakfast in the Afternoon
- When:
- Friday, January 23, 2:00pm
- Where:
- Tavern In The Bay
Greenwood Township near Tower
Bring your hearts and your thinking caps as we launch into 2026!
All are welcome to attend.
Signing & Resisting Events
Each Friday at noon at the following locations:
- Cook: Hwy 53 and River Street
- Tower: Mainstreet by the locomotive
- Ely: Sheridan St. & Central Ave
Signs should include issues common to everyone like good jobs, enough money for food and healthcare, and a good education.
Other events
Virtual Town Hall with Peggy Flanagan
from Indivisible network in Minnesota
- When:
- January 13, 7:00–8:00pm
- Where:
- Online
With the 2026 election season officially beginning with party caucuses on February 3rd, the choices made now will shape what comes next. Capacity is limited, and advance registration is required and security protocols will be in place. There will be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions using the Q&A feature on Zoom.
Listening Sessions with Richard Carlbom
Sponsored by Iron Range Indivisible, WARR and Northern Progressives
Richard will engage participation with questions, discussion and action plans. Join in this discussion-based session at a location near you. Bring your questions, concerns and ideas.
- When:
- Wednesday, January 14, 12:00pm
- Where:
- Jim's Sports Bar
Chisholm, MN
- When:
- Wednesday, January 14, 3:00pm
- Where:
- Cook Community Center
Cook, MN
- When:
- Wednesday, January 14, 6:00pm
- Where:
- The Hive Coffee & Bakehouse
Aurora, MN
MN Congressional District 8 Candidate Forum
from Zenith City Indivisible-Duluth, MN NE DFL Senior Caucus, Duluth 50501 and other area Indivisible partners
- When:
- January 15, 6:30–8:00pm
- Where:
- Denfeld High School Auditorium
401 N 44th Ave W
Duluth, MN 55807
The community is invited to meet candidates who are running for Minnesota's Congressional District 8. The candidates will introduce themselves and respond to questions from participants at the forum.
Emanuel Anastos, Cyle Cramer, John-Paul McBride and Trina Swanson have confirmed their attendance. Incumbent Rep. Stauber has been invited. Come with your questions!
Free public screening — “Bad Faith”
"A great and powerful and timely film" - Ken Burns
from Ely Indivisible
- When:
- January 24, 2:00pm
- Where:
- Vermilion North College (VCC) Theatre
Ely, MN
This film offers a succinct history of the rise of religious nationalism and its implications for democracy today in the United States.
"Bad Faith" looks at the evolution of the political ideology of Christian nationalism-- what it is, where it comes from, and how it’s influencing culture & politics. It does not impugn the Christian faith. Nor is it an indictment of any religion, religious belief or practice. It includes voices from faith communities, historians, and everyday people.
Good will offerings help defray our costs, fuel our mission and are sincerely appreciated.
DFL Environmental Caucus Winter Member Meeting
Path to Victory 2026
from DFL
- When:
- January 25, 6:30pm
- Where:
- Zoom
This meeting will feature:
- An opportunity to hear from candidates seeking elected office
- Discussion of how to succeed at your precinct caucus on February 3
- The resolutions and endorsed candidates (so far) the DFLEC is supporting this year
- A preview of our plans to win an environment-friendly majority in the 2026 election
Attend Your Precinct Caucus Feb. 3
Get ready!
Two of the most powerful ways for many of us Minnesota writers and other citizens to influence the behavior of our government are to register and vote in elections, and to participate in our precinct caucus.
- When:
- Tuesday, February 3, 7:00pm
Caucuses occur every even-numbered year on the first Tuesday in February. The 2026 elections in the fall will determine control of the Minnesota state government and impact policies related to the environment, gun safety, women’s rights, and many more.
But first: what are precinct caucuses?
Precinct caucuses are local meetings run by political parties. Anyone may participate if they live in the precinct, are eligible to vote in 2026 (must be at least 18 on Nov. 3), and generally support the party hosting the meeting.
By attending a caucus, you can learn about candidates for public office and influence who your party will endorse. You can bring up issues important to you that might eventually make their way into the party platform. Perhaps you will be chosen and agree to attend the district convention to represent a point-of-view. The next level of involvement would be the State convention!
Very often, anyone showing up to the caucus can become a delegate. Only a small percentage of citizens attend precinct caucuses, which means that your participation can have a large influence on the election process.
You can visit the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State website for more information about precinct caucuses, including the location of the one you should attend, based on your political leanings and address.
Learn about Township Elections
2026 Minnesota towns with March elections calendar
Free Community Meal
Strength through Community
- When:
- First & Third Sundays, 12:00–3:00pm
- Where:
- 510 Chestnut Street
Virginia, MN
- Free hot meal
- Food distribution
- Clothing distribution
- Free store table
Note that food, hygiene, clothing donations are needed!
Calls to Action
Postcards to the States
Order yours now!
"Sign up to write News Boosting postcards to help combat disinformation and make sure voters in states with the most competitive Senate elections in 2026 learn how harmful the Trump/GOP agenda is for them.
"We mail you the postcards for free, along with voter lists and instructions with a short script. You will handwrite the message and the voter addresses. Orders of 100-300 postcards may take 10-14 days to deliver — we prioritize orders of 500+ to ship within a few days. You will provide Postcard Stamps (currently $0.61) and mail the postcards on the instructed date. You're only responsible for one mailing, but there are a total of five mailing dates. Your mailing date will either be Feb 18 or Apr 2; if it's Feb 18 but you need more time, that's OK!"
5 Calls
Got only a minute?
Calling your congressperson is the most effective way to influence policy.
5calls.org makes it easy. They have a variety of current issues you can choose.
These include calls to:
- De-fund ICE/Ice Out For Good
- Stop U.S. Imperialism in our hemisphere
- Repeal BDS restrictions in our State toward Israel
- Support Clean Water Act
