AURORA — The city of Aurora celebrated the groundbreaking of its new industrial park Thursday.
Backers said the park will create new industrial space in the region and help to attract potential new manufacturing businesses.
In a news release, Aurora Mayor Doug Gregor says the park will provide economic growth opportunities in a community where there’s been a decline since the closure of LTV Steel Mining Co. in 2001.
Aurora has one of the lowest per capita income levels in the region, and Gregor says the park could lead to an expansion of the tax base and increases in the city’s population.
The Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation supported the project with a $9 million Site Ready grant.
The funds will help to pay for the infrastructure and utilities to serve approximately 80 acres.
The agency will also provide the city’s economic development authority a $6 million business loan to construct a spec building for future tenants.
The groundbreaking ceremony was at noon on Thursday, July 25, at the site of the future park, northeast of the intersection of Highway 135 and County Road 11 in Aurora.
-
Lorie Shaull/KAXEIn their final hours before the session ended, lawmakers passed a county hospital bailout, an infrastructure bill and small cuts to car tab fees and property taxes. -
Contributed/Ellen Schmidt / MinnPost / CatchLight Local / Report for AmericaHere’s what made it into the Legislature's infrastructure package and what lawmakers and others had to say about it May 17, 2026. -
Malachy Koons/KAXEThe KAXE Music Team on new music from Jobi Riccio, Genesis Owusu, Aldous Harding, Helado Tropical, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Angine de Poitrine and Brooklyn Funk Essentials. Our Pick from '76 is Dolly Parton's "All I Can Do." -
Contributed/St. Louis County Sheriff's OfficeFirefighters responded to a wildland fire between Orr and Crane Lake on Friday, May 15, 2026. After returning to the airport, it was learned a bullet appeared to have struck one of the planes. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEEvacuated homeowners will be able to return to their properties for the day, Monday, May 18, 2026. Crow Wing County declared a local emergency, the first step toward state disaster aid. -
Contributed/Danielle SullivanReaching Rural Readers sends free books to rural Minnesota high school students. This summer's list includes books by Dawn Quigley, K. Woodman-Maynard, and Kenneth Cadow. -
This is the Up North Lookback, where we’re digging into the local news archives from 50 years ago — the year KAXE was born. It’s the week of May 18. -
As next steps for a proposed data center are considered, Liz Schwab from Google addresses some of the concerns raised at a recent Hermantown City Council meeting.
-
Contributed/Doug MitchellWildland firefighters are working on containment and mopping up hot spots for a wildfire that began Saturday afternoon, May 16, 2026, southeast of Crosslake. -
Plus: Minnesota partners want you to help track wildlife collisions; and DNR upgrades four fishing piers in Northern Minnesota.
