Greater Minnesota

Duluth office-to-apartment conversion sparks downtown revitalization hope
A Duluth developer announced plans this week to convert a 50-year old downtown office building into apartments. It’s the first of what the city hopes will be several office-to-housing conversions in the next several years as Duluth works to revitalize its downtown post-pandemic.
Judge dismisses pipeline protest charges against 3 Native women
In a forceful opinion, District Court Judge Leslie Metzen wrote that as respected members of Anishinaabe tribes, Winona LaDuke, Tania Aubid and Dawn Goodwin were exercising their free speech rights and spiritual beliefs.
Nutrient producing microbes win over farmers but skeptics doubtful
A growing number of farmers are using nitrogen producing bacteria as an alternative to the polluting synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, but some soil health experts are skeptical of the new products.
West-central Minnesota counties create local food plan
Four west-central Minnesota counties have created what they say is the first multi-county regional food plan in the state. Primary goals include increasing local food production, expanding access to healthy food, and improving education about local food.
Digesters make renewable energy from manure, but face hurdles
Danish company Nature Energy planned to build several large-scale anaerobic digesters in Minnesota and Wisconsin that would harvest methane from livestock waste to produce biogas. Those plans are now on hold. But experts say there’s plenty of potential to turn methane from manure from a liability into a commodity.
First-generation college students drive growth at Southwest Minnesota State
University leaders strengthened ties to local K-12 schools and embraced the region’s growing diversity. The result is an upswing in students fueled largely by the children of first-generation immigrants. It’s made SMSU one of the few four-year public universities in Minnesota where enrollment is rising.
Rochester eviction rates show no sign of slowing
Evictions in Olmsted County are moving faster than housing advocates expected this year. That's putting a strain on emergency services available to people facing eviction. The city is a microcosm of a trend playing out statewide.