Greater Minnesota

After a medical crisis, an Iron Range journalist is speaking out about systemic rural health care issues
Having a health crisis in your family is difficult no matter where you live. But in rural areas far from hospitals, the experience can be especially taxing.
Rapidan Dam partial failure sent more than a century’s worth of sediment pollution downstream
Rapidan Dam’s partial failure sent an estimated 11.6 million cubic yards of sediment downstream. Experts are worried about its ecological impacts and say it could take years to fully understand them.
20-year-old loops Lake Superior solo in 42 days, buoyed by climate change awareness
A triple science major at the College of St. Scholastica may be both the fastest and youngest to circumnavigate Lake Superior in a kayak — and he’s hoping the 1,000-mile trip will draw more attention to climate change’s effects in Minnesota.
25 years after Boundary Waters blowdown, a changed forest and vivid memories
July 4 is the 25th anniversary of the Boundary Waters blowdown, when winds up to 100 miles per hour tore through the canoe wilderness. A quarter century later, the forest is changed and memories of the event remain fresh.
When and where to watch fireworks this holiday weekend across Minnesota
The soggy start to July has put a damper on some Independence Day celebrations and activities, but fireworks will happen as planned in many cities and towns across the state. Here’s a list of events set to light up the sky.
Go with the flow: Minnesota towns see success replacing aging dams with rock rapids
In about 75 Minnesota locations, old dams have been removed and replaced with staircase-like rapids designed to allow the river to flow more freely and to avoid costly dam repairs — or worse, a collapse.
In Ely, an experiment to improve political conversations has come with ups and downs
The community of Ely has lots of issues dividing people there. So late last year, residents embarked on an experiment to have more productive conversations about contentious issues. Today, two participants say they’ve started doing things differently in their own lives to reduce polarization.
Sen. Nicole Mitchell seeks dismissal of burglary charge while calling for release of more evidence
DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell of Woodbury was arrested and charged with burglary in April when she was found in the basement of her stepmother’s home in Detroit Lakes. Her next court hearing is now scheduled for July 9.