Ground Level Blog

June 24, 2013 8:41 AM

At rural health conference, trepidation about healthcare reform

DULUTH, Minn. — “Stuff is going on right now and it’s getting really aggressive.” That was the message this morning to several hundred Minnesota health-care providers, hospital administrators and medical students from Eric Shell of the consulting firm Stroudwater Associates. Shell, whose firm is based in Maine, was the opening speaker at a two-day Minnesota Read more →

by Jennifer Vogel

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June 14, 2013 9:42 AM

Federal grant to urge broadband adoption wraps up

Three years ago, the federal government started funneling more than $200 million in stimulus money into Minnesota to make it easier for residents to use the Internet. Most of that money is paying for private companies, cooperatives and local governments to lay fiber and install other hardware in places like Cook and Lake counties in Read more →

by Dave Peters

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June 13, 2013 10:51 AM

After years of debate, Fergus Falls settles on plan for historic mental hospital

The Kirkbride buildings loom like a castle at the edge of Fergus Falls, about three hours northwest of the Twin Cities. Built more than a century ago, the former state mental hospital has been vacant since 2009. The city saved the buildings from the wrecking ball but has struggled ever since to figure out what Read more →

by Jennifer Vogel

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June 12, 2013 6:10 AM

Who’s feeding kids in northwest Minnesota this summer?

The kids of northwestern Minnesota who eat subsidized lunches during the school year aren’t getting much help during the summer. On the other hand, some parts of southern Minnesota where a lot of kids are eligible do a much better job of delivering meals when school is out of session. Those are two at-a-glance conclusions Read more →

by Dave Peters

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June 6, 2013 11:03 AM

Slow food, slow travel could build rural tourism

MORRIS, Minn – Lucky for small towns, many of the things they do best, like growing local food and wine and making things by hand, are now in vogue. That was the message at a filled-to-the-brim seminar on tourism and rural economies during the final day of the two-day Rural Arts and Culture Summit at Read more →

by Jennifer Vogel

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June 6, 2013 3:34 AM

Old buildings can be cheap foundation for small town arts

MORRIS, Minn. – Sometimes the perfect use for that old, empty, neglected building on Main Street is as an art gallery or studio space. During the first day of a two-day conference exploring the intersection of arts and rural economic development at the University of Minnesota Morris, presenters discussed a farm house turned into an Read more →

by Jennifer Vogel

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June 5, 2013 8:39 AM

Yearning for arts can spur small town economic development

MORRIS, Minn. — If you want to get people in your small town interested in arts as an engine for job and business growth, the first step is to avoid the word “arts.” That was one of the messages delivered this morning at the Rural Arts and Culture Summit, a two-day conference at the University Read more →

by Jennifer Vogel

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May 31, 2013 11:13 AM

Broadband availability rises again

Nearly 70 percent of Minnesota households now have available the kind of high-speed Internet access that the state says they should. The latest semi-annual report from Connect Minnesota today said that 69.2 percent of households have access to download speeds of at least 10 megabits per second and upload speeds of six megabits per second. Read more →

by Dave Peters

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May 30, 2013 4:41 AM

Community leadership can be different for Latinos

One way a town can solve a problem is to put somebody in charge, come up with a plan and go to work. Parks get cleaned up, old buildings get saved, senior meals get organized. But as the number of Latino residents continues to rise in a number of Minnesota towns, that approach might not Read more →

by Dave Peters

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May 22, 2013 10:18 AM

With aid increase, cities look first to streets, roofs, other one-time improvements

Motorists driving through Richfield might someday find Portland and Nicollet avenues in better shape. Hutchinson might put a new roof on its civic arena. The police station in Maplewood might be remodeled. South St. Paul could shore up the levy along the Mississippi River. Austin might update some of its police equipment. These are some Read more →

by Dave Peters

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