Year: 2020

man holding box of food

Stocking up

By Marnie Werner During these days of social distancing and #StayHomeMN, just going to the grocery store can be a daunting task for many among us. But as COVID-19 spreads, communities are also concerned about how to help people who can’t or shouldn’t go out, people who may already be sick and recovering at home, ...
Main Street in a small town

Relief for employers and employees

By Marnie Werner & Kelly Asche While it’s a relief to see something of a time frame on this epidemic, for many businesses, like restaurants and bars, salons, and their employees, end dates weeks out only indicate how much longer they need to be closed. It’s a tough blow, especially in rural areas where it ...

Nonprofit Quarterly: Rural Communities Divided over Wind Power

EXCERPT: “A fierce wind of acronyms is blowing across rural America: WINDCOWS (Wisconsin Independent Citizens Opposing Windturbine Sites), River RATS (River Residents Against Turbines), SOUL (Save Our Unspoilt Landscape). The UK’s not immune, what with England’s STINC (Stop Turbines in North Cornwall) and STEMM (Stop the Exploitation of Mynydd Mynyllod) in Wales. All are grassroots groups ...
canoes on a lake with trees

Why we’re watching the impact on the recreation industry up north

By Kelly Asche Last week, Governor Walz made the difficult but necessary decision to order all bars and restaurants across the state closed in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 even though it hasn’t reached all counties yet. But even though COVID-19 isn’t in your county yet, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be taking ...

Worried yet? You should be

By Marnie Werner & Kelly Asche In the movies, you can always tell who the “red shirt” is—the guy brought along by the hero and his or her gang for the sole purpose of being the dinosaur’s first victim. He’s the happy-go-lucky guy who scoffs as they peer into the creepy dark cave and says ...
row of small town buildings

Adapting

By Julie Tesch, President & CEO If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times by now: “We are living in unprecedented times.” In the blink of an eye, COVID-19 is rocking the economic and healthcare landscapes of our country. We don’t know what the future holds or what to do about it, ...