Category: Rural Headlines

EXCERPT: “In autumn of 2020, the International Falls Police Department tested officer-worn cameras for about six weeks but ultimately chose not to keep them. It’s not that the department didn’t like what it saw. Captain Mike Kostiuk said the cameras were ‘obviously a great tool that we’d love to have’ for a department that wants to ...

EXCERPT: “A lifeguard shortage is hitting the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota, forcing some pools to close and beaches go unsupervised. St. Cloud is closing all seven of its wading pools for the entire summer. The city says COVID-19 restrictions were rolled back too late for it to budget for pool operations and salaries for ...

EXCERPT: “May 31, 1921. In a period of less than 24 hours, white citizens burned much of Greenwood — Tulsa’s vibrant Black community — and murdered as many as 300 people. For Crookston native Tim Madigan, the journey began in the year 2000. He was writing feature stories for the Fort-Worth Star Telegram when his editor ...

EXCERPT: “According to Explore Minnesota, the state entity that tracks tourism, revenue from tourism went from $16 billion in 2019 to just over $8 billion in 2020 but experts expect a big comeback in the local travel business this summer. ‘We’re back up to numbers ahead of 2019,’ General Manager of Cragun’s Resort on Gull ...

EXCERPT: “State lawmakers plan to return to work for a special session in June. Executive Director of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities’ (CGMC) Bradley Peterson says that while it’s good that leaders have an agreement on the budget… ‘We’re urging all of them and the legislature at large to remember that there are a ...

EXCERPT: “An updated strategic plan for guiding future development of Greater Minnesota’s regional parks and trails, including ensuring those areas are inviting and accessible to underserved communities, is now available to the public from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission. Established in 2013, the commission identifies regionally significant parks and trails in Minnesota’s ...

EXCERPT: “Minnesota’s hospitality industry says it lost $11 billion over the past year. Now, as the state’s restrictions ease up, restaurants, hotels and resorts are looking to fill jobs — fast. And that means companies are getting creative to bring in staff. About one in 10 Minnesotans have hospitality jobs. Right now, there’s around 100,000 openings, ...

EXCERPT: “The number of Minnesotans who died from drug overdoses rose sharply in 2020, despite a concerted effort to recognize those deaths as public health crisis. According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) a total of 1,008 people died from drug overdoses statewide in 2020, compared to 792 in 2019. That amounts to a ...

EXCERPT: “The COVID-19 pandemic had many vacationers looking for quiet getaways within driving distance of home – resulting in a windfall for rural Airbnb hosts. The COVID-19 pandemic had many vacationers looking for quiet getaways within driving distance of home – resulting in a windfall for rural Airbnb hosts. The online rental service said hosts in Greater ...