EXCERPT: “The Minnesota Pharmacists Association (MPHA) held a legislative day in St. Paul, on March 5, according to Philip Hommerding, owner of Hunt’s Silver Lake Drug Store, part of the purpose was to call attention to the state’s growing pharmacy deserts. According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), around 400,000 in Greater Minnesota live a ...

Our hyper-focus on population numbers overlooks important trends in the number of households. By: Kelly Asche, Senior Researcher Leaders in communities are obsessed with population numbers – are they growing or declining and by how much, over how long of a time period? – and they believe that the trendline is a marker of their ...

  On March 13th, the Citizens League and the Center for Rural Policy & Development hosted the webinar – Shifting Landscapes: Understanding Migration Patterns in Minnesota. The Center for Rural Policy and Development’s newest research – “Time to work together: our roles in keeping and attracting residents” – was presented by Senior Research Kelly Asche. ...

On February 6th, 2025, Sourcewell partnered with Center for Rural Policy & Development (CRPD) for a live webinar with CRPD staff presenting their newest research. This video focuses on the economic and demographic trends in Greater Minnesota.    

EXCERPT: “‘Takin’ It to the Streets’ may have been the title of a Doobie Brothers tune from the 1970s, but such an action is prohibited in Minnesota for drivers of all-terrain vehicles. You can ride those four-wheeled, open-air vehicles on designated trails and private property, but can you take your ATV to town? Not if ...

EXCERPT: “Child care in Minnesota is among the most expensive in the nation, according to data released this month by the Economic Policy Institute, a progressive think tank. The average annual cost of infant care in the state adds up to more than $22,000 annually, or almost $1,900 a month. Only DC and Massachusetts have higher infant ...

    March 2025 By Kelly Asche, Senior Researcher & Marnie Werner, Vice President of Research & Operations Click here for a printable version of the report. It seems that Minnesota’s regions continue to pit themselves against each other when discussing population growth—specifically, population migration and workforce development—but discussions usually lead to confusing and contradictory ...

By Marnie Werner, VP, Research & Operations We’ve been spending some time with mental health and mental health care the last few years here at the Center, and one thing we’ve found, which should be surprising to no one who follows our work or just lives in this state, is that we have a shortage ...

EXCERPT: “Dr. Alison Raffman had only arrived in Bemidji two days earlier, with three boxes of stuff and two cats, and already she was hustling around the emergency department at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center. The medical resident was treating dizziness in a newly diagnosed cancer patient, an infection in a nervous pregnant woman, and an ...

EXCERPT: “Researchers at UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science are partners on a $15 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant to explore the benefits and responsible use of autonomous vehicles in rural communities where transportation services are limited. The six-year project will develop solutions to improve mobility, such as enabling nondrivers to better access health ...