EXCERPT: “‘Rural By Choice’ is a new seven-part documentary series that reveals how rural communities in Western Minnesota have experienced surprising population growth — from surprising demographics — in recent years. The story of this rural America rebound is told through the eyes of WCCO radio host Cory Hepola (a native of Otter Tail County), who returns to his ...

EXCERPT: “Successful businesses are eminently salable at a multiple of revenue or profits; restaurants are a notable exception. Most go up for sale when an owner or founding chef departs. Unproven new ownership may lack the ability to maintain the customer experience, which is closely tied to a chef/owner’s vision, and new owners are often ...

Grocery stores have been on Julie’s mind lately. As a member of the Waseca EDA, she finds herself thinking about ways and alternatives to attract a new grocery store business to the community to help fill a need that is currently only occupied by Walmart. On this episode, she discusses one alternative – cooperatives. She’s ...

EXCERPT: “I have driven 381 miles for a beer. Revelation Ale Works is a small, seven-barrel taproom in Minnesota’s northwesternmost corner, in a blip of corn silos and grain elevators called Hallock (pop. 981). The landscape is practically featureless, a flowchart of sugar beets and soybeans broken by farmhouses and the odd cottonwood. The soil is ...

By Kelly Asche Every year the Center publishes the “State of Rural” report – a brief overview of the demographic and economic trends from a rural perspective. This year’s report will be published in December 2021. Over the next few months, we will be writing about some of the trends in the report here on our blog allowing ...

EXCERPT: “Natalie Saldana would love to put her 1.5-year-old daughter in a quality child care program while she works and goes to school, but the $700 monthly price tag makes it impossible. ‘Seven-hundred dollars is almost my rent,’ Saldana said. Saldana, 22, is a full-time student, single mom and health insurance agent in South Carolina. She’s ...

After taking a break over the summer we are happy to be back and discuss some of the future research we have coming out this Fall. On this episode we discuss why our upcoming research will be focused around a general topic – taxes. What we thought, at first, was just coincidence that our topics ...

EXCERPT: “In early September, Pharmaceutical manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and three large pharmaceutical distributors, McKesson Corp, AmerisourceBergen Corp and Cardinal Health Inc, decided to proceed with a $26 billion settlement to resolve the claims in over 3,000 opioid crisis-related suits across the U.S. Forty-two states joined the settlement, including Minnesota. Participating states are due to ...

EXCERPT: “COVID-19 case rates increased in 59 of 87 Minnesota counties in the weekly statewide report released Thursday by the health department. County case rates are based on the number of confirmed cases in a week per 10,000 people, with the latest report representing case rates for Sept. 19-25. For context, anything over 10 is a ...

EXCERPT: “Minnesota communities, schools and their partners are invited to apply for funding on local projects that enhance transportation goals, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The $6.2 million in federal funding is available through the Transportation Alternatives program in Greater Minnesota (each region has a sub-targeted fund). This program offers a competitive grant for ...