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Values in a Rural Town

As we grow together, we’re co-creating a mini economy that builds the basis for an emerging value system — one that doesn’t have to rest on ever-increasing consumption or outward expansion, but rather depends on a more comprehensive, deeper understanding of how we are connected.

How to Address Domestic Violence in a Collective Way

"Early intervention is really where it’s at. When men who have used violence are done with programming, one of the most common things they say is that they wish they would have gotten this information when they were in high school, or before they got married, or when they were starting their relationship."

Two Educators Discuss the History and Tips for Organizing in Difficult Times

It dawned on me that it was the church ladies who kept it going by providing each other with logistical, emotional, and social support so that they could hold the line for over a year — and that's what we were missing.

What I Have Been Doing in “Retirement”

"I was not ready to run for elected office, but believed the principles of evidence and inclusion belong in local government."

COMMENTARY: Pine City Pride

It is easy to fear the unknown and to believe the worst of others when you do not know them.

Pride in Rural Communities

Queer folks have always been in Southwest Minnesota. We are excited to celebrate the entirety of their identities in community together.

Traveling Through Books

These days my favorite method of travel is by canoe and portage path. In Justine Kerfoot’s memoir "Woman of the Boundary Waters," she tells of life on Gunflint Lake, starting in the 1930s, when the canoe was still used as a method of travel.

Building Child Care Solutions Statewide

In 2021, about 6,500 child care spaces were lost in non-metro Minnesota. This meant more parents stayed home due to lack of options, and rural companies in particular had trouble retaining employees. A few cities have taken steps to correct those issues.

In Winona: “Where Do We Go From Here?”

Large-scale housing developments in the area have waiting lists of 300 people for a one-bedroom apartment.

How Stearns County Addresses Domestic Violence

Everyone involved in a Stearns County case — law enforcement, advocates, court administrators, jailers, and attorneys — undergo training, which helps them better understand the dynamics of domestic violence. For example: Victims might not testify in court or interact with law enforcement “because they know that officers cannot save them.” Victims commonly turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with their situations.

Honoring the Legacy of Rep. Mary Murphy

Mary Murphy was Minnesota's longest-serving woman legislator — and the state's second-longest-serving legislator — who served 46 years, from 1977 to 2023. A special post-humous "Mary Murphy Day" was held at the State Capitol April 21, 2025.

PHOTO GALLERY: Hands Off, April 2025

An estimated 25,000 people turned out in Saint Paul for the…