Category: Rural Headlines

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 ...

EXCERPT: “Beth Ford’s campaign to extend high-speed internet service to rural America gathered more momentum Tuesday when Land O’Lakes announced creation of the American Connection Corps. Ford, president and CEO of the agricultural cooperative, has spearheaded a national coalition’s efforts to close the digital divide, which places many farm communities at a disadvantage to their urban counterparts ...

EXCERPT: “This verdict we’ve been talking about it to put it in context not only heard around Minnesota but all around the world. Yeah. And you don’t have to live in the Twin Cities to know how big of a moment this is. John Lauritsen continues our coverage in Western Minnesota. Here in Willmar about ...

EXCERPT: “Jackson-based Federated Rural Electric is one of many rural electric cooperatives working to keep the lights on for farmers and rural residents of southwest Minnesota. Scott Reimer, Federated’s general manager, knows the industry well and understands how essential it is for farmers. Born in Huron, S.D., Reimer started in the industry 43 years ago, ...