Featured Stories

The 2014 Minnesota Healthy Communities Conference introduced participants to innovative community health projects that explore links between community development and the health of low-income people.

Enjoy this roundup of 10 exciting architectural and development additions to Minneapolis and St. Paul that promise to transform neighborhoods, enrich our quality of life and add to the roster of “must see” attractions for out-of-town guests.

According to a recent panel discussion, we need to own our cold climate and our ingenuity in order to attract new talent, continue fueling the innovation at the heart of our economy, and create a new and authentic national identity. Shall we call ourselves the North?  

From a fan's perspective, the Minnesota music scene feels like a uniquely supportive community. But he wanted to see if that's a viewpoint shared by artists who have come here from other environs. It is, despite the cold.

Creative collaborations on St. Paul’s East Side, throughout Little Africa in St. Paul and along West Broadway in North Minneapolis are helping small businesses thrive while sparking economic vitality and community pride.

A transit user and cyclist explains why he traded the conveniences of car ownership for an “experience-based lifestyle.”

Minnesota's rapid spread and development of solar energy generation is sparking Twin Cities entrepreneurship.

With momentum on multiple fronts, a number of women-led initiatives are expanding the future of cycling to create a healthier, safer, more opportunity-rich Twin Cities for female cyclists.  

Low-income workers like Tawnee McCluskey often lack the basic skills needed to find a good job. To bridge the gap, experts says it's essential to invest in training. Yet despite millions of people out of work, programs are hard to find.

Architects, developers and city officials hope that two new apartment towers, which are changing the skyline of downtown Minneapolis, will transform street life and commerce with an influx of new residents and new businesses.  

CommonBond, an innovative non-profit organization that operates 95 housing developments throughout the Upper Midwest, also offers residents classes and one-on-one counseling about school, employment, finances, and health and wellness.

In September, innovators from around the country convened in Detroit to exchange their ideas for building better cities and stronger communities. For three days, Detroit was transformed into a marketplace for ideas for cities.

The Twin Cities is a leader in bicycle use and a major innovator in bicycle design and technology. The seven inventions profiled here have, or will have, an impact on the local and global cycling industry. And the pace of innovation shows no sign of slowing down.    

We recently sat down with Shawn Combs Walding, MnDOT’s Transit Advantages Coordinator for the Twin Cities Metro District to discuss alternative transportation in the Twin Cities, what local entities can do to promote transit use, and how easy it really is to be car-free. 

The message of this year's Rail~Volution conference in the Twin Cities was clear: To attract and retain top talent in the coming decades, cities must meet Millennials' preferences for effective transit options.