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Rural Voice: Owatonna faces the challenge of comprehensive health care in rural Minnesota

Rural Voice: Owatonna faces the challenge of comprehensive health care in rural Minnesota

The final Rural Voice town hall of the 2025 season was held in Owatonna on Sept. 29, where community leaders and citizen advocates told Kerri Miller they are determined to face the looming health care crisis with innovation and moxie.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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After contentious zoning approval, Hermantown now delays controversial data center's permits

After contentious zoning approval, Hermantown now delays controversial data center's permits

The small northern Minnesota city tabled consideration of the two permits after a group opposing the proposed data center filed a petition asking for additional environmental review of the controversial project.
by Dan Kraker

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Blue Earth hospital offers hope amid nationwide rural maternity ward closures

Blue Earth hospital offers hope amid nationwide rural maternity ward closures

Hospital labor and delivery units are closing all across the country, most notably in rural areas where care providers are already few and far between. But a couple of rural hospitals in Minnesota are doing the opposite: they're expanding.
by Molly Castle Work

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Rural health care in Minnesota: What's changing and why?

Rural health care in Minnesota: What's changing and why?

Mayo Clinic Health System recently announced it will end on-call labor and delivery services in Owatonna in November. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks about what it means for families — and for rural health care in Minnesota.
by Catharine Richert, Cari Dwyer, Nikhil Kumaran and Maja Beckstrom

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What to know about data centers in Minnesota

What to know about data centers in Minnesota

Mega data centers are being proposed across Minnesota. But they use a lot of water and electricity. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert and her guests talk about why these projects are creating so much debate and what you need to know.
by Catharine Richert and Bianca Caputo

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In this west-central Minnesota town, fiddle jams draw players from ages 3 to 86

In this west-central Minnesota town, fiddle jams draw players from ages 3 to 86

The Sunburg Minnesota Community Fiddlers started with a few people getting together to jam. One woman made it her mission to build that group into an intergenerational community centered around music and fun. 
by Dan Gunderson

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