Greater Minnesota

Curious minds keep a southern Minnesota book group going for 142 years
Drawn by a love of literature and learning, eight women met in Blue Earth in 1883 to form the town’s Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle. That tradition continues to this day, driven by the ethos: “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”
As inspiration for ‘The Brutalist,’ famed St. John’s Abbey Church gains renewed interest
Completed in 1961, the strikingly unique Abbey Church is the flagship of St. John’s, and a heralded example of modern architecture. It’s also the inspiration for “The Brutalist,” one of the favorites to win best picture at Sunday's Academy Awards. 
Dwindling snowpack causes Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon to move farther north
Warm temperatures and a dwindling snowpack have forced organizers of this year’s John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in northeast Minnesota to move the starting location north of Two Harbors instead of near Duluth.
For a St. Cloud family, Trump’s pause of refugee admissions brings worry for Afghan relatives
One of President Trump’s first actions after taking office was an executive order indefinitely suspending the U.S. refugee resettlement program. A family living in St. Cloud who fled Afghanistan a year ago worries about relatives left behind.
In rural Minnesota, a longtime township clerk puts his faith in neighbors
Loren Ingebretsen has been a politician for 45 years at the most grassroots level of American politics, the township board. It’s vital work across Minnesota that rarely gets noticed. 
How ‘virtual’ power plants could help Minnesota charge toward a clean energy future
As it gets more expensive and costly to build traditional power plants and electric distribution systems, so-called “virtual power plants” could play an increasingly important role in meeting Minnesota’s clean energy goals.
NASCAR on ice? Cars, community drive Minnesota’s frozen lake racers
Cars traveling at high speeds on glare ice might sound like a disaster in the making. But for dozens of drivers in Otter Tail County, it’s a recipe for winter fun. Meet the Bass Lake racers.
Public input sought on elk restoration plan in northeast Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa will host meetings on Feb. 10 and Feb. 13 to outline a new management plan to restore elk to the northeast.