Greater Minnesota

Federal report finds Rapidan Dam removal will have beneficial effects on Blue Earth River
A federal report indicates that removing the partially collapsed Rapidan Dam will have long term beneficial effects on fish and other aquatic life in the Blue Earth River. Severe flooding caused the dam to fail in June of 2024.
Retired from Nordic skiing, legend Jessie Diggins tackles the Superior 100 mile race
Five months after retiring from professional cross country skiing, gold medalist Jessie Diggins is tackling another extreme sport, running ultramarathon trail races. The 35-year old from Afton began running the grueling Superior 100 on Friday.
Why the devastating Boundary Waters wildfires are critical for a healthy Minnesota forest
The wildfires that burned 70,000 acres of the canoe wilderness this summer left behind a charred landscape, but also set the stage for a rebirth of northern Minnesota’s boreal forest.
Northern Minnesota wildfires now fully contained; BWCAW forests already sprouting new growth
The wildfires burning for more than two months in northern Minnesota are finally fully contained, according to officials with the Superior National Forest. Even in some of the most intensely fire damaged forestland, regrowth and forest regeneration is already underway.
Meet Trapper, the dog helping Minnesota's DNR sniff out invasive zebra mussels
Invasive zebra mussels have infested five percent of Minnesota’s treasured lakes, rivers and waterways, where they gobble up nutrients that native fish and plants need. So to keep them from spreading, the state’s Department of Natural Resources is using specially trained K-9s to sniff them out.
Minnesota is losing hospital obstetrics units faster than most states, new data finds
Minnesota is one of only eight states that lost more than 20 percent of hospital-based labor and delivery units since 2010. It’s part of a nationwide trend of hospitals closing birthing centers across the U.S, especially in rural areas, where obstetrics services tend to be too expensive to staff for the relatively few babies delivered each year.
How the State Fair launched the career of a Minnesota culinary icon
Beatrice Ojakangas, 92, who won blue ribbons at the fair as a teen, went on to write more than 30 cookbooks, hobnob with cooking legends and invent one of the most famous frozen finger foods.
CoreCivic offers Appleton $1.2 million per year to make up for lost tax revenue
CoreCivic, the company operating a 1,600-bed facility that will begin housing Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees this fall, is offering to pay the city of Appleton just over $1.2 million a year.
Visa restrictions lead to fewer international students enrolling in MN colleges for 2nd year
As the Trump administration enacts policy changes restricting student visas, many of the students from foreign countries here are feeling anxious about the future or their studies and whether they’ll be able to complete them.