Ground Level®: Amplifying Community Voices

Your story is powerful. The stories you share with others honor the complexity of our communities while forging a more equitable and vibrant future.

Call 651-228-4800 and leave us a voice memo. If you're more comfortable texting, you can text “Hello” to 1-833-870-4111. You can also email us at tell@mpr.org and join in on conversations in our Ground Level Facebook group.

We’d like to hear your thoughts and questions. Your ideas about solutions. How are your communities? What are you seeing today? And what do you want to see tomorrow?

Note that while we will exercise editorial judgment for language, length and avoiding personal attacks, we will not sacrifice your meaning. We will ensure your main message comes through on air and online.

June 29, 2010 3:04 AM

There’s nothing like a good rumor

Someone has plans for the mattress factory building in Bertha, Minn. If you know more, comment on this blog post.

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June 28, 2010 7:42 AM

Ex-urban growth — a pause or an end? Still unknown

Exurban and suburban growth rates have slowed a great deal in the past decade, and annual growth rates in Minnesota are converging at around 1 percent of less.

by Dave Peters

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June 28, 2010 5:26 AM

Baldwin expects big turnout Tuesday

Baldwin Township is holding a community vision session

by Dave Peters

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June 25, 2010 9:43 AM

Farms and suburbs collide in Agriburbia

The idea of a development that devotes its green space to farming food for its residents may sounds a little odd, but what if it could work? Farmstead, an Agriburbia being developed in North Carolina, acts as a good case study to explain how these communities function.

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June 25, 2010 5:09 AM

Another warning bell on cities and their money

The League of Minnesota Cities released a report saying that in five years, cities all over Minnesota will be broke. That should start a conversation.

by Dave Peters

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June 24, 2010 10:30 AM

Almost 200 turn out to talk about Brainerd’s future

Nearly 200 people attended an Initiative Foundation-sponsored “community vision” session to consider the future of Brainerd.

by Dave Peters

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June 24, 2010 2:30 AM

A marketer’s view of Baldwin

The marketing firm Claritas theorizes that the communities in which people live dramatically affect their purchasing habits and has developed a series of categories they call segments to define different demographic groups. Their website allows you to look up any zip code in the U.S. and find the set of consumers that live there.

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June 22, 2010 2:30 AM

Getting youth involved

When looking for volunteers for community development projects, it’s important not to overlook youth residents. Engaging in projects helps them learn new skills, while creating a better community for them to live in.