Ground Level Blog

The Minnesota Broadband Advisory Task Force has finished its first report tracking how well the state is keeping up in the realm of high-speed Internet access. The picture is mixed.
For a year Ground Level has focused on Todd County, a rural central Minnesota community dealing with an aging population and a search for jobs. Here’s what happened in that year.
How Princeton is responding to a land detachment request is food for thought for Baldwin residents as questions of annexation continue to arise in the years to come.
Maryland is taking a stab at defining “local” food, not by setting a radius but by making retailers tell consumers what state the food is from if they claim it’s local.
In tough times, family opens Browerville food market
In tough times, a family has opened a new grocery store in Browerville, catering particularly to home bakers.
Thomas Terry has twice seen close up the effects of city mergers that streamline services and kept taxes down.
In a place that has a high rate of volunteering, Minnesotans are demanding that their volunteer efforts have more impact.
Early census figures suggest Baldwin is shrinking
According to preliminary census data, over 1,000 residents left Baldwin Township in the last year. Is this a sign of things to come? Will Baldwin continue to shrink?
Up to 10 percent of the U.S. diet is supplied from local food, Brian Halweil of the Worldwatch Institute estimated on MPR News’ Midmorning show Wednesday.