Social Issues

In Milan, Micronesian immigrants add vibrancy
One Minnesota community that has been able to establish a vibrant identity in the face of the pressures on rural America is Milan, near the South Dakota border. One reason has been an influx of immigrants from Micronesia -- islands in the South Pacific Ocean.
Fighting for an American Countryside: an age-old problem
The many demographic challenges facing rural Minnesota include a population that’s older than the state average. Given tight budgets all around, people in small towns are finding new ways to provide services.
Is it possible to have civil discourse with people who don't agree with you? The Minnesota Council of Churches' Respectful Conversations Project is trying to teach people how to do just that.
Is farm-animal abuse the exception or the rule?
An industry spokeswoman says a few "bad actors" abuse animals, but an attorney counters that many people would see routine practice as abusive.
Hundreds of East Side residents in St. Paul packed a church basement and leveled some harsh questions at city officials Thursday night after the shooting death of one man and the severe beating of another.
While the state's economy is improving, the need for hunger-related help remains high, a new report shows.
There's a sense of urgency to the quest for workplace harmony, as baby boomers delay retirement and work side-by-side with people young enough to be their children -- or grandchildren.
Fighting for an American Countryside in Minnesota
This Ground Level project we started almost four years ago has explored rural Minnesota with one guiding quest: Where are people trying to fix things? You would think, after talking to and writing about hundreds of people trying to keep the elderly healthy, extend broadband, ensure cleaner farm run-off, run more efficient local governments, encourage Read more →
Ninety-seven percent of Minnesota counties have a shortage of affordable rental housing, according to a new report from the Minnesota Housing Partnership.