The Profit of Care: Minnesota Lawmakers Target Private Equity’s Growing Grip on Eldercare
As Minnesota’s population ages and the demand for long-term care surges, a quiet but intense battle is brewing in the halls of the State Capitol in St. Paul. At the heart of the debate is a fundamental question: Can the high-return demands of private…
The New Iron Age: Niron Magnetics and the $1.8 Billion Quest to Transform Minnesota’s Iron Range
ST. PAUL, MN — For over a century, the Iron Range of Northern Minnesota has been the backbone of American industry, fueling the steel mills that built the nation’s cities and won its wars. However, as the taconite industry faces a long-term decline…
The Sunset of a Civic Giant: Inside the Decision to Disband the Itasca Project
MINNEAPOLIS — In a move that has sent ripples through the Upper Midwest’s civic and corporate landscape, the Itasca Project, a powerhouse alliance of business, philanthropic, and public sector leaders that has shaped Twin Cities policy for over two…
The Long Wait for the Green Light: Minnesota’s Cannabis Market Finally Moves Beyond Tribal Borders
In the heart of Minneapolis, at the intersection of West 25th Street and South Lyndale Avenue, the air is often thick with the scent of tobacco and vapor. The Loon Smoke Shop has long served as a neighborhood anchor, a place where late-night crowds…
Defiance in Albert Lea: The Growing Legal and Financial Standoff Over Cannabis Retail
ALBERT LEA, MN – In a move that legal experts suggest borders on open defiance of Minnesota state law, the Albert Lea City Council has formally denied a business registration for what was slated to become the city’s first licensed cannabis dispensary.…
The Silicon Prairie’s Power Play: How Minnesota Became a Global Hub for Microgrid Innovation
Just northeast of the I-494 and Highway 100 interchange in Bloomington, Minnesota, stands a building that defies traditional Midwestern architectural norms. Clad in striking red and blue, the structure resembles a futuristic sailboat or perhaps a…
Stability at the Helm: Eric Taubel Appointed Permanent Director of Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management
ST. PAUL, MN — Governor Tim Walz has officially signaled a new chapter of stability for Minnesota’s nascent recreational marijuana industry by appointing Eric Taubel as the permanent executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). Taubel,…
From "Weeds" to Wonders: The Explosive Rise of Native Plant Gardening in America
Main Facts: A Record-Breaking Season for Biodiversity In the heart of Chicago’s North Side, a quiet revolution is taking root. At the Kilbourn Park greenhouse, the air is thick with the scent of damp earth and the promise of spring. For Renee Costanzo,…
The Great Return: Target Mandate and the Revitalization of Downtown Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS — For years, the rhythmic pulse of downtown Minneapolis was muffled, a casualty of the global shift toward remote work that began in 2020. However, as of September 2025, the city’s heart is beating with a renewed, albeit different, vigor. The…
Bridging the Opportunity Gap: The Critical Evolution and Current Crisis of Minneapolis Step Up
In the landscape of Twin Cities workforce development, few initiatives have carried as much weight or promise as "Step Up." For over two decades, the Minneapolis-based internship program has served as a bridge between the city’s Fortune 500…
