News

Support Our Local Businesses on Small Business Saturday

Thursday, November 10, 2022

For many people in our community, their favorite shopping memories have occurred when visiting a small business downtown. There is something special about shopping at a local store where the owners greet you by name, swap stories with you, and ask about the kids. You can’t find that experience everywhere, but you can find it here. Small Business Saturday is an opportunity to recognize local small businesses for the positive contribution they make to our lives – during the holidays and all year long. Why We Support Local Businesses on Small Business Saturday Ideally, community members would shop locally all year lon...

Celebrating Manufacturers’ Month in Long Prairie - Manufacturers’ Breakfast with Minnesota Fresh

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

An economy with a vibrant manufacturing base leads to more research and development, innovation, productivity, exports, and middle-class jobs. It has been seen that manufacturing jobs in a community help to raise living standards, sometimes more than in any other sector. Kicking off on Manufacturing Day — Friday, October 1 — and continuing throughout the month of October, we celebrate companies in the community for their employment opportunities and innovations that grow our economy. Manufacturing Day and Month celebrate modern manufacturing and are meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers across the country. Launched annually on the first Friday in Octobe...

National Inventors Month: It’s all about an innovative spirit

Thursday, September 01, 2022

National Inventors Month falls in the month of August each year and is dedicated to recognizing the contributions of inventors everywhere. It encourages each one of us, in our own ways, to be innovative too! When we think of inventors, we are usually reminded of people like Alexander Graham Bell or Henry Ford. Of course, these inventors made an impressive impact on our lives. However, in an age of gadgets and electronics, there is incredible progress being made every single day. A lot of technological innovation is taken for granted. In fact, every technological invention is affecting every facet of ou...

Main Street Revitalization in Long Prairie with help from the Initiative Foundation

Tuesday, August 02, 2022

Formed in 1986 by a partnership of regional leaders and The McKnight Foundation, the Initiative Foundation is one of six Minnesota Initiative Foundations serving Greater Minnesota. Independent and responsive to local needs and opportunities, each Foundation was created to strengthen its regional economy and communities. The MIF partners share ideas while investing in business loans, nonprofit grants, programs, and donor services. The MIF model is unique to Minnesota. No other U.S. state has a similar foundation network that unites community and economic development. Our Service Area The Initiative Foundation’s 14-county service area includes Todd County and the sovereign native nations of th...

Harmony Park in Long Prairie - Promoting harmony in a diverse community

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Region Five Development Commission received a grant from the Northwest Area Foundation to work with 6 communities within the five-county region. This led to the formation of the Welcoming Community Advisory Groups, who met every quarter, spending 1 ½ years together, to talk about ways to help create welcoming spaces, processes, and initiatives within themselves, the organizations they serve, and the communities they live in. Each community was given a $10,000 grant to produce a project or program that would exemplify how the community is creating a welcoming place. Harmony Park was the project that the Long Prairie Welcoming Advocac...

Infrastructure replacement in Long Prairie - For a safe and sustainable community

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Infrastructure is the basic equipment and structures -such as roads, bridges, buildings, water lines, and sewer systems are essential for functional, healthy, and vibrant communities. In order to function properly, infrastructure must be maintained, repaired, or replaced at the end of its life cycle. Because stormwater runoff has become one of the leading causes of water pollution in urban environments, community leaders and decision-makers are faced with making decisions on how to best manage stormwater in their communities. The City of Long Prairie has always believed that its people should live in a safe, sustainable, and beautiful community. The cit...

Good Morning Long Prairie - Bringing people together

Friday, May 20, 2022

The primary goal of the Long Prairie Area’s Chamber of Commerce is to promote businesses and nonprofits in the community while nurturing the livability and connectedness of the Long Prairie Area. Instead of asking, “What do you want your chamber to do?” members prefer to know, “What kind of a community do we want to be?” By learning from one another, the Chamber can help connect community members to businesses, and nonprofits while ensuring economic viability for years to come. An effort in this direction is the Good Morning Networking Breakfast series. Held every fourth Thursday, Good Morning Breakfast offers businesse...

Long Prairie’s very own Ice Skating Rink: Hot chocolate and a warming house welcome skaters during the winter season!

Friday, April 08, 2022

The new, open-door ice skating rink and hockey arena that opened in Long Prairie in December 2021 is proving to be popular with the residents of the city. With a capacity of around 150-200 skaters, the 80-feet by 155-feet rink was constructed last year and will increase in size next year to 100 -feet by 200 -feet. It saw skating enthusiasts of all ages enjoying the facility. The rink is proposed to be kept open between December through February of every year, …- just the right time for some ice skating. Long Prairie: A legacy of ice skating This is not the firs...

Advertisement for Bids - Read More Here

Monday, March 28, 2022

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS: Sealed proposal will be received by the City of Long Prairie Minnesota at the City Hall until the hour of 11:00 A.M. on April 14th, 2022 and will be publicly opened and read aloud immediately thereafter for SEAL COATING ON CITY STREETS, ALLEYS AND PARKING LOTS, as follows: BID: 9,590 GAL. - Bituminous Material, CRS-2 applied and supplied by contractor 356 Cu. Yds - Seal Coat Aggregate (FA-2) granite chips applied by contractor. All bids must be on the basis of cash payment for the work. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waiv...

The WAVE/Saludos Center at Long Prairie: Newcomers are valued. All are welcome.

Friday, February 18, 2022

The "WAVE/Saludos" Center supports engagement and outreach among all newcomers by providing resources at key access points, developing community partnerships, and hosting community networking meetings. WAVE/Saludos stands for "Welcoming Advocates Valuing Everyone", with Saludos being the Spanish translation for "wave". Its vision? To empower new and existing community members by fostering a welcoming environment, while providing equitable access to community resources associated with wellness. The WAVE/Saludos Center: An initiative that began with the University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Extension Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (CRSDP) aims to sustain Minnesota's natural resources and rural communities by working with communities to addres...

Chief of Police Duane Breiter: Responding to the needs of a Community

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

When Duane Breiter got into law enforcement, he did it for all the right reasons. Dedicated to serving and protecting, he wanted to give back by helping others and ensuring that the community was safeguarded. As a junior in high school, he had already started looking at the possibilities of harboring a career in law enforcement. Now, as Chief of Police in Long Prairie, Minnesota for the past many months, he is quickly becoming known as a resource for other law enforcement officers to emulate and follow. Starting work as a police officer in Slayton, Minnesota in 1990, Breiter worked ther...

Supporting the small business: Shop Local this holiday season

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

For most people across communities, their favorite shopping memories have occurred when visiting a small business downtown. There is something special about shopping at a local store where the owners greet you by name, swap stories with you, and ask about the kids. You can’t find that experience everywhere, but you can find it here, in the local store or service. As we get ready for shopping during the holiday season, paying attention to our local stores can serve as an opportunity to recognize the positive contribution they make to our lives – during the holidays and all year long. Some Ideas For Small Businesses To Use During The Holiday Season On...

Diane Brandes passes Craft Show baton to Long Prairie Chamber of Commerce

Tuesday, December 07, 2021

Thirty years is a good run. As the Long Prairie Arts & Crafts Show and Sell, held annually on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, celebrates its 30th anniversary, founder Diane Brandes looks back on the history of the event. “My mother-in-law in South Dakota had a craft show the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We went there for every Thanksgiving so we went to her show.” Diane enjoyed the show and sell concept and dreamed about having one in Long Prairie, her hometown. “I could do that,” she said, knowing she possessed the skills, talent and determination to organize such an event. “I checked wit...

Sonya Cote brings her farm-to-table cooking (and her farm) to Bastrop

Thursday, October 07, 2021

Moving can be a real pain, right? All the boxes, hiring movers, those damn packing peanuts. Try moving a farm. Sonya Cote and David Barrow did just that in 2020, when they loaded up a fleet of 18-wheelers (18 of them, in fact) with nutrient-dense topsoil from their Eden East farm on Springdale Road in East Austin and hauled it to their newly acquired land off Main Street in Bastrop. Sound crazy? Well, you can’t have a farm-to-table restaurant without a farm. The wife-and-husband team opened Store House Market & Eatery about a mile down the street in January. Continue reading here.

Poised to Lead the EV Charge

Monday, August 16, 2021

In 2020, Long Prairie applied for and was accepted in a new incentive program from Minnesota Power to install a 2-port electric vehicle (EV) charging station. “In order to increase the number of publicly available charging stations in northeastern Minnesota, Minnesota Power is purchasing 20 electric vehicle chargers that will be donated to qualifying customer host sites. In addition, Minnesota Power will rebate customers for installation expenses up to 80% of the cost with a maximum payment of $1,500,” reads the press release announcing the program. Minnesota Power will select the recipients of the chargers based on location and th...

Creating Community Through Space

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Nationally, July is Park and Recreation month. Locally, Long Prairie has a variety of parks and recreation areas for all modes of activity. Many of us have recently reconnected with the parks that make Long Prairie such an attractive place to live. For some residents it was like rediscovering a long-buried treasure from the attic. As our lives adjusted to the restrictions in our daily routines, we were able to develop new ones, perhaps more meaningful as well. As we’ve done throughout the pandemic, residents of Long Prairie came together during hardship generations ago in the Great Depression. In the mid-30s...

Upgraded Wastewater Treatment Plant Fully Online

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

The Wastewater Treatment Plant As a small-town mecca for big-time industry, Long Prairie faces some unique challenges that most towns of its size never worry about; how to handle a larger than average amount of waste water. The newly completed addition to the town’s wastewater treatment plant is the second phase of expansion that began in 2002 to handle the large volume of industrial and residential waste within the system before it enters the Long Prairie River. As a designated Class-A major facility, the Long Prairie wastewater treatment plant has an average wet weather flow of 2.5 million gallons of water daily...

Creativity finds a home in Long Prairie

Monday, June 07, 2021

A wise old proverb says, Jobs feed the family, Art and Culture feed the soul. In Long Prairie you’ll find plenty of ways to nurture your inner self. With the Long Prairie River winding its way around the bend at Long Prairie, flanked by our vast farmlands as a scenic backdrop, Long Prairie’s creative community finds infinite inspiration in building a vibrant arts scene. Opportunities for artistic development and enjoyment of cultural pleasures span the calendar with enriching possibilities. Throughout the year, Long Prairie artisans are at work creating works that inspire our imagination. Our community has a strong tradition fo...

Four Seasons of Outdoor Fun and Recreation

Monday, May 31, 2021

The City of Long Prairie has numerous parks throughout the city. Lake Charlotte Park which is the largest park also offers the greatest variety of activities. The park has three picnic shelters which may be reserved for special occasions. No matter what your thrill level, you’ll find it here in Long Prairie. Located along the scenic, winding Long Prairie River, we offer four seasons of parks and trails, playgrounds and fields, not to mention summer fun at Lake Charlotte Park. Don’t forget to wet your canoe or kayak in the Long Prairie River. Our well maintained parks are a local treasure...

Find Your New Home in Long Prairie

Monday, May 24, 2021

Perhaps no other decision has a greater impact on the happiness and health of your family than the choice of where you live. A classic farmhouse in the country; a sharp condo development downtown; a gracious new construction on a cul-de-sac… Each of these living situations defines not only your shelter—but your life. A wide variety of housing options are available in Long Prairie and the surrounding area. From affordable starter homes in friendly small towns to opulent luxury homes built to entertain and pamper - everything can be found here. Long Prairie boasts low crime with a positive inventory of home...

What’s New in Long Prairie? Visit Us to Find Out!

Monday, May 17, 2021

Wondering what’s new in Long Prairie? Our website is up and we are proud to provide the latest news on what is happening in the county and within its communities. We continually update our postings news and events that tourists can use to find cultural events, local landmarks, festivals and celebrations, recreational activities available and much more. Our residents are important to us and we want to make sure that every resident is up to date on the latest happenings of Long Prairie. Click here to visit our website and read up on what is happening, today!

4 Ways to Get Your Attention Back on Track and Stay Focused

Thursday, May 13, 2021

The following excerpt is from Dr. Nadine Greiner’s book Stress-Less Leadership. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | IndieBound or click here to buy it directly from us and SAVE 60% on this book when you use code LEAD2021 through 4/10/21. It can be hard to concentrate. Even on your best days, you're surrounded by distractions. When you struggle to concentrate, you can’t focus on what needs to be done, you waste time and you stress yourself out. It’s time to review some solutions. Lay out the work and stick to it When you embark on a task without a plan, it’s like going on a road trip without a map. You need to know where you’r...

Quality of Life Second to None in Long Prairie!

Monday, May 10, 2021

The Mission of the Long Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce is to Promote, Educate, and Support a vital business community while enhancing and nurturing the livability and community connectedness of the area. One of our biggest selling points is the rich quality of life you’ll find here in Long Prairie. Long Prairie is the retail, medical, business and entertainment hub of Todd County - attracting workers and tourists from a regional area. The businesses and residents who call Long Prairie home enjoy these amenities, along with the ability to reach other cities quickly. Located at the crossroads of Hwy 71 an...

Economic development webinars you don't want to miss

Monday, May 03, 2021

So much goes into strategy and planning for economic recovery and this line-up of free professional development webinars is designed to help you and your team take on the challenges that lie ahead. From a closer look to the interactive data you offer prospective investors and existing businesses to automatic property data feeds, from a guest panel of economic developers sharing strategies from their communities to questions about GIS tools and what brokers want you to know, these free online workshops are well worth your time. Can't attend at those dates or times? No problem! Register anyway to ensure you ge...

Long Prairie is an excellent place to live and work

Monday, May 03, 2021

If you are interested in relocating to Long Prairie, MN, our site has several ways in which you can find your next job, here in Long Prairie. Our employment opportunities page will lead you directly to the current job postings, including all of the information you need to successfully find your next employer. Long Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce has also partnered with MN Job Match to bring Long Prairie Job Match to you! This cutting-edge technology provides for higher-quality matches between job seekers and employers—across the state. This service is available free of charge to applicants. You can also fin...

The plain truth about virtual site visits for commercial

Monday, May 03, 2021

There's a lot of talk and excitement among economic developers about using virtual tours to profile commercial real estate to potential investors and site selectors who may not be able to visit in person because of the pandemic. We get that - it IS genuinely exciting. There are so many compelling new ways to let people see a property - inside and out - from the comfort and safety of their offices. Even after the pandemic recedes, this will remain an excellent way to engage and inform businesses making location decisions. Unfortunately, there's also a lot of miscommunication and misinformation about what virtua...

Welcome Portia Robertson Migas, Greater MSP'S New Vice President Of Marketing & Communications

Friday, April 30, 2021

GREATER MSP is pleased to announce Portia Robertson Migas as the new Vice President of Marketing and Communications. In this position, Portia will serve as ‘chief executive storyteller’ and global brand strategist for the region. She will be responsible for managing and leading all aspects of the GREATER MSP Partnership’s marketing and communication strategy, campaigns, media and public relations, issues management and program initiatives. Portia will create and execute an innovative strategic marketing and communications plan in collaboration with GREATER MSP's hardworking, professional staff and a set of marketing and communications leaders from across the region. Portia has more than 20 years of experience in a variety o...

Long Prairie EDA Welcomes New Board Members

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

The Long Prairie Economic Development Authority board of directors consists of a diverse group of individuals, each of whom bring a unique set of values and backgrounds to the collective. Our members come from all walks of life, with various degrees of education, training and work/life experience. While some of our board members have previous and/or current experience serving on boards and others have no experience, they all share a common desire to serve their community, and to willingly contribute to and participate in the economic growth of Long Prairie. Our board members are: Lauren Hebert, David Wright, Dallas Nelson...

Providing High-Quality and Comprehensive Education for Students of all Abilities

Monday, April 26, 2021

Having a high-quality school district is one of the keys to a healthy and diverse community. The Long Prairie-Grey Eagle School District #2753 is a preschool through grade 12 district of about 1,000 students. The District serves the students of Long Prairie and Grey Eagle, Minnesota; as well as the surrounding area. The teachers and administrators serving in this close-knit and supportive District are focused on providing high-quality and comprehensive education for students of all abilities. Students in Long Prairie feel encouraged and supported as they embark upon their educational journey and it is common for the entire community to sho...

Hot Property Ready for Development

Monday, April 12, 2021

Southwest Industrial Park in Long Prairie is ready to do business. Get in on the ground floor in this new development. Southwest Industrial Park consists of 20 lots ranging in size from 1 to 5 acres each. The property is considered "shovel ready." All zoning and environmental issues have been addressed, and top notch-utilities and fire protection are ready for service. It is also Broadband ready with service through CTC. City water and sewer are available. The park is in a great location just off of U.S. Hwy. 71 and near MN 27 and MN 287. For detailed information about this grea...

It's Time You Master Google Analytics to Help Grow Your Business

Sunday, April 11, 2021

Being inquisitive about data is essential for any web-based business. How are you going to operate a website without knowing how people are actually using it? That's why Google Analytics is so crucial for any business running a website. It will give you the insights you need to make better decisions about your content, web optimization, SEO, and more. This free tool is preferred by millions worldwide as a simple way to understand their web traffic and make improvements to their websites. If you're ready to learn GA, The Google Analytics Master Class Bundle is a great place to start. This five-course bundle comprises 12 hour...

Spruce Up Your Office or Workspace with These 10 Must-Have Items

Sunday, April 11, 2021

Whether you're working from home for the foreseeable future or you're about to head back to working in person, there's no time like spring to update your office. We've rounded up some of the coolest items on sale right now to spruce up your office. Plus, during our storewide Spring Savings promo, when you spend $75, you'll get $10 in-store credit to put towards even more cool stuff for the future. Check out some of today's offers. Mobile Pixels TRIO: Portable Dual Screen Laptop Monitor Need some more screen space? This innovative Indiegogo-funded multi-screen laptop accessory lets you add two additional monitors to your laptop...

Broadband Roundtable: Internet Access and Speed Are Key to Economic Growth, Business Vitality, Health and Education

Tuesday, April 06, 2021

St. Paul – Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Steve Grove and DEED's Office of Broadband Development Executive Director Angie Dickison were joined by seven industry and community advocates from broadband coalitions and nonprofit groups for a discussion on March 30 about the importance of broadband access to economic growth, business vitality, health and education. This roundtable was part of a broader series of discussions the agency is hosting called "The Next Minnesota Economy," focusing on inclusive economic growth, reskilling our labor market and creating good jobs. Currently in Minnesota, about 92% of households and businesses have access to interne...

How To Be Creative As An Entrepreneur

Tuesday, April 06, 2021

You might think that creativity requires the antithesis of rules and regulation. Even the thought of being creative conjures up images of disorder. Messy rooms, paint everywhere, scraps of paper with ideas scrawled across them. The frantic creative genius works away, oblivious to the world around them. Chaos. Method in madness. Flashes of brilliance among a cluttered existence. The best entrepreneurs are creative. They need to find ways of solving old and new problems. They picture a world that doesn’t yet exist, they bring products to life using only their imagination. They think of ways to move forward, grow bigger an...

Why Economic Developers Need To Market Their Opportunity Zones Now

Tuesday, April 06, 2021

Why economic developers need to market their Opportunity Zones now is to attract investors to the underfunded areas of their communities. Opportunity Zone legislation passed in 2017 and is designed to promote growth in stagnant and underdeveloped regions of the country. There are more than 8,700 Opportunity Zones designated through the U.S. in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and five U.S. territories. Opportunity Zones identify areas where investment is needed to revitalize communities hit the hardest by socio-economic stress. Residents who live in areas designated as Opportunity Zones tend to suffer from unequal economic growth and access to capital. This ha...

Looking for Real Estate? Check Out Long Prairie’s Available Properties

Monday, April 05, 2021

One of the great tools available on our website is our property search tools for site selectors. It can often be hard to find specific information on available properties for sale or lease. This is why we wanted to make it as easy as possible for site selectors and business owners looking for property to find the very best available property for your needs. Our advanced property search tools allow you to search by type of property, select a specific price range you are looking at, in-depth information on every property available, and more. We also have a list o...

Minnesota Small Business Development Centers Partner with First Children’s Finance to Support Minnesota’s Child Care Industry

Friday, April 02, 2021

St. Paul – Under a partnership agreement announced today, First Children’s Finance will operate as the first statewide satellite center in the Minnesota Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) Network – providing specialized business and financial assistance to child care businesses across Minnesota at no cost to the businesses. Minnesota SBDC is part of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). “Without access to affordable child care, parents can’t earn a living, businesses can’t recruit reliable workers, and children miss out on early educational opportunities,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “This has never been more apparent than during the pandemic – an...

One Year After The First Wave Of Pandemic Jobs Losses, U.S. Adds Nearly A Million Jobs In March

Friday, April 02, 2021

A year after the devastating first wave of pandemic-related job losses came to light, the U.S. added 916,000 jobs in March, the Labor Department said Friday. It’s an encouraging sign on the anniversary of what was an especially distressing week for the workforce. Weekly jobless claims surged to a staggering 6.65 million for the week ending March 28, 2020. At the time, it was the highest level ever recorded. That month, the U.S. economy lost a total of 701,000 jobs in the first payroll decline since 2010. This March, the unemployment rate fell slightly to 6%—down from 6.2% in February. It’s a stark difference from the unemploymen...

Find Available Buildings in Long Prairie for Your Business!

Monday, March 29, 2021

Looking to start, expand, or relocate? Why not start right here in Long Prairie! The best place to begin is with our database of available buildings. Site selectors love this feature of our website. In Long Prairie we have a variety of buildings available for sale or rent in the area. We are centrally located in the heart of Minnesota. Long Prairie’s database of available buildings offers site selectors and business owners free, in-depth information on each building, including photos of the building, a detailed description of building details, sale or lease information and more. When it comes to finding th...

Long Prairie: A Progressive and Diverse Community

Monday, March 22, 2021

Long Prairie is a progressive and diverse community located in the heart of rural Minnesota. We have a young and growing population, with affordable housing, short commutes, and a strong workforce. Our easy highway access to greater Minnesota has made us a hub for regional economic development and transportation. Get a head start on locating your business in Long Prairie by reviewing our free online community profile page. Long Prairie is inclusive and transparent in sharing our information. Our page includes current data about our population, housing and income, our workforce and educational demographics. We look forward to welcoming you t...

City of Long Prairie News and Information Portal

Monday, March 15, 2021

Opening the City of Long Prairie’s website reveals a treasure trove of information about all things Long Prairie. The site is one of the best ways to find out what’s happening with local businesses. Simply select our News link for the most up-to-date information; it’s that easy! Whether a new business or a long-standing staple of the community, our news page is home to information articles featuring companies and organizations in Long Prairie celebrating our success. The News page also features informative articles relating to business and employment trends, state and local grants and initiatives, or insider tips like how t...

Follow the Long Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce on Facebook

Monday, March 08, 2021

The Long Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce invites you to follow us on our Facebook page. Keep up to date with the latest happenings in your community, and stay informed with up the minute news with the click of a mouse. The page is one of the public-facing means we use to share our core values, the Promotion of Chamber Business, Leadership Development. Proactive Community Leadership, and to be the Information/Community Calendar Hub for Long Prairie. Additionally, our page allows you to link to and follow the many businesses that make up our community, connect with your friends and neighbors, o...

Southwest Industrial Park Patiently Awaits Suitors

Friday, March 05, 2021

Attracting new business development is the most exciting, and challenging, aspect of being an economic development director. Long Prairie city administrator Ted Gray feels confident that the business will come because he has a shovel-ready solution at hand; Long Prairie’s Southwest Industrial Park. Southwest Industrial Park consists of 20 lots ranging in size from 1 to 5 acres each. The park is accessed just two blocks off of US HWY 71 on 6th Avenue Southwest by a 10-ton all weather road. Southwest Industrial Park encompasses just over 50 acres of land with utilities (water, sewer, natural gas, electric, high-speed broadband) i...

Free On-Demand Webinar: How to Safely Reopen Offices & Manage a Hybrid Workforce

Tuesday, March 02, 2021

In the wake of coronavirus shutting down offices around the world, remote work has become the new norm. So how do you make workplaces safer post-pandemic? In the 15th episode of our Leadership Lessons series, Comparably CEO Jason Nazar speaks with an expert on the topic, Envoy founder/CEO Larry Gadea, who has facilitated 1 million safe returns to the office. With a suite of products that redefine how to welcome visitors and employees back to the office, the workplace platform includes tools for check-in registrations, booking rooms/desks, managing deliveries, and capacity limits for social distancing. Envoy is used in more tha...

Challenges of Moving Manufacturing Out of China

Monday, March 01, 2021

There is plenty of manufacturing capability around the world for consumer goods, PPE, testing equipment, medical devices, consumer goods, and other industrial products. So why are companies reshoring their manufacturing operations now? The Tax Reform Act of 2017 helped. The 301 China penalty tariffs gave a little push. But the global pandemic made executives acutely aware of their global supply chain risks and vulnerabilities and provided an opportunity to rethink their global manufacturing strategy. New strategies typically include at least some capacity for manufacturing and sourcing critical goods in America. Pharmaceutical manufacturers were among the first to consider reshoring in an attemp...

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources For Businesses

Thursday, February 25, 2021

GENERAL VACCINE RESOURCES COVID-19 vaccine FAQ from the Minnesota Department of Health Minnesota Guidance for Allocating and Prioritizing COVID-19 Vaccine – Phase 1a from the Minnesota Department of Health Answering patients' questions about a COVID-19 vaccine from the CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Phases and Planning from the Minnesota Department of Health December 17 COVID-19 vaccine update from the Department of Health to the Senate HHS Committee COVID-19 vaccine data: Vaccine administration in Minnesota from the Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 vaccine dashboard from the Minnesota Department of Health General vaccine information from the Minnesota Department of Health Myths and facts about the COVID-19 vaccines from the CDC COVID-19 vaccine facts and FAQs for business leaders from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Minnesot...

How to Host Better Virtual Meetings

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

If you’re like most professionals, you spent a lot of time in virtual meetings in 2020 and will in 2021 — more than you ever thought possible in, say, 2015. And if you’re like most professionals meeting virtually, you’ve lamented the fact that they could be better. Virtual meetings suffer many of the same drawbacks as traditional meetings, including poor organization, bloated time slots and disinterested attendees. But they also suffer from a batch of problems uniquely their own, including intermittent delays, connectivity issues and the dreaded patterns of ongoing interruptions. And of course, virtual meetings aren’t going anywhere. Many businesses that transitioned t...

Helping to preserve historic buildings may be the one thing everyone at the Minnesota Legislature agrees upon

Tuesday, February 09, 2021

An effort to continue Minnesota’s primary tax break for restoring historic buildings has bipartisan support at the state House and Senate — and little organized opposition. That still isn’t enough to make supporters of the measure comfortable. Backers of the extending the provision, technically known as the Minnesota Historic Structure Rehabilitation State Tax Credit, worry that lawmakers — with pandemic response and passing a budget being the major priorities of the 2021 session — might lose sight of addressing the credit, which expires June 30. A similar bill was introduced in 2020 but then disappeared after a single hearing (along with a lot o...

DEED Announces Over $13 Million in Relief Grants to Convention Centers and Movie Theaters Statewide

Monday, February 08, 2021

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has announced awards of $4.6 million in Convention Center Relief Grants and $8.54 million in Movie Theater Relief Grants to facilities across the state. These grants were part of a $216 million economic relief package signed into law by Governor Tim Walz on Dec. 16, 2020. This package included a $14 million appropriation for grants to movie theaters and convention centers in Minnesota impacted by COVID-19. “Convention centers and movie theatres are an important part of our economy that has been severely impacted by COVID-19,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “The stat...

DEED Headquarters Set to Move to Downtown St. Paul’s Great Northern Building in 2021

Thursday, February 04, 2021

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced that its headquarters will move to the Great Northern Building at 180 East Fifth Street in Saint Paul, Minnesota. This two block move in downtown St. Paul, which will occur by August 1, 2021, will be DEED’s first relocation in nearly two decades. As DEED evaluated the possibility of moving, it executed a thorough three-year planning and evaluation process, and was focused on best serving Minnesotans and businesses across the state. This included an analysis to re-examine space needs, and take account of future teleworking trends, to bot...

DEED Awards Over $20.6 Million in Broadband Grants

Monday, February 01, 2021

ST. PAUL – While the critical importance of reliable, high-speed broadband access has become even more obvious during the pandemic, there are still unserved and underserved areas of the state. To help close that gap, on Jan. 28, the state announced broadband grant awards for 39 projects designed to bring service to more than 6,900 businesses, homes, and community anchor institutions in Minnesota. This marked the sixth year of grants through the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program overseen by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). DEED Commissioner Steve Grove and Broadband Director Angie Dickison joined three grantees at a recent virtual press conference to talk about the progra...

Does 2021 Mean A Road To Recovery?

Friday, January 29, 2021

Grow Minnesota! conducted in-depth conversations with nearly 300 businesses in 2020, to learn what challenges and opportunities they were facing in light of the immense changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. While not a substitute for hard economic data, these conversations provide key insights into how businesses are navigating unprecedented disruptions, and offer a glimpse at what Minnesota can do to help companies recover and grow in the coming months. Not surprisingly, the impacts of COVID-19 took center stage in our virtual visits with businesses this past year. However, the results from Grow Minnesota’s! outreach also reveal some surprising insight...

Grow Minnesota! 2020 Annual Report

Friday, January 29, 2021

2020 was filled with challenges, uncertainty and change. The events of the year also highlighted the innovation and resiliency of Minnesota businesses. The true value of our well-established Grow Minnesota! business retention and assistance program was also witnessed in 2020. As the only structured ongoing statewide economic development program of its kind, we had the capacity and experience to respond quickly to the multitude and variety of business concerns that surfaced throughout the past year. Our nearly 300 one-on-one business visits completed in 2020 also allowed us to share keen insights on Minnesota’s economic outlook. We will continue to buil...

Why Would My Community Want To Attract A Remote Workforce

Monday, January 25, 2021

Why would my community want to attract a REMOTE WORKFORCE? -- To grow your economy, of course! The coronavirus pandemic has affected U.S. workplaces in many ways, including transitioning many employees to remote work. As some businesses begin to welcome employees back to the office, many remote workers, about two-thirds to be exact, are opting to continue working remotely, according to a GALLUP POLL. Attracting remote workers should now be a priority for all economic developers. WHY WOULD MY COMMUNITY WANT TO ATTRACT A REMOTE WORKFORCE? Remote workers can bring many benefits to the communities they choose to live in. Just like any othe...

COVID-19 Business Relief Payments Information

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

The Minnesota Department of Revenue will send COVID-19 Business Relief Payments to eligible businesses under an economic relief package signed into law December 16. Eligible business owners do not need to take any action to receive this aid. We'll determine eligibility and payment amounts based on program requirements in the law and outlined below. Eligible Businesses This program provides direct payments to eligible businesses required to temporarily close or reduce services in November under Executive Order 20-99. Businesses in the following categories — as reported by the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance program — may be eligible if they meet the other program requirements. Read full article.

Education and Training Opportunities in Health Care

Thursday, January 14, 2021

So you’ve heard time and time again about how an entry level position in health care can be a springboard to a new and fulfilling career, and that is true. Health care is one of the few occupations where you are limited only by your own personal goals in life. So I wanted to take this opportunity to share information about the education and training opportunities that exist to help you begin your journey as a health care professional. Health care for youth and young adults Not sure if health care is the occupation for you? There are many opportunities to tak...

5 Reasons Why Good Leaders Must Be Great Followers

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

“He who cannot be a good follower, cannot be a good leader.” Aristotle's old adage has never seemed more prescient. Consider the current Covid crisis: It has taken a pandemic to prove that distant, aloof and larger-than-life leaders are no longer effective. Now more than ever it has become advisable for the modern manager to empathize with, and lend an ear to, those he manages. A study conducted by Kim Peters & S. Alexander Haslam on these two identities has proven that individuals who appear to be ideal followers are often a more popular choice for any leadership position among their peers. Here are 5 reasons why an individual’s personality as a player helps them to be a proficien...

Entrepreneurs, Here's Why 2021 Is The Right Time To Start Your New Business

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

The year 2020 came with its own share of problems. If there is one thing to learn from living through pandemics and lockdowns, it’s that a lot can change in a year. Many entrepreneurs started last January with high hopes and expectations for their businesses. However, many of those expectations went downhill as the year progressed. As with human nature, life moves on no matter what, so even though we were stuck at home for most of 2020, many businesses found ways to stay afloat. As we move forward in this new year, entrepreneurs are looking to strategize and many ar...

Minneapolis restaurateur Hector Ruiz plans first suburban location in Minnetonka

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Minneapolis restaurateur Hector Ruiz is partnering with an investor to open his first store in the suburbs. A second location of El Travieso Taqueria is slated to take a 1,200-square-foot storefront inside Minnetonka’s Minnehaven Square building, located at the intersection of Minnetonka Boulevard and County Road 101. It could be a first step toward a larger suburban expansion for Ruiz. That expansion is being aided by Chase Lindsay, a TCF Financial Corp. vice president and real estate and business investor who first met Ruiz several years ago. Lindsay is taking an ownership stake in El Travieso and providing marketing support for the growing business. Read ful...

Top 5 Reasons To Apply For Leaders Lab 2021

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Leaders Lab is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to engage Minnesota’s developing business leaders (approximately late 20s to 30s). It will enhance your personal and professional growth, connect you with business leaders statewide, and provide understanding into what drives Minnesota’s economy and how policy affects the success of business in our state. The program consists of four, two-day sessions. Why should you apply for 2021 Leaders Lab? Take it from some of our recent participants: the top 5 reasons to apply for Leaders Lab this year. Read full article.

Five Essential Elements Of A Marketing Plan For A Small Business

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

If you are planning to open your own small business, the first step is to develop a business plan. The next step is to develop a marketing plan, as all business plans should be paired with a strategy for marketing your products or services. Marketing strategies vary in format, but they all have the common goal of attracting and building relationships with customers. The style is up to you, but it should include the following elements. 1. Marketing Goals and Objectives You will need to develop realistic and measurable marketing goals that cover a full calendar year and are aligned with you...

4 Ways Your Company Can Have Great Success In 2021

Sunday, January 10, 2021

2020 was a tough year for businesses of all sorts. Covid-19 decimated labor markets, stressed supply lines and, in some unlucky sectors, ground production to a halt. 2021 is a chance to forget last year’s trials and to start fresh. Chances must be capitalized on to create change. You need to put your nose to the grindstone, both personally and as a business leader, if you want to make it a red-letter year. If 2021 is going to be your company’s year, you have to make it so. Here’s how to do it: 1. Tailor Your Expressions of Appreciation This past year has been jus...

How To Include Remote Workers In Your Workforce Attraction Strategy

Wednesday, January 06, 2021

As we enter a new year, you may be wondering how to include remote workers in your workforce attraction strategy. Government regulations and efforts to slow the pandemic have forced workplaces to embrace remote work options. 88% OF BUSINESSES all over the world authorized their employees to work from home due to COVID-19. It is vital to focus on effectively targeting remote workers but how does this translate to benefitting the local economy? WHY IT'S WORTH IT TO ATTRACT REMOTE WORKERS IT GROWS AND DIVERSIFIES THE LOCAL ECONOMY More people working from home equals more money spent locally. More money remains in the community, and the communit...

Many Minnesotans have skills that can transfer to a health care career

Wednesday, January 06, 2021

Minnesota health care employers are seeking compassionate and caring people to fill a multitude of positions, both patient facing and non-patient facing. Many Minnesotans looking for work now already have the skills to do many of them. People that think they need extensive education and training to start their career in health care may be surprised to learn that sometimes the only thing needed to get in the door is a passion for doing good and the ability to pass the background check required by the Minnesota Department of Health. The rest of the training is often provided, and paid for...

The Spirit of the Prairie: Generosity in Todd County

Friday, December 11, 2020

On a beautiful fall evening in late September hundreds of cars rolled into the Todd County Fairgrounds to take part in a “food drop,” a euphemism for a mass food distribution. It’s an all too familiar scene played out not only here, but across the country. The event, sponsored by the Food Shelf, and Todd County Health and Human Services, a team of volunteers served an estimated 570 households with boxes of dairy, product, and meat, no questions asked. Community involvement in this event, along with similar food distributions that take place in church parking lots, inside of local food shelves...

Meet the Texas Town that Competes to Win

Monday, November 02, 2020

Ever considered locating your business in a small town? If so, Lufkin, Texas, has a message for you. “We are well positioned to have companies locate out of large cities to a place with small-town feel and the amenities of metropolitan areas,” says Bob Samford, economic development director for the Lufkin Economic Development Corp. “We offer a great location with big-city benefits.” On Interstate 69 about 90 minutes northeast of Houston, Lufkin is a community of 36,000 people who enjoy family, hard work, loyalty and quality of life, says Samford. The corporate executives who have made the decision to invest in Lufkin hav...

Why Target, Walmart, And Best Buy Are Booming Amid The Pandemic - And Being Hailed As Heroes

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

In late February, Target CEO Brian Cornell was sipping coffee in a Manhattan deli—one eye on the keynote address he was soon to give at an investor conference, the other on his phone as news alerts of America’s first confirmed Covid-19 death buzzed in. Target’s communications, investor relations and special-events teams had spent months agonizing over every detail of the speech, given to 200 Wall Street analysts and journalists and able, in a matter of minutes, to send Target’s stock price climbing—or crashing. Three years ago, Cornell, 61, who took over Target’s top spot in 2014 after running Pepsi’s food business, ha...

Enterprise CP: Vital Link in the Food Shelf Supply Chain

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Nearly all of our grocery shopping begins at home when we sit down to make “the list,” that hand-written scrap of paper of the food items we need to fill up our pantry. As is the case in most homes, when the shelf gets low, it’s time to go. When it comes to filling the grocery cart, we rarely question the availability of our favorite foods being on the store shelf. Questions like where does it come from and how does it get there are not usually in the thoughts of most consumers. So, you may be surprised to lear...

How To Make Your Virtual Company Party A Success

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

With the morning air a bit crisper, the sun setting earlier and the leaves falling to the ground, we are reminded that the holiday season is quickly approaching. For businesses, this means it's time to start planning the time-honored year-end company party. However, amid a global pandemic, party objectives and safety concerns are markedly different this year. Stymied by in-person gathering restrictions, companies turning to virtual solutions have the difficult task of figuring out how to make these "events" meaningful and engaging. While this could make party-planning committees hold their collective breaths, all hope is not lost, and businesses can stil...

Manufacturing Week Highlights Critical Role Industry Plays in State’s Economy

Thursday, October 01, 2020

St. Paul - Manufacturing, which has long played a key role in the state's economy, is even more important now as Minnesota focuses on revitalizing our economy and rebounding from the impacts of COVID-19. As the state's second-largest industry, manufacturing added $52.7 billion to Minnesota's economy last year. Governor Tim Walz has proclaimed Oct. 1-7 as Minnesota Manufacturing Week. During the week – and throughout the month – manufacturers are opening their doors to virtual tours by the public as a way of attracting new workers and students who are considering careers in manufacturing. "Manufacturing jobs pay good, family-sustaining wages well above the state'...

DEED Examines: Where are the Job Seekers?

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

St. Paul - The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) released a new article that examines the question many Minnesota employers are asking right now: Where are the job seekers? Employers in industries such as Health Care, Hospitality, Retail and Food Service are desperate for staff at a time when the statewide unemployment rate is at 7.4%. While the August unemployment rate is lower than it has been the last few months, it is still 4.5 points higher than in March 2020. This 7.4% unemployment rate in Minnesota represents over 230,000 unemployed workers – over two-and-a-half times the number o...

Jobs in Demand: Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, including Fast Food

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers were among the first workers affected by the emergence of COVID-19 and subsequent executive orders that closed the businesses that employ these workers. As many restaurants and bars have re-opened, these workers are in high demand on the front lines doing specific tasks such as taking customer orders, relaying that to the cooks, and cleaning and organizing eating, service and kitchen areas. The main tasks for food preparation and serving workers include, but are not limited to, communicating with customers and accepting payment from them, gathering food items from storage, cooking and reheating items, serving food to customers...

Jobs in Demand: Nursing Assistants

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

With demand for long-term care workers surging amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Nursing Assistants are among the most in-demand jobs in Minnesota right now. Typically working under the direction of nursing staff, Nursing Assistants provide immediate patient care such as feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, and moving patients, as well as basic healthcare procedures such as taking blood pressure and temperature. Nursing Assistants (NAs) are most likely to work in nursing and residential care facilities, assisted living facilities and retirement communities, home health care services, and in smaller numbers, at hospitals. Read full article.

Jobs in Demand: Retail Salespersons

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

As the largest and most common job in the state, Retail Salespeople are seemingly always in demand. Nearly 85,000 people are employed as Retail Salespeople, working on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic to help customers find and purchase the products they need. Though many retail workers were laid off temporarily in March and April, many have come back to work as retailers have re-opened. There are many job duties, skills and knowledge that make a good Retail Salesperson, including preparing merchandise for purchase or rental, maintaining knowledge of products and sales, and operating cash registers to complete financial transactions. Retail sales is incredibl...

Study: Your dollar goes further in rural Minnesota, if you can find a place to live

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Nowhere in Minnesota can a person afford the cost of living on the state minimum wage of $9.86 an hour. In fact, most regions require well over $15 an hour to afford to live. However, rural Minnesotans can often afford a similar or higher quality of life than their metro area counterparts, despite overall lower wages, according to a new study from the Center for Rural Policy and Development. Read full article.

DEED Announces Names of Businesses That Received Small Business Emergency Loans

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced that 1,020 small businesses throughout Minnesota received a Small Business Emergency Loan, which is different than the more recently announced Small Business Relief Grants. More than $27 million in loans were made from $30 million in special revenue funds allocated to the emergency loan program. The remaining $2.8 million was distributed to lenders to assist with loan administration and technical assistance expenses. DEED worked with lenders throughout Minnesota to implement the emergency loan program, which opened for applications in late March. Loans were issued to qualified businesses beginnin...

For some small farms, Covid-19 pandemic has been good for business

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic has sown chaos throughout the food sector, triggering shortages of some products and gluts of others. But some family farms have found their own fortunes lifted by the upheaval. That's one of the takeaways from a Pioneer Press story that talks with small-scale farmers that have seen demand soar for products like zucchini, pick-your-own fruits and locally raised meats. Read full article.

General Mills looking for more manufacturing partners, suppliers to meet demand

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

General Mills plans to boost the number of outsourcing manufacturing partners and suppliers by as much as 20 percent from pre-pandemic levels as the food company tries to keep up with soaring demand for products like baking mixes and soup. The Wall Street Journal reports on the effort by Golden Valley-based General Mills (NYSE: GIS), which historically has used third-party partners to handle about 30 percent of its products sold in North America, bolstering the 24 manufacturing plants the company owns in the United States. Read full article.

Site Selection 2020: The Importance of “Regional Depth” with Global Reach

Monday, September 14, 2020

The last several years of corporate site selection have been influenced by many trends. Among these are corporate tax cuts, a red-hot industrial real estate market, the explosion of e-commerce, increasing trade protectionism, record economic growth and, in a stunning reversal, a global health pandemic and recession. It seems the ever-shifting tide of global and domestic affairs can be confusing at best and downright frightening at worst to corporate executives evaluating where to locate their next headquarters, newest manufacturing plant, or distribution center. Risk and uncertainty have never seemed higher, and without looking deeper and thinking differently, it can b...

Hormel offers two-year college benefit to employees' children

Tuesday, September 01, 2020

Hormel Foods Corp. announced Tuesday that it will pay the tuition of a two-year college for any of its employees’ children, reflecting a growing awareness among major U.S. corporations of the role they can play in addressing systemic racial and economic inequality. The program is designed to be inclusive, without a GPA or test score threshold. The only academic requirement is that the student has to graduate from high school and meet any standards outlined by the college. Hormel said it didn’t want to just write a check to other organizations, but wanted to find ways to create meaningful change in th...

How to Work from Home Successfully

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Whether you’re a 9-to-5 office worker or an entrepreneur used to running around to clients and conferences for different business opportunities, the health crisis has caused many people to make the dramatic shift to working entirely from home. As someone who’s experienced the whole spectrum of work setups — everything from corporate offices to coworking spaces to getting work done on cross-country flights — I can say firsthand that even though it can be hard to make this quick transition, there are steps you can take to make working from home more manageable. Many people will even find some advantages to this setup that ca...

Crisis in the Heartland

Monday, August 10, 2020

There’s a daycare crisis in rural Minnesota. It’s looming over rural Todd County like a storm rolling across the prairie. Everyone in the middle of it can see it, even as it grows, but convincing those under clear skies that it exists is an uphill battle. Recently, local economic development authorities began seeing encouraging signs of support through the involvement of the MN Dept. of Human Services, Initiative Foundation and First Children’s Finance in the form of grants to several hard-hit communities. Last summer, the Initiative Foundation selected four central Minnesota cities to receive grants amounting to $10,000 each in respons...

The Importance Of Remote Working To Younger Generations

Tuesday, August 04, 2020

As more jobs shifted to remote work during the Covid-19 crisis, many Millennial and Gen Z employees experienced “flex work” for the first time in their careers. According to the Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2020, 45% of these younger employees had never worked remotely before the pandemic, compared with just a third after the onset of the pandemic. As of May 2020, the shift to remote work had largely been viewed positively by employees, with more than 60% of younger generations saying they would like the option to work remotely more often after the crisis and use video conferencing instead of travelin...

City of Long Prairie Recently Launches Newly Designed Website

Monday, July 13, 2020

LONG PRAIRIE, MN-- The City of Long Prairie recently launched a newly designed website to further strengthen its online presence and economic growth. The fresh and simple website is interactive on many platforms such as phones, tablets, and desktop computers. The city’s goal is to be more attractive to interested individuals and be more easily accessible. The City of Long Prairie is putting a large marketing focus on its economic development and industrial park which has several lots available for sale to industries that want to start up and grow. By being able to reach more people with this updated website...

Housing market forecast: What can we expect in 2020?

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Over five million existing homes sold in the United States in 2019. With the year drawing to a close, people are beginning to turn their sights to what 2020 may bring. Will recession be a hot topic next year? Will home buyers still enjoy increasing home prices? Will young people keep demand for houses up? All of these questions and more are things that our team set out to answer for the purpose of constructing this article. Based on our research, we’ve come up with some expert-backed predictions for next year’s housing market that home buyers and sellers alike should be privy to. Read ful...

WCCO Viewers’ Choice For Best Drive-In In Minnesota

Thursday, September 06, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — At one point in Minnesota’s history, there were close to 90 drive-in theaters. Now, with changes in technology and real estate costs, that number is down to about six. Of those survivors, our viewers voted the Long Drive-In in Long Prairie as the best in the state. It’s been serving central Minnesota since 1956. “It is a big gathering point for everybody,” said projectionist Dave Hilsgen. Webster defines “nostalgia” as a sentimental longing, or wistful affection for the past. And that is exactly what co-owner Dan Claseman is selling — at only $7 a pop. “It’s all about the people,” Claseman said...

Water restrictions have been implemented

Thursday, July 22, 2021

As of Tuesday July 20th, 2021, water restrictions have been implemented due to the ongoing drought conditions. Download the information here.

Alerts Test Post

Friday, March 06, 2020

Rural Broadband and the Next Generation of American Jobs

Saturday, February 01, 2020

Technology is shaping the next generation of American jobs. Manufacturing, agriculture and health care are among the sectors that demand more highly skilled employees than in the past. The need for increased training and education is imperative for many rural areas that face demographic and economic challenges. Although some rural areas have enjoyed population increases in the past several years, many rural areas are challenged by static or decreasing population. Likewise, some rural areas have exhibited reassuring recovery from the Great Recession, but others continue to face the lingering impacts of economic struggle. These changes come at a time when man...

Long Prairie community celebrates ‘unity in diversity’

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Jan. 22 was a typical Tuesday night Mass at St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church in Long Prairie. As usual, about 40 to 50 people attended, praying the rosary together before Mass began. What marked the occasion as special was the celebration that followed. Just days before the Mass, parishioner Margarita Cervantes and her husband, Marco, were visiting with St. Mary’s pastor, Father Omar Guanchez. Margarita noted how the community has changed over the last 20 years. “I see so much more unity,” Margarita said. “I see more Anglo people coming to the Spanish Mass, and I see more Hispanic people comin...

Broadband project plans to connect Todd, Wadena counties

Sunday, September 17, 2017

STAPLES-A multiyear, multimillion-dollar project aimed at bringing high-speed internet access to all residents in Region 5 continues this year with broadband expansion and exploration into the rural Todd and Wadena counties. The project is a cooperative effort involving regional telecommunications companies Consolidated Telephone Company and West Central Telephone Association with assistance from the Region Five Development Commission and National Joint Powers Alliance, according to the Region Five Development Commission. "Since 2015, NJPA has made a combined total of $400,000 worth of investments to CTC, WCTA and others in the region for feasibility and engineering research," Cheryal Lee Hills, Executive Director for R5DC...