The International Peace Garden has unveiled its flower bed designs for next summer—and this time, the stars of the show are the pollinators. Butterflies, bumblebees, hummingbirds, even the humble caterpillar mid-metamorphosis. Horticulturist Michelle Burnett, working out of Ninga, Manitoba, designed the beds[...]
Section: Place & Experience
Commentary |
Our built environment is exacerbating the loneliness crisis
Nearly half of American adults say they sometimes or always feel alone. One contributor you might not expect: zoning laws. Post-war land use planning spread everything apart—work here, school there, shopping somewhere else—then built roads that make it dangerous to do anything[...]
Curio |
Brainerd-area arboretum debuts new forest skating trail
A winding path through snowy Minnesota woods, except you’re not hiking or cross-country skiing—you’re ice skating. That’s what the Northland Arboretum in Baxter just built: a half-mile trail of ice curving through pine trees, believed to be the first forest skating trail[...]
Commentary |
When it comes to a community, ‘just say no’ doesn’t work
There’s a pattern playing out across resource-rich communities: towns that once said yes to libraries, rec leagues, and big ideas are now governed by people who inherited what others built—and mistake it for something that just exists. They shout no to diversification,[...]
News |
ND State Fair Announces Jessie Murph
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News |
Decision on facade project stalemates
A tied vote can feel like a decision, but in this case it’s more like a pause button. For the second time this month, the Minot City Council split evenly on whether to award a facade improvement grant to the Minot Housing[...]
Curio |
6 myths about rural America: How conventional wisdom gets it wrong
Roughly 1 in 5 Americans live in rural areas – places the federal government defines based on small populations and low housing density. Yet many people understand rural America through stereotypes. Media and political conversations often use words or terms such as[...]
News |
New signage highlights growing ‘Buckshot’s Backyard’ trail system at MSU
MINOT, N.D. – A series of new signs now mark Minot State University’s bike and walking trail, “Buckshot’s Backyard,” giving users clearer access points and improving safety at one of the University’s newest outdoor attractions. Installed in early October by the MSU[...]
News |
Watford City downtown makeover: redevelopment plan takes shape
Watford City is moving from vision to action on its long-talked-about downtown revival. City leaders have advanced a redevelopment plan for North Main Street, aiming to build a destination that reflects what residents asked for in last year’s community survey. A new[...]
Commentary |
Why everything turns to asphalt
Cars were once a ticket to opportunity, opening access to work, housing, and recreation far beyond traditional neighborhoods. But the same system that expanded freedom has gradually boxed people in. Put simply, when cities organize themselves around vehicle convenience rather than human[...]
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Curio |
Writing a new chapter, Boston stacks homes above libraries
Boston is testing a simple but powerful idea: when space is scarce, stack community needs together. In three neighborhoods, the city is pairing new public libraries with affordable housing, turning limited land into places that offer both shelter and connection. It’s part[...]
Curio |
American cities have too many streets, parking lots, and garages
Car dependency has shaped modern life in ways that once felt liberating but now increasingly feel limiting. The rise of the personal vehicle opened access to new neighborhoods, jobs, and opportunities, but decades of designing communities around cars have brought heavy trade-offs.[...]
News |
Minot YMCA continues repairs following July flood
A burst fire-suppression line left the Minot YMCA with more than a million dollars in damage this summer, but the organization is steadily rebuilding its way back to full strength. Executive director Roger Mazurek says flooring, carpets, and key mechanical systems were[...]
Curio |
Murals gain popularity, as communities seek to convey sense of place
Across small towns in North Dakota and Minnesota, murals are becoming more than decoration — they’re turning blank walls into expressions of identity and pride. In Grafton, volunteers have transformed public spaces through paint, drawing neighbors together and sparking conversations about who[...]
Commentary |
The Gutenberg Moment
I’ve admired Ben Hunt and Rusty Guinn’s work for a long time. They have a rare ability to cut through noise and get to the heart of how narratives shape our lives. They know — intuitively but also analytically — how the[...]
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Curio |
Omahans explore ‘brain drain,’ prepare for next 20 years
Omaha leaders are taking a hard look at why so many young professionals and skilled workers are leaving the city — and what it will take to keep them. A free public forum on Dec. 2 will bring residents, researchers, and local[...]