Southwest Connector

10 Made-in-the-Shade Ideas for Covered Outdoor Spaces

(BPT) - Homeowners across the country are going undercover. It seems no matter where you live, the growing popularity of covered outdoor spaces is evident in backyards from Buffalo to Bakersfield. …

Refresh your shade garden: Transform the outdoors with impatiens

(BPT) - Gardening enthusiasts, rejoice! The long-awaited moment has arrived — gardening season is officially here. As green thumbs eagerly prepare to embark on their outdoor endeavors, …

Talking lawn care with U of M

People are getting back into our yards and gardens, with pent-up demand following a long winter. University of Minnesota Extension Educator Jon Trappe has tips for yards that accomplish multiple …

A rain barrel collects roof runoff so you can save the rainwater for later use. Reroute downspouts away from pavement and onto grass, a rain barrel or a rain garden. (Photo courtesy of the University of Minnesota Extension)

A watershed moment

What is a watershed? What is our local watershed called? Where does it begin and end? What is the largest watershed in the U.S.? According to board chair of the League of …

Larry LaVercombe is a writer, filmmaker, and activist, born in Detroit and arrived in Minneapolis in 1975. He lived in a treehouse in San Diego before getting an MFA from the USC Film School. He writes most days, and as Team Larry he has been selling residential real estate in Minneapolis for 26 years.

How real estate agent commissions will now affect us

You’ve heard, I’m sure, about the court ruling and the decision by the National Association of Realtors: Buyer’s agents will no longer receive a “standardized” 2.7% …

Recycle your left-over paint with PaintCare

Did you know there’s an option for recycling leftover paint in Minnesota? That’s right, recycling, not just disposing of leftover paint. Since 2014, the non-profit PaintCare has been …

Patricia Neal works with children to tend their neighborhood sponsored garden.

Local model for an urban CSA

“Four years ago, I realized we needed a model for an urban CSA,” says Craig Neal, founder and chief gardener of the Neighborhood Sponsored Garden (NSG) located in a backyard on Beard Ave. …

Green goodness: 4 reasons to love homegrown produce

(BPT) - Are you one of the 185 million Americans who garden? If not, it’s time to consider joining the crowd. Gardening can be an incredibly rewarding hobby, especially if you grow your own …

New research reveals self-care savvy cities (and what we can learn from them)

Hers conducted a nationwide survey to see how Americans rate themselves in youthfulness, body positivity, emotional stability, and more.

Housing and food are health care: How new Medicaid rules in 8 states stand to help the most vulnerable

Foothold Technology analyzed resources from the CMS to see how states are addressing health-related social needs.

Across the country, Amish populations are on the rise

The Daily Yonder reports that as the Amish population in America grows, Amish communities — and their rural neighbors — are finding ways to adapt.

Republicans double down on school vouchers by taking fight to rural members of their own party

The Daily Yonder reports that for years, rural Republican state legislators have bucked the party's support for funneling public funds into private schools through education vouchers, but now Republican leaders are ramping up pressure on these holdouts.

How to stop catastrophizing

Rula shares tips for breaking the cycle of catastrophic thinking.