Southwest Connector

Hail the size of golf balls and even grapefruit? The science of how tiny ice crystals grow dangerously large

Hail the size of grapefruit shattered car windows in Johnson City, Texas, in May 2024. In June, a storm chaser found a hailstone almost as big as a pineapple . Even larger hailstones have been …

What can one person do to help birds avoid collisions with windows? Close your curtains at night, especially during the migration season, to reduce light spread. Make sure outdoor light is directed downward and use minimally. And consider using window markings.

Cradling the Mississippi River on either side, the Twin Cities are a critical, yet hazardous, resting place for migrating birds. An estimated 40 million birds migrated through the Mississippi River …

3rd Precinct building reuse

The city held an open house on June 10 at the Minneapolis American Indian Center at 1530 E Franklin Ave. to share a city proposal to use the former 3rd precinct police station building at 3000 …

Drew Kerr, a Linden Hills resident who works for Met Transit, stands near the closed main intersection at Upton and 43rd. It will be fully closed for about 10 weeks as the city completes a water and sewer project at the same time as Met Transit does work on the E Line. After the city’s work is finished, the intersection will be partially closed. Local businesses have maps available to show where customers can park.

Fast, frequent, all-day service

Street projects on Hennepin Avenue from Lake to 26th, West Lake, France and Upton mean that getting around southwest Minneapolis is challenging right now, but traveling by bus will get faster when …

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 …

As the city prepares to tear down the old Kmart building, it considers how to reconnect Nicollet Ave. Over 500 residents attended an open house on Oct. 10, and 1,200 people responded to a survey by Oct. 12.

What do people think?

The long process of reopening Nicollet Ave. at Lake St. took another step forward this month. City planners released design concepts for the public areas planned for the 10-acre site where a surface …

Help your home and your energy bill handle summer heat

(BPT) - As summer temperatures rise, what can you do to beat the heat at home? Before lowering the thermostat setting, consider an often-overlooked approach to help your home and your energy budget …

Hurricane Beryl’s rapid intensification to Category 5 is alarming: Here’s why more tropical storms are exploding in strength

Hurricane Beryl hit the island of Carriacou, Grenada, on July 1, 2024, with 150 mph sustained winds. NOAA Hurricane Beryl was the latest Atlantic storm to rapidly intensify, growing quickly from …

Going Green in Your Community

(Family Features) Preserving your community for future generations can take many forms. Taking steps to protect the environment is a critical way to ensure your community remains safe and livable for generations to come.

Is Earth really getting too hot for people to survive? A scientist explains extreme heat and the role of climate change

Many countries have seen extremely hot weather lately, but in most of the inhabited world, it’s never going to get “too hot for people to live here,” especially in relatively dry climates. Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If …

Want savings on energy-efficient home upgrades? A new tool can help you save big

(BPT) - As a homeowner, you may have heard about incentives to tackle climate change that are available as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a large piece of legislation that was passed …

Lower home cooling bills: Six tips for savings this summer

(BPT) - The YORK® brand of Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, has compiled six proven tips to help homeowners reduce cooling bills this spring and …

The ultimate last-minute gift guide for outdoorsy dads

(BPT) - If your dad takes any excuse to get outside — whether he loves sprucing up the yard, grilling out or epic adventures — you can help him pursue his outdoor passions with just the …

Avoid these carbon credit red flags when you travel

(BPT) - Airlines are forecasting a record year for summer travel, with carriers expected to transport 271 million passengers, up 6.3% from last year — and with more flights come more …

Hurricane forecast points to a dangerous 2024 Atlantic season, with La Niña and a persistently warm ocean teaming up to power fierce storms

If the National Hurricane Center’s early forecast, released May 23, is right, the North Atlantic could see 17 to 25 named storms, eight to 13 hurricanes, and four to seven major hurricanes by the end of November. That’s the highest number of named storms in any NOAA preseason forecast. …

La Niña is coming, raising the chances of a dangerous Atlantic hurricane season – an atmospheric scientist explains this climate phenomenon

One of the big contributors to the record-breaking global temperatures over the past year – El Niño – is nearly gone, and its opposite, La Niña, is on the way. Whether that’s a relief or not depends in part on where you live. …

Why US offshore wind power is struggling – the good, the bad and the opportunity

America’s first large-scale offshore wind farms began sending power to the Northeast in early 2024, but a wave of wind farm project cancellations and rising costs have left many people with doubts about the industry’s future in the U.S. ...

Houston area’s flood problems offer lessons for cities trying to adapt to a changing climate

Scenes from the Houston area looked like the aftermath of a hurricane in early May after a series of powerful storms flooded highways and neighborhoods and sent rivers over their banks north of the city. …

Defend your flock: 4 tips for backyard bird owners

(BPT) - Raising backyard chickens has become increasingly popular, and an estimated 10.6 million U.S. households — from city dwellers to rural residents — own poultry. However, many of …

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.