Internet fast-lane bypassing rural Minnesota?

By |

The issue of net neutrality has dominated headlines recently, and the outcome of this ongoing debate could have profound implications for the expansion of high speed internet into rural areas of Minnesota. Monopoly power among internet providers has allowed them to raise prices and offer faster content delivery to select customers, creating an internet “fast lane”. Continue Reading

Food, farming, and football connected by research

By |

For most Twin Cities residents it’s easy to overlook the close ties between the University of Minnesota and the state’s small towns. If you take a second to think about it though, the connection is clear. As a land grant university, they’re closely related through agricultural research, football, and a number of other fields of study.

Continue Reading

Cable policy and the impact of policy on investment: Promote competition or utility?

By |

Watching the Minnesota Broadband Task Force gets me wondering about the impact policy can and does have on broadband expansion. So I was delighted when someone sent me an article on the impact of policy on cable expansion (The Cable Guys Need to Come Up with a Better Argument). The article is interesting – but for me the most interesting was a graph that outlines potential cause and effect of policy on cable investment… Continue Reading

COMMUNITY VOICES | West Broadway business profile: Paradise Beauty Salon

By |

Marie Egbujor has been operating Paradise Beauty Salon on West Broadway in North Minneapolis since 2009. The inviting salon is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 7pm. Ms. Egbujor is kept busy by her loyal clients; Paradise Beauty is famous for its Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday-only specials: $75 for a full weave sew-in, and dread retouching for just $40. Egjubor’s expertise is evident in her clients’ satisfied faces; “She’s very gifted at what she does; her hands are blessed” explained a client named Tiquita, who only entrusts her hair to Egjubor. However, what’s truly remarkable about Paradise Beauty Salon is the sense of calm, care and tranquility that one feels almost immediately upon stepping inside. “When you come in you feel the difference. Continue Reading

Planners anticipate Green Line effects

By |

On June 14th, the Central Corridor “Green Line” Light Rail project will open, ushering in a new era in transit for the Twin Cities metropolitan area.The Met Council has tallied at least $2.5 billion in development, including 121 new construction and redevelopment projects planned, under construction or completed within a half-mile of the $957 million line.But the long term effect of light rail on low income communities along the route is still open to debate.St. Paul and Ramsey County officials gathered recently at a meeting of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce to talk with business leaders about development changes that are underway, and those yet to come.Rico Morales has a report.  Listen to the audio here. Continue Reading