Business & Work

collage of photos of people talking at the MN State Capitol rotunda.

Essay: Every Minnesotan Deserves to Know What’s Happening in their Backyard

News alliance sends message to lawmakers on behalf of local media statewide—including Root River Current—regarding urgent need to support local news and information.

A yellowed, aged newspaper front page titled “Fillmore County Pioneer” fills the frame, printed in bold, decorative serif lettering across the top. Beneath the title, smaller text reads “Carimona, Fillmore County, Minnesota, Thursday, June 5, 1856,” along with volume and issue numbers. The page is densely packed with narrow columns of small black text, including sections labeled “Business Cards” and “Select Poetry.” Advertisements for goods and services appear along the left column, while poetry and articles fill the center and right columns. The paper shows visible wear and discoloration, emphasizing its historical age.

What Happened to Small Town Newspapers?

Explore the history of small-town newspapers in Fillmore and Houston counties and why their decline is contributing to news deserts across rural Minnesota.

Several adults standing, sitting and talking in a conference room in Rushford, MN.

Honoring the Past, Building the Future: SMIF Celebrates 40 Years

Area businesses, organizations and communities benefit from support and encouragement from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, celebrating 40 years of building better communities.

Outdoor patio at Sylvan Brewing in Lanesboro, Minnesota, filled with people enjoying drinks and live music beside the brewery building, with umbrellas, flowers, and scenic bluffs in the background.

How a Small-Town Brewery Became a Regional Destination

Discover Sylvan Brewing in Lanesboro, a small-town craft brewery known for quality beer, community events and a welcoming “third space” atmosphere.

A low, modern brick building sits on a snow-covered slope under a bright blue sky. Large dark windows face outward, reflecting the light. Bare trees line the hillside behind the building, and a tall communications tower rises above the trees. An American flag stands on a pole near the right side of the building.

Coming Together to Keep the Branding Iron Open

When the Branding Iron Restaurant in Preston, Minn. faced closure, community members and former employees united to save the beloved small-town supper club.

Aerial view of container ships and cargo cranes at the Port of Santos in Brazil, a major global export hub handling a large share of South American soybean shipments.

How Tariffs and China’s Global Investments are Reshaping Farming

Tune in for a free virtual forum that will explore how tariffs and China’s global investments are reshaping Upper Midwest agriculture and soybean markets; in partnership with Mississippi Basin Ag & Water Desk.

Grand Meadow Artisan Creates Handmade, Permanent Leather Goods

Grand Meadow artisan Zech Sindt of Bluffland Leather Co. creates hand-stitched leather goods built to last a lifetime using traditional, sustainable methods.

Person wearing a knit hat and beige sweater stands on a snowy sidewalk in a small Minnesota downtown, with a local grocery store and historic brick buildings in the background.

Bluff Country Business Academy to Support Local Businesses

Preston and Lanesboro are partnering on the Bluff Country Business Academy, an eight-week program designed to help small businesses grow and thrive.

A slender woman in a green zip-up pullover, jeans, and teal stocking cap stands with her hands in her pockets in a snow-covered field beside a long plastic-covered high tunnel greenhouse, with rolling hills in the background on a winter day in southeastern Minnesota.

Featherstone Farm: Growing Organic Food Through Fair Labor

Discover Featherstone Farm, a Minnesota organic vegetable farm rooted in soil stewardship, fair labor and local food systems since 1994.

Wildlife rescuer wearing a brown jacket and yellow gloves carefully holds a large adult bald eagle inside a cluttered workshop, with shelves of tools, containers and equipment in the background. The eagle is looking back at the man.

Area Family Rescues Animals Year-Round

An injured juvenile bald eagle rescued near Spring Valley during a snowstorm sheds light on the work of The Rescue Connection, a family-run wildlife rescue serving southern Minnesota.