FreePressNotes

Free Press goes multimedia

2011-02-17T14:08:00.000-08:00

It’s no secret that newsrooms around the country are seeing tectonic shifts in how they deliver the news and how it is consumed. When I first started in this business, we were still setting type with hot lead and reporters used typewriters.

The press ran one time and readers had a summary of everything happening in one edition.

Today, with our online news site, we have multiple deadlines bringing you locally breaking news as soon as we can. When the recent snowstorms hit, we presented you with the latest traffic news, forecasts, photos of the storm and warnings. And we kept at it all day. No waiting until the next morning.

We’ve also added the E-Edition, which provides subscribers not only with an archive of all the stories we’ve published in the last 30 days, but email alerts when topics of interest are published.

Now, as people change the way they get their information, we have responded again. Starting today, smart phone users can see the latest news and sports on our new mobile Web site. No need for a special URL; just use www.mankatofreepress.com and it will redirect to the mobile standard.

We’ve found that Android is strong in this area, not surprising given the presence of Verizon. But we have found people with iPads are finding their way to our site. Well, those people who are also subscribers can retrieve the E-Edition replica of the print edition from our mobile site too. The link is found at the bottom of the page.

We soon will have free apps available for your iPhone, Droid, Blackberry and the iPad.

The Free Press has come a long way since those hot metal days. We need to respond faster to differing ways people enjoy getting their information. Our website is the leader in online traffic for regional news in the Valley. Our two magazines — The Mankato Magazine and the MN Valley Business Magazine — continue to gain popularity and appreciation. And our agricultural publication, The Land, continues to deliver its special appeal to our Minnesota and Iowa communities.

But the digital arena is where we continue to push the boundaries — establishing social media networks with Facebook and Twitter. We also are in a partnership to bring you events on www.greatermankatoevents.com And recently we unveiled a new service called VisitMankato.com for your shopping needs. We have so many various offerings we had to change our name to The Free Press Media. We do this so we can remain the largest and best media source for news, information and advertising in the region.

Our mobile site, just like our website, will be supported by advertisers, as is our print edition. As we deliver news to you, we grow and our advertisers receive the best place to bring their message to you.

As we continue to point out in our print advertisements, we urge you to support these advertisers.

Newspapers cannot exist on subscriptions or newsstand charges alone.

Our award-winning news team is transforming and working harder to bring you the news faster and in various options — including photos and video. And now straight to your smart phone.

We are committed to remaining the best source for news, information and advertising. That means we will continue to address the various ways you want to find those sources. We thank you for continuing to support The Free Press and watch for more changes that are bound to come.

North Mankato displays its changes

2009-09-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

On Monday night, Mayor Gary Zellmer held his annual tour to show several areas of recent construction and "other sites of interest" to a bus load of community businesspeople, civic leaders and the curious.
He had a lot to show off.
There were 36 areas in the 11/2-hour tour some of the highlights of which I'd like to touch on:

View Mayor's tour in a larger map
A. Gold Cross Ambulance will be siting at the #2 Fire Station on Howard & Lor Ray cutting down the response time for upper North Mankato.
B. Energy efficient lights will be replaced at Caswell Park and the old ones donated to Loyola.
C. Capstone, corner of Howard & Lookout Drive, is adding 24,000 sq ft to its present 45,000 sq ft facility
D. New construction underway on Howard Drive West (expansion of the industrial park area) includes Timpte Inc with five acres for sales & service, and Minnesota Truck & Tractor, both for sales and service.
E. They are butting up against the future expansion of the Highway 14 intersection and extension of County 41 that will cover over 14 and link north with County 6 (Timms Road)
F. The new Beans Plus Daycare on Carlson Drive & Rolling Green Lane has a capacity of 197 children and it is hoped will serve the growing industrial base on that side of town.
G. Mike Drummer has two subdivisions being constructed on Timms Road and Rolling Green Lane. On the Rolling Green side, is Cottages at Benson which butts up against Benson Park. It will have 40 single townhomes and three will be constructed first.
H. Across Timms on the same corner will be Parks Edge Subdivision. These 70 acres will have 173 "tight" lots (meaning no variances) and construction will feature the first 21 lots.
I. Benson Park will be undergoing extensive work to bring its 70 acres to a natural park and play setting. The city commissioned Hoisington Koegler Group to draft a five-year plan. The first step will be some underground piping and infrastructure work. Also, Mike Drummer has donated 25 "good-sized" oak trees for the savannah of this project.
J. The 40-acre site of the future elementary school on Carlson Drive and Lor Ray Drive will include eight soccer fields. These will complement the four soccer fields on the north end of Dakota Meadows Middle School and will be tournament quality.
K. That new construction underway at Commerce is the new Commerce Drive Dental Clinic. Still to come to the west of that is a 3-acre site for Mankato Mortuary.
L. The Thompson Fishing Pier was detailed in a recent Free Press article here.
M. The Taylor Library expansion project is adding about 60% more space including a basement for seasonal storage. They hope to complete it by the end of the year.
N. A loan program whereby up to 2-for-1 grants are available for local businesses have helped improve the Bonito Guadalajara Mexican restaurant and Circle Inn on Belgrade Avenue. There is hope that other businesses will take advantage in an effort to revitalize the 200 block.
O. The west side of Lee Boulevard Hill will feature a bike path to relieve some of the high-speed conflicts with walkers on the east side sidewalk.

An old dog learns new trick

2009-09-07T12:42:00.000-07:00

It was late in the morning on Labor Day. Weather was perfect at 72 degrees and sunny. My wife and I were sitting on the rear of my car, legs dangling as we waited. The parking lot was empty and very quiet. My insides were less so.

I was preparing for what would turn out to be a thrill of a lifetime, doing something I always dreamed about.

Up until now I had convinced myself that to undertake such a thing was "impractical," "superfluous." There are better ways to spend your money, I would tell myself. Anyway, it's over in a flash and then what do you have?

***
The white sedan pulled into the lot and a tall man with sunglasses emerged.

"Morning," he said cheerfully, pulling out a notebook and two headsets from his car.

"He looks really young," whispered my wife, a little worried.

"Not much wind today," I said trying to appear somewhat knowledgeable. I reached into my pocket and handed him an envelope given to me by my staff.

He took it and smiled as we walked to the hangar. "Funny thing. They do want to get paid for doing this." ***

It was my 60th birthday and my staff had chipped in for one hour of flying lessons. Apparently I have a disorder that manifests itself with my loudly professing my childhood dreams in small gatherings. Remarkably, they caught on.

When one of my daughters found out she said, "So either they like you or they're hoping the plane will crash."

It was a small plane -- a Piper Archer II. You could tell by the cracked, weathered fiberglass that it was old. I wasn't going to ask how old. He didn't ask my age and I likewise was trying to be just as courteous.

As I boarded from the right side, the pilot said "Scoot over." Since that's traditionally the pilot's side, a warm awareness fell over me -- like something you feel when a bullet whizzes by your head. "You'll be more comfortable over here for what you'll be doing."

I'm thinking now my daughter was on to something.

He explained the functions of the instruments, the adjustments he was making and patiently answered the obvious questions he must have heard a hundred times before ... at least, I HOPE he heard them a hundred times before.

He then primed the cylinders, fired up the engine and we taxied for takeoff, quickly climbing to 1,500 feet. As we leveled off, he set the GPS and then said "OK, it's yours. Just keep the horizon level between the top of the dash and the window." Frankly, that was the easy part. What people may not know is that when you are in the air, flying is relatively easy. You point and go. I've been a passenger in small planes before and I found flying just as relaxing as driving in a car.

But now I was in the pilot's seat. It's vastly different. There's a high degree of mutual awareness among pilots up here. We all want to know where you are at and how close you are or will be. Chatter on the radio helps as does telegraphing your position, especially approaching other airports.

Unlike driving a car where you can see your threat relatively easily, the sky can be a bit of a trickster.

"You might want to move over to your right a little to avoid those guy wires on the tower," the pilot said. The tower looked pretty far off but I dutifully followed the instructions. When we did pass the tower it looked pretty damned close and I said so.

"It can be deceiving," he noted. "And when you're going 130 mph, it comes up pretty fast."

That's the first I heard of the speed we were traveling. It sure didn't seem that fast. For an old single-engine plane, it was feeling pretty darn good! I relaxed a little.

***
The pilot's name was Luke. He served in the Air Force and when he got out he was hooked, flying commercial, contract and private. He was part of a club now and, as a favor, he occasionally gives some informal flying lessons to friends and friends of friends.

You could tell he was an experienced pilot. He had the same "4C" demeanor I've noticed in others of his ilk ... calm, classy, confident and congenial.

One time in Alaska, we flew with a retired stunt pilot who wore a ball cap that had a pony tail attached. I worried that we had a clown at the helm. I was wrong. He was just relaxing and having fun but when he was in the air, he was Sky King of the Glaciers.

Luke was Sky King of the Minnesota River Valley.

As we flew close to North Mankato, I wanted to take some photos so he took over. He banked smoothly and quickly flew low enough so I could get some photos of my town house by Benson Park.

Then he feathered the engine so I could get the best shots. They turned out to be some beautifully crisp pictures. My wife later said she wished she was on the driveway waving to us.

When I took back control, I noticed that I was conscious of his flying style. When I had the stick I tried to battle the wind currents. With Luke in control, I didn't notice them. It was smooth, easy, solid.

Later I became aware that flying isn't about correctly reading instruments or adjusting gauges or "steering." First, it's about feel. Pilots don't conquer the sky; they flow with it. Unlike a car that goes left or right in a forward motion, a plane has four variations. The rudder moves the plane left or right. The elevator moves the plane up or down. The aileron rolls the plane left or right. The thrust controls the speed. An experienced pilot performs these functions as if it were second nature.

Secondly, it's not about steering. On the way back to the airport, Luke said we would do a couple of "touch and goes" (land and then take off again). Then he said... "And the second one will be yours." Say what!

This is when you learn that flying is not about pulling and pushing the wheel. That only controls the elevator which means going up or down.

It's about the throttle or speed control and using your foot pedals to maneuver the ailerons for left and right shifts and rolls of the plane.

After the descent and then takeoff with Luke squarely in control, we flew back up to 1,500 feet and flew parallel to the airstrip for awhile. Then I banked 90 degrees and began the descent to the runway. While Luke controlled the throttle speed, I had (some) control of the rudder and aimed for the runway. "Keep the top of the runway in your sight and descend slowly," Luke said. He was feathering and I was pointing (although I was conscious his hand was slightly nudging the stick).

We touched down and veered slightly to the right. That's when I discovered that when on the ground, a steering wheel is worthless. It's all about the feet working the ailerons, or those sections of the wing you see move upon landing, which guides the direction of the plane ... the propeller (or throttle) gives the thrust; the "feet" tells the plane where to go.

By speeding up the prop and braking on the left, the plane does an about-face on the runway and we taxi back to the hangar where my wife was waiting.

When I emerged, Luke graciously fibbed and told her "The landing was all his." That's when I noticed my armpits were sopping.

After profusely thanking Luke, I walked back to the car and my wife turned to me and asked "You OK? You seem like you're in a daze."

I'm sure it was the grin. An old dog can have a Cheshire grin, right?

What is the greater Mankato way?

2009-06-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

"Community development precedes economic development." This observation didn't come from an economist nor an activist. It was spoken by Lloyd Gray, managing editor of a Tupelo, MS, newspaper that for decades has been a leader in community development and often cited as a chief contributor to the rise of a city once considered the worst of the worst.
It reminded me of something an economic developer in the '90s told me. "You have to make sure your house is clean and everything is in order before you invite guests over."
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal understood that and worked with community leaders to bring focus to serious detriments in their community. It was struggling with high dropout rates, an inadequately trained workforce and a divisive community that was at odds with one another.
That same economic developer told me businesses don't look for reasons to pick communities, they look for reasons to exclude them. And for Tupelo, those were pretty good reasons for exclusion.
The newspaper was convinced it needed to be the central campfire for the community to gather around and discuss, measure and establish a reference point from which they can move. "People still yearn for a geographic connection, to feel more what it's all about," said Gray. Newspapers "can't be more noise. We must be relevant and engaged." We must help share the common experience and identity of our community.
The newspaper focused its editorial gaze on issues confronting Tupelo with an agenda for all to see. It wondered publicly what was holding the community back from progressing. It printed best practices from other communities to show what can be done.
That is not at odds with solid journalism, he said. "If we see foibles and failures, we will report on them but news organizations that only report those things distort and present an incomplete, inaccurate picture."
One of those foibles was its high dropout rate, an issue on which the newspaper "beat the drum." It determined that it "cannot prosper without the good health of surrounding communities." So along with other media, they provided free print ads and airtime to convince students not to drop out of school.
"We are not universally loved but people trust us to care about the community." And it was devotion of the community that gave birth to greater cooperation among businesses and government institutions in getting things accomplished.
It was that kind of attitude that helped Tupelo become an economic success story.
In the late '60s, it created more manufacturing jobs than the rest of the state combined.
The furniture industry came into the city and has helped make it a regional center for furniture.
As it grew into a retail center, sales tax collection increased 20 times between 1960 & 1970
And it landed the yet-to-be-opened Toyota plant which the company said was because of the area's collaborative nature, work ethic of trained manufacture workers and quality of education
It's all about tone and motivation, Gray said. "Be aware that you (as a newspaper help) structure the community's identity of itself."
That apparently resonated with the community at large. During one spat of local government bickering, it was obvious the conflict was based more on turf protection than on how to improve Tupelo. The community, said Gray, rebuked those officials saying "That's not the Tupelo way."
Community development precedes economic development. And attitude precedes all.
We all have some say in how our destiny plays out. What is the greater Mankato way? What is it we want to be known for?

Economics of news: Who will pay?

2009-06-17T11:55:00.000-07:00

It was billed as the "New Economic Models for News" Conference. I had hoped it would be business models but the "business" of newspapers wasn't the theme; it was more about saving journalism -- more specifically, journalists.
The audience of about 40 was made up mostly of academics from the University of Minnesota, journalism students, journalists or former journalists. And for the most part they were looking for something other than business as the answer. They had been wrung out by conglomerates they felt were more interested in payback than providing a community benefit.
Consequently the models discussed were non-profits, Employee Stock Ownerships, government funded (ala British Broadcasting Corporations), cooperatives and a little know setup called L3C which is a low-profit limited liability company. Now law in a handful of states, proponents are drafting federal legislation and purposely crafting newspapers as potential users. The perceived benefit of an L3C is you can endorse candidates which is not allowed under non-profit models.
Each of these proposals still begged the same question: If these are all such great ideas, how come they aren't being widely used?
First off, there isn't enough non-profit start up money around to bail out all newspapers in trouble. Existing non-profits are struggling too. And, as Joel Kramer of MinnPost.com told everyone, even then you need a "business plan" to sustain yourself after the start up funds are exhausted. Kramer said his plan requires that readers pay; only a quarter of his revenue is coming from advertising.
ESOPs have their pitfalls one of which is dividends tend to benefit the participants and it's a chore to convince employees to take a smaller cut and, oh say, invest in a better inserting machine.
Government-funded news organizations, it could be argued, run counter to the very core of the Fourth Estate's watchdog on government. Although, there was the argument that PBS and NPR are not exactly shrinking violets when government needs to be accountable. (However, they too are having revenue problems.)
All these plans still were struggling with the same problem facing for-profit newspapers -- availability of cash. When credit was easy, you could leverage one dollar against five. And debt load is exactly what got some newspaper chains in trouble.
The problem isn't that newspapers are not profitable; for the most part, they are solid businesses and have adapted to many challenges over the century. The problem many face now is crushing debt loads at a time when advertising revenue is soft.
One of the more practical speakers, Steve Yelvington of Morris Communications, had it right. Journalism never had a business model. It was always subsidized by something -- political parties started it, then it morphed to the commercial application of hooking up businesses with consumers. Just like TV which is an entertainment medium, not a news medium.
Yelvington said we are in a "hurricane" right now and after the storm passes, things will have been moved around. Nothing will be the same.
But in the end we still must find the answer to the central question: what will be the new subsidy for journalism? Or, put more directly, who will pay for the news?

Liberty Belle rings up honor for the past

2009-06-08T11:32:00.001-07:00

A scene in the 1949 movie "Twelve O'Clock High" had a certain Nietzsche quality about it that World War II veterans and even those who remained stateside could relate to. The general overseeing a bomber base in England was warning a new commanding officer that leading his B-17 crew would be hard.
"I've gotta ask you to take nice kids and fly them until they can't take any more, and then put 'em back in and fly 'em some more. We've got to try to find out what a maximum effort is. How much a man can take and get it all."
To me, this exemplified the character of all World War II combat troops. It was a tough, frantic and courageous time when the country's men and women, already steeled by an economic depression, answered the call to serve with few questions asked.
The nation's struggling businesses survived by adapting. So they were prepared to retool and churn out armament as fast as they could. Ingenuity was more in demand than smooth operating machines. There was little time to lose.
One armament in particular seemed to symbolize the courage and sacrifice required at that time -- the B-17, a bomber principally used in Europe.
As a child, it fascinated me. I saw one on the ground in Arizona and was shocked at both its size and yet how rickety it was. "Did people actually fly in these things?" I asked my father. He just smiled.
The B-17 or "the Flying Fortress" took on mythic proportions of strength and tenacity symbolizing the kind of air assault that was needed to war against the advancing Axis Powers. Despite the speed and versatility of the German Messerschmidt 109 fighter and the toughness of the Focke-Wulf 190, the B-17 survived numerous attacks and limped back home to be patched up and sent back into the air. There was no heat in those behemoths. No sound suppressors. No pressure equalizers. It was the bomber crew working as a team against the elements, enemy fighter pilots and the flak from anti-aircraft guns.
Today we are losing a number of our WWII veterans daily and with that loss comes our opportunity to retrieve a true eyewitness account from the best that our nation can produce. To get a flavor of those times, the Liberty Foundation, dedicated to preserving the memory of such sacrifices, will offering flights on the Liberty Belle, a B-17 in St. Paul this weekend. The trip is pricey at $430 for a half-hour flight but the foundation says it costs $1 million a year to keep the Belle flight worthy.
If you're interested, flights and the stories that go with them will be at the Signature Flight Support FBO, 515 Eaton Street. The flights for the public will be available on June 13-14. Anyone seeking info can call (918)-340-0243 or visit www.libertyfoundation.org.

Pay to Play or not?

2009-06-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

Radio Mankato will be asking residents and businesses to donate money to pay the $15,000 or so for the cost of having fireworks for the Fourth of July. The Free Press will assist in seeking these donations. But the central question is: Are you willing to donate money to have fireworks for the Fourth of July?

The results of the unscientific poll that ended Monday night: There were 32 responses:

50% -- Yes, the community needs it!

12% -- No, fireworks are worthless

37% -- No, I can't afford it.

Bringing back the fold

2009-05-21T13:33:00.000-07:00

Is it time for the healing to begin?
Last December, North Mankato government officials pulled out of the Greater Mankato Growth organization citing differences in the operation of the visitors bureau and its various emphases.
Immediately afterwards, a group of business and civic leaders held a press conference to blast the decision by the North Mankato leadership saying it "jeopardizes a long effort to create an efficient regional approach to promoting the area." As one GMG official stated then "the competitive model of city against city isn't viable."
North Mankato officials disagreed saying it still wants to be part of the region but just feels it has a better chance of doing some things separately.
The editorial board of The Free Press asked North Mankato to reconsider its position and see the best approach was a collective one.
Well, not only hasn't North Mankato reconsidered but it appears to be growing further apart.

It did not participate in the most recent regional leadership summit with attendees from various business and civic groups -- including Taylor Corporation which has offices and outlets in North Mankato. It cited the down economy.
It recently told Mankato residents to stay out of the North Mankato refuse area and dump their lawn clippings elsewhere, posting "guards" at the gate to check for IDs. This time it cited recent changes that allow Mankato residents to accept such refuse for free in its own jurisdiction.
And now sources say North Mankato is looking for a name change on at least one organization to either distance itself further from the regional concept or strengthen its brand, depending on which side of the fence you stand.
UPDATE: North Mankato is the lone holdout in a Department of Natural Resources plan to have the seven largest users of an area aquifer split the costs of a study to see if it’s being depleted. It is the third largest user of the aquifer but has said the study is an unfunded mandate and will not participate in the study leaving the burden of the cost to the others.

At the aforementioned leadership summit, the top priority by all attendees was to find a way to re-engage North Mankato and bring them back to the fold. They were strongly in favor of finding a way to bridge the gap now.
Privately, however, others said to just be patient. The real issue isn't North Mankato, they said, since a number of those businesses and residents actually do partake in regional activities.
This was more of a "personality clash" and therefore isn't that important. It will possibly "correct itself during the next election if North Mankato residents felt strongly enough about it."
North Mankato officials will cite their need to not always be in the shadow of Mankato and feel they will always get the short shrift in any collaborative efforts.
So here's the deal. What do you think? Leave a comment how you see the situation. (I will be moderating before it gets posted so be careful what you say.)
If that takes just a little too much time or you don't want to register, there's a poll on the right side asking your opinion. It's not scientific. Heck it's not even very accurate but it allows you to express your thought with a click of the mouse.
Let us know and the results are almost immediate! Well, at least the poll results are.

(In the interest of full disclosure, I am an executive board member of GMG and I am a resident of North Mankato as well as a member of the North Mankato Parks and Green Spaces Advisory Committee...at least for as long as they'll have me.)

Media on media: Cracked mirror

2009-05-20T06:18:00.000-07:00

News media have taken quite a battering of late. The exponential growth of the internet, servicing of heavy debt loads and a severe advertising downturn have hit media pretty hard.
And while print journalists are more prone to self-flagellation in explaining the dilemma, TV and radio have done a fairly good job of pointing to newspaper woes while ignoring their own economic stress.
Example locally? Twin Cities' TV station KARE-11 aired an interview Tuesday night with Star Tribune sports columnist Sid Hartman the context of which was to show Sid is surviving while all his friends are suffering from cutbacks at newspapers that are in "serious financial trouble."
However, during the same broadcast, the anchors cheerfully talk about the departure of their colleague, veteran TV anchor and reporter Rick Kupchella whom they said was leaving to "pursue other interests."
At no time did they mention anything about the financial stress that is afflicting the station nor its parent company, Gannett. For that we had to turn to Kupchella's version via MinnPost
or the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal or the Star Tribune to learn the station wanted Kupchella to sign a contract for less money due to the economic stress of the time.

Chrysler to close 19 dealerships in Minnesota

2009-05-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

In filings with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Thursday, Chrysler wants to drop 789 dealers from its network. The automaker is seeking a June 3 court hearing to approve the plan and some dealers say they will oppose it.
The dealerships include 19 in Minnesota (boldface are those in our immediate area):

Boe Chrysler Center in West Concord
Factor Motors in Le Center
Fury Dodge in Lake Elmo
Iron Trail Motors in Virginia
Marchant Motors in Spring Valley
Mason Motors in Excelsior
Nereson Motors in Detroit Lakes
North Star Garage in Milaca
Paul Busch Auto Center in Wabasha
Pen Motors in Duluth
Salem Motors in Crookston
Salmon Motors in Tracy
Scholtes Motors in Worthington
Scott-Preusse in Redwood Falls
SonJu Two Harbors in Two Harbors
Stillwater Motors in Stillwater
Walden Fleet in Pine City
Wally's Auto Service in Orr

Two wheels better than four

2009-05-13T10:09:00.000-07:00

Not that you could tell from all the bicycles streaming into downtown Mankato, but this is Bike to Work Week. The Twin Cities has truncated the event into Bike to Work Day on Thursday and includes some incentives like free breakfasts to discounted Twins tickets, even happy hour specials. I'm not sure an inebriated bicyclist weaving around in city traffic is a good idea but, hey, what do I know about life in the big city.
It's not really a special week (or day) for me. I've been bicycling to work since last June taking some time off during the winter because, frankly, I'm not that much of a fanatic.
At first I did it to get in some exercise following a not-so-subtle hint from my doctor. ("Hmm. Well, Jim, given these readings you are in the weight category we commonly refer to as 'obese.' But, you know, those BMI standards are pretty tough.")
Then my son bought my second car and now it's more out of necessity.
There's something very special about bicycling around Mankato. It's not the flattest place on the planet. To make it even more special I live in upper North Mankato. And, despite all my best efforts to find a reasonable alternative, there is no easy way to get home other than heavy pedaling up the 9% grade of Lee Boulevard.
Here are a few things I've learned while traveling this past year:
-- For the most part, motorists are pretty patient and give wide berth to bicyclists.
-- That said, those few motorists who don't see you or don't give the required three feet of clearance can scare the hell out of you. I bicycle as though every motorist is in this category.
-- Not every road in this town is constructed to accommodate bicyclists. That's counterproductive when city regs prohibit bicycling on sidewalks but pedaling in the streets can be hazardous.
-- I look like a real dork in a bicycling helmet. I'm still wearing it.
-- I've cut my gas purchases nearly in half. But I'm buying bigger bottles of Ibuprofen.
-- I lost 65 pounds. I'm off blood pressure medicine. My cholesterol is at 150.
Those are benefits I can live with.
If you'd like more information about bicycling in Minnesota, here's some DOT info on bicycling

New restaurant for North Mankato?

2009-05-11T17:18:00.000-07:00

Rumor has it that the spot where the old Great Wall restaurant once resided ... behind Wells Fargo on Commerce ... will be the home of another "Mexican" restaurant. Yet another boon for Commerce on Commerce.

However it just seems so odd.

With all the activity now being generated on Commerce -- the new exercise shop, new hair salon, another restaurant/grill opening soon, the new construction of KwikTrip and recent opening of Walgreens -- that Ray's Market couldn't make it.

It looked like they just gave up. Inventory toward the end was very weak and slowly diminished so that people stopped going there. It could be they felt they were just not grocery people and feel more comfortable as landlords. They expressed as much in recent news stories.

Let's hope someone else sees the opportunity (and has the experience) to put up something more as a convenience shop rather than a full blown grocery store for the residents of North Mankato.

2009-05-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

2009-05-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

Storytelling with photos

2009-05-08T09:32:00.001-07:00

An absolutely lovely photo essay that tugs at your heart. Great story telling. http://ping.fm/v6IZP

Within rumble of giants falling, another tale told

2009-05-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

While at a community function, a long-time reader pleaded with me "Don't have the newspaper go to all internet. I so much love to hold the newspaper in my hand."
We had no intention of doing this. Still don't. But her alarm is symptomatic of what I'm hearing from others in the community who watch the news surrounding other newspapers. The closing of Rocky Mountain News, the Cincinnati Post and others. The bankruptcy filings of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and the Chicago Tribune and others. The conversion from print to online of Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Christian Science Monitor and others.
One would think ALL newspapers are going the way of the dinosaur. Without a doubt, the news business is evolving as it always does. And just as surely the major metropolitan newspapers -- especially those who have more than one serving the city -- are grabbing all the headlines and causing all the calamity.
But amid the cacophony of crashing sounds coming from giants falling, we are not hearing the smaller voice of community newspapers like The Free Press. That is until last week, when the Wall Street Journal finally recorded what the rest of us in the industry understood -- smaller newspapers are a different breed.
In the article headlined Investors Bet on Small-Market Papers, the author notes that "many smaller newspapers have retained their appeal to local advertisers seeking to reach customers who live and shop nearby."
And we work hard to keep costs low, many of our employees can handle multiple projects enabling us to work leaner and, unlike our bigger brethren in the big city, we tend to be closer to the community.
As the article points out "The formula for running a small-town newspaper would be familiar to any mom-and-pop business: No detail is too small and all business is personal."
And that is the case for many smaller papers. That's not to say we aren't hurting from this down economy the same as other businesses and we too have had to make difficult decisions and hard adjustments.
But we are not getting ready to turn out the lights and close the door. Nor go all online.
Once the economy bounces back, we will be here recording those events for you just as we have been here for you during these difficult times.
But we feel we are a reflection of our region and all of us have a very bright future ahead.

WHO's on First?

2009-05-01T13:42:00.001-07:00

Virologists investigating origin of H1N1? OK, everyone! Stop and check for any missing cells on your spreadsheets!

GMG: Retreat "sparks ideas, inspires cooperation'

2009-05-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Summary report from Greater Mankato Growth press release May 1, 2009
On April 26-27, the Greater Mankato Leadership Delegation met in a retreat focusing on the roles each could play during these challenging times. There were 73 community and business leaders who attended and an additional 35 nonprofit leaders joined to discuss collaboration, innovation and smart use of community resources.
Some key priorities came from the meeting:

Develop and support strong leaders, recognizing that effective leadership and productive relationships among our area leaders is critical to our success
Explore ways to reconnect with the City of North Mankato and work collaboratively with other cities in the region
Continue to gather the Leadership Delegation, both with local retreats and visitsto communities in other parts of the country.
Keep the momentum going; use the power of a collective vision of the future.
Stay focused on Envision 2020 implementation.
Celebrate the positive achievements and progress in our region.
Prepare for and embrace increased diversity in our community
Share & leverage resources in order to survive and thrive.
Embrace change by looking for possibilities and opportunities, even during challenging times.

The plan now is for these priorities to be turned into action plans. I'll share more of that when it reaches some solid outlines.

...And so who's paying the bar tab?

2009-05-01T09:04:00.001-07:00

It could be worse. You could be on vacation in a Hong Kong hotel right now ... when someone starts coughing. And now you're quarantined with 300 other people for a week.

Live From Leadership retreat

2009-04-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

A gathering of leaders

2009-04-09T10:51:00.000-07:00

By Jim Santori
Free Press Publisher

Now more than ever, it's time for a gathering and contemplation.
With many parts of our region facing unprecedented challenges, community and business leaders from the Mankato area will gather for a two-day retreat on Sunday, April 26 in Chaska, Minn.

Why?
Well, according to the committee's stated goal, it is to "strengthen our commitment to creating the Greater Mankato region as a thriving place to live, learn, work and do business."
Put more directly, things aren't the way they used to be and we can't count on them returning to the same place. It's time to learn more about what is happening, hear the best guesses about what is going to happen and prepare to make the best choices that can affect what should happen.
I will be at this meeting and, given its importance, will be reporting real-time on this blog while the event unfolds.

According to the draft agenda, attendees will hear what challenges face those economic areas critical to the region including agriculture, energy, retail & hospitality, healthcare, banking & finance, education and manufacturing.
Where do we stand? What effects are we all feeling? What plans are in the works?
How can we work together to better the situation for our region? It's a tough world out there and we need to be sure we are stronger and better prepared.

A chunk of time has been set aside on the second day to address the challenges already facing the region's non-profits, seeing cuts in donations and with some worried about their own survival. Sessions are designed to examine ways to help.

To the early critics, this is no junket.
It's an intense schedule with buses leaving Sunday morning at 8:15 a.m. (sharp! I might add), arriving at 9:30 a.m. and starting immediately with an opening session on goals and introductions. Speakers include some heavy hitters such as Jean Taylor of Taylor Corp.; Dave Brennan, retailing expert from University of St. Thomas; Rebekah Kent of Bio-Business Alliance and MNSCU Chancellor Jim McCormick
There will be back-to-back meetings throughout Sunday ending with U.S. Congressman Tim Walz scheduled to speak until 8:30 p.m. on the economic stimulus package and what it means for Southern Minnesota. That's a pretty full day by anyone's count.

Monday's featured sessions start at 9 a.m. and include such speakers as Peter Hutchinson, CEO of the Bush Foundation and John Pratt, CEO of the Minnesota Council on Nonprofits as well as an economic report from Dan McElroy, commissioner of the state economic development arm, DEED. Meetings will be held up to 5:15 p.m. when buses head back to Mankato.

While I'm there (and if the internet gods are smiling), I will be providing highlights, insights and observations throughout the meeting and posting it here at FreePressNotes on www.mankatofreepress.com.
Come check in from time to time and follow the progress.