A “delusion” of three eras of the West End: An imaginary view telescoping three eras of the West End. Top right, St Anthony Falls retreating up the Mississippi River; top left, the retreating River Warren falls that carved St Paul’s bluff; top center, Fort Snelling at Bdote, at the confluence of both rivers. Lower left, Dakota Natives viewing the past and future. Stuart Loughridge’s watercolor interpretation is based on the Henry Lewis chromolithograph.”

May 30, 2025 Joe Landsberger 3 min read Columns, Origin Stories

Origin Story, Part the Second: Deluge

Dakota historians (Westerman/White, 2012): “The relationship of a people to the lands where they live is crucial for understanding their

Jacket cover of “On a Farther Shore: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson” by William Souder

May 28, 2025 Beatrice Cosgrove 3 min read Bea's Books, Columns

The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson (Part One)

The opening line of “Under the Sea Wind” underwhelmed me. I wasn’t sure I could make it any further, the next page or so was a jumble of 1940s nature writing I had never previously cared to read. I put it down, staring at the small cover plastered with a giant sticker reading “Interlibrary Loan.” I sat and wondered why I had decided to do this in the first place. The great outdoors was never something that called to me. I like civilization (a lot), but somehow, the seemingly fictional Rachel Carson reeled me in, and I found myself devoted to William Souder’s “On a Farther Shore: The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson.”

May 28, 2025 Zach Murphy 2 min read Columns, Film Review

Film Review: “The Wild Robot”

Robot companions have long played a significant role in the universe of animated films, from “The Iron Giant,” to “Wall-E”

May 8, 2025 Joe Landsberger 4 min read Columns, Origin Stories

Origin Stories: An Introduction

Since the 1970s the Community Reporter has been blessed with reporters, editors and board members who have documented the history

May 8, 2025 Dave Pinto 3 min read Columns, District Perspectives

The 2025 Legislative Session

Hello neighbors! As the spring turns to summer, I hope that you are looking forward to warmer weather, longer days, and time outdoors with family and friends.

May 8, 2025 Tim Johnson 3 min read Building Community, Columns

The Necessity of Empathy

My grandson’s shoe was missing. He is just 13 months in age and has been enjoying the value of upright mobility for the past month or so, making footwear important. On a warm sunny afternoon, the playground we visited was full of other children with either their parents or grandparents. The adults, like the children, engaged in the type of friendly conversation of people meeting for the first time.