News & Events

For years, we’ve heard about “brain drain,” the phenomenon where young folks leave rural towns to attend college and pursue better opportunities in cities. But research into Minnesota’s shifting rural demographics now shows a positive reverse trend of “brain gain” — where young adults migrate back to their hometowns with families in tow and expertise to offer. Tony Madsen of NewLeaf Financial Guidance is a local case in point. He grew up in Redwood Falls and left to attend college at Augustana University in Sioux Falls. Madsen worked for a number of years in the Twin Cities metro area...

The Made in Minnesota Directory has reached a threshold: The directory now contains more than 1,000 Minnesota suppliers of products and materials, all pointing to what is made right here at home and helping to make the state more competitive. The story behind the directory really begins with German farm equipment manufacturer, Geringhoff, and their decision in 2011 to expand operations to the U.S. market. The company conducted a careful, deliberative search for a location – 27 different sites had been considered – and announced that St. Cloud would be the home of its first U.S. manufacturing plant...

Good things are happening in Redwood Falls. That was the message Steve Simon, Minnesota Secretary of State, heard this past Wednesday when he spoke with a group of local leaders during a meeting held at Daktronics in Redwood Falls. Simon, who has made it his mission again this year to visit all 87 counties he serves, talked about the business options available in his office and listened to some of the concerns those at the meeting raised. “I’m here to let you know what is available to you and to listen to you to find out what...

By Troy Krause Editor Posted Jan. 30, 2015 at 12:01 AM   Having a low unemployment rate is a good thing, because it means people are working. A working populous is healthy for the economy and is a signal business is doing well. However, there comes a time when a low unemployment rate might get too low. According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Devel-opment, the unemployment rate for December 2014 in Redwood County was 3 percent. That number is lower than the state unemployment rate of 3.6 percent and the 5.6 rate...

Enterprise Minnesota - December 2014 Issue -- Tom Mason, writer When Enterprise Minnesota’s president and CEO Bob Kill traveled recently to Redwood Falls he got to experience first hand how a diverse community of manufacturers can give their community a solid economic base.  Kill was invited by the Redwood Area Development Corporation (RADC) to keynote their annual Manufacturing Week luncheon. Redwood Falls is a prosperous community of about 5,000 people located a couple hours southwest of the Twin Cities. RADC is considered a well-run and forward-thinking organization thatserves 16 area communities. The day’s chief organizer was Julie Rath, one...

By Troy Krause Editor Posted Aug. 27, 2014 @ 12:01 am     Since its inception, High-water Ethanol in rural Lamberton has continued to look for new and innovative ways to improve what it offers to the region in terms of economic development and to improve the return for its investors. “That is why we are here today,”?said David Moldan, Highwater Ethanol board chair Wednesday afternoon during a ceremony to celebrate the latest project that has been accomplished at the facility. Through a partnership with Butamax™ Advanced Biofuels, which is a joint venture of DuPont and...

Submitted by Lindsay Wimmer, 5/14/14 The Youth Energy Summit (YES!) Team Westbrook-Walnut Grove Public Schools entered building and utility data into the B3 Energy Benchmarking System for ten buildings in the City of Westbrook to learn about energy use, as well as help the city better track energy use and utility costs in public buildings. The YES! Team is a group of nine motivated students that are interested in creating community environmental and economic vitality through hands on projects, so B3 Energy Benchmark data entry was the perfect project.The B3 Energy Benchmarking System is...

Stratasys Chairman Scott Crump to Be Inducted into the Minnesota Inventors Hall of Fame Fused deposition modeling technology recognized for its impact on economy, communities and society MINNEAPOLIS & REHOVOT, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 02, 2014-- Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq:SSYS), a global leader of 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions announced today that Chairman Scott Crump will be inducted into the Minnesota Inventors Hall of Fame (MIHF). Crump co-founded 3D printer manufacturer Stratasys Inc. with his wife, Lisa, in 1989. Stratasys Chairman and Chief Innovation Officer, Scott Crump (Photo: Stratasys) MIHF inductees are selected based on...

Innovation + Job News Invention Expo moves to Twin Cities Wednesday, May 07, 2014 Brian Martucci     The Minnesota Inventors Congress’ Invention Expo just wrapped up its first session in the Minneapolis Convention Center, after nearly 60 years of meeting in the small town of Redwood Falls. On May 2 and 3, hundreds of exhibiting inventors, investors and business leaders crowded into the center’s main hall to peruse the latest ideas and designs from the country’s brightest tinkerers, hardware whizzes and gearheads.  Click here to read the entire...

There’s a literary legend in which Ernest Hemingway places a brash wager on the power of brevity.  Insisting that just a few well-chosen words are enough to tell a compelling story, Hemingway bets several other writers $10 each that he can compose a complete story – one with a beginning, middle and end – in just six words. Once his buddies ante up, he pens this on a napkin: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Short. Engaging. Powerful. Whether it's true or not is a matter for literary scholars to debate. But when it comes...

By Troy Krause Editor Posted Oct. 21, 2013 @ 12:01 am The reclamation of Lake Redwood has been a topic for discussion for the past several years, and the project was brought up in the Minnesota legislature once again during its 2013 session. The proposal to use bonding dollars to dredge the reservoir, which has been described as a wide and deep spot in the Redwood River, would cost approximately $7.825 million, which is what District 16 Sen. Gary Dahms proposed in a bill he has authored. The Senate capital investment committee, which proposes the allocations...

Published 4:00pm Tuesday, September 3, 2013 Albert Lea Evening Tribune By Tim Engstrom Alliant Energy announced Tuesday it is selling its electric distribution business in Minnesota to a dozen local electric cooperatives and its natural gas operations to Rosemount-based Minnesota Energy Resources. There will be no changes immediately. After the $128 million transaction gets regulatory approval, Albert Lea residents will pay their electricity bill to Albert Lea-based Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services and their gas to Minnesota Energy Resources. “We are really pleased that this deal fell together, and it is good for our customers,” said Tom...

By Joshua Dixon Staff Writer, Redwood Falls Gazette Posted May. 30, 2013 @ 12:01 am   Last year the construction company Northstar Systembuilt met with city officials about buying property in the industrial park on the north side of town. The company’s goal: build a new, 36,000 square foot facility for building housing modules, bringing at least another 15 highly-skilled jobs to town. By June, 2012, everything was all arranged, and the tax abatement was approved by the city council — then the project didn’t happen. Not to worry. It turns out Northstar Systembuilt...