Recent content from Katy Read
What are the financial pros and cons of retiring in Minnesota?
The state has higher taxes. But it is also important to look at the "whole picture."
At 90, Northfield woman looks back on 57 years of blood drives
Cindy Anderson helped recruit volunteers and set up the spaces.
Service dog helps Minneapolis high-school counselor cope with MS
Fortunately, Lambeau's name was no problem for Nora Guerin, an avid Green Bay Packers fan.
Twin Cities exhibit traces 'Unfinished Journey' for people with developmental disabilities
From lifelong confinement to voting rights: Some of the milestones providing more opportunities and independence are disturbingly recent.
Artists offer ideas for improving the health care system
What sounds like a monumental task is doable if lots of people get involved, they say.
Owner of Hopkins doggie day care shares tips for helping pups learn good manners
Every dog has its day at Adventures in Barking.
Twin Cities program helps parents celebrate their babies with Down syndrome
Jack's Basket counters "insensitive" delivery of the news with baskets of baby gifts and family resources.
Women in Twin Cities group help each other develop their careers
TeamWomen's members, representing a variety of career levels and industries, get together to share experiences and strategies.
University of Minnesota researcher studies health effects of sit-stand desks
A University of Minnesota professor partnered with a colleague from Arizona State University to study how sit-stand desks affect workers' health.
Little-known devices restore vision to people who can't be helped by regular glasses
Bioptic telescopic glasses can help people read, walk and see loved one's faces, but hardly anyone has heard of them.
St. Paul woman advocates on behalf of access and equity for other deaf people
Jessalyn Akerman-Frank has won awards for creating innovative programs for the deaf community.
Eden Prairie photographer creates portraits of dogs using AI
Is artificial intelligence a threat to artists or a useful tool? Maybe both, Jim Henderson says.
Twin Cities area clinics offer holistic care to women over 65
Herself Health focuses on women's health and wellness from a perspective that's different from the one used for men.
St. Paul consultant helps 'solo seniors' deal with dilemmas of aging
Linda J. Camp is working for systemic change to help those without close relatives or friends to deal with health care, financial challenges and more.
Rochester woman turns stories of her own struggles into advocacy for others in need
Caregiving challenges, homelessness, chronic disease, drug addiction and lack of medical insurance are among the problems Toni Kay Mangskau's family encountered.
Local leaders welcome pope's statement on LGBTQ couples
Archbishop Hebda says it's a reminder "that all of us are loved by God." Dignity Twin Cities calls it a "landmark decision."
Residents of Edina senior housing meet monthly to write, read, remember
A writing group at the Waters has published four books that share their stories.
An Imax producer shares his travel secrets
"The World Has a Big Backyard," by former Science Museum executive VP Mike Day, is part travel memoir, part advice book.
Minnesota LGBTQ organizations offer support to newcomers seeking trans refuge
With a new Minnesota law making the state a refuge for people seeking gender-affirming care, local organizations are offering support to transgender and nonbinary arrivals.
Formerly homeless Minneapolis brothers develop passion for drawing in Mia class
Through the Vitality Arts projects, they explored their range of interests, from mythology to World War II to Taylor Swift.
Dinners by top Minnesota chefs serve up 'courageous conversation'
Stories Behind the Menu founder Chaz Sandifer wants people to form connections across cultures by breaking bread together.
Exhibit shows progress in lives of Minnesotans with developmental disabilities
Once labeled "feeble-minded" and institutionalized, people with disabilities now have more control over their lives and choices.
Minnesota therapists use virtual reality to help patients conquer fears
Whether it makes you feel like you're playing an enjoyable game or confronting your worst fears, VR is gaining interest as effective therapy.
9 Minnesota coffee shops that pour profits back into the community
These coffee shops have missions that extend beyond their brews.
Edina teens create free app that lets kids track their emotions
Users of Taara Verma's Feel Now get a reminder each day to log their moods.
Minneapolis woman's introspective memoir examines the emotions of caregiving
Savita Harjani's "Postcards From Within" isn't a how-to book as much as a personal journal about what it meant.
New $2,000 Minnesota State Fair scholarship aids study of skilled trades
Lex Lewison of Owatonna will use his scholarship to learn increasingly complex automotive service technology.
Minneapolis wellness center offers Black people a space where others 'get it'
Reviving Roots offers an all-Black staff and therapy designed for the Black community.
![“She’s hitting times that would be impressive on a traditional [nondisabled] high school swim team,” said coach Adam Warden.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/ZG3CEQBSIG3JLHMN43MGS5MH24.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Minnesota teen swimmer has broken more than 100 bones, but her spirit is unbreakable
After winning gold in a national tournament, Sophia Nohre wants to compete in the 2028 Paralympics — among other things.
Minneapolis author tells kids how they can make their days and nights 'good'
"Make it a Good Day" and "Make it a Good Night" offer young readers tips for making things go well.
St. Paul man wins national recognition for helping others through recovery
Writer, speaker and mentor James Page Jr. developed a set of inspirational cards he named "Spiritual Apples."
Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota gets $5 million donation for Camp Oz
The gift is by far the largest the organization has ever received.
Minnesota dads harness 'power of music' to help kids with mental health struggles
The Twin Cities duo wants to raise money to help children struggling with anxiety and depression.
Minnesota father and son develop app to monitor loved ones with dementia
Scott and Paul Carpenter created BoundaryCare after finding little available to protect family members — including their own.
Minnesota man develops games to help kids learn Ojibwe culture and language
Cards and puzzles give Native American youngsters a chance to speak Ojibwe.
To help his riders, Twin Cities Uber and Lyft driver goes the extra mile
Mark Daigle of Minnetonka pays for people's rides, gets them to safety if needed — and more.
Retiring Minneapolis teacher 'Ms. Jean' has offered a living lesson in caring
School to salute "Ms. Jean" Cerisier, who is "respected and revered" by her peers and students alike.
How do you decide how to give? These Minnesotans practice Effective Altruism
The practice aims to save lives using logic — but why is it so controversial?
Former Vikings star's daughter wants to help other families tell their stories
Filmmaker and author Maya Washington has designed a program on making a creative project.
Lakeville mom has more than 100 kids: 'If there's room in the heart, there's room in the home'
Donna Traefald raised nine adopted children and fostered more than 100, much of that time as a single mother working full time.
Curiosity Studio in Minneapolis offers open-ended approach to art therapy
Programs include Open Studio, in which participants can create whatever they want while interacting with others.
Why has Minnesota's suicide rate been steadily rising?
This heartbreaking public health trend has mirrored a similar increase across the country.
These Minnesotans channeled their grief into 'a force for good'
For some people, a project offers a way to cope with grief and honor the memory of a loved one.
Blaine mom helps school understand son, other kids with Down syndrome
Sana Soussi hopes the program she organized will lead to more acceptance and inclusion of kids with special needs.
16 Minnesota volunteers discuss the rewards of giving time
During March, the Star Tribune explored volunteering, from how to find opportunities to how helping others can make your life better. Each week, four volunteers explained how they give back and why they volunteer.
These Minnesotans volunteered to help others. They ended up helping themselves.
Folks who participated in the Star Tribune's Volunteer Challenge talk about the joys of helping others.
'Isn't that cool?' White Bear Lake artist's autism helps shape his futuristic work
Michael Engebretson's paintings and drawings reflect his fascination with advanced technology and other universes.
Volunteers say helping others helps them, too: 'It's a two-way street'
When you improve other people's lives you might wind up improving your own.
As numbers decline, the nature of volunteerism is changing
The pandemic opened new avenues for serving while closing others.
Minnesota volunteers say they get more than they give: Take our annual reader challenge
This year's installment of our annual Reader Challenge series invites you to join the 35.5% of Minnesotans (more than 1.5 million) who volunteer.
Minneapolis nurse turned lawyer fights on behalf of children injured at birth
In evaluating cases, Teresa McClain uses knowledge acquired as a labor and delivery nurse.
Eden Prairie company organizes trip to build school in Guatemala out of plastic bottles
Employees of Eden Prairie-based Lifetouch, accompanied by educators, helped expand a school using pop bottles stuffed with discarded plastic bags.
Minnesota mom's gift of Potato Heads comforts other parents of 'micro-preemies'
Kristin Moan liked measuring her tiny daughters' growth with Potato Heads and decided to share that comfort through her nonprofit Potato Head Project.
Coon Rapids printing company donates valuable reproduction of St. John's Bible
The printed version is a careful achievement of state-of-the-art printing technology.
Minnesota medical student has message for kids: It's OK to be bad at some things
Eden Prairie native and friend published children's book "The Way We Play" to help combat ableism.
Minnetonka's Landing Shop sells items made by residents ages 55 to 96
"As we get older, we want something to do," one crafter said.
Christmas trees at Brooklyn Park treatment center honor loved ones lost to drugs
Wanting to commemorate her fiancé, Anne Emerson put up a Christmas tree at Valhalla Place in 2018 — and the project is still growing.
Minneapolis artist focuses on the 'positive, beautiful experience' of caregiving
Artist Jordyn Brennan's MCAD master's thesis was based on firsthand experience.
Why workers are reluctant to come to Minnesota, but stay once they're here
The state is grappling with one of the worst workforce shortages in the country.
St. Paul firehouse dog helps rescue the rescuers: 'It's just her presence'
The trained service dog helps first responders deal with the pressures of their work.
Minnesotan's podcast showcases 'life-saving' books with LGBTQ guests
On "This Queer Book Saved My Life," host J.P. Der Boghossian asks guests what books made them feel "seen for the first time."
Minneapolis man has helped send 1 million books to Gambia, his home country
Lamin Dibba wants to give back to a country where library shelves are empty and few people own books.
Meet the 75-year-old YMCA 'exercise goddess' whose classes are Y's most popular
Anne Tudor's fitness classes help people in their 70s and 80s stay active and healthy.
Catch this Minneapolis fish exhibit for its exotic creatures — and its warning message
"Voices From the Water" demonstrates the variability of ocean inhabitants, and explains how they're threatened by human activity, notably plastic pollution.
Longtime Star Tribune reporter Lynn Underwood dies at 65
She loved pop culture, trivia contests and her career.
Albert Lea couple turn old hotel sheets into bandanas for cancer patients
Thrift store owners Richard and Jane Miller keep discarded hotel sheets out of landfills by helping cancer patients and people who are homeless.
Winona woman helps people erase the stigma of past mistakes
People being denied housing or jobs based on long-ago records learn how to seal them from public view.
Richfield park's all-terrain wheelchairs let people explore new worlds
Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield is among area parks that offer chairs that make rougher trails accessible.
Minnesota sanctuary farm provides 'rescued' animals with comfort, care and space
Farmaste Animal Sanctuary outside Lindstrom, Minn., lets animals live out their natural lives.
