Inspired
May 25, 2019
Former student project manager and current mentor Griffen Peck shows the heating pipes that take advantage of the excess steam from the Minneosta Zoo,

Students at Apple Valley's School of Environmental Studies win gold for green

The school is believed to be the first in the world to be certified under LEED 4.1 as an existing building — trickier to accomplish than for buildings certified under new construction.
Inspired
May 25, 2019
Mary Latham, right, was especially moved by the story of Julie Dombo, of Kansas, a shooting victim who received mechanical limbs from a stranger. Domb

A quest to collect stories of kindness has driven her to 39 states (and counting)

Mary Latham's remarkable cross-country road trip collecting stories of kindness in every state, including Minnesota, will be turned into a book.
Inspired
May 24, 2019
Kindness club

Elk River fifth-graders combat bullying by adding kindness to the curriculum

Elementary school kids start their own club to stymie bullying and promote kindness.
Inspired
May 23, 2019
Chao Tao Moua looked over the brussels sprout harvester that mechanical engineering students at the University of St. Thomas created that picks buds o

University of St. Thomas students develop Brussels sprouts trimmer for Hmong farmers

The device will save time harvesting the crop and make it financially viable.
Inspired
May 23, 2019

Gifted with diabetic alert dog, 10-year-old pays it forward for another girl

After getting a diabetic alert dog, 10-year-old duplicates the gesture.
Inspired
May 21, 2019
Hazel Norris, 3, plays in her basement at home in Otsego on Wednesday, May 1, 2019.

Minnesota toddler living with daily seizures finds second family in team of nurses

A super team of in-home nurses has become a second family to a brave young girl who's beset by seizures.
Inspired
May 17, 2019
Kaycee Stanley, founder of Reel Hope, a faith-based non-profit that makes short videos of children in foster care to help them get placed.

Minnesota project uses video stories to find forever families for kids in foster care

Meet Kaycee Stanley, the woman behind the Robbinsdale-based nonprofit the Reel Hope Project.
Inspired
May 17, 2019
Melinda Kassandra Lopez, 18, stayed focused in her quest for dual degrees.

Minn. student will graduate with high school diploma — and nursing degree

For Melinda Kassandra Lopez, this is only the next step in a long-term plan of becoming a sub-specialist in pediatric surgical gynecology.
Inspired
May 17, 2019
Krista Uderman, left and her daughter Brooklyn pour paint into a bucket for Janet Nelson's porch.]
TONY SAUNDERS ° anthony.saunders@startribune.c

'Christmas' comes early for Chaska residents in need of home and lawn care

Christmas comes early to Carver County, as neighbors help neighbors with home repairs and lawn work.
Inspired
May 17, 2019
Volunteers from Humble Design Irais Ibarra, left, and Kim Hannay put finishing touches at a bathroom and bedroom of Sheronna Ragin-Winters, 38, during

Homeless Chicago mother gets new start with TV-style home makeover

Formerly homeless mother gets fresh start with TV-style makeover.
Inspired
May 10, 2019
Music therapist Brian Zachek prepares to sits down at the piano to perform music for a senior group Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at Friendship Village in B

Using songs as medicine, St. Louis Park music therapist soothes hundreds, including his wife

Brian Zachek's therapy is a tool now common in hospices, hospitals and retirement homes around the Twin Cities.
Inspired
May 10, 2019
Overhead shot of a cup of coffee isolated on white background with soft shadow.

How one Minnesotan's quest to have coffee with 64 people gave her direction

Dorothy Sinha never turns down a cup of coffee, or a chance to make a new friend.
Inspired
May 10, 2019
Lee Roper is retiring after 18 years at the helm of the Women's Foundation of Minnesota. For 18 years, she has championed programs benefitting girls a

Retiring Women's Foundation CEO happy to make room for new generation of female leaders

Lee Roper-Batker's leadership has led to changes in laws and police training.
Inspired
May 10, 2019
Mari Copeny, also known as Little Miss Flint, and her cousin Ivory Moon load vehicles with cases of free bottled water during World Water Day on Frida

Eleven-year-old activist remains face, voice of Flint water crisis

The ongoing water crisis is personal to this activist, who is in sixth grade.
Inspired
May 5, 2019
Bertha Dupre, then 87, shares a laugh with a classmate at UNC Charlotte in 2008. Dupre died in December but will get a military veteran's funeral at S

At 97, WWII veteran of all-black Army unit gets the burial she deserves

"The more we learned about Ms. Dupre, we put our minds together and said we're going to make this special."
Inspired
May 5, 2019
"Thank you," says Kasey Bergh as she kisses her husband Henry Glendening goodbye in the preoperative area before he donates a kidney to her at Barnes-

Lucky mistake led to love — and kidney

Errant text lands woman a husband and organ donor.
Inspired
May 5, 2019
David Weissbrodt posed with Haitian art bought in his years of global travels.

'You changed my life': Mpls. law professor celebrated for all the lives he impacted over his 40-year career

David Weissbrodt is a pioneer and mentor in human rights.
Inspired
May 3, 2019
Citizen historians and husband and wife Doug & Kathi Jones stopped by the Minnesota History Center Library and pulled handwritten mustering out papers

Dakota County's volunteer sleuths find treasure trove of stories about WWI vets

The south metro Historical Society's first citizen historian project is called "Adopt a WWI Soldier."
Inspired
May 3, 2019

Honorary spot on college rowing team gives ill preteen a taste of victory

An ill fifth-grader finds her crew at an Ivy League school.
Inspired
May 3, 2019
Cathy tenBroeke, state director to Prevent and End Homelessness, left to right, Robert Lilligren, executive director of Minneapolis' Native American C

Should you give money to people on the street? Homelessness experts weigh in

To give or not to give? That's the question many of us struggle with as we see a person holding a cardboard sign at freeway exits or along busy pedestrian malls.

Variety

Entertainment, arts and lifestyle news, commentary and features, including things to do and reviews from Minneapolis, St. Paul and Twin Cities venues.