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![Dining space set up in the street in front of business, tables, chairs, Umbrellas, planters.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/Rochester%20Parklet.jpg?itok=a2i9AVDG)
As the invasive emerald ash borer threatens and kills ash trees across Minnesota, finding sustainable uses for wood from these trees can be difficult. A creative parklet project in downtown Rochester is showing how communities can think outside the box to repurpose ash wood and address this challenge.
![A person walking into the front door of a business.](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/Walking%20into%20welcoming%20service%20center%2072.jpg?h=9d02f5e9&itok=jFhy5lls)
How can community members across Greater Minnesota work collectively to ensure their towns are welcoming to all residents, regardless of their race, ethnicity, language or other characteristics? The new Creating a Welcoming Community toolkit shares ways to meaningfully and inclusively engage with immigrants, refugees and Black, Indigenous and people of color, so that all feel welcome.
![Sweatshop health club](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/stp-sweatshop-health-club.jpg?h=80dc0c91&itok=KYlpZRHr)
Read about case studies that tell the stories of four communities that focused on business retention when the pandemic hit Minnesota.
![Empty bar stools in a restaurant](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/donald-teel-unsplash-empty-bar-stools-1400w.jpg?h=0f277ae0&itok=s7PnRt83)
Read an analysis of the regional impacts of COVID-19 unemployment reports for Minnesota.
![Beth Drost, Grand Portage Band of Chippewa, chairwoman](/sites/extension.umn.edu/files/styles/crop_featured_image_crop/public/beth-drost.jpg?h=cf8363e7&itok=R9mIo6gN)
How is COVID-19 impacting tribal communities? Listen as we speak with tribal leader Beth Drost as she talks about the pandemic and her leadership journey.
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