Author: Cecil Larson

The historic heart of the Republican Party, particularly at the presidential level, is in the Midwest. The party was founded in the Midwest, drew its early leadership primarily from the Midwest, and its success at the presidential level almost always depended on a Midwest victory. It's entirely fitting that Donald Trump's presidency will likely rise or fall on his ability to repeat his strong performance in the Midwest in 2016. First, let's define “Midwest.” I am interested here in the Midwest as a political rather than a cultural entity, with its heart in the five states of the old Northwest…

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It just came out Fifth National Climate Assessment contains some gloomy predictions for the future climate trajectory of the Midwest and the country as a whole. Temperatures are rising, environments are degrading and the world we once knew is evolving into something very different. The report also contains many graphs, and in many cases these graphs paint the picture of climate change more vividly than the extensive text of the report. Here are some of our favorites. Spring thaws occur earlier The graph on the left shows the trend in late spring freeze and frost dates for Leelanau County, Michigan.…

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David TominskiDavid Tominsky is a partner at Novy.Chad MooreChad Moore is the president of CareSource Kansas.Topeka, KS, Dec. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CareSource, a nationally recognized not-for-profit health plan, announced the launch of the CareSource Midwest Fund in partnership with Novy. CareSource is committing an initial investment of $2 million to the Fund, with opportunities for individual investments of up to $500,000 in select companies.The CareSource Midwest Fund's primary goal is to empower Midwest-based startups. These startups are dedicated to enhancing healthcare outcomes, advancing health equity, and promoting positive social change. This investment is particularly targeted at underserved populations…

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Midwestern Regional Climate Center, housed at Purdue University, is launching a new tool in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Midwest Climate Hub to provide soil temperature threshold information based on recent historical data 30 years old. Melissa Widhalm, MRCC deputy director and regional climatologist, said the Soil Temperature Climatology Tool will be vital for the agricultural industry to better identify reference dates for when specific agronomic activities such as planting and nutrient application. “Every spring and every fall we get a lot of requests from farmers asking us at MRCC when they should…

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US President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally at Bemidji Regional Airport in Bemidji, Minnesota, US, September 18, 2020. Photo by Tom Brenner WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is making a late re-election appeal to voters Saturday in Michigan and Wisconsin, states in the Upper Midwest that played a key role in his 2016 victory but may now be slipping out of his sights. He faces headwinds not only in national polls, which show Democrat Joe Biden leading, but also in battleground state polls. Trump's campaign has largely withdrawn from television advertising in the Midwest, moving much of its money…

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Midwest School has operated on an alternate calendar — four days a week — for six years.But that requires some bureaucratic tweaks every two years because Midwest's calendar operates on a schedule of fewer than 175 school days and/or fewer than those 185 teacher contract days in a school year — a different system than other schools.Last April, the Natrona County School District board heard about Midwest's alternative calendar, which was then approved by the Wyoming Board of Education.Midwest — with grades K through 12 — tweaked that alternative calendar, and the board approved it at its meeting Monday.The Midwest…

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A new report by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) found that as the world grapples with the urgent need to build resilience against global warming, large businesses and employers in the Midwest are scrambling to reduce their carbon footprints by setting ambitious clean energy goals. Renewable energy generation has increased in the Midwest states covered in this report, but several factors are responsible for influencing the rate of renewable energy growth. TNC's Charting a Clean Energy Future report focuses on five Midwestern states—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin—to provide valuable insights into critical business demand for renewable energy, the progress being…

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October 18, 2023Hy-Vee Inc., an employee-owned grocery retailer serving the Midwest, is developing micro-fulfillment technology from Takeoff Technologies, an e-grocery solution aimed at helping grocers' e-commerce operations.According to a press release, the technology will enhance the efficiency of the grocery store's micro-fulfillment centers and online grocery ordering system.According to Takeoff research, retailers can use micro-fulfillment capabilities to fulfill an average order of 25 items in just five minutes of work. The technology also increases online fulfillment productivity by up to 10x through its speed, accuracy and reliability when combined with a company's current workforce.”Hy-Vee is one of the world's most…

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Pop icon Belinda Carlisle plays the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie on Sunday, July 9. Courtesy of Nikos Spanos Anime convention Anime Midwest 2023, a family-friendly convention focused on video games, Japanese anime and Japanese manga, takes over the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont, with cosplay, concerts, video games and board games , dances, competitions, escape rooms and panel discussions. In addition, there is an exhibition area with vendors. $40 Friday and Sunday. $50 Saturday; $70 three-day pass; $150 VIP. animemidwest.com. 10 am Friday through Sunday, July 7-9 Dierks Bentley Multi-platinum…

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HINCKLEY, Minn. — Amid the flat woodlands of east-central Minnesota, the Grand Casino stands out: Its hotel is the tallest building between the Twin Cities and Duluth. The casino floor beckons players with more than 1,900 slots and blackjack and poker tables around the clock. With a golf course, an RV park and an amphitheater that has featured artists from Aretha Franklin to Peter Frampton and Toby Keith, the Ojibwe-owned compound is a gambling destination with just about everything. Except for sports betting. Minnesota is an outlier in the area. All neighboring states allow gambling on sporting events, although their…

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