COMMUNITY VOICES | Become one of the helpers in the wake of political violence
"I think we can choose together to stay soft. We can become the helpers that Mr. Fred Rogers (and his mother) recommended we look for in tragedies," writes Nora Hertel.
Nora Hertel
45 posts
SPONSORED STORY | From formal to personal: Williams Dingmann adapts to funeral trends through 5 generations
The St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce named Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Homes the 2025 Family-Owned Business of the Year. Here’s how they’ve met the community’s shifting needs and how they accommodate families’ desires and wishes.
🚀Community voices | Meet KZYS, Project Optimist’s partner in the Central Minnesota News Collaborative
Ten-plus years ago the St. Cloud Somali Community Radio began broadcasting local news to thousands of Somali speakers in central Minnesota. This month Project Optimist and KZYS are launching the new Central Minnesota News Collaborative, designed to strengthen local news through partnerships.
Community Voices ⎸ Project Optimist staff plan for the end — and it feels good
Life goals: Complete health care directives, draft a will, and enroll in life insurance in 2025.
📻 Project Optimist and KZYS get Press Forward MN funds for partnership
The collaboration between KZYS and Project Optimist will include community journalism training, co-reported stories, cross-publishing articles in English and Somali, and more.
Community Voices ⎸ Project Optimist made leaps in 2024
A look at what we accomplished in 2024 and our goals for 2025.
Community Voices ⎸ Project Optimist receives $100K Press Forward grant
Project Optimist is one of 205 small, local news publications to receive grants from Press Forward, the nationwide movement to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news.
Community Voices ⎸ Forest bathing in St. Cloud stirs up everyday magic of parks, people
"Go outside and be your own guide – walk, contemplate, or daydream on your own. And next time you get the chance to share that experience with other people, with space to open your mind and senses in new ways, take that opportunity," writes Nora Hertel.
Community Voices ⎸ Local journalism is hard work. Help us carry the load
"The foundations of media are shifting and so is the world: journalism must become more equitable, less sensationalized, more nuanced," writes Nora Hertel.