Ground Level Reviving Minnesota Relics

The company that is the biggest source of good-paying jobs in the northern Minnesota community of International Falls has cut more than 200 positions from its workforce. So the town of 6,400 is absorbing the economic and cultural blow and starting the long slog of figuring out what its future might hold.

MPR News' Ground Level wants to help the conversation about that future. You can see what others have said by clicking on the "Read the Conversation" tab above and you can provide your own insights by clicking on the "Join the Conversation" tab above. Listen to the live discussion from November 15, 2013

Koochiching economic development director takes shotgun approach

Willing success in the back room of the Coffee Landing

We invited nine International Falls residents — natives, newcomers, left-and-came-backers, old, young, layoff sufferers and entrepreneurs — to the back room at a coffee shop to talk with us.

Rethinking a company town: International Falls tries to forge new future

The Daily Circuit: A special program
People making a difference
If International Falls succeeds in reinventing itself, these are the some of the people who will be responsible for change.
Houseboat captain says get behind tourism in International Falls

Houseboat captain says get behind tourism in International Falls

Bill Dougherty runs a houseboat rental business on Rainy Lake and he thinks he'd benefit if International Falls and Koochiching County put more effort into promoting tourism.
Library director says International Falls needs to

Library director says International Falls needs to "destroy the box"

To keep International Falls vital, Library Director Diane Adams is helping kids explore their dreams and consider new career paths
Nice guy mends fences between Voyageurs and International Falls

Nice guy mends fences between Voyageurs and International Falls

Voyageurs National Park Superintendent Mike Ward is exactly the kind of person who can bring nature-loving tourists and International Falls residents together.
Koochiching economic development director takes shotgun approach

Koochiching economic development director takes shotgun approach

Koochiching Economic Development Authority Director Paul Nevanen is exploring all avenues to diversify the job base in International Falls, from manufacturing to entrepreneurism.
Businesswoman returned to International Falls for family support and cheap rent

Businesswoman returned to International Falls for family support and cheap rent

If International Falls succeeds in creating a more entrepreneurial culture, it will need more people like RaeAnne Conat.
From the Blog
Last days for many at the Boise paper mill in International Falls

Last days for many at the Boise paper mill in International Falls

As layoffs loom at the Boise paper mill in International Falls, workers look for new jobs and retraining.
In Photos: Reinventing International Falls

In Photos: Reinventing International Falls

As the Boise Inc. plant reduces production, and eliminates some 265 high-paying manufacturing jobs, what happens next? What happens when a major employer makes a decision that, at the least, leaves a quarter-billion-dollar hole in the local economy?
As Boise layoffs hit, trying to make new jobs in International Falls

As Boise layoffs hit, trying to make new jobs in International Falls

By the end of this coming Monday, 265 workers will have lost their jobs at the Boise paper mill in International Falls. That has people in the city talking about diversifying the economy.
Can International Falls reinvent itself?

Can International Falls reinvent itself?

We asked International Falls residents how they might reinvent the community in the wake of a declining paper industry. We heard everything from using the great-tasting water for beer to hoping an entrepreneurial graduate comes back with a big idea.
Boise to sell to PCA, impact on International Falls plant uncertain

Boise to sell to PCA, impact on International Falls plant uncertain

Boise Inc. is expected to sell to Illinois-based Packaging Corporation of America by the end of the year, potentially affecting the paper mill in International Falls. The city's mayor Bob Anderson said this could be a positive turn for the plant, which is in the midst of significant layoffs.
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