Minneapolis is in Business

Minneapolis and Saint Paul have been named the top metro area in the country for business by MarketWatch. According to the report, the Twin Cities metro area ranks as the top place for business because it has a strong mix of large and small, established and new, publicly-owned and privately-owned businesses. The metro area’s low

Minnesota Finally Gets It’s Green Certification

Minnesota has always been a state leading the way to better living. Now the state has taken one more step by creating Minnesota GreenStar, a new voluntary program for certifying homes and remodeling projects as "Green".The green certification for remodelers is the first in the nation and has a goal of encouraging home owners to

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, and Pumpkins, OH My!

October is here and the pumpkins are being harvested. I like to make pumpkin pies or pumpkin bread, but my favorite it to carve them up for Halloween. Local folks can either buy them at nurseries, roadside stands, or pull them out of the pumpkin patch by hand. Only in the Midwest can you find

Taxing Commissions

The last few years has seen the Minnesota legislature trying to find a way to tax local real estate commissions earned by agents and brokers. The main reason is that they, the government, spend too much money and need to find other financial means to support their budget. They know raising property taxes is a

Don’t Forget to Pay Your Lighting Bill

If the city of Minneapolis gets it's way, YOU could be seeing a higher utility bill in the mail soon.The Department of Public Works wants to "raise" $16 Million by billing every Minneapolis resident to pay for new street lights throughout the entire city. Many of the city lights are 50 years old an deteriorating,

Tax Credit Savings Just for You!

Some of you may not have heard of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, where homeowners can qualify for tax credits if they make energy related home improvements from 2006 to 2007. To get the credit improvements must meet certain standards set by the IRS and be to your primary residence.Of course if you snooze,

Where has all The Water Gone?

As far as water goes, this summer has not been kind to us. It has hardly rained and when it has, the storms have brought high winds, floods, and golf ball size hail. I had the pleasure of waking up two nights ago to a lightning display that rivals those I have seen in Florida.

Best Hockey in the State

I didn't grow up watching hockey like my husband did, so technically it isn't in my blood. However now that I have been with my husband for some 10 years, I have been subjected to the sport so much that now I do enjoy watching the game. If my boys end up playing hockey in

Interstate 35-W Traffic Information

As I-35W in Minneapolis is such a vital transportation artery, we anticipate major adjustments to our transportation infrastructure in the immediate disaster area. Three websites have emerged as logical locations for current information: MN Dept. of Transportation City of Minneapolis Mpls. Regional Chamber of CommerceMetro Transit is another good resource for transportation options available to

My Prayers Offered to Those Injured

It's really shocking to have a major interstate bridge collapse. I pray that everyone is ok. My family and my husband's family all live in other states. So many people have been calling loved ones to make sure they are ok, that cell phone coverage right now is shaky. My relatives have been having a