Good turnout in Baldwin last night

I talked with about 40 Baldwin Township residents Tuesday evening at the town hall, joining Dan Frank of the Initiative Foundation for a "kickoff" session that will start people participating in the foundation's Healthy Communities Partnership.

Dan explained the foundation's process for getting people involved and providing training to enable residents to take on issues that concern them. My role was to explain MPR News' Ground Level project and to urge everybody to attend our forum next week -- 7 p.m. March 4 -- at the Performing Arts Center at Princeton High School.

The forum will be a good show -- a Baldwin video by Nikki Tundel from around the township, a presentation by Curtis Gilbert on a particular example of growing pains and a conversation among thoughtful folks, all hosted by MPR's Kate Smith. Please come and bring friends. There will be cookies.

Baldwin resident Dylan Howard told me I was the first MPR person he'd heard from yesterday who wasn't asking him for money. Glad to provide a little relief. And I love swapping outstate Minnesota tales with people who know about the Gibbon ballroom and Franklin's Catfish Days.

Look for Part 3 of Jennifer Vogel's series on growth and its consequences in the Princeton Union-Eagle today. The story, which will be available shortly on our Ground Level: Baldwin page, shines a light on how the recession and its foreclosures have changed the game in Baldwin Township.

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