Mark Steil
MPR News
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Past articles by Mark:
'Come to take you home': A pipe, a tribe, a quest to reclaim the past
When a pipe sacred to the Dakota surfaced at auction last spring, Prairie Island leaders made it their mission to bring it back. But the odds were long, and the quest meant revisiting a horrific chapter of Minnesota's past. → Read More
Employees blame cutbacks and poor communication for Frontier's problems
Employees say lack of staff and management inattention to detail leads to poor customer service. → Read More
As ethanol boosters celebrate sales restriction end, skeptics doubt it will help farmers
Despite claims by President Trump and the ethanol industry that year-round E15 will help the industry and farmers, others say sales are so small it will make little difference. → Read More
Wet weather worries Minnesota farmers
Two months of prolonged rain and damaging winds have delayed harvests and threaten crops. → Read More
Future massive wind turbines in MN face blowback from neighbors
The most powerful wind turbines ever seen in the state could soon be built in southwest Minnesota. The industry is ramping up turbine size in the name of efficiency, but the skyscraper-sized machines are also attracting more public opposition. → Read More
Hundreds of complaints about Frontier Communications services prompts public hearings
Frustrated Frontier Communications customers in Minnesota have gotten the attention of the Public Utilities Commission about slow internet and poor customer service. Many of the company's 100,000 Minnesota customers have few other options for internet. And they are not happy. → Read More
Indictment alleges conspiracy behind recruitment, hiring of undocumented workers in Midwest
A Nebraska-based company is accused of procuring undocumented agricultural workers and exploiting them. → Read More
Minn. farm groups welcome assistance, but say end to trade war would be better
The U.S. agriculture department today announced a $12 billion dollar assistance package for farmers hurt in the ongoing trade war. Farm groups welcome the aid, but they say an end to the trade disputes would be a better solution. → Read More
Dayton continues tour of flood damage in southern MN
Dayton pledged state resources to repair washed out roads and other damage. → Read More
As soybean tariffs go into effect, Minn. farmers fear the worst
Soybean prices have been dropping for several weeks in anticipation of the move -- and some Minnesota farmers say the trade issues threaten their ability to stay in business. → Read More
Rainy June causes problems for travelers, farmers and businesses
Heavy rains and rising rivers in southern Minnesota are causing a variety of concerns, from closed highways to washed-out crops. Some areas have had more than a foot of rain this month. → Read More
Freighter runs aground in Duluth harbor
A 1,004-foot freighter ran aground Sunday afternoon in the Duluth Harbor, coming to rest just offshore from a breakwall in Canal Park. → Read More
Trade war with Mexico stokes fear among Minnesota pig farmers
If the pork tariff reduces U.S. sales to Mexico farmers fear it could set in motion a series of events that will damage their economic future. → Read More
State authority over internet service is challenged
Minnesota telecommunications companies say the state is going too far in attempting to regulate internet service. → Read More
Farmers plant seeds of uncertainty
A wet, cold spring isn't the only concern for Minnesota farmers. Other problems include trade disputes, a new farm bill and low commodity prices. → Read More
Mystery benefactor returns sacred pipe tied to U.S.-Dakota war
A sacred pipe linked to the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 and sold at auction Saturday under tribal protest has been returned to its native home by the person who paid $40,000 for it, the Prairie Island tribal council president said Monday. → Read More
Pipeline to 'nowhere' no more: water project nears Worthington
The Lewis and Clark project in southwestern Minnesota will be completed this fall after nearly 30 years of waiting, bringing the city some much-needed water security. → Read More
Weather pushes farmers' buttons, but not the panic one
A wet, cold spring has stopped field work in the state, but there's still time for a good crop season. → Read More
Soybean farmers brace for China tariffs in retaliation for U.S. moves
Soybeans are now part of an escalating trade standoff between the world's two largest economies. → Read More
Minnesota ag has much to lose in U.S.-China trade spat
Fears over a possible trade war with China moved much closer to reality this week. → Read More