A 2026 Message to Our Readers, Our Cities, Our County, and Our State

A 2026 Message to Our Readers, Our Cities, Our County, and Our State

As the calendar turns, we pause not simply to welcome a new year, but to reflect on a shared responsibility and a shared home.

Minnesota has always been more than a place on a map. It is a promise we renew every day. A promise of civic participation, of looking out for one another, of believing that community still matters in an age that often pulls us apart. From our smallest neighborhoods to our largest cities, from county roads to the State Capitol, that promise is tested and reaffirmed again and again.

2025 challenged us. It asked hard questions about safety, trust, equity, and belonging. It reminded us that progress is fragile and that democracy is not self sustaining. Yet even in moments of strain, Minnesota’s deeper character held. People showed up to vote. Volunteers showed up to serve. Neighbors showed up for neighbors. The quiet decency this state is known for did not disappear. It adapted.

Across our cities and throughout our county, we saw resilience in action. In classrooms and council chambers. In small businesses fighting to stay open. In families balancing rising costs with unwavering love. In public servants doing the unglamorous work that keeps communities functioning. These stories do not always travel far, but they are the backbone of our shared life.

As we enter 2026, we do so with both humility and hope.

This is a year for Minnesota to lean into its best traditions. To govern with care rather than contempt. To debate fiercely but humanely. To remember that rural and urban, north and south, newcomer and lifelong resident are not opposing sides, but parts of a single story. A year to invest in housing that is livable, healthcare that is accessible, education that is future ready, and public safety that is rooted in trust.

To our readers across the state: thank you for believing that local journalism is essential to a healthy democracy. Thank you for staying informed, staying engaged, and staying rooted in place when it would be easier to look away.

To our city, county, and state leaders: the year ahead carries weight. May your decisions be guided by evidence, empathy, and the long view. May you remember that public service is not about power, but stewardship.

To every Minnesotan: may 2026 bring steadiness where there has been uncertainty, healing where there has been harm, and opportunity where doors have felt closed. May we continue to choose community over cynicism and participation over despair.

The year ahead will not be perfect. No year ever is. But it can be purposeful. It can be just. It can reflect the values that have long defined this North Star State.

Here is to 2026.

To cities that care.
To counties that connect.
To a state that leads with conscience.
To Minnesota, still becoming.

With gratitude and resolve,

MinneapoliMedia