The Minnesota Council on Foundations says donations fell more than 9 percent last year. Individual donations saw the biggest decline at 11 percent.

The Minnesota Council on Foundations says arts-related giving by corporate, private and family foundations is down 19 percent over the past decade. The main reason for the decrease is the poor economy.

A new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report released this week says the percentage of pedestrians being killed in traffic accidents is on the rise, both nationally and in Minnesota. In 2011 -- the most recent period of data available -- pedestrian deaths accounted for almost 11 percent of the 368 traffic-related deaths in Minnesota.

Shipping on the Great Lakes brings thousands of jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars in income and more than a billion dollars in business revenue to Minnesota, according to a new study.

It's estimated that more than 2,500 16 to 21 year olds are homeless on any given night in Minnesota. But the number of beds reserved for that age group in the state's emergency shelters is fewer than 80. One pastor describes the situation as hideous.

The Minnesota 2020 study says airports have had a $12 billion impact on the state’s economy -- but most of the activity was concentrated at the state’s three largest airports, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Duluth and Rochester.