Becky McGuire, half of the duo that bought Miracole’s Candy Shoppe on Aug. 2, peered through the shades as I approached the entrance of the candy store, located just off of main street in downtown Lakeville. As I drew closer, she opened the door quickly and briefly looked around at the street outside. “Let’s hurry up and get inside,” McGuire said. “The kids know my car and they will chase me down for candy.” As she ushered me into the store, the tan, rough exterior of the building gave way to an inviting child-friendly shop highlighted with bright colors. Not much has changed during the week …

Today, we're excited to kick off a new series, "Dispatches: The Changing American Dream," that will chronicle how the residents of Lakeville and Minnesota are adjusting to these trying economic times. The simmering national debates about unemployment, home foreclosures, the debt ceiling, religion, government and the military (among others) all reflect how we see ourselves and our communities in this time of dizzying change. At Patch, we want to explore that conversation so we can better understand how our neighbors are adjusting to the challenges and opportunities of life in 2011. Looking out…