Category: Rural Headlines

EXCERPT: “The Master’s Coffee Shop in Olivia is a standard gathering place for the business owners, teachers and retirees who live in this small Renville County town. On a late morning in April, a half-dozen people sat around tables drinking coffee while the staff readied the day’s lunch special: a grilled Reuben sandwich and potato ...

EXCERPT: “The University of Minnesota has established a new rural stress task force to address a wide range of socioeconomic issues. University of Minnesota Extension Dean Bev Durgan said the effort comes in response to the stress on farm families and rural communities brought on by several years of low farm income. ‘We’re losing farms. Main ...

EXCERPT: “Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today unveiled a groundbreaking report, A Case for Rural Broadband: Insights on Rural Broadband Infrastructure and Next Generation Precision Agriculture Technologies. The report finds that deployment of both broadband e-Connectivity and Next Generation Precision Agriculture Technology on farms and ranches throughout the U.S. could result in at least $47 billion in ...

EXCERPT: “Supporters of small-town Minnesota grocery stores are hoping for new funding to continue the Good Food Access program. They say the state grants help bring quality nutrition to areas that would otherwise be ‘food deserts,’ and that helps rural communities. Corey Christianson took over one KC’s Country Market several years ago, and another location ...

EXCERPT: “Minnesota’s worker shortage continues to grow more severe. State economic officials report the number of job openings in the fourth quarter of last year rose 20 percent over the same period the year before. The semi-annual tally found 137,000 job vacancies. Greater Minnesota saw a 34 percent increase in openings over the year. The jump ...

EXCERPT: “Sixty-three schools in Minnesota will benefit from $2.3 million in planning assistance and infrastructure grants that support the Safe Routes to School program, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced Monday. Safe Routes to School is an international program to improve safety, reduce traffic congestion around schools, increase physical activity and improve health by making it easier ...

EXCERPT: “Representatives from the Coalition of Greater MN Cities (CGMC) and the Greater MN Partnership (GMNP) are taking advantage of the legislative holiday break this week to make their way across the state and talk about what they feel needs to happen for the upcoming legislative session to have a successful outcome. Their primary focus ...

EXCERPT: “People living in southwest Minnesota know about the challenges of getting a good Internet connection. But in order to help fix the problem, they might need to spread the word about it first. Lyon County officials said this week they’re encouraging people to use a free smart phone app that will help highlight areas ...

EXCERPT: “The Greater Minnesota Resiliency Network led a public conversation on April 13 focusing on bettering the Mankato Community. Composed of five community groups, the Greater Minnesota Resiliency Network’s event., Shaping Our Future: A Timely Conversation, consisted of community members of all ages and was a reboot of past discussions. ‘It’s based off a community ...