Category: Rural Headlines

EXCERPT: “As you get out of your car and head into Elden’s Fresh Foods, Cub Foods, Walmart or the Viking Plaza Mall, you will hear the familiar ring-a-ling-linging of the Salvation Army Bell Ringers. Each year, in the weeks leading up to Christmas Day, people from various service organizations, businesses and the community volunteer their ...

EXCERPT: “Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came out with some troubling news: Average life expectancy has declined for the third consecutive year in the United States, in part due to a rise in suicides. In 2017, 783 Minnesotans died by suicide. At 13.8 per 100,000 residents, Minnesota’s suicide rate is nearly on par ...

EXCERPT: “A Twin Cities coalition aiming to boost state investments in public transit said it will push for full funding of $120 million in improvements in Greater Minnesota. Spokespeople for the new initiative called Keep Minnesota Moving laid out their top priorities at the Capitol Tuesday, Dec. 11, including fully funding Metro Transit operations, supporting ...

EXCERPT: “The Federal Communications Commission said Friday it will investigate whether major U.S. wireless providers have submitted false data. The FCC said it will temporarily suspend the start of a $4.5 billion program to improve wireless Internet service in rural and other underserved areas while the probe is underway. Wireless providers were required to submit current data of their ...

EXCERPT: “A new study by Minnesota health officials finds virtual medical visits are on the rise. Telemedicine grew at a rapid pace in Minnesota with visits jumping from around 11,000 in 2010 to 86,000 in 2015. That’s according to the Minnesota Department of Health and University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Researchers found uses of telemedicine vary ...

EXCERPT: “While the 2019 state legislative session will see a different governor and plenty of new faces in the House, one of the top priorities for the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities remains the same. As has been the case with recent years, the coalition is once again looking to the Legislature for a boost ...

EXCERPT: “There are 60,000 job openings in Greater Minnesota, the most openings since the state first conducted the Job Vacancy Survey in 2001. Most of the overall gain in job openings was caused by a sharp increase in six low-wage occupations: food preparation and serving, sales, personal care, office support, janitorial, and farming. Compared with ...

EXCERPT: “Does Becker County have a child care shortage? The short answer is, yes — a big one. A total of 648 child care slots are needed to meet the county’s current needs, according to data gathered from a recent survey conducted by the Rural Child Care Innovation Program, or RCCIP. The RCCIP is an ...

EXCERPT: “Nearly 70 percent of Minnesota school districts with operating levies on the ballot got approval from voters in last week’s election, and the success rate for bond referendums was even higher. Nearly all the districts where voters said ‘no’ are in Greater Minnesota — and Greg Abbott with the Minnesota School Boards Association says ...