Category: Rural Headlines

EXCERPT: “Gov. Tim Walz handily beat Republican challenger Scott Jensen on Tuesday, with preliminary data showing Walz with nearly an 8-point margin. While comfortable, that margin is somewhat diminished from Walz’s first campaign in 2018, when he defeated Jeff Johnson by more than 11% for the gubernatorial seat vacated by Mark Dayton. Below the surface, however, the data ...

EXCERPT: “The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and partners are recognizing dedicated health care professionals who have made significant contributions to the health and well-being of their rural communities as part of National Rural Health Day, Nov. 17. ‘The honorees embody the spirit of service and innovation that has helped Minnesota build a nationally respected ...

EXCERPT: “A decade ago, when it came to high-speed connectivity in rural regions, Minnesota did not have the access it so desperately needed. ‘In 2010, internet connectivity in rural places was spotty and underutilized,’ said Mary Magnuson, the Blandin Foundation’s grants program officer for rural placemaking. ‘Minnesota was ranked No. 23 in the U.S. for ...

EXCERPT: “Dawn Uribe, owner of Mis Amigos Spanish Immersion Preschool in Hopkins, has had to make some hard choices amid an ongoing worker shortage in the child care industry. ‘I want our teachers to have a workable, livable wage, and I’m trying to make it so that our teachers can get paid like elementary school teachers,’ ...

EXCERPT: “Increasingly, rural communities are realizing the transformational impact the tech economy can have for them. And local leaders in rural places are putting their efforts and resources into economic development programs that can create tech opportunities and entrepreneurship where they live. The U.S. Economic Development Administration’s most recent cohort of Build to Scale (B2S) ...

EXCERPT: “Access to maternity care is decreasing in the parts of the U.S. that need it the most, affecting nearly 7 million women of childbearing age and some 500,000 babies. That’s according to a report released Tuesday by March of Dimes, a nonprofit focused on maternal and infant health. It finds that 36% of counties ...

EXCERPT: “Minnesota communities, schools and their partners are invited to apply for funding on local projects that enhance transportation goals, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The $12.5 million in federal funding is available through the Transportation Alternatives program in Greater Minnesota (each region has a sub-targeted fund). This program offers a competitive grant for ...

EXCERPT: “New funding is available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for low-income people seeking to buy or repair rural homes. The Direct Home Loan Program helps those who are unable to qualify for traditional financing. It’s available in rural communities of generally 35,000 people or less. No down payment is required, and the interest ...

EXCERPT: “Gunshots on the Midway. Though the public remained largely safe, it was an unwelcome end to the ‘Great Minnesota Get Together,’ and another shot of trauma in a year seemingly riddled with bullets. The violence has left many of us feeling vulnerable. But a new report on gun deaths in 2021 suggests its not ...