EXCERPT: “The coronavirus relief law signed by President Biden last week pours nearly $50 billion into child care in a bid to keep struggling daycare centers from closing just as the people who rely on them return to work. Child-care providers will get about $40 billion for operating expenses and tuition assistance for the children ...

By Marnie Werner, Vice President, Research & Operations A lack of reliable child care was the single biggest problem for employees in America before the pandemic. Now, as parents head back to work, they will be looking for child care, whether it’s with their old provider or a new one, and that will drive up ...

EXCERPT: “Broadband access remains insufficient for many in rural America. And northern Minnesota cow/calf rancher Miles Kuschel tells Brownfield the COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated the issue. ‘If it’s given us an insight into one thing, it’s the absolute need for high-speed broadband across all of Rural America. Whether it’s distance learning, telemedicine, Zoom conferences or annual ...

EXCERPT: “Following the February arctic blast, the Minnesota Department of Commerce will increase the maximum annual crisis benefit for qualifying households from $600 to $1,200. The Energy Assistance Program crisis benefits can be used for covering past-due utility bills, utility disconnections and emergency fuel deliveries, according to a Department of Commerce news release. The program ...

On this week’s episode, Julie talks with Rhonda Otteson, Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, about homelessness in rural Minnesota. It’s easy to overlook since homelessness doesn’t always look the way we think it should. Rhonda and Julie discuss the many hidden factors that put people at risk for homelessness, why the housing situation in Greater ...

EXCERPT: “‘We need to educate our communities, our state and our nation on what child care is.’ Sherry Tiegs hammered that message into the minds of those who attended a webinar offered by the Center for Rural Policy and Development Thursday, Feb. 18, to discuss the state of child care in rural Minnesota. Tiegs, who ...

EXCERPT: “Like many Minnesota communities, the southwest Minnesota town of Windom has a shortage of homes for sale at a time when more housing is needed to keep businesses and the local economy humming. Homes for workers are at a premium, but the Cottonwood County city of 4,400 residents needs to expand and preserve its housing ...

By Whitney Oachs, CRPD research intern Last summer the Center for Rural Policy reported a “sea change in engagement” after racial justice protests were held in rural communities across the state following the death of George Floyd. Though more attention has been paid to these protests in urban environments, towns as small as Grand Marais ...

Last year finally brought into sharp focus just how important child care is to maintaining a functioning economy. As we noted in our original report on child care, “A Quiet Crisis,” in nearly 80% of Minnesota families, all parents work, and child care issues are the primary cause of absenteeism among American workers. Child care ...

EXCERPT: “Paramedic Heidi Rennick describes her first COVID-19 call last spring like ‘walking on to a movie set.’ When she arrived at the hospital, there were COVID-19-only floors, red tape and full beds. The challenges have mounted since those first cases, and emergency medical services across the state have adapted with new protocols, treatment plans and personal ...