Year: 2017

EXCERPT: “The retail economy in rural America has been rough for decades. But where thousands of stores have closed in recent years, Dollar General is thriving, sometimes at the expense of local shops. Dollar Generals are discount stores that sell goods from hand tools to hot dogs. They’re reshaping the retail landscape in small towns. ...

EXCERPT: “Hundreds of children in greater Minnesota have a better chance at health in 2018 and beyond thanks to a new series of grants from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). MDH recently awarded $4.87 million in additional family home visiting funds to 19 counties and two tribal nations in greater Minnesota. The additional funding will ...

EXCERPT: “In Olmsted County, there is an estimated shortage of 1,082 licensed child care slots, according to recent information gathered by the Center for Rural Policy and Development. In Mower County, the number of licensed child care slots would need to increase by a staggering 82 percent to meet the estimated need. Fueling the shortage ...

This week we have part 2 of our interview with the Center’s outgoing president Brad Finstad as he heads off to take over as state director of USDA Rural Development. Brad talks about which project over his ten years at the Center gave him the biggest ah-ha moment, and what he’ll be doing now in ...

EXCERPT: “Aging underground infrastructure problems are widespread in greater Minnesota. Water and sewer pipes are reaching the end of their expected life spans in many places, and there’s not enough state or federal funding to meet the needs — especially for small cities. ‘I think we are on the verge of what could be a ...

EXCERPT: “Only 59 percent of rural high-school graduates enroll in college the subsequent fall, according to the National Student Clearinghouse. That’s a lower proportion than students from urban and suburban areas. ‘It was amazing to me as a journalist—and embarrassing’ to realize that college-going is less common among students in rural America, says Jon Marcus, the ...

EXCERPT: “The Department of Natural Resources, the Metropolitan Council, and the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission are seeking qualified applicants to serve on the Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee. ‘The Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee plays a critical role in helping us achieve the vision Minnesotans have for use of the ...

EXCERPT: “Lt. Governor Tina Smith and the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced the 2017 Border to Border Broadband Grant recipients. The grants total $26 million for 39 broadband infrastructure projects that will provide 9,973 households, 2,169 businesses, and 60 community institutions across Minnesota access to reliable, affordable high-speed Internet . . .The ...

Outgoing Center president Brad Finstad joins us during his first week as the new state director for USDA Rural Development to talk about the last ten years and how much things have changed in the world, with news, communications, and at the Center.