Across the Nation
Alabama: As part of Gov. Bob Riley’s plan to equip the state with high-speed internet by 2012, a 15-member council heard presentations from six possible vendors and then narrowed it to three. The firm winning the contract will be charged with identifying areas with little or no high-speed internet access and remedying the problem within two years.
Nationwide: Timothy Collins, assistant director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University in Macomb, writes for DailyYonder.com about the need for rural educators to adopt a broader mission of revitalizing and connecting students to their communities. As the role of globalization grows, rural educators must recognize their communities’ role in it by developing “rural stewards.” Students, regardless of living environment, will possess an understanding and will be equipped to thoughtfully address issues of rural communities.
North Dakota: Monica Davey reports for The New York Times that the state is experiencing a positive economic climate due to an “odd collection of factors” like increased oil production, the farming economy, and a “never-fancy culture that has nurtured fewer sudden booms of wealth like those seen elsewhere.” This has resulted in a 27 percent increase in car sales this year and a $1.2 billion budget surplus. Though economists warned the current recession will affect North Dakota, one of the largest problems is attracting workers for 13,000 open jobs and debunking false perceptions about the state.
South Carolina: State commissioner Earl Hunter said the Department of Health and Environmental Control has to cut nearly $26 million from its budget. Consequently the department’s 95 health clinics will close, and rural residents will have to drive greater distances to receive health care.
Wyoming: The whipping winds of the state’s southeastern buttes are a hot commodity today. In response to this and the overly eager investors seeking wind rights, many ranchers have formed cooperative associations like the Bordeaux Wind Energy Association to pool their resources and bargaining power.
Contact: Casey Francis, caseyf@cfra.org for more information or to suggest Across the Nation items.
Nationwide: Timothy Collins, assistant director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University in Macomb, writes for DailyYonder.com about the need for rural educators to adopt a broader mission of revitalizing and connecting students to their communities. As the role of globalization grows, rural educators must recognize their communities’ role in it by developing “rural stewards.” Students, regardless of living environment, will possess an understanding and will be equipped to thoughtfully address issues of rural communities.
North Dakota: Monica Davey reports for The New York Times that the state is experiencing a positive economic climate due to an “odd collection of factors” like increased oil production, the farming economy, and a “never-fancy culture that has nurtured fewer sudden booms of wealth like those seen elsewhere.” This has resulted in a 27 percent increase in car sales this year and a $1.2 billion budget surplus. Though economists warned the current recession will affect North Dakota, one of the largest problems is attracting workers for 13,000 open jobs and debunking false perceptions about the state.
South Carolina: State commissioner Earl Hunter said the Department of Health and Environmental Control has to cut nearly $26 million from its budget. Consequently the department’s 95 health clinics will close, and rural residents will have to drive greater distances to receive health care.
Wyoming: The whipping winds of the state’s southeastern buttes are a hot commodity today. In response to this and the overly eager investors seeking wind rights, many ranchers have formed cooperative associations like the Bordeaux Wind Energy Association to pool their resources and bargaining power.
Contact: Casey Francis, caseyf@cfra.org for more information or to suggest Across the Nation items.
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