Special thanks to Becky McCray for fitting my guest post into her Small Biz Survival blog the first of the month. My friends at APA STaR may also include in the Division newsletter. Oh, the stories we have to tell… Small town and rural planning is not city planning writ small. Yet we are also […]
Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities: Planning for Broadband #apa13
Broadband is essential infrastructure for the 21st century. Just as paved roads, electricity and drinking water supported development in the last century, broadband communications is required for development today. Yet as author William Gibson said, “the future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed yet.” Hundreds of thousands of our friends and neighbors […]
2012 Census of Agriculture in Spotlight this Thanksgiving
Minnesota is the top turkey producer in the United States, counting over 18 million birds in 2007’s Census of Agriculture. Will the gopher state hold the title in the next go ’round? Here’s some PR from USDA on the topic: WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2012 – Nearly four centuries after the very first Thanksgiving feast, Americans […]
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“Hey, Why Can’t We Do This Better?” —Minnesota Manufacturing Week
I have always been impressed by the extent of manufacturing back in Southwest Minnesota. It seems like every small town has some fabrication or repair shop or farm shop with a guy (or gal) asking, “Hey, why can’t we do this better?” Well, why can’t we? Here’s a PR flashback to Minnesota, from the Department […]
New Beginnings
October finds me in Wyoming, starting on a new job as a Senior Planner with Laramie County Planning and Development, in Cheyenne. Laramie County, Wyoming, has about 92,000 residents, of whom about 60,000 live in the City of Cheyenne. Cheyenne is the state capital and hosts Warren Air Force Base at the junction of I80 […]
US Energy Information Administration
At this month’s Western Planner Conference, I noticed a lot of the presenters (more than one) used a lot of data and graphics from the US Energy Information Administration, when they were talking about energy development. Now, I pride myself on being a data geek, but I had not heard of this federal font of, […]
GreenStep Cities in the News
We’re all trying to do more with less. Cities across Minnesota have been faced with uncertain budgets, uncertain population change, uncertain energy costs. It’s an uncertain time. Minnesota’s GreenStep Cities program has been in the news recently, as a useful toolbox for uncertain times. The progressive Minnesota 2020 think tank highlighted sustainability aspects of GreenStep’s […]
Redefining the Rural Narrative
We’re living in exciting times in Rural America, have you heard? We’ve just completed the third out of the last four decades of overall population gain in Rural America, growing from 53.5 million in 1970 to 59.5 million in 2010. Midwest farmland is bringing record prices. Land in Rock County, Minnesota, has recently sold for […]
MN Livestock: 35k Jobs and $8B Economic Impact
. Press Release Minnesota Animal Agriculture Sector Is Growing, Provides Significant Economic Value New study finds industry employs thousands, contributes billions in revenue and has potential to expand St. Paul, MN (July 9, 2012) – The Minnesota Livestock Industry Benchmark Report released today, found that Minnesotaʼs animal agriculture industry is substantial and continues to create […]
Marshall Recognized as Minnesota GreenStep City
I’ve been involved with the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program, through SRDC‘s staffing the SW Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs). The League of Minnesota Cities recognized the City of Marshall and others this week at their annual meeting in flood-soaked Duluth for achieving GreenStep goals: League honors 47 Minnesota GreenStep Cities that have completed steps […]
