Rural

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  Small Biz Survival

• High tech rural business ideas

  Becky McCray

  21 Nov 2009 | 9:18 am

  Joel Wiggins, Enterprise Center of Johnson County, shares some promising ideas for high tech businesses and ag based businesses that give an advantage to rural areas. Click here to view the embedded video. Interviewed by Becky McCray at NASVF - the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds, Oklahoma City, September 2009 New here? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Subscribe.

• I am back for the Brag Basket

  Becky McCray

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:22 am

  I've been away at the London #140conf, but I'm back and it's time for Brag Basket! Every week, I open a Brag Basket, so you can introduce yourself or share some good news. So speak up and add yourself or another deserving soul in the comments. We all cheer, and everyone feels great. It lets you meet each other a bit. Reading each others' stories brings us a bit closer to being a community.  This particular basket is open from Nov. 20-Nov. 22, 2009. How does it work? You write a comment on this post. You tell something great about your week, or you give plaudits to someone who did good…

• Our friends launch BatchBook for Sales

  Becky McCray

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:42 am

  Our friends Pam and Michelle (and crew) at BatchBlue have launched BatchBook for Sales. BatchBook is a CRM (customer relationship manager) for small business. Think of it as a super-hero address book. Here's an overview of the new sales features. It now has Deals, a Calendar, and more user restrictions, so you have more ways to work with an assistant or others. (And I hear they are working on a To-Do template and a Leads SuperTag.) Stop by BatchBook. Tell 'em we sent ya! (No, you won't get a special deal, but it will make me feel good.) Photos by Becky McCray: 1. Michelle Riggen-Ransom of…

• How to make your tourism Twitter more interesting

  Becky McCray

  17 Nov 2009 | 2:11 am

  At BlogWorld Expo, I finally got to meet two of Sheila Scarborough's travel connections, Doug at Authentic Seacoast (@AuthenticCoast) and Shannon Lane (@Cajun_Mama). We had a great discussion about what makes tourism tweets interesting. Doug said a regional tourism group had an intern handling their Twitter account. He would tweet things like, "I'm going to have a sandwich." If only it had been a local specialty, like a lobster sandwich, Doug said. From a great local cafe, I added. With a picture, Shannon finished. You make your tourism Twitter stream more interesting by including the details…

• How to renew your blogging enthusiasm

  Becky McCray

  16 Nov 2009 | 2:11 am

  Blogging is a terrific tool for small businesses, but the work of blogging eventually can get you into a rut. That's why so many blogs stagnate and even die after a while. Long-time friend Chris Brogan asked a pointed question about this, on Twitter. Is your blog phoning it in? Are you tagging along in a pile of similar content? How will you break out?   Here are some of the techniques I have used to keep blogging through four years and over 1000 posts, even when my enthusiasm waned.  1. Go to an in-person event. In early 2008, my energy for writing Small Biz Survival dwindled.

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  Google News: Rural

• Temperature drop brings fire relief - Sydney Morning Herald

  22 Nov 2009 | 3:10 pm

  Sydney Morning HeraldTemperature drop brings fire reliefSydney Morning HeraldRAW VISION: SMH photographer Nick Moir with the NSW Rural Fire Service as over 100 bushfires blazed across the state. The dramatic drop in temperatures Fire crews relieved by cool changeABC OnlineCool change brings relief from firesNEWS.com.auContainment lines broken as strong winds fan flames in RylstoneMudgeee Guardian and Gulgong AdvertiserDaily Mail -Herald Sun -Sky Newsall 392 news articles »

• Need stressed to preserve rural art - Times of India

  22 Nov 2009 | 8:16 am

  Need stressed to preserve rural artTimes of IndiaMYSORE: Empahsising the need to preserve the rural art, Mysore Zilla Panchayat president Dharmendra called upon youths give new dimension to the fading art. and more »

• Carver County Townships on notice: Sheriff''s service to drop in rural areas ... - Shakopee Valley News

  22 Nov 2009 | 7:01 am

  Carver County Townships on notice: Sheriff''s service to drop in rural areas Shakopee Valley NewsOne option would be to hire a town officer, which many rural communities did in the past. Townships also could opt back in to a police contract with the and more »

• 40000 cr sanctioned for rural development: FM - Indian Express

  22 Nov 2009 | 3:38 am

  40000 cr sanctioned for rural development: FMIndian ExpressUnion Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said the Centre has sanctioned an amount of Rs 40000 crore for rural development in the country. and more »

• Mayor callous to rural residents - Chapel Hill News

  21 Nov 2009 | 11:03 pm

  Mayor callous to rural residentsChapel Hill NewsFor Mayor Mark Chilton to refer to a public statement and action by citizens concerned about losing their long-held land to urban development as a and more »

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  MSN: Rural

• Man hopes to preserve Ind. home of Obama's family - WNDU

  22 Nov 2009 | 2:41 pm

  The owner of a rural Tipton County house says he hopes to preserve the home's history because it once belonged to President Barack Obama's ancestors. Historic preservationist Shawn Clements owns the Dunham House in Kempton. He wants to turn the ...

• Clay County Rural Transit looking to increase fares - DL-Online

  22 Nov 2009 | 1:51 pm

  MOOORHEAD — Under fare increases proposed by Clay County Rural Transit, the price of a round-trip bus ride on any of the city commuter routes served by the agency would go up $2. Some of the cities it serves are Detroit Lakes, Audubon, Lake Park ...

• NSW fire breaks containment lines - ninemsn

  22 Nov 2009 | 11:35 am

  The fire, which has burnt through 1,260 hectares of bushland west of the townships, is now bearing down on some rural properties. "The fire started on the northern side of Windamere Dam and has crossed the dam," the Rural Fire Service (RFS) said. "

• Feeding America's Nine Million Meals: Rural America and the Santa Fe ... - DAILY KOS

  22 Nov 2009 | 11:14 am

  Most people associate children's hunger with inner cities. But according to The Forgotten Fifth, a study put out by the University of New Hampshire, one in five poor children lives in a rural area. The USDA reports that Persistent-poverty counties ...

• Mulayam urges party to penetrate rural areas - New Kerala

  22 Nov 2009 | 9:34 am

  Lucknow, Nov 22 : Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav celebrated his 71st birthday Sunday when he asked his party cadres to reach out to the rural population. Addressing over 500 party workers who ...

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  Yahoo! News: Rural

• Mulayam urges party to penetrate rural areas (New Kerala)

  22 Nov 2009 | 9:40 am

  Lucknow, Nov 22 : Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav celebrated his 71st birthday Sunday when he asked his party cadres to reach out to the rural population.

• Seat-belt crackdown planned for rural roads (Jesup Press-Sentinel)

  22 Nov 2009 | 7:27 am

  It may seem counterintuitive, but rural roads are more dangerous than busy interstates. Though only a quarter of Georgia’s population lives in rural areas, crashes on country roads account for more than half of the state’s traffic fatalities.

• State water agency: Cut would hurt rural areas (12 News Phoenix)

  22 Nov 2009 | 6:34 am

  Projected state budget cuts would all but end Arizona's efforts to secure long-term water supplies, water officials say, a loss that would devastate rural communities already struggling to meet demands.

• MSMEs are our lifeblood, rural banks say (Malaya)

  22 Nov 2009 | 6:33 am

  While most big financial institutions usually perceive micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as a high-risk proposition when it comes to lending, rural banks actually see these enterprises as their lifeblood and the very "essence of their existence."

• Govt okays Rs 40,000 cr for rural development (Business Standard India)

  22 Nov 2009 | 5:25 am

  Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said the Centre has sanctioned an amount of Rs 40,000 crore for rural development in the country. "I would request every state to utilise the fund on rural development properly.

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  Topix: Rural

• Dense Fog Advisory

  22 Nov 2009 | 2:28 am

  THE COVERAGE OF FOG ACROSS THE AREA SHOULD BEGIN TO DIMINISH SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE...AND IS EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE BY 9 AM.

• Ahern family mourning after sudden death of former taoiseach's...

  21 Nov 2009 | 9:22 pm

  Sunday November 22 2009 A SON of Maurice Ahern , the former Fianna Fail councillor, died suddenly yesterday.

• John Deere tractors on Rural TV

  21 Nov 2009 | 2:00 pm

  Rural TV asks: 'Do you love tractors? Do you use tractors? Want to know more? Well, here's your chance to question the experts from John Deere about the new 5 Series prior to RURAL TV Live on Monday 7 December @ 8.00 p.m. .' You can submit your questions now by this link .

• Causes and Effects of Rural -Urban Migration

  21 Nov 2009 | 3:44 am

  One noticeable issue in the society today is the rate at which people migrate from the rural to the urban areas.

• Bankers Survey

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:19 pm

  A REPORT ISSUED THURSDAY BY ECONOMIST ERNIE GOSS OF CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY SAYS THE OVERALL INDEX FOR THE RURAL MAINSTREET ECONOMY ROSE TO 38.4 THIS MONTH, COMPARED WITH 37.5 IN OCTOBER AND 36.5 IN SEPTEMBER.

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  Daily Yonder

• Marcellus Shale Drilling Leads to Lawsuit

  editor

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:23 pm

• 'Rural Nine' Give Education Secretary a Talking To

  editor

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:37 am

• Proof that Industrial Incentives are Poor Bet

  editor

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:16 am

  North Carolina stayed out of the incentive game for decades. The state paid millions to Dell Computer to open a manufacturing plant near Winston-Salem. Now the plant is closed. Mississippi pioneered the use of tax breaks and incentives to lure Northern industry south. Most of the South followed suit, trading tax breaks, land and cash for jobs. North Carolina was a holdout until the late 1990s. The headlines on two consecutive days said it all: Dell Computer closing shop and laying off over 900 workers and Cree Inc. adding almost 600 jobs. The difference: Dell - headquartered in Texas - was…

• Darn that Kentucky Dam!

  editor

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:31 am

  A trip to one of the Southeast's oldest hydroelectric plants brings perplexity and incurs an unexpected dryness. Historic Kentucky Lake Water sluicing through Kentucky Dam c. 1944, "like beer froth through a harmonica," the only beerlike substance to be found in the vicinity. It’s early fall and I’m on the banks of the Laramie River for the annual rubber duck race down a short stretch of the river through town. Hundreds of rubber ducks are set loose to float a course down the stream. Quaking yellow aspen leaves dot the slow moving, glacier-cold water. Laramie locals turn out to…

• Terrorists Could Create Rural Jobs...???

  editor

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:28 am

  A debate has erupted over whether putting scores of Guantanamo detainees into rural Illinois jails would be good for the rural economy. Federal officials were in northwest Illinois Monday inspecting a largely vacant maximum security prison (above) in Thomson. The perfect home for 100 possible terrorists. And, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and Sen.

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  Rural Assistance Center

• Reid Says Senate Will Hold First Health Bill Vote on Saturday

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:48 am

  Kaiser Health News reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the Senate will vote Saturday on a procedural move to begin debate on the Senate's health care reform bill.

• House Moves to Block Doctors' Medicare Pay Cuts

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:45 am

  Kaiser Health News reports that the House voted largely along party lines Thursday to permanently end annual cuts in doctors' Medicare payments, which the Congress has temporarily averted from year to year,

• New Report Finds Only 25 Percent of Adults Aged 50-64 Get Recommended Preventive Screenings

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:22 am

  Only about 1 in 4 Americans aged 5064 regularly take advantage of preventive services such as screenings and immunizations, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with AARP and the American Medical Association (AMA).

• Highest Rates of Obesity, Diabetes in the South, Appalachia, and Some Tribal Lands

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:19 am

  Wide sections of the Southeast, Appalachia, and some tribal lands in the West and Northern Plains have the nation′s highest rates of obesity and diabetes, according to estimates released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Senate Passes Rural Vets Health Care Bill

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

  KULR8 News, (MT) reports that the Senate has unanimously passed the Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, sponsored by Senator Jon Tester.

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  Blog for Rural America

• Small Business Owners go to D.C. to Advocate for Health Care Reform

  Virginia Wolking

  13 Nov 2009 | 1:32 pm

  Note: This post was created by Center for Rural Affairs intern and health care advocate Angel Romero Kiester.  On November 3rd, 2009, 134 small business owners from 24 states went to D.C. to advocate for health care reform.  Among them were nine small business owners from Nebraska and North Dakota. The small business owners held a press conference at the Capitol with Senator Harkin (IA) Senator Landrieu (LA) and Representative Halovorson (IL).  Following the press conference the small business owners went to an event at the White House with Kathleen Sebleius, Secretary of…

• Feeding a Need Bigger than Stomachs

  Steph Larsen

  10 Nov 2009 | 9:16 am

  In the small Nebraska town I now call home, a small grocery store anchors one end of Main Street. Once a farm-implement dealership, it has nine aisles, a dairy cooler, and a fresh meat counter. It employs nine full-time workers plus various high school students, and its limited hours frequently cause this workaholic to actually leave my office at a reasonable hour. (It closes on weekdays at 6 pm, 7 pm on Saturdays, and 2 pm on Sundays.) Although I grow a lot of my own produce — and I still have an “out-of-town” list for things like wasabi, coconut milk, and other exotic…

• Spaghetti Feeds Emphasize Broken System

  Steph Larsen

  16 Oct 2009 | 2:03 pm

  When Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spoke at the Community Food Security Coalition conference in Des Moines on Tuesday, one of the things he spoke about was the sense of community one gets from living in a small town. An example he used was the phenomenon of holding a fundraiser such as a spaghetti feed for someone who gets sick and has high medical bills to pay. It's true, in some communities this is a regular occurrrence. In the year I've lived in Lyons, I can think of several such events both here and in neighboring communities. One was for a newborn with a large number of birth…

• Farm Bill Issues Resurfacing?

  Steph Larsen

  15 Oct 2009 | 2:47 pm

  I've been on the road organizing in Wisconsin and Minnesota for the past 10 days, and I come back to find that the health insurance industry has released several of self-serving reports "proving" that if health reform passes, individual premiums will skyrocket. As if they're not already out of control. This immediately makes me think of a similar situation we faced in the Farm Bill in 2008. There are some who argue that commodity subsidies paid to farmers by the government should be based on the cost a farmer pays to produce the crop plus a reasonable rate of payment for their work.

• Rural, not Homogeneous

  Steph Larsen

  14 Oct 2009 | 2:34 pm

  I recently heard someone say "If you've seen one small town, you've seen one small town." This rang in my ears this weekend while attending a conference this weekend in Des Moines, Iowa as people assumed exactly the opposite. Why do so many people who live in cities lump all rural communities together? One prominent speaker, for example, talked about how community-oriented rural people are, and said that rural neighbors will harvest their neighbor's crop before their own is harvested or hold a fundraiser for someone who gets sick and has high medical bills. And while it's true that…

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  Blandin on Broadband

• Morris students talk about Willmar

  Ann Treacy

  22 Nov 2009 | 3:17 pm

  The Morris students did a great job. I caught some of their comments on video. I also have their presentation below. They had a lot of good insights but one comment really caught my attention: “Students want to stay in their rural area – why are we pushing them out with poor technology and broadband?” Video on how the students use broadband today:

• Task Force comments on report

  Ann Treacy

  22 Nov 2009 | 2:08 pm

  The Task Force graciously spoke about their report. The Blandin Strategy board chimed (here’s their written comments)  in and folks had questions. Here is the introduction from moderator/task force member/former Blandin strategy board member, Mike O’Connor. In it he addresses Jim Baller’s critique of the Task Force report expressed the previous evening. Here are comments from the Task Force members: Chris Swanson – represented rural, small city, small business and started with goal of ubiquitous FTTH. Still stands behind importance of ubiquity. We often looked at…

• Mankato students talk about New Ulm

  Ann Treacy

  22 Nov 2009 | 1:06 pm

  Here is the presentation from the Mankato students on New Ulm and what New Ulm has done to keep andor attract young people to the town. I thought the most telling statements from the students weren’t specifically about New Ulm – but spoke to small towns throughout Minnesota. “I don’t think I could go back to my small hometown after living with the broadband in Mankato.” “If I don’t have broadband I’m going to die.”

• Best Practices in Broadband-Based Economic Development

  Ann Treacy

  22 Nov 2009 | 12:37 pm

  This session brought Brad Woodside, Mayor of Fredericton, New Brunswick (Canada) and Elies Lemkes-Straver of Brainport Operations and Kees Rovers of Close the Gap both from Eindhoven, the Netherlands to talk about broadband as a vital tool in their communities. Both were named Top Seven communities by the Intelligent Community Forum. (Moderated by Bill Coleman) Notes from Eindhoven Interesting perspective – Eindhoven talks about broadband and technology as a necessity. One that people might not think they want – but they need to receive services. “Think of every customer as the 75 year…

• 2009 Blandin Broadband conference welcome

  Ann Treacy

  22 Nov 2009 | 11:50 am

  Bernadine opens the second day of the Blandin Broadband conference: Realizing Our Broadband Future: Getting from Here to There. (Read remarks here.) If you want to see any video from the conference, please check out our playlist. http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=58A5AB3B9FD14BD7 Below I will post Tweets from the conference. I’m not sure if they will be valuable out of context, but I wanted to at least capture them. (Sometimes my librarian roots show.) In the spirit of mutual leanring I wanted to share a little bit about the Tweets: This is the first time we’ve made a…

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  The Rural Blog

• Student's death at hands of hunter is a cautionary, sad tale for deer season

  21 Nov 2009 | 8:05 pm

  Here's a sad, cautionary tale for deer season: Jason Cloutier, 31, of Ferrum, Va., is "charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless use of a firearm and trespass, charges that together carry a maximum of 12 years in jail and $5,000 in fines," after shooting Ferrum College student Jessica Goode while deer hunting, Brigid Schulte of The Washington Post writes."In this tightknit community of 1,400 that consists, literally, of the college and a scatter of farms and solitary houses in the woods, the killing of a beloved student has unleashed a welter of questions: How could he have shot her?

• Dell closure of new N.C. plant shows need to stop chasing 'footloose industry,' economic expert says

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:06 pm

  "When are we going to halt public expenditures on the 'buffalo hunt' for footloose industry and instead focus our resources and efforts on the sector that produces by far most of the jobs - existing industry and homegrown business?" So asks Jesse White, a veteran of rural economic development, in the News & Observer of Raleigh with two recent events that make an object example.On successive days last month, White notes, North Carolina saw these headlines: "Dell Computer closing shop (photo of plant from the Daily Yonder) and laying off over 900 workers and Cree Inc. adding almost 600…

• D.C. meetings look at barriers to rural broadband, proposed policy for universal Internet access

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:59 am

  Thursday, the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Rural Development, Biotechnology, Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture met to discuss progress made by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce to award grants to expand broadband access in rural areas. Chairman Mike McIntyre, D-N.C., described rural broadband as "an investment that can create jobs, improve communities, and change lives" in a news release, but he said the arbitrary deadline set by Congress is resulting in a flawed process. (Read more)The Federal Communications Commission held meetings Wednesday…

• Obama: Through Thanksgiving, it's Farm-City Week

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:49 am

  President Barack Obama signed a proclamation Friday designating the week ending with Thanksgiving Day each year as National Farm-City Week. The longstandign observance is designed to express gratitude for the contributions of U.S. farmers and ranchers, and to help ensure that all Americans have access to healthy food."For agriculture to thrive in the 21st century, we must continue to cultivate the relationships between farmers and rural businesses and their partners and customers in cities and towns," Obama said in the proclamation. "During National Farm-City Week, we celebrate the bounty of…

• More states may OK raw-milk sales to help dairies, but FDA may ban sale of aged raw-milk cheese

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:18 am

  Dairy farmers can receive $4 to $6 per gallon more for unpasteurized milk than the common pasteurized version, but there's one problem: The Food and Drug Administration banned interstate sale of raw milk 22 years ago. Individual states can regulate how unpasteurized milk is produced, bought and sold within their borders and just over half allow sale in some form, Hillary Brenhouse of The New York Times reports."There’s no middleman, and people are willing to pay a premium for raw milk and related products," Sally Fallon Morell, president of a D.C.-based organic-farming advocacy group, the…

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  Rural Innovation Network

• Documentaries on social communication for sustainable innovations and development

  SUSANTA BISWAS

  Documentaries on social communication plays a significant role to propagate the message of sustainable innovations which leads to sustainable development. Potka Developmental Block consisting of 20 villages in East Singbhum district of Jharkhand is situated at a distance of about 60 km to the south of Tatanagar, the industrial city of Jamshedpur. The tribal villagers of this forest fringe area are either small or marginal farmers which cause their dependence on forest for fuel wood, fodder and part of livelihood. There the Regional Centre, National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board,…

• Hi! Trying to help those in rural areas save money!

  Momma

  Hi, I'm excited to find this network. We live in a rural area, 100 miles from a "city" of 20,000 or more. We try to help others save money and recently started a series of articles titled, "25 ways to save money and bargain shop in small towns and rural areas" We are trying to share this series with as many folks that live in small towns and rural areas as we can. But we have no advertising budget, so this makes it very difficult. Please help us spread the word. You can read the series here: http://www.engineeradebtfreelife.com/search/label/savemoneyseries Looking forward to meeting other…

• SRDI says goodbye after 16 years

  Calvin

  February 10, 2009 Dear Friend: It is with deep sadness that we are writing to let you to know that the Southern Rural Development Initiative (SRDI) will be shutting its doors on February 20, 2009. Though prompted by the current economic crisis and the uncertain funding climate, we know that this is the time to end our formal work as an organization. For the past fifteen years, we have stood fast with rural leaders advocating for racial and economic justice. We have supported their cause, strived to increase resources for their work, provided vital information and research, and learned with…

• RIN.com is now on FACEBOOK

  Calvin

  Become a fan of Rural Innovation Network.com on Facebook by going to http://www.facebook.com/pages/edit/?id=43620108556#/pages/Rural-Innovation-Networkcom/43620108556 or clicking HERE

• PRESS RELEASE: New Carsey brief identifies keys to today's rural economic development

  Calvin

  New Carsey brief identifies keys to today's rural economic development Durham, NH and Raleigh, NC - Rural communities working to find strategies for success in today's economy need to rethink the tools they are using, notes Anita Brown-Graham and William Lambe in a new brief from the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire, Measures and Methods: Four Tenets for Rural Economic Development in the New Economy. Brown-Graham is the executive director of the Institute for Emerging Issues and a policy fellow at the Carsey Institute. William Lambe is the associate director at the…

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  Rural Intelligence

• RI Selects: “Living with Wine” Book Signing -- Food Section -- Spirits

  dan.shaw@att.net

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:23 am

  Every oenophile who doesn’t already have a wine cellar dreams of having one—the bigger the better.  Whether you’re ready to build or just a voyeur, there are dozens of juicy, jaw-dropping photos in Living with Wine, the new book by design editor Samantha Nestor and award-winning wine writer Alice Feiring, which includes a magnificent cellar by Fred Tregaskis of New England Wine Cellars in Falls Village. The authors will be signing books on Saturday afternoon at Little Gates & Co., which will offer a tasting of Viennese wines at the same time. Living with Wine book signing…

• Cafe Giulia -- Restaurants -- Lakeville, Connecticut

  dan.shaw@att.net

  18 Nov 2009 | 1:30 pm

  A successful restaurant in our region usually needs to have a split personality: one that caters to the people who go out to eat Sunday through Thursday and another for the Friday and Saturday night crowd. Robert Wills and Tara Kelly are expatriates from Brooklyn (he owned Vaux Bistro in Park Slope) who understand this dynamic, and their new Cafe Giulia is a nimble and delicious balancing act with an Italian point of view. They have warmed up the space formerly occupied by the overly ambitious Chives by painting the walls a cozy pumpkin, adding a few booths and moving the bar. Two people can…

• AgriCulture: The Superior Long Island Cheese Pumpkin -- Blog Section -- AgriCulture

  dan.shaw@att.net

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:15 am

  Peter Davies and Mark Scherzer are the owners of Turkana Farms in Germantown, New York. This week Mark writes: Although it’s Friday the 13th, things seem relatively stable here on the farm. The coyotes have returned, but the calf is sticking close by his mama and has not so far been attacked again. The sheep were by and large cooperative during Bruce McCord’s expert shearing last weekend. It’s always disorienting for them and for us, as the lambs and ewes have to baaa and sniff for several hours to reconnect with each other, while we have to get used to the new colors that emerge on…

• It’s Finally Show Time at the Beacon Cinema in Pittsfield -- Community Section -- News

  dan.shaw@att.net

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:28 am

  Richard Stanley knows first hand how a movie theater can be a tipping point for a community. After all, fourteen years ago, he opened The Triplex, a brand new independent movie house in Great Barrington. By all accounts, The Triplex was the catalyst for Great Barrington’s metamorphosis, attracting new restaurants,  shops and tourists. “Nobody expected that to happen,” says Stanley. “It took a while.” But Pittsfield is a different story, and there are high hopes that the opening of the Beacon Cinema in a renovated department store on North Street will have a transformational…

• RI Selects: Where’s the Beef? A Documentary in Progress -- Food Section -- News

  dan.shaw@att.net

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:44 am

  American Meat, Work-in-Progress from Graham Meriwether on Vimeo.     Alejandro de Onís, who lives in Stockbridge, is passionate about film and food, which is why he is co-producing a documentary called American Meat (directed by Graham Meriwether) that examines industrial farming and organic options. One of the movie’s “stars” is the heroic Virginia farmer Joel Salatin, who famously refused to FedEx Michael Pollan one of his organic chickens and became a central character in Pollan’s best-seller The Omnivore’s Dilemma. “He is a very successful alternative farmer who…

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  Reimagine Rural

• Sustainability & Entrepreneurship go hand-in-hand

  Mike Knutson

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:08 pm

  A few weeks ago, Randy Parry travelled out to Van Buren County, Michigan to speak at the community’s annual conference.  He shared the following thoughts about his time in Michigan. Interview with Randy Van Buren County is located in Southwest Michigan.  What was your impression of the region?  How does it compare to rural South Dakota? At a county level, Van Buren County is much more populated (78,000 residents) than most of rural South Dakota (2,000 - 5,000 residents), but there are many similarities.  Both are rural with agriculture playing an important role in the economy. …

• Is your community on your Christmas list?

  Mike Knutson

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:17 pm

  We don’t often think of giving Christmas presents to our communities unless we are considering a donation to a community foundation or program. A recent post from the Strom Center at Dickenson State University reminded me how important it is for rural communities to create activities that encourage residents to shop locally this holiday season.  In many ways individuals who commit to buying their Christmas gifts locally are giving a gift to the community.  Specifically, the Strom Center post highlights a “shopping celebration” they are sponsoring in Dickinson called…

• Mistakes of a first-year Teacher

  Mike Knutson

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:05 am

  I have a confession to make.  When I started my teaching career at Tripp High School in 1990, I had no idea what it meant to teach in a small rural school.  Having grown up in Hartford, SD, a small town just outside of Sioux Falls, I always thought of myself as a rural kid.  But in reality, my high school experience was closer to that of a suburban school than a rural school.  And more importantly, nothing in my college teacher preparation courses suggested that teaching in rural schools was any different than teaching in urban settings. Case in point:  During my first year of teaching,…

• What’s in it for me?

  Mike Knutson

  13 Nov 2009 | 7:19 am

  Yesterday, we presented readers with a basic economic question:  Do our rural communities have enough resources to invest in being attractive to both Boomers and Millennials?   I raised it after reading an article from Northern Great Plains, Inc.’s newsletter, which provides great tips for creating communities that are more attractive to young people (who we call Millennials). Personally, I don’t think we have the luxury of creating communities that are attractive to everyone.  Communities need to figure who is the best target market (boomers or millennials) and develop a plan…

• Who are we building our rural communities for?

  Mike Knutson

  12 Nov 2009 | 1:43 pm

  We talk a lot on ReImagine Rural about creating rural communities that are attractive for young people.  We do so because most rural communities in the Midwest are getting older and older each year.  If we want our rural communities to have a bright future, we obviously need more young people to call our rural places home. But a recent newsletter from Northern Great Plains, Inc., reminded me that we can’t forget about the people who already live in our rural communities.  It’s a bit long, but the following quote captures this idea: Any rural development strategy must recognize…

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  Small Town Papers News Service

• Pie Town Area Geologist Speaks Out On Water Grab At Library

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:30 am

  Thirty-two people, some bringing their own chairs, squeezed into Datil’s Baldwin Cabin Public Library, a very small library, last Friday, November 13th to hear Dennis Inman’s talk on ‘Geology Potpourri.’ Inman worked for the U.S. Forest Service for over 30 years as an Engineering Geologist and did ...

• Christmas tree permits on sale

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:22 am

  Christmas tree permits are now available at all Willamette National Forest District offices, the Cottage Grove Ranger District office on the Umpqua National Forest, and the Bureau of Land Management Eugene District interagency office. Holiday enthusiasts looking for the perfect tree will also be ab...

• Holiday events to look forward to

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:21 am

  Saturday, December 5th, should be a busy day for McKenzie River area residents. ...

• It’s time for Toys for Tots

  14 Nov 2009 | 11:14 am

  WALTERVILLE: McKenzie Fire & Rescue is continuing its tradition of supporting the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toy for Tots Program. The fire department is serving again this year as the local point of contact for the collection of toys for needy children. New, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at th...

• Quemado News: Craft Sale, Luncheon And Pool

  13 Nov 2009 | 8:52 am

  Quemado area artist /crafters Margot Reagan and Ernest Leschner will be participating in the Glenwood Annual Craft Sale on Saturday, Nov 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Glenwood Community Center. ...

• 
  STPNS: Business

• Alamo Mercantile Opens Doors Again

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:33 am

  The Alamo Mercantile building on California St. is open again, this time under new management, with a full complement of local artists and artisans....

• Energy assistance $ available

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:22 am

  EUGENE: Lane County Human Services Commission has received federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding to help income-qualified households with their home energy bills this winter. ...

• Rumors not true - Vida Cafe is open

  14 Nov 2009 | 11:08 am

  VIDA: What would cause a well-established restaurant to lose more than fifty percent of its customer base? For the Vida Café the answer is rumors – rumors that have no basis in facts....

• Keystone ferry to shut down for two days in January

  12 Nov 2009 | 1:29 pm

  The Keystone-Port Townsend ferry route will be completely shut down during the second weekend of January 2010 so workers can complete the annual inspection and maintenance required by the U.S. Coast Guard....

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  High Country News: Most Recent

• The Eastern Frontier

  Tom Zoellner

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:26 am

  New York City is really the West, buried under time's wrapping.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/most-recent/~4/wCt4-L00yzQ" height="1" width="1"/>

• Stopping by apples in the land of condos

  Joanne Wilke

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:14 am

  The small courtesies of gleaning urban fruit.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/most-recent/~4/rd_U5u-ATpg" height="1" width="1"/>

• A cleaner coal?

  Jodi Peterson

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:33 am

  Proponents say that underground coal gasification could produce cleaner energy, but some environmentalists have their doubts.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/most-recent/~4/dQQ6VKwgTfU" height="1" width="1"/>

• How wild is a managed wolf?

  George Sibley

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:06 am

  In an age when wolves are radio-collared and tracked everywhere they go, can they still be considered wild animals?<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/most-recent/~4/PdEaEHOyBQ0" height="1" width="1"/>

• The Lost Art of Listening

  Emily Underwood

  17 Nov 2009 | 1:51 pm

  Can the Arapaho language be saved from extinction?<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/most-recent/~4/7_sRTSoqqtw" height="1" width="1"/>

• 
  High Country News: Blogs

• The Pesticide Wars

  Felice Pace

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:17 pm

  Another battle heads to the Supreme Court<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/FromTheBlogs/~4/q0nH2HfaZ4c" height="1" width="1"/>

• A ride on the Big Love bus

  Betsy Marston

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

  Polygamy tours begin in Utah.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/FromTheBlogs/~4/upej0NDoiPA" height="1" width="1"/>

• Reader Photo - Cowboy Up

  Stephanie Paige Ogburn

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:02 pm

  A classic Western image, in black and white<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/FromTheBlogs/~4/2erQdQHJPJE" height="1" width="1"/>

• The law of necessity

  Ed Quillen

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:42 am

  Necessity is no defense of bogus BLM bids<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/FromTheBlogs/~4/krevd8voj0E" height="1" width="1"/>

• Stallion valet needed

  Betsy Marston

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:10 am

  Where's a cowboy supposed to park his horse?<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/FromTheBlogs/~4/jSCw7mjsuk0" height="1" width="1"/>

• 
  Rurritable

• yet another life

  coozledad

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:10 pm

  This was really beautifully done. The set, the shots, everything. I liked this clip before I liked the Pretenders.

• my life

  coozledad

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:02 pm

• Critiques of the Nixon administration

  coozledad

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:38 pm

  From a talented group of British Army brats. These guys had it nailed before the DC press corps managed to get its britches up.

• Thalassa.

  coozledad

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:39 am

  There are lots of negatives with living in the shadow of a large coal-fired electric plant – the persistent cough, the beryllium poisoning that seems to have deprived most long term residents of the use of hard consonants, and the quaking of the earth as they purge the the lines of steam at 4AM. But the sunsets, reflecting from a sky filled with particulate ash, remind me of the closing shots of a wide screen western where the camera slowly pans out, stretching cowboys and horses to the snapping point as they ride to another town and undoubtedly, another moral fable. In the wake of last…

• Carrots in the kitchen!

  coozledad

  12 Nov 2009 | 11:07 am

• 
  Perfect Peace Farm

• Breeders' Cup Aftermath

  Gordon

  9 Nov 2009 | 1:06 pm

  Zenyatta gets Horse of the Year. No, ifs, ands, or buts. The argument for Rachel will be that she faced "tougher competition." No, no she didn't. Jerry Bailey had the best fact to shoot that argument down. He stated that Rachel's owner had the choice to go in the Woodward Stakes or the Travers. They chose the Woodward because the competition was far less than it was in the Travers. As for the Preakness? Give Mind that Bird another 1/8th mile and he wins that race.On the other hand, the Breeders' Cup Classic had two other locks for end of the year Awards (Gio Ponti for Turf and Summer Bird for…

• A Loss in the Herd

  Gordon

  2 Nov 2009 | 1:14 pm

  It is never easy to put a horse down, but this morning we had to put one of our wealings down. I found Julian this morning on the floor of his stall barely alive. We have our suspicious about what happened to him and the vet is running tests to confirm it. In the mean time, I have to sterilize the stall just to be safe.We will miss Julian as much as we miss the horses that have been with us for years.UPDATE (11/07/09)Our suspicious turned out to be true, Julian suffered from an acute salmonella attack. In the vast majority of cases, when a young horse is hit by this, it is fatal. The good…

• Prepare the Way at training track

  Gordon

  25 Oct 2009 | 11:54 am

  Picture of our one horse racing juggernaut! Prepare the Way (on left) at the training track at Montpelier (home of James Madison). Our most wonderful trainer Sarah Warmack is at right. Plan is to race her early in 2010.

• The Politics of Horse Racing

  Gordon

  21 Oct 2009 | 11:24 am

  I recently got a request from the NTRA asking me to give money to the "Foal Fund," which is the name for their political action committee. I will not give money to this effort. Why? The politics of horse racing are at the state level, not the Federal level. The U.S. Government said as much when it passed at the Interstate Horse racing Act.The Foal Fund as I understand it seeks to lobby Congress. The only thing that Congress affects horse racing is tax issues, namely deprecation issues, and Federal disaster relief. Yes, every once in a while some Congress threatens to regulate horse racing at…

• Breeder's Cup Classic-Major Potential

  Gordon

  14 Oct 2009 | 1:30 pm

  After watching the Goodwood this weekend, I came to one conclusion: if the Breeder's Cup Classic gets the same field plus Zenyatta and Summer Bird, it will be the best field since 2004 Classic at Lone Star (when there was a Kentucky Derby Winner, Pleasntly Perfect, Roses in May, Ghostzapper, and Azeri among others). Yes, even without a certain filly whose owner refuses to race on Pro-Ride and Sea of Stars. This was the Goodwood line up...Chocolate CandyTiago (I don't expect to see him entered, I think he's done unfortunately)Richard's Kid-Pacific Classic WinnerColonel John-Santa Antia Derby…

• 
  Rural Church

• Stuff I’ve Learned Through Blogging

  waddey

  21 Nov 2009 | 3:46 am

  1.  At least 10 other bloggers are saying the same thing.  I am not nearly as “cutting edge” as I thought I was. 2.  There is nothing new under the Sun.  I have found that people were writing and developing a “rural church” vision before I was born.   Their books and articles have been invaluable. 3.  I will offend someone no matter how unoffensive I try to be. 4.  Nuance does not translate well through the blog sphere. 5.  People reach “Rural Route Church” with funny searches like. . .”looking for a real cowboy”. 6.  Vanity can be…

• Coming Soon

  waddey

  1 Nov 2009 | 5:51 am

  I will be creating a new blog focusing exclusively on Rural Church ministry.  The launch date is January 1 and will highlight multiple authors and contributors.   (Hopefully some names you will recognize)  I would like to thank all of you who have stopped by Rural Route Church over the past couple of years.  I’ll see you in January! Posted in Uncategorized

• My Teen Herpetologist

  waddey

  8 Oct 2009 | 7:14 am

  This is my first born son.  He likes reptiles, amphibians, and all things that slither.  He is a budding herpetologist and recently turned into a teenager.  Even though he likes to spend inordinate amounts of time with snakes. . .we still like him.   As a part of my fatherly responsibilities I like to take each one of my kids on a trip of their choosing.  Caleb picked a place called “Snake Road”.   We were blessed that  Scott Ballard (Herpetologist / Illinois Department of Natural Resources) asked us to come along with him to “tag” endangered Green Water…

• 27 miles bring pastoral smiles!

  waddey

  3 Oct 2009 | 6:56 am

  With 27 miles and a whole county behind us we were able to smile in the knowledge that God’s people donated over $7,000  to our local Crisis Pregnancy Center.  We are already planning for next years “Run Pastor Run” event.  We are praying that we can top the $10,000 mark, include at least 5 more ministers, and focus more attention on the vital ministry of Tomorrow’s Hope Crisis Pregnancy Center. Thank you to our runners/walkers:  Jon Smith, Fred Shakelford, Corey Cain, Jim Twilbeck, Carthage Dye, Ken Wells, Grant Ostrom, and Scott Shepherd Posted in Uncategorized

• Cooperation Works

  waddey

  2 Oct 2009 | 9:10 pm

  Problem: Our local Crisis Pregnancy Center is underfunded. Solution: Nine pastors and ministers! Question: What can nine ministers do? Answer: Run (relay style) across Henry County. 9 guys asked their churches to sponsor them in their attempt to run across Henry County.  The effort raised awareness of the Crisis Pregnancy Center’s mission/ministry and garnered over $7,000.00.  If I stood alone in this effort I would have raised only $701.00.  Collectively we were worth far more.  Cooperation works! Posted in Uncategorized

• 
  Sugar Patch

• Thanksgiving Year Project

  Ayngel

  18 Nov 2009 | 1:07 pm

  Join me! Every day for the next 365 days I will find one thing to be thankful for, and I will add it to my list. You can start a Squidoo as well, add it to your blog, your facebook, or livejournal, you can even keep it private. Can you find 365 things to be thankful for?Ayngel Overson AKA Boshemia The Sugar Patch Boshemia at SquidooI challenge you to use your own mind, if you don't then somebody els

• Grief, loss and friendship

  Ayngel

  12 Nov 2009 | 10:20 am

  Early this week I got a phone call from a long time friend letting me know that her mother passed away, and she was in town to make arrangements. Loss in one area I've never been very good at dealing with.Ayngel Overson AKA Boshemia The Sugar Patch Boshemia at SquidooI challenge you to use your own mind, if you don't then somebody els

• Advocate of the Year Award

  Ayngel

  29 Oct 2009 | 12:47 pm

  For many years I wondered what exactly I was here for, what my purpose in life truly was. I finally decided that all I really wanted to do was make a difference, I knew I couldn't change the world but something in me believed that if I could make a difference in just one life then my life would be a life well lived... I am truly honored to be named Advocate of the Year.Ayngel Overson AKA Boshemia The Sugar Patch Boshemia at SquidooI challenge you to use your own mind, if you don't then somebody els

• Domestic Violence Advocacy Classes in the West End

  Ayngel

  22 Oct 2009 | 3:06 pm

  Education is one of the most powerful tools we have in the battle against domestic violence and sexual assault. Educating yourself and using that knowledge to educate others empowers the whole community to take their stand against domestic violence and sexual assault.Ayngel Overson AKA Boshemia The Sugar Patch Boshemia at SquidooI challenge you to use your own mind, if you don't then somebody els

• Where does your energy go?

  Ayngel

  18 Oct 2009 | 7:18 pm

  Positive energy comes from doing those things you enjoy most. Playing with your children, spending time with a loved one, snuggling with pets. These things may drain us to some extent, but overall they have positive effects on our energy levels.Ayngel Overson AKA Boshemia The Sugar Patch Boshemia at SquidooI challenge you to use your own mind, if you don't then somebody els

• 
  Small Town Scribble

• IN WHICH SCRIBBLES SOLVES THE WORLD'S ENERGY CRISIS

  10 Nov 2009 | 1:28 pm

  So, it would seem that the world is running out of oil a tad quicker than we were lead to believe, yet we are still dithering about wondering whether we should go coal, nuclear or wind as if we had a few more centuries before we needed to make up our minds. At this rate we'll be building the new power stations in the dark with hand tools.I have a better idea however. Why don't we harness the natural energy of the planet's children? Have you ever studied one? They can go on and on and on and on, with hardly much more than a bowl of coco pops, a sandwich and a few turkey dinosaurs and french…

• IN WHICH SCRIBBLES BECOMES A PARENT

  6 Nov 2009 | 1:54 pm

  Oh yes, I have become a parent. Our two adopted children moved into Scribbles Towers yesterday.I have found that children are another country, both in terms of language and culture and preferred TV programmes. I suspect that there will be parenty type posts here on STS as I try to come to terms with my strange new life and I do hope that won't come as too much of a shock to you, dear, loyal, reader.My husband and I are giving the Kerplunk a rest tonight and watching a Jackie Chan DVD whilst our new son and daughter sleep upstairs in their new bedrooms. I hope they are having sweet dreams.More…

• WHO PUT BELLA IN THE WYCH ELM?

  29 Oct 2009 | 12:19 pm

  I love Halloween with all its pumpkiny spookiness. Later tonight I have one of the creepiest films I have ever seen lined-up to watch on DVD. It's called The Innocents and I recommend it if this Halloween you are looking for a ghosty film to watch made for grown-ups.Other than that, if you have a spare ten minutes, perhaps you would like to read the fascinating if gruesome tale of Bella. It's a true story and the Hagley Woods and obelisk mentioned in the piece are local to me, and I can tell you the place is eerie enough in the day.The story starts with a group of young boys finding the…

• BATTLE OF BOSWORTH FINDS

  29 Oct 2009 | 11:57 am

  Your Scribbles was excited to hear on radio 4 this morning, in context of something else, that the newspapers were full of the new finds at the Battle of Bosworth. Previous best guesses at where the battle actually took place seem to have not been far off, with a huge cache of pistol bullets and cannonballs having now been found two miles down from where the battle was generally thought to have probably occurred.Don't know what images come to your mind of a 1485 battle, but I'm seeing bows and arrows, not gun metal. Our History has been altered somewhat.

• OK, BUSY STILL

  17 Oct 2009 | 1:39 pm

  OK, I was a little optimistic when I thought I was going to be able to post this week. Your Scribbles is working v hard at the moment, but if she wasn't she would have mentioned the anglo saxon loot leaving Birmingham (never did get chance to see it) and the fantastic blasting of the Daily Mail over the Jane Moir article by decent conscientious Internet users.Don't delete me! I will write again when I get the chance!

• 
  Walking Prescott

• Ugg naughts

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:09 pm

  Winter is on its way, bringing thoughts of cold feet. I must say that if I'd had a pair of boots like these (above), I might not have left Chicago. Those are my first pair of not-Uggs, a $25 special from Costco three years ago. And, just to underscore my cold-weather dedication to all footwear that is shearling-lined, below are my well worn, scuzzy but cozy slippers.You can understand how my eye was caught by these Ugg knock-offs over at the local WallyMart. But even made in China, a $10 boot couldn't possibly include the all-important shearling lining. Of course these did not. But seeing…

• Camo craze

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:52 pm

  Last summer, when the Sson's family visited, my teen-age granddotter was sporting grey camo pants. Which, of course, said that a fad was well underway, as epitomized by sites such as The Camo Shop.Earlier this past summer I had seen this camp chair at a local auto show and two days ago, my taxi driver had installed a new cover for the passenger seat -- you guessed it, camo.And here's the cap, worn by the same driver.So I made a point of photographing a batch of camo clothing when I was last at the WalMart. A hoodie (above) and cargo pants (below) for a boy child.Camo cargoes for a boy…

• Gotcha!

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:37 pm

  If you look closely at the scrub jay above, you'll note 1) a small patch of blue and 2) the color fringe that's a dead giveaway that I pushed the zoom past its optical limit. However, the news is that I actually got a nearly passable picture of the elusive jaybird. Perhaps if I had a feeder, like my SIL had up in Flag, where the Steller's jays congregated, I might be able to do better. As it is, there are several of these guys living near my house, but if I spot one and make the least move, such as peering through a camera, he's gone in a flash. So I'm half-way happy with this picture.So why…

• High-rise. Low-rise. Why???

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:58 pm

  So you own a car. Or a pick-up. And you figure your wheels could be improved. New paint job, maybe. A better hi-fi (heaven help us!) A locker for expensive gear. A power winch to get down into a small canyon or out of a mud hole. These are things I, a pedestrian, can understand. But what I don't get are all those high-rise (above) and those low-rise (below) vehicle modifications. Exactly what do they get you, except, maybe envy from fellow louts?Take the high-rise pick-up. More road clearance, a plus on unpaved mountain trails? Nope, if you look closely, you'll note that the differential is…

• Asphalt graffiti

  16 Nov 2009 | 7:52 pm

  Pretty pallid stuff compared to the works that Tombo finds in assorted underpasses, alleys and sewers; unfortunately, Tom's currently on hiatus, though PrescottStyle has just come up with a lovely graffiti UFO somewhere out the White Spar. (And, speaking of graffiti, there's that new fellow on line, Prescott Streets).But, back to my subject. This quiet trail down the middle of Beach Street puzzled me when I saw it nearly a year ago and still does. Q #1 -- how was it made? Q #2 -- why? It isn't big and splashy like modern, upfront outlaw art, so why bother?Perhaps what we have is a sedate…

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  FishTaxi

• The Look

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:52 pm

  Slow down, anticipate and watch out for wildlife.

• Window Sunset

  18 Nov 2009 | 8:19 pm

  We topped out at a warm plus 8 degrees today. Beautiful day breaking out of the cold. Clouds made for a colorful sunset looking west towards Pt. MacKenzie.

• Wasilla Wonder Woman

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:48 pm

  One-shot wonder This is a good hunting story. Congratulations Lisa on your clean kill.

• Hands across the water

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:43 pm

  Hands across the sea.

• A Tribute to Veterans

  11 Nov 2009 | 1:31 am

  http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=205649&page=1

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  Masson's Blog

• Five Years of Masson’s Blog

  Doug

  21 Nov 2009 | 6:15 am

  You have enough anniversaries, I guess you start forgetting them. November 15 would have marked the 5th anniversary of this blog. I think the quality ebbs and flows, but I’m still enjoying having a place to spout off and perhaps, occasionally, pass along pieces of information folks find valuable. The writing is fun and helps me crystalize my thoughs on a subject. But, mostly I enjoy the comments. For whatever reason, a fine group of commenters have made this a regular stop. I’m not up for putting together a retrospective at this point, but just by way of reference, when I started…

• Post Tribune on Daniels’ Environmental Record

  Doug

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:47 am

  The Post-Tribune, while offering the opinion that Mitch Daniels has been a decent governor for Indiana, finds his environmental record to be very bad, noting that Gov. Daniels has done the following: Since Daniels came into office, under the direction of Easterly and his boss, Indiana has: * Closed the IDEM office of enforcement. * Weakened enforcement rules, making it necessary to demonstrate environmental degradation before the state takes action. * Ended contracts with local air pollution monitors, including some in Hammond and Gary. * Removed nearly all references about global warming in…

• The Onion: Patriots Lead Colts at Halftime

  Doug

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:53 am

  (H/t Chris Spangle and Josh Gillespie) The Onion gets in on the Patriots-love. Patriots Lead Colts at Halftime INDIANAPOLIS—At the time of this writing the New England Patriots, playing on the road against an undefeated Indianapolis team, are headed into halftime with an all-but-insurmountable 24-14 lead. Barring an almost inconceivable and utterly out-of-character mistake by head coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots have virtually secured a week 10 win against their closest rivals for AFC dominance. No Belichick-coached Patriots team has ever led by this much at halftime and gone on to lose…

• IPS Internet policy begging for a lawsuit

  Doug

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:04 am

  Indianapolis Public Schools seems to be itching for a lawsuit based on its Internet policy (pdf) (via Dispatches from the Culture Wars and a number of other sites). The Freedom from Religion Foundation is calling them on it. The policy includes in the list of blocked categories: Alternative Spirituality/Belief – Sites that promote and provide information on religions such as Wicca, Witchcraft or Satanism. Occult practices, atheistic views, vodoo rituals or any form of mysticism are represented here. Includes sites that endorse or offer methods, means of instruction, or other resources…

• Great American Smokeout

  Doug

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:30 am

  Today is the Great American Smokeout 2009, the American Cancer Society’s annual effort to get smokers to quit for a day in the hopes that it will convince and enable them to quit permanently. Hoosiers need this program more than most. Per capita, Indiana has the second greatest number of smokers, behind only West Virginia. It’s bad for you. Really bad for you. Everybody knows that now despite years of obstruction by the tobacco industry and claims that the science is inconclusive. It’s also addictive. That’s a rough combination. So, congratulations to all those who…

• 
  High Hopes Gardens

• November 20, 2009 – Bobcats Reach State Championship

  highhopesgardens

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:49 am

  After having never made the state football playoffs – ever – and coming off a 3-6 season, this year’s 13-0 record and berth in the state championship game was a big treat for Marshalltown. Twenty minutes before game time, this is what the Marshalltown side of the UNI-Dome looked like. This is what the Iowa City side of the dome looked like.  The fairy-tale season ended with a loss, but was a great run for this team with undersized numbers and size, but oversized heart.  The front page of the Des Moines Register led with this story – the first few lines reproduced…

• November 19, 2009 – Thingamajig Thursday #185

  highhopesgardens

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:50 am

  Here’s this week’s thingamajig Thursday. Also check out the last thingamajig answer. As always, put your guess in a comment below. Hold mouse over this sentence to pop-up answer. one year ago…”Tractor Repair”

• November 18, 2009 – Eggo Shortage – Oh the Horror!

  highhopesgardens

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:47 am

  A story on the newswire today details the implications of an “Eggo” shortage. Evidently, two Eggo factories are off-line and there is a nationwide shortage. People are taking it hard and exacerbating the shortage by stocking up. Here’s part of the story of the Eggo shortage from USA Today: Stay-at-home mom Joey Resciniti says she bought one of the last two boxes of Eggos at a Walmart in Cranberry Township, Pa., on Monday. The frozen waffles are a favorite of her 4-year-old daughter, Julia. “We have eight of them, and if we ration those — maybe have half an Eggo in…

• November 17, 2009 – Corn Caddy

  highhopesgardens

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:44 am

  Here’s the latest piece of fun farm equipment – a corn caddy – essentially a small silo on wheels. We can use this unit to get chicken food from the co-op and move it where ever it needs to be – whether it needs to be by the layers over the winter or broilers over the summer.  I imagine with a serious pasture raised chicken operation, it would be great to bring out to the pasture to store and keep grain dry and near the chickens.  It was on super close-out at the farm store – original price $1800 marked down to $750. No more trudging through the snowbanks to…

• November 16, 2009 – High Hopes on Oprah Slide Show

  highhopesgardens

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:31 am

  Here we are this week as part of a slide show on Oprah.com entitled “Unexpected Ways to go Green.” If you scroll through the show, I can probably about guarantee you this will most likely be the first and last time we’re included in the same slide show as “adult” toys! I’m not sure how long the show links will stay active, but for now, here’s the link. one year ago…”Pulling Glads”

• 
  A Place I Call Home

• Camera Critters

  21 Nov 2009 | 4:20 pm

  Hubby and I were out on our inaugural boating trip when we decided to go to Ford Cove on Hornby Island. Ford Cover is a very quaint little place and very picturesque. These little critters we spotted on the Beach ....there was quite a display of them....I think what caught my eye with these starfish, was their vibrant and contrasting colours...If you would like to join in on the fun....please check out Misty Musings for all of the instructions....Happy Sunday!!!

• Saturday Scavenger Photo Hunt

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:54 pm

  Well here's another meme I haven't played in a long time. It's Saturday Scavenger Photo Hunt....this weeks theme is "Birds" Yipee for me, I love birds.....if you would like to join in on the fun please check out...tnchick for the instructions.These photos are a small sampling of some of the birds that have visited my property....Purple finchAmerican Golden FinchGreat Blue Heron seen in the tree at the top of my drivewayIn this small clip you can a Fox sparrow, Golden Crowned Sparrows, and you can hear a woodpecker in the background.....I hope you enjoy it. Happy Hunting!!

• Head or Tails Tuesday

  16 Nov 2009 | 5:32 pm

  This weeks theme is Autumn Memory...................One of the first things I recall about a fall memory is when I was a little girl going to school and the smell of apples and pears in my lunch bag...there was just something about that smell. Then came the smell of burning leaves after the hours of raking the leaves in the yard.The wonderful colours of fall. The leaves turning to vibrant hue of yellows, orange and reds. The great times rolling in the mountains of raked leaves. The wonderful walks in the cool crisp fall morning air.When my girls were little we would go for walks and collect…

• Camera Critters....

  15 Nov 2009 | 8:29 am

  It was near the end of a glorious fishing day when we came upon this wonderful sight...these guys were right up next to our boat. There were about 30 of them.....just simply amazing....we were breathless.....These are Pacific White-sided Dolphins.....If you would like to join in on the fun please check out Misty's Musings for all of the instructions!Happy Sunday to you all!

• Is this what it takes......

  12 Nov 2009 | 11:19 am

  Do you remember the athlete Kareem Abdul- Jabbar? It appears that Mr.Abdul-Jabbar has been diagnosed with a rare cancer "chronic myeloid leukemia." Rare in deed. When I heard of his diagnosis a shudder went through my body. I have only heard of two other people with this disease, although I am sure that there are many more. One of the people was a patient I cared for and the other was my sister.A Rare cancer indeed, you could imagine back in 2002 when my sister was diagnosed that we were all shocked and in disbelief. This cancer when detected generally is found in the male population and…

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  Rural Doctoring

• My State of Mind, In a Nutshell

  Theresa Chan

  12 Nov 2009 | 3:32 am

  The holidays are around the corner, and yesterday I read the word "Hope" on a holiday display as "Hep C."Hoo boy.

• Silence. Listen.

  Theresa Chan

  17 Oct 2009 | 10:31 am

  Noo and I had to put our cat to sleep ten days ago, a very bad day indeed. I was starting a week at Nordstrom and had to drive back and forth from work to home three times that day, and it's hard to drive on rural highways when you're crying.I've been quiet on the blog because I've been listening to myself. I realized that I've been putting solutions together for years which look good on paper but truly suck in practice. Flashing my middle finger at Gimbels and working at Nordstrom (a good job, btw, but...) seemed so reasonable at the time, but I hate being away from my home for a week at a…

• Everyone Has Her Limit

  Theresa Chan

  26 Sep 2009 | 8:28 pm

  No, I haven't disappeared off the face of the earth. Since my last post, I've been holding down the jobs at Macy's and Nordstrom and one of my cats got sick. She was diagnosed with diabetes and kidney failure, and now--in addition to being an effective nocturnalist and itinerant rural hospitalist--I am also learning how to give her subcutaneous fluids (twice a day), insulin (twice a day), and vitamin B12 supplements. She's got diabetic polyneuropathy so she can't really walk around, which means I'm changing a lot of linen and investing in waterproof crib liners to keep the house…

• Comparison Shopping for Rural Hospitalists

  Theresa Chan

  8 Sep 2009 | 3:42 pm

  Recently a reader asked me why I left rural practice, and I took this as a sign that my recent job-hopping has made me seem like one of them fancy-pants, highfalutin' cityfolk doctors who make such a stir on TV. At one time, I too believed a country doc stayed in one town for thirty years, delivering babies and burying octogenarians, until you finally drop dead in the office one day after seeing a clinic full of patients. Modern doctors seem to move from job to job, role to role, throughout their careers, as mobile as information technology supervisors, customer service representatives and…

• Crawling Into The Hole

  Theresa Chan

  28 Aug 2009 | 6:17 pm

  OK, I'm starting my second run of night shifts at Macy's, this time SEVEN in a row so I'm hoping my day-to-night transition method is going to hold up:Day before/day of the first night shift: Day before:  long afternoon nap, stay up until midnight. Day of:  Get up at 6:30am, NO COFFEE, no big projects or significant physical exertion.  Day of:  Back to bed at 11am, with the help of a light sleeping aid, a white noise machine, a blackout mask, and the company of a cat who is a good napper.   Day of:  Sleep until 4:30 or 5:00pm. COFFEE AT LAST!!  Light exercise regimen. Prepare a…

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  WordPress Tag: Rural Lifestyle

• Going once, going twice

  Lynn Marcinkowski Woolf

  8 Nov 2009 | 5:17 pm

  Auctions are my competitive sport. I have an auction game plan; scout out the seat closest to the action; and cozy up to comrade bidders (the ones that won’t be bidding on my stuff). I must be there for the opening item and long to stay until the last “sold.” I went to my first auction when V. and I were newlyweds. On the “wanted” list: an antique school desk. Won it — and many items since then. My most impulsive buy: a one-horse open sled. That’s right, just like the holiday song. How could I pass it up? I didn’t think about where we…

• New creatures

  Lynn Marcinkowski Woolf

  9 Oct 2009 | 11:01 am

  Interesting new creatures have joined our farm this month. The kids are raising bantam (small) chickens for4-H.  To make room, we  relocated our laying hens to the second room in the chicken house. (V.’s grandma once supplied the local grocery story with eggs, so we have a good-sized chicken house.)  We bought the chicks at the local farm store, so we’re not yet sure of the breeds.  At eight weeks old, they are just starting to show their true character, feathered feet and all. We have also welcomed several very handsome bottle calves — Milking Shorthorn/Holstein…

• Time Management (or the lack thereof)

  Lynn Marcinkowski Woolf

  24 Sep 2009 | 12:42 pm

  (Guest blog post on www.lifemeetswork.com) A funny thing happened on the way to my home office. Actually, it’s not all that funny. I’ve lost my knack for time management. Here’s why. Read more here:  http://www.lifemeetswork.com/blog/blogdetail.asp?sectionID=3&articleID=150

• Modwenna Rees-Mogg, AngelNews: "You don't need to be in an urban centre to succeed"

  Graham

  15 Sep 2009 | 4:14 am

  It started out as a hobby for founder Modwenna Rees-Mogg but AngelNews soon turned into a profitable web business reaching 66 countries. When Modwenna married in 1996 she left her career in merchant acquisitions in the City of London and relocated to Somerset. She attributes much of the success of AngelNews to the calibre of staff she has found in the county who have both a “mature and positive attitude” to work. Modwenna’s connections in the City enabled her to set up AngelNews in 2003, an online commercial news service. “We put entrepreneurs and venture capitalists…

• Rediscovering the prairie

  Lynn Marcinkowski Woolf

  5 Sep 2009 | 7:00 pm

  I read William Least Heat-Moon’s “PrairyErth” nearly 20 years ago, when I first arrived in Kansas. I still often think of the passage where he says to look down to see the prairie’s beauty – not up or out like you would with mountains or the ocean. I was reminded why the prairie is so beautiful when we explored the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. The Preserve is more than 10,000 acres of what was once the hunting grounds of the Kansa and Osage Indians and later part of a large cattle ranch. The Preserve is just a sliver of the 140 million acres of prairie…

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  Blog for Rural America

• Small Business Owners go to D.C. to Advocate for Health Care Reform

  Virginia Wolking

  13 Nov 2009 | 1:32 pm

  Note: This post was created by Center for Rural Affairs intern and health care advocate Angel Romero Kiester.  On November 3rd, 2009, 134 small business owners from 24 states went to D.C. to advocate for health care reform.  Among them were nine small business owners from Nebraska and North Dakota. The small business owners held a press conference at the Capitol with Senator Harkin (IA) Senator Landrieu (LA) and Representative Halovorson (IL).  Following the press conference the small business owners went to an event at the White House with Kathleen Sebleius, Secretary of…

• Feeding a Need Bigger than Stomachs

  Steph Larsen

  10 Nov 2009 | 9:16 am

  In the small Nebraska town I now call home, a small grocery store anchors one end of Main Street. Once a farm-implement dealership, it has nine aisles, a dairy cooler, and a fresh meat counter. It employs nine full-time workers plus various high school students, and its limited hours frequently cause this workaholic to actually leave my office at a reasonable hour. (It closes on weekdays at 6 pm, 7 pm on Saturdays, and 2 pm on Sundays.) Although I grow a lot of my own produce — and I still have an “out-of-town” list for things like wasabi, coconut milk, and other exotic…

• Spaghetti Feeds Emphasize Broken System

  Steph Larsen

  16 Oct 2009 | 2:03 pm

  When Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spoke at the Community Food Security Coalition conference in Des Moines on Tuesday, one of the things he spoke about was the sense of community one gets from living in a small town. An example he used was the phenomenon of holding a fundraiser such as a spaghetti feed for someone who gets sick and has high medical bills to pay. It's true, in some communities this is a regular occurrrence. In the year I've lived in Lyons, I can think of several such events both here and in neighboring communities. One was for a newborn with a large number of birth…

• Farm Bill Issues Resurfacing?

  Steph Larsen

  15 Oct 2009 | 2:47 pm

  I've been on the road organizing in Wisconsin and Minnesota for the past 10 days, and I come back to find that the health insurance industry has released several of self-serving reports "proving" that if health reform passes, individual premiums will skyrocket. As if they're not already out of control. This immediately makes me think of a similar situation we faced in the Farm Bill in 2008. There are some who argue that commodity subsidies paid to farmers by the government should be based on the cost a farmer pays to produce the crop plus a reasonable rate of payment for their work.

• Rural, not Homogeneous

  Steph Larsen

  14 Oct 2009 | 2:34 pm

  I recently heard someone say "If you've seen one small town, you've seen one small town." This rang in my ears this weekend while attending a conference this weekend in Des Moines, Iowa as people assumed exactly the opposite. Why do so many people who live in cities lump all rural communities together? One prominent speaker, for example, talked about how community-oriented rural people are, and said that rural neighbors will harvest their neighbor's crop before their own is harvested or hold a fundraiser for someone who gets sick and has high medical bills. And while it's true that…

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  Bringing Home the Bacon

• I Never Liked Those Cows Anyway...Sniff

  Holly Michael, APR

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:26 pm

  Next week the cows are leaving. Thank God.Unable to sustain feeding, housing, breeding and milking our 40 cows twice a day, my father-in-law made the decision to stop milking. The cows will be leaving. They will not be going to another farm.I never liked those damn cows anyway. Every time I tried to take a shower, they would drink and use up all the water pressure. They were always bawling in the night when I was trying to sleep. Every two days a semi-tanker would drive under my bedroom window at 3 a.m. to pick up the milk; it took months before I stopped waking up to the diesel engine…

• Farmer's Dictionary

  Holly Michael, APR

  10 Nov 2009 | 4:21 pm

  You've heard of the Farmer's Almanac. That's the book that farmers consult to determine the best route from the Middle of Nowhere to Des Moines. What? Oh, yeah, driving directions and map come from the Farmers' Atlas. The Farmer's Almanac is the book other people consult to determine the weather--farmers just watch their local TV news station for weather. It works out well because farmers also LOVE sports.Since the kids are asleep, the satellite TV isn't working and Husband is in line at the elevator (see definition below), I thought I would provide a handy reference for those of us/you who…

• Mending Fences

  Holly Michael, APR

  8 Nov 2009 | 7:00 pm

  When you live on a farm that last made a fencing purchase in 1972, sometimes the animals are able to escape. Most times, Husband deals with the escapees on his own, my only evidence of wandering cows the "pies" they leave at the back door.Sometimes the little escape artists are so cute you just have to watch them explore the big world outside their pen. This is cuter to me than my in-laws who have to shoo little pigs out of their garden and flower beds.One time we came home from being gone all day and saw suspicious manure/mud wiped on our back door. Apparently, the pigs had escaped from…

• A Tip for Dayton

  Holly Michael, APR

  30 Oct 2009 | 7:00 pm

  I can't stand it when people get all indignant and can't see the humor in things. Nothing is more unappealing to me than when an individual or an organization is so self-focused that they can't or won't allow for any self-deprecating laughs.That said, this farm wife from Dayton HATES, HATES the "cow tipping" shirts that greet visitors at the Dayton (we offer connecting flights to Canada) International Airport.Oh, you haven't seen them? I tried to take a photo during my most recent trip:Right after I snapped the photo I was told by the Paradies Shop cashier that I wasn't allowed to photograph…

• Token Farmer

  Holly Michael, APR

  28 Oct 2009 | 7:41 pm

  The fact that I straddle the worlds of corporate America and agriculture is a theme of this blog but it has really come home to me this week with the number of friends and family who have stopped us to get our opinion on Ohio Issue 2.Some have been apologetic for "bothering" us about this, but really we're the only farmers they know. I have been happy to help via Facebook message or e-mail but at the request of a good friend and fellow blogger, I decided to post about how we are voting and why.First, let me summarize by saying that we are voting YES. We have the sign in our front yard…

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  Wisconsin Office of Rural Health

• The Health-Care Legislation, 60 Votes

  mlradtke

  21 Nov 2009 | 12:49 pm

  Sen. Blanche Lincoln Also On Board, 60 In Hand, PoliticoLandrieu To Vote Yes On Key Health-Care Test, Washington Post Health Bill Poised to Hit Senate Floor as Democrats Gain Key Votes, Wall Street Journal read more

• Drug Resistant Swine Flu Found In N.C. Hospital

  mlradtke

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:45 pm

  Epidemic experts have launched an investigation of four Tamiflu-resistant swine flu cases at Duke University Medical Center to see whether the resistant virus has begun spreading person-to-person at the hospital and beyond.  [Read article]

• Patient Satisfaction Increasing at Hospitals Nationwide

  mlradtke

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:39 pm

  Patients were more satisfied with their care at inpatient facilities than during any of the previous six years and also found that patients were more likely to recommend a facility at which they'd received care to family and friends.  [Read article]

• No Hospital Savings With Electronic Records

  mlradtke

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pm

  According to a study, new electronic record systems installed in thousands of U.S. hospitals have done little to rein in skyrocketing healthcare costs.  [Read article]

• Down Economy Doesn't Stall Physician Recruitment

  mlradtke

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:34 pm

  Despite the current economic downturn, hospital CEOs are actively recruiting physicians to their organizations.  [Read article]

• 
  Country Living Blog

• Nov 21, How to Make a Website - Build a SBI Website with No HTML & Easy Web Design!

  21 Nov 2009 | 6:17 am

  Are you looking for information on how to make a website? Look no further! Learn how to build a website with no HTML with easy web design.

• Nov 21, Homesteading Today: Join in the Fun -Tell your stories, share recipes and tips!

  21 Nov 2009 | 5:52 am

  A homesteading today forum to get together and share your homesteading stories, favourite recipes and organic gardening tips.

• Nov 21, Urban Farming & Homesteading: Ideas for Self-Sufficient Living on Small Acreage

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:35 pm

  Urban farming and homesteading for backyard farming & gardening for enjoying self-sufficient living in a very small area, even if you only have a fifth of an acre.

• Nov 20, Where can I learn to make cheese in Kent, UK?

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:22 am

  Hi there! I am vacationing in Sidcup, Kent for a week and would like to visit a dairy farm to learn how cheeses and butter are made. Do you have

• Nov 19, just me looking for an Honest woman

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:55 am

  I'm looking for a female who's open minded to have correspondence with. If I meet the right one we could possibly take our relationship to the top.

• 
  The Appleton Blog

• A Tale of Three Diners, and Where We Found the Best Chili in the Valley

  Mormanity

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:19 pm

  My wife and I recently investigated some local "old school" diners in the Valley. Together we tested the popular Third Street Diner in Menasha, George Webb in Appleton, and I also went to the Route 41 Diner (formerly called Bradke's) in Neenah (Green Bay Road and Main Street, with the big sign on the roof that just says "Eat" - a true old-school diner). These all offer low-cost home cooking in an old-fashioned setting. Comfortable, fairly tasty, and relaxed. Down-to-earth folks looking to get value for their money will do well going to any of these places. For the best experience, I might…

• Appleton: Beautiful Homes Still Being Built

  Mormanity

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:10 pm

  In spite of the recession we are in and some of the layoffs that have occurred in the Fox Valley, there are still people moving to Appleton and still some great homes being built. One of our local builders that I know, Bradd Syring, just launched a website: SyringHomes.com to show some of his work. Take a look. If you're aware of other interesting web pages from local builders, please let me know. I'd like to link to them. One of the things you'll notice about many homes in Appleton is the high-quality construction. It's a tradition motivated in part by the demands of weather here. Folks…

• Best Chinese in the Valley: Confucius!

  Mormanity

  12 Nov 2009 | 1:41 pm

  Recently I wanted to plan a special luncheon for a Chinese diplomat and new friend of mine coming to Appleton from the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. I contacted a Chinese friend in the Fox Valley and got his recommendation: Confucius Chinese Restaurant. I've been there before and enjoyed it, but learned that their capabilities go far beyond what greets the Western eye looking at the menu. I went there a couple days before the luncheon to see if they could do an authentic ("di dao") Chinese style lunch for us. In fact, they far exceeded my expectations (I think one of my Chinese friends…

• Fox Valley Business Owners’ Charity Cookbook Lends a Hand to Toys For Tots Program

  Mormanity

  12 Nov 2009 | 1:25 pm

  Received a request to publish this press release. Like the story, so here goes:Appleton, WI With the holiday season around the corner, Jen Heran—owner of No Worries Home Boutique and mother of three—knows first-hand the anticipation and excitement the holiday season brings to children. But, without the help of Heran and dozens of business owners in the Fox Valley, the Fox Valley Toys for Tots estimates that over 3,000 kids could go without shiny wrapped packages under the tree this year. To combat this growing need, Heran gathered together friends, family, and customers to create a…

• College Avenue Bridge to Open Friday

  Mormanity

  27 Oct 2009 | 7:18 am

  The rebuild of the College Avenue bridge in Appleton has been completed and the new, wider bridge will open officially on Friday at 5 pm. There is a big program of events beginning at 2 pm to celebrate the opening. Fox 11 News gives the agenda: College Avenue Ribbon Cutting CeremonyAGENDA(Appleton Mayor Timothy Hanna - Master of Ceremonies)2 p.m. - American Legion Post No. 38 Color Guard leads the West High Band marching from the west end of the bridge to the center of the bridge (playing West High School song) * VFW Color Guard leads the East High Band marching from the east end of the…