Rural

Small Biz Survival
Join the Brag Basket

Becky McCray

6 Nov 2009 | 2:38 am

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. 6-Nov. 8, 2009. (I put dates so you won't accidentally leave a comment on an old basket.) 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 stuff this…
3 Speaking tips for wired audiences

Becky McCray

5 Nov 2009 | 8:09 pm

More audiences today are wired, with laptops or smart phones. They are taking notes, Tweeting, and much more. This changes the dynamic of speaking, so here are three tips I picked up at BlogWorld Expo this year. 1. Using a visual can make people stop taking notes and listen to you. This one came from @armano during his presentation on creating visuals. He was right, too. 2. Put a copy of your presentation online ahead of time. If the projector or video fails, all those with laptops in the audience can pull it up and flip through it with you. This one was suggested by @digitalandy when the…
6 big Facebook tips for small business

Becky McCray

3 Nov 2009 | 7:24 pm

Facebook can be a powerful tool for small business, and our friend Shama Kabani of Click to Client shared some outstanding tips in her presentation at BlogWorld Expo. Tip 1: Create a fan Page, not a personal Profile, for your business. Fan pages are the best way for small businesses to interact with customer and potential customers on Facebook, Shama said. If you don't have a Facebook account yet, create one in your own name. Then go create your Facebook Page. Tip 2. Build your page with your purpose in mind. Start with the little box that appears under your photo. Put something…
Tips for setting business hours

Becky McCray

1 Nov 2009 | 11:20 am

Every so often, we feature common small business mistakes, so you can learn from them. Lots of small business make a mistake in setting and keeping their business hours. Here's an example from a retail business, open only 11 hours per week. But hey, they do say you can call and they'll come open up. This may be more common in small towns, where we're more informal. It's still a mistake. How many potential customers are you turning away? Two years ago, I wrote about a couple of other local business, one with inconsistent hours that were always changing and one that wasn't always open when it…
Is it worth paying for help with free tools

Becky McCray

31 Oct 2009 | 8:59 am

Many times, it is worth paying for help with what seem like free tools like social media, websites, or even photography. Look at it this way. If you want to build a house, you probably already have a hammer and all the tools you need. You can find some lumber pretty cheap. There are even books full of house plans and instructions. Or you can hire a professional home builder. Or only subcontract out the parts you need. It depends on what kind of results you want, how much time you can invest, and your personal skill level. Photo by Becky McCray. New here? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you…

Google News: Rural
Proposed radio alert system could fill gap in rural areas - Montgomery Advertiser

7 Nov 2009 | 2:02 am

Proposed radio alert system could fill gap in rural areasMontgomery Advertiser e-mail and cell phone messages -- aren't always effective across the rural expanse of the Black Belt, but an older technology may fill the gap: radio. and more »
Longtime ET Democratic Rep Chuck Hopson Goes Republican - Tyler Morning Telegraph

7 Nov 2009 | 12:56 am

Austin ChronicleLongtime ET Democratic Rep Chuck Hopson Goes RepublicanTyler Morning TelegraphTexas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie said by turning his back on the Democratic Party, Hopson has turned his back on rural Texans. Hopson jumps parties, switches to RepublicanKilgore News HeraldHopson Hops the FenceAustin ChronicleBREAKING TX-HOUSE; Democrat switches Parties, Joins GOPSwing State ProjectAustin American-Statesman -Dallas Morning Newsall 23 news articles »
$2 million in US funds to map broadband needs - Baltimore Sun

7 Nov 2009 | 12:23 am

$2 million in US funds to map broadband needsBaltimore SunA coalition of rural Maryland counties will receive $2 million in federal stimulus money to begin mapping broadband needs and existing fiber-optic cable in and more »
Free State soccer to face Washburn Rural - Lawrence Journal World

6 Nov 2009 | 11:13 pm

Free State soccer to face Washburn RuralLawrence Journal WorldThe Free State High boys soccer team will get that opportunity at 2 pm today when they play top-seeded Washburn Rural at the Blue Valley District Soccer and more »
Rural one win from title - Topeka Capital Journal

6 Nov 2009 | 10:59 pm

Rural one win from titleTopeka Capital JournalWashburn Rural's Nicholas Golden, left, battles for the ball with Shawnee Mission Northwest's Jonathan Sestak, middle, and Colby Weishaar during the first Rural knocks off Northwest in soccer semifinalsShawnee Dispatch6A state soccer: Live blogShawnee Dispatchall 3 news articles »

MSN: Rural
Federal cash available for U.P. residents who want to buy home - Mining Journal

7 Nov 2009 | 2:49 am

MARQUETTE - The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development office distributed over $1 billion to Michigan citizens in fiscal year 2009 through housing, business, utility, construction and telecommunications grants and loans. The record breaking ...
Poll: Rural Nebraskans less positive about towns - KTVZ.com

7 Nov 2009 | 2:06 am

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Pollsters say economic worries may have contributed to a decline in rural Nebraskans' views of their communities. The 2009 Nebraska Rural Poll was conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Center for Applied Rural ...
2 Nebraska banks get rural loan guarantees - KTVZ.com

7 Nov 2009 | 2:06 am

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Two Nebraska banks have obtained federal loan guarantees through the U.S Department of Agriculture, which is using federal stimulus funding. The USDA said in a news release Friday that the loans will help stimulate rural ...
Poll: Rural Nebraskans less positive about towns - KTVZ.com

7 Nov 2009 | 2:06 am

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Pollsters say economic worries may have contributed to a decline in rural Nebraskans' views of their communities. The 2009 Nebraska Rural Poll was conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Center for Applied Rural ...
Rural one win from title - Topeka Capital-Journal

6 Nov 2009 | 10:10 pm

OVERLAND PARK -- The only thing flat at the start of Friday's 6A semifinal soccer game was the ball. Six minutes into the game play was stopped to pump up the slightly deflated game ball and its alternates. Twenty seconds into the restart Washburn ...

Yahoo! News: Rural
Suspect sought in rural Linn County burglary, assault (The Gazette)

7 Nov 2009 | 5:26 am

Officials are looking for a man suspected of burglarizing a rural Linn County home and assaulting the homeowner Thursday morning. Linn County Sheriff’s deputies were called to 2934 Linn-Jones Road, just north of Highway 151, at about 11:18 a.m. Thursday. A woman at the home said she had been assaulted by a man after she had [...]
Proposed radio alert system could fill gap in rural areas (Montgomery Advertiser)

7 Nov 2009 | 2:02 am

EUTAW -- Modern tools that alert people to an emergency -- digital highway signs, e-mail and cell phone messages -- aren't always effective across the rural expanse of the Black Belt, but an older technology may fill the gap: radio.
Rural school district taxes to increase (Stevens Point Journal)

7 Nov 2009 | 1:52 am

Taxpayers living in the outlying rural school districts will see their mill rates go up anywhere from 48 cents to $2.06.
Urban development to be coupled with new rural development (Vietnam Net)

6 Nov 2009 | 11:40 pm

VietNamNet Bridge – A national conference on urban development was held in Hanoi on November 6 to work out measures for sustainable urban development in close connection with rural development.
Mobile clinic may help in rural areas (The Press-Enterprise)

6 Nov 2009 | 10:09 pm

An 80-foot-long, 18-wheel tractor trailer may not seem like an obvious place to receive medical care. But representatives from a national health insurance provider say the mobile clinic that rolled into Riverside last week will improve access to health care in rural and underserved areas.

Topix: Rural
Wilson County Commissioners Court Nov. 9

6 Nov 2009 | 11:44 am

Comment on this article THERE WILL BE A REGULAR MEETING OF THE WILSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' COURT IN THE WILSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' COURTROOM, IN FLORESVILLE, TEXAS ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2009 AT 9:00 A.M. AGENDA: 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER PRAYER AND PLEDGE TO THE AMERICAN AND TEXAS FLAGS 2. PUBLIC COMMENT 3. CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION 4.
KLEM: News

6 Nov 2009 | 8:27 am

UNTIL SNOW REMOVAL IS PLANNED, LE MARS POLICE WILL NOT BE ENFORCE THE REQUIREMENT FOR VEHICLES TO BE PARKED BASED ON THE DATE ON A CALENDAR.
Internet frustration for North Lincolnshire firms and residents

6 Nov 2009 | 2:47 am

RURAL businesses and residents in North Lincolnshire have become frustrated with broadband speeds up to 20 times below their advertised rates.
Land-rights group RDI gets $9 million from Omidyar Network

5 Nov 2009 | 4:44 pm

The Rural Development Institute said today it received the largest grant in its history -- $9 million over three years -- from the Omidyar Network, the philanthropic investment group started by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife, Pam.
A world of art on our doorstep

5 Nov 2009 | 8:20 am

Your account has been frozen . For your available options click the below button.

Daily Yonder
The Bride Wore Boots

editor

6 Nov 2009 | 1:09 pm

Anybody can arrange a "rural theme" wedding. But can you grow your own bouquet and make grey icing roses? Molly Germaine At this outdoor wedding in Ames, Iowa, all members of the wedding party wore "manly footwear." As is typically the case for young women, I went through a phase where each year brought two or three weddings to attend. More often than not, these affairs took place in rural Northeast Texas. Sometimes I was a happy guest, other times, a cheerful bridesmaid.Where I grew up, when a gal accepted an invitation to be a member of the bridal party, her mother usually made the dress…
Google Voice Dispute Still Roiling

editor

6 Nov 2009 | 11:14 am

The Hill reports that the tussle over Google Voice continues. Google Voice gives people the chance to claim one number (from Google); Google then directs phone calls coming to that number to land lines or mobile phones.
Severed Heads and Spilt Milk Protest Low Prices

editor

6 Nov 2009 | 5:39 am

Dairy farmers in Hungary placed the severed heads of 12 cows in front of the nation's Agriculture Ministry Thursday as part of what is a worldwide protest against low prices for milk producers.
Green Energy Agenda Favors Rural Denmark

editor

5 Nov 2009 | 11:54 am

The Danes' shift to renewable, local energy sources have revitalized former textile towns and turned blacksmiths into wind-power entrepreneurs. Times of Malta The Danish port of Frederikshavn, pop. 25,000, is dedicated to becoming the first city ever powered entirely by renewable energy. Green energy is not only powering Denmark’s homes and appliances, it is powering Denmark’s rural economy.On Samsø Island, a farming and tourist destination in the Kategat, wind turbines can churn out 13 times the electricity the 4,100 residents need, and farmers are selling their wheat…
Rural Transit Feeling the Pinch

editor

5 Nov 2009 | 8:54 am

The recession is putting the squeeze on rural public transportation.

Rural Tech
Figuring out Google Wave

John

17 Oct 2009 | 11:35 pm

I find myself in that odd position again, one foot in a world that hasn’t heard a thing about Wave “…you mean gmail??”, and a social media/tech world on fire about this thing. So this is for the first camp. You should learn about this thing. Oh, sure, it has many detractors, but the core intent [...]
“Meaningful Use” Recommendations Harm Rural Hospitals

John

17 Jun 2009 | 10:36 am

This is a guest post by Louis Wenzlow, Director of Health Information Technology at the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC). The RWHC is a cooperative of 35 rural hospitals (including 28 Critical Access Hospitals) that promotes regional collaboration for health and health care services on behalf of rural communities. The post below is commentary on [...]
Getting Started with Twitter

John

5 Jun 2009 | 7:44 pm

Oh, finally! Thanks to a great post, I discovered this four-minute video, “How to use Twitter in 10 easy steps.” Now you can stop scratching your head and check out Twitter! A few notes I’d add for those getting started: - The group of people you choose to follow completely defines your experience: if you follow people [...]
Rural Medicine – serving more, with less, over huge distances

John

26 May 2009 | 11:34 am

Just saw this stunning statistic in an article in the Nebraska Journal Star: …rural America—where just 9 percent of the nation’s doctors serve 17 percent of its citizens scattered across 80 percent of its geography—is not an ideal place to find medical care. I’m not sure if anything captures the current situation better than that snapshot. Sadly, [...]
Figuring out why you’re using social media

John

22 May 2009 | 10:11 pm

Just saw a great quote on the distinction between “Social Media” and “Social Networking”: Social Media are tools for sharing and discussing information. Social Networking is the use of communities of interest to connect to others. You can use Social Media to facilitate Social Networking. Or, your can network by leveraging Social Media. But [...]

Rural Assistance Center
CMS to Host Call on H1N1 Waivers

6 Nov 2009 | 6:44 am

AHA News reports that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a Nov. 10 conference call on Section 1135 waivers, which hospitals can request to help meet patient needs during the H1N1 flu pandemic.
Udall Introduces Bill to Increase Health Care Access for Rural New Mexicans

5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M. today introduced legislation, the Rural TECH (Telemedicine Enhancing Community Health) Act of 2009, to increase access to health care for rural Americans who often dont have medical specialists in their communities or must travel long distances for care.
Campaign Launches to Sound Alarm about the Misuse of Prescription Drugs Among Teens

5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

The National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE), along with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and representatives from 15 nationally recognized prevention, health professional and child advocacy organizations, are launching Maximizing Your Role as a Teen Influencer: What You Can Do to Help Prevent Teen Prescription Drug Abuse.
Pelosi Says House Will Pass Health Bill; Measure Gains AARP, AMA Backing

5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

Kaiser Health News reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says she will have enough votes to pass Democratic health care legislation by Saturday, and the American Medical Association and AARP also announced they will support the health reform bill.
CBO Releases Cost Estimate for Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act

5 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

Medicare Update reports that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently released a cost estimate for the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009 (H.R.3961), which would repeal the now 21.2 percent Medicare payment rate reduction for physician services in 2010 and restructure the sustainable growth rate (SGR).

Blog for Rural America
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…
Farmers and Ranchers Face the Consequences of Medical Debt

admin

7 Oct 2009 | 8:50 am

By Kristina Hubbard, Montana Rural Health Advocate for the Center for Rural Affairs Patricia DeJong and her late husband, Dan, used to own a cattle ranch in Lincoln County, Montana, before losing it all to medical debt. Health insurance was unaffordable, and in 2000, while uninsured, Dan was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Over the course of five years, their medical debt spiraled out of control and they made the heartbreaking decision to sell their family's fourth generation ranch. Dan died in 2006 with all of his medical bills paid, but with no land to pass on to his family. A new…
A Faithful Perspective on Health Care: Part III

Virginia Wolking

1 Oct 2009 | 2:23 pm

By Sabrina Miller (Editor's Note: This is Part 3 of a series. Click to read Part 1 and Part 2) The most pressing concern that almost every person brought up during my time in local churches, whether a health care professional or lay person, whether insured or uninsured, in favor of reform or against it, was fear of government intervention. Many people are often hesitant or out-right against bringing “political” issues into the church, but when the issue is that 45,000 people die every year because they’re not receiving care, I think God may be weeping. When we have the…

Blandin on Broadband
Anoka posts RFP for Broadband partner

Ann Treacy

6 Nov 2009 | 1:50 pm

Here’s the word from the Anoka County web site: [Anoka] is seeking to enter into a Public Private Partnership with one or more qualified network services providers to support our efforts to obtain funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), or other funding sources, for the provision of broadband services in Anoka County. Proposals due December 14, 2009
Minnesota Broadband Task Force Recommendations are unveiled!

Ann Treacy

6 Nov 2009 | 8:30 am

The Minnesota Ultra High-Speed Broadband Report is unveiled today. (Get it here!) It’s been more than a year in the making. It’s a consensus document, which is admirable given the strange bedfellows who worked together to create the report and the trend toward people insisting on what they want without consequence or compromise. It’s a great opportunity to shine a light on broadband as a solution to folks who don’t think about it every day as was done in the Duluth News Tribune yesterday. For those who do think about broadband, I suspect that everyone will have their differing…
Got a broadband resource to share?

Ann Treacy

5 Nov 2009 | 2:49 pm

We are gathering a list of broadband resources to share at the Blandin Broadband conference on November 18-19, 2009. I’m going to create a bibliography and we’re going old school by handing out materials. If you have a link, you’d like me to add to the bibliography, please send it my way. (Via blog comment or email atreacy@treacyinfo.com.) If you have a research report, policy analysis or other items you’d like us to handout please let me know. With all due respect, we’re not looking for sales collateral (although you can ask me about exhibitor opportunities) and we can’t print…
Net Neutrality update courtesy of Daily Yonder

Ann Treacy

5 Nov 2009 | 7:35 am

I’m a little slow on this – because broadband has become such a hot topic that I’ve had to choose carefully the areas where I can really focus. There are only so many hours in the day! That’s when I’m glad to have a resource such as the Daily Yonder. I’ve quoted them in past. I like them because they are looking through policy with rural-colored glasses, starting with the fact that they know that there are many facets to rural. The Daily Yonder has been following the Net Neutrality and they have a nice article that takes a look at life before, during and after the FCC vote. The…
Minnesota-based telemedicine company

Ann Treacy

4 Nov 2009 | 9:37 am

Finance & Commerce just profiled an interesting Minnesota-based company called Access Genetics. They have a portal for medical labs. They host lab tools such as guides, worksheets and calculators. They perform online interpretation and reporting. So you send in your data, they report on it. Here’s a quick blurb from the article: “What’s unique about the way these results are reviewed by Access Genetics is that typically, all results are reviewed in a double-blind format initially by two medical technologists and then by a pathologist,” Hoedeman explained. “So having three sets…

The Rural Blog
Operators of free conference-call lines join opposition to Google Voice

6 Nov 2009 | 8:24 am

We last reported on Google Voice's controversial practice of blocking calls to rural exchanges earlier this week, but now some of the companies that practice "traffic pumping" are joining AT&T in its opposition to Google's practice. The latest opposition comes from opertaos of free conference-call lines that divert heavy traffic to little-used rural exchanges that charge more money to phone providers to complete calls, Kim Hart of The Hill reports."Google shouldn’t be able to tell consumers where they can call and where they can’t," David Erickson, president of the California-based…
Two-thirds of W.Va. coal-ash dams need repairs

6 Nov 2009 | 8:02 am

Nearly two-thirds of West Virginia coal-ash dams might need repairs, according to a report from the state Department of Environmental Protection. A quarter of the dams are ranked as being in poor or unsatisfactory condition, Ken Ward Jr. of The Charleston Gazette reports. The DEP also found problems, prompting at least five enforcement activities at landfills where dry waste from coal-fired power plants were dumped."DEP inspectors found stability problems, seepage and erosion at some of the dams as part of a roughly 10-month 'comprehensive review' launched after the failure of a coal-ash…
More farmers ignoring EPA's engineered-corn rules

6 Nov 2009 | 7:31 am

As many as a fourth of farmers growing genetically engineered corn may no longer be complying with federal rules designed to protect the crops from insects. A new report, written by Gregoy Jaffe of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, says the number of farmers ignoring the rules is up from just 10 percent a few years ago, Andrew Pollack of The New York Times reports.Jaffe termed the data as "a wake-up call to EPA that the regulatory system is not working" in a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson. The reports says ignoring these rules raises the risk…
Kansas Supreme Court upholds county ordinance that effectively blocks wind farms

6 Nov 2009 | 7:14 am

With a state Supreme Court ruling, Kansas has become the first state to formally acknowledge that wind energy may conflict with the desire for unobstructed views of the countryside. The court ruled Friday that a Wabaunsee County zoning ordinance that prohibits commercial wind farms was valid, Scott Rothschild of the Lawrence Journal-News reports. Kansas is considered one of the top states for wind energy potential, but development in the scenic Flint Hills, site of the conflict, has long been controversial. The region in eastern Kansas has most of the remaining tallgrass prarie that once…
Coal forum panelists, fresh from negotiations, say mountaintop-mine policing will get tougher

5 Nov 2009 | 9:13 pm

A forum yesterday on the role of coal in Kentucky was highlighted early by a prediction of major changes in the way strip mining is regulated, and near the end by an explanation of the changes and a debate on the future of how coal is used.“The way coal has been mined over the last 30 years is not going to happen anymore,” Joe Blackburn, director of the Lexington field office of the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, told the crowd during the afternoon session at the University of Kentucky.Blackburn’s prediction was echoed, and elaborated upon, at the evening…

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…

Rural Intelligence
Movie Intelligence -- Arts Section -- Movies

MarilynBethany@aol.com

5 Nov 2009 | 6:18 pm

Following are the films currently showing in our region, listed in order of their Metacritic score.* For a synopsis of the film and excerpts from the reviews that led to the score, click on the Metascore next to the film title. For show times, click on the theater name in the Movie Theaters directory at right. Metascore/film title/(theaters) 82 The Damned United (Spectrum) 81 Bright Star (Spectrum) 80 Lorna’s Silence (Spectrum) 79 A Serious Man (Bantam, Moviehouse, Spectrum, Triplex, Upstate) 73 Zombieland (Cinerom) 71 Where the Wild Things Are…
RI Selects: In the Galleries & Museums -- Arts Section -- Art

MarilynBethany@aol.com

4 Nov 2009 | 11:28 am

November 7 - May 31, 2010 Before he was known around the world as the archetypical American illustrator, Norman Rockwell was called “the kid with the camera eye,” due to the realism of his work. In the mid-30s, Rockwell moved away from using professional models and embraced photography to capture the poses and expressions of everyday people, many of whom were his Stockbridge neighbors, and many of whom are still around to tell the tale. Like a film director working with a cinematographer, Rockwell drew performances from his subjects on intricate sets of his own design, though he never…
No. 9 -- Restaurants -- Millerton, New York

MarilynBethany@aol.com

4 Nov 2009 | 9:11 am

Who would dare open a white tablecloth restaurant in this economy? A young couple like chef Tim Cocheo, 31, and his wife, Taryn, 30, who were half the team behind the now-shuttered Bottle Tree Grocery in Ancram, which had a cult-like following for its $49 prix fixe dinners on Friday and Saturday nights and its decadent Sunday brunch. Now, the Cocheos have opened No. 9 Restaurant and given the dining room at Millerton’s Simmon’s Way Village Inn a Cinderella makeover. From the street (the address is Main Street, but the entrance is on Century Boulevard), the restaurant gives off a golden…
Spirits: At a Recent Tasting, A Local Cider Ruled! -- Food Section -- Spirits

MarilynBethany@aol.com

4 Nov 2009 | 8:23 am

In England, the word “cider” (and, in France, “cidre”) describes a carbonated beverage containing alcohol—as little as 3% in France, as much as 8.5% in England (wine is usually between 11% and 14%). On this side of the Atlantic, a fermented cider is referred to as “hard cider,” to distinguish it from the unfermented, non-alcholic beverage children enjoy. But who wants anything that’s “hard”? Perhaps to skirt this subtle marketing concern, Hudson-Chatham Winery has given its cider a French name, Pomme Bullé—literally, apple bubble. “Usually in…
AgriCulture: Can The Family Farm Be Saved? -- Blog Section -- AgriCulture

MarilynBethany@aol.com

4 Nov 2009 | 4:35 am

Peter Davies and Mark Scherzer are the owners of Turkana Farms in Germantown, New York. This week Mark writes: After the bone chilling cold of a few weeks ago, we’ve rebounded and had some perfect autumn weather. Some of the fall crops, such as leeks, brussels sprouts and turnips, are doing exceptionally well, and we have hopes for another wave of cauliflower and cabbages. We are also setting up our greenhouse to extend the season, moving in artichokes, which are close to bearing, spinach, lettuces, swiss chard, turnip greens and various herbs. With this “winter garden” we hope to tide…

Reimagine Rural
SD Public Radio talks Green Jobs

Mike Knutson

6 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm

South Dakota Public Radio aired a report yesterday focused on green job development in Howard, SD. Individuals can listen to it here. The story, reported by Charles Michael Ray, noted that the community stands to benefit from the creation of additional “green jobs” if the Climate Bill passes Congress. It goes on to note that some community members fear that it will have an adverse affect on their livelihoods. What captured my attention, however, was a quote offered by Robert Mommaerts, who oversees the molding process for the wind turbine blades manufactured by Knight…
ReImagine Rural Education

Mike Knutson

6 Nov 2009 | 9:31 am

Lately we’ve been calling on rural communities to “reimagine” their futures by focusing on transformational strategies rather than those of revitalization. In a recent post on the Daily Yonder, Timothy Collins reminded me that this can’t take place without “reimaging” the future of education in our rural communities. Collins, the assistant director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois Universitywrote his post titled “Speak your peace: Longer School Year, and Better,” in response to President Obama’s call for…
Rural Housing Playbook - It’s a Process

Mike Knutson

5 Nov 2009 | 9:02 am

One of the toughest tasks for rural communities is figuring out how to address the community’s housing needs. In an effort to help communities, the Rural Learning Center helped establish the Rural Housing Collaborative. Essentially a group of housing leaders in South Dakota, the Collaborative created the Rural Housing Playbook. We’ve talked about it previously (look here for those posts). Today, Rita Edwards, who coordinates the Collaborative’s efforts, shares some of her thoughts on the Playbook. By Rita Edwards You may have noticed the sign-up link for the Rural…
How is your community’s agenda established?

Lindsey Karlson

30 Oct 2009 | 11:55 am

I recently stumbled on an idea that won’t let go of me. I love those kind of ideas-something I can’t ignore, even if the Swedish side of my brain is telling me ‘no, not another project.’ So, here it is. The town of Harrisonburg, VA has started something called the Harrisonburg Summits to create intentional opportunities for public conversation around important issues facing the community. The idea in and of itself isn’t new. What puts it over the top, in my mind, is the use of Open Space Technology. What’s Open Space Technology? I first…
Rethink, Reinvent, ReImagine

Mike Knutson

28 Oct 2009 | 1:40 pm

Yesterday, while talking to partner organizations in the South Dakota Partnership for Teacher Quality, I had opportunity to revisit the Rural Learning Center’s tag line “ReImagine Rural.” I explained to the group that we feel “ReImagine Rural” captures the essence of what the RLC believes about the future of rural communities: that we need to pioneer a new future; that this new future needs to be built on transformation — not revitalization; and that this process for rebuilding starts with re-thinking every aspect of our existence As Albert Einstein…

Small Town Papers News Service
From The Editor

5 Nov 2009 | 12:05 pm

This is a plea....
The people have spoken – Plunkett, Peterson, Fraley-Monillas top ballot

5 Nov 2009 | 10:34 am

The first election tallies are in and Edmonds voters seemed to vote decisively. ...
Music, artworks highlight symphony opening

5 Nov 2009 | 10:31 am

The Cascade Symphony Orchestra opened its 48th season with a stellar performance of “The Planets,” by Gustav Holst, as well as the “Rakoczy March” by Berlioz. ...
Quemado to honor vets Monday at school gym

5 Nov 2009 | 9:08 am

Quemado will pay tribute to its Veterans on Monday Nov. 9 in the school auxilary gym, beginning at 6 p.m....
Tech rugby team finishes fall season with 16-3 record

5 Nov 2009 | 8:56 am

The final margin may not show it, but the New Mexico Tech Rugby Club's 47 - 27 win over New Mexico State University in Las Cruces Saturday was a hard slog all the way. But while the Chiles enjoyed the lion's share of ball possession, the Pygmies once again rode their phenomenal long-range scoring t...

STPNS: Business
November Skies

5 Nov 2009 | 8:54 am

Jupiter will still dominate the early evening sky shining high in the southwest. The best observing will be in the early evening before it gets close to the western horizon. If you have a moderate sized telescope you might hunt for the dark scar low in the southern hemisphere that appeared last Jul...

High Country News: Most Recent
Metalpalooza '09

Cally Carswell

6 Nov 2009 | 8:18 am

Metals mining is making an unexpectedly dramatic comeback in the West.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/most-recent/~4/vOI8REh0jDo" height="1" width="1"/>
The Wicked Witch of the West

Ray Ring

6 Nov 2009 | 7:24 am

Cheyenne lawyer Harriet Hageman has relentlessly fought the roadless rule for nearly a decade.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/most-recent/~4/hJ97S2ndlYk" height="1" width="1"/>
Mesquite Pancake Recipe

Compiled from recipes on Desert Harvesters

5 Nov 2009 | 3:48 pm

<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/most-recent/~4/5UimfmmTcYU" height="1" width="1"/>
Is the BLM practicing unsafe CX?

Sarah Gilman

4 Nov 2009 | 2:25 pm

The Bureau of Land Management used a large number of "categorical exclusions" to streamline permitting for oil and gas development.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/most-recent/~4/I2Ps7hc71Yk" height="1" width="1"/>
Audio: The joy of CX

Marty Durlin

4 Nov 2009 | 9:43 am

Assistant editor Sarah Gilman explains why we should care about categorical exclusions.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/most-recent/~4/S-_UzB3TObE" height="1" width="1"/>

High Country News: Blogs
Tree-age

Betsy Marston

6 Nov 2009 | 8:02 am

Idaho woman's run-in with tree requires surgery.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/FromTheBlogs/~4/zHR06dyr8_c" height="1" width="1"/>
Reader Photo: Ice on Hall Mountain

Stephanie Paige Ogburn

5 Nov 2009 | 2:19 pm

Is it winter yet? This week's HCN reader photo points to yes.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/FromTheBlogs/~4/7TKo3-cNbMI" height="1" width="1"/>
Commitment issues

Arla Shephard

5 Nov 2009 | 2:10 pm

White House pledges further collaboration with tribes, but is it enough?<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/FromTheBlogs/~4/R6ICPBE6X6A" height="1" width="1"/>
Armed and drunk

Betsy Marston

5 Nov 2009 | 9:17 am

New Arizona law allows guns in bars.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/FromTheBlogs/~4/bKX3Hhm4BCw" height="1" width="1"/>
Coming soon to MTV: The Oilfield Blowouts

Jonathan Thompson

4 Nov 2009 | 3:40 pm

This has got to be the weirdest thing I've seen today.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/hcn/FromTheBlogs/~4/BQOUTPEXxsI" height="1" width="1"/>

Rurritable
Slinkonia

coozledad

4 Nov 2009 | 3:21 pm

I was digging a drainage trench for the barn this morning, and Slinkonia came over to help. This is one of her favorite spots to destroy native species. She’s particularly fond of horned lizards and skinks. Sometimes Slinkonia is so helpful I am forced to temporarily relocate her. Not today. She was good company.
the gubbener you deserve

coozledad

3 Nov 2009 | 6:24 pm

We hired a bunch of southside VA white trash to put a fence in on the northern boundary of our property, because we had some naive faith that they would be acquainted with the intricacies of posts set into the ground and strung with wire. This was not the case. They were, however, most unsolicitedly helpful with killing snakes and various other wildlife they came into contact with while goldbricking and dumping fast food trash and beer cans on our property. My first cue that we were about to be dicked out of the money we laid before these homonculi was the bible prominently displayed on the…
You gonna finish that?

coozledad

3 Nov 2009 | 5:11 am
Syncopation

coozledad

1 Nov 2009 | 12:35 am

Taking it over the cliff. And it works.
Sketch of the day

coozledad

29 Oct 2009 | 3:33 pm

There are more of these. Just click on sketch of the day on the top bar to view them.

Perfect Peace Farm
A Loss in the Herd

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 sterlize the stall just to be safe. We will miss Julian as much as we miss the horses that have been with us for years.
Prepare the Way at training track

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

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

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…
Horse Nap

8 Oct 2009 | 3:07 pm

I have been told that if a horse on a farm (or any other place,) takes a nap lying down, he/she is very comfortable with the situation. Well, Julian (Papua-Messenger of Light by Halo) is Mr. Mucho Relaxo. Last night, after dealing with a broken down car, I had to go looking for the weanling in a very dark field (one forgets how dark "dark" really is when they live in the city), calling for the boy to come in for dinner. Not seeing the him, I almost tripped over the animal. I look down and Julian is fast asleep in the grass. At first, I thought the worst given how the day/night was progressing…

Rural Church
Comming 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
Go U.M.C.!

waddey

14 Sep 2009 | 2:43 pm

It would be cool if there were a denomination that. . . 1. Debunked the myth that rural churches were not worth pastoring. 2. Connected academia with rural churches so that future pastors and leaders would see how GREAT rural ministry can be. 3. Invested REAL dollars in the lives of students (future pastors). Invested $$$ in churches in the effort to revitalize, resource, and connect current rural leaders. Oh there is such an organization. Click HERE! Posted in Uncategorized

Sugar Patch
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
Miserably happy or happily miserable?

Ayngel

12 Oct 2009 | 4:16 pm

Misery can very easily become a way of life, and some people are quite happy living there. It is quite possible for someone to be happy only when they are miserable, I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't seen it myself so many times. Is happiness that much more difficult than misery?Ayngel Overson AKA Boshemia The Sugar Patch Boshemia at SquidooI challenge you to use your own mind, if you don't then somebody els
Come celebrate with me!

Ayngel

8 Oct 2009 | 3:26 pm

Hope you don't mind a personal celebration, I have some exciting news to share with you: A new career goal, an interview, an article, and a celebration of success all around! Come join me!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 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!
NOW, WHERE WERE WE?

8 Oct 2009 | 5:21 am

Sorry about that, very rude of me just to go off like that. No explanation. No goodbye. Just a static nothingness of a blog for you to stare at.If I told you, dear reader, if you are still there, that I have been very very busy with something very very important, then maybe you can forgive me for just pissing off without a word.I can't say what's been taking up my time yet, but as soon as I get a yes, I'll let you know what I've been up to.Anyway, there may be posts over the next couple of weeks and so if you find yourself at a loose end, then come on over.Meantime, I'm off to check out what…

Walking Prescott
Christmas Victoriana

6 Nov 2009 | 7:22 pm

This is the third year that Cookie Brinkmeyer and friends have organized a Victorian Christmas boutique to end all boutiques. Next Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 13, 14, 15) in the beautiful old Victorian house at the corner of Park and Gurley. To give you an idea of the kinds of goodies, almost all of them handmade, that will be on sale, here are pictures from the 2008 boutique. Lots of stuff there I'd like to have!Old fashioned tree ornaments......plush, posh pumpkins for seasonal fall color......and a reminder of our other favorite American holiday, Thanksgiving.I think the gents are…
Since 1920...

5 Nov 2009 | 8:43 pm

Well, actually, it was a general store -- groceries and mining supplies -- long before it became a must-stop-at cafe and saloon on the road north from Phoenix. The web site for the Rock Springs Cafe explains that Rock Springs, a couple of miles north from Black Canyon City, became a stage stop back in 18-aught-84 and that the store began operation under a canvas roof in 1920. The main structure, which included 6 hotel rooms, was completed in 1924.Arizona-style tschotckes are sold at this side stand.Love those classic covered sidewalks found in the old west; it's one way to guarantee shade in…
Down by the old mill stream....

4 Nov 2009 | 6:33 pm

...not in a Prescott area stream. In fact, a mill hereabouts would describe an old machinery-heavy set-up for grinding ore from the mines; no water needed. In any event, pictured, the slow-moving water behind the little dam near old 89A. It makes a lovely commentary on autumn in warm country.Love that contrast between the fall leaves floating in the middle of the stream and the lush green grasses rooted in the wet earth on both sides of the water.
Peter, Peter pumpkin eater...

3 Nov 2009 | 8:22 pm

Okay, so I said that I'd had it with Halloween. No more, I said. However, reviewing my picture folder I came across this unique approach to the classic Jack O'Lantern. Wow! How barbaric can you get? Peter, Peter pumpkin eater indeed! So Peter was a cannibal all those years (though the nannies always protected me from that knowledge.) Who'd ever have guessed it.
When old highways die

2 Nov 2009 | 8:05 pm

Ther is something very sad and lonely about roadways that have been decommissioned. Northern Arizona is full of bits and pieces of old Route 66 and older SR89, if you are on the lookout for them. And they are accessible, being on federal and state land. Not so this old section of 89A recently replaced by a spiffy new 4-lane speedway between Prescott north and Prescott Valley. It's scheduled to become a part of a huge real estate subdivision one of these days when the market picks up again. And it's locked off. Twice.Yes, that is the old railroad crossing, now the Peavine Trail, which means…

FishTaxi
How to get a drift boat out of the river

6 Nov 2009 | 9:28 pm
Growing Boy

5 Nov 2009 | 11:10 pm
Is it Soup Yet?

4 Nov 2009 | 10:39 pm

This was a quick, easy and tasty soup I made tonight. 4 cups of water 2 Knorr Caldo de Tomate(Tomato Bouillon) The cubes are huge, 8 to a package. I see a lot of variations with this bouillon in the future. Made this soup with what I had on hand. Bring cubes to a low boil to dissolve. Smelled good already and a spoonful told me I was in for a treat. I added a half a package of Buitoni Chicken & Prosciutto Tortelloni and lowered the flame to a simmer til el dente. A couple of handfuls or more of fresh spinach rounded out the soup to the bowl. Hot and filling for a quick winter supper.
Close to Home

3 Nov 2009 | 5:42 pm

Anchorage Marine receives military honors The U.S. Marine Corps performs plane-side military honors Monday for Cpl. Gregory M.W. Fleury, 23, as his body arrives at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Cpl. Fleury, a Service High graduate, was one of four Marines who died in a helicopter collision in Afghanistan Oct. 26.This one hit me hard. Harder than all the rest. Semper Fi soldier. Your mother, family and friends are proud of their brave warrior. No words, actions or compromises on this day. Our world has grown smaller.Fallen soldiers gallery
Moose Corridor

2 Nov 2009 | 10:14 pm

Location: WasillaCase number: 09-98087 Type: MVC-DText: On 10-31-2009, at approximately 1828 hours, Alaska State Troopers responded to the area of Plumley Road and Butte Road for a report of a motor vehicle collision. Investigation revealed that Ann F. Nelson, age53 of Palmer, was traveling eastbound on Plumley Road in her 2009 Hyundai Tuscon when she collided with a moose that ran into the roadway. No injuries were reported. Nelson was wearing her seat belt at the time of the collision. The vehicle is estimated to be a total loss.Author: RLM1 Received Sunday, November 01, 2009 1:01 AM and…

Masson's Blog
Casimir Pulaski Becomes Citizen

Doug

7 Nov 2009 | 4:36 am

Casimir Pulaski became a citizen yesterday after President Obama signed a bill being pushed by Dennis Kucinich making Pulaski a U.S. Citizen, 230 years after his death. Pulaski was a Polish noble who came to the U.S. to fight and die for the Revolution. Indiana’s own Pulaski County is named after him and, under IC 1-1-12.5, Indiana recognizes the first Monday in March as “Casimir Pulaski Day.”
Friday Randomness

Doug

6 Nov 2009 | 4:50 am

I think I spend too much reading the news. It’s really kind of a sideshow to real life in a lot of ways. Reading about the latest health peril for my kids probably tells me less about the risks to my kids than paying attention to what they eat, for example. Reading about Indiana’s latest economic development project is a lot less important than keeping my eye open for new clients. And, really, there is a whole lot less tragedy in my neighborhood than in the newspapers. It probably distorts the way you see the world when you are looking at all the tragedies globally and not seeing…
Blessed are the Money Changers

Doug

5 Nov 2009 | 8:34 am

(Image from a painting displayed at the Riverview Community Bank). Matt Taibbi’s latest pounds on Goldman Sachs international adviser Brian Griffiths speaking at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London: “The injunction of Jesus to love others as ourselves is an endorsement of self-interest,” Goldman’s Griffiths said Oct. 20, his voice echoing around the gold-mosaic walls of St. Paul’s Cathedral, whose 365-feet-high dome towers over the City, London’s financial district. “We have to tolerate the inequality as a way to achieving greater prosperity and opportunity for all.” (via…
Glass Houses, etc.

Doug

5 Nov 2009 | 4:34 am

Jeff Wiehe, writing for the Journal Gazette, has an interesting story about a woman who died in the county jail after being arrested for DUI. Her BAC was .33 and she apparently had significant problems with alcohol. Much of the story addresses complaints by her family out of Tennessee about her treatment at the jail – they think she should have received more medical treatment; and the manner in which her body was stored – they picked her up from a funeral home garage. The funeral home said her body had been there for about 20 minutes and was placed there specifically so the family…
A Loyal Opposition

Doug

5 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

There looks to be a new blog out there looking at Indiana political issues from a lefty persuasion. Looks solid so far. It’s called “A Loyal Opposition.”

High Hopes Gardens
November 3, 2009 – City Hams

highhopesgardens

3 Nov 2009 | 8:36 am

We take a break from the farm today and give some love to my brother. All these years we thought my dj sister was the media-savvy ham, but evidently bro picked up some talent along the way. He is evidently more excited about Minnesota Gopher football than anyone has a right to be! I’ll let the photo speak for itself – all I can say is that he did show some restraint and taset by choosing this outfit instead of going with the classical bare chest painted with a maroon “M” on a freezing afternoon. Their tailgate party got about five minutes of run on the “Big…
November 2, 2009 – Hog Barn Renovation Milestone

highhopesgardens

2 Nov 2009 | 6:46 pm

Today marks a major milestone in hog barn renovation. One of our stated farm goals is to “maintain the architectural heritage of the area.” To me, this means not automatically burning or tearing down old buildings and where possible to adapt them to creative re-use. Here’s the hog barn at a place where it would have been torn down by many folks – no windows, major portions of the roof gone and what you can’t see from this photo – walls lilting at about a 15 degree angle. Here’s the same building with a new roof, new windows and a modification to…
November 1, 2009 – BBall and Music

highhopesgardens

1 Nov 2009 | 6:17 pm

Today was a day in Ames. We went to see the first exhibition game of the year for last year’s Elite Eight Iowa State women’s basketball team. The girls now have season tickets in the 2nd from the floor a few feet from center court thanks to a good friend. After the game, it was a short walk next door to the Band Extravaganza to see a concert of the Iowa State symphonic, wind ensemble, jazz and marching bands. This year’s ISU marching band is 329 members strong – 24 tubas alone! It was a great sound to hear the band within the confines of an auditorium –…
October 31, 2009 – Happy Halloween

highhopesgardens

31 Oct 2009 | 7:22 pm

Martin decided he wanted to be a spider for Halloween – so he made his own costume out of black clothes, black chore boots, and some pipe insulators for legs (Martin wants to let you know there’s eight legs if you count his legs!). He learned the benefits of a home-made costume as one of his fellow trick-or-treaters wore a store-bought werewolf and almost every other candy provider asked the werewolf “haven’t you already been here?” as there were a number of identical werewolves roaming the neighborhood. one year ago…”Snakes on the Table”
October 30, 2009 – Fall Mushrooms

highhopesgardens

30 Oct 2009 | 5:10 pm

Because the weather has been so cool lately, I didn’t think of looking for a fresh flush of shiitakes on the logs we spawned. But surprise, they’re there! So tonight we had another high hopes exclusive meal. Shiitakes and onions from the farm sauteed in sesame oil. Walleye caught in the BWCA this summer, along with fresh brussells sprouts and applesauce from the farm – not bad for end of October. one year ago…”Thingamajig Thursday #139″

Rural Doctoring
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…
Rural Career Tip #1

Theresa Chan

21 Aug 2009 | 9:02 pm

Do NOT, under any circumstances, start working at two different hospitals in the same month. You'll mis-remember all the door codes, wear the wrong ID badge, and won't be able to tell all the Amandas, Daves and Chris-es apart.Trust me on this one.

Blog for Rural America
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…
Farmers and Ranchers Face the Consequences of Medical Debt

admin

7 Oct 2009 | 8:50 am

By Kristina Hubbard, Montana Rural Health Advocate for the Center for Rural Affairs Patricia DeJong and her late husband, Dan, used to own a cattle ranch in Lincoln County, Montana, before losing it all to medical debt. Health insurance was unaffordable, and in 2000, while uninsured, Dan was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Over the course of five years, their medical debt spiraled out of control and they made the heartbreaking decision to sell their family's fourth generation ranch. Dan died in 2006 with all of his medical bills paid, but with no land to pass on to his family. A new…
A Faithful Perspective on Health Care: Part III

Virginia Wolking

1 Oct 2009 | 2:23 pm

By Sabrina Miller (Editor's Note: This is Part 3 of a series. Click to read Part 1 and Part 2) The most pressing concern that almost every person brought up during my time in local churches, whether a health care professional or lay person, whether insured or uninsured, in favor of reform or against it, was fear of government intervention. Many people are often hesitant or out-right against bringing “political” issues into the church, but when the issue is that 45,000 people die every year because they’re not receiving care, I think God may be weeping. When we have the…

Bringing Home the Bacon
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…
What Farm Kids Do for Fun

Holly Michael, APR

26 Oct 2009 | 6:22 pm

Even when you live in a place called Farmersville, there is still a disconnect between farm life and the experiences of most people you meet. Fortunately, our children are happy ambassadors of rural living.This most recent episode of What Farm Kids Do for Fun takes place at our annual fall party. With five "hosts" (my children and nephews), the party has grown bigger than last year's party. We had 23 kids, plus parents at the farm to navigate the straw maze, decorate pumpkins, and enjoy the hay ride (it's really straw!).Farm kids and their friends know that something as simple as playing in…
Congratulations from the Barnyard Animals

Holly Michael, APR

24 Oct 2009 | 5:19 pm

Sometimes when you are straddling the worlds of corporate communications and agriculture, you have conversations like this.Me from work via cell phone: Guess what? We WON! We won a national PR award!Noises coming from Husband's cell phone: OINK. oink, oink, snort. OINNNK.Husband: That's good isn't it?Yes, I'm very proud to say that our team won a PR News Platinum PR Award for a community relations program geared to introduce area high school students to careers in health care. The event included a cadaver lab and mock trauma in the ER.I'd say it's a safe bet that the national PR agencies…
PR Idea of the Week

Holly Michael, APR

18 Oct 2009 | 4:22 pm

This week I had the opportunity to speak to some Intro to PR students at our local Community College (Chevy Chase was not there. Darn.). The adjunct faculty member and I had worked together years ago doing B2B public relations. She asked me to share a little about my career path and how I had now landed in non-profit healthcare.Since I have also been asked to be on a social media panel for another local university's PR students, I thought I would use my blog to share the differences between working in public relations/communications in high-tech B2B and non-profit healthcare.Why you love to…

Wisconsin Office of Rural Health
Wisconsin Office of Rural Health Epidemiologist Position Opening

mlradtke

6 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pm

The WI-ORH is looking for an Epidemiologist to gather, analyze and report on rural health data of Wisconsin. This includes population health data (determinants and outcomes) and other assessments of need, healthcare data (access to, facility/provider distribution, quality of care/QI data, financial viability, etc), and demographics of rural residents. The Epidemiologist will also contribute to and occasionally manage our Quality Improvement initiatives for rural healthcare facilities and providers. Application deadline: November 16, 2009. [
Public Attitudes Toward Health Reform: A Roundtable

mlradtke

6 Nov 2009 | 11:16 am

This is a transcript of a roundtable on public opinion and health reform that took place on October 13, the day the Senate Finance Committee approved its version of health reform legislation. [Read article]
Health Information Technology in the United States: On the Cusp of Change, 2009

mlradtke

6 Nov 2009 | 10:38 am

This RWJF funded report is the third in a series about HIT adoption in the U.S which builds on the previous work to design and deploy standardized measures of electronic health record (EHR) adoption in a national hospital survey. [Read report]
Microsoft To Launch New Healthcare IT Web Series

mlradtke

6 Nov 2009 | 8:21 am

The online video series on healthcare IT will begin Nov. 10. The show is designed to highlight sustainable solutions that improve patient services – increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of care while simultaneously reducing costs. [Read article]
Planned Saturday Vote On Health Care May Be Delayed

mlradtke

6 Nov 2009 | 8:18 am

A House leader says Democrats haven't yet lined up enough votes to pass their health care overhaul bill and may push the vote set for Saturday back one day or more. [Read article]

Country Living Blog
Nov 6, TRIPLE R RANCH

6 Nov 2009 | 7:52 am

25 acres on a dirt road on top of a mountain in Cape Breton Island. Canada. 12 acres around the barn is dedicated to paddocks barn and house along
Nov 6, Farming Jobs in Canada Offered Here - Part time and Full time Farm & Ranch Work

6 Nov 2009 | 12:47 am

Find farming jobs in Canada on Canadian farms & ranches. These farmers are looking for either full time or part time workers who have their own visas and are willing to pay their own travel expenses.
Nov 5, French Onion Soup Recipe

4 Nov 2009 | 8:10 pm

Here is a classic French onion soup recipe that is a firm family favourite, especially on those winter nights. 50 g butter 3 large white onions 1
Nov 5, Christiane from Austria looking for Romance and Friendship

4 Nov 2009 | 6:49 pm

I'm a nature loving person and I'm looking a nice man in the USA. I love sports, the beach, music, country music and the USA. I love the
Nov 4, If you like the taste of all things country check out this great site.

4 Nov 2009 | 5:51 am

If you like the taste of all things country check out this great site. Everything from organic farming preserving, eating. How to pages on storage of

The Appleton Blog
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…
Wild Truffle Pizzeria: I Don't Recommend It for Groups

Mormanity

11 Oct 2009 | 6:39 am

A group of high-school students went to Wild Truffle Pizzeria last night for dinner. In making reservations for the group, they were told that there would be a minimum order of $15 per person for the food. When they got there and were seated, THEN they were told that the minimum order was $20. For a pizzeria! That pretty much forces people to order more than just a main course, and was a potentially painful surprise to people using cash who might not have had enough. Wild Truffle Pizzeria is styling itself as a classy gourmet place, but forcing people to spend a lot isn't classy at all. When…
Nobel Prize in Chemistry Goes to an Alumnus of Appleton's Lawrence University

Mormanity

8 Oct 2009 | 5:18 am

On Oct. 7, 2009, the Nobel Prize committee announced that the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry would go to an alumnus of Appleton's Lawrence University, Dr. Thomas Steitz. I heard the news while on campus at Lawrence, right before I gave a lecture to an amazing group of students in Lawrence University's Science Hall, a building that Dr. Steitz helped dedicate in 2000: he was the keynote speaker at the ceremonies. (My lecture in Science Hall was on intellectual property and the broader topic of intellectual assets, going over basics that future business leaders and entrepreneurs should know. Not…
Views from Octoberfest - Perhaps the Best Ever!

Mormanity

28 Sep 2009 | 6:06 am

Octoberfest in Appleton on Sept. 26, 2009 may have been the best ever. I can say that the demand for Tiger Paws was higher than ever, and in spite of the thousands that were produced with the highly innovative supply chain and production models of the Tiger Paws fund-raising group (youth groups for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, earning money to help young people go to Scout camp and girls camp), our team could have sold three times as many if we could have increased production that much. There were often long lines waiting patiently for their Tiger Paws treat, a genuine…
History Buff? Check Out the "Appleton History Club 1857"--and Explore the Mystery Around Appleton's First Mayor

Mormanity

24 Sep 2009 | 5:46 pm

I'm impressed with the work of one of the Fox Valley's local historian, Chad Wolf, who has just launched a new website with historical information about Appleton. The site is AppletonHistoryClub1857.com. There is a great collection of links to information sites and photos, and some interesting tidbits such as photographic evidence from 1881 that Appleton's Waverly Masonic Lodge was probably the first Masonic Lodge in the world with electric light. (Chad writes that this "makes sense, since almost every individual involved in the purchase of the hydro-electric patent in Appleton were members…

Alpaca Farmgirl Farm Business
Customer Service – The 80%-20% Rule

Katy

12 Oct 2009 | 12:11 pm

This post contributed by Monica Klein from A Suri Farm. I have a brother (actually, I have four brothers) who has this goofy hypothesis he calls the “80:20 Rule.” I’m beginning to learn that my brother, John, may not be so far off base in his thinking. His rule says that in the world of customer service 80% of the time, you get a moron (his word, not mine) and 20% of the time, you actually get someone who knows what they’re doing. I think we all can cite examples that would prove John’s theory to be true even if the numbers don’t fall exactly at 80 and 20. You know what I…
Ian Watt Talks Alpaca Fleece – Part 2

Katy

2 Oct 2009 | 8:18 am

Mariann Marsh, Founder of Alpaca Social interviews alpaca expert Ian Watt, of Alpaca Consulting Services USA, former President of the Australian Alpaca Association. Listen to this audio/video to hear Ian’s secrets for breeding for exceptional alpaca fleece. In this interview he talks about how you can tell if a young male has herdsire potential. He also gives you some details on skin biopsies. When should you do them? And what will they tell you? This is a must-see video for any serious alpaca breeder. Ian usually charges a lot of money for speaking engagements where he shares this very…
Ian Watt Talks Alpaca Fleece – Part 1

Katy

20 Sep 2009 | 1:34 pm

Mariann Marsh, Founder of Alpaca Social interviews alpaca expert Ian Watt, of Alpaca Consulting Services USA, former President of the Australian Alpaca Association. Listen to this audio/video to hear Ian’s secrets for breeding for exceptional alpaca fleece. In this interview he shares how to feed your male alpacas for less $, how many years you can expect usable fleece from your alpacas, and how you can find out your alpacas’ stress level. This is a must-see video for any serious alpaca breeder! Bear with it during the slow spots. The valuable nuggets of alpaca info that Ian…
Tips from Successful Alpaca Breeders #3

Katy

8 Sep 2009 | 1:28 am

Tip # 3 – Proven Herdsires Give You A Leg Up Experienced breeders will most likely read the title of this article and instantly assume that proven is the better option here. I will lay-out the pros and cons of both arguments here, and come to the conclusion that proven males are in fact, the way to go for new prospective buyers. Young and Sexy… So a breeder friend calls you up and begins to boast about their new jr. herdsire / show prospect. With curiosity knocking on the door, you set-up for a time to visit. The upcoming weekend you drive down and your friend halters up the much…
Magical Farms Implements Currency for Classics

Katy

3 Sep 2009 | 8:03 am

Magical Farms In what can only be described as a brilliant business move, Magical Farms has rolled out an innovative alpaca sales/trade program called “Currency for Classics” . Inspired by the “Cash for Clunkers” automobile program, this program has alpaca breeders trading in, ahem, older model females for younger stock. Numerous jokes spring to mind about trading in the old broad for a newer model, but hilarity aside, the plan makes great financial sense for Buyers as well as for Magical. I spoke with Tripp Forstner recently about the new program, which was his idea.