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Recent Discussion
- Ginger McGuire: There are so many things rural communities can do with housing instead of tearing them down. Rural...
- Sarah Bird: I don’t think there is a simple yes or no answer to the question. Selectively demolishing abandoned...
- Janelle Dozier: This kind of interactive map is extremely useful to anyone who wants to understanding the...
- Bobby G.: This is interesting data. Unfortunately several of the counties I am interested in are ‘Not...
- Sarah Bird: Great – I’ll pass this along to those in the Heart of Texas who may not know it is scheduled....
Conversations
TCEQ restricts additional jr. water rights on Brazos RiverJune 27, 2011
(From Pam K.) TCEQ restricts additional junior water rights Brazos River Basin affected Drought conditions continue to be widespread across the state. As a result, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is continuing to inform water-rights holders in the Brazos River Basin that water rights will be administered on a priority basis. Today the executive [...]
Topic: Miscellaneous
TCEQ restricts additional jr. water rights on Brazos River
TLI Offers New CoursesJune 10, 2011
(From Bobby G.) Many of you know that the Texas Leadership Institute that was under the guidance of LCRA for 15 years has been transferred and reconstituted as a program of the Texas Center for Rural Entrepreneurship. The TCRE board and leader Greg Clary have been re-engineering the program and have recently announced a new [...]
Topic: Education
White House Creates Rural CouncilJune 10, 2011
(From Bobby G.) Rural policy advocates who have worked for years for governmental recognition that ‘rural is different’ are cheering the announcement yesterday that the White House has created a “Rural Council” to recognize the differences and to recommend ways to improve rural life in areas ranging from jobs and agriculture to education, broadband and [...]
Topic: Politics & Government
White House Creates Rural Council
On Small Farms, Hoof Power ReturnsMay 4, 2011
(From Pam K.) On Small Farms, Hoof Power Returns Jennifer May for The New York Times By TESS TAYLOR Published: May 3, 2011 Working with oxen at Moon in the Pond Farm is “better than spending a day with a tractor,” Rich Ciotola said. ON a sunny Sunday just before the vernal equinox, Rich Ciotola [...]
Topic: Miscellaneous
On Small Farms, Hoof Power Returns
Conference on Creating Rural WealthMay 1, 2011
(From Bobby G.) For the past several years the Ford Foundation has sponsored a bevy of top-flight researchers to explore the best ways to create wealth in rural areas. This has produced a number of fairly academic research papers, but the effort is now moving into the public/practitioner arena with a national conference entitled “Rural [...]
Topic: Economic Development
Conference on Creating Rural Wealth
Asset Building in Rural TexasMay 1, 2011
(From Bobby G.) Our friend and associate Roy Lopez at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has just published a nice piece on asset-building programs in rural Texas communities. For the past year, the Dallas Federal Reserve has partnered with Texas Rural Innovators and the asset-building coalition RAISE Texas for a series of educational conferences [...]
Topic: Economic Development
Recognizing Community AchievementMay 1, 2011
(From Bobby G.) The Texas Midwest Community Network will once again recognize communities that have demonstrated achievement in five target areas. The communities deserve recognition, and Texas Midwest deserves recognition for this little extra incentive for it’s member communities to excel! Only TMCN member communities are eligible and the deadline to apply for consideration is [...]
Topic: Miscellaneous
Recognizing Community Achievement
Well screenings availableMay 1, 2011
(From Pam K.) Well screenings and training available from the Texas Well Owner Network Print April 29th, 2011 | Posted in New Waves (April 2011) Owners of private water wells in several South and Central Texas counties can get their water screened for possible contaminants in the coming months through a program offered through a [...]
Beasts and Blooms for Earth DayApril 12, 2011
(From Sarah B.) Come celebrate Earth Day at the Cameron Zoo in Waco, TX this Saturday, April 16th from 9:00 – 5:00. Many educational opportunities to learn about sustainable gardening/farming, alternative energy, recycling. Also music, games for children and, of course, the zoo itself. Everyone welcome to share in the appreciation of our earth at [...]
Topic: Community Events, Cool Places, Education, Travel & Recreation, Youth
Beasts and Blooms for Earth Day
Negative Potential Impact of HB 1995April 2, 2011
(From Pam K)Negative Potential Impact of HB 1995 Here’s a document that I thought you would find valuable containing important facts about the operation of the Travis County District Attorney’s environmental enforcement program and the potential impact of this proposed legislation. The source of this document is the DA’s office itself, and I agree with [...]
Topic: Environment, Politics & Government, Water
Negative Potential Impact of HB 1995
Unoccupied homes and buildings in rural townsApril 2, 2011
(From Janelle D) In the rural counties in which I grew up in the 1950s and 60s, there are an increasing number of small towns that are becoming ghost towns. Main streets are deserted except for a gas station-quick stop and a couple of “antique” (junk) stores. Older homes are abandoned as their occupants die [...]
Topic: Economic Development
Unoccupied homes and buildings in rural towns
Rural UnemploymentMarch 31, 2011
(From Bobby G.) Bill Bishop, our good friend in Austin, does a good job of tracking the numbers … and he looks at rural unemployment in a recent edition of the Daily Yonder. Some highlights … US rural unemployment for Jan 2011 was 10.2%, a full percentage point lower than Jan 2010, but higher than [...]
Topic: Economic Development
