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INDEPENDENT MORNING DAILY GRAND ISLAND, NE Circulation = 22797
Dianne Marie of Mid-
enter.
T h r a ~ v a d swhich , in-1 clucit. motirta r'y support, I were given U S ~ I $1I ~1,000 in ftii~ds provided by the Llromell and Conipany Microcnterprise Boost Progranl. T h a t progran~is designed to help low- and,
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NEWS-TIMES MORNING YORK, NE
DAILY
Circulation= 4196
04/23/2008
Guest Opinion
We can't afford to walk 1,away from rural America I -
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By Elisha Greeley Smith Center for Rural Affairs
President Bush's proposed budget for 2009 zeros O L I ~funding for 2 0 important rural development programs. That is the finding of the Center for Rural V f f a i r s recently published Rural Brief. It's crucial for the long " term health and viability of rural , c o m n ~ u n i t i e s that we create opportunities, generate wealth and build assets for individuals, but if funding for rural development keeps being neglected our rural co~nmunitieswill continue to decline. The less we invest
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now in rural development, the more our r ~ ~ r acommunities' l infrastructure deteriorates and the more it will cost in the long run. A s with previous budgets, the 2009 budget recommends termination of numerous federal rural developnlent and rural assetbuilding programs. Adoption of the Administration's 2009 budget would cause total rural development funding to be 7 2 percent less than its 2003 level. Sen. Tom Harkin was recently quoted in an article by Philip Brasher in The Des Moines Register saying "What good does it d o if we keep giving more money to farmers
but they don't have any towns, they don't have churches, they ! don't have hospitals, they don't j have schools, they don't have water?" Senator Harkin's anal ysis is more than accurate - it is a snapshot of what is already happening to our most rural communities. And given the rapid ! decline in rural development funding, it's apparent the federal government is walking away from any commitment to the future of our rural communities and the 6 0 million people who To call rural America home. view the entire Rural Brief: http:llwww.cfra.orghode/l172 :
TINIES-NEWS WEDNESDAY WEEKLY DEWITT, NE -
Circulation = 632
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Page 2 The DeWitt Times News, April 23,2008
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Let's Draw People To DeWitt, ~ l ~ r n o u t h " Areas With New, Unique Businesses 1
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By Tim Linscott
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The Irwin store downtown was a wonderful drawing point I to the community. People made it a point to come to the store and came to shop for specific items. While in town they may ; have stopped for gas or something to eat. These drawing point stores are good for the entire economy of a town. Getting some more of these drawing point shops can be 1 done but will take a group effort. One thing that can be done to garner some more 'drawing points' is fostering entrepreneurship in the community. The Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP), through the Center for Rural Affairs, has some fantastic programs avail- , able to help someone take a dream and turn it into a reality and the Southeast Nebraska Development District (SENDD). . also provides a wealth of information and aide to those who*i want to start their own business. Taking advantage of these assets to the state will only benefit the community and. hopefully, bring some assets to the ! community in the form of new businesses and families coming to town. REAP can be reached by calling (402) 335-3675 and SENDD can be contacted at (402) 475-2560. If you have an idea, dream or always wanted to do something, now is the time to do something. I
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