RARE Monday Mailing Year 28 | Issue 02 20 September 2021
1. In Search of the Oregon Coast Trail… 2. Keys to Sustainable Rural Community Development 3. How Local Governments Can Embrace Hispanic Heritage Month 4. Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month 5. ‘Tourist Tax:’ Oregon State Park Campsites to Cost 25% More for Out-of-State RV Travelers 6. Achieving COVID-19 Herd Immunity in Oregon: Progress & Challenges 7. What We Talk About When We Talk About Gentrification 8. RESOURCE: Disaster Resiliency and Recovery Resources – A Guide for Rural Communities (Alison Smith) 9. RESOURCE: Use of Good Neighbor Authority Across the West (Grace Kaplowitz) 10. RESOURCE: USDA Resource Guide for Rural Workforce Development (Grace Kaplowitz)
Quote of the Week: “Sometimes the very thing you’re most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free.” - Jasmine Lamb
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Oregon Fast Fact The hot dog, the tater tot, marionberries, plywood, and the Phillips head screw were all invented in Oregon. Read more.
In Search of the Oregon Coast Trail…
The Oregon Way The Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) is one of the best kept secrets in Oregon, including 362 miles of coastline and 28 coastal towns. It showcases the magic of Oregon, one of the most beautiful coastal vistas in the world. Walking it could be a story that you share with your grandchildren. But, in its current state, walking it would also entail a few less cheerful anecdotes. In many spots the OCT follows the ocean, and involves walking on long stretches of sandy beach. In other areas, it includes the shoulder of Highway 101, or walking along city streets in coastal towns. There are places where it is difficult or impassible if you are there at the wrong time, when the tide is too high or when the rivers are running deep and full. But, with some time and energy, the experience of walking the OCT could be magical. Read the full story. RARE AmeriCorps Program Monday Mailing | Page 1 of 5
2. Keys to Sustainable Rural Community Development
Rural Development Initiatives As the nation looks forward to recovering from the economic impacts of the pandemic, rural, tribal, and other underrepresented populations are worried about being left out of the conversation. After all, rural and tribal places face the same complex challenges as larger population centers but are geographically isolated and have limited financial resources with fewer people to do the work. How can we make sure that these marginalized groups receive the support they need to rebuild their communities, have their voices heard, and become more resilient to future crises? Read the full story.
3. How Local Government Can Embrace Hispanic Heritage Month
Engaging Local Government Leaders National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed Sept. 15-Oct. 15 each year, marking a celebration of the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. What began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week was expanded in 1988 over a 30-day period, beginning with the anniversaries of independence for several Latin American countries. More information about the month and educational material can be found at the Library of Congress website. Per the International City/County Management Association, the tribute that Hispanic Heritage Month plays is less about Hispanics celebrating their own culture and traditions, but more about their institutions recognizing the community’s efforts and accomplishments. Read the full story.
4. Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
Oregon Food Bank In the US, National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th to October 15th. In the midst of multiple crises, we recognize this opportunity to take a moment or two to pause, breathe, celebrate and strengthen our perspectives in this moment.
This month – and every month – let us gain a greater understanding of the intersectional realities of our interconnected lives. Let us remember that the heritage of individuals and communities with ancestry from Iberian and Latin American countries as well as many Caribbean Islands are woven into the very fabric of the United States’ and its everdeveloping history. This history, this heritage, is part of us all and part of our shared journey. Read the full story. RARE AmeriCorps Program Monday Mailing | Page 2 of 5
5. ‘Tourist Tax:’ Oregon State Park Campsites to Cost 25% More for Out-of-State RV Travelers Statesman Journal Tourists from outside the state will pay a little more next season if they're planning to camp in a recreational vehicle at Oregon's state parks.
Senate Bill 794, passed last session by the state legislature and signed by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in June, imposes a 25% surcharge on non-residents who camp in RV sites at 56 campgrounds from the Oregon Coast to the Wallowa Mountains. The fees apply to everything from small pop-up trailers to Airstreams to motorhomes. It does not apply to tent campsites, yurts or cabins. Read the full story.
6. Achieving COVID-19 Herd Immunity in Oregon: Progress & Challenges
Institute for Policy Research and Engagement, University of Oregon Oregon has one of the higher adult vaccination rates in the US (just over 70% of adults 18+). This accomplishment is not to be scoffed at. Yet 20 percent of Oregonians have no plans to vaccinate, thus more work is needed. On June 30, Gov. Brown lifted almost all restrictions put in place at the start of the pandemic. However, the data in this report highlight that the rates of vaccination are not even across the state. The map on this page shows vaccinations rates for Oregonians age 16+ (other places in this report use 18+ reporting). It is clear from this that there are large differences in vaccination rates within the state. Achieving a higher rate of vaccinations in all corners of the state assure benefits are more even and lasting. Read the full story.
7. What We Talk About When We Talk About Gentrification
Vox Gentrification appends so many words these days — “graffiti,” “rock music,” “font,” “thrifting” — that it bears scant similarity to its original definition. In 1964, sociologist Ruth Glass coined the term gentrification. As Steven Thomson explained for Curbed, Glass was describing a “class phenomenon … by adapting the British-ism ‘gentry’” to describe the process of “middle class liberal arts intelligentsia” moving into her primarily working-class London neighborhood.
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The term flew across the Atlantic and made its home in the United States, where similar trends would begin making their way through cities over the last few decades of the 20th century. Google Books data shows the term “gentrification” didn’t really take off in the US until the late ’90s and has been steadily growing in use ever since. Read the full story.
8. RESOURCE – Disaster Resiliency and Recovery Resources: A Guide for Rural Communities USDA Rural Development USDA Rural Development (RD) developed this guide as a resource for rural communities seeking disaster resiliency and recovery assistance. USDA RD offers programs and servicing options that can help rural residents, businesses, and communities impacted by disaster, and support long-term planning and recovery efforts that build for the future. According to the recent National Climate Assessment (NCA), more frequent and extreme weather and climate-related events, as well as changes in average climate conditions, are expected to continue to damage infrastructure, ecosystems, and social systems that provide essential benefits to communities. Strategic emergency preparedness and response is critical to averting damage to the economy, environment, and human health. The following sections provide an overview of available preparation assistance for rural communities. Access the resource.
9. RESOURCE – Use of Good Neighbor Authority Across the West
Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition The Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) expands capacity and creates new partnership opportunities for accomplishing forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration projects on federal lands. The authority allows the U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to partner with states, counties, and tribes to implement authorized restoration services on lands managed by those federal agencies. It also authorizes states to retain revenues from restoration-focused GNA timber sales and use those funds to accomplish additional restoration work through the authority. As part of the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition’s (RVCC) dedication to partnershipbased approaches to land stewardship, we have tracked the use and expansion of GNA since it was permanently authorized in 2014. In the following report, we review the current scope and status of GNA use on Forest Service-managed lands in 12 Western states, noting both region-wide trends as well as important differences between states. For our research, RARE AmeriCorps Program Monday Mailing | Page 4 of 5
we conducted 21 interviews with state, federal, tribal, and county representatives who oversaw or coordinated GNA projects. We also reviewed Good Neighbor agreements, Forest Service tracking documents, federal statutes, agency directives, and grey literature on the authority. We hope the following findings and associated interpretations provide practitioners and policymakers a ground-level perspective on how the authority is being used by the Forest Service and its non-federal partners across the West. Access the resource.
10. RESOURCE – USDA Resource Guide for Rural Workforce Development
USDA Rural Development Innovation Center America’s rural workforce provides a vital foundation for the nation’s economy . Rural America supplies the nation’s food and energy resources, and the fiber necessary for goods and manufacturing . As USDA continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and help restore the economy, we remain committed to supporting rural employers and job seekers to rebuild rural America’s workforce better, stronger and more equitably than ever before . For these reasons, USDA is prioritizing collaborations with its federal partners to help start and grow thousands of businesses and give individuals the educational and financial tools to succeed in rural America . This guide was created for community leaders and other local entities to help them access resources to create jobs, train talent, expand educational opportunities and provide technical assistance . The guide outlines programs and services available at USDA and other federal departments and agencies that support workforce development in rural communities . The guide highlights four key assistance types necessary to building a stronger rural workforce: 1. Workforce development planning 2. Infrastructure and equipment financing 3. Industry and employer engagement, entrepreneurship and local business development 4. Education, training and apprenticeship Access the resource.
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