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Majority of Rural Counties Gains Jobs
Daily Yonder | READ STORY
The New York Times reported last month that a sudden plunge in demand for commodities was leading to slack business in oil, mining, farming, steel making, heavy equipment production, a slowdown in the sale of most things. This decline has cut employment in parts of rural America, as the map above shows. But overall, the monthly labor figures show that rural America continued to add jobs over the last year. The rate of employment increase is only about half that of the cities. But the jobs keep coming and the unemployment rate in rural counties continues to decline.
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New Report Displays Rural America Recovering
USDA | READ STORY
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently released the following statement on Rural America At A Glance, 2015 Edition, an annual report by USDA's Economic Research Service: "Today's report reflects a rural America on the road to recovery. Rural employment has increased; rural population decline did not increase over the past year and some rural counties have seen population growth; and the rural child poverty rate has declined by one percentage point. These trends are promising."
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Beyond Distrust: How Americans View Their Government
Pew Research Center | READ STORY
A year ahead of the presidential election, the American public is deeply cynical about government, politics and the nation's elected leaders in a way that has become quite familiar. Currently, just 19% say they can trust the government always or most of the time, among the lowest levels in the past half-century. Only 20% would describe government programs as being well-run. And elected officials are held in such low regard that 55% of the public says "ordinary Americans" would do a better job of solving national problems.
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Study Reveals the Uninsured Typically From the South, Live in Poverty
The Guardian | READ STORY
Two years into Obamacare, clear regional patterns are emerging about who has health insurance in America and who still doesn't. The remaining uninsured are primarily in the South and the Southwest. They tend to be poor. They tend to live in Republican-leaning states. The rates of people without insurance in the Northeast and the upper Midwest have fallen into the single digits since the Affordable Care Act's main provisions kicked in. But in many parts of the country, obtaining health insurance is still a problem for many Americans.
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LandMark: Protecting Indigenous and Community Lands by Making Them Visible
WRI | READ STORY
Up to 65 percent of the world's land is held by Indigenous Peoples and communities, yet only 10 percent is legally recognized as belonging to them. LandMark is the first online, interactive global platform to provide maps and other critical information on lands that are held and used by Indigenous Peoples and communities. The platform aims to raise awareness, engage audiences, and help these people protect their land rights.
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Rapid Climate-Change Response Needed to Keep 100 Million People From Poverty
World Bank | READ STORY
A new World Bank report shows that climate change is an acute threat to poorer people across the world, with the power to push more than 100 million people back into poverty over the next fifteen years. And the poorest regions of the world - Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia - will be hit the hardest. But the report - Shock Waves: Managing the Impacts of Climate Change on Poverty - also points to a way out. This requires that poverty reduction and development work continue as a priority while taking into account a changing climate.
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Global Concern about Climate Change, Broad Support for Limiting Emissions
Pew Research Center | READ STORY
As a new Pew Research Center survey illustrates, there is a global consensus that climate change is a significant challenge. Majorities in all 40 nations polled say it is a serious problem, and a global median of 54% consider it a very serious problem. Moreover, a median of 78% support the idea of their country limiting greenhouse gas emissions as part of an international agreement in Paris.
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The MSU Climate Science Conference will be Dec. 8-10, 2015 in Bozeman; If you are not able to attend in person, you can see the live video-stream and archive here; Updated info, including Speaker Bios and Session Descriptions have been posted here.
For the first time, the National Association of Community Development Professionals (NACDEP) and The Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals (ANREP) are teaming up for a Joint Annual Conference June 26-29, 2016 in Burlington, VT. The Call For Proposals Deadline is Dec. 18; more info here.
The Community Development Society has positions up for election: Vice President of Operations and 3 Board of Directors. A current roster of the Board of Directors and Officers can be found here. Please contact any of them to discuss in more detail the responsibilities and rewards of being involved with CDS.
The International Association for Community Development (IACD) has launched a new Policy Committee to debate and develop policy positions on subjects relevant to community development. IACD members can get involved by commenting on draft policy statements. More information about the remit and priorities of the Committee can be found on the IACD website.
-Paul Lachapelle
MACDEP President
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NCDA Winter Legislative and Policy Meeting
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January 20-22, 2016
Washington, D.C.
Sponsor: National Community Development Association
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IACD Sustainable Communities Practice Exchange
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March 10-21, 2016
India
Sponsor: International Association for Community Development
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Joint IACD/CDS International Conference
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July 24-27, 2016
Bloomington, MN
Sponsor: IACD / CDS
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Rural Community Investment
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Deadline: Ongoing
Funder: CHS, Inc.
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AmeriCorps State and National Grants
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Deadline: January 27th, 2016
Funder: AmeriCorps
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Community Building Grants
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Deadline: Ongoing
Funder: Signing for Change
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Sports and Community Development
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Deadline: Open
Funder: Adidas Group
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Community Facility Loans
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Deadline: Ongoing
Funder: Rural Community Assistance Corporation
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Developing Healthy Places
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Deadline: Ongoing
Funder: The Kresge Foundation
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Brazil Has Worst Economic Year in Two Decades
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El Nino Saves Mexico From Awful Hurricane Season
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Smog Keeps Beijing Students Indoors
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Hamburg Votes Against Hosting Olympics
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Prince Charles Calls For Forest Protection
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Report Says Montana Needs More Doctors
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Bozeman Daily Chronicle; Nov 30
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Solar Power On Rise in Montana
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Montana Woman Sues Costco
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Great Falls Tribune; Nov 30
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State Coal Railroad Put on Hold
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Great Falls Tribune; Nov 30
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Montana Considers Bison Restoration from Yellowstone
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