The Minnesota Dept. of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded 39 grants totaling more than $15.9 million to hlep pay for improvements for housing, commercial property and infrastructure in Greater Minnesota.
West central Minnesota communities that have received grants include:
Ashby, $351,600, to rehabilitate 15 owner-occupied houses to benefit Ashby and Wendell.
Glenwood, $505,570, to rehabilitate 15 owner-occupied houses, 10 rental units and eight commercial buildings to benefit the cities of Glenwood, Sedan and Evansville and Polk and Douglas counties.
Hancock and Morris, $288,170, to rehabilitate 10 owner-occupied houses.
Parkers Prairie, $389,121, to rehabilitate 16 owner-occupied houses to benefit Parkers Prairie and Deer Creek.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Atlas helps you navigate socio-economic waters
How does the median household income differ between Minnesota counties? What are the dropout rates? How many physicians or dentists are there in a particular area?There are many factors that can indicate a county's social and economic health. The Center for Rural Policy and Development, along with the University of Minnesota Extension Service and the Blandin Foundation, have compiled indicators by county in many topics, including people, economic vitality, health, housing education and more.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
News from Traverse County
excerpted from the Wheaton Gazette, May 26, 2009
Officials break ground for Browns Valley Floodway Diversion Project - Saturday, May 26, local and state officials helped break ground for the new floodway diversion on the Little Minnesota River. In 2007, a flood devastated part of Browns Valley. The city and the local watershed district worked with many state and national organizations to develop a flood control plan. Mayor Jeff Backer personally thanked West Central Initiative for providing the funds to organize the recovery effort back in 2007.
Traverse County's jobless rate falls during April - For the first time since last October, the unemployment rate fell, from 9.3 percent in March to 7.5 percent in April. Thirty less people were unemployment in the county. The jobless rate also fell below state and national averages for the first time this year.
Bids accepted for sewer rehabilitation and lift station and force main project - The city of Wheaton accepted bids for two major projects in the city. Officials are hoping construction will start mid-June. The bids came in lower than expected.
Officials break ground for Browns Valley Floodway Diversion Project - Saturday, May 26, local and state officials helped break ground for the new floodway diversion on the Little Minnesota River. In 2007, a flood devastated part of Browns Valley. The city and the local watershed district worked with many state and national organizations to develop a flood control plan. Mayor Jeff Backer personally thanked West Central Initiative for providing the funds to organize the recovery effort back in 2007.
Traverse County's jobless rate falls during April - For the first time since last October, the unemployment rate fell, from 9.3 percent in March to 7.5 percent in April. Thirty less people were unemployment in the county. The jobless rate also fell below state and national averages for the first time this year.
Bids accepted for sewer rehabilitation and lift station and force main project - The city of Wheaton accepted bids for two major projects in the city. Officials are hoping construction will start mid-June. The bids came in lower than expected.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
New wastewater technology could help clean up lakes
excerpted from Detroit Lakes Tribune, May 24, 2009
SJE-Rhombus, Detroit Lakes, has a new treatement system that could be the next great thing for the health of Minnesota Lakes. The compact system takes wastewater and turns it into water nearly clean enough to drink.
The new system uses a form of ceramic filters that provides microfiltration down to .2 microns (about 1,000 times smaller than a human hair). It also requires a much smaller space--about 200 square feet compared to about 4,000 square feet needed to handle 10,000 gallons a day under old technology. The filters also last about 20 years, three to four times longer than conventional filters.
The new technology has implications for water-scarce parts of the world, in that it would essentially allow water to be continually reused.
SJE-Rhombus, Detroit Lakes, has a new treatement system that could be the next great thing for the health of Minnesota Lakes. The compact system takes wastewater and turns it into water nearly clean enough to drink.
The new system uses a form of ceramic filters that provides microfiltration down to .2 microns (about 1,000 times smaller than a human hair). It also requires a much smaller space--about 200 square feet compared to about 4,000 square feet needed to handle 10,000 gallons a day under old technology. The filters also last about 20 years, three to four times longer than conventional filters.
The new technology has implications for water-scarce parts of the world, in that it would essentially allow water to be continually reused.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Minnesota manufactureres buoyed by new state investment in Growth Acceleration Program
Enterprise Minnesota’s highly popular Growth Acceleration Program (GAP) received a significant shot in the arm this week when Governor Tim Pawlenty signed into law the legislature’s appropriation of $1 million for the program.
GAP is a matching grant that enables small manufacturers to access business improvement services. First funded in 2007 with one-time funding of $750,000, GAP has since helped more than 80 Minnesota manufacturers realize a $15 return for every $1 spent by GAP. Some companies realized as much as a $40 to $1 return on GAP.
"Clearly this is a program that works,” said Bob Kill, president & CEO of Enterprise Minnesota. “The outcome of this action will be job security at a time when Minnesotans need it. GAP is a tremendous resource for the Minnesota communities and employees that depend on the economic security that these manufacturers provide.”
“At a time when the state has limited resources, we try to focus on programs that can demonstrate effects that create jobs,” said Minnesota State Senator Kathy Saltzman (Woodbury). “GAP is an excellent example of what seems like a small investment producing huge results.”
The newly funded GAP program includes a three-to-one match for companies with fewer than 50 employees, a one-to-one match for those with 50 to 100 employees, and a one-to-three match for companies with more than 100 but fewer than 250 employees.
Learn more about the Growth Acceleration Program.
GAP is a matching grant that enables small manufacturers to access business improvement services. First funded in 2007 with one-time funding of $750,000, GAP has since helped more than 80 Minnesota manufacturers realize a $15 return for every $1 spent by GAP. Some companies realized as much as a $40 to $1 return on GAP.
"Clearly this is a program that works,” said Bob Kill, president & CEO of Enterprise Minnesota. “The outcome of this action will be job security at a time when Minnesotans need it. GAP is a tremendous resource for the Minnesota communities and employees that depend on the economic security that these manufacturers provide.”
“At a time when the state has limited resources, we try to focus on programs that can demonstrate effects that create jobs,” said Minnesota State Senator Kathy Saltzman (Woodbury). “GAP is an excellent example of what seems like a small investment producing huge results.”
The newly funded GAP program includes a three-to-one match for companies with fewer than 50 employees, a one-to-one match for those with 50 to 100 employees, and a one-to-three match for companies with more than 100 but fewer than 250 employees.
Learn more about the Growth Acceleration Program.
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