For some Minnesota small businesses, it's been harder to fully recover from major events of the past two years. A state grant program has a new round of funding for capital improvements, and partners say the goal is to get the money to areas of high need.

Minnesota is in its latest phase of the Main Street Economic Revitalization Program, established last year. One partner in distributing funding is the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, with a key focus on commercial corridors in the East Metro affected by the pandemic, civil unrest and other challenges.

Claire Thomas, economic development program manager for the East Side Neighborhood Development Company, said business owners of color have particularly struggled.

"A lot of those lifelines that were put out to businesses during the pandemic, like PPP loans, they really were able to help a lot of businesses," Thomas acknowledged. "But for a lot of micro businesses, BIPOC-owned businesses, those programs were still pretty tough to access."

Eligible businesses can apply for grants of up to $750,000 if they have had economic struggles going back to March 2020. They are required to secure matching funds, and the Foundation can assist with those needs.

State officials say in some cases around the state, the program helps Main Street corridors still reeling from events like natural disasters.

Brandon Toner, director of the office of small business partnerships for the Department of Employment and Economic Development, said while a large manufacturing plant might create a lot of jobs for a community, the impact of small businesses cannot be overlooked.

"These are places that make a city, or Main Street or a town, a place where people want to live, people want to spend money," Toner contended.

Three out of every four jobs in Minnesota are in businesses with fewer than 500 employees. In diverse communities in the East Metro, Thomas pointed out the locations have purposes which go beyond sales and service.

"So, whether it's a place for community members to gather, for them to get their basic needs met, or to be able to celebrate together," Thomas noted. "We have a lot of cultural and community centers."

Community partners are facilitating grants for targeted corridors elsewhere in Minnesota, including other parts of the Twin Cities, as well as communities like Worthington.

From navigating floodwaters to surviving the aftermath of a severe storm, South Dakotans are being urged to make sure they're ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at them this spring.

In its latest outlook, the National Weather Service said melting snow from recent winter storms raises the risk of river flooding in parts of eastern South Dakota.

Carrie Carlson-Guest, regional communications director for the American Red Cross of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, said recent footage from flood-ravaged California should remind drivers to stop and think when encountering standing water.

"And we say 'Turn around, don't drown' because you see an intersection may be flooded and people think, 'Oh, well, it's not that deep.' And then they can get into it and in a few inches, that can lift a car up and push it into an area that's really dangerous," Carlson-Guest cautioned.

As for severe weather, she suggests having a preparedness kit put together. The organization said it can help with being stuck at home with no power or access to help, or if you're forced to leave or are trapped while on the road. The checklist can include water bottles, nonperishable food, first-aid supplies, flashlights, blankets and sleeping bags.

Carlson-Guest noted with a changing climate making storms more unpredictable, it is important to not shrug off being prepared.

"Now, we have to know what can happen in our area and make sure that you got a plan," Carlson-Guest stressed.

She added it is important to not overlook the little things, such as making sure there is something to keep kids occupied during an emergency. And for households with elderly family members or someone who has special needs, they are reminded to stock up on specific supplies they would need during an emergency.


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Whitesburg residents have put the finishing touches on a walking trail aimed at increasing outdoor exercise among residents and linking local businesses.

Four benches were added along the three mile path that runs through the city's downtown, known as Tanglewood Trail.

Appalshop Community Development Director Annie Jane Cotton said the AARP Community Challenge grant used to fund the project offered an exciting opportunity to increase health and wellness for the region's older citizens.

"We have an aging population that needed more access to outdoor recreation opportunities," said Cotton, "as well as providing a network of businesses and access for citizens who potentially don't have cars."

Across the state, AARP Community Challenge grants have helped improve open spaces. The program is open to nonprofits and governments, and grants can range from several hundred dollars to tens of thousands for larger projects.

This year's deadline to apply is March 15. Visit 'aarp.org/communitychallenge' for more information.

Cotton said the project speaks to the potential of combining art, recreation and healthy food access as key components of a livable community.

"When we integrate art and community health opportunities, and community access to fresh and local foods," said Cotton, "we're not only fueling our local economy, we're also raising our community health status."

Matching funds raised by local businesses and individual donors will be put toward expanding the trail to the top of Pine Mountain, where it will join the 800 mile Great Eastern Trail.

The Arizona Department of Transportation wants to hear from people across the state as it looks to set priorities for the state's 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan.

The Arizona Public Interest Research Group Education Fund said the state plan should reflect the needs of all Arizonans, no matter where they live.

Diane Brown, executive director of the group, said there has been a clear need to increase features like bike lanes and walking paths, and also to improve public transit options. Brown thinks the goal should be to have transportation choices to help Arizonans save money, improve air quality and take public health impacts into account.

"The transportation system needs to significantly incorporate active transportation such as walking and biking along with public transit to provide Arizonans options," Brown asserted.

Brown added while Arizonans have expressed a desire for more public transit and alternate modes of transportation, it is unclear what the department is doing to help achieve such goals. According to the agency, 85% of people in the state travel by car, and fewer than 2% use public transit. The schedule includes a virtual meeting on March 9 at 6 p.m.

The 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan is not project-specific, but sets goals to guide the agency's transportation investments for years to come. The current plan focuses primarily on preserving and maintaining the state's current highway system.

Brown countered policymakers should invest in a transportation infrastructure which looks ahead to future needs, especially as the state faces continued water, climate and social equity challenges.

"ADOT recognizes Arizona's population is projected to increase and with it, Arizonans can expect further strain on our water resources and impacts to our climate," Brown pointed out.

Brown's group said the state's willingness to expand highways to alleviate congestion will help in the initial years, but not over time. According to the department, Pinal County is expected to see a big population jump by 2025, and together, Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties will hold nearly 85% of the state's population.