skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Donald Trump wins US presidency and the GOP flips the Senate; UT electric provider taps into the potential of 'virtual' power plants; Ohio State course bridges science and faith in polarized times; MI mayor prioritizes health, climate with 'health-in-all-policies' plan.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump wins the White House. Republicans will take over the Senate after flipping several seats, and seem to be on track to hold the House. In spite of bomb threats and charges of fraud, a very high-turnout election mostly went smoothly.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A Cambodian poultry farmer who lost his livelihood could be a hero for others, rural Montanans are anxiously awaiting a court ruling over a climate lawsuit brought by young people, and Northeast states say more housing for working families could boost jobs.

USDA highlights federal investments in rural VA

play audio
Play

Tuesday, August 6, 2024   

UPDATE: The event referenced in this story has been postponed due to inclement weather. The story will be updated when a new date and time are announced. (3:57 p.m. MDT, Aug. 7, 2024)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is highlighting its investments in rural America with an event coming up soon in western Virginia.

The gathering will feature local leaders and businesses and discussions of how the federal government has supported them through recent spending packages like the Inflation Reduction Act.

Anthony Flaccavento is a Virginia farmer and the executive director of a group helping to organize the event: the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative. He said a lot of people living in cities might look at rural areas in a negative light.

"The first big goal is to say to the broader media and the country, 'Hey, we're not dead yet. In fact, we're fighting back and having really effective, impactful work,'" Flaccavento pointed out.

The stakeholders at the roundtable are involved in industries like food systems management, agroforestry and affordable housing. Flaccavento acknowledged the federal government has rapidly improved how it connects with and invests in smaller communities in the past few years. Rural counties have grown in population since the pandemic after a decade-long trend of decline.

The event will be open to the public, at The Inn at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, at a date soon to be determined. It will kick off a series of similar gatherings across the country. Flaccavento is especially excited for people to learn about ACME Panel Company in Radford. This is a small business creating stormproof, insulated building materials.

"That's the kind of innovation that's creating local jobs," Flaccavento stressed. "It's also building structures that are perfect for a world experiencing climate change, much more energy efficient, and much more storm resistant. So they're a stellar example."

The federal government has invested billions in trying to spur economic growth in rural America. Flaccavento added grants and programs for broadband, ag innovation and manufacturing have made an especially big impact.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Political scientists said even in elections where the youth vote surges in certain areas, it is still heavily outnumbered by older voting populations. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

As results continue to come into focus post-Election Day, factors like the youth vote are expected to be scrutinized. Experts said it is important …


Social Issues

play sound

Although Florida was not considered a swing state this year's election, its diverse demographics reflect national trends, and political observers are …

Social Issues

play sound

The brisk pace of voting continued on Election Day, and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson expects the battleground state to shatter a 64-…


The City of Dearborn has partnered with others in Wayne County to apply for and implement several federal programs funded by the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. (Branden/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

The mayor of Dearborn has adopted a "health-in-all-policies" approach, a pledge to prioritize health, environmental justice and climate action in …

Social Issues

play sound

pro-Palestinian groups are hosting a demonstration today starting at Red Arrow Park in downtown Milwaukee. The groups Students for a Democratic …

The addition of more than 750 megawatts of renewable energy for rural portions of Kentucky significantly reduces the amount of greenhouse gases developed by natural gas and coal-fired generators. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

New funding from the federal Empowering Rural America program will allow the East Kentucky Power Cooperative to add more than 750 megawatts of solar e…

Social Issues

play sound

A new report quantifies the contribution of Wyoming's arts and culture sector to the state's economy and shows it is significant. Wyoming in 2022 …

Social Issues

play sound

In Minnesota and across the U.S., poll workers are being praised for stepping up during another big election. Administrators hope the goodwill …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021