November E-Newsletter

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Read about upcoming events and workshops, media highlights, and more in the latest issue of Region Nine’s E-News!

 

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Feasibility study to determine specifics of Czech Heritage Trail

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If plans fall into place, more than a common school district will connect Le Center, Montgomery and Lonsdale. A proposed biking/walking path will literally connect the three communities.

The concept for, the path, called the Czech Heritage Trail, came into being last year. Mark Preissing, while working as community education director for Tri-City United Schools, met with the three city administrators and applied for a Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) grant to connect Le Center, Montgomery and Lonsdale. SMIF has funded a feasibility study with a $10,000 grant, and the estimated time of completion for the study is January 2019.

For the first time, members of all three communities attended a meeting to share their opinions on the trail’s development. At Hilltop Hall in Montgomery Wednesday, representatives from Hoisington Koegler Group and Region Nine Development Commission conducted the meeting and facilitated discussions.

Gabrielle Grinde, landscape architect for Hoisington Koegler Group, said the study requires looking at mapping options, casting an analysis and estimating construction costs.

“We’re anticipating this trail could be a 20-year master plan,” said Grinde.

Continue reading Lonsdale Area News Review article.

October E-Newsletter

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Innovation, funding opportunities, media highlights, and more in the latest issue of Region Nine’s E-News!

 

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September E-Newsletter

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Celebrating the MedTech Connect Release, grant opportunities, and more in the latest issue of Region Nine’s E-News!

 

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August E-Newsletter

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Grant opportunities, our Feast! Smart Start Program kick-off event and more in the latest issue of Region Nine’s E-News!

 

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MedTech Connect

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Madelia Economic Resiliency Plan

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April E-Newsletter

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Grant opportunities, new staff and more! Read about it all in Region Nine’s April 2018 E-Newsletter. 

 

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Broadband can be life or death for rural areas: How are we doing?

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NORTH MANKATO — The threat to rural Minnesota used to be measured mostly by the lack of good paying jobs needed to keep young people staying in or moving to small towns.

Bill Coleman says the presence or absence of dependable, speedy broadband service is now the key to rural Minnesota’s success or failure.

“Even the smallest manufacturer now requires a fiber connection before they’ll move to a location,” Coleman, owner of Community Technology Advisors, told leaders from the nine-county region.

And it’s not just the ability to attract businesses and jobs that requires solid broadband service, it’s become a top requirement for young people considering moving to the area.

“More people say they won’t move to a place that doesn’t have connectivity.”

And he said the use of devices for telemedicine, in livestock and crop production, and other areas of daily life are only going to grow in rural areas.

Coleman spoke at Region Nine Development Commission’s Connect Rural Broadband Summit in North Mankato Thursday.

Continue reading the Free Press article.