Contact:
Weldon Freeman (202) 690-1384
Jay Fletcher (202) 690-0498
WASHINGTON, March 26, 2019 – Acting Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Joel Baxley today announced that USDA is investing $116 million (PDF, 158 KB) to help rebuild and improve rural water infrastructure for 171,000 rural Americans in 23 states.
“Helping to bring modern water and wastewater infrastructure to rural communities will increase economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for rural residents,” Baxley said. “The investments USDA is announcing today are foundational to health, safety and economic development in rural communities across America.”
USDA is working with local partners to provide financing for 49 water and environmental infrastructure projects. The funding is being provided through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. It can be used for drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.
Eligible communities and water districts can apply online on the interactive RD Apply tool or through one of USDA Rural Development’s state or field offices.
Below are some examples of the investments USDA is making:
USDA is making investments in rural communities in: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Washington.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a key recommendation of the task force.
To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
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Chamber of Commerce Ranks the Best Small Cities for Small Business in America for 2019
March 26, 2019 — ChamberofCommerce.org has published a study that uncovers the best small cities for business in America for 2019. This ranking features often-overlooked cities with modest populations, as they too can be small-business havens.
Top 10 Small Cities for Small Business in 2019
This list continues onward to include a total of 164 “small” American cities (populations below 250,000), with virtually every state represented.
Find the full report, which includes the entire aforementioned list and details behind the assigned rankings, here: https://www.chamberofcommerce.org/best-small-cities-for-business/
The Chamber of Commerce has arrived at these rankings by assessing several variables that all together create the ideal environment for a small business to thrive in. Some of these variables include personal income per capita, cost of living, unemployment rate, among several others.
While massive America metropolises are often considered the only viable option for aspiring small business owners, the Chamber of Commerce has found data to support that there is indeed an alternative – or at least over 100 of them.
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About Chamber of Commerce
ChamberofCommerce.org is a website dedicated to helping small business owners and entrepreneurs start, market, finance, and grow their businesses. By creating in-depth guides, how-tos, and reviews covering relevant business products, the Chamber of Commerce is able to help its readers move past the pitfalls that are often to blame for small business failure. Learn more at chamberofcommerce.org.
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Dear Dave,
I’m getting married this summer and about become a stepfather, but my fiancé’s daughter from a previous marriage seems very irresponsible. She’s 20 and lives at home, has trouble holding a job, and she doesn’t really want to work. When she doesn’t have money to make her car payment, she seems to expect her mom to pay it for her. My fiancé and I both agree that she’s been too lenient with her in the past, but she doesn’t want to suddenly pull the rug out from under her. How do you think we should approach this situation?
Kendall
Dear Kendall,
Marriage counselors say you have a good chance of having a successful marriage if you’re in agreement on four things—religion, money, children, and in-laws. So, first things first. I’d strongly suggest you and your fiancé go through pre-marital counseling to make sure you’re on the same page when it comes to handling this and other issues.
If you and her mom really want to show her you love her, you’ll make sure she starts learning some character and discipline. And it’s very important that both of you are on the same page and in agreement every step of the way. You might also want to read a book together by Dr. Henry Cloud called “Boundaries.” This is a great book, and it will give you both several ideas for creating a reasonable timeline aimed at teaching her more responsibility.
I would advise letting her mom present any changes to her initially. Neither of you wants to create a scenario where you’re viewed as the bad guy. Let her mom start the process by explaining that she made a few mistakes in terms of teaching her more about personal responsibility and self-reliance when she was younger. Then, she can begin to lay out the first few rules and expectations.
In my mind, there’s nothing wrong with requiring her to get a job within 30 days if she doesn’t already have one. If she needs to go job hunting, make sure she’s out of bed and on the road no later than 8:00 a.m. every morning. During this first phase, looking for work every day should be her job. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to start teaching her about budgeting, saving, and everything else that goes into handling money responsibly during this time, too.
Next, phase two might consist of requiring her to help around the house doing chores on her days off, or whenever mom needs a hand. Then, after a month or two of this, phase three might consist of her paying a small amount in rent.
Do you see what I’m doing? By stepping up the expectations gradually you’re building a foundation so she’ll have the tools and knowledge to where, in the sixth or seventh month, she’s moving out and taking care of her own responsibilities.
Like an adult!
—Dave
* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 15 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey
