Project looks at challenges facing small-town America
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MPR's Ground Level project recently released its ebook, "Fighting for an American Countryside." It describes how small, rural towns are struggling to survive in today's increasingly urban world.
MPR News reporter Jennifer Vogel wrote the text for the project. She quotes Charles Marohn, from Baxter:
"We need to face the facts that we are literally going to lose hundreds of our small towns in this state over the next couple of decades ... They are just not financially viable. People are moving out. The infrastructure is old. Without huge outside government support and subsidy there's no way these places will be able to even maintain their base level of service. It's just not possible."
She contrasts that comment with this one from Arne Kildegaard, in Morris:
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"The motto of our food co-op is that it's been going out of business since 1970 ... That is small-town Minnesota in a nutshell. They are still here. They are not going anywhere."
Vogel, Marohn and Kildegaard join The Daily Circuit to discuss the project and the future of small-town Minnesota.
LEARN MORE ABOUT "FIGHTING FOR AN AMERICAN COUNTRYSIDE":
• Read the ebook, view the photos and watch the videos.
