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Want to retain more youth? Offer them downtown housing

By Becky McCray

A big trend in urban real estate is coming to small towns, to create a new opportunity to retain more young people. Young real estate buyers have made an epic shift, away from big suburban homes, and toward smaller spaces in walkable neighborhoods. I read about this first in Grist: Millennials not looking for McMansions […]

June 23, 2011 Filed Under: economic development, entrepreneurship, ideas, rural, trends, youth Tagged With: opinion

Prosperous small towns are built on prosperous entrepreneurs

By Becky McCray

Talking events and festivalsat Red Carpet Country meeting. At the Red Carpet Country annual meeting, one of the big hits was the panel on events and festivals. They shared stories of local events that started with a few dozen or a few hundred attendees, and have grown to thousands. The total economic impact of those […]

March 17, 2011 Filed Under: rural Tagged With: opinion

When saving a dollar could lose your community

By Becky McCray

[Melyn Johnson is the Main Street Manager in Guymon, Oklahoma. She always amazes me with her innovative projects in tourism and community development. She is also incredibly generous at sharing her knowledge. She wrote this piece for her “On the Bricks” column, in the Guymon Daily Herald. It’s been reprinted in other area papers, and she […]

February 21, 2011 Filed Under: Best of, community, economic development, rural Tagged With: Climate, opinion

What the Midwest Rural Assembly lacked

By Becky McCray

[I’ve held on to this post since August, a bit concerned about being critical. I think these points are worth discussing, so I’ve finally decided to share it. -Becky] Lots about the Midwest Rural Assembly impressed me in a good way. But I found myself feeling the lack of two elements I consider critical in […]

December 9, 2010 Filed Under: rural Tagged With: opinion

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