Future of Rural Communities Essay Example for Free

Future of Rural Communities Essay Will today’s small rural towns be the ghost towns of tomorrow? Will what’s now a moderately busy main street be overtaken by grasses and tumbleweeds? According to the CEDS â€Å"Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy†, which was compiled in 2003 by the South Central Economic Development District, Franklin County ranks last in housing unit counts, wage and salary income, employer establishments. County population has declined over 34% from 5,449 in 1960 to 3,574 in 2000. Is the future of Franklin, Nebraska a steady decline with an end as a ghost town in the future? Franklin has a chance to reverse this trend with lots of community involvement, and by taking immediate action. There are many obstacles in the way of meeting the goal of making our small communities more livable and desirable. In the case of Franklin, there is a core group that has been in charge for many years and that is not easily convinced of the need to change. â€Å"Why change what has worked for many years? is only one of the questions that are heard many times. People don’t understand that in order to attract new families to move into our community, there has to be something to draw their attention to the area. Resistance to change is one of the greatest obstacles people that try to introduce change to small towns face (Gorman). Here in Franklin, ideas are often turned down, only because they may have come from an â€Å"outsider†. In this small town, everyone that has not been born in the community or in the next few towns up or down the river valley is an outsider. Unfortunately a distrust of strangers and their motives can be a great hindrance when making an effort to encourage growth. Massive change in a community often requires a great financial effort, and funds that are not readily available to communities. Often the city council votes against a project because of lack of money in the community. They are unaware that there may be grant money available for community improvement projects, or that someone in the community may feel strongly enough about a project to finance it with a donation. Problems must be dealt with honestly in order to find solutions that work. To turn ideas into concrete plans, a professional economic planner may be needed. There may be people within the community that are already equipped to do the necessary research and work with the many State-run and private organizations that are available to assist with rural development. Another option is to get together with other towns that may face the same problems, or have already taken forward steps to becoming a thriving community. Another secret to success lies in supporting existing businesses and encouraging entrepreneurs to follow their dreams (Brhel 1). A local bank that is open to working with new and existing businesses can be a great asset in keeping businesses in town and gaining new business ventures. Filling empty storefronts on main-street and keeping existing businesses open is a vital part of keeping downtown alive. Making a plan for business succession is another priority. There needs to be a plan for what happens when owners of existing businesses retire, in order to keep these businesses from permanently closing. Isolated counties may not be able to attract large businesses, due to a lack of skilled workers. It may be wise for small towns in these counties to attract families with an array of recreational opportunities. (Duggan, 12) Many workers are not tied to their office anymore; telecommuting and the internet give them the choice to live where they want to live. Making a community an interesting place with many recreational opportunities and marketing these opportunities can interest new families. The promise of affordable living with a great quality of life could act as a magnet to newcomers. There are many requirements that have to be met in order to turn a small rural town around. It takes people with a vision to see a potential in such a town. The community needs to pull together and find a group of volunteers that are also concerned with the community’s progression (Brhel, 2). It helps to find volunteers that are involved only in a limited amount of activities, since â€Å"professional volunteers† are often stretched so thin that they do not have the necessary time and energy that needs to be invested in community activism. A strong leader is needed to encourage volunteers but who is also able to deal with city and state officials. Franklin has found such a strong leader in Jim Gorman, who only moved to town about three years ago, after marrying Randee Emerson, a longtime Franklin resident. After living here in the community for a while he noticed that there are many individuals within our community that are quite willing to work hard for the community. He also noticed that there are many civic and other organizations in town that are basically idle or inactive. He founded the County Stimulation Initiative for Franklin County (CSI Franklin), an organization that is concerned with stimulating the growth, and improving the health and well being of our community on an economic and quality of life basis (Gorman). Jim Gorman is active in a number of organizations that have the economic growth of rural towns at heart. His activism in this town is strengthened by his being associated with the South Central Nebraska Economic Development District, a consortium of twelve rural Nebraska counties who see improving rural economies as a regional rather than purely local issue(SCEDD). CSI Franklin is what Gorman calls his group. They have already taken action in modernizing some signs at the local museum, and are now working on new museum exhibits and on the preservation of current artifacts. The Franklin Museum now also offers broadband internet access that was made possible with the help from Glenwood Communications. A new community website will help market the city of Franklin, and hopefully instill an interest in people to relocate to this area. Gorman states he hopes that by marketing our fantastic hunting opportunities, and our wonderful quality of life, marketing the modern workplace with broadband internet access for telecommuters and new businesses, people will be attracted to this area, and we will see an influx in people moving to this area. Possible future projects include restoration and renovation of the Dupre Music Hall, a historic building in the middle of the Franklin City Park and the Lincoln Hotel, a three story structure that was built in 1918 and is in dire need of repair. Both buildings are not usable at this time, but would make wonderful community centers. Making either one of them useable would be a great enrichment to this town. It would also instill a sense of pride in the people of this town, which might make them more likely to volunteer for community improvement projects. With a handful of dedicated volunteers, a good leader, and a solid plan, Franklin has a good chance of not only survival, but may even have the opportunity to flourish. There are many resources available to us and we need to make good use of them. Organizations like CSI, SCEDD, the University of Nebraska Rural Initiative are there to assist with these activities, and people like Jim Gorman are essential in reaching our goals.

newspaper reader ship :: essays research papers fc

INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The world is in turmoil,† at least that is what the media projected. But it was true; there was a major problem with the world on that autumn morning in September 11th. â€Å"The mighty have fallen,† was heard elsewhere as this great nation of America felt it’s first real attack since December 7, 1945 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. As all of the nations of the world sat slacked jawed and paralyzed, the American media worked at a feverish pace to inform all what had just happened.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The media did a wonderful job portraying the events that took place during and after September 11th. Especially the newspapers, with the up to the minute news processing and gathering for up to the minute news. They even at times collaborated with other news sources so that they were able to be a main source for news.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Newspapers is the only news mass media that has been there for every major disaster that America has gone through. The Revolutionary war used newspapers for the most up-to-date information for those whose family was fighting far off; it was even used to inform the cities of what was happening with the current government. Then there was the Civil War, and not to mention the deaths of Presidents. Newspapers have covered from behind the lines during battles. They were even there for even the saddest of moments when great people have passed on such as President John F. Kennedy and Princess Diana.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Newspapers have covered lots of news over the years and have had a lot of readers. But is it because of these disasters that newspapers are still around? Has the tragedy of September 11th helped to improve Sunday newspaper readership? Sunday Newspaper Readership   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to â€Å"Newspaper Association of America† there was a steady decline in Sunday readership before and continuing through the year 2000. Readers whether part time or full time newspaper readers were just not picking up their papers anymore. AT least 18% of all readers have started to read less or have decided not to pick up the paper all together. This continuous downfall has not just affected the occasional reader; it has affected every type from the hardcore to the infrequent reader. It is hard to reach the Sunday reader or even the potential reader to find out what they like to read in the newspaper since most of the time the reader is a one time a week reader or even an occasional reader.

Community College Students Essay

Often times, community college students are depicted by the public and the media as â€Å"not smart enough† or â€Å"not capable. † For example, just recently I was at Barnes and Noble and as I was looking for a book the sales associate approached me. She asked me if I needed help then asked me what school I attended, when I told her that I go to Fullerton College her attitude changed. She asked me if I didn’t go to a four year university because of my grades, when I told her that, that wasn’t the reason she went on ranting that I need to do good in school and I shouldn’t be at a community college. It seems that the public look down on the students at community college. When watching the show, â€Å"Blue Mountain State,† you have a group of friends that happen to be on the universities football team. On the show is portrays the typical university life and the football players engage in heavy drinking, drugs and lots of sex. If a four university is offering that then what is so good about going to one? Often times you hear about crazier parties thrown by universities rather than community colleges. Universities are supposed to be prestigious but these huge parties are throwing them off. Many times the public says that community college is no good because of its parties with drugs, they say that’s why no students should aim for community colleges but statistics say that universities throw the biggest parties. Who are the bad guys now? Recent talk on the website collegeconfidential. om, students talk about how their parents do not want their kids to go to a community college. This is a website for real people with answers from people who have had the experiences. A student just recently posted that his parents did not want him to go to a community college because they are no good. Many people were quick to respond to his post, most of the people who replied were adults who have had the experience, even some professors, and they told him that community college is not bad at all. The responders replied by saying that ommunity college has great professors and are cheaper than a four year university. Of course at a four year university you will get a bit better education, but for those who cannot afford the fees it is great for them. For example, a user , â€Å"NTKTOP,† posted this comment. â€Å"My parents say that they suck and that they’re going to kick me out of the house if I go to one. † This student sees nothing wrong with community college but his parents do, then this is what one San Diego State University graduate had to say, â€Å"I don’t think they’re bad. Of course, it depends on the school you choose and professor you get, but that’s the same of any traditional school. CC can be a good jumping board for some people. No matter where you go, you will find easy professors but in my experience CC is a not a bad choice. † This is my second semester in a community college; so far everything has been going good. The professors I have had are not very difficult but do not give easy grades. Last semester I had a Spanish class that was for advanced speakers but there were some things that did not click in my mind. My professor would stay with me after class to try and help me to better understand the material. This semester my math class has tutors that they offer for free. I take advantage of these resources because they are free and the professors are willing to help me out without any problem. The stories I hear from my friends in community college are that they have teachers that care for the student’s education; they do not give easy grades just because we are in community college. Many professors want to further our knowledge and prepare us for our transfer to a university. No matter where you go, you will get a great education. The United States is known worldwide for its prestigious schools. A big part has to come from the students, if the student is willing to put in the time, dedication and effort their possibilities are endless. So far, community college has been a great experience for me. I have great professors who are always able to help out. The media tries to pick on community colleges but in reality, it is a great choice in this economy. Many students that leave a four year university have a huge debt to pay because of loans. Many students choose community college because it is a fraction of the cost of a university. I do not think it is fair when parents judge community colleges as bad; you can get a good education for a very affordable price. You can go to a community college such as Fullerton College, which has great professors, to get your general education classes out of the way for a low price then transfer to a four year university to mainly focus on your degree classes.

Outline and Assess Sociological Explanations of Gender...

Crime is the when an individual or group commit an act against the law. Deviance is an act that is against the social norm and is labelled as deviant. Official statistics have proven that 80% of all crimes are committed by males. However the study of criminology have tended to be dominated by males, therefore the studies are done by men about men. The official statistics suggest that gender is perhaps the most significant single factor in whether an individual is convicted of crime. The official statistics often comply with the common assumption that men commit more crimes then women. According to official statistics, in 2005, 1.8 million offenders were guilty in which 79% were male and 7% of these were aged fewer than 18. The ratio of†¦show more content†¦Official statistics show that this remains true. Allen (1987) also found evidence that women sometimes escape prison in very serious cases where a male defendant might have been expected to receive a prison term. Courts may be reluctant to imprison mothers with young children. However she also found that women were more likely than men to be put on probation for some offences. However, the validity of the chivalry thesis is questioned by Box (1981) who reviewed the data from self-report studies in the UK and USA. He concluded that ‘the weight of evidence on women committing serious offences does not give clear support to the view that they receive differential and more favourable treatment’. This claim is supported by Graham and Bowling study which found that females were less likely than men to be involved in the more serious offences. The seriousness of the offence could explain the lower proportions of females among the convicted and cautioned than among self-reported offenders rather than leniency in the criminal justice system. Another approach to evaluating the chivalry thesis is to examine sentencing policy which was done by Farrington Morris (1983) who conducted a study of sentencing in Magistrates courts. They noted that some official figures did imply more leniency towards women. In 1979, 6.6% of men but only 2% of women found guilty of indictable crimes were imprisoned. Although men received more severe sentences than women, the research found that theShow MoreRelatedSociology A2 Revision 2012 34479 Words   |  18 PagesWednesday 13th June, am Unit 4 exam: Tuesday 19th June, pm Easter Revision: tbc A2 Syllabus: AQA Sociology GCE (new specification) Unit 3: Mass Media (SCLY3) Worth 20% of your final A Level Written paper, 1 hour 30 minutes 60 marks available Unit 4: Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods (SCLY4) Worth 30% of your final A Level Written paper, 2 hours 90 marks available Timetable Use your revision checklists to draw up a timetable for revision leading up to the exam. 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Moffitt and Ray Paternoster Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 2004 41: 180 DOI: 10.1177/0022427803260263 The online version of this article can be found at: http://jrc.sagepub.com/content/41/2/180 Published by: http://www.sagepublications.com On behalfRead MoreCuases Impact of Rural - Urban Migration from District Swabi to Peshawar14595 Words   |  59 Pagesbehaviour. 50 Table-15: Effect on social life and its specification. 51 Table-16: Change in family organization. 52 Table-17: Social stratification. 53 Table-18: Civic facilities minimized. 54 Table-19: Recreational places are overcrowded. 55 Table-20: Patterns of ceremonies effected and its specification. 56 Table-21: Change urban life. 57 Table-22: Administrative problems. 58 Table-23: System of education and educational set up. 59 Table-24: Price hike due to migrants and its specification. 60 Table-25:Read MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesmisbehaviour? 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Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesCharacteristics of the U.S. Workforce 41 †¢ Levels of Diversity 42 †¢ Discrimination 42 Biographical Characteristics 44 Age 44 †¢ Sex 46 †¢ Race and Ethnicity 48 †¢ Disability 48 †¢ Other Biographical Characteristics: Tenure, Religion, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity 50 Ability 52 Intellectual Abilities 52 †¢ Physical Abilities 55 †¢ The Role of Disabilities 56 Implementing Diversity Management Strategies 56 Attracting, Selecting, Developing, and Retaining Diverse Employees 56 †¢ Diversity in Groups 58 †¢Read MoreConflict Management and Emotional Intelligence63003 Words   |  253 Pages      1   1.2 Research  issues  and  contributions        Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      4   1.3 Justification  for  the  research        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚                  6   1.4 Research Method           Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚         1.5 Outline  of  the  dissertation                                                                  11   1.6 Definitions  of  Terms                    Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   12   1.7 Delimitations  of  scope  and  key  assumptions              Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   16