Postal Service considers cuts to major program in rural Alaska

U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said Friday he is considering the elimination of Alaska’s bypass mail program, which ships groceries to rural communities and indirectly supports airlines in Alaska.

Rural Community Assistance Corporation receives $5 million from Grow with Google Small Business Fund loan to help small businesses recover from COVID-19

West Sacramento, Calif. — Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) announced today it received a Grow with Google Small Business Fund loan from Opportunity Finance Network (OFN). The community development financial institution (CDFI) will deploy the loan to small businesses in rural communities throughout the West hurt by the economic impact of COVID-19.

USPS changes create problems for voters in rural Alaska

Recent changes by the United States Postal Service (USPS) could create major obstacles for voters in rural Alaska. The changes prohibit USPS employees from acting as witnesses to absentee ballots.

White House task force monitoring California Central Valley COVID outbreak

After hitting urban areas particularly hard in the spring, COVID-19 seems to be making its long-feared arrival into rural America. Outbreaks in California’s Central Valley are being closely monitored by government officials as high up as the White House Coronavirus task force.

Pandemic impacting Americans’ buying habits

A new article from NBC News explores how consumer spending has changed since March with the COVID-19 onset. Of note is new data from realtor.com showing prospective homeowners are more inclined to leave cities and urban areas for rural ones.