In small towns in New Mexico and the West, life is changing quickly. More young people are moving away from rural places than into them. Some New Mexico communities are trying to escape generations-long boom-and-bust cycles, while others struggle to retain their identity in an economy flooded with tourists and newcomers. Internet connections that could power remote businesses in rural places lag behind urban centers. New Mexico, along with the rest of the rural West, is in a state of change.
A group of New Mexico newsrooms examines the future of broadband access in rural communities. Continue Reading →
Editor’s note: Small towns look for a road forward, paved with fiber-optic
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In rural New Mexico, a way to make remote work, work
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A ‘micro’ economic development program in Grants aims to build a community of telecommuters. Continue Reading →
How a rural electric co-op connected a community
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By expanding into broadband, Kit Carson Co-op provides high-speed internet to thousands in Northern New Mexico. Continue Reading →
Tribes lead the way for faster internet access in NM
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Across sovereign governments, a group of Southwest tribes prepares to launch their own network. Continue Reading →
Meet the New Mexico towns where less connectivity is more
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Whether the unique existence in Hillsboro and Kingston can last is an open question. Continue Reading →
Competition fosters computer skills in rural NM school district
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The Village of Melrose may be small, but that hasn’t stopped the school district from competing in New Mexico’s Supercomputing Challenge. Continue Reading →
Editor’s note: Seeking economic health for small towns
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We’re examining what rural communities are trying to keep their towns stitched together and how well those efforts appear to be working. Continue Reading →
Why save small towns?
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Economies of scale make it difficult to maintain the essentials of living in rural places. Continue Reading →
Where’s the young West?
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Here’s a look at a few rural communities of all sizes – from tiny Camas County, Idaho, to booming Franklin County, Washington – that are attracting young people in surprising ways. Continue Reading →
Brewery helps breathe life into downtown Truth or Consequences
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Now the question for this offbeat, impoverished town is how to attract other entrepreneurs – and keep them. Continue Reading →
Immigrants find their place in Luna County
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An influx of immigrants has translated into job growth, but the picture in Luna County isn’t all rosy. Continue Reading →
Farmington works to revitalize Main Street, the city’s ‘heart’
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How does a community built on doing one thing well foster economic change and tenable growth? This community is beginning to form an answer of its own. Continue Reading →
Raton tries to rise again
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A former coal mining town takes a measured approach to economic recovery. Continue Reading →
Breweries patch the gaps between oil booms in southeastern NM
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Rural towns explore ways to diversify their economies, from tourism to hospitality. Continue Reading →
Could Navajo businesses stabilize a boom-and-bust economy?
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The Navajo Nation government has created a $20 million fund to help small businesses get started. Continue Reading →
Navajo Nation seeks small-business sustainability
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Farmer Stacey Jensen is envisioning a market on the North Leupp Family Farm. Continue Reading →
The challenge of growing a business on the Navajo reservation
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Starting a business is always challenging — but Native American entrepreneurs face unique challenges on tribal lands. Continue Reading →
A breed of cattle from the past may be a sustainable investment for ranchers
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With the recent drought in the West, ranchers may be forced to find more sustainable options. Continue Reading →
To build healthier communities, some tribes look away from IHS
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A growing number of tribes are deciding that managing their own clinics and behavioral health programs will help. Continue Reading →
Grassroots community development group strives for lasting change
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In South Dakota, the Oglala Lakota people have created for themselves an organization to address a wide array of economic, health and cultural challenges. Continue Reading →