Dr. Yang Jianli Visits New Ulm and Mankato |
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From left to right: RNDC Executive Director Nicole Griensewic, RNDC Commissioner and New Ulm City Manager Chris Dalton, Denis Warta, Brown County Historical Society Executive Director Kathleen Backer, Dr. Yang Jianli, and RNDC Vice Chair and New Ulm City Council President Andrea Boettger |
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Author, scholar, and democracy advocate, Dr. Yang Jianli, visited New Ulm on Monday, October 31. Yang traveled to the area to speak at a Minnesota Association of Development Organizations (MADO) retreat in Mankato.
During his trip, he had the opportunity to visit New Ulm to learn more about the city and its history. While there, New Ulm City Council President Andrea Boettger showed Yang around Turner Hall and presented him with an honorary citizen certificate. After the presentation, Brown County Historical Society Executive Director, Kathleen Backer, gave Yang a tour of the Brown County History Museum.
Yang is a Chinese dissident who was involved in the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. Shortly after, he came to the United States where he earned PhDs in Political Economy from Harvard University and Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley. He was detained by the Chinese government for supporting democracy from 2002 until 2006 when the Bush Administration petitioned for his release.
Since his release, Yang has continued to work toward a democratic China. He formed the Foundation for China in the 21st Century which aims to support the freedom of information and actively works to counteract the Chinese government's disinformation networks. He has presented to Congress and the United Nations about the political climate in China and the importance of democracy.
RNDC Executive Director, Nicole Griensewic met Dr. Yang when he spoke to her class at the Kennedy Harvard School of Government. The two stayed in touch and Nicole invited him to speak at the MADO retreat.
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Andrea Boettenger Attends NADO Annual Training Conference |
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RNDC Commissioner and New Ulm City Council President, Andrea Boettger, attended the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) annual training conference in Pittsburgh, PA. This four-day event brought together representatives from regional development organizations across the country.
This conference was a chance for participants to share best practices and gain insights on increasing community engagement. Andrea also accepted RNDC’s 2022 Aliceann Wolhbruck Impact Award for the South Central Growers Network program.
Andrea was able to connect with regional executives to discuss the concerns of their regions. "I was able to have with other Minnesota regional executives and elected officials. We all seem to be having similar struggles. Affordable housing, daycare, and workforce shortages are top of mind for so many rural Minnesota communities. It was great to share ideas and learn more about the approaches other communities are taking to advance their communities. Adding affordable housing seems to be where most regions are concentrating efforts, said Boettger.
"The session on digital inclusion in broadband was also very eye-opening. ‘Access to Broadband’ is a buzz phrase I hear often when I talk with other leaders about their rural hopes and challenges. This session really drilled into the challenges, data usage by geography on mobile vs. pc, and real stories of communities that attempted to take this issue into their own hands with little success. Adding broadband continues to be a priority for rural, and this session really helped to answer the whys of why it’s not as easy as it sounds, but what we can do to keep our foot on the gas to make our voices heard for funding and implementation."
Networking is one of the many reasons for attending training conferences. Boettger added, "The ability to make connections with other regional staff is so critical to helping our own regions move forward. The sessions vary in topics that are top-of-mind to regional development organizations across the country – broadband, housing, workforce development, diversity and inclusion in our communities, downtown redevelopment, soil and water quality, CEDS development, to name a few. The after-session conversations have been the most helpful because you’re in a room with folks from across the country attending a session for the same reason: they are either working on the issue or want to know how to get started."
Andrea looks forward to sharing the ideas and lessons with the staff of RNDC.
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Lorna A. Montzka, Former RNDC Member, Passes at 84 |
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Former RNDC Commissioner Lorna Montzka passed away at 84. Lorna dedicated herself to public service not only on the commission but also on the local Human Services Board and as a leader in the United Methodist Church. She was also chair of the Blue Earth Public Service Board where she was a leading force to bring a new public library to Faribault County that still serves the community 50 years later.
She was also a dedicated teacher. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics and Science Education from Mankato State University before receiving her Master’s degree at Colorado State College. Lorna started her teaching career in Kimball, MN. She would also teach at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, Blue Earth, and Detroit Lakes.
After a serious auto accident in 1967, Lorna left teaching to focus on her family and community service. She would return to teaching in 1987 where she taught Adult Living Skills for special needs students until her retirement in 1995.
Memorial services will be held Saturday, November 5, at 2 p.m. at Buffalo United Methodist Church in Buffalo, MN.
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Paola Completes Economic Development Course |
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Paola Ferrario, RNDC Community Development Planner, recently completed an Economic Development Course. These sessions are designed to give economic development professionals a strong foundation for additional training and accreditations and provide the opportunity to connect with and learn from leaders in the economic development field.
When asked about her experience participating in the course Paola said, "The biggest takeaway from the training session was the importance of doing what we are doing. How we plan for the future to create a legacy in the areas that we serve and how important it is for the future of the region and the development of prosperous communities."
Paola is excited to bring what she learned to the region. "I am looking forward to working with the team to create new programs to attract and retain talent as well as to help our businesses expand within our region. Our goal is to make Region Nine thrive and to support the people that are working on its development day in and day out. I am also looking forward to helping entrepreneurs feel supported in their efforts to create jobs and retain talent within the region."
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The RNDC Annual Performance Survey is Now Available |
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Every year, RNDC creates an Annual Performance Report based on the four cornerstones outlined in the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The survey below lets RNDC know what is important to you, your community, and your organizations.
Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey by clicking the button. Your responses are vital in helping RNDC focus its resources to best serve the citizens of Region Nine.
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MNSU Celebrates Global Entrepreneurship Week Nov. 14-20 |
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Minnesota State University-Mankato (MNSU) College of Business Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) is celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week with five days of seminars to help current and aspiring business owners develop their ventures. These sessions start November 14th and run until the 18th.
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$$ Grant Opportunities $$ |
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Long-Term Care (LTC) Workforce Capacity Building Project
A request for proposals has been posted for the Long-Term Care (LTC) Workforce Capacity Building Project. This program from the Minnesota Department of Health will support projects focusing on increasing the number of workers entering the LTC workforce through career pathways and educational opportunities.
Deadline: November 7, 2022
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Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative
This grant opportunity from the Minnesota Department of Health will provide direct investments to organizations focused on improving the health of American Indians and people of color.
Deadline: December 19, 2022
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Region Nine Development Commission takes great pride in working with and on behalf of counties, cities, townships, and schools throughout South Central Minnesota. Since 1972, being a partner for progress has led to the development of programs and identification of solutions in the areas of economic development, business development, healthy communities, transportation, community development, and leveraging regional resources. To learn more about our work and mission, visit www.rndc.org.
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Follow RNDC on social media to stay up-to-date on events, news, and more! |
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