Keep up with Region 5
If you want to stay abreast of the good news in our growing communities, you’ve come to the right place. Members of the media can enter our Media Center for useful information, and everyone can sign up for our newsletter at the form below. Need something you don’t see here?
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Nurturing Transplants
“Staples is a very special place. Even though my wife and I aren’t originally from here, we have made it our new hometown.” Erich Heppner and his wife Katie are new to Staples, but not new to living in small, rural towns. They are a part of a growin...
Shop Local, Support Your Community
Nov 23 2020The upcoming Small Business Saturday, November 28th, has taken on even more importance this year. This year, the stakes are high for success. The sustainability of our local business community depends upon a vibrant core of small business owners. We encourage you to be intentional about purchases and shop loca...
Discovering the Hidden Gems
Feb 1 2020“We’ve lived here for three years now and I’m excited to stay in this area and see what else is in store!” — Megan Rehbein, BLAEDC Staff Member
Mi Pueblito Market and Café
Jan 13 2020“Long Prairie has one less vacant store front since the market opened its doors, giving residents culturally diverse downtown dining and shopping options and making it easier for other industries to attract employees, and drawing people to our small town.” – Dawn Espe, R5DC Staff Member
Resilient Voices Guide Implementation through Distributed Leadership and Placemaking
Successful implementation of the Resilient Region plan was due to the deployment of the Distributed Leadership Model (DLM). This model is an advanced version of the traditional “collective impact” community development practice. DLM engages regional Champions with intentional focus on engagement o...
“It was very critical that R5DC guided us through the process to have a really good plan, giving us the opportunity to get a grant to fund the bike and walking trail.” – Karolyn Roebuck, Cass Lake-Bena School District
Place-based Transformation
Sep 3 2019“It’s about creating local jobs. It’s a 22nd Century Evolution where farms can be brought back!” exclaimed local farmer Barry Thoele, at a Farmer’s Market in Staples.
Teleconnections for Rural Routes
Jun 1 2018Expanding Broadband Access to the Last Rural Mile
The Resilient Region plan prioritized the need for increased connectivity to adequate, affordable broadband as crucial for retaining and attracting both businesses and residents, improving efficiencies and quality in education and health care, and alleviating problems of workforce shortage. “People are interested in staying and/or moving to th...
Talent Advantage Series
May 1 2018120-plus business leaders gathered on Wednesday April 11, 2018 to kick off the Talent Advantage Series. An incredibly well-rounded workfoce disucssion filled with deep data, challenges, solutions and more were a part of the agenda. Statewide demographics show the acute regional shortage is going to be with us for a...
