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(The Center Square) – The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to rural communities in Illinois facing questions on how to grow or how to stop the decline. Some municipalities worry that the community they find .
Rural communities facing challenges
Kevin Bessler The Center Square
June 4, 2021
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SPRINGFIELD – The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to rural communities in Illinois facing questions on how to grow or how to stop the decline.
Some municipalities worry that the community they find comfortable is threatened by development while others find their towns in a slow decay with declining populations and loss of jobs.
A program called Smart Growth is a collaborative policy and planning concept rural communities can adopt to develop solutions that fit their specific wants and needs. Organizers said the program embraces community identity, preserves agricultural and natural areas and protects assets while creating fiscally and socially responsible opportunities in employment, housing and infrastructure.
By Greg Bishop - Illinois Radio Network
With redistricting hearings wrapped up and lawmakers providing their input in a map room controlled by Democrats, it’s unclear when draft maps will be released. But some worry about the accuracy of the data that could be used.
Sherri Taylor, a researcher with the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University, said Illinois is in the same pickle as the rest of the country. Census data used to accurately draw new political boundaries for states across the country has yet to be released.
Some Census data has been released for the map-making process, but not the block-level data needed to accurately depict the latest counts. That’s not expected until this summer.
Normal, IL, USA / www.cities929.com
May 11, 2021 | 2:34 PM
(The Center Square) – With redistricting hearings wrapped up and lawmakers providing their input in a map room controlled by Democrats, it’s unclear when draft maps will be released. But some worry about the accuracy of the data that could be used.
Sherri Taylor, a researcher with the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University, said Illinois is in the same pickle as the rest of the country. Census data used to accurately draw new political boundaries for states across the country has yet to be released.
Some Census data has been released for the map-making process, but not the block-level data needed to accurately depict the latest counts. That’s not expected until this summer.