Amanda Casta News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Progress Iowa has released new information showing how billions of dollars of federal infrastructure investments have made a crucial difference in the state, especially in rural areas. A group of advocates met last week to discuss the investments. From farm programs to health-care access, and transportation infrastructure to broadband, the federal government has invested $7.8 billion in Iowa programs statewide. ...

With the annual winter shopping season now in full swing, Wyoming's old town centers are seeing an uptick in visitors drawn to colorful light displays, roasted chestnut and hot chocolate carts, free horse-drawn carriage rides and one-of-a-kind gift options offered by local merchants. Jessica Seders, executive director of Gillette Main Street, said Wyoming's historic downtowns are a great way to get even the most committed Scrooges into the holiday spirit. "Gillette's downtown is full of historic buildings that could be found in an old western town," Seders explained. &q...

A new report found factors like geography play a role in assessing Latino wealth gaps in the U.S. The findings are from the Brookings Institution, which said there are regional differences between Latino wealth, assets, and debt. Elvis Rivera, a member of the group Communities Organizing Latino Power and Action, has helped lead financial literacy classes in the Twin Cities. ...

While many Wyomingites of Hispanic descent came from Mexico, there is a lesser-known population from the old Spanish settlements of northern New Mexico who made significant contributions to the state's cultural heritage and economic growth. Trisha Martinez, assistant professor of Latino studies at the University of Wyoming, has been documenting oral histories of families who came to the Cowboy State along the Manito Trail, a corridor now occupied by Interstate 25. She said most came to work and support their families. ...