News from rural America.

There's a gap between how rural and urban folks feel about the economy, Colorado's 'Rural is Rad' aims to connect outdoor businesses, more than a dozen of Maine's infrastructure sites face repeated flooding, and chocolate chip cookies rock August.

TRANSCRIPT

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For the Daily Yonder and Public News Service, this is the news from rural America.

Not everyone experiences the nation's economy the same way.

Daily Yonder contributor, Joe Belden, says an annual consumer survey shows rural folks feel they're struggling more than metro residents.

People living in non-metro areas had lower levels of financial well-being than those living in metro areas.

Belden says non-metropolitan areas without a city of 50,000 or strong economic ties to such a city have been growing more pessimistic since the first survey 10 years ago.

It's a pretty wide gap. 29 percent in non-metro and 44 percent in metro think their local economy is good or excellent.

The pessimism is understandable.

Studies show rural economies have recovered more slowly from the Great Recession and COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly half of rural respondents say they could not meet an unexpected $400 expense.

According to research by the Union of Concerned Scientists, 17 important infrastructure sites in Maine will be at risk from flooding at least twice a year by 2050.

Policy director, Rachel Cletus, says climate change threatens everything from power plants to affordable housing units if we don't cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Lifelines that communities depend on are at risk of flooding.

And just regular high tide flooding, even without storms, is reaching further inland and higher.

She says the number of infrastructure sites at risk in Maine jumps to nearly 50 by the turn of the century.

The report's findings are sobering, but also actionable, says Cletus.

By curbing fossil fuels, towns can invest in staying safe.

It's telling us where and when pieces of critical infrastructure will be at risk for flooding.

And this is a call to policy makers to take action now.

Colorado's outdoor industry has a new database to bring attention and connections for rural folks in the recreation economy.

Ilana Newman explains.

Rural is Rad, started by entrepreneurs in Colorado, aims to bring together rural founders and highlight their businesses.

Kelly Mazzonti Nelson started Buttonski, an outdoor clothing brand.

We have to support each other because I have found that the people who live in these places are the most courageous and creative people that I've ever met.

Along with workshops and get togethers, they're planning Rural is Rad Week in conjunction with November's Small Business Saturday.

Eventually, they also want to expand outside of Colorado.

Colorado's an example and it's a great place to start this kind of a movement.

I'm Ilana Newman.

August is the only month without an official holiday from work, but don't let that stop you from celebrating National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day on August 4th, the most popular cookie in the US and around the world.

For the Daily Yonder and Public News Service, I'm Roz Brown.

For more rural stories, visit dailyyonder.com.