HEALTH, WEALTH AND WELLNESS WEEK CELEBRATED STATEWIDE SEPT. 19-26
The Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Office of Health Equity is sponsoring the 4th Annual Health, Wealth and Wellness Week from September 19th through September 26th.  The intent of the week’s calendar events is to encourage all communities around the state to observe and participate in activities that enhance their overall health, wealth and wellness. A statewide calendar of events and activities by region is available at www.healthwealthandwellness.org.

RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT GRANT DEADLINE IS NOV. 12
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration is accepting applications of the Rural Health Network Development Grant Program, which is geared to expanding access to, coordinating and improving the quality of essential health care services, and enhancing the delivery of health care in rural areas. These grants support rural providers who work in formal networks, alliances, coalitions or partnerships to integrate administrative, clinical, technological, and financial functions. Funds provided through this program are not used for direct delivery of services. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the rural health care delivery system by improving the viability of the individual providers in the network, and/or improving the delivery of care to people served by the network. Networks must consist of at least three separately owned entities, and each must sign a memorandum of agreement or similar document. Eligible applicants must be a public or private non-profit entity located in a rural area and be a network composed of at least three separate, existing organizations whose organizational relationship is formal and whose members demonstrate a strong and measurable commitment to the network and share a history of collaboration and accomplishment commensurate with the network’s developmental stage. The application deadline is Nov. 12. For more information, visit https://grants.hrsa.gov/webExternal/SFO.asp?ID=D439F18E-7F03-466A-B464-8F6000404FEA.

NCRC RELEASES FINDINGS ON SMALL BUSINESS LENDING
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) has released results from its study, Does CRA Small Business Lending Increase Employment: An Examination on a County Level, which looked at more than 500 counties nationwide, exploring the national impact of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) on small business lending (CRA motivates banks to make loans to small businesses by examining the extent to which banks are making loans to small businesses). The study showed a positive correlation between small business lending and employment. It also revealed troubling racial inequalities in small business lending. For a copy of the study, visit http://bit.ly/9iYAqC. For more information about NCRC, visit www.ncrc.org.

EPA LAUNCHES WATER CONSERVATION CAMPAIGN
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program has started a national “We’re for Water” campaign to encourage Americans to make simple choices that save water. The program looks to educate consumers about WaterSense labeled products, which use about 20 percent less water than standard models. WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, also seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes and services. For more information on the We’re for Water campaign, visit http://www.epa.gov/watersense/wereforwater.

NEW PENNSYLVANIA PROGRAM OFFERS HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE TO UNINSURED ADULTS WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
Pennsylvania has launched PA Fair Care, a health plan for uninsured adults with pre-existing conditions, and is taking applications beginning August 4, 2010. This temporary plan offers transitional insurance coverage until the broader coverage provisions of federal health insurance reform come to fruition in January 2014. PA Fair Care is available on a first come basis. Once the program is full, applicants will be added to a waiting list. To be eligible, applicants must: be a U.S. citizen or lawful resident; be a resident of Pennsylvania; have a pre-existing health condition; and be uninsured for the previous six months. Some of the benefits include: preventive care and physician services; diagnosis and treatment of illness; injury, emergency, accident and medical care; prescription medications; and durable medical equipment. The monthly premium is $283.20 plus additional copays and coinsurance. Applications may be completed online at www.PAFairCare.com on and after Aug. 4, or by calling (888) 767-7015 (TTY 888-767-7018).

2011 COMMUNITY AFFAIRS RESEARCH CONFERENCE CALL FOR PAPERS
The Community Affairs Officers of the Federal Reserve System are accepting paper submissions for the seventh Federal Reserve Community Affairs Research Conference, to be held April 28-29, 2011, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA. The goal of the conference, The Changing Landscape of Community Development: Linking Research with Policy and Practice in Low-Income Communities,is to highlight new research that can directly inform community development policy and practice in the wake of the deepest recession since the pre-war period. Researchers from a wide variety of disciplines are invited to submit papers that present new and innovative research under the following five broad topic areas: Understanding Community Change, The Future of Consumer Credit, Bridging the Divide between People and Place, Measuring the Impact of Community Development, and Community Development Finance. Papers outside of these specific topics that fit within the underlying theme are also welcome, including research papers on small business, microenterprise, social enterprise and self-employment, economic development, economics and identity, green building and the green economy, and neighborhood stabilization. The deadline to submit a paper or extended abstract is September 15, 2010. For more information, visit the conference website at www.frbsf.org/community/2011ResearchConference/.

NEW USDA DATA TOOL OFFERS CLOSER LOOK AT COMMUNITIES’ ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service has a new data tool available, Your Food Environment Atlas, which allows users to get a spatial overview of a community’s ability to access healthy food. The atlas assembles statistics on three broad categories of food environment factors, including food choices, health and well-being, and community characteristics. With the atlas, users can create maps showing the variation in a single indicator across the U.S., such as the variation in the prevalence of obesity or access to grocery stores across U.S. counties; view all of the county-level indicators for a selected county; and use the advanced query tool to identify counties sharing the same degree of multiple indicators, such as counties with both high poverty and high obesity rates. The atlas is at http://www.ers.usda.gov/FoodAtlas/.

TRAVEL THE PA ARTISAN TRAILS
The Pennsylvania Artisan Trails, founded in 2006, offers travelers an art-filled adventure along Pennsylvania’s highways and byways. The Department of Community & Economic Development and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, along with other state agencies, facilitated the creation of the trails. The main goal was to create a viable marketplace for art in Pennsylvania to encourage resident artists to remain in the state. Each of the seven Artisan Trails is unique, has its own story, and features talented national, regional, and local artists who work in a variety of media, ranging from traditional oils and pastels to contemporary art glass pieces and even one-of-a-kind sculptures made from recycled objects. For more information or to travel the Pennsylvania Artisan Trails, visit www.paartisantrails.com.

USDA ESTABLISHES TIPLINE FOR SUSPICIOUS GAS DRILLING ACTIVITIES
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created an “Eyes on Drilling” tipline for citizens to report non-emergency, suspicious activity related to oil and natural gas development. EPA is asking citizens to call 1-877-919-4EPA (toll free) if they observe what appears to be illegal disposal of wastes or other suspicious activity. Report also may be sent by email to eyesondrilling@epa.gov. Citizens may provide tips anonymously if they don’t want to identify themselves. In case of an emergency, such as a spill or release of hazardous material, including oil, to the environment, citizens are advised to call the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802. According to the EPA, public concern about the environmental impacts of oil and natural gas drilling has increased in recent months, particularly regarding development of the Marcellus Shale formation where a significant amount of activity is occurring. While EPA doesn’t grant permits for oil and gas drilling operations, there are EPA regulations that may apply to the storage of petroleum products and drilling fluids. The agency is also very concerned about the proper disposal of waste products, and protecting air and water resources. EPA is asking citizens to report the location, time and date of such activity, as well as the materials, equipment and vehicles involved and any observable environmental impacts. Instructions for the tipline are at: http://www.epa.gov/region03/marcellus_shale/tipline.html.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OFFERING CLASSES FOR BEGINNING FARMERS
Penn State Cooperative Extension is offering classes, workshops, demonstrations and information for new and beginning farmers and farmers and farmers interested in diversifying.  For more information about upcoming classes and other events, visit www.extension.psu.edu/start-farming.

FREE PUBLICATION ON MEASURING COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING
The Aspen Institute has a free publication available on community capacity building. Measuring Community Capacity Building: A Workbook in Progress for Rural Communities outlines steps, defines terms, and offers examples and strategies for measuring capacity building. To download the document, click here.

USDA RELEASES BROADBAND STUDY ON RURAL COMMUNITIES
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service has released an analysis on broadband Internet access in rural communities. The analysis, Broadband Internet’s Value for Rural America, found that rural communities with greater broadband Internet access had greater economic growth than areas with less access. The analysis compared counties that had broadband access by 2000 with similarly situated counties that had little or no broadband access. Employment growth was higher and non-farm private earnings greater in counties with a longer history of broadband availability. For a copy of the analysis, visit www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err78.

SURVEY RELATES FOOD BANKS STRUGGLE AS ECONOMY AND RECORD UNEMPLOYMENT SEND MORE AMERICANS IN SEARCH OF FOOD
Food banks across the nation report that the current recession and the continuing rise in unemployment are having a profound effect on their ability to feed  millions of Americans living at risk of hunger, according to a recent survey released by Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief charity. According to the survey, the increase is nearly universal – 99 percent of all participating food banks reported a significant surge in demand for emergency food assistance over the past year. Food banks report that the increase is particularly driven by first-time users of the food assistance system (98 percent of food banks) and more people who have recently lost their jobs (92 percent). More than half (56 percent) of food banks reported that they are seeing more children as clients. Also, 55 percent of food banks said they or the agencies that help distribute the food they provide have had to turn people away in the last year. The survey showed an average increase of 30 percent in requests for emergency food assistance since July 2008, with increases ranging from 5 percent to more than 100 percent. More than 175 Feeding America food banks responded to the survey, which collected information about the economic challenges faced by the nation’s food assistance network, and the ability of food banks, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and other providers to respond to the need. For complete details on Feeding America’s “Economic Impact Survey” including the results from food banks serving Pennsylvania, visit http://feedingamerica.org/newsroom/local-impact-study.aspx.

$1.7 BILLION IN LOANS AVAILABLE FOR RURAL BUSINESSES
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development is accepting applications for up to $1.7 billion in Recovery Act funds for projects that help spur business activity and economic growth in rural communities. The funding is made available through USDA Rural Development’s Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan program. Eligible applicants include cooperative organizations, corporations, partnerships, non-profit groups, public bodies and individuals. The application deadline is September 15, 2010, or until all funds are expended. Recovery Act funding will be available through September 30, 2010.  For more information, call the Rural Development State Office at (717) 237-2299.

NEW REPORT RANKS OBESITY RATES ACROSS AMERICA
Pennsylvania has the 22nd highest rate of adult obesity in the nation at 26.7 percent, and the 32nd highest rate of overweight youths (ages 10-17) at 29.7 percent, according to a new report by Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Adult obesity rates increased in 23 states and did not decrease in a single state in the past year, according to the report, F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009. In addition, the percentage of obese and overweight children is at or above 30 percent in 30 states. The F as in Fat report contains rankings of state obesity rates and a review of federal and state government policies aimed at reducing or preventing obesity. It also offers recommendations for addressing policy in health reform. For a copy of the report, visit http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2009/.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION RELEASES GUIDE ON LEASING LAND FOR GAS EXPLORATION
Penn State Cooperative Extension has released the guide, Natural Gas Exploration: A Landowner’s Guide to Leasing Land in Pennsylvania.  The guide offers information on the Marcellus shale, where and how gas is drilled, the gas leasing process and terminology, the components of a gas lease, and more.  A copy of the guide is available online at http://cas.psu.edu/spotlight/gasprimer08_web.pdf. For more information about gas exploration and leasing, visit Penn State’s natural gas exploration and leasing websites at www.naturalgas.psu.edu and www.wpsu.org/gasrush/.

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