Washington Heads Toward a Government Shutdown
2025 Recreation Economy for Rural Communities Program Selections Announced
This afternoon, a New York Times article noted, Deadlock Grows Uglier as Congress Heads Toward Shutdown. That is not a good sign that Congress and the President are anywhere close to reaching an agreement to fund the government past midnight today.
However, The Washington Post reports that there are some in Congress pulling for a last minute deal. “Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan) said Monday evening that he thought there was still time for Democrats and Republicans to strike a deal to extend expiring ACA subsidies. “We still have time,” Peters said. “As you know, in this place it’s never over till it’s over.”
Federal agencies have not posted shutdown plans, which mean there is limited guidance on how tourism leaders should address the impact to their communities, The Washington Post has published a guide on how the Smithsonian, DC Memorials, Kennedy Center, Arlington Cemetery and other attractions are affected by the shutdown, which I hope will provide some counsel on how to support local sites.
Good news for gateway communities. Our friends at the U.S. Forest Service were excited to let us know that the announcement was made today of the 25 rural and small communities selected for the 2025 Recreation Economy for Rural Communities Program. Administered by an interagency partnership made up of the U.S. Forest Service, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Denali Commission, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Northern Border Regional Commission the selected communities will receive assistance to grow their outdoor recreation economies. The 2025 recipients, include:
Columbia, Louisiana
Floyd County, Kentucky
Noxubee County, Mississippi
Spruce Pine, North Carolina
St. Paul, Virginia
The selected communities will receive planning assistance through 2025 and 2026 on a variety of economic development projects, including:
Building new trail systems
Connecting main streets with nearby outdoor recreation amenities
Increasing access to outdoor activities for all residents and visitors
Strengthening outdoor recreation businesses
Building a resilient outdoor recreation economy to withstand disasters, ensuring stable economic vitality
Cleaning up and repurposing vacant properties and buildings
Creating new parks and recreation amenities
This the third round of the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities assistance program, which selects a new cohort of communities on three year cycle. Detailed information on the program is available in the announcement press release.