An energy intensive Bitcoin mining operation in Park Falls can’t replace a once vibrant paper mill, but it has created new conflicts and a cautionary tale.
Tag: Rural Wisconsin
Posted inEconomy, Government, Rural Slide
Hispanic immigrants help rural county stave off population dip
Dairy farmer Jeremy Meissner and farm manager Huron Mireles are part of the reason Clark County’s population is growing while nearby counties’ levels are declining. Part three of three in the Center’s Rural Slide series.
Posted inEconomy, Government, Rural Slide
A young mayor strives to rebuild jobs lost in paper mills
In Wood County, where almost half of the paper industry jobs disappeared during the past decade, local leaders are using a regional approach to boost existing industries. Part two of three in the Center’s Rural Slide series.
Posted inEconomy, Government, Rural Slide
Would young people stay in rural area for mining jobs?
In Iron County, which lost one of every seven residents from 2000 to 2010, residents say a controversial taconite mine may be the only way to reverse devastating population loss. Part one of three in the Center’s Rural Slide series.
Posted inEconomy, Environment, Frac Sand Rush, Government, Health & Welfare
Wisconsin frac sand sites double
Frac sand fever has hit much of west-central Wisconsin, catching residents and local governments by surprise when demand for sand suddenly soared and permit applications began to pour in. The number of Wisconsin frac sand mining operations has more than doubled in the past year.
Posted inEnvironment, Frac Sand Rush
Map: Frac sand mining in Wisconsin, October, 2012
Five years ago, Wisconsin only had a handful of industrial sand facilities. Over the past two years, the increased demand for frac sand drove explosive growth in the state’s sand industry.
Posted inDairyland Diversity, WisWatch Blog
Slideshow: A community transformed (Dairyland Diversity Part 6)
Reporter Jacob Kushner and photographer Jake Naughton went to Darlington, Wis., for the latest installment of our Dairyland Diversity package (it’s here: Immigrant dairy workers transform a rural Wisconsin community). And they came back with an unusual coming-to-America story. One in which the old guard and the new wave are actually living in relative harmony.