Author: Cecil Larson

Corner down icon An icon in the shape of a corner pointing down. General Mitchell Airport in Wisconsin (left) versus LaGuardia Airport in New York. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider ; Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images I moved from Wisconsin to New York over 10 years ago.The Midwest continues to amaze me with the lowest prices, largest stores, and emptiest airports.The friendliness, passion for soccer, and heavy Midwest accents also seem novel to me now. From moving from Wisconsin to New York 10 years ago, I can't go back to visit friends and family as often as I'd like.The more…

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For several months of the year, residents of wildfire-prone areas know they have to they expect poor air quality. They wear masks, stay indoors when it gets bad, and avoid inhaling smoke or fine particles as much as possible. But what if the air quality is always bad? Staying inside all day, every day, is simply not an option. According reference by the nonprofit news organization Capital B, pollution is pervasive in industrial Midwestern cities, and the effects are felt even more acutely in majority black communities. Consequently, black families are leaving the area by the thousands. Adam Mahoney is…

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A handful of public universities in the Midwest, including one in Illinois, just landed on a new, elite list of the nation's best public colleges. Forbes' “Top 25 Public Colleges,” released by the magazine late last month, ranks state schools that “offer a world-class education for a fraction of the list price at top private colleges.” the report said. According to the authors, the rankings, which are derived from Forbes' 2023 ranking of the nation's 500 best colleges, evaluate return on investment, student success, student debt, graduate salary, graduation rate And much more. The list of 25 also includes some…

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We can't do what we do without you.Please consider helping us reach our fundraising goal of $50,000 before the end of 2023 so we can bring you the absolute best local coverage in 2024. CASPER, Wyo. — The Natrona County School District Board of Trustees' Infrastructure Planning Committee has released its recommended list of major maintenance projects for the 2023–24 fiscal year. The list, totaling $3,682,000 in proposed costs, is the result of collaborative efforts between Project Manager Doug Tunison, school district maintenance staff and staff from individual schools. The NCSD Board of Trustees is set to discuss the list…

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Students are back in the classroom — and school breakfast and lunch are now free in many states. Michigan, Minnesota and Colorado are among six states implementing free universal lunches this year, while several other Midwestern states are taking more gradual steps to expand food access to students. It's a change happening across the country as students, parents and school districts get used to free school lunches during the COVID pandemic. Carrie Link is the child nutrition supervisor for the Colorado Department of Education. He says when the federal waivers expired last June, participation plummeted. “During the 2021-22 school year,…

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MCL members and their families can receive reduced tuition for an ACE program INDIANAPOLIS, July 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — American College of EducationⓇ (ACE) he's got collaborating with the Midwest Labor Coalition (MCL), a rapidly growing nonprofit coalition of unions that offers significant benefits to union members and their families at no cost or at greatly reduced rates. Now they will also get one-to-one reduced tuition ACE program. MCL member benefits include life insurance, free roadside assistance, legal and financial services, training opportunities and ever-expanding benefits. Partnering with ACE allows the coalition to expand its educational benefits. “We strive to…

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BISMARCK — The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education has voted to rename UND's Department of Accounting and Information Systems the Hand School of Accounting, making it the first named school of accounting in the Upper Midwest. The school is named for alumnus Henry Herr, an accountant and entrepreneur who earned bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting from UND in 1968 and 1971. Herr helped found Healthways in 1981 and AmSurg in 1992, and as chief financial officer and board member, has helped create thousands of jobs and serves millions of patients, according to a UND release. He was…

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MidAmerica Nazarene University and HCA Midwest Health – the region's largest healthcare system, entered into a partnership agreement today, making MNU a Preferred Education Partner with HCA Midwest Health, strengthening the long-standing relationship between the two organizations. MNU School of Nursing students have benefited from clinical placements at the health system's hospitals, and this new agreement provides additional placements, greater exposure and collaboration with nurses and HCA leaders, and opportunities to transition into HCA career positions upon graduation. HCA Midwest is the largest health care provider in the Kansas City area, with seven hospitals, dozens of outpatient centers, clinics, offices,…

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Support the 74 year-end campaign. Make a tax-free donation now. Despite immigrating with a degree in education, Iraqi refugee Maysoon Shaheen had a hard time becoming a teacher in the United States. Shaheen fled Iraq in 1998 during Saddam Hussein's regime, made a harrowing escape to Jordan and eventually settled in Lincoln, Nebraska. Shaheen is now a substitute teacher for Lincoln Public Schools, but not without the financial burden of enrolling in classes to meet English language requirements and taking out student loans because her degree in Iraq was not recognized. “It was almost impossible for me to start over,…

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Online Boot Camps Boot Camp Classes Midwestern State University offers non-credit online open enrollment camps designed to provide the skills necessary to obtain professional-level positions in many in-demand occupations. These boot camps provide an immersive, live, online experience that will help prepare students with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve exam certification and career success. Instructors/mentors are actively involved in your online learning experience, answering any questions or concerns as well as encouraging and motivating you to succeed.

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