Rural development workshops coming to Othello, Ritzville

ADAMS COUNTY — Kirk Pearson, Washington’s Director of USDA Rural Development, will be presenting two workshops on rural development funding programs on Thursday, April 25 in Othello and Ritzville.

Available funding includes emergency community water assistance grants, broadband community connect grants, distance learning and telemedicine grants, Section 502 home loan guarantee, rural housing site loans, community facilities direct loan, community facilities grant, rural business opportunity grant and value-added producer grants.

The first workshop will be held at the Othello City Hall, 500 E. Main St., at 10 a.m. The second will be held in Ritzville at the WSU Extension office, 205 W. Main Ave., at 2:30 p.m. The workshops are open to city and town administrators, non-profit organizations, community groups, farmer and rancher cooperatives, economic developers, bankers and anyone seeking rural development funding.

For more information, call Janis Rountree at 509-331-2042 or Stephen McFadden at 509-331-2025.

— Staff report