Dave Marcouiller and Steve Deller, Editors of the Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy announce the release of a Special Issue of the Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy (JRAP) on State Rural Development Policy. Guest edited by Edward Feser and Andrew Isserman of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, this issue has been compiled as a tribute to the late Ron Shaffer, regional economist and community development specialist with the University of Wisconsin - Madison/Extension. You can access the Special Issue at:
 http://www.jrap-journal.org/pastvolumes/2000/v37/index371.html

Also, this is being sent to announce the new permanent on-line home of JRAP, the official peer-reviewed journal of the Mid-continent Regional Science Association. Feel free to bookmark  http://www.jrap-journal.org/ for future reference.

This Special Issue includes articles written by a variety of regional scientists:

• Table of Contents - Special Issue on Rural Development Policy (A Tribute to Ron Shaffer), Guest Editors - Edward Feser and Andrew Isserman
• Linking Research and Development Policy 37(1): 1-3. Edward Feser, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Keeping Options Open 37(1): 4-6. Roger Bolton, Williams College
• An Arts-Based State Rural Development Policy 37(1): 7-9. Ann Markusen, University of Minnesota
• Increasing the Equity and Efficiency of Tax Abatement Programs 37(1): 10-14. Scott Loveridge and Denys Nizalov,Michigan State University & Kyiv Economic Institute
• Examples and Principles of State-Level Rural Environmental Initiatives 37(1): 15-17. Amy Ando, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Comprehensive Planning for Sustainable Rural Development 37(1): 18-20. Gerrit-Jan Knaap and Arnab Chakraborty, University of Maryland
• The Economic Case for State-Level Land Use Decision-Making 37(1): 20-24. Stephan J. Goetz, NERCRD - Pennsylvania State University
• Cultural and Recreational Industries in Rural America: Opportunities for State Legislators 37(1): 25-27. William B. Beyers, University of Washington
• “Boosting” Tourism as Rural Public Policy: Panacea or Pandora’s Box? 37(1): 28-31. Dave Marcouiller, University of Wisconsin – Madison/Extension
• Building Community Visions of Assets, Competitiveness, and Regional Partnerships: A State’s Role in Rural Economic Development 37(1): 32-35. Stephan Weiler, Colorado State University
• A Brief on When and How Rural Economic Development Should be Done 37(1): 36-39. Dan Rickman, Oklahoma State University
• Building a 21st Century Rural Workforce 37(1): 40-43. Martin Shields, Colorado State University, and Anastasia Snyder, The Pennsylvania State University
• Rural Economic Development Prospects in a High Energy Cost Environment 37(1): 44-47. Mark D. Partridge, The Ohio State University
• Rural Poverty: Why Should States Care and What Can State Policy Do? 37(1): 48-52. Bruce A. Weber, Oregon State University
• Mitigating Impacts of Big Box Retail on Local Communities 37(1): 53-55. Elena G. Irwin and Jill Clark, Ohio State University
• State-level Rural Health Policy 37(1): 56-59. Paul E. McNamara, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Roles for State Government in International Trade 37(1): 60-61. Alex Winter-Nlson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Impacts of Tax & Expenditure Limitations on Small Local Governments: Lessons from Colorado and Missouri 37(1): 62-65. Judith I. Stallmann, University of Missouri-Columbia
• Rural Telecommunications Subsidies Do Not Help 37(1): 66-68. Michael R. Ward, University of Texas at Arlington
• Encouraging Broadband Deployment from the Bottom Up 37(1): 69-72. Edward Feser, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Getting State Rural Policy Right: Definitions, Growth, and Program Eligibility 37(1): 73-77. Andrew Isserman, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign