February 25, 2016                                                                                                          Newsblast Vol.7 No. 4
In This Issue
Call for Proposals Reminder
Finding Common Ground
St. John Grocery Store Closing
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Center for Engagement and Community Development
The symposium will be implementing a new format for presentations. Ignite, a format where slides automatically advance to assist presenters, is exactly five minutes, leaving audiences interested in learning more. Presentations may also take the form of a poster. Read more here.
 
I nstitute for Civic Discourse and Democracy
ICDD is promoting and utilizing a new online platform that shows potential for increasing and enhancing public discussion on current issues. Read more here.

Located in Stafford County with a population of just under 1,300, St. John, Kan., is the latest small town facing the closing of its only grocery store. Kroger announced on Jan. 22 that it would close the town's Dillon's, located on East 4th Avenue. With the nearest store 13 miles away in Great Bend, the residents of St. John are left facing difficult prospects. Read more here.

Kansas State University established the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy (ICDD) in 2004 to enhance democracy through improved community deliberation. Soon after, the Center for Engagement and Community Development (CECD) was created by K-State in 2006 to connect the resources of the university to significant issues of public need facing Kansas and communities worldwide. To help sustain rural communities due to growing economic problems, CECD launched the Rural Grocery Initiative (RGI) in 2008.