Alex “Papu” Rincon, a young entrepreneur from Montana, was invited to participate in the White House Champions of Change Roundtable this week. The White House Champions of Change Roundtable is part of a series of meetings that are being held across the country this summer as part of the White House Rural Council and the White House Business Council. The purpose is to coordinate programs across government and encourage public-private partnerships to improve economic conditions, quality of life, and job creation in rural communities. Read the entire article, Youth Entrepreneur Talks at White House, in the Helena Independent Record.

The US Postmaster General is considering the closure of more than 3,000 post offices nationwide. In Oregon, 41 different offices, mostly in rural communities, are on the list. This week, members of Oregon's congressional delegation sent a letter to the USPS urging reconsideration.

In their letter, Oregon's Congressmen and Senators say many rural communities in the state are in a unique position because of the sometimes vast distances separating them. Several communities in Eastern Oregon on the proposed closure list are 20 miles or more away from the next closest post office. Post offices in Walton, Gardiner, Swisshome, Deadwood, Cascadia, Eddyville, Sunriver, Fort Rock, Brothers and the city of Post, are all on the possible closure list. Read more of Jes Burns's story on KLCC's web site.

Rural America now accounts for just 16 percent of the nation's population, the lowest ever. The latest 2010 census numbers hint at an emerging America where, by midcentury, city boundaries become indistinct and rural areas grow ever less relevant. Many communities could shrink to virtual ghost towns as they shutter businesses and close down schools, demographers say. According to census figures, many rural areas, have been steadily losing population since the 1930s with few signs of the trend slowing in coming decades. Read the article in its entirety by visiting the AP web site.