In this episode of “Reimagine Rural,” Tony Pipa speaks with homecomers who returned to a boom-and-bust copper mining town to revitalize its historic district. Despite pandemic-related setbacks, Globe, Arizona’s small business renaissance is expanding into new community infrastructure and collaboration with regional neighbors. As the town works to attract tourists to its beautiful Southwestern landscapes, it is also poised to contribute to the clean energy transition. The Inflation Reduction Act’s incentivizes domestic production for electric vehicle batteries, of which copper is a major component.
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Participants in this episode:
- Elizabeth Bernal, rural development specialist, RCAC
- Al Gameros, mayor
- Lorie Luipold, owner, Splash of Copper
- Linda Oddonetto, economic and community development director
About Globe:
- Population: 7,249
- Demographics:
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- 60% White
- 12% American Indian or Alaska Native
- 11% Some Other Race
- 12% Mixed Race
- 2% Asian
- 1% Black
- 35.1% Hispanic or Latino
- Median Income: $56,157 (2020 ACS)
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- 21.1% of people live below the poverty line
- EIG Distressed Communities Index: 79.6/100, At-Risk
(All statistics from 2020 Census unless otherwise noted.)
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