The USDA Rural Development Puerto Rico announced Thursday the availability of $31 million in federal funds to aid the economic development of rural communities. This is the first time the Bush administration has assigned funding through the USDA for these types of projects, agency officials said. Of the amounts, $19 million has been set aside for grants to develope essential community facilities in eligible areas "with extreme high unemployment and severe economic depression," said Jose Otero Garcia, state director for USDA Rural Development Puerto Rico. The facilities could be childcare centers offering services not available through the municipal government, the...