Locally sourced, collaborative reporting from and for rural America.
Featured Story
Jeffrey L. Corbett for USGS
Nowhere to hide: Microplastics are polluting western North Carolina watersheds
A year-long study finds an alarming trend about the distribution of microplastics in a remote section of a mountain watershed.
LATEST NEWS FROM THE NETWORK
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Agricultural runoff damages our water and kills wildlife. Could a simple drainage stopper be the solution?
Some farmers hope these devices can keep thousands of gallons of precious water — and expensive fertilizer — back in their fields, helping them achieve better yields while protecting the environment.
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Delaware poll accessibility improved for voters with disabilities in 2024
Nationwide, among in-person voters in 2022, the rate of difficulties was over three times higher among people with disabilities than those without disabilities, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission 2022 Disability and Voting Accessibility Survey.
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Extreme heat is forcing farmers to work overnight, an adaptation that comes with a cost
With extreme heat making it perilous to work during the day, farmers and fisherfolk worldwide are adopting overnight hours. That comes with new dangers.
RNN Highlights
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Angelica Edwards for Enlace Latino NC
Bridging Access
Rural communities of color may be facing barriers to health care, but they’re also laying the groundwork for a more equitable future. Whether it’s hospitals reopening, These stories led by Capital B and The Associated Press, offer a roadmap.
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Jerry L Mennenga for the Flatwater Free Press
Nebraska Evolving
The perception is that Nebraska’s smaller communities are dying. The reality is that many rural Nebraska counties are now growing for one reason. Immigration.
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Dave Pellar for Oviedo Community News
Preserve or Develop? The Race Against Time to Protect Florida’s Wildlife Corridor
Just off a trail in Central Florida lies evidence, piled in bear boneyards, of Florida’s battle between development and an imperiled corridor.
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Unpacking a ‘uniquely mysterious’ development proposal in Paradise Valley
December 10, 2024
Park County residents grapple with a high-density resort proposal in an agricultural area south of Livingston.
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In wake of landmark hospital report, Vermont lawmakers look toward health care reforms
December 10, 2024
The report issued a series of recommendations including calling for hospitals to consolidate services at different regional locations, and the state to invest in housing, emergency medical services and internet connectivity in rural areas of the state.
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Local schools, colleges respond to Ohio’s bathroom bill
December 10, 2024
One local school district is concerned about the bill’s potential contradictions with federal statutes.
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Task Force proposes closing up to four Wausau elementary schools
December 10, 2024
The proposed closures would impact approximately 700 students and as many as 180 teachers and staff.
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County still reliant on motel rooms to shelter homeless this winter
December 10, 2024
The temporary facility is part of a state-mandated program called “Code Blue” that requires counties to provide shelter, no questions asked, on nights when the temperature dips below freezing.
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Wyoming lawmakers pursue transgender bathroom, sports restrictions in 2025 session
December 06, 2024
The proposed measures reflect the Legislature’s rightward turn in this year’s election and conservative concern over the issue.
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How Rural Communities Can Fill Care Gaps for Children with Disabilities
December 06, 2024
Amidst a nationwide shortage of pediatric subspecialty physicians, families caring for children with special health care needs in rural areas are often forced to travel long distances for care.
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Wausau Pilot “Letters to Santa” campaign starts now
December 06, 2024
Letters to Santa first began regularly appearing in newspapers around the 1880s. Every December since then, newspapers across the nation have published children’s heartfelt letters as a celebration of the season.
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Prescription delivery in Missouri faces delays under USPS rural service plan
December 06, 2024
The U.S. Postal Service plans to consolidate some services to regional hubs in Kansas City and St. Louis. Critics say the move will hurt rural customers, especially people who rely on the mail for their medication delivery.