Locally sourced, collaborative reporting from and for rural America.
Featured Story
Jack Igelman for Carolina Public Press
Roadless areas of national forests could go away under proposed rule change
Since 1999, some areas of national forests in NC and across US have been designated roadless. The Trump administration wants to change that.
LATEST NEWS FROM THE NETWORK
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Horses that heal: Equine therapy rising in popularity
The therapy can help anyone but has been particularly effective in aiding Native Americans, who have a deep historical connection to horses as both working animals and companions.
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Delmar students face overcrowding as district exceeds capacity
Officials have turned common spaces into classrooms as state leaders defer funding for a new school, leaving the strain unaddressed for two years.
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Remediation efforts continue over six months after Point Higgins Elementary diesel spill
In late January, the school district declined to respond to multiple requests for comment about the spill and remediation efforts. Today, the interim superintendent said in an email that she can talk next week.
RNN Highlights
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Justin Hardiman for Capital B
Sowing Resilience
Rural communities across the country are grappling with food insecurity. Nine stories reveal how communities are navigating — and reimagining — the systems that have left them hungry.
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Illustration by Hrisanthi Pickett
Operation Timeline
What is the Trump administration’s impact on veterans and the military? We are tracking the developments day by day. Explore our timeline.
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John Stember for Montana Free Press
The Shelter Gap
A three-part series examining barriers to buying, renting and building homes on reservation land in Montana — and highlighting the community benefits of secure housing.
MORE NEWS FROM THE NETWORK
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Trump’s BLM nominee waffles on public land sell-off stance
February 25, 2026
Steve Pearce, the White House’s second oil and gas-connected pick, is “not so sure” he’s changed.
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Fluvanna County Planning Commission denies Tenaska’s special use permit for proposed gas plant
February 25, 2026
Tenaska, a Nebraska-based energy company, is requesting a special use permit for its proposed second gas plant near Scottsville.
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Farm bankruptcies jumped 46% in 2025 as debt loads and costs rise
February 25, 2026
Chapter 12 filings climbed to 315 in the US. That’s a third straight increase annually as higher production costs and expanding borrowing put new pressure on farmers in 2026.
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Republicans’ New Farm Bill Takes Aim at Animal Welfare and Pesticide Regulations
February 25, 2026
But the bill faces steep odds of passage in a sharply-divided Congress.
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Food and Environment Reporting Network
‘Big Four’ beef processors under fire as prices for steaks and hamburgers soar
February 25, 2026
McDonald’s and other food industry players accuse packers of collusion and price-gouging.
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Delaware City data center developer appeals Coastal Zone denial
February 25, 2026
The plans for several data centers in Delaware have garnered backlash from residents who are worried about their potential impact on energy costs and the environment.
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The first-in-the-nation TikTok ban that wasn’t
February 24, 2026
U.S. Federal District Court Judge Donald Molloy strikes down the Legislature’s statewide restriction, which has been stalled in legal limbo since its passage in 2023.
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Camp Mystic parents sue state, accusing Texas officials of failing to enforce evacuation plan requirement
February 23, 2026
A group of parents whose children died in the July 4 floods claim in a federal lawsuit that Camp Mystic’s emergency instructions directed kids to stay in cabins even though state law requires evacuation plans for camps.
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Did the USDA just forget about $400M in drought aid for farmers?
February 23, 2026
More than a year later, not a dollar has been spent — and no one knows what happened to the money.