Locally sourced, collaborative reporting from and for rural America.
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Photo illustration by Naomi O’Donnell for The Beacon
Missouri doesn’t require asking pregnant patients about their mental health. New moms keep dying
Asking the right questions is just the first step. Actually getting support, especially for moms in rural Missouri, is where providers say things get even harder.
LATEST NEWS FROM THE NETWORK
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Realtors, Developers and Lawmakers Say Land Banks Are a Start Toward Housing Fix
As rural communities across Oklahoma struggle to add housing, land banks could offer a way to turn neglected or unused property into homes.
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Billionaires in the wilderness
Private-sector wealth wants to save Greater Yellowstone. But for whom?
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Vermont farmers feel impacts of staffing cuts at USDA
Reduced staffing means there are fewer people on the ground to help farmers submit applications, explain the reason behind funding priorities and ensure that the federal government works for farmers, said an agricultural policy analyst.
RNN Highlights
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Rachel Livinal for The Merced FOCUS
Young Brains, Huge Stakes: How transitional kindergarten is shaping San Joaquin Valley’s youth
As California expands transitional kindergarten statewide, this four-part series examines whether San Joaquin Valley schools can meet the needs of young learners.
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Lily Smith for Flatwater Free Press
Priced out of the Good Life
Nebraska paychecks are stagnant. Home prices continue to spiral. It’s pricing out a generation of buyers.
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Courtesy of U.S. Senate
Cardinal News 250: Virginia’s stories. A nation’s birth.
The project spotlights Virginia’s overlooked contributions to America’s march to independence ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary, or semiquincentennial.
MORE NEWS FROM THE NETWORK
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Adirondack Rail Trail sees more than 210K users in first year of operation
September 28, 2026
Data points to strong numbers of local riders, walkers alongside visitors.
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In photos: 2026 Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup
September 26, 2026
Scenes from the 61st annual roundup attended by more than 20,000 tourists. “People that I talked to along the way were just super stoked.”
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Vermont pick-your-own orchards’ success depends on the weather
September 25, 2026
“We became marketers and entertainers,” a state apple expert said. “Pumpkin patch runners and corn maze makers.”
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Hollister High football season cancellation draws community reaction, questions
September 25, 2026
San Benito High School District officials are facing backlash from students, student-athletes and parents, and the larger community, about their handling of the varsity football program.
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Dos años después, las heridas abiertas de Helene en Swannanoa
September 25, 2026
En el segundo aniversario del huracán, Comunidades Unidas de Swannanoa identifica la vivienda, la comida y la salud mental como los tres grandes retos de la recuperación de la comunidad. La organización también advierte que la ayuda para desastres empieza a reducirse.
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Trump orders plans to unlock isolated public land, revise river-trip permitting
September 25, 2026
The efforts are contained in a push to bolster hunting heritage.
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Can Question 7’s zoning reform ease the housing crisis in Mass.?
September 25, 2026
The ballot initiative would allow single-family homes to be built on residential lots as small as 5,000 square feet. Developers and some progressive groups say that will help first-time buyers. But others aren’t convinced.
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$31M in federal grants target Oklahoma tribal nations’ mental health, substance abuse prevention
September 25, 2026
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced $31 million will support more than a dozen tribal nations and organizations in Oklahoma, providing mental health and substance use prevention resources.
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Inaugural fall free fishing weekend starts Friday across Virginia
September 25, 2026
Anglers can fish without buying a license from Friday through Sunday. The state’s free fishing weekend typically takes place each June; this is the first year with a second free weekend.