Alex Milan Tracy for Underscore
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The dozens of independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan news organizations that make up the Rural News Network are developing the broadest news alliance reporting on rural America. These newsrooms are pursuing coverage that provides a more complete picture of what it means to live and work in these communities.
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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?
December 11, 2024
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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Helene damage costs in NC more than $53 billion. Who will pay is unclear.
November 26, 2024
Mounting costs from storm damage, economic losses and expected repairs continues to mount. Also the latest county breakdown in lives lost.
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Maine proposes major staffing changes for assisted living and residential care facilities
November 24, 2024
The proposed regulations come after an 18-month investigation by The Maine Monitor and ProPublica found dozens of violations at the state’s largest facilities.
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As Starlink faces federal scrutiny, the internet company has become a lifeline in West Virginia — for those who can afford it
November 22, 2024
Thousands of West Virginians – many in rural parts of the state – rely on the Elon Musk-owned satellite company for high-speed internet access, even as federal regulators say it can’t meet the basic requirements to be defined as “broadband.”
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Conditions after Helene could make NC mountain wildfires difficult to contain
November 20, 2024
Loss of infrastructure, accumulation of storm debris could fuel wildfires, make it difficult for firefighters to reach blazes in Western NC.
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Great Falls commissioners pass cuts to library to support public safety
November 20, 2024
Throughout 2024, the debate over funding positioned a library with a $3.1 million budget against a much larger public safety budget that has fallen far behind the city’s needs.
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Six-Hour Meeting on Opioid Settlement Funds Results in No Definitive Board Action
November 14, 2024
Some supervisors are pushing to develop a strategic plan before allocating any funds, while others want to start deploying money quickly, in hopes of having a more immediate effect. Chair Kevin Crye says the most urgent priority is funding substance use prevention efforts with youth.
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For tens of thousands of West Virginians who need clean water, a $1 billion investment is a drop in the bucket
October 31, 2024
Mountain State Spotlight reporters spoke with residents in all 55 counties, folks everywhere brought up water quality and access. Despite the increased investments from state and federal officials in recent years, the need still outweighs the available funds.
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Vermont implements statewide ban on debris burning due to wildfire risk
October 28, 2024
“We are also concerned with fire department personnel becoming strained and fatigued as they share responsibility for wildland fire response,” said the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.
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Amid fires and red-flag warnings, the future of San Benito County’s rural fire protection is precarious
October 24, 2024
The county has until March 2025 to find a new contractor to provide fire services in the county’s unincorporated areas.
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Unsealed: Syngenta spent decades attempting to quiet health concerns about its profitable herbicide.
October 23, 2024
A former Florida rancher battling Parkinson’s disease reflects on years of using paraquat, as thousands of lawsuits claim the herbicide contributed to their illness and new documents shed light on the ongoing legal fight.
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Ingles reels from storm damage. Food options in NC mountains limited.
October 22, 2024
Storm damage to distribution center and stores has ripple effects on Western NC areas that rely on Asheville-based Ingles for food and jobs.
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Student Arrested for Making Threat of Mass Harm at Rhinebeck High School, State Police Report
October 18, 2024
Police concluded that the threats were not credible, but they carried out a search of the building as a precaution.
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Train derails near Glacier, spills hundreds of tons of grain
October 14, 2024
While no hazardous material was spilled in the wreck, the hundreds of tons of grain that did will likely concern wildlife officials in northwest Montana.
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A public safety disconnect among Liberty County voters
October 11, 2024
Only one race on the Nov. 5 ballot – the sheriff’s race – specifically involves public safety. But when The Current asked Liberty County residents about public safety and the election, not one mentioned the county sheriff’s race.
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