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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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Millions earmarked to keep rural hospitals open, recruit health care providers in Shapiro’s $51.4B budget proposal
February 13, 2025
Local elected leaders hope investments to address rural service gaps, promote economic development, and attract tourism through outdoor recreation make it into the final deal.
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$1M from the state prevented this rural hospital from closing, but its troubles aren’t over
January 22, 2025
For years, health care administrators and experts have said workforce shortages and increased operating costs have exacerbated financial problems, especially for hospitals in rural areas where residents are typically older and more reliant on Medicare and Medicaid, which reimburse at lower rates than private insurance companies.
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Rural Pa. counties are still recovering from Tropical Storm Debby as officials eye ways to mitigate future damage
December 23, 2024
Federal dollars have helped some people get back on their feet in the four months since the storm, but some local officials are looking for long-term solutions to help prevent — or mitigate — such damage the next time there’s heavy rain.
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Losing its only 24/7 gas station pushed this rural Pa. community to think differently about its future
October 16, 2024
The small north-central community in the heart of the Pennsylvania Wilds would lose the only Sheetz convenience store for miles. Residents, who’ve watched industries come and go over the years, thought this was just the latest economic blow.
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More than $1M is available for rural Pa. counties hit hard by Tropical Storm Debby. Here’s how to apply.
October 10, 2024
Heavy rains and floods devastated parts of Lycoming, Potter, Tioga, and Union Counties in early August.
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Farmer support could lead Pennsylvania to lift its near-total ban on Sunday hunting
October 03, 2024
Crop-hungry deer and swing district lawmakers could tip the state toward lifting restrictions.
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High court voids ruling on mail ballots missing handwritten dates
September 13, 2024
Pennsylvanians who vote by mail must write a proper date on their ballot envelopes for their votes to be counted, the state Supreme Court said in a decision Friday that could affect thousands of voters this November.
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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro isn’t Kamala Harris’ pick for vice president
August 06, 2024
Shapiro’s support for taxpayer-funded private school vouchers made him a target of powerful unions and progressive groups.
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Who is Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro? Full biography, key accomplishments, controversies & more
July 22, 2024
Unlike other rumored picks, like Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Shapiro did not rule out the idea of running for vice president during a Monday event.
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Population decline in Pa. is happening faster than expected, data suggest. Here’s how the state is dealing with it.
July 17, 2024
Rural leaders have stressed that limited access to jobs, housing, health care, and other essentials has made it hard to attract new and younger people to these communities, which tend to have older residents.
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On any given day, this Pa. community might not have running water. Residents are at a loss.
June 03, 2024
A four-month Spotlight PA investigation found customers served by Rock Spring’s roughly 20-mile system have been failed by the company, state regulators, and elected officials.
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Dairy farmers in Pa. could see financial boost from Shapiro’s proposed insurance subsidy
May 15, 2024
As part of his administration’s efforts to bolster the agriculture industry through state spending, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to use millions of dollars to connect more Pennsylvania farmers to a federal dairy program.
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Rural Pa. township disbanded police department after chief got a new job
February 07, 2024
The supervisors didn’t relish the idea of starting from scratch. Plus, state law does not require municipalities to maintain a local police force. None of the township’s 870 residents attended the special meeting that discussed the department’s future.
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Rural towns hope to entice remote workers to move to the Pa. Wilds with a ‘free’ summer. Here’s how it’s going.
October 26, 2023
Similar efforts have become more common nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic popularized remote work, with some even offering thousands of dollars and other free perks to relocate.
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Almost 40 elementary schools have closed in rural north-central Pa. in the past decade. Here’s why.
April 07, 2023
Some of the districts hardest hit by these closures, many in shrinking rural areas of the state, cited student population decline as a reason for shutting down schools.
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