Locally sourced, collaborative reporting from and for rural America.
Featured Story
Kevin Fujii for Civil Beat
Hawaiʻi Is Losing Therapists Before They Even Start. A New Law Could Help
A new policy puts Hawaiʻi on par with other states.
LATEST NEWS FROM THE NETWORK
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Georgia Power just lowered its fuel rate. So why are power bills still high?
Summer rates, sweltering temperatures push Georgia Power bills higher, despite fuel cost reduction.
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“More People Sick or Dying”: After Five Years of Sterile Syringe Distributions, Harm Reduction Law Set to Expire
The state law protecting the organizations from criminal prosecution sunsets July 1, effectively grinding the work to a halt.
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Across West Virginia, public schools are closing. Communities are feeling the loss.
Wetzel County’s four high schools are consolidating into one. As schools close, residents feel like they didn’t get a say and want state officials to act to save other community schools.
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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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.
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Gordon Hodges for Door County Knock
Locked Out: Door County’s affordable housing shortage
An in-depth series on Door County’s affordable housing shortage, examining its causes, shrinking availability and the roadblocks to building more.
MORE NEWS FROM THE NETWORK
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Something’s alive under East Hill Cemetery … millions of native bees | Backstory
June 30, 2026
Researcher Jordan Kueneman is one of the scientists who study this population of bees … and why cemeteries, of all places, play such a big role in pollination and biodiversity.
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Reimagining Civic Engagement with Trivia Night
June 29, 2026
As the 2026 election season continues, a coalition of Nevada grassroots organizations holds local trivia night to encourage civic participation, voter education and community dialogue.
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Opposition arises to rebuild of US 85 through the Black Hills
June 29, 2026
The DOT says the highway needs major safety improvements, but concerns over potential impacts on the environment and scenery are driving significant project opposition.
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We Mapped Rural Data Center Development – and Opposition. Here’s What We Found.
June 29, 2026
Though the majority of data centers are located in urban or suburban areas, rural communities face unique challenges in the data center development landscape.
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Climate activists take on a new foe: Data centers
June 29, 2026
As climate action stalls, the movement is finding new energy in local fights to stop polluting, power-hungry facilities.
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Martin County residents keep pressing state officials for funding to reopen hospital
June 29, 2026
Martin General’s closure cost the county $33 million in economic activity, manager says, and residents now have to travel for even vital care.
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People are betting on wildfires. Should they?
June 29, 2026
Betting on a wildfire’s outcome isn’t just limited to general prediction market platforms anymore. Fire survivors say “it’s morally reprehensible,” and experts worry the wagering could lead to arson.
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InvestigateWest, Invisible Institute sue Idaho for withholding police employment records
June 26, 2026
The lawsuit accuses Idaho State Police and the Idaho Department of Correction of concealing public records in response to critical reporting.
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What we learned after traveling 1,000 miles across Montana to talk about rural workforce needs
June 26, 2026
In listening sessions with superintendents, business owners, community college leaders and more, we heard about what made these places special, and both the challenges and opportunities that persist.