Category: Rural Headlines

EXCERPT: “An estimated 45% of rural hospitals in Minnesota no longer offer maternity care, per a new report. The big picture: Challenging economics and labor shortages are forcing more rural facilities to stop providing labor and delivery services, Axios’ Jason Millman writes. The report, from the nonprofit Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, found that 55% of ...

EXCERPT: “To Becca Arens, who lives off of Social Security benefits in Willmar, a federal program that subsidizes the cost of internet service or cell service has been a lifesaver. ‘If I did not have that $30 off my internet, I would be hurting,’ said Arens, 51. Without the subsidy, Arens said her monthly internet bill ...

EXCERPT: “Folks in this Mississippi River town hope a new federal program can revive the optimism engraved long ago in a plaque on the side of their hospital. ‘Dedicated to the Future of Health Care in the Tri-State Area,’ the sign declares. ‘May 11, 1981.’ More recent placards posted at the facility’s entryways are ominous, however. ...

EXCERPT: “Federal grant money is flowing in to help farmers and smaller businesses in rural communities adapt to clean energy technology. Minnesota is among the states getting extra staff to help individuals tap into those resources. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is hiring 40 Climate Change Fellows to assist with applications for wind, solar and similar projects ...

EXCERPT: “Those living in rural areas face several challenges when it comes to accessing legal care; challenges that oftentimes affect their health and can prevent them from getting out of unsafe situations. A model that’s been successful in Alaska may address some of those legal challenges. Michele Statz, associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical ...

EXCERPT: “A common refrain from Minnesota Republicans goes something like this: Rural communities are overtaxed, underfunded and ignored by legislators. Greater Minnesota sends their tax dollars to the Twin Cities, where metro residents benefit from government programs. At a Nov. 15 event in New Ulm, Republican State Sen. Gary Dahms repeated the sentiments that have fueled the ...

EXCERPT: “Norman County and Mahnomen County have some of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in Minnesota, according to the 2023 Minnesota Adolescent Sexual Health Report. The latest report is the first look at teen pregnancy rates after the pandemic. While both counties have some of the highest rates of pregnancies for those between the ages ...

EXCERPT: “‘Can you lift your arms?’ physician Luke Van Oeveren asked. An elderly woman stared blankly at him from the back of an ambulance, where she sat strapped onto a stretcher. After a moment, she complied, but when Van Oeveren added another instruction to the cognition test, she became confused. ‘Close your eyes and lift your ...

EXCERPT: “Those living in rural areas face several challenges when it comes to accessing legal care; challenges that oftentimes affect their health and can prevent them from getting out of unsafe situations. A model that’s been successful in Alaska may address some of those legal challenges. Michele Statz, associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical ...