Category: Rural Headlines

HealthDay: Could Wildfire Smoke Raise Rural Suicide Rates?

EXCERPT: “As this summer has shown, the massive smoke plumes generated by wildfires can dirty the air of regions many miles away. Now a new study is raising the question of whether that pollution is contributing to suicides in rural America. Researchers found a correlation between air pollution from “drifting” wildfire smoke and a rise in ...

MinnPost: New program in Morris to train addiction treatment specialists looks to address unmet needs in Greater Minnesota

EXCERPT: “At the University of Minnesota Morris, psychology faculty have known for some time about the severe shortage of addiction treatment professionals in rural parts of the state. This year, they’ve developed a way to help address that problem by creating a new program designed to train and prepare students to sit for the state’s licensed alcohol and drug ...

Wall Street Journal: States Look to Unconventional Fix for Attorney Shortages

EXCERPT: “From his rural court about an hour north of Duluth, Minn., Judge Robert Friday regularly oversees cases in which people face losing their homes, divorce disputes and debts they can’t pay. One or both parties regularly show up without a lawyer. Individuals representing themselves don’t always understand how to present their cases or—sometimes, more important—how to ...

Government Technology: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Signs $100M Rural Internet Bill

EXCERPT: “Topped by $100 million for rural Internet and a safety net for farmers on grain sales, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday, May 18, signed an agriculture and broadband spending bill into law. ‘Agriculture is central to our state’s identity, and this bipartisan law will empower Minnesota’s farmers, ranchers, and producers to succeed for ...