Rural America
A robust digital equity plan can boost rural broadband access
A new toolkit from a rural broadband association calls on local leaders to build partnerships, engage in community outreach, and emphasize digital literacy and cybersecurity skills among residents.
Study: Rural communities still at disadvantage when competing for federal grants
Despite efforts by the Biden Administration to level the playing field for low-capacity communities, applying for government funding remains a tougher challenge for rural communities.
For rural communities, broadband expansion is no single thing
Small communities trying to take advantage of massive federal funding now available for broadband expansion deal with multiple hurdles. Resistance from major providers is just one of them.
Study looks at climate change effects on rural electrical grids
Investigators from universities in South Dakota, Puerto Rico, Maine and Alaska are working together for the next four years to study severe weather events and electrical grids.
How will rural Americans fare during Medicaid unwinding? Experts fear they’re on their own
Rural residents face additional barriers to renewing their Medicaid coverage, including longer distances to eligibility offices, less access to the internet or a lack of health insurance counselors in their communities.
You might need an ambulance, but your state might not see it as ‘essential’
Ambulance services can receive state money once declared essential services.
This new law will help health care workers save lives in ambulances that cover wide-open West Texas
The emerging technology, paid for by a grant established during the 2023 legislative session, will help emergency health care workers talk with doctors in emergency rooms to better care for critical patients.
Life in a rural ‘ambulance desert’ means sometimes help isn’t on the way
Rural health care services like ambulances and hospitals are often spread few and far between, research shows. A shortage of services puts residents' health at risk and even affects local economies, experts say.
Lack of access to cloud computing may hinder rural innovation, study shows
Rural businesses innovate at rates similar to urban businesses when they have access to the cloud. But they need fast, stable internet connection to maintain that competitiveness.
Rural Texas may lose out on billions in broadband infrastructure funding due to federal regulations
Grant applicants are required to have a line of credit from a major bank and put up 25% of the project cost ahead of time. That will likely disqualify many small internet service providers in rural areas.
Recovery cafes offer support, healing in rural communities
Facing issues including substance misuse or loneliness, a new way to gather to lean on others for support is catching on in rural American towns. A rural fellowship program focused on health and criminal justice is helping support some of the efforts.
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