Remnants of Hurricane Fred sent rivers out of their banks across western North Carolina in 2021.
North Carolina DOT
In the mountains, heavy downpours can be devastating, especially when storms hit back to back. .
Inmate fire crews work alongside professional fire crews and do the same work. But they receive little, if any, pay.
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Georgia’s inmate fire crews respond to hundreds of calls in surrounding counties every year. Without them, there might not be a responder, but they aren’t universally loved – and they don’t get paid.
A recent survey shows that at least 70% of people in the U.S. believe the country is on the wrong track.
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For at least 50 years, pollsters have been asking Americans whether they think their country is on the right or wrong track. That question may have outlived its usefulness.
Police detectives sort through evidence after raiding a suspected meth lab.
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An anthropologist who wrote a book exploring meth’s impact on rural communities explains what drove the epidemic and how it’s changed.
People’s perceptions of the threat of climate change vary according to where they live.
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People living in rural areas perceive the threat of climate change to be lower than people in cities.
Pushthrough, N.L. in the early 1960s. It was resettled in 1969.
(Conrad Hiscock and John Marsden)
Resettled families did not receive adequate compensation for property left behind and were rarely provided with sufficient funds to build new lives.
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Kenya’s experienced fast population growth and urbanisation - this has brought about some big challenges.
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Tree-changers can get a bad rap for not managing their properties well. So will this lead to more absentee neighbours who let weeds run rampant?
Raising kids on a farm, as Kerissa Payne is doing, isn’t simple.
Photo courtesy of Kerissa and Charlie Payne
Access to affordable child care affects farm productivity, safety and ultimately the nation’s food supply. Farm families across the U.S. are struggling without it.
Rural public transit has important economic and social benefits. So why does Canada fail so badly on providing it to rural residents?
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There is a continuing misunderstanding of rural realities by policymakers. Ultimately this puts transit out of reach for many rural areas.
Kivalina sits on a narrow barrier island on the Chukchi Sea.
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In the years since the Supreme Court rejected Kivalina’s appeal on May 20, 2013, the community’s search and rescue team has faced increasing climate disasters: ‘We just can’t adapt this fast.’
Psychologists can be found in the public system (for example, schools, hospitals, public health offices), but increasingly are choosing to work in private practice, fee-for-service, clinics.
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Rural Canadians face challenges accessing mental health services, and an exodus of psychologists from the public system may make matters worse.
Waiting for repairs can cost farmers time and money.
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Corporations restrict what farmers can do with their own seeds, as well as their farm equipment when it breaks down.
Women walk with their donkeys in Ethiopia’s Amhara region.
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The demand for donkey hides to produce ejiao has led to a shortage of donkeys in China and increasingly worldwide.
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Successive Japanese administrations have tried – and largely failed – to reduce urban overcrowding for 70 years.
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Across Australia, the top ten regions for socio-economic disadvantage are based in rural and regional areas. Local newspapers are especially important in such communities.
Residents of rural areas depend on social interactions to give directions.
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While many people rely on written signage to find their way around, oral language plays a significant role in giving directions in rural areas.
The Washington National Cathedral hosted a public vaccination event in March 2021 to help demonstrate trust by faith leaders of all denominations in the COVID-19 vaccines.
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Two political scientists in their study in South Dakota found people trusted medical professionals the least when it came to public health messages.
Farmers are at increased risk of loneliness and isolation.
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New research shows using social media can provide a much-needed boost to UK farmers’ wellbeing, connectedness and mental health, and even bank balances.
Few homes in this Boulder County, Colo., neighborhood survived a fire that swept through in December 2021.
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As more people move into high fire-risk areas, an architect explains what to do to keep properties as safe as possible.