by Susan Smith, Special to Dakotafire Media Populations of pollinating insects, such as monarch butterflies and bees, are considered a key indicator of overall environmental health. “They’re the canary in the coal mine,” said Peter Berthelsen during a presentation to students and landowners Sept. 9 at South Dakota State University. “We have to figure out how to make all things ... Read More »
Top 10 quotable moments from National Rural Assembly 2015 In order to be heard, rural advocates must amplify their voices through powerful, impactful statements. At the 2015 National Rural Assembly, held Sept. 8-10 in on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., rural ideas were shared amid peers and top-ranking White House officials alike. A focus on youth in planning the infrastructure, ... Read More »
What is rural? A table of six young leaders from across America hashed out the definition of the word “rural” during Young Leader’s Day at the National Rural Assembly in Washington, D.C. In a framing exercise, we discussed what we most want policymakers to know about the places that, to us, epitomize the institution of “rural,” as well as the ... Read More »
Though school districts throughout the Dakotas are diverse in many ways, troubles recruiting and retaining bus drivers are not unique. “Every place I’ve worked at, we’ve dealt with issues with buses (and) transportation,” said 22-year superintendent Terry Eckstaine, who presently works in the Ethan, (S.D.) School District. Read More »
By Kristin Brekke Vandersnick, Special to Dakotafire Media At a time when many rural volunteer-driven groups are struggling to maintain their missions and memberships, the 50-year-old Willow Lake Lions Club is just reaching its stride. In 1965, 25 men signed their names as charter members of the club. Last month, nearly 250 people gathered in the Willow Lake auditorium ... Read More »
The wheels are turning at the Dakota Fresh Food Hub, as producers gear up for delivery Spring 2016. Kari O’Neill, Community Development Field Specialist at South Dakota State University’s Extension Office, she considers herself a very active facilitator to the producers who are getting the hub up and running. “We decided from the beginning that we were going to start ... Read More »
When it comes to the U.S. Postal Services’ cost for renting post office buildings in the Dakotas, price varies as much as population, and the reasons for those rental rates can vary just as much. “The government doesn’t understand these small towns ... They’ve just got a rate they pay, and they don’t adjust it for what the market will bear.” Read More »
by Wendy Royston, Dakotafire Media staff writer with reports by Doug Card, Sarah Gackle and Bill Krikac Editor’s note: This is the first story in a two-part series. See the second story here. A small-town post office serves as a recognizable face of the local community. “It is an identity. Your ZIP code and your post office is your town,” ... Read More »
What’s the state of the soil throughout the Dakotafire region? “There’s no way to know,” according to officials, but “there’s always room for improvement.” South Dakota State University Extension and the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition have joined forces in a proactive attempt at ensuring the state’s soil is conducive to growing for the long haul, according to Sandy Smart, ... Read More »
The latest Dakotafire Café, a series of events intended to spark community and regional conversations, will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3, at the Front Porch restaurant in Langford, S.D. Dakotafire Cafés intend to get people talking about the topic presented in the latest issue of Dakotafire magazine, according to Dakotafire Publisher and Editor Heidi Marttila-Losure. “Most ... Read More »
Dakotafire Get your spark here.
