Rural ambulance departments across the Dakotas, which have struggled for years to have enough volunteer EMTs, are hitting a tipping point: Some are not able to continue as they have for decades. Others will face decisions in the next few years. What’s changed? How will it affect rural communities? How are people thinking differently about how to treat medical emergencies in rural communities?
Across the Dakotas, rural churches are struggling with declining membership, trying to discern what the next step is for their congregations. Many have found an answer in partnering with another nearby congregation—or perhaps several.
As mainline churches across America struggle with declining membership, rural churches often face an additional problem: The difficulty of calling and keeping a pastor. Cost is a significant concern, but making the math work is just part of the challenge.
Harvest in several towns in the James River Valley is not only well under way, it’s nearly done in some parts of the region—and it’s just mid-October.
Hecla has a water mystery on its hands, and it’s getting costly. “If you look at what we’re billing and what we’re pumping, we are losing about half our water somewhere,” said Hecla Finance Officer Gayle Lloyd.