✏️: Rural Health Reporter @KFFHealthNews.org 📍: Rapid City ✉️: ariellez@kff.org 🚨 Signal: Zionts_RuralHealthNews.22 😍: Story ideas, outdoors, animals, reading, history, art, gravel+mtn biking ❗️: RT means worth reading/knowing, not agreementhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajzionts.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajzionts.bsky.social/post/3muzgutqruk2jAlso, drought, which causes crop failures, animal deaths and financial losses which in turn can trigger mental health issues. The South Dakota ag department made a post about this, with general and ag-related mental health resources: https://www.facebook.com/SDDANR/posts/pfbid0aM55J8y4FcUoce631rQHawC6aXhrJ7v9UDWUuDA1o4sE9eQYkHentjpzMfRWizkKl?rdid=BSmMI71GliEOGRnJ# [contains quote post or other embedded content]08 Sep 2026 16:27 +0000at://did:plc:535lqak5plbc5eloqqheur7r/app.bsky.feed.post/3muzgutqruk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajzionts.bsky.social/post/3mumqu7phws2xThe $50B Rural Health Transformation Program lacks transparency, which could make it difficult to protect against fraud, identify successful projects+ensure the program delivers on its promise to transform the system. Groups are calling for CMS to post more info. https://kffhealthnews.org/rural-health/rural-health-transformation-program-transparency-50-billion-dollars-state-tracking/03 Sep 2026 15:21 +0000at://did:plc:535lqak5plbc5eloqqheur7r/app.bsky.feed.post/3mumqu7phws2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajzionts.bsky.social/post/3musjysrwwk2eGreat Plains Youth Club, a white supremacist group, hung up recruitment posters in downtown Rapid City. Some of their posters make their ideology clear but others mention issues (anti-zionism, anti-flock cameras) meant to draw non-white supremacists into their movement.05 Sep 2026 22:34 +0000at://did:plc:535lqak5plbc5eloqqheur7r/app.bsky.feed.post/3musjysrwwk2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/ajzionts.bsky.social/post/3mumssph3f22lLocal angle: South Dakota rejected my public records request+appeal to release its unredacted RHTP budget. But it (likely accidentally) shared a letter from an SD official to CMS saying that he hoped the agency would keep SD's application from public view: https://kffhealthnews.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/08/SD-to-CMS-FOIA-1.pdf [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 Sep 2026 15:56 +0000at://did:plc:535lqak5plbc5eloqqheur7r/app.bsky.feed.post/3mumssph3f22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajzionts.bsky.social/post/3mumqu7phws2xThe $50B Rural Health Transformation Program lacks transparency, which could make it difficult to protect against fraud, identify successful projects+ensure the program delivers on its promise to transform the system. Groups are calling for CMS to post more info. https://kffhealthnews.org/rural-health/rural-health-transformation-program-transparency-50-billion-dollars-state-tracking/03 Sep 2026 15:21 +0000at://did:plc:535lqak5plbc5eloqqheur7r/app.bsky.feed.post/3mumqu7phws2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajzionts.bsky.social/post/3mufnsjbrmc2hPeople who’ve read The Gales of November, a newish book about the Edmund Fitzgerald: Me, my dad, my husband, my husband’s dad, my former editor, my kayaking guide.31 Aug 2026 19:38 +0000at://did:plc:535lqak5plbc5eloqqheur7r/app.bsky.feed.post/3mufnsjbrmc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajzionts.bsky.social/post/3msy7zw5v6k25The feds+states are pushing AI through the Rural Health Transformation Program despite the lack of studies on AI in rural health settings. It's unclear how many states will be collecting+sharing outcomes. And rural people I spoke w/ were skeptical of AI. https://kffhealthnews.org/rural-health/rural-healthcare-artificial-intelligence-patients-wary/13 Aug 2026 18:01 +0000at://did:plc:535lqak5plbc5eloqqheur7r/app.bsky.feed.post/3msy7zw5v6k25https://bsky.app/profile/ajzionts.bsky.social/post/3msjmsudbzc22The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally starts today. Yesterday, 5 motorcyclists died in 3 crashes. 2 of the crashes were caused by riders losing control through turns: One rider hit+killed another motorcyclist. Another hit a car, killing himself+his passenger; neither were wearing helmets.07 Aug 2026 22:40 +0000at://did:plc:535lqak5plbc5eloqqheur7r/app.bsky.feed.post/3msjmsudbzc22https://bsky.app/profile/ajzionts.bsky.social/post/3msgc4y6txs23“At least four states — Montana, Arizona, Kentucky, and Utah — previously proposed policies that included homelessness as an exemption. But federal officials have said that’s not allowed.” [contains quote post or other embedded content]06 Aug 2026 14:51 +0000at://did:plc:535lqak5plbc5eloqqheur7r/app.bsky.feed.post/3msgc4y6txs23