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On average, the student loan debt of primary care physician graduates is about $213,000 and graduates with a bachelor’s degree in nursing have an average debt of about $30,000.

On average, the student loan debt of primary care physician graduates is about $213,000 and graduates with a bachelor’s degree in nursing have an average debt of about $30,000.

Student loan repayment programs for health professions

News Staff
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Nearly 75% of rural counties in North Dakota are designated primary care shortage areas. One key strategy to become the healthiest state in the nation involves increasing access to health care by building a strong health care workforce – especially in rural areas.
RED RIVER FARM NETWORK

RED RIVER FARM NETWORK

RED RIVER FARM NETWORK

News Staff
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Farmer Bridge Assistance payment rates now known – In the final hours of 2025, USDA announced the payment rates for the new Farmer Bridge Assistance program. Those rates include soybeans at $30.88 per acre, corn at $44.36, wheat at $39.35 and barley at $20.51. The per-acre rate for canola is $23.
A roadside ditch along Highway 2, about 5 miles west of Grand Forks, North Dakota, full of topsoil from the adjoining field that was tilled in the fall. (NDSU photo)

A roadside ditch along Highway 2, about 5 miles west of Grand Forks, North Dakota, full of topsoil from the adjoining field that was tilled in the fall. (NDSU photo)

Study reveals $6,600 the cost of losing six inches of topsoil

Ndsu Extension
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Losing six inches of topsoil could cost farmers more than $6,600 in nutrients and organic matter, according to a new analysis by North Dakota State University researchers. Topsoil is the most fertile layer of a soil, rich in microbial activity and essential for crop production.
Along the way | Sunsets and Psalms

Along the way | Sunsets and Psalms

Along the way | Sunsets and Psalms

Christine Jensen
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Sometimes, along the way, we have moments of darkness when things fall apart. It is in those moments that we usually find the inner strength, endurance, and especially faith to carry on and find hope in the healing aspects we experience.
Valley News & Views

Valley News & Views

Drayton Area Community Foundation announces 2025 grant recipients

News Staff
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
The Advisory Committee for the Drayton Area Community Foundation awarded grants totaling $5,460 to five local community projects this year. Congratulations to the following recipients:• Drayton Park Board: $1,328.33 Dylan Arena repairs• Drayton Family & Consumer Sciences: $1,328.
Make sure the goals you set for the new year are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. (Pixabay photo)

Make sure the goals you set for the new year are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. (Pixabay photo)

Prairie Fare: Does goal setting for health really work?

News Staff
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
I walked by my shiny guitar in our music room. My previous goal was to learn how to play it. I had several guitar books neatly stacked on a nearby table.
Ranelle Nissen, Ph.D., OTR/L, serves as an associate dean and associate professor in the School of Health Sciences at the University of South Dakota. Dr. Nissen is a licensed occupational therapist in South Dakota and has helped families and individuals affected by dementia through both her professional work and her volunteer work with the South Dakota Alzheimer’s Association.

Ranelle Nissen, Ph.D., OTR/L, serves as an associate dean and associate professor in the School of Health Sciences at the University of South Dakota. Dr. Nissen is a licensed occupational therapist in South Dakota and has helped families and individuals affected by dementia through both her professional work and her volunteer work with the South Dakota Alzheimer’s Association.

Prairie Doc Perspective: Beyond memory loss

News Staff
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
The human side of dementiaFirst, you notice the small changes. It may be challenging to find the right word or remember the name of someone you just met. You may forget where you placed your keys when you came home from the grocery store.
Valley News & Views

Valley News & Views

January Health Notes from Pembina County Public Health

News Staff
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. According to the American Association for Cancer Research, more than 13,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2025, with over 4,000 cases resulting in death. More often than not, cervical cancer is a preventable disease.
Valley News & Views

Valley News & Views

Flu cases quadrupled in N.D. after Christmas

News Staff
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
By The Borderland News Center North Dakota’s Health and Human Services Department released its most recent respiratory pathogen report two days after Christmas, with data collected showing flu cases have nearly quadrupled in the two weeks prior to the holiday.Numbers for the week ending Dec.
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