This weekly podcast will highlight how policy decisions affect North Dakota residents.Host Craig Blumenshine from Prairie Public will speak with North Dakota Monitor journalists about their reporting, giving listeners a closer look at major topics in the news, from education and state policy to energy and agriculture topics.New episodes every Friday.For more information, visit www.northdakotamonitor.com/podcastsSubscribe to A Closer Look with the Monitor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

A southwest North Dakota hospital is <a href="https://northdakotamonitor.com/2026/01/19/rural-hospital-on-the-verge-of-shutting-down-could-be-saved-by-lawmakers-bill/">at risk of closing</a> due to severe financial trouble, but lawmakers are considering a bill this week that would give the hospital a lifeline.Three lawmakers <a href="https://northdakotamonitor.com/2026/01/21/legislative-committee-endorses-lifeline-for-north-dakota-hospital-in-danger-of-closing/">introduced a bill</a> designed to help the Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center in Elgin, North Dakota. Monitor reporter Jacob Orledge talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of <a href="https://news.prairiepublic.org/podcast/main-street">Prairie Public’s Main Street</a>, about the financial difficulties for the rural hospital and the potential consequences if it closes.The bill seeks to provide a low-interest loan from the Bank of North Dakota to help the hospital keep the doors open while administrators implement cost-saving measures and apply for federal rural health care funding.

A southwest North Dakota hospital is at risk of closing due to severe financial trouble, but lawmakers are considering a bill this week that would give the hospital a lifeline.
Three lawmakers introduced a bill designed to help the Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center in Elgin, North Dakota. 
Monitor reporter Jacob Orledge talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street, about the financial difficulties for the rural hospital and the potential consequences if it closes.
The bill seeks to provide a low-interest loan from the Bank of North Dakota to help the hospital keep the doors open while administrators implement cost-saving measures and apply for federal rural health care funding.

Rural North Dakota hospital seeks lifeline in legislative session

North Dakota lawmakers took final steps this week to prepare for a special session to authorize the spending of federal health care money.Monitor reporter Mary Steurer talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of <a href="https://news.prairiepublic.org/podcast/main-street">Prairie Public’s Main Street</a>, about why the Rural Health Transformation Program is a big deal for North Dakota. They talk about <a href="https://northdakotamonitor.com/2026/01/14/north-dakota-lawmakers-poised-to-act-next-week-on-federal-rural-health-spending/">how the state plans to use the money</a> to help rural communities, and how officials are navigating the program’s tight window for granting funds.Also, Monitor editor Amy Dalrymple previews what the newsroom will be watching next week, and what the public needs to know about how to be engaged in the special session.

North Dakota lawmakers took final steps this week to prepare for a special session to authorize the spending of federal health care money.
Monitor reporter Mary Steurer talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street, about why the Rural Health Transformation Program is a big deal for North Dakota. They talk about how the state plans to use the money to help rural communities, and how officials are navigating the program’s tight window for granting funds.
Also, Monitor editor Amy Dalrymple previews what the newsroom will be watching next week, and what the public needs to know about how to be engaged in the special session.

Setting the stage for the North Dakota special session

North Dakota’s farmers are looking for higher profits but things may get worse before they get better, ag industry experts say. North Dakota Deputy Editor Jeff Beach chats with Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street program, about why farmers may not be set up for success in 2026 and the challenges facing agriculture in North Dakota.Also, North Dakota Monitor Editor Amy Dalrymple gives a brief preview to the state government stories the Monitor is covering next week.

North Dakota’s farmers are looking for higher profits but things may get worse before they get better, ag industry experts say. 
North Dakota Deputy Editor Jeff Beach chats with Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street program, about why farmers may not be set up for success in 2026 and the challenges facing agriculture in North Dakota.
Also, North Dakota Monitor Editor Amy Dalrymple gives a brief preview to the state government stories the Monitor is covering next week.