Can Elgin’s Hospital Be Saved? Loans, Science & Stories of Grit

Published January 22, 2026 at 4:19 PM CST

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Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center, a critical-access hospital in Elgin, N.D., is at the center of a legislative effort to stabilize rural health care. Last night, the Joint Appropriations Committee of the North Dakota Legislature recommended a do-pass vote on an amended bill that would create an emergency loan program that would support the hospital, cutting proposed funding from $10 million to $5 million.

Today's Segments

Can Elgin’s Hospital Be Saved? Lawmakers Consider Emergency Loan
In our weekly podcast A Closer Look With the Monitor, North Dakota Monitor reporter Jacob Orledge explains a low-interest loan proposal aimed at saving Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin. With the critical-access facility nearing closure, the bill could shape the future of rural health care, jobs, and emergency services across southwest North Dakota - and beyond.

A Closer Look With the Monitor - Saving Elgin's Hospital

Winter Science at Home: Turning Snow Days into STEM Discoveries
North Dakota Gateway to Science educator Annie Beck shares simple, hands-on ways families can turn winter weather into STEM learning—from tracking animals in the snow to exploring how flakes melt and change.

North Dakota Gateway To Science

Standing Her Ground: Jeane Hanning’s Courtroom Moment
Recorded live at Fargo’s The Tell, Jeane Hanning reflects on facing sexism as one of the first women attorneys in her firm—and the quiet act of courage that earned respect and changed the room.

The Tell: Jeane Hanning

Venison Chislic: A Prairie Tradition with Deep Roots
In this Plains Folk essay, Dr. Tom Isern traces chislic’s journey from the Caucasus to the Great Plains, exploring how venison and simple seasoning became a beloved regional tradition. You can here all episodes of Pains Folk here.