The government shutdown rolls on and the ripple effects continue in North Dakota. On this week's Prairie Beat, we take a look at the community work being done in North Dakota to lessen the impact.

As the government shutdown rolls on, the possibility of more North Dakotans needing food assistance becomes closer to reality. For those on the front lines of fighting hunger, the tasks are daunting. But they are undeterred.

Every parent of a kid in a North Dakota public school wants to know: who is going to replace Kirsten Baesler? This week, we found out.

Do you pay the rent or health insurance premiums? That could be the dreadful question North Dakota families will have to ask themselves if the situation in Washington isn't resolved soon.

The deadly Enderlin tornado over the summer left many in Eastern North Dakota shaken. And while video of the damage to homes looked like it might have been a stronger storm than classified, it was a train that got the storm a higher ranking.

It's almost incomprehensible to think about the school and everyday stresses faced by Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Growing up or coming of age during a global pandemic and the unprecedented time we're in are two major factors but a third has got to be navigating life online. In this week's Prairie Beat, we take a look at one school's struggle with the online exploitation of some of their students.

What happens when cell phones disappear from classrooms across North Dakota? This week on Prairie Beat, Ann Alquist joins Danielle Webster to dive into the state’s new “bell-to-bell” phone ban.

Short of heading to a tropical island, how can we unplug from the stress of the news and comments about the news we see everyday as we scroll on social media? On this week's Prairie Beat, we have some expert advice.

Public health officials worked tirelessly for years to get their arms around the opioid crisis that began in the 90s and early 2000s. Manufacturers and distributors later settled lawsuits after it was proven how addictive they were, and with those funds states were able to set up their own response programs. One way North Dakota combats overdose deaths from opioids is giving out thousands of doses of naloxone statewide every year - and it's making a big difference.

It's not a straight up David vs. Goliath story- it's more complicated than that- but a project that could be breaking ground very soon, just outside of Fargo, has unleashed strong opinions and tensions between neighboring communities. That's the focus of our news podcast this week, Prairie Beat.