Latest news with #ruralcommunity
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Police appeal after off-road bikes damage farm crops in Bothamsall
Police are appealing for information after crops were damaged by off-road bikes on a farm in from Nottinghamshire Police received reports that "unknown offenders gained access to private farmland" off Gamston Road in Bothamsall between 20:30 and 23:30 BST on 25 July.A force statement said that after accessing the farm the suspects were driving around the field and "damaging a large quantity of crops".Footage taken of the suspected bikers has been released as police seek witnesses. PC Hollie Marsh, investigating the incident for Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Damage like this can cause farmers to suffer thousands of pounds worth of loss, and we want the rural community to know that we treat incidents like this very seriously and are determined to catch those responsible."
CBC
26-06-2025
- General
- CBC
The last student
The school will sit empty, the ferry will cost millions. But for the 20 residents, the cost of staying — and leaving — runs deeper than dollars. Your browser does not support the video tag. Pause Caroline Hillier Jun. 26, 2025 Walking into Fudge's Store in McCallum — where there are no roads and only footpaths — is like walking back decades into Newfoundland's outport past. A pallet load of groceries arrives here by ferry just once a week, and you only pay in cash. When tourists pop in, they often have the same questions for its owner. Did she grow up here? How harsh are the winters? And perhaps the most predictable question of all: is this a dying community? On my own visit, I follow suit and ask: is this a dying town? 'You can look at it that way. But I mean, really, that's no way to live,' Michelle Durnford says from behind the counter of the store her father started in 1964. 'So you kind of live your life day by day, and make decisions every day based on, you know, what's happening for you at the time.' McCallum's place on Newfoundland's south coast redefines what it means to be rural. There are no roads, no cars, and the only regular way in or out is by ferry, with the next closest community a 90-minute boat ride away. Helicopters come and go occasionally, if the emergency is big enough and the weather calm enough. The only student Of the 20-odd people that live here, Michelle Durnford's son Noah Durnford is — by far — the youngest person in town. He's the only student at St. Peter's All Grade, and he's graduating. That leaves the school with no students and no reason to open next year. 'It's sad because, you know, I went there myself. I graduated there. And I guess you kind of knew that it was coming because there was no more small kids,' Michelle Durnford said. 'But still, it is sad. Yeah, it's hard to see it.' images expand She says Noah is a bit of a prankster, but in interviews Noah comes across as pretty quiet. 'I still have friends and stuff, they just moved away,' said Noah. When he started kindergarten, there were 15 students in his class. By the time he reached Grade 10, there were no other students left in the school. There wasn't even a teacher, so he did all his courses online. His mom gave him the option of moving away to finish high school with classmates, but he wanted to stay. Before Noah started Grade 11, things turned around. Sarah Carter, originally from the small town of Twillingate, accepted a double role at St. Peter's as both its principal and teacher. She fell in love with the town as soon as the ferry pulled up to the wharf. 'I wouldn't even be able to explain it. It's almost like a glow that I feel, just this warm glow that it gives off the minute you see it,' said Carter. 'It's just such warmth and positivity that pictures and videos, as beautiful as they are, can't capture. And you really have to see this place for yourself in order to fully appreciate the magic that is here and the magic that the people are.' There's small, and then there's McCallum. (Population: 20 or so). There's one teacher at the school, and one student - who's just about to graduate. Producer Caroline Hillier takes us to this isolated Newfoundland community to find out what comes next. Resettlement: a sensitive topic A walk along McCallum's neat and tidy boardwalks brings out a surprising amount of life: a dog walker, fishermen cleaning and packing their catch for a ferry ride to processing plants. People nod, and stop to chat, but most do not want to be recorded for audio or video interviews. Perhaps because of its geographical location, McCallum has long kept to itself, with any troubles and triumphs mostly unseen. The last time McCallum was in the headlines it stirred up a debate about relocation, a provincial government program that provides financial incentives for residents to leave communities deemed too expensive to run. For a community to relocate, at least 75 per cent of its residents have to vote in favour of leaving, and a cost benefit analysis is calculated to ensure the government would save at least $10 million dollars over 20 years. If everything falls into place, like it has in the recent past for Little Bay Islands and William's Harbour, households get up to $260,000 each to move. In 2015, the local service district of McCallum initiated the first step of the relocation process. But with only 74 per cent of the community interested in relocation, the process ended. Still, there was some sensitivity between residents who wanted to stay and those who wanted to leave. A new 'curiosity' If the resettlement conversation comes up again, Julian Casey said he will be staying in McCallum, even if everyone else votes to leave. 'I'll be here anyway. My one house is off-grid,' he said. 'I would get myself a bigger boat so I could commute back and forth if the ferry is cancelled. But I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay here.' Going out with a bang Casey, along with everyone else in McCallum, is invited to the social event of the season: Noah Durnford's graduation. Carter has been hard at work planning a big party beyond the ceremony, complete with cold plates and a red carpet. 'We're gonna make an evening of it, and we're going to go out with a bang. It's only one student, but he deserves this. And I want to do this for him,' she said. Inviting the entire community is only natural, she said, as they want to show their support with a big send-off for St. Peter's. images expand 'It's going to be kind of casual and have some fun and say goodbye to not only Noah actually, but to the school itself,' said Carter. According to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, St. Peter's All Grade hasn't yet gone through the necessary review process – which would provide public notice and opportunity for public input – to formally close the school. Noah isn't yet sure what he'll do next. He hasn't applied for post secondary education and says it will take some time to decide if he'll leave or stay in McCallum. 'Probably one day I'll go somewhere. It's possible I'd move,' he said. The connection to place But with no one to teach, Carter will most certainly be moving on. She's leaving with some big life lessons, she said, about the art of slowing down, and the importance of appreciating place and community. As she packs up, however, she believes McCallum will remain. 'I don't ever get the sense of a community closing its doors and shutting itself off and calling it quits. I don't get that feeling,' said Carter. 'The people here have such a strong connection to this place. But I feel that there is a positivity and a resilience about this place and I have high hopes, I really do.' Credits: Words, photos and audio documentary by Caroline Hillier. Video by Katie Breen. Copy editing by Lindsay Bird and Mike Moore. About the Author Related Stories Footer Links My Account Profile CBC Gem Newsletters Connect with CBC Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Mobile RSS Podcasts Contact CBC Submit Feedback Help Centre Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6 Toll-free (Canada only): 1-866-306-4636 TTY/Teletype writer: 1-866-220-6045 About CBC Corporate Info Sitemap Reuse & Permission Terms of Use Privacy Jobs Our Unions Independent Producers Political Ads Registry AdChoices Services Ombudsman Public Appearances Commercial Services CBC Shop Doing Business with Us Renting Facilities Accessibility It is a priority for CBC to create a website that is accessible to all Canadians including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. About CBC Accessibility Accessibility Feedback © 2025 CBC/Radio-Canada. All rights reserved. Visitez
News24
10-06-2025
- News24
Millions spent yet no road construction done
An R11 million access road upgrade and maintenance project in the deep rural village of Ga-Komane, Burgersfort, Limpopo has not yet been completed, leaving residents frustrated and questioning where the funds have gone. Disgruntled residents accuse the Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality of allegedly spending R11 million on a road that, according to them, shows little evidence of construction or improvement. According to the municipality's Integrated Development Plan (IDP) budget records, villagers of Ga-Komane were allocated an amount of R11 million during the 2017/2018 financial period to upgrade a road in the village. However, nearly eight years later, residents claim there is little to show for this substantial investment. Angry residents complain about an 11km stretch of road that remains in poor condition, making daily travel difficult and sometimes impossible. 'Our daily commuting becomes impossible during rainy seasons. We end up using donkeys as a mode of transport,' said concerned resident Ronald Maepa. 'This is not how we envisioned life after three decades of democracy,' he added. Ga-Komane, situated in the Leole Mountains, is one of many rural communities in Limpopo province struggling with inadequate infrastructure. The poor road conditions not only affect daily commuting but also impact emergency services, economic activities, and children's access to education. Read more | 71-year-old woman in Lusikisiki killed in a suspected arson attack - 'We're scared' says family Kgoshi Phillemon Komane expressed his disappointment: 'We can't believe we are still suffering as we were promised services and a better life for all. Our community has been patient, but after so many years, we need answers about what happened to the allocated funds.' The challenge faced by Ga-Komane is not unique. Across South Africa, municipalities struggle with infrastructure project implementation, with billions in infrastructure grants going unspent annually while wasteful expenditure increases. According to recent reports, a lack of technical capacity, financial mismanagement, and weak oversight mechanisms contribute to these persistent problems. The municipality has, however, denied that R11 million has been spent but acknowledged that maintenance work has been done in an attempt to upgrade the road. Fetakgomo Tubatse Municipality spokesperson, Thabiso Mokoena, responded to the allegations: 'We cannot say R11 million has been spent. It is a lot of money. We could have done many things with R11 million because it is part and parcel of maintenance. We did not use that kind of money, but what we want to indicate to everybody is that the municipality spent money to create access to the community and other organs want to give services to the people of Ga-Komane.' Both villagers and the municipality agree it would be impossible to spend R11 million on the stretch of access road that, according to residents, shows minimal improvements. The situation highlights ongoing challenges in municipal accountability and infrastructure development across South Africa's rural areas. According to governance experts, enhancing oversight mechanisms and strengthening consequence management are crucial steps toward ensuring that allocated funds translate into tangible infrastructure improvements for communities like Ga-Komane. As the rainy season approaches, residents continue to worry about their ability to access essential services, highlighting the real-world impact of delayed infrastructure projects on rural communities.
BBC News
08-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Fears over future of Cornwall's small abattoirs due to costs
Small abattoirs in Cornwall could be forced out of business by rising costs of veterinary checks on them, those in the industry have Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been consulting on increasing fees and removing a discount scheme on the feared that would cost them tens of thousands of pounds extra a year and see more of them closing for government insisted it was committed to working with those in the industry to help them tackle the challenges they face. Mark Rowe, who owns Trevarthen abattoir and butchers, in Roskrow, said his bills were due to go up by £70,000 because of the proposed warned: "The legislation is forever changing and that means it's more of a cost towards a business. The costs just get more more each year and this is the reason why abattoirs are closing."He said they were "up for the fight" of staying open - but warned others may not survive."The structure of the rural community is so fragile. The government needs to be looking at funding for the local abattoirs."They're not going to be around in a minute and then you're going to be talking about importing from the other side of the world," he added. Kevin McFadden, who shut his small abattoir in St Just-in-Penwith a couple of years ago, said: "There's nobody opening up any new abattoirs. "To open one now would probably be in excess of £2m-£3m and it ain't there because there's no real return on that money."So this isn't going to come back. When we lose these skills and when we lose these abattoirs - that's it. "You can have your two or three acres, you can rear your animals, but there'll be nobody to kill them." Andrew Body, from Lodge & Thomas auctioneers, which runs the livestock market in Truro, said: "They're essential because they create competition to ensure that market prices are achieved for cattle, sheep, and pigs."They also provide a service to the farming community who rear their own stock and then want them slaughtered - very often they've got a business doing a farm shop."If we didn't have them here this side of the market wouldn't survive. We need them and somehow they do need to be kept going."A government spokesperson said: "Small abattoirs provide a competitive route to market for producers of rare and native breeds and we're committed to working with the meat processing sector in tackling the challenges they face."Our commitment to farming is steadfast and we're investing £5bn into the sector, the largest ever budget for sustainable food production, which will also help unlocking rural growth and boost farmers' profits."
CTV News
28-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Police seek video footage after shots fired at home outside Yarmouth, N.S.
The Mounties are looking for the public's help as they investigate shots being fired in a rural community near Yarmouth, N.S. Police in Yarmouth, N.S., say they are looking for information from the public after shots were fired at a home in the rural community of Hebron early Tuesday morning. The Yarmouth Rural RCMP Detachment received a report of shots fired at a residence on Greenville Road around 2:40 a.m. The home was damaged, but no one was injured. Police say they would like to hear from anyone with video footage showing Highway 1 south from Greenville Road and Main Street in Yarmouth between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. Tuesday. Anyone with footage, or with information about the shooting, is asked to call police at 902-742-9106 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
