AOL Dial-Up Dies in September, Leaving 175,000 Rural Households in the Lurch

A busy week for rural news: AOL’s dial-up service got its death notice, a solar-powered homeowner sailed through a long blackout, microschools kept spreading into small towns, and wildfires flared up on both sides of the Atlantic.

AOL Dial-Up Is Done

After 34 years, AOL will shut down its dial-up internet in September. About 175,000 households — mostly rural — still depend on it. Wired covered the announcement, noting that the familiar screech of a modem connecting is officially heading for the history books.

Why are people still on dial-up in 2025? NPR’s reporting makes it pretty clear: no broadband infrastructure, no affordable options, no alternatives. These subscribers now have to find something else — satellite internet, mobile hotspots — but both cost more and come with their own headaches.

One Guy’s Solar Setup Beat a 36-Hour Blackout

A rural homeowner rode out a 36-hour regional blackout on nothing but his solar panel and battery system. Yahoo Entertainment had the story. While his neighbors ran gas generators, he kept his fridge, lights, and air conditioning going — no fuel runs, no noise.

It’s a good proof of concept. Solar with battery storage is getting more practical for rural homes where the grid isn’t always reliable, and this kind of real-world test says more than any sales pitch.

Microschools Show Up in Towns of 840 People

The microschool movement keeps growing in rural areas. Forbes profiled several new openings, including one in Wayne, Ohio — population 840 — where the nearest traditional school options have long meant a serious commute.

These places typically have 5 to 15 students and run with lower overhead than private schools. They’re closer to where kids actually live, which cuts the transportation problem, and the small size means more individual attention. For families stuck between distant consolidated schools and homeschooling, it’s a middle path that didn’t exist a few years ago.

Rural Healthcare Goes Digital

Rural health systems are leaning harder into telehealth, AI diagnostics, and remote monitoring, according to a Forbes analysis. Several systems reported that hybrid models — virtual visits mixed with occasional in-person ones — have been especially effective for chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension.

Regulatory changes helped. Many states now require insurance to reimburse virtual visits at the same rate as in-person ones, which removed a major barrier.

Dollar Stores Aren’t Wrecking Rural Diets (Apparently)

New research pushes back on the idea that dollar stores are ruining nutrition in rural communities. Gizmodo reported that while the food quality is low, most customers still get the bulk of their calories elsewhere, so the net dietary impact is smaller than assumed.

Meanwhile, Amazon expanded same-day perishable grocery delivery to more rural areas, per Fast Company. That could help with fresh food access in towns that have lost their grocery stores — though it also puts more competitive pressure on whatever small-town grocers remain.

Wildfires Hit Idaho and Scotland

A 50-acre wildfire east of Boise spread fast enough to trigger evacuation alerts, the Idaho Statesman reported. Hot, dry conditions made the fire hard to contain.

Across the Atlantic, a blaze at Arthur’s Seat in Scotland was likely human-caused, according to the BBC. Both incidents are reminders that wildfire risk is climbing in rural areas, and property owners should be thinking about defensible space and fire-resistant materials.

A Wisconsin School Fixed Its Math Problem

A rural elementary school in Wisconsin overhauled how it taught math — less rote instruction, more focus on conceptual understanding and collaborative problem-solving — and saw test scores climb substantially over three years. NPR had the details.

The interesting part: it didn’t take much extra money. What it did take was significant professional development time for teachers. That makes the model worth watching for other small schools working with tight budgets.

Infrastructure Spending and a Striking Village Center

Scotland’s Highland region got £50 million for rural broadband expansion this week, aimed at connecting thousands of households still stuck on outdated internet — exactly the kind of communities affected by AOL’s shutdown.

In China, the village of Fuzhouji opened a new community center with a striking curved geometric roof designed to serve multiple functions, as Designboom reported. It’s part of a broader push to build modern public spaces in rural communities.

Tomato Prices, Pesticide Alternatives, and Grape Cane Packaging

Mexico set minimum export prices for fresh tomatoes, Yahoo Finance reported. The floors are meant to stop dumping and give Mexican growers fair returns, but they’ll likely raise costs for U.S. buyers and could squeeze American producers’ market share.

On the research side, scientists are working on eco-friendly replacements for neonicotinoid pesticides, which face growing restrictions because of their environmental damage. Separately, researchers have been turning agricultural waste — grapevine canes, specifically — into biodegradable packaging, which could give farming communities a secondary income stream from material they’d otherwise discard.

An Alligator in a Pennsylvania Lake

Kayakers on a lake in Bucks County, Pennsylvania found an alligator, The Daily Caller reported. Wildlife officials removed it. Almost certainly an illegally released pet. These encounters are getting more common as exotic pet releases and shifting climate zones push animals into places they don’t belong.

What’s Coming

AOL’s final dial-up shutdown is imminent, and thousands of rural households still need a plan. Several state legislatures will take up rural broadband funding proposals in the coming days. Agricultural organizations are due to release harvest forecasts that will shape the economic picture heading into fall, and the National Rural Health Association will publish its annual report on telehealth adoption in remote communities.