The Bismarck Tribune from Bismarck, North Dakota • 1

Jackpot Jimmie Johnson continues hot hand with Vegas win Today's forecast Mix of sun and clouds with scattered snow flurries 288 Details, 6A March 14, 2005 Bismarck-Mandan, North Dakota "I THE BISMARCK -J r.tv 1 Sports, ID -r--- pr-r- The reel world Local high school students getting an introduction to the world of filmmaking chad obesity on rise in rural U.S. North Dakota Public Service Commissioner Susan Wefald said the PSC would probably decide by its March 23 meeting whether Falkirk Mining plan to replace Underwood's water is adequate. By CHARLES SHEEHAN Associated Press Writer WINDBER, Pa. When Ray Crawford walks down the hallway of his school, the beefy, 240-pound soph jT I (ham omore says 1.4 rfi he doesn't stand out much. Many of his classmates are heavy, too.

"We go to the Eat 'n Park to meet and chill, maybe don't eat the right things," he said, referring to a regional chain restaurant famous for its "The diet of three decades ago just doesn't work today." Dr. Jeff Holm, UND School of Medicine MIKE McCLEARYTribune If diQSglOD wsr hs ggf-i Underwood could benefit from losing water wells to coal mine STATE Ross mosque Work to reconstruct a Muslim mosque is nearing completion 5B Wisconsin shooting Man was upset over sermon and on the verge of losing his job 2A vvc-rrtD Pope goes home Pope returns to Vatican, reassures Roman Catholics that he'll be OK 2A cookies. "There's not much else to do." Here in his small hometown in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania and in other rural communities like it, many health officials say the tide of obesity is rising faster than anywhere else. And new research appears to back them up, dispelling a long-held belief RURAL: Continued on Page 6A wells. If there were no Underwood, the coal beneath it would have mined out years ago.

Falkirk's mine operation south of town is expected to reduce the town's well water, and both state and federal mining laws say the company has to replace it with like quantity and quality. In negotiations, Falkirk agreed to chip in $900,000 toward a pipeline to bring treated water from Riverdale, even though it probably won't mine close enough to Underwood to draw down the well water for another three to five years. Bringing water over from an expanded treatment plant at Riverdale in 2006 won't be cheap for the community or the The pipeline alone will cost an estimated $1.5 million, said Ron Manchester of Toman Engineering. The Public Service Commission is reviewing Falkirk's plan to replace Underwood's water. PSC Commissioner Susan Wefald said the agency would probably decide by its UNDERWOOD: Continued on Page 6A By LAUREN DONOVAN Bismarck Tribune UNDERWOOD More than any other town, Underwood has made moves to accommodate coal mining, going so far as to shift its golf course from one side of town to the other some years back.

Falkirk Mining Co. has nibbled at the town's outskirts from the east and the west, and now it's coming up from the south. As a result, Underwood has to give up most of its 14 underground drinking water Rural schools in N.D.: Holding on to a way of life COMING UP Saturday A sweet concept Bake and Take Day encourages people to make something home-baked and take it to a neighbor, friend, family member or senior citizen .4 i i 4 I Paul Lorge, 9, concentrates on filling in letter patterns during Amidon Elementary School's art class on Tuesday. Music teacher Brenda Davis helps Hannah Nordby, 9, find the right keys during a school-hours piano lesson at Amidon Elementary School on Tuesday. 1 1 k.

i -J AP Parents at Amidon Elementary fight to keep school Advice 3B Deaths 5A Calendar IB Life 1C 2C Movies 5B Comics 4B Nubs 5A Crossword 3C Opinion 4A Dakota 2B Sports ID Bill in the Legislature could mean the end for small rural schools across North Dakota General info: 800-472-2273 Circulation: 250-8210 Classified: 258-6900 Matt, 10, and Paul, 9, make up half of the school's enrollment. "My kids can use a little extra help. They're not going to get that in a class with 20 kids." Tiny, rural schools have a tough time surviving, and their students, parents and teachers worry that a bill in the Legislature could deliver the coup de grace. It would require 33 school districts with fewer than 100 students, including Amidon's, to merge with a district that has a high school. TV and Paul gather up markers and rulers and trot downstairs to start tracing colorful letter patterns.

Meanwhile, Matt buckles down for his reading lesson while Hannah takes a test on a book she just read. The birthday calendar has four names. Four desks, with students' names taped on them, face a white board. The assignments for the day are personalized. Reading: lesson 135, pk 157-159." AMIDON: Continued on PtigeOX In the wooden school building, a small foyer leads to two large rooms, separated by a removable partition.

There's a small basement, which doubles as a lunchroom and a place to take art and music classes. It has four computers, with high-speed Internet service. Today, because of scheduling conflicts, the Lorge boys and their classmates, Ty Nordby, 8, and his sister, 9-year-old Hannah, get to have their once-a-week art and music classes on the same day. By JAMES WARDEN Associated Press Writer AMIDON This community's elementary school has two big rooms, a basement and four children, from two families. Both fathers are on the school board, and the parents do hat's needed to keep things running, from hauling trash to taking care of scheduling when the gray carpet gets cleaned.

"We've got a teacher for four kids," said Farrell Lorge, whose sons '111! Ilil'H.