But the idea of losing their own basketball team struck a sensitive chord in both communities. While parts of the United States have seen staggering growth during the past decade, as shown in the latest census figures, the nation's rural midsection is being squeezed by a steady decline - and nowhere harder than in North Dakota. The five biggest losing counties each saw more than one-fifth of their populations evaporate over 10 years. The decline, intensified by a bad farm economy, is stretching services, forcing closures, and pulling at the community fabric. Enough schools have closed around the state that recreational-vehicle groups rent them out as weekend meeting places.
Locals talk about burnout from working on too many civic committees.
But North Dakota's challenges run deeper than numbers alone. It's mostly losing young people and middle-age adults, says Richard Rathge, director of the North Dakota State Data Center in Fargo. Ironically, senior citizens are moving back to the state, many returning to family and friends after the loss of a spouse or some other life-changing event. For Bob Roberts, it was retirement from the Postal Service in Seattle. So he and his wife, Elaine, who grew up in Sherwood, moved back to ride bicycles, watch the grandchildren, and, on this particular day, do some yard work.