Paynesville City, April 3 -- Last year John F. B. Flumo's dream of educating the children of this community died. Toxic gases and smoke coming from the neighboring Whein Town landfill had been pouring into the Liberate African Rescue Mission School which he has been operating since 2013 making children and teachers sick. By the start of the 2023 school year he knew he had no choice but to shut down.

The school - made up of makeshift classrooms - operated up to junior high level and had 50 students enrolled.

"I can't keep people children in suffocation," Flumo said on a recent afternoon outside the former school site. "I can't keep children in a health hazard because of the odor of this dumpsite," said Flumo.

This week the problem got e...