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The U.S. has lost more than 2,800 newspapers since 2005, many of them in rural areas. Now some journalists are redoubling their efforts to provide local news and trying new models in a difficult industry.
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One of the best restaurants in Kansas opens four days a week on the wind-swept plains, an hour beyond the nearest stoplight. In a county that’s lost more than half of its population, Fly Boy Brewery & Eats offers a renewed sense of hope — and a cheeseburger worth driving for.
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Towns in the path of the total eclipse could see millions of dollars flow into their communities to witness a few minutes of darkness when the moon passes in front of the sun.
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Despite the fact that more women are going into veterinary medicine than ever before, some female practitioners in rural areas still face discrimination and pay gaps — problems experts say the industry will need to overcome to fill a shortage of animal care in those communities.
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“Brain drain,” the migration of people with a higher education degree, remains an issue in most of the Midwest and Great Plains. Recent U.S. Census data shows many states are losing some of their most educated residents.
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The Kansas City Chiefs are vying for their second straight Super Bowl win, but something could stand in their way: themselves. Plus: Small towns in Kansas are using AI to better understand their economic outlook and attract more businesses and people.
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Communities in western Kansas are trying a new AI tool to help them target economic growth and hopefully fight long-term trends of population loss.
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A recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that the population in rural areas is on the rise after a decade of decline. Parts of the Midwest and Great Plains saw increases, but not as much as in some other U.S. regions.
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Most folks in the Kansas City region know Baldwin City for its famous fall festival. But the quaint city is also a college town with connections to Margaret Thatcher, a stop along the Santa Fe Trail, claim to the first armed conflicts of the Civil War and now, home to a charming and vibrant downtown.
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Rural communities across Kansas and Missouri are trying their hand at revitalization. In the face of population decline, many towns are putting effort into beautification — updating bike trails, investing in local business and Main Streets, and renewing interests in local history — in the hopes of attracting visitors and new residents.
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Located about 10 miles north of I-70, Lexington's population is roughly the same as it was in the 1860s. The town's biggest tourist attraction is the Battle of Lexington state historic site, but community members want to draw visitors to the rest of town.
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Hundreds of thousands of people died in the pandemic because they didn’t trust the government or their neighbors to do the right thing. And it’s not getting better. Today distrust is making people sicker, especially where health care is fragile across giant swaths of rural America.