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  31. <title>Commentary: After the Servers Go Dark</title>
  32. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/commentary-after-the-servers-go-dark/2026/05/20/</link>
  33. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/commentary-after-the-servers-go-dark/2026/05/20/#respond</comments>
  35. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Hamilton / The Nuclear Decommissioning Collaborative]]></dc:creator>
  36. <pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  37. <category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
  38. <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category>
  39. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=240071</guid>
  40.  
  41. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?w=1913&amp;ssl=1 1913w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  42. <p>Across the United States, communities are evaluating whether to host a new generation of infrastructure: hyperscale data centers. These projects are often framed as low-impact, high-value opportunities: quiet neighbors that promise reliable tax revenue, infrastructure upgrades, and a foothold in the digital future. They are being sold as clean, quiet, and high-tech. But a critical [&#8230;]</p>
  43. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/commentary-after-the-servers-go-dark/2026/05/20/">Commentary: After the Servers Go Dark</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  44. ]]></description>
  45. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?w=1913&amp;ssl=1 1913w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AP26120598175304.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  46. <p>Across the United States, communities are evaluating whether to host a new generation of infrastructure: hyperscale data centers. These projects are often framed as low-impact, high-value opportunities: quiet neighbors that promise reliable tax revenue, infrastructure upgrades, and a foothold in the digital future. They are being sold as clean, quiet, and high-tech.</p>
  47.  
  48.  
  49.  
  50. <p>But a critical blind spot remains in how potential host communities evaluate these facilities: what happens at the end of their lives?</p>
  51.  
  52.  
  53.  
  54. <p>The experience of communities that host nuclear power plants—documented in <a href="https://decommissioningcollaborative.org/">Socioeconomic Impacts from Nuclear Power Plant Closure and Decommissioning</a>—offers a valuable framework for those who may consider hosting new digital infrastructure.&nbsp;</p>
  55.  
  56.  
  57.  
  58. <p>While data centers differ significantly from nuclear power plants in workforce intensity and operational footprint, they share key structural characteristics: They are large, capital-intensive, tax-generating, place-based assets, and they eventually close.&nbsp;</p>
  59.  
  60.  
  61.  
  62. <p>And when they do, closure has the potential to debilitate local economies in ways that are rarely (if ever) planned for.</p>
  63.  
  64.  
  65.  
  66. <h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Nuclear Plant Experience</h3>
  67.  
  68.  
  69.  
  70. <p>To understand end-of-life impacts in practice, it is instructive to look to those who have already lived through them. Nuclear host communities offer clear, well-documented examples of what happens when a dominant tax base disappears— revealing the speed and depth of disruption across fiscal, institutional, and social systems.</p>
  71.  
  72.  
  73.  
  74. <p><strong>The Invisible Dependency of Tax Payments</strong>: During the operational life of a nuclear power plant, host communities benefit from sustained economic activity generated by a large, stable facility. When closure occurs, the associated negative effects are swift, severe, and lasting —not because of job loss alone, but because entire local systems have become calibrated around a single tax-generating asset.</p>
  75.  
  76.  
  77.  
  78. <p>For example, a typical nuclear plant often comprises a dominant share of the local tax base, sometimes accounting for more than 50% of municipal budgets. Over years of operation, that contribution is not only taken for granted, it also becomes invisible: just like the air those communities breathe.&nbsp;</p>
  79.  
  80.  
  81.  
  82. <p>And when that fiscal contribution stops (following plant closure), municipal budgets don’t just experience shortness of breath; they asphyxiate. Classrooms close, fire stations are shuttered, and municipal workers are fired.</p>
  83.  
  84.  
  85.  
  86. <p><strong>The Sudden Need to Do More</strong>: It is at this very moment, when plant closure deprives local officials of economic air, that these same officials are asked to sprint: to develop strategic plans and quickly find new ways to fill the sudden budget gaps that preserve long-standing quality of life expectations.</p>
  87.  
  88.  
  89.  
  90. <p>However, the need to undertake this new and complex workload occurs at the exact moment that their budgets are being curtailed. As a result, local officials are placed in an unenviable position. It’s no longer do more with less. Instead, it’s do everything with nothing. Now.</p>
  91.  
  92.  
  93.  
  94. <p><strong>The Murky Future of the Plant Site</strong>: Nuclear power plants typically operate for decades, during which the industrial site itself becomes a place-based symbol of economic prosperity. However, once a nuclear plant closes, it enters a complex technical and regulatory process called decommissioning through which the plant is decontaminated, dismantled, and its federal operating license terminated.&nbsp;</p>
  95.  
  96.  
  97.  
  98. <p>Decommissioning is funded through the plant’s Nuclear Decommissioning Trust (NDT), a federally regulated account capitalized by the sale of electricity throughout the plant’s operating life. At the time of closure, the value of a plant’s NDT often totals over $1B and is used to fund the decommissioning process, which is allowed to take up to 60 years.</p>
  99.  
  100.  
  101.  
  102. <p>For several reasons, the fate of a decommissioned nuclear power plant site is complicated. Utilities tend to retain site control, and they see little business value in offering the property for alternative uses. As such, redevelopment at former nuclear plant sites has yet to occur to any meaningful degree, all of which has served to deprive host communities of much-needed economic development opportunities.</p>
  103.  
  104.  
  105.  
  106. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Hosting Considerations for Data Centers</strong></h3>
  107.  
  108.  
  109.  
  110. <p>The experience of nuclear plant host communities points to a clear conclusion: the consequences of closure are not hypothetical—they are predictable, repeatable, and, if unaddressed, can be deeply disruptive.&nbsp;</p>
  111.  
  112.  
  113.  
  114. <p>For potential data center host communities, the lesson is not to avoid development, but to plan deliberately for its full lifecycle—before the first shovel hits the ground. In that context, here are some practical considerations for potential host communities.&nbsp;</p>
  115.  
  116.  
  117.  
  118. <p><strong>Appreciate the Speed of Closure Decisions</strong>: In many jurisdictions, nuclear power operators need to inform regulators well in advance of a planned closure. But data centers don’t close with a bang. They close with a firmware update. All that to say, the decision to close a data center may be precipitated by technological change, a shift in corporate strategy, or a variety of factors far beyond the host community’s control or awareness. And that decision will likely be delivered with little to no warning.</p>
  119.  
  120.  
  121.  
  122. <p>When planning a mitigation strategy for your community, require advanced notice of planned closure (e.g., 1 year) so that host communities may begin contingency planning.</p>
  123.  
  124.  
  125.  
  126. <p><strong>Respond to Eliminated Tax Payments</strong>: In the context of nuclear plants, once a nuclear facility closes, tax payments and other benefits generally cease in short order. And similarly in the case of data centers, with a sudden data center closure, host communities could see immediate erosion of tax payments and be left to suffer the well-documented and far-reaching consequences.</p>
  127.  
  128.  
  129.  
  130. <p>As part of the hosting agreement, a community should negotiate tax payment phase-outs (e.g., 5 to 10 years of payments at pre-closure levels) that are triggered once data center operations fall below a certain threshold. Also include lump sum payments to host communities to assist them with economic development planning necessary to fill the fiscal gaps created by the data center closure.</p>
  131.  
  132.  
  133.  
  134. <p><strong>Define and Complete Facility Decommissioning</strong>: Decommissioning a nuclear power plant follows a heavily regulated and prescribed process with clear outcomes supported by a robust funding mechanism.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  135.  
  136.  
  137.  
  138. <p>But no such regulatory or financial assurance systems exist for data centers. As such, host communities may be faced with responsibilities and liabilities that accompany the management of large-scale stranded assets and single-purpose infrastructure that are not supportive of future repurposing. These may include large, windowless structures with limited alternative uses; sites tied to specific electrical configurations that are costly to modify; environmental legacies (backup diesel systems, heat discharge impacts), or zoning and land-use patterns that were shaped around specific industrial-scale operations.</p>
  139.  
  140.  
  141.  
  142. <p>To mitigate, communities should require decommissioning and site restoration plans as part of the hosting agreement. Clearly define end state criteria. Establish Data Center Decommissioning Trusts (DCDTs) that are funded during data center operation, managed by a neutral third-party, and used to fund decommissioning efforts once facility closure is initiated. Lastly, use independent third parties to develop data center decommissioning cost estimates and use these to define the parameters of the DCDTs.&nbsp;</p>
  143.  
  144.  
  145.  
  146. <p><strong>Design for the Full Lifecycle</strong>: The key lessons are simple. Communities should evaluate data centers not just as economic development projects, but as long-lived infrastructure with real end-of-life consequences.</p>
  147.  
  148.  
  149.  
  150. <p>For data center host communities, this means recognizing that closure is inevitable, even if the timeline is uncertain and understanding that the primary risks of closure are fiscal and structural, not employment-based.</p>
  151.  
  152.  
  153.  
  154. <p>Lifecycle thinking should be embedded into every data center agreement, investment, and plan. And communities should continue to diversify the local economy during the operational phase, so that no single facility—no matter how attractive—defines the community’s fiscal future.</p>
  155.  
  156.  
  157.  
  158. <p>If these lessons are applied, data centers can be integrated into communities in a way that supports long-term resilience. If they are not, communities may find themselves—years or decades from now—facing a familiar question: What happens after the servers go dark?</p>
  159.  
  160.  
  161.  
  162. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  163.  
  164.  
  165.  
  166. <p><em><em><em>Jim Hamilton is the Executive Director of the <a href="https://decommissioningcollaborative.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nuclear Decommissioning Collaborative</a>, a non-profit that supports host communities in planning for and managing the impacts of nuclear plant closures. He is also the co-founder of <a href="https://www.sitelifecycle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Site Lifecycle Advisors</a>, a consultancy that helps developers site large-scale energy infrastructure projects grounded in durable community partnerships.</em></em><br></em></p>
  167. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/commentary-after-the-servers-go-dark/2026/05/20/">Commentary: After the Servers Go Dark</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  168. ]]></content:encoded>
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  171. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  174. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">240071</post-id> </item>
  175. <item>
  176. <title>Action to Support Community Health Will Raise the Rails of the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge </title>
  177. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/action-to-support-community-health-will-raise-the-rails-of-the-rio-grande-gorge-bridge/2026/05/20/</link>
  178. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/action-to-support-community-health-will-raise-the-rails-of-the-rio-grande-gorge-bridge/2026/05/20/#respond</comments>
  180. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anya Petrone Slepyan]]></dc:creator>
  181. <pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  182. <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
  183. <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
  184. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=240323</guid>
  185.  
  186. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="622" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C622&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C462&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C787&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C467&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C933&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1244&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C729&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C622&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1215&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C474&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C243&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C429&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C622&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  187. <p>This article contains references to suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by dialing 988, and the Crisis Text Line can be reached by texting HOME to 741741. After decades of community effort – and dozens of deaths – higher railings are being added to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.&#160; The bridge, which [&#8230;]</p>
  188. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/action-to-support-community-health-will-raise-the-rails-of-the-rio-grande-gorge-bridge/2026/05/20/">Action to Support Community Health Will Raise the Rails of the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge </a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  189. ]]></description>
  190. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="622" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C622&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C462&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C787&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C467&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C933&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1244&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C729&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C622&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1215&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C474&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C243&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C429&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lead-photo-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C622&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  191. <p><em>This article contains references to suicide. The </em><a href="https://988lifeline.org/"><em>National Suicide Prevention Lifeline</em></a><em> can be reached by dialing 988, and the </em><a href="https://www.crisistextline.org/"><em>Crisis Text Line</em></a><em> can be reached by texting HOME to 741741.</em></p>
  192.  
  193.  
  194.  
  195. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  196.  
  197.  
  198.  
  199. <p>After decades of community effort – and dozens of deaths – higher railings are being added to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.&nbsp;</p>
  200.  
  201.  
  202.  
  203. <p>The bridge, which was completed in 1965, is one of the tallest in the country, hanging 600 feet over the bottom of the Rio Grande Gorge. Its graceful arches and dramatic view attract visitors from around the country. But for Taos County residents, the bridge’s beauty is tarnished by its reputation as a suicide destination.&nbsp;</p>
  204.  
  205.  
  206.  
  207. <p>Since the year 2000, at least 66 people have died from jumping off the bridge, according to Taos County Sheriff Steve Miera. A record-tying seven deaths in 2025, including the death of a local 15-year-old boy, reinvigorated efforts to address the issue.&nbsp;</p>
  208.  
  209.  
  210.  
  211. <p>In December of 2025, the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) announced $8 million plans to raise the railings on the sides of the bridge, which currently stand at four feet high. These plans will follow findings from a 2015 study, not acted on for 10 years, which outlined a plan to build an 8-foot tall pedestrian railing, which would curve inwards at the top to make it more difficult to climb.&nbsp;</p>
  212.  
  213.  
  214.  
  215. <p>A <a href="https://988lifeline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Suicide-Bridges-National-Suicide-Prevention-Lifeline-Position-2017-FINAL.pdf">2008 study</a> from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which was updated in 2017, asserts that barriers like railings and netting are “the most effective means of bridge suicide prevention.”</p>
  216.  
  217.  
  218.  
  219. <p>A recent case study comparable to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is the Vista Bridge in Portland, Oregon. Like the Taos bridge, the Vista Bridge was notorious as a suicide destination, with an estimated average of two deaths per year. But after five people died jumping from the bridge in 2013, the Portland Bureau of Transportation <a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2019/04/after-5-years-with-no-suicides-from-vista-bridge-portland-is-considering-permanent-barriers.html">installed</a> 9-foot railings, similar to those that have been proposed by NMDOT. Originally a temporary measure, these barriers have been effective in preventing suicides and remain in place today.</p>
  220.  
  221.  
  222.  
  223. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="500" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-2-4.jpg?resize=750%2C500&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240325" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-2-4.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-2-4.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-2-4.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-2-4.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sheriff Steve Miera leads an operation to recover the body of someone who jumped from the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. To recover bodies, Miera and a specialized team free climb 600 feet down the sides of the gorge. (Photo courtesy of Steve Miera)</figcaption></figure>
  224.  
  225.  
  226.  
  227. <p>Sheriff Miera believes that the improved railings on the Taos bridge will provide both a physical and psychological barrier to suicides, and will work in tandem with emergency hotline phone boxes to save the lives of people who come to the bridge in crisis.&nbsp;</p>
  228.  
  229.  
  230.  
  231. <p>“The semi-canopy anti-climb fence, in conjunction with the call boxes, will work together and be more effective in mitigating the use of that bridge as a [suicide] destination,” Miera said.&nbsp;</p>
  232.  
  233.  
  234.  
  235. <p>The bridge has been closed to foot traffic since September of last year, when three people jumped from the bridge in the same month. Security contractors hired by NMDOT are also stationed at the bridge around the clock, though they were unable to prevent the death of a man who stopped his car in the middle of the bridge and sprinted to the side on Easter of this year. According to Miera, the county is in conversations with NMDOT to erect a temporary barrier until the rail renovations break ground in the fall of 2026.&nbsp;</p>
  236.  
  237.  
  238.  
  239. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>A Community Effort: The Bridge and Beyond</strong></h3>
  240.  
  241.  
  242.  
  243. <p>In December 2025, then-Transportation Secretary Ricky Serna announced the plan to raise the rails at a <a href="https://www.abqjournal.com/news/we-are-going-to-raise-the-rails-nmdot-makes-historic-commitment-to-suicide-barriers-at-rio-grande-gorge-bridge/2939990">community rally</a> held at the bridge.&nbsp;</p>
  244.  
  245.  
  246.  
  247. <p>The announcement followed months of community organizing directed towards state leaders in a year where seven people died by jumping from the bridge. But some residents are frustrated that it took the state so long to solve a problem that has been plaguing the community for decades.&nbsp;</p>
  248.  
  249.  
  250.  
  251. <p>“It’s long past time to raise the rails,” Genevieve Oswald, a council member on the Taos Town Council, told the Daily Yonder.&nbsp;</p>
  252.  
  253.  
  254.  
  255. <p>A life-long resident of Taos, Oswald had her first painful experience with the bridge at the age of fifteen, when her classmate’s brother and his girlfriend jumped off the bridge together. Dozens of deaths have occurred since then, each one felt heavily by the tight-knit community, according to Oswald.&nbsp;</p>
  256.  
  257.  
  258.  
  259. <p>“When someone dies at the bridge it’s broadcast in the news. At first there’s no name. And everyone here thinks ‘I hope it’s not someone I know.’ So often, it is in fact someone you know,” she said. “A death at the bridge ripples through the whole community like this, through every living room and social meeting place. And the likelihood that it will open an old wound is also significant.”&nbsp;</p>
  260.  
  261.  
  262.  
  263. <p>The deaths of several local teenagers led some high school students to get heavily involved in last year’s community-wide push for higher railings. Youth council members from True Kids 1, a youth center in Taos, organized rallies and events, and created a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNjx9hpQw8E">short documentary </a>that examined the possibilities for the future of the bridge.</p>
  264.  
  265.  
  266.  
  267. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240326" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo-3-3-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A youth leader speaks at a rally at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. The Taos-based True Kids 1 Youth Council helped organize community efforts to push for higher railings after seven people committed suicide at the bridge in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Sandy Campbell/True Kids 1)</figcaption></figure>
  268.  
  269.  
  270.  
  271. <p>They also formed a youth council to discuss mental health issues, and how the community can better address the needs of local kids and young adults who are struggling with depression, anxiety, and other conditions.&nbsp;</p>
  272.  
  273.  
  274.  
  275. <p>In 2023, <a href="https://www.save.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2023_Suicide_Data_States_TOY.pdf">New Mexico</a> had the fifth highest suicide rate in the nation, and the third highest among young people aged 15-24.&nbsp;</p>
  276.  
  277.  
  278.  
  279. <p>These numbers reveal a mental health crisis, especially for New Mexican youth, that will require solutions far beyond building higher railings on the bridge. But in the meantime, the new railings represent a tangible intervention that can help address a vulnerable point in the Taos community, according to Sandy Campbell, executive director of True Kids 1.</p>
  280.  
  281.  
  282.  
  283. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Costs of Delay</strong></h3>
  284.  
  285.  
  286.  
  287. <p>The family of Noah Salmon, a 15-year old boy who died from jumping off the bridge in September, is suing the State of New Mexico and the New Mexico Department of Transportation for his wrongful death, according to a court document filed on April 28th, 2026.&nbsp;</p>
  288.  
  289.  
  290.  
  291. <p>According to the filing, NMDOT commissioned three separate studies between 2009 and 2018 “that explicitly identified feasible, effective deterrents. Despite this knowledge, NMDOT took no meaningful action to implement these deterrents or otherwise ensure the safety of the public at the Bridge prior to Noah’s death.”&nbsp;</p>
  292.  
  293.  
  294.  
  295. <p>One reason for the delay, according to James Murray, an NMDOT public information officer, was the difficulty of finding a light-weight solution that would not harm the structural integrity of the bridge.&nbsp;</p>
  296.  
  297.  
  298.  
  299. <p>“The bridge was built in 1965 and it was never built to have additions put on it, never mind very heavy additions that would add to the overall weight load,” Murray said in an interview with the Daily Yonder the day before the lawsuit was filed.&nbsp;</p>
  300.  
  301.  
  302.  
  303. <p>Murray says “newer, lighter materials” make the plan to add higher rails to the bridge possible. The renovation will also include replacing the original pedestrian sidewalks with “lightweight concrete,” according to <a href="https://www.abqjournal.com/news/we-are-going-to-raise-the-rails-nmdot-makes-historic-commitment-to-suicide-barriers-at-rio-grande-gorge-bridge/2939990">reporting</a> from the Albuquerque Journal.&nbsp;</p>
  304.  
  305.  
  306.  
  307. <p>“We&#8217;ve looked at it over the years, and it&#8217;s been prohibitively expensive to actually do this sort of thing until recently,” Murray said. Designs proposed in 2009 were estimated to cost between $6 and $7 million (up to $10.8 million today, adjusting for inflation), according to a <a href="https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/suicide-deterrents-at-rio-grande-gorge-bridge-gain-momentum/article_d763981b-dcef-580a-843a-6780eccab626.html">2016 article</a> originally published by Taos News.&nbsp;</p>
  308.  
  309.  
  310.  
  311. <p>But Oswald is skeptical that the problem couldn’t have been solved sooner.&nbsp;</p>
  312.  
  313.  
  314.  
  315. <p>“It’s been negligence, and lack of attention to a problem,” she said. “And it is really unfortunate that so many of the young people of my community had to die for that problem to become one that people are paying attention to.”</p>
  316.  
  317.  
  318.  
  319. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  320. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/action-to-support-community-health-will-raise-the-rails-of-the-rio-grande-gorge-bridge/2026/05/20/">Action to Support Community Health Will Raise the Rails of the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge </a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  321. ]]></content:encoded>
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  324. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  327. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">240323</post-id> </item>
  328. <item>
  329. <title>Border Wall Plans Threaten Rural Infrastructure and Cross-Border Life in Big Bend</title>
  330. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/border-wall-plans-threaten-rural-infrastructure-and-cross-border-life-in-big-bend/2026/05/20/</link>
  331. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/border-wall-plans-threaten-rural-infrastructure-and-cross-border-life-in-big-bend/2026/05/20/#respond</comments>
  333. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Madeline de Figueiredo]]></dc:creator>
  334. <pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 09:58:00 +0000</pubDate>
  335. <category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
  336. <category><![CDATA[Government & Policy]]></category>
  337. <category><![CDATA[Immigration]]></category>
  338. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=240351</guid>
  339.  
  340. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="684" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C684&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C508&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C865&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C513&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1026&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1368&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C801&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C684&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1336&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C521&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C684&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  341. <p>Federal plans to build a steel border wall across remote stretches of West Texas are now taking shape in the Big Bend region, despite a lack of federal transparency surrounding the project. Even as officials originally confirmed that no physical border wall will be built through Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State [&#8230;]</p>
  342. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/border-wall-plans-threaten-rural-infrastructure-and-cross-border-life-in-big-bend/2026/05/20/">Border Wall Plans Threaten Rural Infrastructure and Cross-Border Life in Big Bend</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  343. ]]></description>
  344. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="684" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C684&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C508&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C865&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C513&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1026&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1368&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C801&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C684&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1336&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C521&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C684&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  345. <p>Federal plans to build a steel border wall across remote stretches of West Texas are now taking shape in the Big Bend region, despite a lack of federal transparency surrounding the project. Even as officials originally confirmed that no physical border wall will be built through <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/05/08/big-bend-national-park-border-wall-construction-cancelled/">Big Bend National Park</a> and <a href="https://bigbendsentinel.com/2026/03/25/cbp-chief-state-park-nixed-from-plans-for-steel-walls-2/">Big Bend Ranch State Park</a>, construction <a href="https://bigbendsentinel.com/2026/04/04/big-bend-communities-band-together-against-border-wall-man-camps/">is advancing</a> just west of the parks, threatening rural border communities whose economies and cultures are built on cross-border ties.&nbsp;</p>
  346.  
  347.  
  348.  
  349. <p><a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/05/15/texas-big-bend-border-wall-contract-awarded-billion/">Last week</a>, the federal government also moved to accelerate that broader buildout. U.S. Customs and Border Protection awarded a $1.7 billion contract for a “border wall in Big Bend Texas,” alongside a separate contract tied to environmental monitoring for construction activity in the region.&nbsp;</p>
  350.  
  351.  
  352.  
  353. <p>At the same time, the Trump administration <a href="https://www.marfapublicradio.org/news/2026-05-14/trump-administration-waiving-environmental-laws-for-border-roads-vehicle-barriers-in-big-bend-region">waived dozens</a> of environmental and cultural protection laws to fast-track new border roads, vehicle barriers, and surveillance infrastructure across parts of the Big Bend region, including protected stretches of the Rio Grande corridor. With few public details released, residents and conservation <a href="https://www.marfapublicradio.org/news/2026-05-14/trump-administration-waiving-environmental-laws-for-border-roads-vehicle-barriers-in-big-bend-region">groups said</a> the process has remained opaque, fueling uncertainty about the long-term fate of the region’s ecosystems, tourism economy, and protected public lands.</p>
  354.  
  355.  
  356.  
  357. <p>Local residents warn that the impacts will not stop at the park boundaries; increased infrastructure and nearby wall construction could still disrupt ecosystems and daily life across the region.</p>
  358.  
  359.  
  360.  
  361. <p>That concern is especially acute in Presidio, a rural border town of roughly 3,000 residents west of the parks, where federal plans for new steel barriers are still moving forward. The <a href="https://datausa.io/profile/geo/presidio-tx#demographics">majority-Hispanic</a> community faces a poverty rate <a href="https://datausa.io/profile/geo/presidio-tx">approaching 40%</a>, far above the <a href="https://demographics.texas.gov/Visualizations/2024/PovertyInTx/">statewide rate</a> of about 14%, and depends heavily on cross-border economies with Ojinaga, the larger Mexican city directly across the river. For many in Presidio, the proposed wall would transform their daily lives.</p>
  362.  
  363.  
  364.  
  365. <p><a href="https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/along-us-borders/smart-wall-map">Maps</a> from US Customs and Border Control have offered few details about how construction could affect the international checkpoint, and residents say they still have little clarity about the future of border crossings.</p>
  366.  
  367.  
  368.  
  369. <p>“People are surviving here in Presidio,” said Denisse Carrera, a Presidio resident. “We depend on Mexico for a lot of our necessities. That’s where we get groceries and other things we can’t always find here because we only have one grocery store. Sometimes it’s also more affordable in Mexico. Yet they want to spend $17 million per mile on this wall, which I think is about 575% more than our city’s annual budget.”</p>
  370.  
  371.  
  372.  
  373. <p>A $1.2 billion federal contract awarded for border wall construction in Presidio County would cost an <a href="https://bigbendsentinel.com/2026/03/17/fisher-sand-gravel-awarded-1-2-billion-presidio-county-wall-contract/">estimated $17 million</a> per mile. The Big Bend Sector, which the Department of Homeland Security defines as a 500-mile stretch of border in Far West Texas, has <a href="https://bigbendsentinel.com/2025/12/16/from-the-border/">long been</a> one of the quietest regions along the border, consistently recording some of the <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/illegal-border-crossings-big-bend-sector-fall-significantly-fy-2025">lowest rates</a> of migrant apprehensions and smuggling activity.</p>
  374.  
  375.  
  376.  
  377. <p>But even if the crossing remains, the wall construction alone could threaten access to Ojinaga.&nbsp;</p>
  378.  
  379.  
  380.  
  381. <p>Historically, floods have damaged local levees and <a href="https://www.texasobserver.org/2872-dateline-west-texas-desert-storms-flood-the-border/">forced</a> closures of the international bridge connecting Presidio and Ojinaga. Residents and local officials <a href="https://www.mrt.com/news/article/presidio-tx-border-wall-flood-study-22253545.php?">warned</a> that a 30-foot steel wall along the Rio Grande could worsen future floods by trapping debris and interfering with the city’s already-fragile flood-control system in a region prone to flash flooding and river surges. They <a href="https://www.mrt.com/news/article/presidio-tx-border-wall-flood-study-22253545.php?">said</a> federal agencies have yet to provide adequate engineering or hydrology studies despite the area’s history of devastating floods.&nbsp;</p>
  382.  
  383.  
  384.  
  385. <p>In response, the city commissioned an independent flood-risk assessment and has continued pressing federal officials for answers.</p>
  386.  
  387.  
  388.  
  389. <p>“The City of Presidio is partnering with the Presidio Municipal Development District on this study because protecting the people who live here, on both sides of the river, is our job, and right now, no one else is doing it,” <a href="https://www.mrt.com/news/article/presidio-tx-border-wall-flood-study-22253545.php">said</a> Presidio Mayor John Ferguson, in a press release. “We have asked the federal agencies responsible for this levee for straight answers about what is being proposed, and we have not gotten them.”<br><br>Across the broader Big Bend region, concerns about safety and environmental damage have only intensified as new border infrastructure has already begun appearing along the river.</p>
  390.  
  391.  
  392.  
  393. <p>In October 2025, the U.S. Army and Border Patrol <a href="https://bigbendsentinel.com/2026/05/06/protestors-set-sights-on-removing-concertina-wire-from-the-border-riverbanks-2/">installed miles</a> of concertina razor wire along the Rio Grande in Presidio, underneath the <a href="https://bigbendsentinel.com/2025/10/29/border-barriers-coming-to-the-big-bend/">international bridge</a>, prompting criticism from locals who worry the razor wire could come loose during the river’s annual summer floods.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  394.  
  395.  
  396.  
  397. <p>“I think that that wire could go downstream easily,” said Erin Little, owner of the <a href="https://www.hikingbigbend.com/">Big Bend Boating and Hiking Company</a>. “And I think it threatens anybody who&#8217;s in the water.”&nbsp;</p>
  398.  
  399.  
  400.  
  401. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240373" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C862&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C505&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1022&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1362&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C798&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C681&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1330&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C266&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_2-1296x862.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Erin Little outside of the Big Bend Boating and Hiking Company in Terlingua, Texas. (Photo by Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder) </figcaption></figure>
  402.  
  403.  
  404.  
  405. <p>Charlie Angell, owner of <a href="https://angellexpeditions.com/">Angell Expeditions</a> and a longtime Rio Grande river guide, said the dangers could extend deep into the canyon systems of Big Bend.</p>
  406.  
  407.  
  408.  
  409. <p>“These logs that float down during flash floods are going to catch in that razor, rip out chunks of it, and keep floating downstream, going into all the canyons in the state park and all the canyons in the national park. And then anytime somebody jumps in the river to cool off, they&#8217;re gonna get slashed,” Angell said. “It’s not a matter of if, but when.”&nbsp;</p>
  410.  
  411.  
  412.  
  413. <p>To many residents, the militarization of the river feels disconnected from the reality of life in the Big Bend.</p>
  414.  
  415.  
  416.  
  417. <p>“Razor wire is for war zones, and this is one of the most peaceful places I&#8217;ve ever set foot in,” said Tony Drewry, a Rio Grande River guide with Angell Expeditions.&nbsp;</p>
  418.  
  419.  
  420.  
  421. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="505" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6.jpg?resize=780%2C505&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240374" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C839&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C492&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C497&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C995&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1326&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C777&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C663&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1295&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C505&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C259&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C457&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_6-1296x839.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kayaks outside of the Big Bend Boating and Hiking Company in Terlingua, Texas. (Photo by Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  422.  
  423.  
  424.  
  425. <p> Beyond environmental concerns, residents also fear the wall could undermine Presidio’s delicate but growing tourism economy.</p>
  426.  
  427.  
  428.  
  429. <p>In October 2024, Presidio resident Yosdy Valdivia opened an art gallery, <a href="https://www.galeriaraices.net/">Galería Raíces</a>, hoping to contribute to her community’s <a href="https://presidiotx.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PresidioTX-REDCommunity-Resiliency-Strategy-2024.pdf">growing tourism</a> industry. Now, she worries the wall could undermine those efforts before they fully begin.</p>
  430.  
  431.  
  432.  
  433. <p>“I&#8217;m barely getting started with this dream of mine, and this [wall] would kill tourism. This will kill the town,” Valdivia said. “So I just don&#8217;t know how they&#8217;re not really taking the business and wildlife and all that into consideration.”&nbsp;</p>
  434.  
  435.  
  436.  
  437. <p>Like many residents in Presidio, Valdivia’s personal life is deeply intertwined with Ojinaga.</p>
  438.  
  439.  
  440.  
  441. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4.jpg?resize=780%2C533&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240375" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C885&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C519&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C524&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1049&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1398&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C819&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C699&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C532&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C273&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C482&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Big-Bend_4-1296x885.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Yosdy Valdivia at Galería Raíces in Presidio, Texas. (Photo by Anya Petrone Slepyan/The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  442.  
  443.  
  444.  
  445. <p>“​​[The border] is my everyday life. I go to Ojinaga every day for groceries, visiting family, and for school. I have my son at the daycare. My family lives there, it feels like we are in the same town,” Valdivia said. “I&#8217;m still in shock trying to imagine a wall here.”&nbsp;</p>
  446.  
  447.  
  448.  
  449. <p>Compared to other Far West Texas towns, Presidio’s community opposition has been relatively subdued, a tone that some attribute to fear around the current immigration landscape.&nbsp;</p>
  450.  
  451.  
  452.  
  453. <p>In April, the city of Presidio passed a resolution opposing construction of the border wall.&nbsp;</p>
  454.  
  455.  
  456.  
  457. <p>“We had a lady in the audience who did not speak English, and so we had the whole resolution in Spanish, because our Presidio community needs to get more engaged,” said Mayor Ferguson at a Presidio County Commissioners meeting in April. “I think they&#8217;re intimidated.”</p>
  458.  
  459.  
  460.  
  461. <p>Valdivia works alongside the <a href="https://nobigbendwall.org/">No Big Bend Border Wall</a> coalition and is also relying on the cross-border connection to spread awareness and reach out to the Spanish-speaking residents.&nbsp;</p>
  462.  
  463.  
  464.  
  465. <p>“We’re planning to do some radio commercials in Ojinaga,” Valdivia said. “We don’t listen to the Marfa radio here, because we mostly speak Spanish. So we listen to the radio in Ojinaga.”</p>
  466.  
  467.  
  468.  
  469. <p>“A lot of people are afraid of the government. They think they&#8217;re going to remove their green cards, or I don&#8217;t know how they think it&#8217;s going to affect them, but they&#8217;re truly scared,” said Valdivia.&nbsp;</p>
  470.  
  471.  
  472.  
  473. <p>For Mayor Ferguson, that fear has heightened his responsibility to the community.&nbsp;</p>
  474.  
  475.  
  476.  
  477. <p>“For those of us who have that authority and that representation, we need to come together immediately and fly into action and represent everybody here in the Big Bend,” Mayor Ferguson said.&nbsp;</p>
  478.  
  479.  
  480.  
  481. <p>Presidio resident Denisse Carrera said she hopes these voices in Presidio are heard across the state and country. With the scale of disruption only growing, Carrera said she often thinks about what’s at stake.&nbsp;</p>
  482.  
  483.  
  484.  
  485. <p>“I&#8217;ve been seeing the Milky Way every morning,” Carrera said. “And I just keep thinking why do they want to take this away?”</p>
  486.  
  487.  
  488.  
  489. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  490. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/border-wall-plans-threaten-rural-infrastructure-and-cross-border-life-in-big-bend/2026/05/20/">Border Wall Plans Threaten Rural Infrastructure and Cross-Border Life in Big Bend</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  491. ]]></content:encoded>
  493. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/border-wall-plans-threaten-rural-infrastructure-and-cross-border-life-in-big-bend/2026/05/20/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  494. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  497. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">240351</post-id> </item>
  498. <item>
  499. <title>Proposed Bill Would Stop Eminent Domain for Carbon Dioxide Pipelines in Illinois</title>
  500. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/proposed-bill-would-stop-eminent-domain-for-carbon-dioxide-pipelines-in-illinois/2026/05/19/</link>
  501. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/proposed-bill-would-stop-eminent-domain-for-carbon-dioxide-pipelines-in-illinois/2026/05/19/#respond</comments>
  503. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ilana Newman and Julia Tilton]]></dc:creator>
  504. <pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  505. <category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
  506. <category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
  507. <category><![CDATA[Government & Policy]]></category>
  508. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=240265</guid>
  509.  
  510. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  511. <p>When central Illinois farmer Steve Hess found out that his community had won a fight against Navigator CO2 Ventures, a Dallas, Texas-based company building a pipeline to transport carbon dioxide across the region for storage underground, he threw a party.&#160; “It was exhilarating,” he said, about the 2023 win against the Black Rock-backed pipeline where [&#8230;]</p>
  512. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/proposed-bill-would-stop-eminent-domain-for-carbon-dioxide-pipelines-in-illinois/2026/05/19/">Proposed Bill Would Stop Eminent Domain for Carbon Dioxide Pipelines in Illinois</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  513. ]]></description>
  514. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-23.jpeg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  515. <p>When central Illinois farmer Steve Hess found out that his community had won a fight against Navigator CO2 Ventures, a Dallas, Texas-based company building a pipeline to transport carbon dioxide across the region for storage underground, he threw a party.&nbsp;</p>
  516.  
  517.  
  518.  
  519. <p>“It was exhilarating,” he said, about the 2023 win against the <a href="https://investorvalero.com/news/news-details/2021/Valero-and-BlackRock-Partner-with-Navigator-to-Announce-Large-Scale-Carbon-Capture-and-Storage-Project/default.aspx#:~:text=Navigator%20Energy%20Services%20is%20a%20company%20that,a%20long%2Dterm%20path%20to%20reduce%20carbon%20footprint**">Black Rock-backed</a> pipeline where local opposition “knocked down Goliath.”&nbsp;</p>
  520.  
  521.  
  522.  
  523. <p>At the time, Navigator was calling for eminent domain, the right of a company to purchase private land for public good, to route the <a href="https://oilandgaswatch.org/pipeline/5912">Heartland Greenway pipeline</a> through farmland across the region. The pipeline would carry liquified carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) across the Midwest to be sequestered underground in rural Christian County, Illinois in a <a href="https://www.epa.gov/uic/class-vi-wells-used-geologic-sequestration-carbon-dioxide">Class VI well</a>. Hess, along with other local residents and landowners, was adamantly against it. They worried about the risks if the pipeline broke.&nbsp;</p>
  524.  
  525.  
  526.  
  527. <p>Before the project was stopped, the Heartland Greenway pipeline was intended to transport CO<sub>2</sub> from ethanol plants across five states for sequestration in central Illinois. There are 114 ethanol plants in those five states – South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois – according to the <a href="https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/ethanolcapacity/ethanolcapacity.xlsx">U.S. Energy Information Administration</a>.&nbsp;</p>
  528.  
  529.  
  530.  
  531. <p>Now, the Illinois legislature is considering a bill that would ban companies from using eminent domain to seize land for CO<sub>2</sub> pipelines. The bill was brought to the state legislature by Hess, Sangamon County resident Kathleen Campbell, and other members of the <a href="https://noillinoisco2pipelines.org/">Coalition to Stop CO<sub>2</sub> Pipelines,</a> the group that formed <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/11/carbon-dioxide-pipelines-capture-storage-dangers-opposition-navigator/">in 2022</a> to fight Navigator and other CO<sub>2</sub> pipelines in Illinois.&nbsp;</p>
  532.  
  533.  
  534.  
  535. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240267" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19.jpeg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-19-1296x864.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">From left to right: Karen Sanders, Kathleen Campbell and Karen Brockelsby are all members of the Coalition to Stop CO<sub>2</sub>Pipelines. They have all been contacted by developers about having land they own used for pipelines or Class VI wells. (Photo by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  536.  
  537.  
  538.  
  539. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)?</strong></h3>
  540.  
  541.  
  542.  
  543. <p>A form of carbon removal, Class VI wells are used to store carbon deep under the earth for long periods of time as a way to mitigate CO<sub>2</sub>, a planet-warming gas, from entering the atmosphere. Central Illinois is home to the Mt. Simon Sandstone formation, a geological feature that’s particularly attractive for the technology, said Anna Littlefield, the manager of the Low Carbon Technologies Program at the Payne Institute at Colorado School of Mines. Developers working on CCS projects look for porous sandstone or limestone with impermeable caprock on top, she said. Central Illinois is a textbook example of this geology.</p>
  544.  
  545.  
  546.  
  547. <p>Susan Hovorka, a research scientist at the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas, compared the ideal conditions for carbon storage to pouring water into sand – the liquid soaks in – as opposed to concrete, where it puddles on top.</p>
  548.  
  549.  
  550.  
  551. <p>Hovorka said carbon storage is all about the “physics of very small spaces,” likening the size of the holes in the rocks to the space between threads in fabric. When water is spilled on fabric it gets trapped in those small holes, unable to escape except through chemical means, such as drying through exposure to air or heat. That’s what happens when CO<sub>2</sub> is pumped underground, where it is insulated from air and heat. Like oil and gas deposits, CO<sub>2</sub> injected deep into the earth should – if done properly – remain there indefinitely, Hovorka said. In 2023 and 2024, corrosion in a Class VI well <a href="https://www.eenews.net/articles/carbon-storage-well-that-leaked-set-to-restart-injections/">caused carbon to </a>migrate at a facility operated by Archer Daniels Midland in Decatur, Illinois, prompting significant community concern and fueling opposition groups like the Coalition to Stop CO<sub>2</sub> Pipelines.&nbsp;</p>
  552.  
  553.  
  554.  
  555. <p>There have been tax credits in place <a href="https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/us/pdf/2020/03/examining-section-45q-tax-credit.pdf">since 2008</a> to incentivize industrial CO<sub>2</sub> emitters to capture and store carbon dioxide. This credit, called the 45Q tax credit, has increased throughout the years and, since the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025,<strong> </strong>now sits at $85 per ton of carbon captured and stored. Hovorka said that the tax credits shouldn’t be the same for carbon sequestration from every industry, because, depending on the complexity of capturing the carbon dioxide, it’s more or less expensive. “I have some stress about the flat tax credit, because the capture cost really varies,” said Hovorka.&nbsp;</p>
  556.  
  557.  
  558.  
  559. <p>Ethanol is particularly cost efficient, she said, which means ethanol plants can “make a mint out of it.” But higher carbon industries like steel and cement plants need higher tax incentives than what currently exist to make the cost of carbon capture worthwhile.&nbsp;</p>
  560.  
  561.  
  562.  
  563. <p>But some CCS opponents, including the Coalition to Stop CO<sub>2</sub> Pipelines, worry that there isn’t enough oversight for the 45Q tax credits. “You can make a lot of money doing [CCS] thanks to our tax credits,” said Pam Richart, one of the coalition’s organizers. “The worst part about those tax credits is that there&#8217;s really very little accountability. The transparency is not there.”</p>
  564.  
  565.  
  566.  
  567. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Putting Pipelines Through Corn Country</strong></h3>
  568.  
  569.  
  570. <div class="wp-block-image">
  571. <figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="1040" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46.jpg?resize=780%2C1040&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240273" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=972%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 972w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=570%2C760&amp;ssl=1 570w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C2667&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C533&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C941&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-scaled.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9AAD21F8-3DFA-48F5-A53C-386ECE950D46-972x1296.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Steve Hess farms corn and soybeans near Bushnell, Illinois. (Photo courtesy of Steve Hess)</figcaption></figure>
  572. </div>
  573.  
  574.  
  575. <p>Hess is a fifth generation farmer (“raising the sixth and seventh generations,” he said) growing corn and soybeans in rural McDonough County, Illinois. The land he farms was homesteaded by his wife’s family in 1869. “Roots run deep here,” Hess said.&nbsp;</p>
  576.  
  577.  
  578.  
  579. <p>He first heard about the Heartland Greenway pipeline in December 2021, when he received a letter in the mail from Navigator. The following year, land agents came out to his property to look at the land they wanted for an easement in order to build the 1,300 mile pipeline.&nbsp;</p>
  580.  
  581.  
  582.  
  583. <p>They were standing in the barnyard when Hess asked the agent what he could do to negotiate with Navigator. “He says, ‘if we get approval and you don&#8217;t like it, we can just use eminent domain and put the pipe in anyhow.’ And that really struck me the wrong way,” Hess said.</p>
  584.  
  585.  
  586.  
  587. <p>When exercising the right of eminent domain, an entity can purchase private land, without the permission of the landowner, for the public good. While it’s often used to build public infrastructure like roads, sewage, and water and electrical lines, there’s a <a href="https://virginiamercury.com/2023/09/18/eminent-domains-long-ago-racism-still-hinders-african-americans-today/">long history</a> of using eminent domain to <a href="https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2022/12/eminent-domain-racism/">discriminate</a> against Black communities. Between the 1940s and 1970s, the Institute of Justice <a href="https://ij.org/report/eminent-domain-african-americans/">found</a> that more than 2,500 eminent domain projects displaced one million people, two-thirds of them Black, making them five times more likely to be displaced than they should have been given their share of the population. Eminent domain has also been used by oil and gas companies to build pipelines.&nbsp;</p>
  588.  
  589.  
  590.  
  591. <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter" data-effect="slide" style="--aspect-ratio:calc(972 / 1296)"><div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper"><ul class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper"><li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"><figure><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="1040" alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-240272" data-id="240272" data-aspect-ratio="972 / 1296" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=780%2C1040&#038;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=972%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 972w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=570%2C760&amp;ssl=1 570w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=400%2C533&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?resize=706%2C941&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24.jpeg?w=1536&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-24-972x1296.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The letters that Hess, Campbell, and other residents received in December 2021 threatened to use eminent domain if the landowners were not amenable to selling their land for the Heartland Greenway Pipeline. (Photos courtesy of Kathleen Campbell)</figcaption></figure></li><li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"><figure><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="1040" alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-240270" data-id="240270" data-aspect-ratio="972 / 1296" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=780%2C1040&#038;ssl=1" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=972%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 972w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=570%2C760&amp;ssl=1 570w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=400%2C533&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?resize=706%2C941&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22.jpeg?w=1536&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-22-972x1296.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The letters that Hess, Campbell, and other residents received in December 2021 threatened to use eminent domain if the landowners were not amenable to selling their land for the Heartland Greenway Pipeline. (Photos courtesy of Kathleen Campbell)</figcaption></figure></li></ul><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a aria-label="Pause Slideshow" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause" role="button"></a><div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white"></div></div></div>
  592.  
  593.  
  594.  
  595. <p><em>&nbsp;</em></p>
  596.  
  597.  
  598.  
  599. <p>In Illinois, the Midwest’s many miles of cornfields produce <a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/biofuels/ethanol-supply.php">large amounts of corn ethanol</a>, making the region a destination for carbon capture and sequestration.. Ethanol is one of the easiest industries to de-carbonize, Hovorka said, because the emissions from ethanol production contain only CO<sub>2</sub> and water. That means storing the carbon only involves dehydrating the emissions before transporting or sequestering them underground. If there aren’t sequestration opportunities on site, for either geologic or economic reasons, then a pipeline needs to be built to transport the CO<sub>2</sub> from the capture site to the storage location.</p>
  600.  
  601.  
  602.  
  603. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240269" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21.jpeg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-21-1296x864.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Central Illinois is full of corn and soybean fields. During the spring, high winds can cause dust storms as farmers plow their fields. (Photo by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  604.  
  605.  
  606.  
  607. <p>“One reason Illinois is a hot spot [for CCS]&nbsp; is because of the proximity to all the ethanol plants,” Littlefield said.</p>
  608.  
  609.  
  610.  
  611. <p>Some states have additional regulations around eminent domain. After <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/iowa/blog/2023/10/navigator-cancels-co2-pipeline-project">opposition</a> to the Heartland Greenway pipeline in Iowa, the state <a href="https://www.iowapublicradio.org/state-government-news/2026-01-22/iowa-house-passes-bill-banning-eminent-domain-for-carbon-pipelines">passed a bill</a> in January banning the use of eminent domain for CO<sub>2</sub> pipelines.</p>
  612.  
  613.  
  614.  
  615. <p>For<strong> </strong>Hess, it wasn’t the pipeline that was the issue. He already has a natural gas pipeline on his property, one that was built 55 years ago. “We gave them easement for free, but that was going to help my neighbors,” he said about the pipeline that brought natural gas to the nearby town of Bushnell, Illinois for the first time. But Hess said he can still see the impacts of that pipeline, which runs diagonally through one of his fields. “There’s compaction,” he said, “that leads to weed issues later on in the crop season.” Often, Hess said, these pipelines cut through a farm’s pattern tile –&nbsp;a network of plastic pipes that helps dry out the soil – and the companies aren’t the best at fixing damages.&nbsp;</p>
  616.  
  617.  
  618.  
  619. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240268" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20.jpeg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-20-1296x864.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Archer-Daniels Midland is one of the largest ethanol producers in the United States. This plant, located in Decatur, Illinois, is also the location of several Class VI wells for carbon sequestration. (Photo by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  620.  
  621.  
  622.  
  623. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>CO<sub>2</sub> Under Pressure</strong></h3>
  624.  
  625.  
  626.  
  627. <p>If a CO2 pipeline breaks, it can be dangerous, according to Hovorka. “Anything at pressure is dangerous,” she said, and transporting carbon long distances involves piping CO<sub>2</sub> at extremely high pressures in a liquid form.</p>
  628.  
  629.  
  630.  
  631. <p>Such transport comes with risks. A tiny crack or hole in the miles of pipeline can turn into a <a href="https://blog.sintef.com/ocean/simulating-running-ductile-fracture-in-co2-pipelines/">running ductile fracture</a>, “unzipping” the pipeline across a large distance. To mitigate this, Hovorka said that pipeline manufacturers put <a href="https://primis-meetings.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/0499bb79-3321-4148-9120-766398d2e3b9/files/ac568c7e-7c3e-4202-ac05-62c0848b0032/23_-_Technical_Considerations_for_CO2_Pipeline_Transport_and_the_Role_of_Composite_Crack_Arresto.pdf">crack arrestors</a> at set distances throughout the pipelines to stop fractures from spreading.&nbsp;</p>
  632.  
  633.  
  634.  
  635. <p>When released from a pipeline at a high concentration, CO<sub>2</sub> looks and acts like dry ice –&nbsp;a cloud of fog that stays close to the ground. But Hovorka said that it&#8217;s not very fast and it&#8217;s easy to move away from. The risk comes for those in low lying areas who are unaware of the incoming cloud: a sleeping person or animal unaware of the danger could asphyxiate on the CO<sub>2</sub>, Hovorka said.&nbsp;</p>
  636.  
  637.  
  638.  
  639. <p>“This is not a completely unknown substance,” Hovorka said. “Our bodies are completely comfortable with CO<sub>2</sub>,” she added, noting that humans have been using CO<sub>2</sub> industrially for decades in the oil and gas industry. The danger, she said, comes from the concentration of CO<sub>2</sub> in the air.</p>
  640.  
  641.  
  642.  
  643. <p>In central Illinois, fears of a pipeline leak are not unfounded. Many landowners we spoke with for this story mentioned a <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gassing-satartia-mississippi-co2-pipeline_n_60ddea9fe4b0ddef8b0ddc8f">2020 incident in Satartia, Mississippi</a>, a small town along the Yazoo River, where 45 people were hospitalized after a CO<sub>2</sub> pipeline ruptured. There, residents described a disorienting, dense fog that caused nausea and dizziness, and stopped cars in their tracks – car engines sputter when they encounter carbon dioxide instead of oxygen. At the time, the community wasn’t prepared for the unique risks posed by leaked CO<sub>2</sub>.&nbsp;</p>
  644.  
  645.  
  646.  
  647. <p>When asked about the safety risks of CO<sub>2</sub> pipelines, Hovorka echoed a Pipeline and Hazardous Safety Administration (PHMSA) <a href="https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2022-05/Failure%20Investigation%20Report%20-%20Denbury%20Gulf%20Coast%20Pipeline.pdf">report about the Satartia incident</a>. The issue in Satartia was tied to the area’s geography – the pipeline ran down a steep embankment and was affected by a landslide, according to the report. “They screwed up the engineering. They should have dug it in deeper,” Hovorka said.&nbsp;</p>
  648.  
  649.  
  650.  
  651. <p>Educating communities about how to respond to CO<sub>2</sub> emergencies is something that Littlefield is passionate about. She wants to make sure that carbon infrastructure development doesn’t come at the cost of the people. “Communities have a lot of power here,” she said, &#8220;There&#8217;s always a risk when it&#8217;s a man-made industrial operation, but these companies are really trying to mitigate those risks as much as possible.”</p>
  652.  
  653.  
  654.  
  655. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Grassroots Pipeline Policy Changes</strong></h3>
  656.  
  657.  
  658.  
  659. <p>Kathleen Campbell remembers when she got her own letter from Navigator in the mail. It was December 2021, right before Christmas, when she and her husband opened the mailer, which detailed the pipeline plans and sought an easement across their one acre of property outside of Springfield, Illinois. The letter informed Campbell and her husband that if they were unable to come to a voluntary agreement with Navigator, the company could request eminent domain from the Illinois Commerce Commission.</p>
  660.  
  661.  
  662.  
  663. <p>Soon after this, Campbell, Hess, and other local landowners formed the Coalition to Stop CO<sub>2</sub> Pipelines, which eventually succeeded in <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/navigator-co2-ventures-cancels-carbon-capture-pipeline-project-us-midwest-2023-10-20/">stopping Navigator</a> in 2023 and later, <a href="https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/iowa-illinois-carbon-dioxide-pipeline-application-withdrawn/">the proposed Iowa-Illinois Wolf pipeline</a> in 2024.&nbsp;</p>
  664.  
  665.  
  666.  
  667. <p>The Coalition helped with the <a href="https://cdrlaw.org/resources/illinois-safe-ccs-act/">Safe CCS Act</a>, a piece of state legislation to regulate carbon capture, before its passage in 2024. But during the negotiations, the final bill lost all mention of eminent domain. Hess and Campbell knew that they needed to continue the pressure to take eminent domain for CO<sub>2</sub> pipelines off the table.&nbsp;</p>
  668.  
  669.  
  670.  
  671. <p>“This is what we&#8217;ve been doing the last three years, is building up support,” Hess said. First, Hess got policy passed in the Illinois Farm Bureau to adopt an official stance against eminent domain for CO<sub>2</sub> pipelines. Then, in 2025, he went to his legislator, Democratic state senator Michael Halpin, and asked if he would help with eminent domain legislation. Halpin went on to introduce <a href="https://ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/FullText?GAID=18&amp;DocNum=2842&amp;DocTypeID=SB&amp;LegId=165044&amp;SessionID=114">SB2842</a> in this year’s legislative session, the bill that, if passed, would ban CO<sub>2</sub> pipelines from using eminent domain.&nbsp;</p>
  672.  
  673.  
  674.  
  675. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240266" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18.jpeg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/image-18-1296x864.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Republican State Senator Steve McClure is one of the co-sponsors of SB 2842, the bill that would ban eminent domain being used for CO<sub>2</sub>pipelines. (Photo by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  676.  
  677.  
  678.  
  679. <p>Campbell reached out to her own representative, Republican state senator Steve McClure, to get him on the case, too. He agreed to co-sponsor SB2842. “Landowner rights and public safety should override monetary profit,” McClure said. “I&#8217;m going to always err on the side of landowner rights and public safety.”</p>
  680.  
  681.  
  682.  
  683. <p>McClure said there’s a chance that the bill will be rolled into an omnibus package before the state legislative session ends on May 31, 2026. If that doesn’t happen, McClure said, the bill could get taken up again in the fall. <br><br>The bill is a bipartisan effort with 22 cosponsors and endorsements from across industries. “We&#8217;ve got the Sierra Club, Illinois Environmental Council, Farm Bureau, and the Soybean [Association]. How many bills do you know that have that combination?” Campbell said.</p>
  684.  
  685.  
  686.  
  687. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  688.  
  689.  
  690.  
  691. <p></p>
  692. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/proposed-bill-would-stop-eminent-domain-for-carbon-dioxide-pipelines-in-illinois/2026/05/19/">Proposed Bill Would Stop Eminent Domain for Carbon Dioxide Pipelines in Illinois</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  693. ]]></content:encoded>
  695. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/proposed-bill-would-stop-eminent-domain-for-carbon-dioxide-pipelines-in-illinois/2026/05/19/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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  699. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">240265</post-id> </item>
  700. <item>
  701. <title>Proposed Transmission Line in Central Texas Leaves No Community Unscathed</title>
  702. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/proposed-transmission-line-in-central-texas-leaves-no-community-unscathed/2026/05/18/</link>
  703. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/proposed-transmission-line-in-central-texas-leaves-no-community-unscathed/2026/05/18/#comments</comments>
  705. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Madeline de Figueiredo]]></dc:creator>
  706. <pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  707. <category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
  708. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=240317</guid>
  709.  
  710. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  711. <p>For months, rural communities across Central Texas have been fighting to stop the development of a high-voltage transmission line that would cut through their communities to power oil, gas, and data centers in West Texas. Now, landowners are navigating a fast-paced and highly-technical legal process, where efforts to protect one property may ultimately shift the [&#8230;]</p>
  712. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/proposed-transmission-line-in-central-texas-leaves-no-community-unscathed/2026/05/18/">Proposed Transmission Line in Central Texas Leaves No Community Unscathed</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  713. ]]></description>
  714. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5259-scaled.jpeg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  715. <p>For months, rural communities across Central Texas have been fighting to stop the development of a high-voltage transmission line that would cut through their communities to power oil, gas, and data centers in West Texas. Now, landowners are navigating a fast-paced and highly-technical legal process, where efforts to protect one property may ultimately shift the burden to another. </p>
  716.  
  717.  
  718.  
  719. <p>“It’s just a giant extension cord from Central Texas to the Permian Basin,” said Beth Kunz, a landowner in Burnet County. “We don’t see any of the power, but we sure have to pay for it with our land and resources.”&nbsp;</p>
  720.  
  721.  
  722.  
  723. <p>The line would carve easements upwards of 200 feet wide through rural properties. With no substations planned along the route, none of the electricity would reach the communities it passes through, leaving landowners to shoulder the costs of infrastructure that solely benefits distant oil fields and data centers.</p>
  724.  
  725.  
  726.  
  727. <p>On March 26, Oncor Electric Delivery and the Lower Colorado River Authority Transmission Services <a href="https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/search/filings/?UtilityType=A&amp;ControlNumber=59475&amp;DocumentType=ALL&amp;SortOrder=Ascending">filed</a> an application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas to build a 765-kilovolt transmission line<a href="https://www.lcra.org/energy/electric-transmission/transmission-line-routing/bell-county-east-to-big-hill-765-kv-transmission-project/"> connecting</a> Schleicher County to Bell County. The proposal outlines 122 possible routes stretching roughly 214 to 244 miles, with additional variations possible if different segments are combined. The <a href="https://www.lcra.org/energy/electric-transmission/transmission-line-routing/bell-county-east-to-big-hill-765-kv-transmission-project/">Public Utility Commission of Texas</a>, a five-person committee <a href="https://www.puc.texas.gov/agency/about/commissioners/#:~:text=Thomas%20J.,PUCT%20press%20releases%20and%20newsletters">appointed</a> by Governor Greg Abbott, can select any of those routes, meaning no community along the corridor is definitively in—or out—of its path. Their decision deadline is September 22.&nbsp;</p>
  728.  
  729.  
  730.  
  731. <p>Mia Sarot has been spearheading the community organizing in Burnet County, where multiple possible routes criss-cross neighborhoods, including her own. For months, she has been holding community meetings, sharing information with county residents through presentations and roundtables, and appearing before state and county officials to press for intervention.</p>
  732.  
  733.  
  734.  
  735. <p>“I didn’t even know what a transmission line was last summer,” Sarot said. But then her neighbors started receiving packets in the mail notifying them that their properties were within the possible paths of the transmission line. In August, a neighbor stopped Sarot in her driveway to ask for support. Soon after, community members started expressing concerns about how the line would affect the ecosystem, residents’ health, local property values, and utility prices. “Now I work on this stuff 80 hours a week.”</p>
  736.  
  737.  
  738.  
  739. <p>Sarot has been hosting community meetings and outreach events to help residents file to intervene in the transmission line. The <a href="https://www.puc.texas.gov/agency/rulesnlaws/participate/">intervention process</a> lets affected people formally join a Public Utility Commission (PUC) case, submit input, and seek records, by filing a written request within 30 days of the application filing.&nbsp;</p>
  740.  
  741.  
  742.  
  743. <p>As of April 27, over a thousand parties <a href="https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/search/filings/?UtilityType=A&amp;ControlNumber=59475&amp;DocumentType=ALL&amp;SortOrder=Ascending">have filed</a> a motion to intervene, including private landowners, local environmental groups, The Comanche Nation, livestock companies, and local governments, including Burnet County.&nbsp;</p>
  744.  
  745.  
  746.  
  747. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>A County Caught in the Crosshairs </strong></h3>
  748.  
  749.  
  750.  
  751. <p>All of the possible routes run through Burnet County, just at various sections of the county.</p>
  752.  
  753.  
  754.  
  755. <p>“There is a concern that we’ll end up wasting taxpayer money on things that may not be of fruition because all three lines are going to stay in Burnet County,” said Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson during an April 1 meeting reported by <a href="https://www.dailytrib.com/2026/04/07/burnet-county-steps-up-for-landowners-in-transmission-line-filing/">The Daily Trib</a>. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean that we shouldn’t advocate for our citizens, our landowners, and the health and safety of our community.”&nbsp;</p>
  756.  
  757.  
  758.  
  759. <p>The process for these transmission lines has been fast-tracked. In 2023, the Texas Legislature <a href="https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HB5066/id/2819607">passed a bill</a> that led to new rules under the Texas PUC’s Permian Basin Reliability Plan, cutting the approval timeline from one year to 180 days. The condensed schedule leaves less time for citizens and local governments to assess impacts, submit input, and engage in the decision-making process.&nbsp;</p>
  760.  
  761.  
  762.  
  763. <p>In the rapid scramble to defend themselves, Burnet County residents have come to realize that protecting their home could mean hurting their neighbors’ home.&nbsp;</p>
  764.  
  765.  
  766.  
  767. <p>Ron Boultinghouse can trace his family history in Burnet County back to 1853. Almost 40 years ago, he purchased a home near Lake Victor, which is now in the line of one of the proposed segments.&nbsp;</p>
  768.  
  769.  
  770.  
  771. <p>“I don&#8217;t want that line on top of anybody else, but I don&#8217;t want it on top of me,” Boultinghouse said. “I&#8217;m not real sure how to say that – ‘I&#8217;d rather it be on your place than on my place.’ Nobody should have to say that. It shouldn’t be that way at all.”&nbsp;</p>
  772.  
  773.  
  774.  
  775. <p>Susan Warren, who has lived on a working ranch in Burnet County since 1973, said unless the plans for the transmission line are paused and re-evaluated, this process is designed to create tension and division among neighbors.&nbsp;</p>
  776.  
  777.  
  778.  
  779. <p>“This is just really difficult because you&#8217;re pitting one neighbor against another,” said Warren. “I don&#8217;t know how you get around this. You&#8217;re just, you&#8217;re pushing it from one neighbor to the others, and that just seems so unfair, but that&#8217;s really what&#8217;s going to happen if they pick another line versus ours.”&nbsp;</p>
  780.  
  781.  
  782.  
  783. <p>The compressed timeline has left many residents on the defensive, worried about how the line could reshape every aspect of their lives, and eyeing other alternative routes.&nbsp;</p>
  784.  
  785.  
  786.  
  787. <p>Like Sarot, Warren spends hours every day helping her neighbors file intervention paperwork, keeping up with new filings, and sharing information with her community—time she only has since she recently retired.&nbsp;</p>
  788.  
  789.  
  790.  
  791. <p>“The short timeframe makes fighting this near impossible. I think if there was a longer period of time, some of the people who were sick, home schooling, and caring for elderly family members might have a little more opportunity to participate,” Warren said. “When you slam it down to 30 days and they already have those very hard life things going on, having the energy to fight is near impossible to squeeze in.”&nbsp;</p>
  792.  
  793.  
  794.  
  795. <p>For Boultinghouse, the commitment is firm. “I’ll be darned if I am not fighting this thing until the end,” he said.</p>
  796.  
  797.  
  798.  
  799. <p>Residents say that even if the transmission line doesn’t run directly through their property, its presence anywhere in the county will still affect their daily lives.</p>
  800.  
  801.  
  802.  
  803. <p>Warren is no stranger to large-scale infrastructure projects. Last year, the <a href="https://matterhornexpress.com/">Matterhorn Express gas pipeline</a> was installed across her ranch, cutting through hay fields, disrupting cattle grazing, and raising concerns about livestock safety. Now, a compressor station tied to that pipeline operates in her neighborhood, bringing persistent noise and new worries about its proximity to a proposed high-voltage transmission line.&nbsp;</p>
  804.  
  805.  
  806.  
  807. <p>Her concerns don’t end there. Warren also lives near the Firefly Aerospace <a href="https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-doubles-facilities-in-briggs-texas-to-support-medium-launch-vehicle/">test site</a>, a 200-acre rocket testing and manufacturing facility in Briggs, Texas, where <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/video-firefly-aerospace-rocket-explodes-during-testing-in-central-texas/">an explosion</a> occurred last year. With rocket testing, natural gas infrastructure, and the prospect of new transmission lines converging in the same area, she says it feels impossible to escape the risks.</p>
  808.  
  809.  
  810.  
  811. <p>“It doesn&#8217;t matter if you live in the area where the transmission line is, the risk of danger is still here,” Warren said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  812.  
  813.  
  814.  
  815. <p>“I have loved ones and friends that live along each of those routes and that would suffer from this,” Sarot said. “I think everyone will still be affected. It&#8217;s changing the infrastructure for your county and for your area and for your neighbor.”&nbsp;</p>
  816.  
  817.  
  818.  
  819. <p>Sarot added that whatever happens next will shape the trajectory of future infrastructure development.&nbsp;</p>
  820.  
  821.  
  822.  
  823. <p>Under Public Utility Regulatory Act <a href="https://ftp.puc.texas.gov/public/puct-info/agency/rulesnlaws/subrules/electric/25.101/25.101.pdf">(PURA) guidelines</a>, Texas prioritizes routing new transmission lines along existing corridors, like roads, railways, or other utility paths, to reduce disruption and simplify permitting. Once a line is built this way, it can make it easier for future projects to follow the same path, gradually forming a larger energy corridor.</p>
  824.  
  825.  
  826.  
  827. <p>“You’re essentially creating a corridor that invites additional infrastructure such as smaller transmission lines, substations, data centers, and battery storage, because those projects tend to follow ultra high-voltage transmission,” Sarot said. “That’s when people further away from these routes will really feel the impact, years from now, when additional infrastructure and new facilities could be proposed along these routes. But by then, the groundwork has already been laid. The time to fight is now.”&nbsp;</p>
  828.  
  829.  
  830.  
  831. <p>And once the transmission line is developed, there won’t be a chance to reassess.&nbsp;</p>
  832.  
  833.  
  834.  
  835. <p>“Once you build it, you can’t undo it,” Warren said.&nbsp;</p>
  836.  
  837.  
  838.  
  839. <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240319" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-scaled.jpeg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5214-1296x972.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong>A sign outside one of the properties that will be affected by the transmission in Burnet County, Texas. (Photo by Madeline de Figueiredo/The Daily Yonder</strong>)</figcaption></figure>
  840.  
  841.  
  842.  
  843. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Rural Costs</strong></h3>
  844.  
  845.  
  846.  
  847. <p>Designed to support surging energy demand in the Permian Basin, the project would <a href="https://interchange.puc.texas.gov/Documents/59475_65_1611302.PDF">cost an estimated</a> $1.6 billion to $1.9 billion, with nearly $400 million more allocated for substation and system upgrades.&nbsp;</p>
  848.  
  849.  
  850.  
  851. <p>No public analysis has outlined how the proposed transmission buildout would affect customer bills. However, <a href="https://www.nrg.com/assets/documents/energy-policy/ercot-transmission-costs-and-rate-design-remarks-on-feb-25-2025.pdf">estimates</a> suggest Oncor’s planned line could lead to a notable increase. Residential rates are projected to rise by about 29%, adding more than $200 per year for the average household.</p>
  852.  
  853.  
  854.  
  855. <p>“We will end up paying for the line for decades in our monthly electric bills,” said Clare Nelson, a Burnet County resident who has been advocating against the transmission line. “And if we need more AC, if there&#8217;s a harsh winter and we need more power, we will not benefit at all.”</p>
  856.  
  857.  
  858.  
  859. <p>Warren said nobody is immune from the costs of the line.&nbsp;</p>
  860.  
  861.  
  862.  
  863. <p>“The sad part about it is, it ultimately affects every single body who lays their head down in the state of Texas, because you&#8217;re going to pay for it in your electric rates,” Warren said. “It’s disheartening.”&nbsp;</p>
  864.  
  865.  
  866.  
  867. <p>As of the end of 2025, data centers dominated Oncor’s backlog of requests for new power connections. A <a href="https://www.oncor.com/content/oncorwww/wire/en/home/newsroom/ONCOR-REPORTS-2025-RESULTS---ANNOUNCES--47-5-BILLION-2026-2030-BASE-CAPITAL-PLAN.html">2026 report</a> showed 650 pending commercial and industrial projects, including roughly 255 gigawatts tied to data centers—far exceeding the approximately 18 gigawatts requested by other industries. One gigawatt <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/01/20/texas-top-data-center-market-power-grid/">can power upwards</a> of 700,000 homes, meaning 255 gigawatts could power nearly 180 million homes.&nbsp;</p>
  868.  
  869.  
  870.  
  871. <p>High-voltage transmission lines can also affect <a href="https://edwardsplateaualliance.org/environmental-impacts-of-transmission-lines-on-water-resources">local water systems</a>. Construction disturbs soil, increasing erosion and sending sediment into nearby streams, while ongoing vegetation clearing reduces shade, raises water temperatures, and can accelerate evaporation from exposed water and soils. Cleared corridors and access roads may also alter natural drainage patterns and speed up stormwater runoff, increasing the <a href="https://tscra.org/protecting-the-san-saba/">risk of flooding</a>.&nbsp;</p>
  872.  
  873.  
  874.  
  875. <p>In March, Burnet County <a href="http://dailytrib.com/2026/03/18/burnet-county-moves-up-to-drought-stage-3/">raised</a> their drought stage to level three, signaling <a href="https://centraltexasgcd.org/district-increases-drought-stage-from-2-to-3/#:~:text=Under%20Stage%203%20the%20District,to%20limit%20outdoor%20landscape%20watering.">below-average</a> groundwater levels. Residents described collecting water in buckets while waiting for showers to warm up, using condensation catchers, and taking other conservation measures. Even so, they worry that new infrastructure could further strain already limited water supplies, along with the livestock, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7326054/">honeybees</a>, and other plants and animals that define Central Texas ecosystems.</p>
  876.  
  877.  
  878.  
  879. <p>Melissa Duckworth, a landowner in Burnet County and a certified Texas Master Naturalist, has filed to intervene. One of the proposed segments cuts through her property near the San Gabriel River which recently flooded last July.&nbsp;</p>
  880.  
  881.  
  882.  
  883. <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240320" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-scaled.jpeg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_5237-1296x972.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong>Melissa Duckworth and Mia Sarot look out over the banks of the San Gabriel in Burnet County, Texas. (Photo by Madeline de Figueiredo/The Daily Yonder</strong>)</figcaption></figure>
  884.  
  885.  
  886.  
  887. <p>The riverbanks were in full bloom as Duckworth warned that clearing an easement would disrupt habitat and drive away local wildlife. “We’ve had a lot of quail. They love bunch grasses, especially the Little Bluestem. So they come right back through here and lay their eggs since they are groundnesters,” Duckworth said. “But the easement would wipe a lot of this out and the quail would just leave.”</p>
  888.  
  889.  
  890.  
  891. <p>Duckworth said that nothing about this process feels promising.&nbsp;</p>
  892.  
  893.  
  894.  
  895. <p>“I don’t feel good about anything,” Duckworth said. “I know some people are feeling better, but I think it can be a bait and switch thing. I think there’s maybe a chance they won’t choose this segment [that we live on], but I am not confident.”</p>
  896.  
  897.  
  898.  
  899. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  900. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/proposed-transmission-line-in-central-texas-leaves-no-community-unscathed/2026/05/18/">Proposed Transmission Line in Central Texas Leaves No Community Unscathed</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  901. ]]></content:encoded>
  903. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/proposed-transmission-line-in-central-texas-leaves-no-community-unscathed/2026/05/18/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  904. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
  907. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">240317</post-id> </item>
  908. <item>
  909. <title>Q&#038;A: Jim Checkel on How Farming Can Shape Rural Medicine</title>
  910. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/qa-jim-checkel-on-how-farming-can-shape-rural-medicine/2026/05/15/</link>
  911. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/qa-jim-checkel-on-how-farming-can-shape-rural-medicine/2026/05/15/#respond</comments>
  913. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Madeline de Figueiredo]]></dc:creator>
  914. <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  915. <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
  916. <category><![CDATA[repub]]></category>
  917. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=240285</guid>
  918.  
  919. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  920. <p>Editor’s Note: This interview first appeared in Path Finders, an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each week, Path Finders features a Q&#38;A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Like what you see here? You can join the mailing list at the bottom of this article and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week. [&#8230;]</p>
  921. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-jim-checkel-on-how-farming-can-shape-rural-medicine/2026/05/15/">Q&amp;A: Jim Checkel on How Farming Can Shape Rural Medicine</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  922. ]]></description>
  923. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/JimCheckel-2-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  924. <p><em>Editor’s Note: This interview first appeared in <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/path-finders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Path Finders</a>, an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each week, Path Finders features a Q&amp;A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Like what you see here? You can <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-appalachian-potter-josh-copus-has-mud-in-the-blood/2025/06/20/#signup">join the mailing list at the bottom of this article</a> and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week.</em></p>
  925.  
  926.  
  927.  
  928. <p>Jim Checkel grew up on a farm in Kasson, Minnesota, where he once dreamed of becoming a farmer. Instead, his path led him to Mayo Clinic, where he became a lead lab technologist. His rural upbringing, however, remained central to his work and shaped his research and teaching in rural medicine. Over his decades-long career, he has hosted more than 12,000 people at his farm and continues to develop a curriculum to train future rural healthcare providers and researchers, bringing his farming roots into thousands of lives and careers. I sat down with Jim to learn more about his path to Mayo Clinic and how his rural roots have touched thousands. </p>
  929.  
  930.  
  931.  
  932. <p class="has-text-align-center"><em>This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.</em></p>
  933.  
  934.  
  935.  
  936. <p><strong>The Daily Yonder: You originally thought that you were going to spend your life farming in rural Minnesota, and instead you went on to become a lead lab technologist at Mayo Clinic. How did that path unfold?&nbsp;</strong></p>
  937.  
  938.  
  939.  
  940. <p><strong>Jim Checkel: </strong>My goal in life was to farm, but my father was very adamant that I should go to school. And one of the things that was available in the area was a vocational school that offered an auto mechanics class. I started working for a Dodge dealership in 1980 and about six weeks after I started for them, Chrysler filed for bankruptcy and I lost my job. So I was driving through my local town, and I saw some cars that said Mayo Clinic on them, and thought, “Huh, Mayo&#8217;s got cars, and they&#8217;ll need mechanics, so I&#8217;m going to go apply to work there.”&nbsp;</p>
  941.  
  942.  
  943.  
  944. <p>About a week later, I got a phone call from Mayo saying, “Have you ever been around animals?” And I grew up on a farm where we had all kinds of livestock. And when I told them yes, they said what they needed was someone to work in a lab that would do the things that nobody else in the lab would do or had time to do. I wanted a job so bad, I didn&#8217;t care what the job was. So I started working there and doing very basic things, but there wasn&#8217;t enough to do. So I started going around to other labs and just walking in and going, “Hey, what are you guys doing here?” And then I would watch them do certain procedures, start learning, and then asked if I could do the procedures myself.&nbsp;</p>
  945.  
  946.  
  947.  
  948. <p>After a year, I applied for an opening in the allergy lab and was questioned about procedures I said I could do, which my boss doubted until I admitted when I did not know something and said I was willing to learn. A few months in, I was put in charge of maintaining and repairing equipment despite having no background in it, so I figured it out as I went and learned what each machine did. I began suggesting and trying different methods, sharing what worked and staying quiet about what did not. When there still was not enough to do, I asked for more responsibility and was put in charge of developing a cell culturing lab, even though I knew nothing about growing cells and had to teach myself. Over time, I kept taking on new challenges and worked my way from an entry level position to lead technologist over about 30 years.</p>
  949.  
  950.  
  951.  
  952. <p><strong>DY: When you first started working in the lab, it sounds like you didn&#8217;t have much of a science background. When was the turning point when you realized that your background in farming and growing up in Kasson was going to be such a strong asset to your work in these Mayo Clinic labs?</strong></p>
  953.  
  954.  
  955.  
  956. <p><strong>JC: </strong>It may sound odd, but a colleague from Japan once asked to visit my farm and try shooting a shotgun since he could not do that at home, so I invited him and his family, and soon others wondered why they had not been included. Around the same time, our lab was working on allergen extracts like ragweed, molds, and soybeans, so I began growing them on my parents’ farm to study them through different stages. It quickly became clear how useful this was, especially for colleagues with no agriculture background or those from other countries who had never even seen something like ragweed, since I could simply take them out and show them firsthand.</p>
  957.  
  958.  
  959.  
  960. <p>Pretty soon more and more people wanted to come out. So we started Farm Days. After I was selected as Dodge County Farm Bureau president, we began hosting kids for farm safety programs, and local groups started using the farm for events like a live nativity scene. Being located between two fairly large towns, the farm drew visitors from many areas for different activities. Since buying it in 1992, I have hosted over 12,000 people, which I think is pretty good.</p>
  961.  
  962.  
  963.  
  964. <p><strong>DY: What did a typical Farm Day look like?</strong></p>
  965.  
  966.  
  967.  
  968. <p><strong>JC: </strong>Each late summer or fall, I would have people out on a Saturday with their kids, sometimes getting friends to help run tractors, supervise shooting, or manage other activities. It was not set on a fixed schedule and usually happened when enough people asked. Over time, I had visitors from 32 different countries and many major cities, and I liked creating a chance for people who knew nothing about agriculture to experience it while I learned about where they came from. I would tell visitors from other countries I was their American farmer, so if they later saw something like a shipment of soybeans, they could connect it to what they had seen growing, even if it was not actually from my farm. It at least gave them a sense of how crops grow and how they make their way to other countries.</p>
  969.  
  970.  
  971.  
  972. <p><strong>DY: How does all of this tie into rural healthcare? How did Farm Days shape your work and Mayo Clinic’s approach to rural healthcare?&nbsp;</strong></p>
  973.  
  974.  
  975.  
  976. <p><strong>JC: </strong>About a year after I retired, I got a call from someone at Mayo Medical School saying they did not offer a class on rural medicine and were looking for someone to teach students about rural issues, including mechanical injuries and diseases related to farming. With my background in parasites, molds, white blood cells, and farm work, I said I thought I could do it, and they gave me about a year and a half to develop a program on my farm. Working with the Minnesota Farm Bureau, the Minnesota Foundation for Agriculture, and the Zumbro Valley Medical Association, we had the program up and running in about four months. This will be our third year bringing students out. I cover about 45 agriculture related topics, from power takeoff injuries to molds and animal related parasites, much of it based on what I learned at Mayo, and I am able to introduce it at a more scientific level. It is the highlight of my year. Students first visit the local ambulance service to hear how rural calls differ from city runs, then come to my farm for about two hours where I go through as much as I can, and then we go to the town hall where farmers and others talk about their experiences, including the ongoing <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/virtual-crisis-care-helps-rural-communities-access-mental-health-resources-in-emergencies/2026/03/02/">rural mental health crisis</a>.</p>
  977.  
  978.  
  979.  
  980. <p>One of the students I correspond with regularly had said that he had no interest in, or knowledge about rural, rural health issues. And now he&#8217;s seriously considering making that a career. So that&#8217;s a little bit of an impact.&nbsp;</p>
  981.  
  982.  
  983.  
  984. <p>Students often tell me later they had no idea how dangerous certain farm tasks were until they saw them firsthand. When they are in the emergency room and a patient comes in with a farm injury or an illness from handling animals or equipment, they can recognize it and understand what they are dealing with. I have seen cases where no one knew what an infection was until someone with farm experience identified it right away, like Orf (sore mouth disease) from sheep. That kind of knowledge is why I do this, so when students or staff hear about an injury involving machinery or something like hydraulic fluid exposure, they at least know what it is and what to expect.</p>
  985.  
  986.  
  987.  
  988. <p><strong>DY: You sure wear a lot of hats, from farmer to teacher to researcher to advocate!&nbsp; When you think about the future of rural medicine and healthcare, what excites you most, and what needs the most attention?</strong></p>
  989.  
  990.  
  991.  
  992. <p><strong>JC: </strong>One of the things I am really excited about is <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/rural-focused-42-billion-broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-program-becomes-operational/2026/04/30/">broadband technology</a>, because we have areas that do not have access, and that makes telemedicine difficult. So a lot of what we are focusing on is telecommunication and telemedicine, where people can have systems in their home for daily monitoring of things like blood pressure and diabetes, instead of having to drive miles to get care.</p>
  993.  
  994.  
  995.  
  996. <p>&nbsp;Another thing I am working a lot on is rural ambulance funding, which is appalling. We have areas in Minnesota that have lost their ambulances because there is no funding. I go to the state legislature and lobby a lot, and we are trying to make sure ambulances get reimbursed for long distance runs instead of just short local calls.&nbsp;</p>
  997.  
  998.  
  999.  
  1000. <p>A big issue is that the hometown doctor is gone in many places, and now medical care is an hour or two away. So the question is how do you take care of people and make sure they get the care they need quickly in emergency situations.&nbsp;</p>
  1001.  
  1002.  
  1003.  
  1004. <p>I also encourage people to connect with FFA and 4H and get young people involved, because we are losing students in agriculture, agronomy, veterinary medicine, and related fields. People say kids do not even know where milk comes from, but that is my fault, not theirs. We need to do a better job of telling people where their food comes from. And do not be afraid to have people out to your farm or ranch and show them what is going on. It is not that hard. I learn more from the people who come to my place than I feel I teach them.</p>
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  1021. <p>This interview first appeared in <strong>Path Finders</strong>, a weekly email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each Monday, Path Finders features a Q&amp;A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Join the mailing list today, to have these illuminating conversations delivered straight to your inbox. </p>
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  1059. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-jim-checkel-on-how-farming-can-shape-rural-medicine/2026/05/15/">Q&amp;A: Jim Checkel on How Farming Can Shape Rural Medicine</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  1068. <title>Yonder Radio: Rural Medicine, Kansas Filmmaking, and a Fly Fishing Comedian</title>
  1069. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-rural-medicine-kansas-filmmaking-fly-fishing-comedian/2026/05/15/</link>
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  1072. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff]]></dc:creator>
  1073. <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1074. <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
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  1078. <p>Tune in for conversations about rural medicine, Kansas filmmaking, and fly fishing and comedy. Plus, the world's first cooperatively owned coal mine, Land Back in New York, and music from poet and truth teller shirlette ammons. </p>
  1079. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-rural-medicine-kansas-filmmaking-fly-fishing-comedian/2026/05/15/">Yonder Radio: Rural Medicine, Kansas Filmmaking, and a Fly Fishing Comedian</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  1090.  
  1091.  
  1092. <p>This time, we begin by talking with Jim Checkel. Jim grew up wanting to be a farmer in rural Minnesota, and ended up as the lead lab technologist for the Mayo Clinic. His experience and insights have helped shape rural medicine at one of the top medical institutions in the world.</p>
  1093.  
  1094.  
  1095.  
  1096. <p>Then, we talk with actor Kiki Bush about filmmaking in rural Kansas, and her efforts to promote film tax credits, which could transform the kinds of stories that get told about her home state.&nbsp;</p>
  1097.  
  1098.  
  1099.  
  1100. <p>Daily Yonder columnist Donna Kallner shares some wisdom about how rural communities can get younger generations involved in local leadership,&nbsp;and we travel back to 1920s Appalachia, the site of the world’s first cooperatively-owned &nbsp;coal mine.&nbsp;</p>
  1101.  
  1102.  
  1103.  
  1104. <p>ICT takes us to Onchiota, New York, where 600 acres of land have been returned to indigenous ownership, and we have a laugh with comedian Eeland Stribbling, a very funny guy and avid Colorado outdoorsman.&nbsp;</p>
  1105.  
  1106.  
  1107.  
  1108. <p>And throughout the hour, we’ll hear music from poet, producer, and musician shirlette ammons. Tune in for all that and more on Yonder Radio.&nbsp;</p>
  1109.  
  1110.  
  1111.  
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  1114. </div></figure>
  1115.  
  1116.  
  1117.  
  1118. <p>Yonder Radio is available across all digital platforms, and on air with partner radio stations around the country. If you&#8217;re a station interested in broadcasting Yonder Radio, sign up below or get in contact with the team at info@yonderradio.com.</p>
  1119.  
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  1126. <div class="wp-block-group has-background" style="background-color:#fcb800"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained">
  1127. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Join our Network</h2>
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  1159.  
  1160.  
  1161. <p><strong>If you want to broadcast or publish Yonder Radio, sign up here to be the first to know when the show goes live. If you have questions, you can also reach our team at <a href="mailto:info@yonderradio.com">info@yonderradio.com</a>. </strong></p>
  1162. </div></div>
  1163.  
  1164.  
  1165.  
  1166. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">More Information About Yonder Radio</h2>
  1167.  
  1168.  
  1169.  
  1170. <p><strong>What?</strong></p>
  1171.  
  1172.  
  1173.  
  1174. <p><strong>Yonder Radio</strong>&nbsp;is a new, free, hour-long show that is fresh every week and designed to help fill programming gaps. We’ll feature nuanced stories that represent the 60 million people who live in rural America, and the distinct communities they call home.</p>
  1175.  
  1176.  
  1177.  
  1178. <p>Each week will start with a news round-up: think of this as the top headlines read through a rural lens. For instance, how does a government shutdown affect federal workers living in rural communities? Or, what do changes in Medicare policy mean for small town hospitals? We’ll also talk with reporters for in-depth but conversational segments going beyond the headlines, exploring their coverage on topics shaping rural communities. We’ll highlight how these stories unfold across different regions, offering local nuance with a broader perspective.</p>
  1179.  
  1180.  
  1181.  
  1182. <p><strong>Yonder Radio&nbsp;</strong>is not just news. It’s also a show focused on rural lives and livelihoods. That means weekly human-interest stories, hearing from hunters, farmers, gardeners, and shopkeepers; conversations with artists supporting and reimagining traditions; performances by regional musicians; and vibrant analysis of rural representation in pop culture. Add in a round of engaging trivia, and you’ve got a show that’s as rich and varied as the places it comes from.</p>
  1183.  
  1184.  
  1185.  
  1186. <p><strong>Why?</strong></p>
  1187.  
  1188.  
  1189.  
  1190. <p>Public media just took a $1.1 billion hit, thanks to recent Congressional cuts, and as we’ve all seen, it’s rural broadcasters that bear the brunt. And even before these cuts, the rural communities we all cover have felt the consequences of a media landscape transformed by conglomerates, consolidation, and the declining resources available to local outlets.&nbsp;</p>
  1191.  
  1192.  
  1193.  
  1194. <p><strong>Yonder Radio&nbsp;</strong>is designed to fill programming gaps for those stations struggling to find quality content. It will be formatted to fit stations’ needs with internal breaks built in.&nbsp;The show&nbsp;gives stations an accessible, flexible, high-quality hour of content every week.</p>
  1195.  
  1196.  
  1197.  
  1198. <p><strong>Who?</strong></p>
  1199.  
  1200.  
  1201.  
  1202. <p><strong>Yonder Radio&nbsp;</strong>is produced by the Center for Rural Strategies, publisher of the Daily Yonder. Centering rural stories with nuance, context, and care has made the Daily Yonder the nation’s preeminent source for rural news for nearly two decades. Rural Strategies’ additional programs, including Rural Assembly, Rural Faith Initiative, and Living Traditions, will provide enriching voices and stories to this collaborative radio show.&nbsp;<strong>Yonder Radio&nbsp;</strong>is hosted by Jared Ewy, a veteran radio personality and regular contributor to the Daily Yonder.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  1203. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-rural-medicine-kansas-filmmaking-fly-fishing-comedian/2026/05/15/">Yonder Radio: Rural Medicine, Kansas Filmmaking, and a Fly Fishing Comedian</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  1210. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">240145</post-id> </item>
  1211. <item>
  1212. <title>Kacey Musgraves’ and Noah Kahan’s New Albums are Soundtracks for Heading Home</title>
  1213. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/kacey-musgraves-and-noah-kahan/2026/05/14/</link>
  1214. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/kacey-musgraves-and-noah-kahan/2026/05/14/#respond</comments>
  1216. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Madelon Basil]]></dc:creator>
  1217. <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1218. <category><![CDATA[Arts & Culture]]></category>
  1219. <category><![CDATA[The Good, the Bad, and the Elegy]]></category>
  1220. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=240172</guid>
  1221.  
  1222. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=760%2C428&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1223. <p>Editor’s Note: A version of this story also appeared in&#160;The Good, the Bad, and the Elegy, a newsletter from the Daily Yonder focused on the best, and worst, in rural media, entertainment, and culture. Every other Thursday, it features reviews, retrospectives, recommendations, and more. You can&#160;join the mailing list at the bottom of this article&#160;to [&#8230;]</p>
  1224. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/kacey-musgraves-and-noah-kahan/2026/05/14/">Kacey Musgraves’ and Noah Kahan’s New Albums are Soundtracks for Heading Home</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1225. ]]></description>
  1226. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=760%2C428&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/maxresdefault-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1227. <p style="font-size:14px"><em>Editor’s Note: A version of this story also appeared in&nbsp;The Good, the Bad, and the Elegy, a newsletter from the Daily Yonder focused on the best, and worst, in rural media, entertainment, and culture. Every other Thursday, it features reviews, retrospectives, recommendations, and more. You can&nbsp;</em><a href="https:/#signup"><em>join the mailing list at the bottom of this article</em></a><em>&nbsp;to receive future editions in your inbox</em>.</p>
  1228.  
  1229.  
  1230.  
  1231. <p>As I write this, I’m staring down the barrel of a trip to my family home in Ohio. I say “staring down the barrel” (sorry, Mom) because going back to where you grew up can be complicated. For me, it’s a complete emotional whirlpool of excitement, guilt, and nostalgia.</p>
  1232.  
  1233.  
  1234.  
  1235. <p>What I quickly learned, especially because I am often solo road-tripping the 8+ hour drive from the East Coast, is that there’s at least one tiny defense against that confusing swirl of feelings: the right playlist.&nbsp;</p>
  1236.  
  1237.  
  1238.  
  1239. <p>Luckily, two of this spring’s most-anticipated albums — Kacey Musgraves’ <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/1quFS6EneVBW7PTbipPlNg"><em>Middle of Nowhere</em></a> and Noah Kahan’s <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/2fnkyn9EybagIoFJ7a13oz"><em>The Great Divide</em></a> — speak directly to the baggage surrounding a person’s hometown: leaving it behind, longing for it, and returning after years away.&nbsp;</p>
  1240.  
  1241.  
  1242.  
  1243. <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
  1244. <iframe loading="lazy" title="Noah Kahan - The Great Divide (Official Music Video)" width="780" height="439" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SKs80r2Lp34?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
  1245. </div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Music video for &#8220;The Great Divide&#8221; by Noah Kahan (2026). Credit: Noah Kahan Vevo via YouTube.</figcaption></figure>
  1246.  
  1247.  
  1248.  
  1249. <p>Released in late April and early May, both records performed well on the charts, with Kahan earning his first Billboard 200 No. 1. Yet <em>Middle of Nowhere </em>and <em>The Great Divide </em>are about as sonically distant from one another as the artists’ respective rural hometowns: Mineola, Texas for Musgraves and Strafford, Vermont for Kahan.&nbsp;</p>
  1250.  
  1251.  
  1252.  
  1253. <p>Kahan’s confessional folk rock — which ranges from sweeping, windows-down anthems to acoustic, campfire jams — fits his New England sensibility. Meanwhile, Musgraves lovingly pays homage to her Texan heritage, blending bluegrass, Western swing, and Mexican musical influences (think: waltzing accordions, plenty of pedal steel guitar, and pared-down production).&nbsp;</p>
  1254.  
  1255.  
  1256.  
  1257. <p>Still, lyrically, there are moments when the albums are almost talking to each other. Sure, <em>Middle of Nowhere</em> centers on romance, while <em>The Great Divide </em>is more concerned with family and friendships. But each bravely face that tension between staying put in your hometown and hitting the road.&nbsp;</p>
  1258.  
  1259.  
  1260.  
  1261. <p><strong>Going Pains&nbsp;</strong></p>
  1262.  
  1263.  
  1264.  
  1265. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="439" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Middle-of-Nowhere-by-Kacey-Musgraves-album-cover-1.webp?resize=780%2C439&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240179" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Middle-of-Nowhere-by-Kacey-Musgraves-album-cover-1.webp?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Middle-of-Nowhere-by-Kacey-Musgraves-album-cover-1.webp?resize=760%2C428&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Middle-of-Nowhere-by-Kacey-Musgraves-album-cover-1.webp?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Middle-of-Nowhere-by-Kacey-Musgraves-album-cover-1.webp?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Middle-of-Nowhere-by-Kacey-Musgraves-album-cover-1.webp?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Middle-of-Nowhere-by-Kacey-Musgraves-album-cover-1.webp?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Middle-of-Nowhere-by-Kacey-Musgraves-album-cover-1.webp?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Middle-of-Nowhere-by-Kacey-Musgraves-album-cover-1.webp?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Middle-of-Nowhere-by-Kacey-Musgraves-album-cover-1.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Album cover for Kacey Musgraves&#8217; <em>Middle of Nowhere</em> (2026).</figcaption></figure>
  1266.  
  1267.  
  1268.  
  1269. <p>“The place I currently live at is barely even on the map,” Musgraves croons on “Uncertain, TX”, a song calling out the particular brand of cowboy who can’t quite commit. It’s a track about betrayal, the lovers that cut loose without looking back: “You think you really know somebody/then they up and walk right out the door.”</p>
  1270.  
  1271.  
  1272.  
  1273. <p>On the scathing “Dashboard,” Kahan echoes that same sting of abandonment. His speaker is more outwardly resentful, reminding the person who left him behind that they’ll never outrun themselves: “Look at you go, crossin’ state lines, with your shadow…turns out that you’re still an a**hole.”</p>
  1274.  
  1275.  
  1276.  
  1277. <p>As skillfully as they capture the POV of the “stayer,” Musgraves and Kahan clearly also know how it feels to be the “goer,” or, even more loaded, the “returner.”&nbsp;</p>
  1278.  
  1279.  
  1280.  
  1281. <p>Both stress the specific growing pains that come with leaving rural life in the rearview. There’s the ache of losing what’s intimately familiar (“They always say there ain’t no place like your home,” Musgraves cautions on “Abeline”) and suddenly finding yourself a little fish in a bigger pond. And when it’s time to return home, that brings unique friction, too. If you come back a new person, you risk stirring up resentment from the people who knew the old you (“Got bored in the New Hampshire space/You left us for the New York Times”, Kahan sings on “Haircut”).&nbsp;</p>
  1282.  
  1283.  
  1284.  
  1285. <p>Add a <a href="https://people.com/kacey-musgraves-opens-up-about-being-alone-and-happy-11924321">public breakup</a> or the <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/noah-kahan-fame-freak-out-substitute-teacher-great-divide-1236239245/">struggle of newfound fame</a> into the mix, and you’ve certainly got enough material to make an album. Or two.&nbsp;</p>
  1286.  
  1287.  
  1288.  
  1289. <p><strong>Where the Heart Is</strong></p>
  1290.  
  1291.  
  1292.  
  1293. <p>As Musgraves explains on the <em>Middle of Nowhere</em> title track, heading “past the Dairy Queen” means escape: a retreat from expectations, cell service, and “reckless men who don’t know what they want.” Here, returning to your rural roots brings peace.</p>
  1294.  
  1295.  
  1296.  
  1297. <p>But as the uneasy-yet-breezy &#8220;Loneliest Girl” and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlohfwTunwU">its clever counterpart, “Dry Spell”</a> reveal, it can also be isolating. What seems like freedom on a good day — ”I don’t have to navigate nobody’s drama” — might feel more like alienation in the wake of heartbreak.</p>
  1298.  
  1299.  
  1300.  
  1301. <div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  1302. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:50%">
  1303. <p>Kahan is similarly caught between affection and ambivalence. <em>The Great Divide </em>features plenty of love for vast stretches of sky, county line campgrounds, and down-to-Earth community (the warmth of the final track, “Dan”, an homage to a best friend back home, is the best evidence of this).&nbsp;</p>
  1304.  
  1305.  
  1306.  
  1307. <p>A complicating factor haunts nearly every song, though: guilt over moving away. At times, the lyrics read like a diaristic reflection on Kahan’s own overnight rise to fame, a nod to how his personal relationship with home has irreversibly shifted since his breakout hit, “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKrDdsgXuso&amp;list=RDJKrDdsgXuso&amp;start_radio=1&amp;pp=ygUMc3RpY2sgc2Vhc29uoAcB">Stick Season</a>”, in 2022. </p>
  1308. </div>
  1309.  
  1310.  
  1311.  
  1312. <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:50%"><div class="wp-block-image">
  1313. <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="779" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=780%2C779&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240183" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?w=838&amp;ssl=1 838w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=760%2C760&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=768%2C767&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=780%2C779&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=706%2C705&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?resize=100%2C100&amp;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/thegreatdividealbum.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Album cover for Noah Kahan&#8217;s <em>The Great Divide</em> (2026).</figcaption></figure>
  1314. </div></div>
  1315. </div>
  1316.  
  1317.  
  1318.  
  1319. <p>The fact that both musicians grew up in areas with sub-5,000 populations lends authenticity to these depictions of rurality. No one would dare confuse them with the tourists playing dress-up that Musgraves picks apart on “Everybody Wants to be a Cowboy” or the Cybertruck-driving transplants Kahan slams on “Headed North”.&nbsp;</p>
  1320.  
  1321.  
  1322.  
  1323. <p>Neither artist shies away from the contradictions that come with loving a place and needing to leave it behind, at least for a time. It’s an honesty that everyone — en route to Mineola, Strafford, or some other perfectly imperfect home — can appreciate.&nbsp;</p>
  1324.  
  1325.  
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  1338.  
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  1340. <p>This article first appeared in&nbsp;<strong>The Good, the Bad, and the Elegy</strong>, an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder focused on the best, and worst, in rural media, entertainment, and culture. Every other Thursday, it features reviews, recommendations, retrospectives, and more. <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/contact-us/subscribe-daily-yonder/#good-bad-elegy">Join the mailing list</a> today to have future editions delivered straight to your inbox.</p>
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  1379. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/kacey-musgraves-and-noah-kahan/2026/05/14/">Kacey Musgraves’ and Noah Kahan’s New Albums are Soundtracks for Heading Home</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1380. ]]></content:encoded>
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  1386. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">240172</post-id> </item>
  1387. <item>
  1388. <title>Big Companies Position Themselves for Payday From $50B Federal Rural Health Fund</title>
  1389. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/big-companies-position-themselves-for-payday-from-50b-federal-rural-health-fund/2026/05/13/</link>
  1390. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/big-companies-position-themselves-for-payday-from-50b-federal-rural-health-fund/2026/05/13/#respond</comments>
  1392. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Jane Tribble / KFF Health News]]></dc:creator>
  1393. <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1394. <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
  1395. <category><![CDATA[repub]]></category>
  1396. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=239927</guid>
  1397.  
  1398. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?w=2502&amp;ssl=1 2502w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1399. <p>This story was originally published by KFF Health News. Tory Starr is worried about the people who get medical care at Open Door Community Health Centers along California’s North Coast. “They’re the folks that work at restaurants. They’re the teacher’s aides,” said Starr, a registered nurse who became Open Door’s chief executive more than six [&#8230;]</p>
  1400. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/big-companies-position-themselves-for-payday-from-50b-federal-rural-health-fund/2026/05/13/">Big Companies Position Themselves for Payday From $50B Federal Rural Health Fund</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1401. ]]></description>
  1402. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?w=2502&amp;ssl=1 2502w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ACHC_Exterior.webp?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1403. <p class="has-text-align-center"><em>This story was originally published by <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/rural-health/rural-health-transformation-program-cms-state-contractors-ehr-patients/">KFF Health News</a></em>.</p>
  1404.  
  1405.  
  1406.  
  1407. <p>Tory Starr is worried about the people who get medical care at Open Door Community Health Centers along California’s North Coast.</p>
  1408.  
  1409.  
  1410.  
  1411. <p>“They’re the folks that work at restaurants. They’re the teacher’s aides,” said Starr, a registered nurse who became Open Door’s chief executive more than six years ago. Those patients, he said, are “really the heart and soul of rural America.”</p>
  1412.  
  1413.  
  1414.  
  1415. <p>He said if his remote health centers don’t get a share of the billions of dollars Congress earmarked to transform health care in rural America, patients may soon lose services. About 50% of Open Door’s 60,000 patients are on Medicaid, the joint state and federal insurance program that, together with the related Children’s Health Insurance Program, covers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/interactive/medicaid-state-fact-sheets/">about 76 million people</a>&nbsp;with low incomes or disabilities.</p>
  1416.  
  1417.  
  1418.  
  1419. <p>When Congress approved the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last summer, it cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next decade. Now, Starr hopes the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, which was part of the same bill, will help keep his patients covered.</p>
  1420.  
  1421.  
  1422.  
  1423. <p>Yet, small community health care providers, such as Open Door, may find they are sharing the billions with an army of corporate giants before it reaches their patients.</p>
  1424.  
  1425.  
  1426.  
  1427. <p>Months after federal leaders announced that all 50 states won first-year awards, ranging from $147 million for New Jersey to $281 million for Texas, state plans reveal that a heavy dose of prescribed spending will go to companies that can increase the use of electronic health records, strengthen cybersecurity, and improve state and health system technology platforms.</p>
  1428.  
  1429.  
  1430.  
  1431. <p>And at least four large-scale coalitions of companies are now pitching multipronged services to the states. Many of the companies already work with regional health systems and states through Medicaid contracting or mobile and telehealth operations.</p>
  1432.  
  1433.  
  1434.  
  1435. <p>How those services will help improve the health care of rural Americans at places such as Open Door remains an open question.</p>
  1436.  
  1437.  
  1438.  
  1439. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>States Stare Down Reporting Deadlines</strong></h3>
  1440.  
  1441.  
  1442.  
  1443. <p>Federal regulators were “really interested in seeing digital health investments” when they crafted the five-year rural health program rules last year, said Maya Sandalow, an associate director at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank based in Washington, D.C. She co-authored a recent report on how the 50 states plan to invest in technology, including modernizing health care infrastructure and expanding virtual care options such as telehealth and remote patient monitoring.</p>
  1444.  
  1445.  
  1446.  
  1447. <p>“The rural health fund isn’t really designed to directly replace or offset the lost Medicaid funding,” Sandalow said, noting that the federal staffers in charge of the program&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/files/document/provider-payments-fact-sheet.pdf">capped provider payments</a>&nbsp;— money that could help rural hospitals and clinics pay for patient care — at 15% of the total funding awarded to a state.</p>
  1448.  
  1449.  
  1450.  
  1451. <p>Federal regulators also established tight reporting deadlines, forcing states to move quickly.</p>
  1452.  
  1453.  
  1454.  
  1455. <p>States must file progress reports&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28059042-rht-program-reporting-and-rescoring-webinar-022526/#document/p9/a2811963">by the end of August</a>&nbsp;and obligate all first-year funding&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28059042-rht-program-reporting-and-rescoring-webinar-022526/#document/p12/a2811962">by Oct. 30</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/27917599/annotations/2809736/?embed=1"></a>according to the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, the federal agency overseeing the program. States could see their awards decreased or terminated at any time if they fail to follow federal requirements, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28059045-cms-rht-26-001-final/#document/p60/a2811964">CMS notice of funding opportunity</a>.</p>
  1456.  
  1457.  
  1458.  
  1459. <p>As of early April, CMS had not approved or had only partially approved some state budgets, including those of Wyoming, Colorado, and Vermont, according to state officials. CMS spokesperson Catherine Howden, who declined to say which states still needed revised budgets approved, said the agency does not provide “state-by-state updates.”</p>
  1460.  
  1461.  
  1462.  
  1463. <p>In Alaska, the budget is approved but the state has not announced when it will release full grant proposals and awards, said Tricia Franklin, program coordinator for Alaska’s rural health transformation.</p>
  1464.  
  1465.  
  1466.  
  1467. <p>“Early summer was the target,” Franklin said. But the response from vendors and applicants has been &#8220;much greater than expected, so it may take us a little longer.”</p>
  1468.  
  1469.  
  1470.  
  1471. <p>Working with consulting companies is an established way for states to “quickly and effectively” meet federal deadlines and roll out grant money, said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milbank.org/author/morgan-mcdonald/">Morgan McDonald</a>, national director for population health at the Milbank Memorial Fund, a nonprofit focused on state health policy work.</p>
  1472.  
  1473.  
  1474.  
  1475. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Upgrading Technology, Modernizing Rural Health</strong></h3>
  1476.  
  1477.  
  1478.  
  1479. <p>Science Applications International Corp., a Fortune 500 government contractor, pulled together the&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.saic.com/news-releases/news-release-details/saic-launches-alliance-accelerate-state-led-execution-50-billion">Alliance for Advancing Rural Healthcare</a>. SAIC does a variety of technology work such as cybersecurity and engineering support. The alliance also includes Walgreens and Mission Mobile Medical, which turns RVs into primary care clinics. A data analytics company, a telemedicine and software company, and a company that helps place medical graduates in health systems are also part of the coalition.</p>
  1480.  
  1481.  
  1482.  
  1483. <p>The SAIC alliance offers “an ecosystem” of companies that can coordinate the work states have promised, said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/suresh-soundararajan-a7925712/">Suresh Soundararajan</a>, SAIC’s Rural Health Transformation Program lead and a former chief information officer for the Virginia Department of Health. Each of the companies has representatives focused on the rural program, he said.</p>
  1484.  
  1485.  
  1486.  
  1487. <p>A lack of digital infrastructure — such as electronic health records at different clinics and hospitals that can talk to one another — has been a consistent barrier for rural medical care teams, said the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Sandalow.</p>
  1488.  
  1489.  
  1490.  
  1491. <p>“The funding hasn’t always been there in order for rural areas to create the infrastructure that’s needed to fully adopt remote patient monitoring, telehealth, artificial intelligence in ways that will really be supportive,” Sandalow said. “It takes things like updating infrastructure, changing workflows.”</p>
  1492.  
  1493.  
  1494.  
  1495. <p>Sandalow’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/advancing-technology-innovation-through-the-rural-health-transformation-program/">recent report</a>&nbsp;found that Maine and Utah are investing in cybersecurity; Indiana, Missouri, and New Mexico plan to modernize their electronic health records; Oklahoma plans to buy hardware and software, subsidize subscriptions, and give technical support to rural providers; and states such as Arizona and South Carolina will use funds to create telehealth hubs or buy remote patient monitoring equipment.</p>
  1496.  
  1497.  
  1498.  
  1499. <p>Federal regulators, when creating the rural program’s spending rules, also said no more than 5% of a state’s total funding awarded could be used to replace electronic medical records systems that already meet federal standards. Sandalow said that means states will focus on enhancements and upgrades to their current systems.</p>
  1500.  
  1501.  
  1502.  
  1503. <p>Gainwell Technologies, which operates the systems for dozens of state Medicaid programs, is spearheading&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gainwelltechnologies.com/resources/news/gainwell-expands-rural-health-transformation-collaborative-with-new-partners-advancing-a-connected-ecosystem/">another coalition</a>. Rushil Desai, a Gainwell senior vice president, said states’ detailed spending plans are “changing in real time.”</p>
  1504.  
  1505.  
  1506.  
  1507. <p>Maine’s Medicaid plan contracts with Gainwell, and the state’s initial application listed four contracts worth more than $16 million over five years for the company. The state confirmed it has received federal approval for only its first year of spending, which includes a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28051622-maine-25mar2026-som-rhtp-y1-budget-narrative/#document/p14/a2811659">$250,000 contract</a>&nbsp;to implement changes to the state’s Medicaid claims system.</p>
  1508.  
  1509.  
  1510.  
  1511. <p>James Lomastro, a senior-care advocate in rural Massachusetts with the nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://dignityalliancema.org/james-a-lomastro-ph-d/">Dignity Alliance</a>, said he worries that large vendors and health systems will get the state’s transformation dollars.</p>
  1512.  
  1513.  
  1514.  
  1515. <p>Clinics, home care agencies, and nursing homes that “actually provide day-to-day support in the community are mostly on the margins” of state discussions about how to spend the money, he said. A spokesperson for Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Olivia James, said state officials would “ensure that everyone has a seat at the table” with training, financial incentives, and direct investments.</p>
  1516.  
  1517.  
  1518.  
  1519. <p>Arizona’s rural fund budget, which is $167 million for the first year, allocates&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28035460-arizonasapprovedbudgetnarrative/#document/p56/a2811240">up to about $30 million</a>&nbsp;for medical diagnostic equipment and technology upgrades, including to electronic health records, specifically for rural health care facilities.</p>
  1520.  
  1521.  
  1522. <div class="wp-block-image">
  1523. <figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="1092" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Starr.webp?resize=780%2C1092&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239929" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Starr.webp?resize=926%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 926w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Starr.webp?resize=543%2C760&amp;ssl=1 543w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Starr.webp?resize=768%2C1074&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Starr.webp?resize=732%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Starr.webp?resize=780%2C1091&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Starr.webp?resize=400%2C560&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Starr.webp?resize=706%2C988&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Starr.webp?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Starr-926x1296.webp?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tory Starr is a registered nurse and the chief executive officer of Open Door Community Health Centers. (Photo courtesy of Open Door Community Health Centers.)</figcaption></figure>
  1524. </div>
  1525.  
  1526.  
  1527. <p>But it also&nbsp;<a href="https://crh.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/2026-02/2.260130_AZRHTP_RevisedProject_Narrative.pdf">prioritizes grants</a>&nbsp;for county public health departments, said Pima County Public Health Director Theresa Cullen. The approved budget includes up to $4 million for grants to support community health workers.</p>
  1528.  
  1529.  
  1530.  
  1531. <p>“In these rural communities, you need to be present,” Cullen said.</p>
  1532.  
  1533.  
  1534.  
  1535. <p>Alina Czekai, director of the CMS rural health transformation office, said her team plans to visit all 50 states. She spoke at the National Rural Health Association’s policy conference in Washington, D.C., in February and told the audience that her team wants “the money to go to rural communities, rural providers, rural patients.” The association’s members include rural hospitals and clinics, which are expected to suffer big losses under the Medicaid cuts.</p>
  1536.  
  1537.  
  1538.  
  1539. <p>In California, Open Door’s Starr said he provided input on his state’s initial application, which won $234 million in first-year funding, but he is not clear on what the next steps will be for getting money from the program.</p>
  1540.  
  1541.  
  1542.  
  1543. <p>For his patients, Starr said, money is needed for technology upgrades. After all, he said, updated electronic health systems could operate seamlessly and store the documentation needed to keep a patient enrolled in Medicaid.</p>
  1544.  
  1545.  
  1546.  
  1547. <p>Updated technology could be exactly what Open Door and other area clinics need to “help keep people covered,” Starr said.</p>
  1548.  
  1549.  
  1550.  
  1551. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  1552.  
  1553.  
  1554.  
  1555. <p><em>KFF Health News senior correspondent Phil Galewitz and rural health care correspondent Arielle Zionts contributed to this report.</em></p>
  1556.  
  1557.  
  1558.  
  1559. <p><em><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/about-us">KFF Health News</a>&nbsp;is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/about-us">KFF</a>.</em></p>
  1560. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/big-companies-position-themselves-for-payday-from-50b-federal-rural-health-fund/2026/05/13/">Big Companies Position Themselves for Payday From $50B Federal Rural Health Fund</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1561. ]]></content:encoded>
  1563. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/big-companies-position-themselves-for-payday-from-50b-federal-rural-health-fund/2026/05/13/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1564. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1567. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">239927</post-id> </item>
  1568. <item>
  1569. <title>A Categorization Conundrum in the American Exurbs</title>
  1570. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/a-categorization-conundrum-in-the-american-exurbs/2026/05/13/</link>
  1571. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/a-categorization-conundrum-in-the-american-exurbs/2026/05/13/#respond</comments>
  1573. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Sarah Alexander Melotte]]></dc:creator>
  1574. <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 09:58:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1575. <category><![CDATA[Community & Economic Development]]></category>
  1576. <category><![CDATA[The Rural Index]]></category>
  1577. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=240238</guid>
  1578.  
  1579. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="769" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?fit=1024%2C769&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?w=1520&amp;ssl=1 1520w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=760%2C571&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=1296%2C974&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=768%2C577&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=400%2C301&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=1024%2C769&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=780%2C586&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?fit=1024%2C769&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1580. <p>Chester County, South Carolina, is caught in a geographic contradiction. Situated in upstate South Carolina’s hilly piedmont region, Chester County is home to about 33,000 residents and contains a section of Sumter National Forest.&#160; Although Chester is considered largely rural according to some definitions, it falls into the urban bucket in other categorization systems. As [&#8230;]</p>
  1581. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/a-categorization-conundrum-in-the-american-exurbs/2026/05/13/">A Categorization Conundrum in the American Exurbs</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1582. ]]></description>
  1583. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="769" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?fit=1024%2C769&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?w=1520&amp;ssl=1 1520w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=760%2C571&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=1296%2C974&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=768%2C577&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=400%2C301&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=1024%2C769&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=780%2C586&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/rzFZk-.png?fit=1024%2C769&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1584. <p>Chester County, South Carolina, is caught in a geographic contradiction. Situated in upstate South Carolina’s hilly piedmont region, Chester County is home to about 33,000 residents and contains a section of Sumter National Forest.&nbsp;</p>
  1585.  
  1586.  
  1587.  
  1588. <p>Although Chester is considered largely rural according to some definitions, it falls into the urban bucket in other categorization systems. As a growing suburb of the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, Chester is a metropolitan, or urban, county according to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which is the county-level system we typically use to define rural at the Daily Yonder.</p>
  1589.  
  1590.  
  1591.  
  1592. <p>But according to the <a href="https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2019/acs/ACS_rural_handbook_2019_ch01.pdf">Census’s block-level definition of rural</a>, 73% of Chester’s population lives outside of urban blocks, the smallest geography used by the Census. Despite its metropolitan classification in most of our data analyses, much of Chester County still experiences challenges related to accessing resources that are common in lower-income rural communities.</p>
  1593.  
  1594.  
  1595.  
  1596. <p>Chester County has a shortage of primary care doctors, for example, and parts of the county show shortages in dental care and mental health access as well. These shortage areas come from the <a href="https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/health-workforce/nchwa/ahrf">Health Resources and Services Administration</a> (HRSA), which categorizes communities into Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) if they meet the following criteria: </p>
  1597.  
  1598.  
  1599.  
  1600. <p>(1) The area is a rational area for the delivery of health services. </p>
  1601.  
  1602.  
  1603.  
  1604. <p>(2) The area meets certain thresholds for a low provider / resident ratio.&nbsp;</p>
  1605.  
  1606.  
  1607.  
  1608. <p>(3) Health professionals in the area are overutilized or inaccessible.</p>
  1609.  
  1610.  
  1611.  
  1612. <p>(You can download the Technical Documentation for more information <a href="https://data.hrsa.gov/data/download">here</a>.)</p>
  1613.  
  1614.  
  1615.  
  1616. <p>Chester County also has a poverty rate of 19%, six percentage points higher than South Carolina’s rate, and 20% of households don’t have access to broadband internet, compared to 13% of the state’s households at large.</p>
  1617.  
  1618.  
  1619.  
  1620. <p>Chester County isn’t unique. In April, the Daily Yonder gained support from <a href="https://stdavidsfoundation.org/">St. David’s Foundation</a>, an organization that works to advance health equity in Central Texas, to produce equity-focused reporting on the relationship between civic capacity and community health in the exurban counties surrounding Austin, specifically Bastrop and Caldwell counties.</p>
  1621.  
  1622.  
  1623.  
  1624. <p>Chester, Bastrop, and Caldwell counties belong to 588 other counties nationwide that are metropolitan at the county level, but where a third or more of the population lives in rural-defined census blocks. I am referring to these 588 counties as exurban, though my working definition is somewhat arbitrary because there is no official definition of the term.</p>
  1625.  
  1626.  
  1627.  
  1628. <p>The following map shows rural, urban, and exurban counties.&nbsp;</p>
  1629.  
  1630.  
  1631.  
  1632. <iframe title="Metro, Rural, and Exurban Counties" aria-label="Choropleth map" id="datawrapper-chart-V6tWu" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/V6tWu/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="491" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}});</script>
  1633.  
  1634.  
  1635.  
  1636.  
  1637. <p>I want to define these geographies to examine some of these communities that are frequently excluded in rural statistical analysis, but where environmental, health, and civic challenges go underreported. These are communities that typically fall outside of our binary metro / nonmetro system.</p>
  1638.  
  1639.  
  1640.  
  1641. <p>When we break out these communities from the metro / nonmetro system, we see differences between them on several metrics. These exurban counties tend to look more similar to rural counties when it comes to primary care, dental, and mental healthcare shortages. The same goes for access to broadband. Poverty rates in exurban counties, however, are more similar to the overall metropolitan rate of approximately 12%.&nbsp;</p>
  1642.  
  1643.  
  1644.  
  1645. <iframe title="" aria-label="Grouped Bars" id="datawrapper-chart-MDaCj" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/MDaCj/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="264" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}});</script>
  1646.  
  1647.  
  1648.  
  1649.  
  1650. <p>Since we’re on the topic of data complexity and how rigid systems obscure truth on the ground, I feel the need to share something I think about frequently. Just like county-level definitions can mis-categorize rural communities, they tend to obscure poverty and access to resource challenges in urban areas as well. But because cities are by nature more population-dense, county-level categorization systems sometimes miss pockets of poverty that hide at a larger scale.&nbsp;</p>
  1651.  
  1652.  
  1653.  
  1654. <p>Take Travis County, Texas, for instance, where Austin is the county seat. The poverty rate in Travis County is 11%. But if you were to zoom into specific neighborhoods, you’d find a much more complex picture. Parts of the Austin metro area are seeing growing <a href="https://www.centraltexasfoodbank.org/news/austins-growing-poverty-sprawl-one-animated-gif-0">food insecurity</a> and <a href="https://www.centraltexasfoodbank.org/news/austins-growing-poverty-sprawl-one-animated-gif-0">lower household incomes</a> compared to the city at large, but my usual method of comparing rural to urban demographics would miss that fact.</p>
  1655.  
  1656.  
  1657.  
  1658. <p>All of this is to say that I have not nailed down a perfect way to map healthcare and resource challenges. Any categorization system necessarily obscures truths on the ground. That’s the nature of making generalizations. Any effort to describe phenomena at large scales is going to fall short of capturing complexity, but it is a necessary evil in data journalism, and one that I wrestle with every day.</p>
  1659.  
  1660.  
  1661.  
  1662. <p>Keep this shortcoming of my method in mind as we move forward in our comparative analysis.</p>
  1663.  
  1664.  
  1665.  
  1666. <p>The following map shows exurban counties where either the entire county or a portion of the county have primary care shortage areas. Shortage areas tend to be concentrated in states with a lot of dense metro areas and surrounding rural populations. In states where a very large portion of the population is rural, like Wyoming and Nevada, there are fewer exurban communities.</p>
  1667.  
  1668.  
  1669.  
  1670. <iframe title="American Exurbs, Primary Care Shortage Areas" aria-label="Choropleth map" id="datawrapper-chart-dFTeL" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/dFTeL/3/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="474" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}});</script>
  1671.  
  1672.  
  1673.  
  1674.  
  1675. <p>Bastrop County, Texas, an exurban county adjacent to Austin, is a primary care shortage area, and so is neighboring Caldwell County. Portions of both of these counties also have dental and mental health care shortage areas, according to the <a href="https://data.hrsa.gov/data/download">HRSA dataset.</a>&nbsp;</p>
  1676.  
  1677.  
  1678.  
  1679. <p>A greater share of residents in Bastrop and Caldwell counties also lack access to high-speed internet compared to Texas at large. In Bastrop County, 14% of residents lack broadband, compared to 10% of Texans generally. Twelve percent of Caldwell County residents lack broadband. In neighboring Travis County, meanwhile, that number was only 7%.</p>
  1680.  
  1681.  
  1682.  
  1683. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  1684.  
  1685.  
  1686.  
  1687. <p class="has-small-font-size"><strong>Method Note:</strong> The Census and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) don’t define rural. Instead, they identify urban (in the Census) and metropolitan (in the OMB) areas. At the Daily Yonder, we consider rural to be geographies that lie outside of these urban or metropolitan boundaries.&nbsp;</p>
  1688.  
  1689.  
  1690.  
  1691. <p class="has-small-font-size">The percentage of rural residents in each county comes from tabulating the percentage of the population that lives outside of <a href="https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html">Census-defined urban areas</a>. You can read more about how they define urbanity <a href="https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html">here</a>.&nbsp;</p>
  1692.  
  1693.  
  1694.  
  1695. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots"/>
  1696.  
  1697.  
  1698.  
  1699. <p></p>
  1700. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/a-categorization-conundrum-in-the-american-exurbs/2026/05/13/">A Categorization Conundrum in the American Exurbs</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1701. ]]></content:encoded>
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  1704. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1707. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">240238</post-id> </item>
  1708. <item>
  1709. <title>In Southern Colorado Water Is Precious. That&#8217;s Why Farmers Are Growing Rye</title>
  1710. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/rye-resurgence-colorado/2026/05/12/</link>
  1711. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/rye-resurgence-colorado/2026/05/12/#respond</comments>
  1713. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ilana Newman]]></dc:creator>
  1714. <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1715. <category><![CDATA[Agriculture]]></category>
  1716. <category><![CDATA[Yonder Report]]></category>
  1717. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=239788</guid>
  1718.  
  1719. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1720. <p>Sarah Jones never thought she’d be a farmer. She grew up in San Diego and met her husband, Michael, who comes from four generations of farmers, in college in Seattle. But when – after living and working in a couple different cities – they moved to south-central Colorado’s San Luis Valley, where Michael grew up, [&#8230;]</p>
  1721. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/rye-resurgence-colorado/2026/05/12/">In Southern Colorado Water Is Precious. That&#8217;s Why Farmers Are Growing Rye</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1722. ]]></description>
  1723. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04282-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1724. <p class="has-drop-cap">Sarah Jones never thought she’d be a farmer. She grew up in San Diego and met her husband, Michael, who comes from four generations of farmers, in college in Seattle. But when – after living and working in a couple different cities – they moved to south-central Colorado’s San Luis Valley, where Michael grew up, Jones knew it was where she was supposed to be.</p>
  1725.  
  1726.  
  1727.  
  1728. <p>Jones Farm Organics is a fifth-generation family farm that grows potatoes – the San Luis Valley is the second largest potato-growing region in the United States. But when Sarah and Michael Jones moved back in 2017, they started expanding to grains to diversify their business and experiment with rotational winter crops that they can sell. First, they tried classic wheat varieties like Turkey Red and Red Fife, but those didn’t work well for their farm. </p>
  1729.  
  1730.  
  1731.  
  1732. <p>Then, Jones tried rye. “The funny thing with rye was that my father-in-law had been planting rye since the ‘80’s as a cover crop,” she said.&nbsp;</p>
  1733.  
  1734.  
  1735.  
  1736. <p>As it turned out, rye was the answer.&nbsp;</p>
  1737.  
  1738.  
  1739.  
  1740. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239793" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03833-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Locally grown and milled flour sits in Tumbleweed Bread in downtown Monte Vista. The Abruzzi rye was grown by Jones Farms Organic. (Photo by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder.)</em></figcaption></figure>
  1741.  
  1742.  
  1743.  
  1744. <p>Rye uses significantly less water than other common rotational winter crops like alfalfa and barley, which require 24-26 inches of water and 18-20 inches of water per acre, respectively. In contrast, rye uses only 10-12 inches of water per acre. That’s a huge water savings when multiplied across a standard 120-acre field. </p>
  1745.  
  1746.  
  1747.  
  1748. <p>Jones wondered how that effect could be extended across the valley. “Could we convert or convince farmers to make some changes to grow more rye and less of these other crops?” she said.&nbsp;</p>
  1749.  
  1750.  
  1751.  
  1752. <p>In the end, neighbors were excited to join. Jones and co-founder Heather Dutton launched the <a href="https://ryeresurgence.com/">Rye Resurgence Project</a>, an effort to get more farmers growing rye –  and thus saving water – in 2023. </p>
  1753.  
  1754.  
  1755.  
  1756. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Storms in the High Desert, and Some “Reputation Rehabilitation&#8221;&nbsp;</strong></h3>
  1757.  
  1758.  
  1759.  
  1760. <p class="has-drop-cap">In the San Luis Valley, water is scarce. In fact, the valley is an alpine desert – it sits above 7,500 feet in elevation and receives around seven inches of rainfall a year, much less than other parts of Colorado.</p>
  1761.  
  1762.  
  1763.  
  1764. <p>This year, the water situation in the valley, and across the West, is even more dire. “Our snowpack is sitting at 13% of average,” said Dutton, manager of the San Luis Valley Water Conservation District, and Jones’s co-conspirator on the Rye Resurgence Project. ”We have to be that much more innovative to find these solutions where we can use even less water but still support our agriculture community,” Dutton said.&nbsp;</p>
  1765.  
  1766.  
  1767.  
  1768. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239903" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04058-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A field and wetland outside of Monte Vista hold water during a stormy spring day in March 2026. Behind the abandoned house, a farmer&#8217;s field has not yet been planted. (Photo by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  1769.  
  1770.  
  1771.  
  1772. <p>Traditionally, in the San Luis Valley, potatoes are harvested in the fall, and many farmers leave their soil bare until replanting the next spring, or grow crops like alfalfa that also require a relatively high volume of water. Rob Jones, Michael’s father, started <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/winterrye.html">planting rye to cover the soil</a> over the winter since it protects against erosion during stormy seasons. But under Rob’s stewardship, the rye planted on the Jones Farm was not making much, if any, money.</p>
  1773.  
  1774.  
  1775.  
  1776. <p>In spring 2023, a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=217806060927591">dust storm hit the San Luis Valley</a> and changed the future of rye in the region. In the valley, dust storms aren’t rare in the spring – it’s a windy season all across the Southwest due to rapidly changing daily temperatures and a stronger jet stream moving north at that time of year.&nbsp;</p>
  1777.  
  1778.  
  1779.  
  1780. <p>When the 2023 dust storm hit, the Joneses had already started growing rye on their farm and in conversations with Dutton, the idea to apply for a state grant to support other farmers interested in experimenting with rye emerged. “It was working for us. Rye as a cover crop and a cash crop checked all the boxes for us,” Sarah Jones said.&nbsp;</p>
  1781.  
  1782.  
  1783.  
  1784. <p>One of the challenges of growing rye to sell was figuring out who was going to buy it. To that end, Jones said they had to do some “rye reputation rehabilitation.” Contrary to what most people might believe, “rye does not taste like caraway seed,” she said.</p>
  1785.  
  1786.  
  1787.  
  1788. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239792" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03817-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jessica Larriva puts away baked goods at Tumbleweed Bread in Monte Vista, Colorado. Larriva sources all of her whole-grain flour from local farmers and millers, including rye flour, which she uses in many of her cookies. (Photo by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  1789.  
  1790.  
  1791.  
  1792. <p>Rye is actually a fairly neutral grain that works well in most baked goods, from brownies to pizza to bread. It also has <a href="https://modernistcuisine.com/mb/how-rye-works/">lower gluten</a> and <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9032876/">higher fiber content than wheat.</a> To that end, one of the main goals of the Rye Resurgence Project is to find partners that would buy and use rye: bakeries, distilleries, and millers. </p>
  1793.  
  1794.  
  1795.  
  1796. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>A Rye Resurgence</strong></h3>
  1797.  
  1798.  
  1799.  
  1800. <p class="has-drop-cap">Kris Gosar’s flour mill and sausage factory is a few miles outside of Monte Vista, Colorado, down a network of dirt roads. Gosar is the owner of Gosar Natural Foods, which produces both sausage, Gosar Sausage, and stone-ground flour, Mountain Mama Flour.</p>
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  1803.  
  1804. <figure class="wp-block-gallery alignwide has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
  1805. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-id="239808" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239808" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04162-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
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  1807.  
  1808.  
  1809. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-id="239802" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239802" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04141-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  1810. </figure>
  1811.  
  1812.  
  1813.  
  1814. <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Kris Gosar, owner of Mountain Mama Milling, gives a tour of his mill site outside of Monte Vista, Colorado. Gosar said the clipper cleaner machine behind him is from the 1920s or 30s. (Photos by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder</em>)</p>
  1815.  
  1816.  
  1817.  
  1818. <p>His whole-grain flour doesn’t just support better nutrition; it supports the local food ecosystem that Jones and Dutton are creating with the Rye Resurgence Project. Gosar buys grain from local farmers and mills it into flour, which is used across southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. </p>
  1819.  
  1820.  
  1821.  
  1822. <p>“Wheat has wonderful nutrient capabilities, [but] they sift out all the good nutrients to make white flour, and they mill it with a pretty high temperature so it burns out all the nutrients,” Gosar said.</p>
  1823.  
  1824.  
  1825.  
  1826. <p>Many small towns across the country used to have their own local mills, churning out fresh flour for the community. Now, milling is a concentrated industry with <a href="https://www.world-grain.com/articles/21217-slideshow-largest-us-milling-companies">just 21 U.S. companies controlling 96.3%</a> of the entire milling capacity of the country. Stone ground mills that produce mostly whole grain flour are even more rare. Most large-scale mills produce large quantities of white flour with very few nutrients.</p>
  1827.  
  1828.  
  1829.  
  1830. <figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
  1831. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="1170" data-id="239805" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153.jpg?resize=780%2C1170&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239805" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?resize=864%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 864w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?resize=507%2C760&amp;ssl=1 507w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?resize=1365%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1365w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C1800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C3000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C1170&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C600&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C1059&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?w=1707&amp;ssl=1 1707w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-scaled.jpg?w=1560&amp;ssl=1 1560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04153-864x1296.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  1832.  
  1833.  
  1834.  
  1835. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-id="239803" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239803" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04145-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  1836.  
  1837.  
  1838.  
  1839. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-id="239804" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239804" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04146-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  1840.  
  1841.  
  1842.  
  1843. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-id="239807" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239807" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04158-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  1844.  
  1845.  
  1846.  
  1847. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-id="239814" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239814" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04199-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  1848.  
  1849.  
  1850.  
  1851. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-id="239816" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239816" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC04210-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  1852. </figure>
  1853.  
  1854.  
  1855.  
  1856. <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Gosar shows the process from harvested grain to flour, revealing the byproducts of chaff and the rocks that are caught up when the grain is harvested. (Photo by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder</em>)</p>
  1857.  
  1858.  
  1859.  
  1860. <p>Gosar is one of five generations of farmers, including his two sons, who help out with the family business. His parents started the flour mill so that they wouldn’t have to drive nearly four hours to Denver to sell their grain. In the 1970s, they were one of the first organic grain farms in Colorado. Now, Gosar doesn’t grow his own grain, but he does buy it from local farmers in the San Luis Valley. Jones Farm Organics is one of his producers.</p>
  1861.  
  1862.  
  1863.  
  1864. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Baking Against the Grain</strong></h3>
  1865.  
  1866.  
  1867.  
  1868. <p class="has-drop-cap">Part of the goal of the Rye Resurgence Project is to connect farmers to consumers and try to get bakers and restaurants to use more rye. One of the bakeries that has taken up this challenge is another local San Luis Valley business, Tumbleweed Bread. </p>
  1869.  
  1870.  
  1871.  
  1872. <p>Jessica Larriva, Tumbleweed’s owner, grew up in the valley but learned to bake in Portland, Oregon. When she moved back in 2017 to care for her mother, there was a lack of bakeries in the region. Larriva started selling bread and baked goods out of her house under a <a href="https://cdphe.colorado.gov/dehs/cottage-foods">cottage food license</a> and eventually grew her business into a wholesale bakery under the name Tumbleweed Bread. In March 2025, she opened a cafe in downtown Monte Vista, selling baked goods, bread, sandwiches, and soup.</p>
  1873.  
  1874.  
  1875.  
  1876. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239797" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03856-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jessica Larriva sits at a table in her cafe, Tumbleweed Bread, in Monte Vista, Colorado. (Photo by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  1877.  
  1878.  
  1879.  
  1880. <p>Tumbleweed Bread is one of the more than 100 partners of the Rye Resurgence Project, all across Colorado. Sarah Jones sees every partner as part of her overarching goal to rebrand rye and other locally grown whole grains, as more than just a “health food.” </p>
  1881.  
  1882.  
  1883.  
  1884. <p>“I always like to use the coffee mentality,” Jones said. With coffee, she said, we buy nice beans and grind it fresh each morning. What about flour? “Fifty percent of our calories in the U.S. are from grains. And so why not care more about it? Is it freshly milled? What nutrition is in that? How is it grown? What variety is it? How is it impacting my gut?” </p>
  1885.  
  1886.  
  1887.  
  1888. <p>At Tumbleweed, Larriva cares a lot about what goes into her baked goods and loves that, in baking with rye, she is also contributing to the local food system. “We use rye in nearly all of our cookies. Rye is really a lovely grain for cookies,” said Larriva as we sat in her bakery, a sunny space filled with local art. She’s right – her rye shortbread cookies were incredibly tasty, made with rye from Jones Farms Organics. </p>
  1889.  
  1890.  
  1891.  
  1892. <figure class="wp-block-gallery alignwide has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
  1893. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-id="239794" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239794" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03841-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  1894.  
  1895.  
  1896.  
  1897. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" data-id="239795" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-239795" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC03846-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  1898. </figure>
  1899.  
  1900.  
  1901.  
  1902. <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Larriva recognized that whole-grain</em> bread wasn’t accessible to everyone due to the price point, so she started a nonprofit, Tomorrow’s Bread. <em>The program donates whole-grain loaves to food-insecure Coloradans through food pantries and has partnered with other bakeries to establish programs across the state.  (Photos by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder</em>)</p>
  1903.  
  1904.  
  1905.  
  1906. <p>Jessica Larriva and Sarah Jones, whom Larriva calls a “spokesperson for rye,” and the many farmers, millers, distilleries, and bakeries involved, are a testament to the future of the Rye Resurgence Project. The initial goal was for ten farms to grow 120 acres of rye and sell 300 acres of that 1,200 total acreage. </p>
  1907.  
  1908.  
  1909.  
  1910. <p>Heather Dutton said that farmers are now growing 3,000-5,000 acres of rye a year, and the project has helped them sell 771,409 pounds of rye at an average rate of $0.62 per pound, more than they were aiming for initially. They’ve even had farmers join the project merely because they see rye working for their neighbors. “Exceeding the amount of money that farmers [were planning on] getting, the water savings that we had hoped for, the soil health goals, it feels really good,” said Dutton. Now they’re focused on the harder part —&nbsp;finding more businesses to buy the rye.&nbsp;</p>
  1911.  
  1912.  
  1913.  
  1914. <p>Dutton and Jones and the rest of the Rye Resurgence Project team will continue to seek new partners to purchase rye, and more farmers to grow it. Dutton said they are also looking for other crops that use less water, things that would be comparable to the 12 inches of water per acre required for rye. She said that quinoa and millet are strong contenders.&nbsp;</p>
  1915.  
  1916.  
  1917.  
  1918. <p>In the early stages, the real problem with these additional alternative grains is the branding. “We just don&#8217;t have a cool name like rye resurgence,” joked Dutton.<br></p>
  1919.  
  1920.  
  1921.  
  1922. <p></p>
  1923. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/rye-resurgence-colorado/2026/05/12/">In Southern Colorado Water Is Precious. That&#8217;s Why Farmers Are Growing Rye</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1924. ]]></content:encoded>
  1926. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/rye-resurgence-colorado/2026/05/12/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1927. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1930. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">239788</post-id> </item>
  1931. <item>
  1932. <title>Finding Middle Ground in the Solar Debate with Agrivoltaics </title>
  1933. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/finding-middle-ground-in-the-solar-debate-with-agrivoltaics/2026/05/11/</link>
  1934. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/finding-middle-ground-in-the-solar-debate-with-agrivoltaics/2026/05/11/#respond</comments>
  1936. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Claire Carlson]]></dc:creator>
  1937. <pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1938. <category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
  1939. <category><![CDATA[Yonder Report]]></category>
  1940. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=239923</guid>
  1941.  
  1942. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1943. <p>Solar energy development has become a hot-button issue in recent years as Trump officials block funding to solar projects over concerns about losing prime farmland to renewables. But advocates say this worry — which is often shared by the communities closest to proposed solar projects — could be assuaged by agrivoltaics, which combines solar and [&#8230;]</p>
  1944. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/finding-middle-ground-in-the-solar-debate-with-agrivoltaics/2026/05/11/">Finding Middle Ground in the Solar Debate with Agrivoltaics </a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1945. ]]></description>
  1946. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC04639-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  1947. <p>Solar energy development has become a hot-button issue in recent years as Trump officials <a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/19/secretary-rollins-blocks-taxpayer-dollars-solar-panels-prime-farmland">block funding</a> to solar projects over concerns about losing prime farmland to renewables.</p>
  1948.  
  1949.  
  1950.  
  1951. <p>But advocates say this worry — which is often shared by the communities closest to proposed solar projects — could be assuaged by agrivoltaics, which combines solar and farming.</p>
  1952.  
  1953.  
  1954.  
  1955. <p>For many years, agrivoltaics have been limited to sheep grazing under solar panels, but a growing number of <a href="https://uavip.arizona.edu/news/farmers-see-boost-crops-under-solar-panels-thanks-vip-team-agrivoltaics">case studies</a> show almost every type of livestock and crops can be raised successfully using agrivoltaics (with the exception of some tall crops, like corn, that can grow higher than the panels).&nbsp;</p>
  1956.  
  1957.  
  1958.  
  1959. <p>Even with federal disinvestments in renewables, the solar industry is expected to be the fastest-growing power generator over the next two years, according to the <a href="https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/pdf/steo_full.pdf">U.S. Energy Information Administration</a>. Gas shortages caused by the United States-Israel war with Iran, which has targeted major oil export hubs in the Mideast, have provided even more reason to find alternative energy sources to oil.&nbsp;</p>
  1960.  
  1961.  
  1962.  
  1963. <p>But the vast majority of solar energy is expected to come from farmland, according to the <a href="https://farmlandinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/AFT_FUT2040-solar-white-paper.pdf">American Farmland Trust</a>. About 83% of new solar developments are currently being installed on farms and ranches. That means solar developers, farmers, and rural neighbors will have to find some sort of middle ground as the need for renewable energy grows.&nbsp;</p>
  1964.  
  1965.  
  1966.  
  1967. <p>Agrivoltaics could be that answer. A 2023 study published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421523002793?via%3Dihub">Energy Policy</a> showed that large-scale agrivoltaics projects receive less public backlash than large-scale solar projects on farmland. A 2024 <a href="https://www.ssii.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SI2_FARMS-Survey-Report_Final.pdf">survey</a> by the Solar and Storage Industries Institute found that 70% of farmers were open to solar on farmland, if it brought them supplementary income and they could farm around or under the panels.&nbsp;</p>
  1968.  
  1969.  
  1970.  
  1971. <p>“Rural Americans want to see rural America continue to look like the community they grew up in,” said David Gahl, executive director of the <a href="https://www.ssii.org/">Solar and Storage Industries Institute</a>, in a Daily Yonder interview. “That&#8217;s why I think agrivoltaics shows a lot of promise, because you get the benefits of both having agricultural production continue, and you&#8217;re not changing the community character of a place.”</p>
  1972.  
  1973.  
  1974.  
  1975. <p>The Institute will be releasing a new survey this fall that polls the neighbors of solar projects about their attitudes toward solar. While the survey has yet to be published, Gahl said it proved neighbors are more amenable to solar if it incorporates farming, and especially if the project is beneficial to the larger community.&nbsp;</p>
  1976.  
  1977.  
  1978.  
  1979. <p>“[Their responses] show to me that rural communities want to maintain the character of the places where they live, and we have to figure out ways to do that that make economic sense for all parties,” he said.&nbsp;</p>
  1980.  
  1981.  
  1982.  
  1983. <p>Making economic sense for the farmers and solar developers is relatively straightforward. Solar developments usually come to fruition when a developer approaches a farmer with a lease agreement. The developer pays the farmer for the use of their land and takes on the cost of site design and construction materials. Once designed, the developer either hands off the project to a different firm that builds the actual solar panels or they retain the project and build it themselves, selling the power off to a utility or a power grid.&nbsp;</p>
  1984.  
  1985.  
  1986.  
  1987. <p>“[Agrivoltaics] is enabling new financial freedom for farmers, and that is what resonates with folks the most, even the biggest anti-solar voices,” said Lucy Bullock-Sieger, co-founder of the <a href="https://www.solarandfarming.org/">Solar &amp; Farming Association</a>, which represents a coalition of different agrivoltaics organizations.&nbsp;</p>
  1988.  
  1989.  
  1990.  
  1991. <p>From 2017 to 2024, 160,000 U.S. farms <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/chart-detail?chartId=58268">went out of business</a>. Advocates say solar could provide farmers an opportunity to diversify their income source while allowing them to remain in business and maintain a version of the rural farming landscape neighbors are accustomed to seeing.&nbsp;</p>
  1992.  
  1993.  
  1994.  
  1995. <p>But making sure the community finds a benefit from the project will also be vital — and could be the most challenging part of implementing widespread agrivoltaics.&nbsp;</p>
  1996.  
  1997.  
  1998.  
  1999. <p>Between 2018 and 2023, an estimated 30% of large-scale solar and wind projects were canceled because of community opposition, according to a <a href="https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1252&amp;context=sabin_climate_change">study</a> from the Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center. By the end of 2024, the study found that 459 counties and municipalities in 44 states had adopted restrictions to renewable energy siting. That’s a 16% increase in local restrictions in just one year.&nbsp;</p>
  2000.  
  2001.  
  2002.  
  2003. <p>In a recent Mother Jones <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2026/03/agrivoltaics-solar-farmland-oregon-farmers-green-power/">article</a> about the debate over solar on farmland, one neighbor against a proposed development in Oregon said “Anything that changes land offends me, if it isn’t farming or wetlands.”&nbsp;</p>
  2004.  
  2005.  
  2006.  
  2007. <p>This attitude seems to be shared in other states as well. In 2025, local restrictions on renewable energy siting increased 32% country-wide from 2024. This aligns with the Trump administration’s ongoing disinvestment in renewable energy programs, like the recent <a href="https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/business-inputs/article/2026/04/01/usda-halts-reap-grant-applications">cancellation of a new grant cycle</a> for the Rural Energy for America program that provided farmers and rural communities money to install solar panels.&nbsp;</p>
  2008.  
  2009.  
  2010.  
  2011. <p>“Some communities are getting fatigued by solar,” said Iain Ward, a cranberry grower who is a tenant farmer under an agrivoltaics array in Massachusetts and has since become an agrivoltaics advocate. He has witnessed communities be approached by projects that did not align with what was historically farmed in the region. Those agrivoltaics projects are what receive the most backlash.</p>
  2012.  
  2013.  
  2014.  
  2015. <p>“When we&#8217;re talking about solar projects being on farmland, tailoring the project and its spacing to what crops have historically been produced and engaging with the farmer to continue producing them under the array can change that,” Ward said. “The community is more likely to say, &#8216;Oh, you are actually listening to us, you are actually respecting our community, our heritage, and the agricultural infrastructure we have.&#8217;”</p>
  2016.  
  2017.  
  2018.  
  2019. <p>While the federal disinvestment in renewables and negative attitudes toward solar have certainly slowed progress, solar advocates say it’s unlikely it will totally stop them.</p>
  2020.  
  2021.  
  2022.  
  2023. <p>“With the level of interest and number of farmers and solar developers who are experimenting on their own already, we&#8217;re going to see continued innovation in the agrivoltaic space,” said Gahl of the Solar and Storage Industries Institute.</p>
  2024.  
  2025.  
  2026.  
  2027. <p>“Without support from the executive branch, you&#8217;re still going to see innovation, you&#8217;re just not going to see it move as quickly.”</p>
  2028.  
  2029.  
  2030.  
  2031. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  2032. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/finding-middle-ground-in-the-solar-debate-with-agrivoltaics/2026/05/11/">Finding Middle Ground in the Solar Debate with Agrivoltaics </a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2033. ]]></content:encoded>
  2035. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/finding-middle-ground-in-the-solar-debate-with-agrivoltaics/2026/05/11/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  2036. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  2039. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">239923</post-id> </item>
  2040. <item>
  2041. <title>How a Data Center Derailed $240,000 for Affordable Housing in Rural Maine</title>
  2042. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/how-a-data-center-derailed-240000-for-affordable-housing-in-rural-maine/2026/05/08/</link>
  2043. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/how-a-data-center-derailed-240000-for-affordable-housing-in-rural-maine/2026/05/08/#respond</comments>
  2045. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Julia Tilton]]></dc:creator>
  2046. <pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 10:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2047. <category><![CDATA[Community & Economic Development]]></category>
  2048. <category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
  2049. <category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
  2050. <category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
  2051. <category><![CDATA[Data Centers]]></category>
  2052. <category><![CDATA[Yonder Report]]></category>
  2053. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=240033</guid>
  2054.  
  2055. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2056. <p>On a crisp afternoon in early April 2026, Richard Davis walked to the end of a boat launch on the Back River, a tidal channel that cuts through Midcoast Maine’s rocky coastline. As the tide swept in, Davis, co-founder of a local group called Protect Wiscasset and an area resident, fixed his attention on the [&#8230;]</p>
  2057. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/how-a-data-center-derailed-240000-for-affordable-housing-in-rural-maine/2026/05/08/">How a Data Center Derailed $240,000 for Affordable Housing in Rural Maine</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2058. ]]></description>
  2059. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8899-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2060. <p class="has-drop-cap has-normal-font-size">On a crisp afternoon in early April 2026, Richard Davis walked to the end of a boat launch on the Back River, a tidal channel that cuts through Midcoast Maine’s rocky coastline. As the tide swept in, Davis, co-founder of a local group called Protect Wiscasset and an area resident, fixed his attention on the opposite riverbank.&nbsp;</p>
  2061.  
  2062.  
  2063.  
  2064. <p>There, a 300-acre parcel of land, mostly covered by evergreen trees, is the subject of a decades-long debate that’s sparked questions about land use, energy, and local control in the town of Wiscasset, a community in Maine’s rural Lincoln County with a year-round population of 4,000 residents. </p>
  2065.  
  2066.  
  2067.  
  2068. <p>A recent idea? To build much-needed affordable housing, with initial federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a Covid-19 economic relief package passed in 2021.&nbsp;</p>
  2069.  
  2070.  
  2071.  
  2072. <p>Yet the land captured public attention in full force when plans to build a $5 billion data center <a href="https://lcnme.com/currentnews/wiscasset-in-early-talks-for-data-center/">were made public</a> in September of 2025. Davis, who lives along the Back River about a mile and a half from the site, became concerned as soon as he found out about the data center. Protect Wiscasset came together last fall to organize <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/as-data-centers-look-to-rural-new-england-maine-considers-a-moratorium/2026/02/23/">against a development</a>.</p>
  2073.  
  2074.  
  2075.  
  2076. <p>But Davis would soon learn that the data center was just part of the story. As the facilities are planned, often <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/this-rural-community-fought-the-countrys-second-biggest-gas-powered-data-center-and-won/2025/06/17/">without much public transparency</a>, communities also find themselves dealing with the opportunities lost to the possibility of a sprawling data center.</p>
  2077.  
  2078.  
  2079.  
  2080. <p>In Midcoast Maine, Wiscasset’s handling of a prospective data center ended with the community losing nearly a quarter of a million dollars of federal funding earmarked for housing.&nbsp;</p>
  2081.  
  2082.  
  2083.  
  2084. <p>All of this happened without a data center ever breaking ground. As the data center rush unfolds in small towns, the story is not only about what gets built, but also about what doesn’t.&nbsp;</p>
  2085.  
  2086.  
  2087.  
  2088. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Blinded by the Data Center Boom</strong></h3>
  2089.  
  2090.  
  2091.  
  2092. <p class="has-drop-cap has-normal-font-size">Across rural America, places like Wiscasset are <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/rural-wisconsin-has-become-a-hotspot-for-data-centers-states-unique-tax-instrument-explains-why/2026/01/22/">grappling</a> with the <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/the-data-center-rush-in-appalachia/2026/01/07/">data center</a> boom. The data center market in North America is expected to be valued at <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/data-center-market-reach-us-154800137.html">$135 billion</a> by the end of 2026, and it’s growing rapidly, driven by the needs of artificial intelligence. According to April 2026 <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/04/13/most-new-data-centers-in-the-us-are-coming-to-rural-areas/">findings</a> from the Pew Research Center, two-thirds of new data centers are going to be built in rural places. Along with planned developments come fears about environmental and energy cost effects on host communities.&nbsp;</p>
  2093.  
  2094.  
  2095.  
  2096. <p>On Wiscasset’s Old Ferry Road, development plans are nothing new for the property along the Back River. The fate of the land has been an open question for more than two decades, since the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company decommissioned its nuclear plant and <a href="https://www.sunjournal.com/2003/12/11/wiscasset-voters-approve-land-acquisition/" type="link" id="https://www.sunjournal.com/2003/12/11/wiscasset-voters-approve-land-acquisition/">sold</a> hundreds of surrounding acres in the early 2000s. Wiscasset acquired the parcel in 2013, according to Aaron Chrostowsky, the town’s economic development director.</p>
  2097.  
  2098.  
  2099.  
  2100. <p>But the sudden, explosive debate over the data center last fall eclipsed federally-backed plans for affordable housing that had been in the works for months. Revelations about the potential data center caused more than just a community uproar.</p>
  2101.  
  2102.  
  2103.  
  2104. <p>Over a year ago, Lincoln County rescinded $240,000 in federal housing funds from Wiscasset after the town proposed using the money to scope out the feasibility of a data center, a Daily Yonder analysis of public records found. All of it happened outside of the public’s view.&nbsp;</p>
  2105.  
  2106.  
  2107.  
  2108. <p>As of the publishing of this story, the 300 acres on Old Ferry Road remain undeveloped. On March 3, 2026, Lincoln County <a href="https://www.wiscassetnewspaper.com/article/commissioners-repurposing-unused-arpa-funds/267805">reallocated</a> Wiscasset’s federal dollars to the neighboring communities of Waldoboro and Newcastle, for their own affordable housing and infrastructure projects. The towns have until December 31, 2026, to spend the money, per federal law.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  2109.  
  2110.  
  2111.  
  2112. <p>“They were so enamored by the idea of a $5 billion data center landing in Wiscasset that they kind of got blinded,” said Peter Arnold, a Lincoln County resident and the founder of RePower Wiscasset, about the town’s actions.&nbsp;</p>
  2113.  
  2114.  
  2115.  
  2116. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>An Affordable Housing Crisis&nbsp;</strong></h3>
  2117.  
  2118.  
  2119.  
  2120. <p class="has-drop-cap has-normal-font-size">During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Biden administration and U.S. Congress passed ARPA to promote the country’s economic recovery with $1.9 trillion in funding. Those funds were dispersed to businesses, households, and local governments across the U.S.&nbsp;</p>
  2121.  
  2122.  
  2123.  
  2124. <p>Maine counties got <a href="https://www.mecep.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Lincoln-County-ARPA-spending-guide.pdf">$261 million</a> in federal ARPA dollars, and Lincoln County <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/fiscalrecoveryfunds_countyfunding_2021.05.10-1a-508A.pdf">received</a> more than $6.7 million, with the responsibility to allocate the money by the end of 2024 and spend it by the end of 2026.</p>
  2125.  
  2126.  
  2127.  
  2128. <p>By the spring of 2023, Lincoln County <a href="https://www.mainecounties.org/covid-relief.html#:~:text=The%20County%20has%20allocated%20all%20its%20ARPA%20funds%2C%20totaling%20$57%2C300%2C874.00%20allocated.&amp;text=some%20have%20been-,completed%20while%20others%20are%20still%20in%20progress.,Recovery%20housing.">had approved</a> the spending of $4.1 million of its ARPA dollars for emergency services, infrastructure, and other projects. Then, the county <a href="https://www.lcrpc.org/stories/lincoln-county-housing-needs-assessment">identified a need</a> for nearly 900 additional affordable housing units to support community members. </p>
  2129.  
  2130.  
  2131.  
  2132. <p>Molly Feeney, executive director of Homeworthy, an area nonprofit working to prevent homelessness in the state’s Midcoast region, said middle and low-income people are being squeezed out of housing and rental markets.&nbsp;</p>
  2133.  
  2134.  
  2135.  
  2136. <p>“Particularly in the Midcoast and Lincoln County, there’s a lack of affordability on the entire scale,” said Feeney. “Whether that is subsidized units that we’re lacking inventory on, or just reasonable market rentals, there’s no affordability in any of this.”</p>
  2137.  
  2138.  
  2139.  
  2140. <p>This reality prompted Lincoln County commissioners to <a href="https://www.lcrpc.org/stories/arpa-affordable-housing-investment-process">vote</a> in June 2023 to allocate $1.5 million of their remaining ARPA funds to build affordable housing. Between the spring of 2023 and 2024, the county used ARPA dollars to fund the construction of 220 housing units in the region. By July of 2024, with six months left before the December 31, 2024, ARPA allocation deadline, the county <a href="https://www.wiscasset.gov/DocumentCenter/View/715/LCRPC-Request-for-Letter-of-Interest-for-Town-Planning-Projects">decided</a> its remaining funds would go toward building first responder and municipal workforce housing, citing a <a href="https://www.pressherald.com/2026/01/11/emergency-calls-are-on-the-rise-not-enough-mainers-are-answering/">shortage of first responders</a> in the region due to a lack of affordable units.&nbsp;</p>
  2141.  
  2142.  
  2143.  
  2144. <p>“Teachers, firefighters, police, they can’t afford to live in a lot of Wiscasset,” said Davis, who is a retired university professor. “Their salaries are not high enough to afford the housing.”</p>
  2145.  
  2146.  
  2147.  
  2148. <p>A <a href="https://www.lcrpc.org/stories/lincoln-county-housing-needs-assessment">May 2023 assessment</a> and <a href="https://www.lcrpc.org/uploads/visual_edit/lincoln-county-profiles-opportunity-sites-1.pdf">May 2025 follow-up</a> found that the Old Ferry Road property was among several parcels in the town that could accommodate housing, with approximately 200 units possible on the 300 acres.&nbsp;</p>
  2149.  
  2150.  
  2151.  
  2152. <p>“Like pretty much every town village, there’s a real dearth of housing,” said Sam Selby, a Wiscasset resident and a member of the Protect Wiscasset group. “We could use all we can get.”</p>
  2153.  
  2154.  
  2155.  
  2156. <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240040" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8859-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong>While in operation between 1972 and 1996, Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company was Maine’s largest generator of electricity.</strong>(Photo by Julia Tilton / The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  2157.  
  2158.  
  2159.  
  2160. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Funding Goes to Wiscasset</strong></h3>
  2161.  
  2162.  
  2163.  
  2164. <p class="has-drop-cap has-normal-font-size">Back in July of 2024, Wiscasset discussed the opportunity at a town board meeting. There, Aaron Chrostowsky, Wiscasset economic development director, <a href="https://www.wiscasset.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_07302024-426">laid out</a> his vision for a project, which he’d detailed in a <a href="https://me-wiscasset.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/80?fileID=57">memo</a> to Dennis Simmons, the town manager, a few days before.&nbsp;</p>
  2165.  
  2166.  
  2167.  
  2168. <p>Chrostowsky described what he called a “Great American Neighborhood” on the Old Ferry Road property. The development would follow the principles of <a href="https://www.planning.org/divisions/newurbanism/">New Urbanism</a>, a movement centered on sustainable design.&nbsp;</p>
  2169.  
  2170.  
  2171.  
  2172. <p>Chrostowsky’s memo detailed affordable and market-rate housing types and renewable energy on the property, as well as future energy and technology developments on adjacent parcels of land. The plan also cited the region’s “housing affordability crisis,” mentioning Lincoln County’s May 2023 housing assessment, which had identified a need for <a href="https://www.lcrpc.org/uploads/visual_edit/202305-presentation-housing-needs-assessment-lincoln-cou.pdf">110 homes</a> in Wiscasset.&nbsp;</p>
  2173.  
  2174.  
  2175.  
  2176. <p>On November 5, 2024, Lincoln County <a href="https://www.wiscasset.gov/227/Proposed-Old-Ferry-Road-Property-Develop">awarded</a> $240,000 to Wiscasset for the Old Ferry Road property. The town’s <a href="https://www.wiscasset.gov/DocumentCenter/View/716/Towns-Submission-for-Letter-of-Interest-for-Town-Planning-Projects">submission</a> included plans for a housing feasibility study, with a proposal to build 110 units on the land. The submission also included plans for public engagement to bring residents into the planning process.</p>
  2177.  
  2178.  
  2179.  
  2180. <p>While finalizing the details of its ARPA award in October of 2024, Wiscasset also signed an <a href="https://www.wiscasset.gov/DocumentCenter/View/725/MECERP-MOU-Executed---October-2024">agreement</a> to receive technical assistance from the Maine Community Energy Redevelopment Program (MECERP), an initiative launched by Maine’s Governor, Janet Mills, to support locally-determined revitalization projects at current and former industrial sites. Wiscasset’s Old Ferry Road property, near the former Maine Yankee nuclear plant, was <a href="https://www.maine.gov/energy/initiatives/mecerp">among those selected</a> for economic development planning.</p>
  2181.  
  2182.  
  2183.  
  2184. <p>In an October 24, 2024, <a href="https://www.wiscasset.gov/DocumentCenter/View/719/Compliance-Requirements-for-Lincoln-County-Affordable-Housing-ARPA-Funds-for-Planning-Projects---Funding-Award-for-the-Town-of-Wiscasset">letter</a> to Wiscasset about the ARPA funding, Lincoln County administrator Carrie Kipfer “strongly recommended” the town coordinate the MECERP technical assistance award with the ARPA funding, since both dealt with the same property on Old Ferry Road but had different aims.&nbsp;</p>
  2185.  
  2186.  
  2187.  
  2188. <p>The technical assistance, an agreement with the state, was intended to survey locals about their ideas for development on the property. The ARPA award, an agreement with the county and federal government, was specifically geared toward conducting a feasibility study to determine whether the land could be turned into affordable housing.&nbsp;</p>
  2189.  
  2190.  
  2191.  
  2192. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>A Data Center Enters the Picture</strong></h3>
  2193.  
  2194.  
  2195.  
  2196. <p class="has-drop-cap has-normal-font-size">But by November of 2024, a different plan was taking shape in Wiscasset, without the public’s awareness. Chrostowsky became involved in dialogue about developing a data center on town-owned land as early as November 7, 2024, two days after the ARPA agreement was signed by Wiscasset and Lincoln County, according to public records obtained by the Daily Yonder.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  2197.  
  2198.  
  2199.  
  2200. <p>A few months later, on February 4, 2025, Chrostowsky told a Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission staffer that he was going to use the ARPA award to “explore the feasibility of developing a data information center,” per a February 13, 2025, memo from Emily Rabbe, executive director of the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission (LCRPC), obtained by the Daily Yonder.&nbsp;</p>
  2201.  
  2202.  
  2203.  
  2204. <p>Chrostowsky told the staffer he’d been working with a man from an unnamed private company interested in developing approximately 200 of the 300 acres for a data center. The man, Chrostowsky later told the Daily Yonder, is a site evaluator from California who heard about the property through MECERP, the state’s energy redevelopment program.&nbsp;</p>
  2205.  
  2206.  
  2207.  
  2208. <p>During the February 4, 2025, meeting with the LCRPC staffer, Chrostowsky also “expressed knowledge that the ARPA funding is supposed to be used for housing,” according to the February 13, 2025, memo. The staffer cautioned Chrostowsky to be “extremely careful about misappropriating government funding that has been directed for a specific use.” Chrostowsky then asked the staffer not to tell anyone, per the memo. The staffer later reported the conversation to Rabbe out of an “ethical obligation.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  2209.  
  2210.  
  2211.  
  2212. <p>“We explained to the county our dilemma, so to say that we weren&#8217;t communicating with the county, that was not the case,” Chrostowsky told the Daily Yonder. He said the town struggled with the fact that it had received a $240,000 award for housing on the same property where interest from an out-of-state site evaluator presented an opportunity to significantly increase the town’s tax base.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  2213.  
  2214.  
  2215.  
  2216. <p>Yet for Wiscasset community members, news about a data center wouldn’t emerge for another seven months.</p>
  2217.  
  2218.  
  2219.  
  2220. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Community Finds Out</strong></h3>
  2221.  
  2222.  
  2223.  
  2224. <p class="has-drop-cap has-normal-font-size">When lifelong Wiscasset resident John Maclaren first heard about the proposed data center last fall, his first reaction was: “Why our town?” But having grown up during what he described as the “heyday” of the Maine Yankee plant’s operation, Maclaren already knew the answer: the power infrastructure.&nbsp;</p>
  2225.  
  2226.  
  2227.  
  2228. <p>While in operation between 1972 and 1996, Maine Yankee was <a href="https://maineyankee.com/decommissioning/#:~:text=Related%20Documents-,Overview,longer%20economically%20viable%20to%20operate.">Maine’s largest generator of electricity</a>. Since Wiscasset acquired the Old Ferry Road property, a number of <a href="https://www.boothbayregister.com/article/county-commissioners/263789">energy industry</a> players have <a href="https://www.wiscassetnewspaper.com/article/repower-wiscasset-pursues-clean-energy-park/186923">eyed the site</a> for its proximity to the nuclear plant’s legacy electricity infrastructure, but no developments have ever materialized.</p>
  2229.  
  2230.  
  2231.  
  2232. <p>“All of those wires and substations are still there,” Peter Arnold said. Arnold&#8217;s RePower Wiscasset is a local group promoting renewable energy and sustainable development on the old Maine Yankee parcel. “We have the capacity to connect with not only the rest of Maine, but all of New England. Wiscasset is sitting on this amazing, valuable, underutilized legacy electricity infrastructure.”</p>
  2233.  
  2234.  
  2235.  
  2236. <p>“It’s a prime spot,” Maclaren said. “I understand that. But then again, my question still stands. What benefit is this place going to give the Wiscasset residents?”</p>
  2237.  
  2238.  
  2239.  
  2240. <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240039" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8838-1-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong>Maine Yankee’s legacy electricity infrastructure includes a substation and high-voltage transmission lines from when the nuclear generating plant supplied power across Maine and New England.&nbsp;</strong>(Photo by Julia Tilton / The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  2241.  
  2242.  
  2243.  
  2244. <p>While news of the data center became public in September, 2025, there weren’t a lot of details about what a facility would entail, said Jim Stewart, a Wiscasset resident who’s part of the Protect Wiscasset group. Information about how much electricity and water a campus would use was obscured behind a nondisclosure agreement that the town manager, Dennis Simmons, signed on August 19, 2025, with the developer.&nbsp;</p>
  2245.  
  2246.  
  2247.  
  2248. <p>Chrostowsky told the Daily Yonder that the town decided to sign the NDA in order to access the site evaluator’s financial information. After months of regular communication with the site evaluator, Chrostowsky said that the idea of a data center “started to get legs” in the summer of 2025, shortly before the NDA was signed.</p>
  2249.  
  2250.  
  2251.  
  2252. <p>The agreement prohibits the town from sharing the name of the site evaluator or any technical details about the project with the public.</p>
  2253.  
  2254.  
  2255.  
  2256. <p>“That&#8217;s what really got under our skin – you’re not giving us any answers, you’re not giving us any information, and yet, this thing seems to have a great deal of momentum,” Stewart said about Protect Wiscasset’s efforts to learn more about the data center during town and county meetings last fall.&nbsp;</p>
  2257.  
  2258.  
  2259.  
  2260. <p>Maclaren, too, said the plans were secretive. He described the whole thing as “hush hush.” After working on the decommissioning of Maine Yankee in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Maclaren remembers how the town’s tax revenue dried up when the plant was gone. In his opinion, a data center would have to meet or exceed the benefits Wiscasset received during its Maine Yankee days. “When it comes to our tax revenue, I’d say they have to beat it,” Maclaren said.</p>
  2261.  
  2262.  
  2263.  
  2264. <p>Chrostowsky told the Daily Yonder that he saw the NDA as a typical development tool to learn more about a potential project while protecting the project’s interests. Yet, after the public backlash that ensued over the data center last fall, Chrostowsky said the decision to sign the NDA is one he’s revisited.&nbsp;</p>
  2265.  
  2266.  
  2267.  
  2268. <p>“The NDA is one part of it that I’ve lamented about, and I struggle with. On occasion, we have conversations about that here, whether we do that again,” Chrostowsky said.</p>
  2269.  
  2270.  
  2271.  
  2272. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Wishy-Washy Plans</strong></h3>
  2273.  
  2274.  
  2275.  
  2276. <p class="has-drop-cap has-normal-font-size">Meanwhile, months before the data center became public, Wiscasset had gone back and forth with Lincoln County about the ARPA funds. On March 3, 2025, Lincoln County administrator Carrie Kipfer wrote to Wiscasset’s town selectboard, which functions like a city council, expressing concerns that Wiscasset’s plans for using the federal money had “significantly changed”.&nbsp;</p>
  2277.  
  2278.  
  2279.  
  2280. <p>She wrote that using ARPA funds for a data center was “outside the scope of the project that was approved.” On March 24, 2025, in response to Kipfer, Wiscasset town manager Dennis Simmons defended the town’s actions, describing the potential data center as “game-changing, not only for the Town of Wiscasset’s economic development but also for the County as a whole.” Simmons continued that “the potential is such that it would be a grave disservice to our community not to do our due diligence and explore this possibility.”&nbsp;</p>
  2281.  
  2282.  
  2283.  
  2284. <p>Wiscasset residents were still completely unaware of talks of a data center in their community at this time.</p>
  2285.  
  2286.  
  2287.  
  2288. <p>“I think the opportunity presented itself to try and develop a data center there, and I think that they had the idea that they could use the funding award that we had awarded them to position themselves better for that project,” Evan Goodkowsky, a lifelong Wiscasset resident and one of Lincoln County’s three commissioners, told the Daily Yonder.</p>
  2289.  
  2290.  
  2291.  
  2292. <p>At this point last spring, Goodkowsky said, the commissioners weren’t confident that Wiscasset was going to use the ARPA funds they’d been awarded by the December 31, 2026, spending deadline. Goodkowsky described a “wishy-washiness of the plan” in terms of the type of development that the town wanted to pursue.</p>
  2293.  
  2294.  
  2295.  
  2296. <p>By March 27, 2025, the county had withheld Wiscasset’s ARPA funding, according to a memo between Kipfer and Lincoln County commissioners. In that memo, Kipfer wrote, “The Town argues that the scope of the project has not changed since their original application; however, a 200-acre data center is not compatible with their vision of a ‘Great American Neighborhood.’”&nbsp;</p>
  2297.  
  2298.  
  2299.  
  2300. <p>Kipfer continued on to express concerns about Wiscasset’s actions, including that “it appears the Town is ‘shopping around’ for alternative development opportunities” not necessarily aligned with the county’s housing priorities. She wrote, “The approval was given for $240,000, a sum that is not mere pocket change. The intent of the project approval was to move the housing priorities forward in Lincoln County.”</p>
  2301.  
  2302.  
  2303.  
  2304. <p>“We were only concerned with the housing issue, and we weren’t interested in helping a private developer build a multi-million, if not multi-billion, dollar facility,” Goodkowsky said of the commissioners’ decision.</p>
  2305.  
  2306.  
  2307.  
  2308. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The County Loses Confidence</strong></h3>
  2309.  
  2310.  
  2311.  
  2312. <p class="has-drop-cap has-normal-font-size">At the end of May of 2025, Kipfer sent a letter to Wiscasset’s selectboard telling the board the county was rescinding its offer of ARPA funding. The county came to that decision, Kipfer wrote, because the town was still exploring a data center on the Old Ferry Road property that, at 200 acres, was too large to accommodate any housing development on the same parcel.&nbsp;</p>
  2313.  
  2314.  
  2315.  
  2316. <p>“This exploration is not a result of a public engagement process, nor a recommendation of the MECERP analysis, but an economic development opportunity misaligned from the housing priorities required in the grant process,” Kipfer wrote.&nbsp;</p>
  2317.  
  2318.  
  2319.  
  2320. <p>The <a href="https://www.wiscasset.gov/DocumentCenter/View/765/MECERP-Summary-of-Public-Survey-Responses">MECERP analysis</a>, which had been completed in January of 2025, surveyed the community to see what kinds of development they’d want on town-owned land. At the top of the list were parks and recreation, retail, shopping, and culture and entertainment venues. Technology and light industry, the categories under which data centers are developed, were not on the list of community-determined priorities.</p>
  2321.  
  2322.  
  2323.  
  2324. <p>Kipfer concluded the May 29, 2025, letter by saying that the Lincoln County commissioners “no longer have confidence that the funds will be used for the advancement of the development of affordable workforce housing.”&nbsp;</p>
  2325.  
  2326.  
  2327.  
  2328. <p>Simmons, the town manager, responded two days later, writing that Wiscasset hadn’t used any ARPA funds and was “choosing to instead invest its own resources in site assessments, surveys, and planning groundwork.” Wiscasset continued to move forward with data center development plans over the summer.&nbsp;</p>
  2329.  
  2330.  
  2331.  
  2332. <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240037" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8869-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong>Members of the Protect Wiscasset group show a map of the Old Ferry Road property, 300 acres of town-owned land acquired from Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company in the early 2000s.&nbsp;</strong>(Photo by Julia Tilton / The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  2333.  
  2334.  
  2335.  
  2336. <p>By the fall, the town was also trying to save its ARPA funding.&nbsp;</p>
  2337.  
  2338.  
  2339.  
  2340. <p>At the September 16, 2025, county commissioner meeting, Simmons <a href="https://www.lincolncountymaine.me/_files/ugd/5ad6c7_1144a1e52e2e4345b309bce069109dc1.pdf">requested</a> to redirect the town’s ARPA funds from the Old Ferry Road property to a different site for housing development. The commissioners raised concerns about that plan, noting that other projects in the county might be better prepared to use the ARPA funds by the 2026 deadline.&nbsp;</p>
  2341.  
  2342.  
  2343.  
  2344. <p>Over the next several weeks, Wiscasset communicated with Lincoln County about reapplying for the rescinded $240,000, per correspondence obtained by the Daily Yonder. On October 20, 2025, Kipfer wrote to the town selectboard informing them that Lincoln County would not be entertaining applications for new projects. </p>
  2345.  
  2346.  
  2347.  
  2348. <p>Kipfer expressed concerns about Wiscasset’s development plans in relation to U.S. Treasury rules. Any wrongful obligation or spending of federal funds “could have a negative effect on all Lincoln County municipalities,” Kipfer wrote, adding that the county was taking steps necessary to “mitigate that financial risk.”&nbsp;</p>
  2349.  
  2350.  
  2351.  
  2352. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Empty Land, Declining Trust</strong></h3>
  2353.  
  2354.  
  2355.  
  2356. <p class="has-drop-cap has-normal-font-size">In the six months since Wiscasset’s selectboard paused conversations about developing the Old Ferry Road property, little new information has come to light, according to residents.&nbsp;</p>
  2357.  
  2358.  
  2359.  
  2360. <p>Around the state, backlash to data center proposals <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/as-data-centers-look-to-rural-new-england-maine-considers-a-moratorium/2026/02/23/">prompted</a> the Maine legislature to take up the issue this spring, <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/maine-is-set-to-ban-data-centers-becoming-the-first-state-in-the-nation-to-do-so/2026/04/15/">sending a bill</a> to the governor’s desk in April. The bill would have imposed an 18-month moratorium on data centers with power loads above 20 megawatts. Governor Mills <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/maine-governor-vetoes-first-in-nation-data-center-moratorium-bill-greenlights-rural-development/2026/04/27/">vetoed</a> that measure on April 24, 2026. In Wiscasset, Chrostowsky said he has not heard from the site evaluator about a data center since the town paused discussions last November.</p>
  2361.  
  2362.  
  2363.  
  2364. <figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="520" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-240038" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_8903-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong>As seen from across the Back River in April</strong> of<strong> 2026, the 300-acre site where the idea for a data center was made public last fall remains undeveloped in Wiscasset, Maine.&nbsp;</strong>(Photo by Julia Tilton / The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  2365.  
  2366.  
  2367.  
  2368. <p>And housing, at least funded by federal dollars, is also unlikely to be built on the property anytime soon.</p>
  2369.  
  2370.  
  2371.  
  2372. <p>“The ARPA funds were certainly what seems like a one-time thing,” said Seth Parker, the director of real estate development at Bath Housing, the local housing authority in the city of Bath, Maine, just south of Wiscasset. Accessing other federal funding sources is tricky, Parker said: “Other funds get parsed out in various ways. It doesn’t create a simple mechanism to develop in rural communities, that’s for sure, or in places like Lincoln County.”</p>
  2373.  
  2374.  
  2375.  
  2376. <p>Goodkowsky, who grew up in Wiscasset during and after the decommissioning of Maine Yankee, said the town has a “boom and bust” dynamic. After the loss of the ARPA funds, he doesn’t see the town moving forward on housing developments anytime soon.&nbsp;</p>
  2377.  
  2378.  
  2379.  
  2380. <p>“Realistically, I don&#8217;t see them being a power player in any new housing project in the next handful of years,” Goodkowsky said.</p>
  2381.  
  2382.  
  2383.  
  2384. <p>Peter Arnold is working with Aaron Chrostowsky on other opportunities for the town, including developing a strategic energy plan for Wiscasset with help from a <a href="https://www.energy.gov/cmei/energy-technology-innovation-partnership-project">U.S. Department of Energy technical assistance program</a>. Three months into that work, Arnold said the data center still “clouds” the field. The handling of the data center proposal did not build the public’s trust in the town government, he said.&nbsp;</p>
  2385.  
  2386.  
  2387.  
  2388. <p>In rural America, the story of data center development is not only about technology or infrastructure. It’s also about local governance and decision-making. When a powerful industry comes in and exercises its financial might, it’s often up to local elected leaders to balance attractive economic prospects with a community’s existing needs for other kinds of developments. In Midcoast Maine, a data center stalled.&nbsp;</p>
  2389.  
  2390.  
  2391.  
  2392. <p>So did affordable housing in its wake.&nbsp;</p>
  2393.  
  2394.  
  2395.  
  2396. <p>As for the land on Old Ferry Road? “Wiscasset is now vulnerable again to development,” Arnold said. “$5 billion can buy a lot of influence.”</p>
  2397.  
  2398.  
  2399.  
  2400. <p></p>
  2401. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/how-a-data-center-derailed-240000-for-affordable-housing-in-rural-maine/2026/05/08/">How a Data Center Derailed $240,000 for Affordable Housing in Rural Maine</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  2410. <title>Yonder Radio: Bluegrass on American Idol, News in the Ozarks, and Running for Office</title>
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  2415. <pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 10:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
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  2420. <p>Tune into Yonder Radio this week for conversations about local news in the Ozarks, running for office, and rural education. </p>
  2421. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-05-07-2026/2026/05/08/">Yonder Radio: Bluegrass on American Idol, News in the Ozarks, and Running for Office</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  2430. <p>Every week, we bring listeners rural conversations with national reach.</p>
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  2434. <p>This week we have a&nbsp; story about thriving newspapers in the Ozarks from Daily Yonder contributor Kaitlyn McConnell. Then, we&#8217;re headed to Minnesota to learn about a new nonpartisan program for people running for local office from Engage Winona and learning about Lead for America with Taylor Stuckert.</p>
  2435.  
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  2438. <p>We’ll also hear about a unique Wild Turkey festival (WTF) in a small town in the Colorado mountains and learn about rural education needs with the National Rural Education Association. Back in the midwest, we’ll visit a small town with the world&#8217;s largest rocking chair with Frankie Felegy from Arts Midwest.&nbsp;</p>
  2439.  
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  2442. <p>Our musician this week is Landon Hughes, a young artist from Appalachia who got past the audition and made it to Hollywood week on American Idol.</p>
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  2446. <p>All this and more on Yonder Radio, rural conversations with national reach.&nbsp;</p>
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  2514. <p><strong>Yonder Radio</strong>&nbsp;is a new, free, hour-long show that is fresh every week and designed to help fill programming gaps. We’ll feature nuanced stories that represent the 60 million people who live in rural America, and the distinct communities they call home.</p>
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  2518. <p>Each week will start with a news round-up: think of this as the top headlines read through a rural lens. For instance, how does a government shutdown affect federal workers living in rural communities? Or, what do changes in Medicare policy mean for small town hospitals? We’ll also talk with reporters for in-depth but conversational segments going beyond the headlines, exploring their coverage on topics shaping rural communities. We’ll highlight how these stories unfold across different regions, offering local nuance with a broader perspective.</p>
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  2530. <p>Public media just took a $1.1 billion hit, thanks to recent Congressional cuts, and as we’ve all seen, it’s rural broadcasters that bear the brunt. And even before these cuts, the rural communities we all cover have felt the consequences of a media landscape transformed by conglomerates, consolidation, and the declining resources available to local outlets.&nbsp;</p>
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  2534. <p><strong>Yonder Radio&nbsp;</strong>is designed to fill programming gaps for those stations struggling to find quality content. It will be formatted to fit stations’ needs with internal breaks built in.&nbsp;The show&nbsp;gives stations an accessible, flexible, high-quality hour of content every week.</p>
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  2542. <p><strong>Yonder Radio&nbsp;</strong>is produced by the Center for Rural Strategies, publisher of the Daily Yonder. Centering rural stories with nuance, context, and care has made the Daily Yonder the nation’s preeminent source for rural news for nearly two decades. Rural Strategies’ additional programs, including Rural Assembly, Rural Faith Initiative, and Living Traditions, will provide enriching voices and stories to this collaborative radio show.&nbsp;<strong>Yonder Radio&nbsp;</strong>is hosted by Jared Ewy, a veteran radio personality and regular contributor to the Daily Yonder.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  2543. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-05-07-2026/2026/05/08/">Yonder Radio: Bluegrass on American Idol, News in the Ozarks, and Running for Office</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  2550. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">240032</post-id> </item>
  2551. <item>
  2552. <title>Q&#038;A: DJ Salazar Is Big on Rural Collaboration</title>
  2553. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/path-finders-dj-salazar-is-big-on-rural-collaboration/2026/05/08/</link>
  2554. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/path-finders-dj-salazar-is-big-on-rural-collaboration/2026/05/08/#respond</comments>
  2556. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ilana Newman]]></dc:creator>
  2557. <pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2558. <category><![CDATA[Community & Economic Development]]></category>
  2559. <category><![CDATA[Path Finders]]></category>
  2560. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=240149</guid>
  2561.  
  2562. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2563. <p>Editor’s Note: This interview first appeared in Path Finders, an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each week, Path Finders features a Q&#38;A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Like what you see here? You can join the mailing list at the bottom of this article and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week. [&#8230;]</p>
  2564. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/path-finders-dj-salazar-is-big-on-rural-collaboration/2026/05/08/">Q&amp;A: DJ Salazar Is Big on Rural Collaboration</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2565. ]]></description>
  2566. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC03763-1-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2567. <p><em>Editor’s Note: This interview first appeared in <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/path-finders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Path Finders</a>, an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each week, Path Finders features a Q&amp;A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Like what you see here? You can <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-appalachian-potter-josh-copus-has-mud-in-the-blood/2025/06/20/#signup">join the mailing list at the bottom of this article</a> and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week.</em></p>
  2568.  
  2569.  
  2570.  
  2571. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  2572.  
  2573.  
  2574.  
  2575. <p>DJ Salazar is the director of <a href="https://www.slvcs.org/">SLV Community Solutions</a>, a collaborative nonprofit in the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. He also founded <a href="https://www.valleyvetrec.org/">Valley Veterans Recreation</a>, a nonprofit that gets veterans outdoors. He’s someone who spends an hour at the grocery store when he runs into a neighbor who wants to chat. And he’s someone deeply invested in the communities that he calls home.</p>
  2576.  
  2577.  
  2578.  
  2579. <p>The San Luis Valley is huge and unique –&nbsp;six counties stretch across the high elevation valley with towns dotted across it. It runs from the New Mexico border to some of the highest mountains in the state, bordered by Salida to the north, Wolf Creek Pass to the west, and the Great Sand Dunes National Park to the east.&nbsp;</p>
  2580.  
  2581.  
  2582.  
  2583. <p>Salazar calls the valley a “melting pot of cultures” – there’s Spanish, German, Dutch, and Indigenous influences across the region. The largest town is Alamosa, which has almost 10,000 residents, but with small towns dappled across the valley, residents of the region still sometimes struggle to come together. Salazar is the person bringing people and organizations together to make change across the valley.&nbsp;</p>
  2584.  
  2585.  
  2586.  
  2587. <ul class="wp-block-list">
  2588. <li><em>Ilana Newman</em></li>
  2589. </ul>
  2590.  
  2591.  
  2592.  
  2593. <p><em>This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.&nbsp;</em></p>
  2594.  
  2595.  
  2596.  
  2597. <p><strong>Ilana Newman, Daily Yonder: Can you just tell me a little bit about yourself and what you’re doing with SLV Community Solutions?</strong></p>
  2598.  
  2599.  
  2600.  
  2601. <p><strong>DJ Salazar: </strong>I&#8217;m DJ Salazar. I&#8217;m from the San Luis Valley. Been here my whole 35 years of life. Right now I work out of Alamosa and remotely as well, out of San Luis. So I&#8217;m all over the valley. I&#8217;m the director of SLV Community Solutions, and I also founded a local nonprofit for veterans called Valley Veterans Recreation. If I&#8217;m not working, I&#8217;m outdoors, or if I&#8217;m not outdoors, I&#8217;m probably outdoors working.&nbsp;</p>
  2602.  
  2603.  
  2604.  
  2605. <p><strong>DY:</strong><strong> </strong><strong>SLV Community Solutions has a goal of creating solutions through collaboration. Why do you see collaboration as key in a rural community like the San Luis Valley?</strong></p>
  2606.  
  2607.  
  2608.  
  2609. <p><strong>DJS:</strong> Well, all of our communities are pretty small. Collaboration really helps with capacity building and getting people together who are doing the same things without duplicating the process – trying to help push projects along further. Lately, we&#8217;ve had some really great success. We&#8217;ve been around for three years now – so our projects are in their third year – and we&#8217;ve been able to track the growth. We also do data infrastructure for the Valley right now to help with these collaborations. [A] food access survey was our last one, so we&#8217;re able to send that information to other nonprofit organizations or other organizations in the Valley to help see the need, [and] fill the need. Who&#8217;s doing what? How to help them better work together? We&#8217;re basically the connector to get it going. &nbsp;</p>
  2610.  
  2611.  
  2612.  
  2613. <p><strong>DY: Tell me about some of the organizations that you&#8217;re collaborating with. What does that look like?</strong></p>
  2614.  
  2615.  
  2616.  
  2617. <p><strong>DJS:</strong> We&#8217;re working with <a href="https://www.slvaaa.org/">South Central Seniors</a>, which helps out a lot of our senior community in all six counties, and <a href="https://careandshare.org/">Care and Share</a> [a local food bank]. Right now, [in] one of our counties, our seniors have very little food access. Some of the programs that they had there years ago haven&#8217;t been there in a year now, like the Meals on Wheels and the <a href="https://www.ncoa.org/article/what-is-a-congregate-meal-how-do-they-benefit-older-adults/">congregate meal place</a>. So, we were able to connect Care and Share with South Central. Now we&#8217;re getting more emergency food boxes in Saguache. We&#8217;re working on how to make referrals with local agencies there, so people can get the word out about what services South Central provides, so then that way they can have more of a population to serve out there, and they&#8217;re not just serving one or two people. So that&#8217;s been one of our projects. We&#8217;re also hosting a collaboration summit – bring more people together and get people in groups to spark collaboration and see what projects are already going on and how we could work together. You know, instead of being in our own silos and thinking just because we&#8217;re 10 miles away from each other, we don&#8217;t understand or can&#8217;t work with each other.</p>
  2618.  
  2619.  
  2620.  
  2621. <p><strong>DY: The San Luis Valley is such a unique place, because it is one geographic region, but there are all these separate towns. Like you said, it’s six counties. That&#8217;s huge. Historically, what has collaboration looked like? Have they been siloed, each community kind of doing its own thing?</strong></p>
  2622.  
  2623.  
  2624.  
  2625. <p><strong>DJS: </strong>A lot of times, what&#8217;s happened is that organizations come and go, or leaders come and go, and places get forgotten about, or there&#8217;s higher priority, in some [other] places. Working with places like Saguache, they&#8217;ve lost trust in some of these organizations. They&#8217;re having to fend for themselves. They&#8217;re super siloed. [In] Costilla County, places like San Luis (and a lot of those villages that are around those places) just got their market back, like six months ago. Before that, it went three years without a market. So it was zero food access, minus the commodities boxes that come into the two towns: Fort Garland and San Luis. So towns lose a lot of trust. It makes it a little bit harder for them to buy into programming or new organizations wanting to help, and sometimes they&#8217;ve never even been offered the help, so they don&#8217;t know how to accept it.&nbsp;</p>
  2626.  
  2627.  
  2628.  
  2629. <p><strong>DY:</strong><strong> </strong><strong>What do you do to rebuild that trust?</strong></p>
  2630.  
  2631.  
  2632.  
  2633. <p><strong>DJS: </strong>Show up. You just keep showing up. With almost everybody we&#8217;ve worked with, it&#8217;s been, ‘yeah, it sounds good’ when you make the pitch. But it&#8217;s the showing up, it&#8217;s the follow up. It&#8217;s the calling and making sure that they&#8217;re good, or if they need anything, and when they ask for something, you accomplish it. Say what you say, do what you say you&#8217;re going to do. We&#8217;ve had a lot of great success with just making sure, if we say we&#8217;re going to show up, we follow up. We make those phone calls. We get them connected with who they need to connect with. That&#8217;s built up trust. And then they tell people about what we&#8217;re doing. So it makes connections easier as we go along. But it&#8217;s definitely just being consistent.</p>
  2634.  
  2635.  
  2636.  
  2637. <p><strong>DY: What is that pitch? What do you go in and say, ‘This is what we can offer you’?</strong></p>
  2638.  
  2639.  
  2640.  
  2641. <p><strong>DJS:</strong> Well, for example, we&#8217;ll do our homework before. So for South Central, we knew through our survey that Sauguache was one of the areas that needed help. So we just went in and discussed. We know the needs there, we show them the data, and then we also, again, do our homework with what partners could help. We&#8217;re going in with the plan, and then we get them linked up, and then stay in the mix and ask the follow up questions. So we just kind of know ahead of time what they&#8217;re going through, and how we can help, as opposed to just saying “we&#8217;re here to help and we help solve problems.” The community is so small we run into each other at Safeway or Walmart or wherever, and it turns a ten minute grocery trip into an hour of talking about what&#8217;s going on, so it&#8217;s been good to be from here. People know what&#8217;s going on in our communities. I&#8217;ve worked in every realm: housing authority as maintenance, nursing homes as activities and driver. I volunteer a lot with the youth, taking the kids from <a href="https://www.montevista.gov/kidsconnection">Monte Vista Kids Connection</a> – we do archery days and fishing days. So when you&#8217;re there, you&#8217;ll get to hear some things. Parents will tell you what&#8217;s going on. Seniors will definitely tell you what&#8217;s going on. We absorb it and try to see where we can step in to help.</p>
  2642.  
  2643.  
  2644.  
  2645. <p><strong>DY:</strong><strong> </strong><strong>So it sounds like food is a big focus. Is that just because that&#8217;s what you&#8217;re hearing or are there other areas you are working in?</strong></p>
  2646.  
  2647.  
  2648.  
  2649. <p><strong>DJS: </strong>So we do a community needs assessment and we report that back to the state and to the Fed[eral government], and this go round was food access. Because of some of the dire needs that have emerged throughout the past two years, we also do a school supply drive and distribution. Historically, Alamosa would get a backpack school supply drive. And that left out the various other school districts. So we partnered up with <a href="https://lapuentehome.org/">La Puente</a> and one of their [programs], <a href="https://lapuentehome.org/adelante/">Adelante</a>, and we were able to connect with funders and get marketing out. Our first year it was seven different schools, and we were able to get school supplies to 1,500 kids. And then last year we doubled everything – we got to 14 schools, and we helped out 3,500 students. We also get survey questions to ask the parents. What else are they going through? [Do they need] help with bills or utilities? We try to build a picture so we can keep presenting to our board what issues are out there, trying to look at it as a whole and not just one issue&nbsp;</p>
  2650.  
  2651.  
  2652.  
  2653. <p><strong>DY:</strong><strong> </strong><strong>So I know you started the </strong><a href="https://www.valleyvetrec.org/"><strong>Valley Veterans Recreation</strong></a><strong>, which helps veterans get outside. Can you tell me a little bit more about why it is important to make sure that there are spaces like that for veterans?</strong></p>
  2654.  
  2655.  
  2656.  
  2657. <p><strong>DJS: </strong>Around here, until recently, there haven&#8217;t really been many veteran nonprofits. I was a driver at the Veterans Center in Monte Vista on a nine-month contract. And when I was there, I would take them fishing, any volunteer time I got. They have a lake across the street. So I was like, fishing is a great way to just be distracted and talk. You know, it gets people comfortable. You can open up. And so after I did that, I tried to volunteer to go back and do that, but Covid hit, so volunteering for that was kind of hard. And through Covid, I was just trying to figure out how we could help and get resources out to veterans who may be in need, and also give them a good time, get their minds off things. So I got together with a group of guys, and we were able to form Valley Veterans Recreation. Thanks to the LOR Foundation, they were able to get us money for bows, and we were able to purchase six archery bows, and we&#8217;re able to give those out to six different veterans and first responders to start a new hobby. And then that in turn we were donated another six bows by the outdoor depot out of Poncha Springs to keep this initiative going. I&#8217;m working on a veterans fishing day coming up this summer, a barbecue, so we can continue to [share] the groups who are doing veterans benefits, who are familiar with the VA system, who could help people navigate. I&#8217;ve been getting a lot of phone calls for senior veterans needing remodels on their bathroom so they could get in and out of the shower or use the restroom and stuff. Try to get those resources made available to our community members here. We&#8217;re utilizing the outdoors, and everybody loves free burgers and throwing a line in the water around here.&nbsp;</p>
  2658.  
  2659.  
  2660.  
  2661. <p><strong>DY:&nbsp;</strong></p>
  2662.  
  2663.  
  2664.  
  2665. <p><strong>What inspires you about these communities that you&#8217;re working in?</strong></p>
  2666.  
  2667.  
  2668.  
  2669. <p><strong>DJS:</strong> Everything. I love being around here. I have so many stories from every different corner. I go hiking, and have family in all these corners. And you know, I was raised in almost every one of these towns. If it wasn&#8217;t football or wrestling or whatever sport, we would go visit. And then now that the perspective I have on life right now is like seeing the need in our communities. It seems like it&#8217;s getting attracted to me – people will tell me what&#8217;s going on in these communities. And so it&#8217;s inspiring that I&#8217;ve been able to crack some of the codes and be able to help. Using that power to continue helping, until more people pick up the torch. So it inspires me to just keep pushing on and to inspire people. And hopefully we could keep our community thriving.&nbsp;</p>
  2670.  
  2671.  
  2672.  
  2673. <p><strong>DY:</strong><strong> </strong><strong>How can people support the work that you&#8217;re doing in all these communities?</strong></p>
  2674.  
  2675.  
  2676.  
  2677. <p><strong>DJS:</strong> We&#8217;re on all social media. SLV Community Solutions does have an up to date website. We could always use volunteers. We could always use donations to food banks, or for our school supply drive.</p>
  2678.  
  2679.  
  2680.  
  2681. <p>Find DJ and SLV Community Solutions on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568134838717&amp;mibextid=JRoKGi">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/slvcommunitysolutions/">Instagram</a> and their <a href="https://slvcs.org/">website</a>.&nbsp;</p>
  2682. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/path-finders-dj-salazar-is-big-on-rural-collaboration/2026/05/08/">Q&amp;A: DJ Salazar Is Big on Rural Collaboration</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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