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  31. <title>Q&#038;A: West Liberty City Council Member Dana Dominguez</title>
  32. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/qa-west-liberty-city-council-member-dana-dominguez/2026/07/17/</link>
  33. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/qa-west-liberty-city-council-member-dana-dominguez/2026/07/17/#respond</comments>
  35. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anya Petrone Slepyan]]></dc:creator>
  36. <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  37. <category><![CDATA[Government & Policy]]></category>
  38. <category><![CDATA[Rural Voters & Elections]]></category>
  39. <category><![CDATA[Path Finders]]></category>
  40. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241722</guid>
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  42. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="682" height="1024" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dana-Dominguez-Headshot-1-2-e1784288291220.jpg?fit=682%2C1024&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/2026/07/Dana-Dominguez-Headshot-1-2-e1784288291220.jpg?fit=682%2C1024&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dana-Dominguez-Headshot-1-2-e1784288291220.jpg?fit=682%2C1024&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=400 400w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  43. <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>
  44. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-west-liberty-city-council-member-dana-dominguez/2026/07/17/">Q&amp;A: West Liberty City Council Member Dana Dominguez</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  46. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="682" height="1024" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dana-Dominguez-Headshot-1-2-e1784288291220.jpg?fit=682%2C1024&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/2026/07/Dana-Dominguez-Headshot-1-2-e1784288291220.jpg?fit=682%2C1024&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dana-Dominguez-Headshot-1-2-e1784288291220.jpg?fit=682%2C1024&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=400 400w" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  47. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Editor’s Note: This interview first appeared in </em><a href="https://dailyyonder.com/path-finders/"><em>Path Finders</em></a><em>, 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 </em><a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-appalachian-potter-josh-copus-has-mud-in-the-blood/2025/06/20/#signup"><em>join the mailing list at the bottom of this article</em></a><em> and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week.</em></p>
  48.  
  49.  
  50.  
  51. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Dana Dominguez is a city council member in West Liberty, the first majority Latinx community in Iowa. Last year, West Liberty found themselves in the national spotlight after a local teenager was rapidly deported over Fourth of July weekend. I spoke with Dana about her role as a local leader in a time when state and federal policies are restricting local power.&nbsp;</p>
  52.  
  53.  
  54.  
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  58.  
  59. <p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph"><em>This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.&nbsp;</em></p>
  60.  
  61.  
  62.  
  63. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Anya Petrone Slepyan, the Daily Yonder:&nbsp; </strong>Can you introduce yourself and your town?</p>
  64.  
  65.  
  66.  
  67. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Dana Dominguez: </strong>I am a city council member in a small little town in Southeast Iowa called West Liberty. And it is my hometown. I grew up there. I played sports there. I had 87 kids in my class, so very small. We have a population of almost 4,000 people, and it&#8217;s a very different, diverse little city. We are a meatpacking plant town. So that&#8217;s how my parents met, working in the meatpacking plant. I traveled the world and went off to college, and I came back here because it’s where I wanted to raise my children. And then I ran for office. And so here I am.</p>
  68.  
  69.  
  70.  
  71. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DY: </strong>What has it meant for you to grow up in West Liberty and leave it, and then come back and now be somebody who&#8217;s in charge of making decisions and supporting the local community in a really tangible way?</p>
  72.  
  73.  
  74.  
  75. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DD: </strong>Well, first of all, I never thought that I would do something like this, but you know, I was living in Los Angeles, and my <em>tia</em>, my aunt, became the first Latina alderman in Moline, Illinois. And she was in LA for a conference. This was 20 years ago, and I picked her up from the airport, and we had lunch, and she was telling me what she does. I didn&#8217;t even know what an alderman was, and she&#8217;s like, &#8220;<em>Mija,</em> you should go back home and run for office, they really need you.” And I&#8217;m like, yeah, right, I&#8217;m not doing that, I&#8217;m staying in California forever. She&#8217;s like, “no, it makes a difference.” And so years later, when Trump took office the first time, I had already come back home, started raising my children, and I just noticed some really divisive language on social media and interactions that I didn&#8217;t like. And this wasn&#8217;t the city that I remembered growing up in. That led me to run for office, because I was like, I gotta do something. I didn&#8217;t know what I was doing, but I had to do something. And when I ran, I brought in different folks from the community too, to run, and myself and Council Member Martinez, we won against incumbents, and we became the first Latino majority city council in the state of Iowa, which for our town, which is the first majority non-white community in the state of Iowa, meant a lot. It’s an honor.</p>
  76.  
  77.  
  78.  
  79. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DY: </strong>West Liberty is a small town of around 4,000 people, but you made national headlines last July. Can you tell me a bit about that?</p>
  80.  
  81.  
  82.  
  83. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DD: </strong>We had a community member, Pascual Pedro Pedro. He was 19 years old. He had just graduated the year before. He was a soccer star, led the team to state, really active in his church, in his community, and very much loved. Had a job, had a work visa, had been there since he was 13 years old, and he had gone in for his annual [ICE] check-in with his grandfather, and he was detained, and I saw a huge shift in our community. I mean, we raised over $20,000 overnight, and we&#8217;re a low-income community. Our pastor, the Catholic pastor, Father Guillermo – who was really a fighter for immigrant rights, and just a wonderful person for the folks in our community – had contacted Bernie Sanders, and Bernie had come to listen to the folks in our community who were hurting and talk about what was happening at the federal level. And so he had learned about what had happened to Pascual, and posted it on his Twitter, and then it kind of went viral from there. I saw a shift in people in our community coming together who vote differently, like “this is one of ours.” When you come for one of us in West Liberty, you&#8217;re going to face us all, and that gave me a lot more hope.</p>
  84.  
  85.  
  86.  
  87. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DY: </strong>When you think about divisions in the country – I think internet discourse is probably the best example of this – where it can be totally anonymous, and you&#8217;re just on your computer, yelling at somebody else who’s on their computer. That kind of separation and that insulation from real human interaction is part of what causes so much of this ability to dismiss and write off and deny the humanity of other people who don&#8217;t look like us, or don&#8217;t agree with us, or don&#8217;t sound like us, or don&#8217;t talk like us. It sounds like West Liberty doesn&#8217;t have that option.</p>
  88.  
  89.  
  90.  
  91. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DD: </strong>No. Like, we have one grocery store where everybody goes. I can&#8217;t go to the grocery store without folks coming up to me and saying, “hey, so and so&#8217;s been letting their dog poop in my yard again,” or you know all of the little things, and I know exactly who they&#8217;re talking about. And it&#8217;s kind of beautiful. But on the other hand, we don&#8217;t have a lot of the resources that big cities have. I love that people feel comfortable coming up to me and letting me know their problems, but when Pascual got deported, that was devastating. We got an attorney. When I say we, I mean the community, but really it was the fight of this amazing group called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/escuchamivozia/?locale=es_LA&amp;checkpoint_src=any">Escucha Mi Voz</a>, who is really active in southeast Iowa. Ever since Pascual had been detained, they now have accompaniments where they&#8217;ll have 200 people out there outside a DHS building every first Tuesday of the month, and deportations have gone down dramatically since they started doing that. They got him an attorney, and it was over Fourth of July weekend, and then Monday after Fourth of July, his attorney was told that he was <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/07/30/story-of-deportation/">already deported</a>. So they&#8217;re doing it really, really fast. It was devastating.</p>
  92.  
  93.  
  94.  
  95. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DY: </strong>Pascual’s deportation is the result of a federal crackdown, which some states and localities have supported while others have tried to respond with their own policies. Can you tell me what was the ordinance that you had planned to propose, and then what would that have done for West Liberty?</p>
  96.  
  97.  
  98.  
  99. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DD: </strong>So a lot of smaller communities and counties had proposed these human rights resolution ordinances to offer protections for our immigrant residents, and also as kind of a clap back to the threats that our state legislators had made about stripping protections against discrimination due to gender, which they ended up doing.&nbsp;</p>
  100.  
  101.  
  102.  
  103. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In the meantime, I&#8217;m a LULAC member as well. LULAC is the oldest Latino civil rights group in the nation, it&#8217;s one of the largest, as well. It&#8217;s the League of United Latin American Citizens, and we were working with our local LULAC chapter to start preparing businesses for if ICE were to show up. We were ready, and then they passed these bills that again minimize our authority as local governments to do anything. I mean, we&#8217;re closest to the ground, and they want us to figure out how to take care of our communities, and then they restrict us from doing that. We don&#8217;t have lawyers to take on the state. And we&#8217;re a meat packing plant company but we&#8217;re not allowed to have sanctuary status anymore. They also passed a bill about that.</p>
  104.  
  105.  
  106.  
  107. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DY: </strong>You grew up in West Liberty, you&#8217;re now a council member for West Liberty. What do you love about your community, and what do you want people to know about it?&nbsp;</p>
  108.  
  109.  
  110.  
  111. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DD: </strong>What I love about my community is that I get to be a part of it. They are trailblazers. They established a dual language program, and now kids, regardless of their background, learn Spanish and English from kindergarten on. We&#8217;re resilient. When they were going to shut down our meat packing plant in the 90s, which would have been devastating, community members got together, some of the local turkey farmers got together, and they bought the plant. It&#8217;s West Liberty Foods now. And now it&#8217;s a worldwide organization. The best thing about West Liberty is that I get to be a part of it, my children get to be a part of it. It&#8217;s this feeling when you go through the school system and you meet the families and stuff, there&#8217;s a lot of pride there, because we change things, and we make history.&nbsp;</p>
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  128. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">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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  166. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-west-liberty-city-council-member-dana-dominguez/2026/07/17/">Q&amp;A: West Liberty City Council Member Dana Dominguez</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  173. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241722</post-id> </item>
  174. <item>
  175. <title>Yonder Radio: Combatting Appalachian Stereotypes, Maternal Healthcare, and Art Church</title>
  176. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-episode-118/2026/07/17/</link>
  177. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-episode-118/2026/07/17/#respond</comments>
  179. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff]]></dc:creator>
  180. <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  181. <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
  182. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241669</guid>
  183.  
  184. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?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/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=760%2C428&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1296%2C729&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?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>
  185. <p>Tune in for conversations about combating Applachian stereotypes through photography, maternal healthcare in Texas, building a community art center in an old church, and more. This week's featured artist is Sarah Burton.</p>
  186. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-episode-118/2026/07/17/">Yonder Radio: Combatting Appalachian Stereotypes, Maternal Healthcare, and Art Church</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  187. ]]></description>
  188. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?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/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=760%2C428&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1296%2C729&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?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>
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  191. </div></figure>
  192.  
  193.  
  194.  
  195. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Every week, Yonder Radio brings rural conversations with national reach to listeners around the country.</p>
  196.  
  197.  
  198.  
  199. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This week, we&#8217;ll start off hearing from Daily Yonder reporter Madeline de Figueiredo, who brings us <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/a-multimillion-dollar-investment-in-texass-maternal-health-care/2026/06/15/">a story about efforts to improve maternal health</a> care in rural Texas. An influx of funding for local providers will boost capacity, and help grow programs focused on holistic and culturally informed care.&nbsp;</p>
  200.  
  201.  
  202.  
  203. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Then, we travel to East Kentucky, where photographer <a href="https://www.humansofcentralappalachia.org/">Malcom Wilson</a> seeks to combat stereotypes of Appalachian women with a series of glamour shots in the style of old Hollywood. He joins us along with one of his models for the series, Jessica Leigh Hall. </p>
  204.  
  205.  
  206.  
  207. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">We catch up with Carlos Valdez, an incredible young man who has found his purpose as a motivational speaker. Then, our partners at the <a href="https://www.ruralstrategies.org/rural-faith-initiative">Rural Faith Initiative</a> highlight LGBTQ-affirming churches in the rural South.&nbsp;</p>
  208.  
  209.  
  210.  
  211. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">After that, we visit an <a href="https://www.thechurchproject.co/">entirely different kind of church</a>, which is now a multipurpose art, performance, and community space, in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, where we chatted with the founder, Madeleine Ahlborn. </p>
  212.  
  213.  
  214.  
  215. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Our featured musician is <a href="https://www.sarahburton.ca/">Sarah Burton</a>, a touring artist whose one true home is the road.&nbsp;</p>
  216.  
  217.  
  218.  
  219. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Tune in for all that, and more, on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ic6FoWAuSmSG7EqC2Nlg6?si=ce34b2df0be34ff0">this week’s episode of Yonder Radio</a>.</p>
  220.  
  221.  
  222.  
  223. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
  224.  
  225.  
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  229. </div></figure>
  230.  
  231.  
  232.  
  233. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">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 <a href="mailto:info@yonderradio.com">joel@ruralstrategies.org</a>.</p>
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  274.  
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  276. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><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>
  277. </div></div>
  278.  
  279.  
  280.  
  281. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">More Information About Yonder Radio</h2>
  282.  
  283.  
  284.  
  285. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>What?</strong></p>
  286.  
  287.  
  288.  
  289. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><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>
  290.  
  291.  
  292.  
  293. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">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>
  294.  
  295.  
  296.  
  297. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><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>
  298.  
  299.  
  300.  
  301. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Why?</strong></p>
  302.  
  303.  
  304.  
  305. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">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>
  306.  
  307.  
  308.  
  309. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><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>
  310.  
  311.  
  312.  
  313. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Who?</strong></p>
  314.  
  315.  
  316.  
  317. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><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>
  318.  
  319.  
  320.  
  321. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
  322. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-episode-118/2026/07/17/">Yonder Radio: Combatting Appalachian Stereotypes, Maternal Healthcare, and Art Church</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  323. ]]></content:encoded>
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  326. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  329. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241669</post-id> </item>
  330. <item>
  331. <title>Submissions Are Open for the 2026 Best in Rural Writing Contest</title>
  332. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/submissions-are-open-for-the-2026-best-in-rural-writing-contest/2026/07/16/</link>
  333. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/submissions-are-open-for-the-2026-best-in-rural-writing-contest/2026/07/16/#respond</comments>
  335. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christiana Wayne]]></dc:creator>
  336. <pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  337. <category><![CDATA[Arts & Culture]]></category>
  338. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241310</guid>
  339.  
  340. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-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/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-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>
  341. <p>The Best in Rural Writing Contest has returned for 2026. The contest, organized by the rural writing collective The Milk House, welcomes both fiction and nonfiction submissions and hopes to showcase the best of rural stories from around the world.&#160; Milk House Founder Ryan Dennis is a teacher living in Galway, Ireland, with deep roots [&#8230;]</p>
  342. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/submissions-are-open-for-the-2026-best-in-rural-writing-contest/2026/07/16/">Submissions Are Open for the 2026 Best in Rural Writing Contest</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="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-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/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-2-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Ryan-Dennis-author-photo-2025-color-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>
  345. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The <a href="https://www.themilkhouse.org/contest/">Best in Rural Writing Contest</a> has returned for 2026. The contest, organized by the rural writing collective The Milk House, welcomes both fiction and nonfiction submissions and hopes to showcase the best of rural stories from around the world.&nbsp;</p>
  346.  
  347.  
  348.  
  349. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Milk House Founder Ryan Dennis is a teacher living in Galway, Ireland, with deep roots and a passion for rural life. He details his own family history with the countryside in his most recent memoir, <em>Barn Gothic: Three Generations and the Death of the Family Dairy Farm</em>.&nbsp;</p>
  350.  
  351.  
  352.  
  353. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Part of his inspiration to begin The Milk House, and offer publishing opportunities to like-minded writers, was the indifference he faced when trying to get his own books published. After facing rejection from publishing houses in urban centers, he wanted to prove that there is an audience for–and real literary merit in–rural stories. “For those who aren’t from what’s conceived as a literary center like New York,” Dennis said, “I think ‘a chip on your shoulder’ is a pretty good description of the feeling sometimes.”</p>
  354.  
  355.  
  356.  
  357. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">And while his writing career has been deeply tied to his experience in the countryside, the contest he helps organize is a way to showcase just how textured and varied rural life can be. “One of the reasons that I enjoy working at The Milk House is that I get to step out of the way and allow other people to speak for themselves,” he told the Daily Yonder. “The guiding principle is just strong writing.”</p>
  358.  
  359.  
  360.  
  361. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Submissions are welcome up to 7,000 words, and though the guidelines require some connection to&nbsp; rural places, “the manner and extent to which this is done is open to the author and not necessarily limited to rural characters or rural topics.”&nbsp;</p>
  362.  
  363.  
  364.  
  365. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This year’s judge is Will Weaver, the prolific Minnesota-born novelist of rural life. Most famous of his works is <em>Red Earth, White Earth</em>, a novel that examines a rural homecoming and tribal conflict on Minnesota farmland. These sorts of stories make Weaver the perfect judge for a contest that wants to highlight rural narratives in all their different forms and personalities, from memories of baseball in Wyoming to the verdant Alabama spring.&nbsp;</p>
  366.  
  367.  
  368. <div class="wp-block-image">
  369. <figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="1107" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?resize=780%2C1107&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241315" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?resize=913%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 913w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?resize=536%2C760&amp;ssl=1 536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1090&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?resize=1083%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1083w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?resize=1444%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1444w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C1703&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?resize=722%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 722w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?resize=780%2C1107&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?resize=400%2C568&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?resize=706%2C1002&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?w=1748&amp;ssl=1 1748w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1.jpg?w=1560&amp;ssl=1 1560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Best-in-Rural-Writing-Cover-1-913x1296.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  370. </div>
  371.  
  372.  
  373. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Winning writers in the contest do not just win a cash prize; they get published in The Milk House’s annual anthology. The writing collective just released their collection featuring last year’s winners, <a href="https://www.themilkhouse.org/anthology/"><em>2026 Best in Rural Writing: Selected Fiction and Creative Nonfiction</em></a>. Edited by Dennis and Samantha Rogers, the collection showcases essays and short stories from rural writers around the world. In his introduction to the volume, Dennis suggests that there is something ineffable which connects people from the countryside across borders and language: “independence, solitude, and their relationship to the land itself.”</p>
  374.  
  375.  
  376.  
  377. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The broad scope of the anthology, writers stretching from New Zealand to Ireland, challenges readers to complicate their imagination of the countryside. Dairy farmers in Minnesota, yes, but also a high school English teacher in Vermont and a wannabe cowboy in Cork. “By everyone sharing their experiences,” Dennis said, “it helps create a fuller picture for all the rest of us.”</p>
  378.  
  379.  
  380.  
  381. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Contest submissions are <a href="https://www.themilkhouse.org/contest/">open</a> now, and close September 1st.</p>
  382.  
  383.  
  384.  
  385. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  386. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/submissions-are-open-for-the-2026-best-in-rural-writing-contest/2026/07/16/">Submissions Are Open for the 2026 Best in Rural Writing Contest</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  387. ]]></content:encoded>
  389. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/submissions-are-open-for-the-2026-best-in-rural-writing-contest/2026/07/16/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  390. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  393. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241310</post-id> </item>
  394. <item>
  395. <title>“Shiners: Voices from Owsley County” Documentary Shows Rural America in a Positive Light</title>
  396. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/shiners-voices-from-owsley-county-documentary-shows-rural-america-in-a-positive-light/2026/07/16/</link>
  397. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/shiners-voices-from-owsley-county-documentary-shows-rural-america-in-a-positive-light/2026/07/16/#respond</comments>
  399. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Kim Kobersmith]]></dc:creator>
  400. <pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  401. <category><![CDATA[Arts & Culture]]></category>
  402. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241643</guid>
  403.  
  404. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="552" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?fit=1024%2C552&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/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?w=2540&amp;ssl=1 2540w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=760%2C409&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=1296%2C698&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=768%2C414&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=1536%2C827&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=2048%2C1103&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=1200%2C646&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=1024%2C552&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=2000%2C1077&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=780%2C420&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=400%2C215&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=706%2C380&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?fit=1024%2C552&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>
  405. <p>For high school students from a small Eastern Kentucky county, competing in – and winning – a regional theater competition is a big deal. Even a bigger deal: the play they performed, “Shiners,” is one they collaboratively wrote about growing up in rural Appalachia in one of the poorest counties in the nation. The PBS [&#8230;]</p>
  406. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/shiners-voices-from-owsley-county-documentary-shows-rural-america-in-a-positive-light/2026/07/16/">“Shiners: Voices from Owsley County” Documentary Shows Rural America in a Positive Light</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  407. ]]></description>
  408. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="552" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?fit=1024%2C552&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/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?w=2540&amp;ssl=1 2540w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=760%2C409&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=1296%2C698&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=768%2C414&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=1536%2C827&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=2048%2C1103&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=1200%2C646&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=1024%2C552&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=2000%2C1077&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=780%2C420&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=400%2C215&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?resize=706%2C380&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_1.jpg?fit=1024%2C552&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>
  409. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">For high school students from a small Eastern Kentucky county, competing in – and winning – a regional theater competition is a big deal. Even a bigger deal: the play they performed, “Shiners,” is one they collaboratively wrote about growing up in rural Appalachia in one of the poorest counties in the nation. The PBS documentary “<a href="https://www.pbs.org/show/shiners-voices-from-owsley-county/">Shiners: Voices from Owsley County</a>” follows the teens on their odyssey of developing the show, winning at regionals, and making their school’s first ever appearance at a statewide theater competition. It’s a compelling story of finding pride in their rural home, and themselves.</p>
  410.  
  411.  
  412.  
  413. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Student Kayden Turner has a favorite moment in the film. “There&#8217;s a part in the play after we won at regionals, and we&#8217;re all sitting in the crowd, so silent, listening to the feedback that the professionals had for us,” he recalled. “Everybody was so excited, we was ready to rip through those seats and start screaming and dancing. But we had to just muster it all down and wait. I still feel the excitement as I was sitting in that seat waiting to just, you know, hoop and holler.”</p>
  414.  
  415.  
  416.  
  417. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Although the “Shiners” title alludes to the illegal distilling history of the area, the students claim it as something more: the way the experience brought out their best and celebrated their culture, giving students the chance to shine. And for many of the students, who are now young adults, the experience shined a new, hopeful light on their futures.</p>
  418.  
  419.  
  420.  
  421. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In the words of documentary film director Seth McClellan, “Viewers meet the youth and follow them on the journey of creating a new story for themselves.”</p>
  422.  
  423.  
  424.  
  425. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Local People, Local Stories</strong></h3>
  426.  
  427.  
  428.  
  429. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The genesis of the theater production came from Bob Martin of <a href="https://www.clearcreekcreative.net/">Clear Creek Creative</a>, who has built trust working in Owsley County off and on for over a decade. The hallmark of his theater teaching is original, collaborative community story plays based on local stories — shows such as “Shiners.” The community first worked with Martin on a series of three intergenerational televised plays called “HomeSongs.” Out of that experience, students clamored for the opportunity to share their perspectives.</p>
  430.  
  431.  
  432.  
  433. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The youth collaboration began during the Covid pandemic. The group gathered community lore through a story circle process, then reflected on how those experiences could become building blocks for dramatic elements of the piece. Together, they sketched out moments, scenes, and songs to first create an online radio performance that blossomed into a live play. At both the regional and state competitions, “Shiners” was the only performance of an original story.&nbsp;</p>
  434.  
  435.  
  436.  
  437. <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/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241648" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_5-1-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Owsley County students Caleb and Callie participate in a theater competition. (Photo courtesy of &#8220;Shriners&#8221; documentary staff)</figcaption></figure>
  438.  
  439.  
  440.  
  441. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Turner explained the process: “It was like therapy to us in a way. We just came in, gave them the whole spiel of what we&#8217;ve been through, what we&#8217;ve seen, what our neighbors have seen, and somehow, Robert Martin made it art.”</p>
  442.  
  443.  
  444.  
  445. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">It was Martin who reached out to his friend McClellan, whose projects focus on those in challenged, marginalized communities finding solutions through the principles of nonviolence. “Shiners” is third in his trilogy of powerful youth-centered films; the other two showcase communities of Tibetan refugees (“Others Before Self”) and Indigenous Americans (“Little Wound’s Warriors: Voices from the Badlands”).</p>
  446.  
  447.  
  448.  
  449. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Breaking Stereotypes</strong></h3>
  450.  
  451.  
  452.  
  453. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In Owsley County, outsiders are often the ones telling the stories, and those versions are often incomplete. “Shiners,” on the other hand, is told about, by, and for the community. Residents face poverty, addiction, teen pregnancy, divorce, abandonment, and despair, but that’s not the whole story.&nbsp;</p>
  454.  
  455.  
  456.  
  457. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Unfortunately, when you are from a rural community, there is a stigma that you shouldn&#8217;t be proud of where you&#8217;re from,” Turner said. “Working with this and meeting so many people who have just the same story as I do, I find I should be nothing but proud as to where I came from, because that&#8217;s who I am. We shared the good, the bad, and the ugly in ‘Shiners.’ It’s not perfect, but it’s us.”</p>
  458.  
  459.  
  460.  
  461. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="567" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3.jpg?resize=780%2C567&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241645" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C942&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C552&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C558&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1116&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1488&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C872&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C744&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1454&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C567&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C291&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C513&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_3-1296x942.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scene from the “Shiners” play with cast members and musicians on stage. (Photo courtesy of &#8220;Shriners&#8221; documentary staff)</figcaption></figure>
  462.  
  463.  
  464.  
  465. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Through the creation of the play and then the documentary, the youth were the storytellers. Martin was committed to helping them tell the most complex and powerful stories while recognizing the dignity and inherent wisdom of the people of that place telling their own story.</p>
  466.  
  467.  
  468.  
  469. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Frankie Henry was involved in the original “HomeSongs” productions as well as serving on the “Shiners” play and film teams. “It was the first time people from Owsley County heard that their stories mattered,” Henry said about Martin’s work. “So many young people need something to hold on to, to feel good about and believe in. ‘Shiners’ was that real safe haven for them.”</p>
  470.  
  471.  
  472.  
  473. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">McClellan’s vision was to tell the story as authentically as possible. That meant pushing back against sensationalism, not choosing the splashiest or most extractive moments to feature in the film. That dovetailed nicely with the accessibility of high-quality, low-cost video cameras. Some of the strongest moments in the film happened when the students ran the cameras and became not just subjects, but part of the process.</p>
  474.  
  475.  
  476.  
  477. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">They shared experiences of regular teenagers. Moments of imposter syndrome thinking that they don’t belong at the state competition. Moments of humor, when their camaraderie led to jokes and playfulness.</p>
  478.  
  479.  
  480.  
  481. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“My hope is by lifting up youth voices we can hear their concerns and complex challenges in fresh ways,” McClellan said. “They help us see potential solutions without demonizing people, which is part of the power.”</p>
  482.  
  483.  
  484.  
  485. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Noticing the Light</strong></h3>
  486.  
  487.  
  488.  
  489. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">One refrain in the film from both students and adults is that people from Owsley County can do so much more than people expect. The teens are incredibly sincere about making their work, and the experience of creating and performing, of recording and reflecting, lit their fire to shine. They implore viewers to focus on the light, not the cracks it is shining through.</p>
  490.  
  491.  
  492.  
  493. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">At the Kentucky Theatre Association Eastern Kentucky Regional event, the team received a standing ovation and proceeded to the state competition. There, the stunning original and traditional music, scored by young people, won the musicians the Best Band award. The troupe also received the Newcomer Award, but spoiler alert: they didn’t advance to nationals.</p>
  494.  
  495.  
  496.  
  497. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“They didn’t win, but they kind of won,” Martin said. “It’s about how they grew through the process. They realized they were highly supported and that their story had a place in the larger narrative. There’s power in owning your story and sharing it.”</p>
  498.  
  499.  
  500.  
  501. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="404" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4.png?resize=780%2C404&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241646" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?resize=1296%2C671&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?resize=760%2C393&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?resize=768%2C398&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?resize=1536%2C795&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?resize=2048%2C1060&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?resize=1200%2C621&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?resize=1024%2C530&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?resize=2000%2C1035&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?resize=780%2C404&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?resize=400%2C207&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?resize=706%2C365&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-scaled.png?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.05.DY-Shiners_4-1296x671.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The play and movie incorporated original and traditional music, scored by student musicians. They won the Best Band award at the state competition. (Photo courtesy of &#8220;Shriners&#8221; documentary staff)</figcaption></figure>
  502.  
  503.  
  504.  
  505. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>A Ripple Effect</strong></h3>
  506.  
  507.  
  508.  
  509. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The “Shiners” film, released in March 2025, and the ripple effects of the cultural experience demonstrate the transformative empowerment of collaborative arts.</p>
  510.  
  511.  
  512.  
  513. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Shiners” is not exclusively a Kentucky story, a rural story, or even a youth story. It’s universal. As the documentary made the rounds of film festivals and events, Turner and fellow student Callie Smallwood toured with it as ambassadors. Smallwood was struck by the diversity of people who shared that they found some of their own truth in it.</p>
  514.  
  515.  
  516.  
  517. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Regardless of its broad appeal, the “Shiners” legacy shines brightest close to home. For many students, it shifted what was possible and became a springboard to college. Turner originally said in the film he would enlist in the Army to see the world. Instead, he is currently a student at Eastern Kentucky University for occupational therapy. Smallwood also attends EKU, even though she didn’t think she would go to college. She fell in love with film and is seeking a degree in broadcast media.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  518.  
  519.  
  520.  
  521. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Looking back, I don&#8217;t even remember who I was because it gave me such confidence in myself,” Turner said. “I decided to finish high school, even though I was homeless at the time. It&#8217;s easy to let the stigma get to you of, like, wow, you&#8217;re from the mountains or you&#8217;re from a rural community that has one stoplight, you&#8217;re not really going to become a whole lot, but this has really just changed all of that for me.”&nbsp;</p>
  522.  
  523.  
  524.  
  525. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The documentary became part of the cultural fabric of the community; soon, the Booneville movie theater will reopen and “Shiners” will be the first film shown on the big screen.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  526.  
  527.  
  528.  
  529. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Cultural storytelling, the idea that people can create art about themselves, can empower and change the story of a community,” McClellan said. “The process of making things together is the point of art.”</p>
  530.  
  531.  
  532.  
  533. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  534.  
  535.  
  536.  
  537. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>“Shiners” the documentary is playing for free on the PBS app through July 2026.&nbsp;</em></p>
  538. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/shiners-voices-from-owsley-county-documentary-shows-rural-america-in-a-positive-light/2026/07/16/">“Shiners: Voices from Owsley County” Documentary Shows Rural America in a Positive Light</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  539. ]]></content:encoded>
  541. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/shiners-voices-from-owsley-county-documentary-shows-rural-america-in-a-positive-light/2026/07/16/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  542. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  545. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241643</post-id> </item>
  546. <item>
  547. <title>The ‘Hub-and-Spoke’ Model for Addiction Treatment in North Carolina</title>
  548. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/the-hub-and-spoke-model-for-addiction-treatment-in-north-carolina/2026/07/15/</link>
  549. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/the-hub-and-spoke-model-for-addiction-treatment-in-north-carolina/2026/07/15/#respond</comments>
  551. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Taylor Sisk]]></dc:creator>
  552. <pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  553. <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
  554. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241298</guid>
  555.  
  556. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?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/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?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>
  557. <p>Holly Warren was recently leafing through one of her old medical school textbooks, trying to recall how much instruction she’d received in addiction medicine – trying to recall, “Did we even talk about this? Was it even on our radar?”&#160; “And it really just wasn’t,” Warren said. She received an excellent education two decades ago [&#8230;]</p>
  558. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/the-hub-and-spoke-model-for-addiction-treatment-in-north-carolina/2026/07/15/">The ‘Hub-and-Spoke’ Model for Addiction Treatment in North Carolina</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  559. ]]></description>
  560. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?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/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Zach-White3-scaled.jpg?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>
  561. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Holly Warren was recently leafing through one of her old medical school textbooks, trying to recall how much instruction she’d received in addiction medicine – trying to recall, “Did we even talk about this? Was it even on our radar?”&nbsp;</p>
  562.  
  563.  
  564.  
  565. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“And it really just wasn’t,” Warren said. She received an excellent education two decades ago at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine, then at Duke University for internal medicine. “But we just really didn’t talk about addiction medicine very much.”</p>
  566.  
  567.  
  568.  
  569. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Today, Warren knows quite a bit about it. She began providing <a href="https://harmreduction.org/issues/facts/">medications for opioid use disorder</a>, or MOUD, at a federally qualified health center in rural Greene County, North Carolina, and now serves as medical director of the health department in Lenoir County, likewise a rural county in eastern North Carolina, where her clinical focus is MOUD.</p>
  570.  
  571.  
  572.  
  573. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">She’s found support from the <a href="https://ncstarnetwork.org/">NC STAR Network</a>.</p>
  574.  
  575.  
  576.  
  577. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In 2023, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/experts-mainstream-addiction-treatment-act-removes-a-roadblock-to-recovery/2023/08/16/">lifted a restriction</a> on health care providers’ ability to administer buprenorphine, considered a “gold standard” for treating opioid use disorder. Now fully capitalizing on this opportunity, the NC STAR Network is an initiative designed to expand access to addiction treatment for North Carolinians.</p>
  578.  
  579.  
  580.  
  581. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The network is a partnership of three hubs – the medical schools at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and East Carolina University, and the Mountain Area Health Education Center, or MAHEC – and health care practices throughout the state. The objective is to train and support primary care providers to administer MOUD.</p>
  582.  
  583.  
  584.  
  585. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The network has received funding from the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts, which cites it as a model of sound investment of funding from the <a href="https://www.cms.gov/priorities/rural-health-transformation-rht-program/overview">Rural Health Transformation Program</a>: $50 billion in federal money over the next five years to improve rural health care systems.</p>
  586.  
  587.  
  588.  
  589. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Hub-and-Spoke Model</strong></h3>
  590.  
  591.  
  592.  
  593. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">For Claire West, an internist in UNC’s Division of General Medicine and the NC STAR Network’s director, addiction medicine is the “absolute essence of primary care.”&nbsp;</p>
  594.  
  595.  
  596.  
  597. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I think I speak for my colleagues in primary care, whether it’s family medicine or internal medicine,” West said, “that we were drawn to this because of our strong belief in whole-person care.”&nbsp;</p>
  598.  
  599.  
  600.  
  601. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Addiction is a chronic disease, she stresses, and should be treated in the continuum of whole-person care.</p>
  602.  
  603.  
  604.  
  605. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The NC STAR Network was built using a hub-and-spoke model, inspired by the <a href="https://blueprintforhealth.vermont.gov/about-blueprint/hub-and-spoke">approach the state of Vermont takes</a> to addressing opioid use disorder. The medical schools and MAHEC serve as the hubs, offering a full range of care and training and support for the spokes, while the spokes provide ongoing care in a community setting.</p>
  606.  
  607.  
  608.  
  609. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The relationship between the hubs and spokes has continued to evolve.&nbsp;</p>
  610.  
  611.  
  612.  
  613. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“To remove the idea that the hub provides and the spoke receives was really important,” said Gabriela Castro, a family medicine physician in rural Chatham County and the NC STAR Network’s data team lead. “It’s bidirectional communication and learning,” with the community-based practices helping hub staff “understand what’s happening on the ground, what works for their specific community.”</p>
  614.  
  615.  
  616.  
  617. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The network now reaches into 88 of North Carolina’s 100 counties. From July 2024 to June 2025, the academic hubs provided MOUD to 1,400 patients, while spike sites reported serving well more than 4,000.</p>
  618.  
  619.  
  620.  
  621. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Every Door Open</strong></h3>
  622.  
  623.  
  624.  
  625. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The NC STAR Network team believes the primary care environment is ideal for administering addiction medicine for a number of reasons.</p>
  626.  
  627.  
  628.  
  629. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">To begin with, “There’s a longstanding relationship; there’s trust, and there’s continuity,” Castro said. Delivering addiction medicine in the continuum of primary care “helps us frame the treatment of substance use disorder as one of many parts of a complex system of conditions that affect individuals.”&nbsp;</p>
  630.  
  631.  
  632.  
  633. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Moreover, she said, “Any door should be the right door when somebody wants treatment.”</p>
  634.  
  635.  
  636.  
  637. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Data indicate that patients who receive MOUD treatment in a primary care setting have <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00952990.2023.2251653">equivalent retention rates</a> as those who receive specialty treatment and often report greater satisfaction with the experience.&nbsp;</p>
  638.  
  639.  
  640.  
  641. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Embedding addiction medicine into primary care practices also helps destigmatize the treatment, Castro said.</p>
  642.  
  643.  
  644.  
  645. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“When we separate it from the rest of primary care, it becomes not only difficult to access but shameful for many patients,” she said. In a primary care office, “many patients feel much more comfortable; they’re already being seen for other conditions.”</p>
  646.  
  647.  
  648.  
  649. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The visit, West said, then offers her an opportunity to say to her patient, “‘I’m going to start giving you pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV. I’m going to screen you and treat you for hepatitis.’ I can do all of these things.”&nbsp;</p>
  650.  
  651.  
  652.  
  653. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Or, to a patient who’s using methamphetamine, “‘You don’t want to stop using methamphetamines because you’re unhoused and you need to stay awake for your self-protection? I see that. I’m going to work with the case manager to help you find some housing resources.’”</p>
  654.  
  655.  
  656.  
  657. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Rural Reach</strong></h3>
  658.  
  659.  
  660.  
  661. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">As has been widely reported, rural America has a shortage of most all health care services. This is certainly the case with the <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12884708/">availability of MOUD</a>. MAHEC is playing a critical role in addressing that.</p>
  662.  
  663.  
  664.  
  665. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">MAHEC serves largely rural Western North Carolina. A primary objective is to place health care professionals in rural communities and provide them with the resources and training to remain there. Addiction medicine has been folded into that.</p>
  666.  
  667.  
  668.  
  669. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The <a href="https://forefdn.org/">Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts</a> has invested in MAHEC’s role in the NC STAR Network. Karen Scott, the foundation’s president, said her organization found the network to be a sound investment not only because of its potential reach but the diversity of access points – MAHEC, the academic medical centers, local health departments, federally qualified health centers – allowing primary care practitioners throughout the state to tap into specialist expertise.</p>
  670.  
  671.  
  672. <div class="wp-block-image">
  673. <figure class="alignleft 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/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3.jpg?resize=780%2C1040&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241302" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=972%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 972w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=570%2C760&amp;ssl=1 570w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=900%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 900w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C400&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=150%2C200&amp;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C2667&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C1040&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C533&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C941&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-scaled.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MAHEC-signage3-972x1296.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Mountain Area Health Education Center provides a full range of health care services throughout largely rural Western North Carolina. (Photo by Taylor Sisk / The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  674. </div>
  675.  
  676.  
  677. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The MAHEC team, Scott said, has played a critical role in disseminating that expertise across rural Western North Carolina.</p>
  678.  
  679.  
  680.  
  681. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">When Zach White, MAHEC’s opioid dependence treatment program coordinator, first started providing MOUD, a standard question he asked of new patients was, “Do you have a primary care provider?” And the most common response, he said, was, “No, but I’ve been meaning to get one.”&nbsp;</p>
  682.  
  683.  
  684.  
  685. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We’ve got such a great opportunity, because, as we know, folks are coming in having used substances sometimes for many years and have not been tending to their health,” White said.</p>
  686.  
  687.  
  688.  
  689. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts program director Ken Shatzkes hopes to see other states looking to the NC STAR Network as a model for investment in the Rural Health Transformation Program funding. While the applications states have submitted for that funding don’t “explicitly say, ‘We need to build hub-and-spoke systems,’” he said, “the elements of what makes this a success are in those applications.”</p>
  690.  
  691.  
  692.  
  693. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>‘Pretty Cool’</strong></h3>
  694.  
  695.  
  696.  
  697. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Acknowledging the treatment of substance use disorder as a chronic condition, Castro said, has transformed the way her primary practice addresses other conditions.&nbsp;</p>
  698.  
  699.  
  700.  
  701. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“It really helps us think about meeting the patient where they are,” she said. “We can’t push them too soon; we can’t push them any further than they want to go. We’re here to offer consultation and support and work with the logistical difficulties that they encounter navigating the health care system.”&nbsp;</p>
  702.  
  703.  
  704.  
  705. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“It absolutely has transformed the way I treat other things,” Castro said, “and I’m a better primary care physician.”</p>
  706.  
  707.  
  708.  
  709. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The NC STAR Network continues to expand its reach across the state.</p>
  710.  
  711.  
  712.  
  713. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Sandy Thomas-Montilus is an internist who provides MOUD in the rural southeastern region of the state, is clinical director of the N.C. Department of Adult Correction’s MOUD program, and is an NC STAR community partner. She stresses the importance of networking – networking that she believes can, in addition to expanding access to a critical treatment, help chip away at the stigma around addiction and addiction medicine.</p>
  714.  
  715.  
  716.  
  717. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“There’s still a lot of stigma amongst my own profession,” Thomas-Montilus said, “the idea that, ‘I don’t want those kinds of people in my practice.’ And to me, that’s very sad.”</p>
  718.  
  719.  
  720.  
  721. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Having played a role in the overdose crisis – some unaware of the addictive nature of prescription opioids; others through irresponsible prescribing, “I think we owe it to our patients” to be proactive in addressing it, she said. “The profession does.”</p>
  722.  
  723.  
  724.  
  725. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Holly Wilson says that when she was practicing primary care, her first objective was “for my patients to know that I cared about them. I couldn’t always fix their diabetes or their high blood pressure or various chronic conditions they faced,” she said, “but most importantly, I wanted them to know that I care.”&nbsp;</p>
  726.  
  727.  
  728.  
  729. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Now in addiction medicine, “I have to say it’s pretty cool,” she said, “to be able to continue to practice that primary objective, and to see lives pretty quickly changed by offering evidence-based care.”</p>
  730.  
  731.  
  732.  
  733. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>&nbsp;</strong>“It’s really rewarding to see people heal and recover from a chronic illness.”</p>
  734.  
  735.  
  736.  
  737. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  738. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/the-hub-and-spoke-model-for-addiction-treatment-in-north-carolina/2026/07/15/">The ‘Hub-and-Spoke’ Model for Addiction Treatment in North Carolina</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  739. ]]></content:encoded>
  741. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/the-hub-and-spoke-model-for-addiction-treatment-in-north-carolina/2026/07/15/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  742. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  745. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241298</post-id> </item>
  746. <item>
  747. <title>Vermont, Other States Test ‘Gentle Infill’ as One Potential Tool to Tackle Housing Shortages</title>
  748. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/vermont-other-states-test-gentle-infil-as-one-potential-tool-to-tackle-housing-shortages/2026/07/14/</link>
  749. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/vermont-other-states-test-gentle-infil-as-one-potential-tool-to-tackle-housing-shortages/2026/07/14/#respond</comments>
  751. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew McKeever]]></dc:creator>
  752. <pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  753. <category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>
  754. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241329</guid>
  755.  
  756. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?fit=1024%2C682&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/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?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>
  757. <p>A vacant lot sits between two houses on a residential street. The vegetation is a bit overgrown but otherwise unremarkable. It helps keep the street from being an unbroken string of single-family homes or duplexes, and contributes to the middle-class, neighborhood vibe. Nothing wrong with that, but at a time when there aren’t enough homes [&#8230;]</p>
  758. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/vermont-other-states-test-gentle-infil-as-one-potential-tool-to-tackle-housing-shortages/2026/07/14/">Vermont, Other States Test ‘Gentle Infill’ as One Potential Tool to Tackle Housing Shortages</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  759. ]]></description>
  760. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?fit=1024%2C682&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/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=760%2C506&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?resize=706%2C470&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_9455.jpeg?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>
  761. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A vacant lot sits between two houses on a residential street. The vegetation is a bit overgrown but otherwise unremarkable. It helps keep the street from being an unbroken string of single-family homes or duplexes, and contributes to the middle-class, neighborhood vibe.</p>
  762.  
  763.  
  764.  
  765. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Nothing wrong with that, but at a time when there aren’t enough homes for all the people who would like to buy one at a price they can afford, this asset might get put to a more productive use. For example, it could become a new home for a family ready to buy one. Or maybe more than one family &#8211; a duplex or triplex, smaller than 1,000 square feet and cheaper to build and therefore affordable to middle-income buyers. It could be that long-sought-after “starter home.”</p>
  766.  
  767.  
  768.  
  769. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">It’s hardly new &#8211; empty lots have been transformed into homes forever.&nbsp;</p>
  770.  
  771.  
  772.  
  773. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">But when many larger-scale housing developments run into zoning issues, pushback from would-be neighbors, and other issues like construction costs, labor costs, or mortgage rates, the idea of “gentle infill” &#8211; building homes in those vacant lots that fit into the existing character of the neighborhood &#8211; may be one way to make a dent in the nation’s housing shortage.&nbsp;</p>
  774.  
  775.  
  776.  
  777. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Tested in a Big City</strong></h3>
  778.  
  779.  
  780.  
  781. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">It won’t change a community&#8217;s housing shortage overnight, but it’s one solution among many others when it comes to scaling up new housing construction. It may also dodge the “Nimby” bullet, and empty lots don’t pay much in property taxes. One with a home does.</p>
  782.  
  783.  
  784.  
  785. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">That was one observation Tim Corcoran, the Director of Planning and Community Resources of South Bend, Indiana, noted while reflecting on the progress of the last three or four years. In that time, over 500 new homes have been constructed in this midwestern town. Last year, for the first time in decades, more homes were built in South Bend than in the rest of the county in which South Bend sits, he said.</p>
  786.  
  787.  
  788.  
  789. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“It was really prompted by a couple of things &#8211; one is that we have a lot of vacant lots that are not financially productive for the city,” he said. “Yet we have the streets, and we have the infrastructure in these neighborhoods, but not the people and the houses utilizing that infrastructure.”</p>
  790.  
  791.  
  792.  
  793. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">About four years ago, the city of South Bend began to boost its efforts to develop vacant lots it owned. They partnered with local nonprofit organizations to advance the effort. The revitalization push was a chance to encourage and support small-scale home builders and developers to help them navigate both the construction and zoning aspects. It was a bit of a leap of faith on the part of city officials to use public dollars to work with folks who had possibly never built a home before, but it turned out well, he said.&nbsp;</p>
  794.  
  795.  
  796.  
  797. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Other elements were also important. One was a set of off-the-shelf designs from which the new builders could choose, which were pre-approved. Once a design was chosen and the infrastructure connections set, such as those for water and sewer service, they were good to go. Easing the pathway to a quick approval can’t be underestimated as a factor in building new housing, Corcoran said.</p>
  798.  
  799.  
  800.  
  801. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“If you&#8217;re really genuine about helping address the housing crisis in your town, then you really need to look at the approval process very closely,” he said.&nbsp; “Each department doesn&#8217;t necessarily know what the issues are in a different department &#8211; planning versus engineering versus the fire department &#8211; these are often siloed departments, and you can imagine when a developer is going through each of these steps, it probably feels like a lot of regulatory brain damage that they have to go through just to get a house approved.”</p>
  802.  
  803.  
  804.  
  805. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">With the catalogue South Bend created, housing developers have choices of single-family, duplexes, and larger homes across 10 different designs, each with three façade options. This approach &#8211; pre-approved designs tailored to allow small-scale developers and even do-it-yourselfers to pound the nails and get housing built &#8211; is one that other communities, such as Kalamazoo, Michigan, have jumped on as well. Vermont is now trying it on a statewide basis.</p>
  806.  
  807.  
  808.  
  809. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="585" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241331" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_2327.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Open sections of land might be locations for infill housing in established neighborhoods in existing communities, or on a town’s edges. (Photo by Andrew McKeever / The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  810.  
  811.  
  812.  
  813. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Vermont Is Testing the Waters</strong></h3>
  814.  
  815.  
  816.  
  817. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Like many states, Vermont has a housing shortage. The state has set a goal of building 30,000 new homes by 2030, which may be ambitious but testifies to the perceived need, especially in the workforce, or “missing middle” sector of the housing market, the space in between state or federally subsidized housing, and higher-end, expensive housing that’s affordable only for those with substantial financial means.</p>
  818.  
  819.  
  820.  
  821. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">But while there’s near-universal agreement that more affordable workforce-missing middle housing is needed, there are obstacles to overcome.&nbsp;</p>
  822.  
  823.  
  824.  
  825. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The state has, on average, one of the largest minimum lot size requirements of any state in the nation, with many rural towns requiring somewhere between one and five-acre lots before construction can be permitted. Even in small communities, a minimum lot size of half an acre is often required, although recent legislation is bringing more flexibility. Legacy land use regulations, passed decades ago when the state was coping with a development push that threatened local hillsides and mountains with fragmentation, have also been a factor, sending many projects to a judicial review that costs time and money.</p>
  826.  
  827.  
  828.  
  829. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Housing shortages have a wide-ranging effect. It impacts employers seeking employees, who may want the job on offer and be a great fit, but have to decline it because they can’t afford the available housing. It prices out younger residents. Older homeowners, who may be ready to downsize to a smaller home, can’t afford to.&nbsp;</p>
  830.  
  831.  
  832.  
  833. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The large home they retain, which worked well when the nest was full, can’t be turned over to a younger family because it doesn’t make financial sense, even if those seniors who might prefer having everything on one floor, in a smaller dwelling that’s less expensive to heat and cool.</p>
  834.  
  835.  
  836.  
  837. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In response, Vermont, one of the nation’s most rural states, has launched “Homes For All,” which is aimed at expanding the network of small-scale developers statewide and providing resources to support missing middle housing.</p>
  838.  
  839.  
  840.  
  841. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A portion of Homes for All, known as 802 Homes, aims to develop 10 community-tested, locally pre-permitted home designs for small developers to speed up the process from site selection to move-in day. These designs are thoughtfully designed to match Vermont’s local vernacular architecture, and are adaptable for smaller or irregular lots.&nbsp;</p>
  842.  
  843.  
  844.  
  845. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Teams from the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development have been testing the waters for the past three years, making field trips out to several communities, to see if lots were available for new houses designed to fit in locally and if the concept would actually work.&nbsp;</p>
  846.  
  847.  
  848.  
  849. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The process advanced further in 2025, as three communities in different parts of the state were selected for a pilot project to see what the remaining friction points were in the permitting or zoning process. Across the ten home designs, there are options for a variety of families and housing needs &#8211; from seniors looking to downsize to smaller homes to young families looking to get started.&nbsp;</p>
  850.  
  851.  
  852.  
  853. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">And now, a third phase of the project is underway. A catalogue of ready-to-build home designs intended to make housing easier, faster, and more affordable has been developed. A statewide survey is being launched to test the waters around whether those designs fit in with the historic norms and meet current housing needs.</p>
  854.  
  855.  
  856.  
  857. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">There are three parts to Homes for All, said Jeff Dube, the community planner and project manager with the state’s housing department.</p>
  858.  
  859.  
  860.  
  861. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">One is a “Design and Do” toolkit containing builder workbooks, design resources, and community case studies for those missing middle homes. Then there’s the small-scale developer training program, where lessons from the toolkit come to life through a series of training and technical assistance programs to help small-scale developers. Finally, there’s the catalogue of “802 Homes” (the state’s one and only telephone area code is 802), 10 pre-permitted designs adaptable for local context, ranging from single-family dwelling units to four-plexes.</p>
  862.  
  863.  
  864.  
  865. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The project also attempts to attack costs as well as permitting by pointing developers in the direction of manufactured homes. “Stick-built” is fine, but the catalogue notes that the manufactured homes component parts, shipped to the job site, can often be assembled in as little as two weeks, which can dramatically reduce the construction timeline and may translate into big savings on construction costs. They hope to have the catalogue ready by the end of this year, as they fine-tune it and lean into more community engagement, from which new ideas are steadily coming to influence the housing designs.</p>
  866.  
  867.  
  868. <div class="wp-block-image">
  869. <figure class="alignleft size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="474" height="553" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screen-Shot-2026-05-19-at-12.01.59-PM.png?resize=474%2C553&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241332" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screen-Shot-2026-05-19-at-12.01.59-PM.png?w=474&amp;ssl=1 474w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screen-Shot-2026-05-19-at-12.01.59-PM.png?resize=400%2C467&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screen-Shot-2026-05-19-at-12.01.59-PM.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The 802 Homes catalogue showcases 10 pre-permitted designs adaptable for local context. (Courtesy Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development)</figcaption></figure>
  870. </div>
  871.  
  872.  
  873. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I think one of the most exciting things about the 802 Homes Catalog is we&#8217;re looking to support the way homes are currently being built with traditional stick-built framing, platform framing, but also looking to the future of home building and construction in Vermont and nationwide,” Dube said.&nbsp;</p>
  874.  
  875.  
  876.  
  877. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“So each of the 10 home designs will be documented two ways: stick-built or for off-site construction, and this will accommodate the wide array of off-site construction methods in Vermont and Northern New England currently.”</p>
  878.  
  879.  
  880.  
  881. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">One housing developer they know in Vermont can construct a home off-site in about 96-hours and make it water-tight on-site within 5 hours. From there, it’s about a month’s work to finish before it’s move-in-ready, Dube said.</p>
  882.  
  883.  
  884.  
  885. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">And it may also open up the home construction trade to a whole new group of people ready and willing to build indoors, where the physical demands are lessened. There’s also more consistent quality and less waste, he said. \he pre-approved designs should ease the permitting process, making it more predictable and speedy.</p>
  886.  
  887.  
  888.  
  889. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“There will always be the need for some sort of site review process at the local level,” he said. “What we&#8217;re hoping to do is to remove as many barriers as we can.”</p>
  890.  
  891.  
  892.  
  893. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Mounting Costs</strong></h3>
  894.  
  895.  
  896.  
  897. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">For Jonah Richard, a housing developer based in Fairlee, Vermont, a small town of about 1,000 people on the border with New Hampshire, the main issue constraining housing construction is construction costs.</p>
  898.  
  899.  
  900.  
  901. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In 2020, he relocated back to his hometown from New York City to launch his development and construction business. They focus on infill projects, but mostly in the village centers of Fairlee and other nearby small towns. Finding labor and workers hasn’t been too hard — it helps to be from the area and have some local connections.&nbsp;</p>
  902.  
  903.  
  904.  
  905. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">But they don’t come inexpensively. His construction costs are probably not much different from development companies in larger towns and cities in Vermont (cities are a relative term here, with Burlington, the state’s largest city, having a population of about 45,000 residents), but the rents and mortgages the locals might be able to pay aren’t as high as the city dwellers are used to.&nbsp;</p>
  906.  
  907.  
  908.  
  909. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“So you have an even smaller tolerance for what those construction costs can be,” he said. “If you can&#8217;t hit a certain target, then you&#8217;re not going to have a financially feasible project. So the struggle is always getting those numbers to work, and largely what we&#8217;ve done in the past is rely on some sort of subsidy, whether that&#8217;s state or federal. You know, doing affordable housing projects, you&#8217;re going to have some subsidy component, but that comes with its own difficulties and red tape.”</p>
  910.  
  911.  
  912.  
  913. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Zoning is less of a problem. A bigger one is connecting with sewer and water resources, he said.</p>
  914.  
  915.  
  916.  
  917. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Most of the towns don&#8217;t have sewer that we&#8217;re working in, so you have a private septic system. That introduces complexity and lot size constraints,” he said. “If you don&#8217;t have a water supply, then you&#8217;ve got to do a well, which is a whole other can of worms.”</p>
  918.  
  919.  
  920.  
  921. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">But when it comes to the permitting, it’s been more or less straightforward. One or two visits to the zoning board have usually been enough to get through that, he said. Working in small towns does have its benefits.</p>
  922.  
  923.  
  924.  
  925. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">He’s been following the Homes For All project, and may use it when the home designs through 802 Homes come out, and it might help with architectural and design costs, but zoning is less of an issue, he said.</p>
  926.  
  927.  
  928.  
  929. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">By the end of the year, the catalogue of home designs should be finished and free and available for developers and communities to work with. And maybe not just one home at a time, here and there, but it could also lead to a whole new neighborhood, one designed to fit in with its broader surroundings.&nbsp;</p>
  930.  
  931.  
  932.  
  933. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">What they are hoping to achieve is to offer a set of construction documents that will ratchet down development costs, Jeff Dube, the community planner, said. Currently, there is draft legislation in Vermont that would allow the Treasurer to explore how bulk-purchasing off-site built homes could work in the context of 802 Homes or other housing programs. This could help reduce costs and stabilize supply chains for off-site manufacturers if we were able to aggregate demand for units, Dube added.</p>
  934.  
  935.  
  936.  
  937. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Would this model work for rural areas located outside of main downtown or village centers? Maybe, although that would require drilling individual wells and developing septic systems not tied into municipal ones, adding to the overall costs.. So far, the infill process has focused on town or village centers, Dube said.</p>
  938.  
  939.  
  940.  
  941. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Most of our Vermont communities are based around some sort of center,” he said. “So to the extent that we can add housing units around those centers, we can support economic development of businesses, whether present or future, in those centers to grow and thrive as well.”</p>
  942.  
  943.  
  944.  
  945. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Other advantages include enhanced walkability in those neighborhoods, and enabling seniors to downsize to smaller homes, and obtain better access to transportation and other services, such as local stores and pharmacies, he said.</p>
  946.  
  947.  
  948.  
  949. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Manufactured Homes as Cost Remedy</strong></h3>
  950.  
  951.  
  952.  
  953. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Matt Littell of Utile, a founding principal of a Boston-based architectural and planning firm that is working with the Vermont Department of Housing on the infill project, agreed that the cost of development was the biggest challenge to overcome, based on the feedback they’ve been hearing at some of the community engagement meetings they have hosted. That’s where the manufactured homes could really move the needle, he said.</p>
  954.  
  955.  
  956.  
  957. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>“</strong>So what we&#8217;ve really been doing in terms of the design is really digging down to find more and more efficiencies in those designs. So it&#8217;s things as simple as just lining up the plumbing from one wall to another to minimize every amount of work that a tradesperson might do, and to just make these buildings as efficient as we possibly can,” he said.</p>
  958.  
  959.  
  960.  
  961. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Another solution from Vermont intended to help speed new housing construction is the Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP) Act, passed by the state legislature in 2025.&nbsp;</p>
  962.  
  963.  
  964.  
  965. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The intent of the legislation is to encourage the development of low and moderately priced homes in both towns and rural areas that would not have been built but for the infrastructure improvements funded by the program. CHIP enables municipalities to finance essential infrastructure (like water, sewer, roads, and stormwater systems) that supports new housing development.</p>
  966.  
  967.  
  968.  
  969. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The basic idea behind CHIP is similar to other tax increment financing (TIF) mechanisms that have been in the commercial and residential development space for a while. Essentially, a community that wants to support a housing project through infrastructure improvements can pay for the cost of that work &#8211; if the application is approved by the state government &#8211; by borrowing from future anticipated revenue growth the community will realize from the higher property values, and paying that back later when the tax dollars from those improved properties arrive in the town office.</p>
  970.  
  971.  
  972.  
  973. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The project need not necessarily be entirely for housing, but at least 60% of the floor area of the project must be dedicated to housing for primary residents. The program launched in Vermont in January, 2026, and up to $2 billion can be invested in housing between now and 2035.</p>
  974.  
  975.  
  976.  
  977. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Finding ways to cut the costs a would-be developer or home builder faces at a time when construction costs often outpace the pocketbooks of the would-be homeowner is key, said Alex Farrell, the state’s housing commissioner.</p>
  978.  
  979.  
  980.  
  981. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Now, we were still faced with this conundrum that investment in housing is really expensive,” he said. “And one of the drivers of that is the infrastructure. Decades ago, municipalities could front that cost. We know our municipalities can&#8217;t do that now. That&#8217;s where CHIP came in.”</p>
  982.  
  983.  
  984.  
  985. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A big part of the challenge lies in the cultural side, in addition to cracking the code on the construction costs, Jeff Dube said.</p>
  986.  
  987.  
  988.  
  989. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We really needed to just reintroduce this style of housing to Vermont communities and get people more willing to say yes to development in their backyard,” he said. “With the phase one toolkit, we worked with five communities to understand what houses they would say yes to in their backyards and really start to get excited about.”&nbsp;</p>
  990.  
  991.  
  992.  
  993. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  994. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/vermont-other-states-test-gentle-infil-as-one-potential-tool-to-tackle-housing-shortages/2026/07/14/">Vermont, Other States Test ‘Gentle Infill’ as One Potential Tool to Tackle Housing Shortages</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  995. ]]></content:encoded>
  997. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/vermont-other-states-test-gentle-infil-as-one-potential-tool-to-tackle-housing-shortages/2026/07/14/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  998. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1001. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241329</post-id> </item>
  1002. <item>
  1003. <title>Rural Transportation Program Serves Aging Populations in Central Texas</title>
  1004. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/rural-transportation-program-serves-aging-populations-in-central-texas/2026/07/13/</link>
  1005. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/rural-transportation-program-serves-aging-populations-in-central-texas/2026/07/13/#respond</comments>
  1007. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Madeline de Figueiredo]]></dc:creator>
  1008. <pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1009. <category><![CDATA[Community & Economic Development]]></category>
  1010. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241500</guid>
  1011.  
  1012. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?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/2026/07/image.png?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?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>
  1013. <p>A free transit program for older adults is becoming an increasingly important lifeline across Central Texas. One of the Capital Area’s Rural Transit System’s (CARTS) fastest-growing initiatives is a free ride program for older people.&#160;&#160; Launched in June 2024 through a partnership with the local Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area (AAACAP) and [&#8230;]</p>
  1014. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/rural-transportation-program-serves-aging-populations-in-central-texas/2026/07/13/">Rural Transportation Program Serves Aging Populations in Central Texas</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1015. ]]></description>
  1016. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?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/2026/07/image.png?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/image.png?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>
  1017. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A free transit program for older adults is becoming an increasingly important lifeline across Central Texas. One of the Capital Area’s Rural Transit System’s (CARTS) fastest-growing initiatives is a free ride program for older people.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  1018.  
  1019.  
  1020.  
  1021. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Launched in June 2024 through a partnership with the local <a href="https://www.capcog.org/divisions/area-agency-on-aging/">Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area (AAACAP)</a> and the <a href="https://www.capcog.org/">Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG)</a>, the program was designed to help seniors reconnect with their communities after the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;</p>
  1022.  
  1023.  
  1024.  
  1025. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We noticed that after COVID seniors weren&#8217;t getting back out to those congregate meal sites and weren&#8217;t going to the community centers,” said Dana Platts, the community engagement director with CARTS. “Through a partnership with local agencies, we are providing free rides to seniors 60 and above, to really anywhere they want to go, just to get them out of their houses and connected back into the communities. It has been so successful.”&nbsp;</p>
  1026.  
  1027.  
  1028.  
  1029. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This need is particularly acute in rural communities, where transportation can be a major barrier to both health care and social engagement. Studies <a href="https://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/dp-236.pdf">have found</a> that older adults in rural areas often face long travel distances and limited public transportation options. Researchers and advocates <a href="https://www.ruralhealth.us/getmedia/4f912dad-6a85-4714-9e19-83aadf85d5f5/2020-NRHA-Policy-Document-Rural-America%E2%80%99s-Senior-Citizens.pdf">have linked</a> those transportation gaps to missed medical appointments, reduced access to essential services, and increased social isolation. CARTS senior rides allow older adults to travel at no cost to medical appointments, grocery stores, senior centers, community programs, and other destinations, while also supporting social connections and everyday errands.&nbsp;</p>
  1030.  
  1031.  
  1032.  
  1033. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The AAACAP has long been one of the central funders and organizers of senior transit across the region, covering negotiated rates for older people across ten counties in Central Texas. Jennifer Scott, director of aging services at AAACAP, said that previous funding constraints limited free rides to medical appointments. But the CARTS program has vastly expanded transit destinations.&nbsp;</p>
  1034.  
  1035.  
  1036.  
  1037. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“The senior rides have opened up more opportunities to go see a family member, go to the doctor, church, grocery store,” Scott said. “It has expanded people’s horizons a little bit more, which gives them a higher quality of life.”</p>
  1038.  
  1039.  
  1040.  
  1041. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Since CARTS began tracking senior rides in June 2024, older adults have taken more than 28,000 free trips throughout the region, averaging roughly 1,230 rides each month, according to Platt.&nbsp;</p>
  1042.  
  1043.  
  1044.  
  1045. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Rural communities just don&#8217;t have the amount of goods or services that the city has and a lot of times in some of these places their hospitals shut down and they don&#8217;t have any [local] medical care, so they&#8217;re always looking to go to neighboring counties to get medical care,” Platt said. “So we help try to make that connection with our transit services.”</p>
  1046.  
  1047.  
  1048.  
  1049. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Demand has accelerated in recent months. Between September 2025 and April 2026, seniors logged 12,776 CARTS trips, an average of nearly 1,600 rides per month. The strongest usage during that period came from Burnet, Hays, Bastrop, and Llano counties, which together accounted for about two-thirds of all senior rides. Bastrop County recorded 2,153 trips, placing it among the program&#8217;s busiest areas.</p>
  1050.  
  1051.  
  1052.  
  1053. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Rides in Bastrop County</strong></h3>
  1054.  
  1055.  
  1056.  
  1057. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A <a href="https://digitalcommons.pvamu.edu/griot/vol43/iss1/10/">2026 study</a> examining health and transportation equity in rural counties along the U.S. 290 corridor between Houston and Austin found that many rural Texans continue to face significant barriers to healthcare, particularly seniors, people with disabilities, low-income residents, and communities of color. The <a href="https://digitalcommons.pvamu.edu/griot/vol43/iss1/10/">research</a> included Bastrop County, an <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/a-categorization-conundrum-in-the-american-exurbs/2026/05/13/">exurban county</a> within CARTS service area, and found that access to medical care is often limited not only by shortages of doctors and specialty services, but also by transportation challenges that require residents to travel long distances for treatment.&nbsp;</p>
  1058.  
  1059.  
  1060.  
  1061. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In Bastrop County, about <a href="https://www.bastropcounty.gov/upload/page/0261/docs/APRILDRAFTMASTERPLAN.pdf">13.7% of county residents</a> reported having a disability, with ambulatory and independent-living challenges among the most common issues affecting mobility and access to services. While vehicle ownership in Bastrop is relatively high, transportation costs, vehicle maintenance, and limited public transit options can still create barriers for lower-income households.</p>
  1062.  
  1063.  
  1064.  
  1065. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Senior ride programs have been filling some of these critical gaps.&nbsp;</p>
  1066.  
  1067.  
  1068.  
  1069. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Bastrop has been one of our busiest counties for the senior rides. It has been really popular,” Platt said.&nbsp;</p>
  1070.  
  1071.  
  1072.  
  1073. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Not only has ridership grown for the free seniors program, but also for regional commuter routes and local rides. Platt said CARTS is seeing a broader shift in who uses public transit. While many riders still depend on transit for medical appointments and essential trips, growing numbers of students, workers, and other &#8220;choice riders&#8221; are using commuter and on-demand services, through <a href="https://www.ridecarts.com/route/carts-now/">CARTS Now</a>, in Bastrop County.&nbsp;</p>
  1074.  
  1075.  
  1076.  
  1077. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I think in the beginning it was really medical seniors and people who didn&#8217;t have transportation, so they were just desperate for public transportation,” Platt said. “We didn&#8217;t have a lot of services but as we have grown, and cities have grown, we&#8217;ve entered different types of services.”</p>
  1078.  
  1079.  
  1080.  
  1081. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>An Aging Rural Population</strong></h3>
  1082.  
  1083.  
  1084.  
  1085. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">But with a growing aging population, there is a concern that the demand for transit cannot be adequately met even with these expanding services.&nbsp;</p>
  1086.  
  1087.  
  1088.  
  1089. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“There&#8217;s always a true lack of funding to meet what the true need is to help,” Scott said. “As the population grows, that need is going to get higher and higher.&nbsp;</p>
  1090.  
  1091.  
  1092.  
  1093. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Rural America is aging faster than the rest of the country, creating <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/10/older-population-in-rural-america.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">new challenges</a> for transportation, health care, and other essential services. In 2023, 21% of people living in rural counties were aged 65 or older, compared with 17% in metropolitan areas, according to the <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/rural-economy-population/population-migration">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>. And <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/rural-economy-population/population-migration">over 66%</a> of rural counties qualified as &#8220;older-age&#8221; counties, where at least 20% of residents are 65 or older.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  1094.  
  1095.  
  1096.  
  1097. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Last year, proposed federal budget cuts threatened the Older Americans Act (OAA), <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicare/what-to-know-about-the-older-americans-act-and-the-services-it-provides-to-older-adults/">which provides</a> substantial funding for senior transportation services through its Title 3(b) provisions. Title 3 services, which historically make up <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicare/what-to-know-about-the-older-americans-act-and-the-services-it-provides-to-older-adults/">nearly 75%</a> of OAA funding, have offered meals, nutrition support, transportation, legal assistance, and more to millions of older people across the country.&nbsp;</p>
  1098.  
  1099.  
  1100.  
  1101. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In 2023 alone, 13.1 million one-way transportation trips were provided for older people across the country, <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicare/what-to-know-about-the-older-americans-act-and-the-services-it-provides-to-older-adults/">according to</a> the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.&nbsp;</p>
  1102.  
  1103.  
  1104.  
  1105. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In 2025, the proposed federal budget and <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-restructuring-doge.html">restructuring</a> of the Department of Health and Human Services threatened key parts of the OAA. USAging, the national association representing and supporting the network of Area Agencies on Aging, warned about the fallout of these policies.&nbsp;</p>
  1106.  
  1107.  
  1108.  
  1109. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“The recent Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reorganization eliminated the umbrella agency under which the OAA has been administered for 13 years,” said USAging CEO Sandy Markwood in <a href="https://www.usaging.org/content.asp?admin=Y&amp;contentid=1716">a statement</a> last year. “If the proposed breakup of the programs and the elimination of major initiatives in the Act go forward, it will severely impact the ability of older adults and caregivers to get the services and supports they need to remain living at home and in the community, and it will put them at risk of facing much more costly placement in institutional settings—a situation no older adult or caregiver wants to confront unless absolutely necessary.”</p>
  1110.  
  1111.  
  1112.  
  1113. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Title 3 funding was fulfilled for fiscal year 2026, but advocates worry what these attempts to limit funding will look like in future years under the Trump administration.&nbsp;</p>
  1114.  
  1115.  
  1116.  
  1117. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">On a local level, many of the funding sources are county-specific, making it difficult to design and coordinate programs that span large, rural communities.&nbsp;</p>
  1118.  
  1119.  
  1120.  
  1121. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/enhanced-mobility-seniors-individuals-disabilities-section-5310">Section 5310</a> is a federal grant program that helps communities provide transportation for older adults and people with disabilities, funding things like accessible vehicles, medical transportation, mobility programs, and other services that improve access to rides.</p>
  1122.  
  1123.  
  1124.  
  1125. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“One of the things that makes rural transportation difficult is the cross-county barriers based on some of the funding sources,” Scott said. “[For example], when agencies receive 5310 funding to purchase vehicles, those vehicles may be restricted to use within a certain county because that&#8217;s what the grant covers. As a result, they can&#8217;t cross county lines to pick up people in neighboring counties.”</p>
  1126.  
  1127.  
  1128.  
  1129. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">To create cohesive transit systems that effectively serve rural communities, many Central Texas counties collaborate on grants and invest in coordinating teams that span the region.&nbsp;</p>
  1130.  
  1131.  
  1132.  
  1133. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">As Central Texas takes strides towards filling transit gaps, Scott still sees a long road ahead.&nbsp;</p>
  1134.  
  1135.  
  1136.  
  1137. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“There are solutions that are emerging,” Scott said. “But we have a long way to go.”</p>
  1138.  
  1139.  
  1140.  
  1141. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  1142. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/rural-transportation-program-serves-aging-populations-in-central-texas/2026/07/13/">Rural Transportation Program Serves Aging Populations in Central Texas</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1143. ]]></content:encoded>
  1145. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/rural-transportation-program-serves-aging-populations-in-central-texas/2026/07/13/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1146. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1149. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241500</post-id> </item>
  1150. <item>
  1151. <title>Q&#038;A: Author Heather Hansman on Ski Culture and the Future of Sports</title>
  1152. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/qa-author-heather-hansman-on-ski-culture-and-the-future-of-sports/2026/07/10/</link>
  1153. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/qa-author-heather-hansman-on-ski-culture-and-the-future-of-sports/2026/07/10/#respond</comments>
  1155. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ilana Newman]]></dc:creator>
  1156. <pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1157. <category><![CDATA[Arts & Culture]]></category>
  1158. <category><![CDATA[Travel & Recreation]]></category>
  1159. <category><![CDATA[Path Finders]]></category>
  1160. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241541</guid>
  1161.  
  1162. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-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/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-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>
  1163. <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 [&#8230;]</p>
  1164. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-author-heather-hansman-on-ski-culture-and-the-future-of-sports/2026/07/10/">Q&amp;A: Author Heather Hansman on Ski Culture and the Future of Sports</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1165. ]]></description>
  1166. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-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/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC05331-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>
  1167. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Editor’s Note: This interview first appeared in </em><a href="https://dailyyonder.com/path-finders/"><em>Path Finders</em></a><em>, 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 </em><a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-appalachian-potter-josh-copus-has-mud-in-the-blood/2025/06/20/#signup"><em>join the mailing list at the bottom of this article</em></a><em> and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week.</em></p>
  1168.  
  1169.  
  1170.  
  1171. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Heather Hansman is a journalist and storyteller based in Durango, Colorado, about 30 minutes away from where I live in southwest Colorado. I’ve read and loved both of her previous books over the years, <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/D/bo25265827.html"><em>Downriver</em></a> – about a trip down the Green River used to tell the story of water in the West, and <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/powder-days-heather-hansman"><em>Powder Days</em></a> – about ski culture, ski towns and the future of the sport.&nbsp;</p>
  1172.  
  1173.  
  1174.  
  1175. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Heather and I met up at a local bookstore to have a conversation about her newest book, <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/fierce-country-heather-hansman?variant=44270250459170"><em>Fierce Country: The Untold Story of Three Women Who Ignited America&#8217;s Outdoor Recreation</em></a>, out on July 14th.</p>
  1176.  
  1177.  
  1178.  
  1179. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The book, which I devoured before our conversation, details the complex lives of three women in the mid 20th century, all game changers in the outdoors in their own ways. Georgie White was one of the first women to raft the Grand Canyon and paved the way for the rubber boats and outfitters that take people down the river today. Anne LaBastille spent her life as a “hermit” and mountain guide in New York’s Adirondack mountains. And Dolores LaChapelle pioneered big mountain powder skiing and became a founding member of the deep ecology movement in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains (where Heather and I both live).&nbsp;</p>
  1180.  
  1181.  
  1182.  
  1183. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The whole book hit close to home for me in more ways than just location. I’ve covered <a href="https://www.climbing.com/culture-climbing/freedom-of-the-hills-guiding/">women in the outdoor industry</a> and <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/podcasts/rural-remix/getaway/">recreation economies</a> extensively since the very beginning of my journalism career. I had a great time chatting with Heather about nostalgia, heroes, and changing the world. Enjoy!</p>
  1184.  
  1185.  
  1186.  
  1187. <p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph"><em>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.</em></p>
  1188.  
  1189.  
  1190.  
  1191. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>The Daily Yonder: Tell me about the time period that you wrote this book. How did you personally change through the process of getting to know these women?</strong></p>
  1192.  
  1193.  
  1194.  
  1195. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Heather Hansman</strong>: I really started specifically focusing on this book in 2019 after <em>Powder Days</em> had come out. I think the core nugget of the [new] book is how to be a good person in the world, and who can we look at for pathways to follow. I kind of got hooked into this idea of heroes. These women became these archetypes, or channels for the things that I was trying to think about. Georgie is the “what do we do outside, why do we get obsessed? Why does that feel important?” Anne is the “how do you combine that stuff with caring about places and trying to make an impact?” and Dolores is the “why” behind it all, like what&#8217;s the like ethic of it all? The interesting thing about writing a book is you think it&#8217;s one story and then it becomes something totally different as you start to dig in. So, I think that question about how I changed is a really interesting one, because I think my perception of [these women] changed as I worked on it. They were all pretty complicated, so I had to really wrangle with this. Are these people good role models? Are they good feminists? Were they really creating the world that we want to live in? And then also, how am I being hard on people? How am I being hard on myself? What does it mean to, like, kind of carve out a path that feels good? So, I think that, over time, I had to be a little more generous to them, and then I had to do that for myself too. I feel like that&#8217;s the biggest change to me, but it&#8217;s also like this story changes so much as you dig in, and a lot of this book was historical research, I had to kind of go in and be like I could write a book about the history of the Grand Canyon, but I have to narrow it down and figure out what to write about them.</p>
  1196.  
  1197.  
  1198.  
  1199. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DY: Yeah, and I think you did a really good job. I loved that you included so much of that, grappling with the complexities of these really full, really complicated people. And throughout that process, you are grappling with their less than perfect legacies, while still giving a full picture of their strength. What does it mean to you to be the one holding their stories? How did you take on that responsibility of sharing them with the world?</strong></p>
  1200.  
  1201.  
  1202.  
  1203. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>HH</strong>: That&#8217;s a cool question. I think that it’s natural to me to push back on all these people that we&#8217;ve held up as heroes. That idea of imperfect heroes was something that was interesting to me, and I wanted to tell the whole story. I also think we&#8217;re doing a disservice when we tell these hero stories that are just, “and then the guy went and climbed to the top of the mountain, and it was great” – that&#8217;s not helpful for people coming after, and that&#8217;s not, ultimately, interesting. I also think, especially if you&#8217;re the only woman in a specific place, you get held to this standard of you have to be better than the guys, or perfect, or even more confident and capable. I think we put people in these boxes that are pretty unfair. Of course, nobody&#8217;s perfect, and a lot of [the women in Fierce Country’s] bad behavior was, I think, fairly protective – them trying to keep the elbows out, because they were scared that they weren&#8217;t gonna be able to keep doing the thing that they were doing.</p>
  1204.  
  1205.  
  1206.  
  1207. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DY: Part of this question just comes from my own journalistic experiences, where I feel sometimes that I&#8217;m entrusted with a story, that without me as a storyteller, the story isn&#8217;t going to get told. And especially while telling a story where your subjects are dead, you&#8217;re not going to be beholden to their reaction or the feedback. How did it feel to kind of work with the people that loved them or that were in their lives and kind of balance that?</strong></p>
  1208.  
  1209.  
  1210. <div class="wp-block-image">
  1211. <figure class="alignleft size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="716" height="1064" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-12.39.41-PM-1.png?resize=716%2C1064&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241546" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-12.39.41-PM-1.png?w=716&amp;ssl=1 716w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-12.39.41-PM-1.png?resize=511%2C760&amp;ssl=1 511w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-12.39.41-PM-1.png?resize=689%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 689w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-12.39.41-PM-1.png?resize=400%2C594&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-12.39.41-PM-1.png?resize=706%2C1049&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-06-24-at-12.39.41-PM-1.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" /></figure>
  1212. </div>
  1213.  
  1214.  
  1215. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>HH</strong>: Yeah, that&#8217;s been sort of scary, because when you&#8217;re reporting on somebody and you can go talk to them and get their like quotes and know that it&#8217;s their voice in the story. I mean, I don&#8217;t know if I always want the person to like the story, but I want it to be true and accurate.I think especially after people die, there can be kind of a cult of personality thing that builds up too. Leslie, who&#8217;s sort of the keeper of Anne&#8217;s estate, was saying that when she was cleaning out Anne&#8217;s cabin, people would come and post pictures on Facebook and get mad at her for cleaning things up or moving things. But the people who were really close to them, the sources that I really talked to, I think everybody was pretty aware of the goods and the bads. I went to this event for Dolores in Silverton [Colorado] three or four years ago now, and some of her people, who were kind of her disciples, almost got into a fight at this event because they were like “no, she&#8217;s like this,” “no, she was like that.” There is doing justice to the actual person, and then there is doing justice to the story.</p>
  1216.  
  1217.  
  1218.  
  1219. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DY: One of the themes that really comes up with all of the women that you&#8217;re featuring in this book, is the theme of nostalgia, and how a lot of these environmental movements have this underpinning of nostalgic memory and trying to keep place the way it was, maintaining it as it once was, whether or not that’s actually for the benefit of anyone. Do you find yourself doing this to any places personally, and what are the positives and negatives of looking at a place with this lens of nostalgia?</strong></p>
  1220.  
  1221.  
  1222.  
  1223. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>HH</strong>: Oh, that&#8217;s such a big question. I think about that all the time. It&#8217;s this sense of, “oh it would have been so cool to like be on the Grand Canyon in the 60s.”I went on a run with a friend this morning, and she was like, &#8220;When I first moved to Durango, we didn&#8217;t have to turn on the air conditioning.” It&#8217;s like that kind of thing, especially when it feels like things are moving in a way that isn&#8217;t good or isn&#8217;t protective of these places. Nowhere is untouched now because of air pollution and light pollution, and how we exist in the world. But things were also bad in the 60s before we had the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, but I think it&#8217;s easy to fantasize that that was like this more “pure: time. But we also can&#8217;t get back there, so I think you have to be working in the frame of right now. What’s interesting about Anne [LaBastille], in particular, is that she was really good at tracking that stuff and being like, “I can show on the ground how things have changed, what they were like before”. She was really involved in the Clean Air Act, that is net good. But something like the Wilderness Act, where you know there is this idea about like we&#8217;re trying to like preserve environments, but we&#8217;re also totally negating Indigenous history, and what came before, it gets complicated, so I think it&#8217;s sort of like – what are you looking back at, and what are you trying to work toward?</p>
  1224.  
  1225.  
  1226.  
  1227. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DY: I&#8217;ve done a lot of reporting around recreation economies in rural communities, and so much outdoor recreation happens in rural areas. In the book, you talked a little bit about how Silverton and how the economy has changed from mining to recreation, and a little bit about some other communities. How do you see recreation affecting and changing the communities that you know and love, both positively and negatively?&nbsp;</strong></p>
  1228.  
  1229.  
  1230.  
  1231. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>HH</strong>: I think a lot of it comes back to what are you trying to value and manage for, and like how do you regulate it and put bounds around it, and I also think who are you managing for? I think Silverton&#8217;s a really interesting example of this, and the Adirondacks, where Anne was, is interesting too. Are we trying to set up the system for visitors, so we can bring in an economy, or are we trying to set up the system for the people who live there, and then the economic stuff might be an add on. I think since I&#8217;ve been working in this world, this idea of a recreation economy has kind of been held up as this golden, shiny star we&#8217;re gonna work towards. That it’s going to bring back these mining towns. Bring recreation in, and it&#8217;s gonna be fine. I think it&#8217;s really hard to hit a good middle ground on that. Places like Moab, where, when that economy transitioned from mining to recreation, biking, RV, national parks, it kind of got blown out, and now it&#8217;s really hard for people to live there. A lot of that landscape is pretty damaged.The opposite side of that, is maybe Gallup, New Mexico, which has tried to do something sort of similar and bring in bike tourism, and there&#8217;s not quite enough infrastructure. It hasn&#8217;t quite taken off. Silverton is kind of like that too, it&#8217;s like a real feast or famine, you kind of get these punches in the summer where there&#8217;s a ton of people there, and in winter it’s hard for businesses to stay open. I think it&#8217;s really hard. I&#8217;m trying to think of anywhere I know that&#8217;s really doing it right, that&#8217;s created an economy that also has retained a community and been a place where people can live well.</p>
  1232.  
  1233.  
  1234.  
  1235. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>DY: Yeah I literally spent a year researching places for my podcast series and that was basically the giant question behind it all. Heather, thank you so much for chatting and I’m excited for people to read this newest book!</strong></p>
  1236.  
  1237.  
  1238.  
  1239. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  1240.  
  1241.  
  1242.  
  1243. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>You can find Heather Hansman’s newest book, Fierce Country: The Untold Story of Three Women Who Ignited America’s Love for the Wild, in bookstores as of July 14, 2026.</em></p>
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  1298. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/qa-author-heather-hansman-on-ski-culture-and-the-future-of-sports/2026/07/10/">Q&amp;A: Author Heather Hansman on Ski Culture and the Future of Sports</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  1305. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241541</post-id> </item>
  1306. <item>
  1307. <title>They Harvest the Nation’s Food, but a New Rule May Strip Them of Health Insurance</title>
  1308. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/they-harvest-the-nations-food-but-a-new-rule-may-strip-them-of-health-insurance/2026/07/10/</link>
  1309. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/they-harvest-the-nations-food-but-a-new-rule-may-strip-them-of-health-insurance/2026/07/10/#respond</comments>
  1311. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Paula Andalo / KFF Health News]]></dc:creator>
  1312. <pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1313. <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
  1314. <category><![CDATA[Labor]]></category>
  1315. <category><![CDATA[repub]]></category>
  1316. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241535</guid>
  1317.  
  1318. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-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/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-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>
  1319. <p>This story was originally published by KFF Health News. Seasonal work. Inconsistent hours. Frequent moves. Cash payments and informal jobs. For farmworkers who rely on Medicaid, these common employment patterns could put their health coverage at risk. It’s a heightened concern for the estimated million-plus farmworkers who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, as [&#8230;]</p>
  1320. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/they-harvest-the-nations-food-but-a-new-rule-may-strip-them-of-health-insurance/2026/07/10/">They Harvest the Nation’s Food, but a New Rule May Strip Them of Health Insurance</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1321. ]]></description>
  1322. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-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/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Farmworker-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>
  1323. <p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph"><em>This story was originally published by <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org">KFF Health News</a>.</em></p>
  1324.  
  1325.  
  1326.  
  1327. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Seasonal work. Inconsistent hours. Frequent moves. Cash payments and informal jobs. For farmworkers who rely on Medicaid, these common employment patterns could put their health coverage at risk.</p>
  1328.  
  1329.  
  1330.  
  1331. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">It’s a heightened concern for the estimated <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-labor">million-plus farmworkers</a> who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, as a new work requirement kicks in for the federal-state healthcare program that serves low-income and disabled Americans.</p>
  1332.  
  1333.  
  1334.  
  1335. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Starting next year in most states, many adults enrolled in Medicaid <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/medicaid/medicaid-work-requirements-final-rules-exemptions-trump-cms/">will have to prove</a> they work, are enrolled in college or vocational courses, volunteer, or do unpaid work for at least <a href="https://www.chcs.org/resource/a-summary-of-national-medicaid-work-requirements/">80 hours a month</a>.</p>
  1336.  
  1337.  
  1338.  
  1339. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Advocates say this could pose a significant challenge to Medicaid-eligible farmworkers, who frequently work more than 80 hours a month during harvest season but less in other months. What’s more, outside the harvest season, many workers take on informal jobs in construction, landscaping, or home repair for which they don’t receive formal paychecks that would prove their continuing Medicaid eligibility — though they can establish eligibility if they prove their average monthly income over six months is equivalent to 80 hours of work at the federal minimum wage.</p>
  1340.  
  1341.  
  1342.  
  1343. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Having a work requirement — having to create more paperwork and more proof — is certainly extremely challenging for farmworkers and others who are low-income and who may especially have seasonal jobs, not year-round, and do have periods” when there is no work available, said Alexis Guild, vice president of strategy and programs at <a href="https://www.farmworkerjustice.org/en">Farmworker Justice</a>.</p>
  1344.  
  1345.  
  1346.  
  1347. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>New Requirements, Additional Hurdles</strong></h3>
  1348.  
  1349.  
  1350.  
  1351. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Agriculture is a <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-and-food-statistics-charting-the-essentials/ag-and-food-sectors-and-the-economy">trillion-dollar industry</a>, and Americans <a href="https://www.ncfh.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/facts_about_farmworkers_fact_sheet_1.10.23-1.pdf">depend on an estimated 2.9 million farmworkers</a> to put food on their tables. Nearly 60% of those workers are U.S. citizens or green-card holders, according to the <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-labor">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>. The remaining 40% lack legal status or are otherwise ineligible for Medicaid.</p>
  1352.  
  1353.  
  1354.  
  1355. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Even among farmworkers with citizenship or legal status, the uninsured rate is three times that of the general population, and most farmworkers with insurance are Medicaid beneficiaries, although <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/05/Abstracts_19_05_15_21_24_02_68__98_122_177_245_0.pdf">participation rates vary</a> by state. According to a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919226000783">new analysis</a>, 71%-79% of eligible farmworker households report participation in Medicaid.</p>
  1356.  
  1357.  
  1358.  
  1359. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The new Medicaid work requirement was a key provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed last July by President Donald Trump. Under the federal law, <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-work-requirements-tracker-overview/">43 states</a> and the District of Columbia must implement the requirement by Jan. 1. A few states have <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/medicaid-work-requirements-tracker-1115-waivers/">moved to implement</a> the work rule early. </p>
  1360.  
  1361.  
  1362.  
  1363. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The 80-hour rule applies in states that expanded Medicaid, a process that began in 2014 and was tied to the Affordable Care Act. Following the initial expansions, agricultural workers with legal documentation became <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajae.12263">24% more likely</a> to have health insurance, according to a 2021 article in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics.</p>
  1364.  
  1365.  
  1366.  
  1367. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Immigration Anxieties</strong></h3>
  1368.  
  1369.  
  1370.  
  1371. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The work requirement is the latest in a long list of obstacles placed between workers and the healthcare they’re legally entitled to, Guild said. “Medicaid certainly helps because it alleviates the cost issue,” she said. “But there are still other barriers, such as transportation, taking sick leave, and finding time to visit a health center. All these factors can prevent them from actually receiving medical care.”</p>
  1372.  
  1373.  
  1374.  
  1375. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">For farmworkers with green cards and naturalized U.S. citizens, there is another source of stress: the fear that signing up for Medicaid could put <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/medicaid/medicaid-immigrants-deportation-state-data-legislation-north-carolina/">personal information in the hands</a> of immigration authorities.</p>
  1376.  
  1377.  
  1378.  
  1379. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">That’s what worries Luis, a 45-year-old green-card holder and Medicaid recipient who dreams of becoming a U.S. citizen. Luis — who asked to be identified by only his middle name — lives with his wife and daughter in North Carolina, where he has worked in agriculture for nearly a decade.</p>
  1380.  
  1381.  
  1382.  
  1383. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Speaking in Spanish, he said that when he learned about the work requirement, he knew it would be challenging for him to prove that he works 80 hours a month. “I only work on farms for six or seven months; the rest of the year I work in whatever I can find,” he said.</p>
  1384.  
  1385.  
  1386.  
  1387. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Republicans in Congress argue that work requirements will reduce federal healthcare spending, encourage nondisabled adults to <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/5-key-facts-about-medicaid-work-requirements/">enter the workforce</a>, and preserve safety net resources for the most vulnerable populations.</p>
  1388.  
  1389.  
  1390.  
  1391. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Among Hispanic adults enrolled in Medicaid, 67% are already working, according to a 2025 <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/understanding-the-intersection-of-medicaid-and-work-an-update/#2d451aea-fe27-4caf-b4dc-016df1b0c56b">KFF report</a>.</p>
  1392.  
  1393.  
  1394.  
  1395. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services did not respond to requests for comment for this article. But in June, when <a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-launches-nationwide-framework-implement-medicaid-work-requirements">CMS announced</a> its “nationwide framework” to implement the new Medicaid work requirement, Administrator Mehmet Oz said it would help beneficiaries “build skills and independence through work, education, job training, or community service, creating new opportunities for themselves and their families.” Federal officials say that the new requirement “could reduce poverty by as much as 2.9 million people.”</p>
  1396.  
  1397.  
  1398.  
  1399. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Chronic Illness</strong></h3>
  1400.  
  1401.  
  1402.  
  1403. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Agricultural work is one of the nation’s <a href="https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/industry-incidence-rates/most-dangerous-industries/">most dangerous occupations</a>, and it is associated with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12739296/">long-term health impacts</a> and <a href="https://ncfan.org/resources/farmworkers-health/">high rates of chronic illness</a>, including respiratory conditions. A <a href="https://clc.ucmerced.edu/sites/g/files/ufvvjh626/f/page/documents/fwhs_report_2.2.2383.pdf">2021-22 California survey</a> found that 37% of male farmworkers and 47% of female farmworkers in the state had at least one chronic health condition. The new work requirement is one more barrier for those seeking care, advocates said.</p>
  1404.  
  1405.  
  1406.  
  1407. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“People skip checkups and screenings, and conditions that could be caught early and treated cost-effectively” aren’t, said <a href="https://pifcoalition.org/about/staff/adriana-cadena/">Adriana Cadena</a>, executive director of <a href="https://pifcoalition.org/resources/press/new-research-medicaid-unwinding-losses-hit-counties-with-larger-immigrant-communities-harder/">Protecting Immigrant Families</a>.</p>
  1408.  
  1409.  
  1410.  
  1411. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Emergency rooms often become the “natural” place to go for healthcare, Cadena added. “This drives up waiting times and costs for all of us. … And when people are sick enough that they miss work, it starts a vicious cycle of lost productivity and family economic instability that again threatens all of us.”</p>
  1412.  
  1413.  
  1414.  
  1415. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>A Loss for Families and Children</strong></h3>
  1416.  
  1417.  
  1418.  
  1419. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The new federal rules also require beneficiaries to verify their eligibility at least twice a year, twice as often as previously, creating another potential obstacle.</p>
  1420.  
  1421.  
  1422.  
  1423. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Letters can easily be missed, and forms may go unfilled. If people get caught up in the paperwork, they could lose coverage,” said <a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/person/akeiisa-coleman">Akeiisa Coleman</a>, an assistant vice president at <a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/">The Commonwealth Fund</a>, a nonprofit that promotes an equitable healthcare system.</p>
  1424.  
  1425.  
  1426.  
  1427. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">For farmworkers who travel from state to state, the process can be especially difficult.</p>
  1428.  
  1429.  
  1430.  
  1431. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“You have to find the time to transfer your coverage and probably find a person or organization that can help you — and that can be really hard when you’re constantly moving,” Cadena said.</p>
  1432.  
  1433.  
  1434.  
  1435. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The situation highlights the difficulties of navigating a complex system for individuals and families already struggling to make ends meet.</p>
  1436.  
  1437.  
  1438.  
  1439. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“The result,” Cadena said, “could be the loss of coverage not only for workers, but also for their families and children.”</p>
  1440.  
  1441.  
  1442.  
  1443. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  1444.  
  1445.  
  1446.  
  1447. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/about-us/"><em>KFF Health News</em></a><em> is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at </em><a href="https://www.kff.org/about-us/"><em>KFF</em></a><em> — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.</em></p>
  1448. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/they-harvest-the-nations-food-but-a-new-rule-may-strip-them-of-health-insurance/2026/07/10/">They Harvest the Nation’s Food, but a New Rule May Strip Them of Health Insurance</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1449. ]]></content:encoded>
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  1452. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1455. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241535</post-id> </item>
  1456. <item>
  1457. <title>Yonder Radio: Sale Barns, Regenerative Farming, and Midwestern Punk Rock</title>
  1458. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-sale-barns-regenerative-farming-and-midwestern-punk-rock/2026/07/10/</link>
  1459. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-sale-barns-regenerative-farming-and-midwestern-punk-rock/2026/07/10/#respond</comments>
  1461. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff]]></dc:creator>
  1462. <pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1463. <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
  1464. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241478</guid>
  1465.  
  1466. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?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/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=760%2C428&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1296%2C729&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?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>
  1467. <p>Tune in for conversations about the social value of sale barns, regenerative agriculture in the corn belt, the Rural Health Transformation Program, and punk rock in Minot, North Dakota. Plus, music from Trevor McKenzie. </p>
  1468. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-sale-barns-regenerative-farming-and-midwestern-punk-rock/2026/07/10/">Yonder Radio: Sale Barns, Regenerative Farming, and Midwestern Punk Rock</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1469. ]]></description>
  1470. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?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/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=760%2C428&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1296%2C729&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/YR-Cover-Photo.png?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>
  1471. <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">
  1472. <iframe loading="lazy" title="Yonder Radio 7/9/26 Billboard" width="780" height="439" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iYJGd2E0v6U?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>
  1473. </div></figure>
  1474.  
  1475.  
  1476.  
  1477. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Every week, Yonder Radio brings rural conversations with national reach to listeners around the country.</p>
  1478.  
  1479.  
  1480.  
  1481. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">We begin with a story from KFF Health News about the ongoing rollout of the Rural Health Transformation Program.&nbsp; Reporter Sarah Jane Tribble explains how large companies are well-positioned to benefit as states scramble to meet deadlines for administering the funds.&nbsp;</p>
  1482.  
  1483.  
  1484.  
  1485. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Then, we head to rural Nebraska to learn about the social benefits of livestock sale barns. A new study examines how sale barns serve as nodes of community connection, especially in isolated and remote areas.&nbsp;And the Ag and Water Desk reports on corn belt farmers who are banding together to create regenerative farming practices.</p>
  1486.  
  1487.  
  1488.  
  1489. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Next, Whitney Kimball Coe interviews Reverend Claire Brown about southern rural churches that are welcoming LGBT members,&nbsp;and Frankie Felegy takes us on a midwestern punk rock odyssey to Minot, North Dakota.&nbsp;</p>
  1490.  
  1491.  
  1492.  
  1493. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Our featured musician is Trevor McKenzie, an old-time singer, storyteller, and multi-instrumentalist out of Boone, North Carolina.&nbsp;</p>
  1494.  
  1495.  
  1496.  
  1497. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Tune in for all that, and more, on this week’s episode of Yonder Radio.</p>
  1498.  
  1499.  
  1500.  
  1501. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
  1502.  
  1503.  
  1504.  
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  1506. <iframe title="Spotify Embed: Yonder Radio 7/9/26 (Podcast version, no breaks)" style="border-radius: 12px" width="100%" height="152" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/43veKEzVgsDE4k0PtdGOuz?si=ea7249758a404df5&amp;utm_source=oembed"></iframe>
  1507. </div></figure>
  1508.  
  1509.  
  1510.  
  1511. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">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 <a href="mailto:info@yonderradio.com">joel@ruralstrategies.org</a>.</p>
  1512.  
  1513.  
  1514.  
  1515. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
  1516.  
  1517.  
  1518.  
  1519. <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">
  1520. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Join our Network</h2>
  1521.  
  1522.  
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  1550. </div>
  1552.  
  1553.  
  1554. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><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>
  1555. </div></div>
  1556.  
  1557.  
  1558.  
  1559. <h2 class="wp-block-heading">More Information About Yonder Radio</h2>
  1560.  
  1561.  
  1562.  
  1563. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>What?</strong></p>
  1564.  
  1565.  
  1566.  
  1567. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><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>
  1568.  
  1569.  
  1570.  
  1571. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">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>
  1572.  
  1573.  
  1574.  
  1575. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><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>
  1576.  
  1577.  
  1578.  
  1579. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Why?</strong></p>
  1580.  
  1581.  
  1582.  
  1583. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">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>
  1584.  
  1585.  
  1586.  
  1587. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><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>
  1588.  
  1589.  
  1590.  
  1591. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Who?</strong></p>
  1592.  
  1593.  
  1594.  
  1595. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><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>
  1596.  
  1597.  
  1598.  
  1599. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
  1600. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-sale-barns-regenerative-farming-and-midwestern-punk-rock/2026/07/10/">Yonder Radio: Sale Barns, Regenerative Farming, and Midwestern Punk Rock</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1601. ]]></content:encoded>
  1603. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-sale-barns-regenerative-farming-and-midwestern-punk-rock/2026/07/10/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  1604. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  1607. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241478</post-id> </item>
  1608. <item>
  1609. <title>45 Degrees North: Finding Balance</title>
  1610. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/45-degrees-north-finding-balance/2026/07/09/</link>
  1611. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/45-degrees-north-finding-balance/2026/07/09/#respond</comments>
  1613. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Donna Kallner]]></dc:creator>
  1614. <pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1615. <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
  1616. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241139</guid>
  1617.  
  1618. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.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/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C427&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C729&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1151&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1125&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.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>
  1619. <p>Recently, I found myself on the ground looking up at the sky and the outstretched hands of friends who tried to keep me from falling after a misstep. I wasn&#8217;t injured, thanks to a fortuitous distribution of padding on my backside and a thick skull. And if witnesses are to be believed (which I choose [&#8230;]</p>
  1620. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/45-degrees-north-finding-balance/2026/07/09/">45 Degrees North: Finding Balance</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1621. ]]></description>
  1622. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.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/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C427&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C729&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1151&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1125&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C439&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C225&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C397&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260601_102118220_HDR34-scaled.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>
  1623. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Recently, I found myself on the ground looking up at the sky and the outstretched hands of friends who tried to keep me from falling after a misstep. I wasn&#8217;t injured, thanks to a fortuitous distribution of padding on my backside and a thick skull. And if witnesses are to be believed (which I choose to do), my slow-motion fall was remarkably graceful. There was relieved laughter once it was clear I was okay.&nbsp;</p>
  1624.  
  1625.  
  1626.  
  1627. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Except, I think, from the friend who broke her hip last year. She broke it trying to jump her e-bike over a patch of ice. An e-bike is not a dirt bike, and she is in her 70s, not her 40s. I share this as a reminder not to assume that rural elders are unhealthy couch potatoes. My friend&#8217;s fall resulted in hip replacement surgery, a painful recovery, and missing a whole season of kayaking and biking. She is active again now. But that fall put a tiny chink in her confidence, and my silly fall probably didn&#8217;t feel silly to her.&nbsp;</p>
  1628.  
  1629.  
  1630.  
  1631. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">I&#8217;ve been meaning to write about balance and fall prevention programs for some time (although the e-bike jump was an unexpected twist). In 2023, Wisconsin had the <a href="https://www.wxpr.org/health/2025-06-25/wisconsin-tops-nation-in-deaths-from-unintentional-falls-these-recommendations-can-help-lower-those-chances">highest rate of fall-related death</a> in the nation among adults aged 65 and older.&nbsp;</p>
  1632.  
  1633.  
  1634.  
  1635. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">But personally, as a rural elder in Wisconsin, it&#8217;s the <em>non-fatal</em> falls that concern me even more. <a href="https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p03493-2024.pdf">EMS responses to falls</a> are increasing, and that can strain emergency medical services that are already stretched thin. The distance to treatment and both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services makes the consequences of a fall even more challenging for a rural patient&#8217;s family. So preventing falls sounds like a good plan.</p>
  1636.  
  1637.  
  1638.  
  1639. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">That goes double for me. I was <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/speak-your-piece-i-dont-remember-the-impact-but-i-must-have-been-screaming/2016/03/02/">injured by a drunk driver</a> in 1998, leaving me with an unreliable knee and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprioception">proprioception</a> challenges that sometimes make me slow to catch myself if I start to fall. Like that day recently when I stepped backwards for someone to take a picture, and slo-mo splatted on my backside. So, yes, I&#8217;ll be asking at my upcoming annual Medicare wellness visit for a referral to a balance program.</p>
  1640.  
  1641.  
  1642.  
  1643. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">I&#8217;d been wondering if I could convince my husband to do a balance program with me. He, too, is active. But we have noticed some things that are concerning.&nbsp;</p>
  1644.  
  1645.  
  1646.  
  1647. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">At his next eye appointment, I want him to see about getting glasses without correction for near and middle distances. Wearing trifocals makes him feel unsteady when walking on uneven ground and stairs. So he doesn&#8217;t wear his glasses on our walks or while hunting or fishing, and so has no distance vision correction.</p>
  1648.  
  1649.  
  1650.  
  1651. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">At his next Medicare wellness visit, I want him to ask about <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/pdf/STEADI-Brochure-Postural-Hypotension-508.pdf">orthostatic hypotension</a>. When he gets out of bed too fast, he tends to stumble. And sometimes when he gets out of his recliner, the first few steps are unpredictable. That can&#8217;t be blamed on medication, since he doesn&#8217;t take any.&nbsp;</p>
  1652.  
  1653.  
  1654.  
  1655. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">We&#8217;ve talked about those concerns. We talked about them again after the owl rescue. When I asked <em>then</em> if he would do balance therapy with me, his answer was an emphatic <em>yes.</em>&nbsp;</p>
  1656.  
  1657.  
  1658.  
  1659. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Here&#8217;s what happened. One morning, as he scrolled through Facebook, he saw that the <a href="https://www.raptoreducationgroup.org/">Raptor Education Group</a> near us had just posted <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ko1ght1Fm/">this</a>:&nbsp;</p>
  1660.  
  1661.  
  1662.  
  1663. <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
  1664. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">FISHING LINE ENTANGLED OWL ROSE LAKE NEEDS HELP!!!&nbsp;</p>
  1665.  
  1666.  
  1667.  
  1668. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">We have an emergency situation with an adult great horned owl entangled in fishing line and hanging about 6 feet over Rose Lake which is north of Langlade, WI. The finder, a kayaker, reported the owl is out of her reach…</p>
  1669. </blockquote>
  1670.  
  1671.  
  1672.  
  1673. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Bill asked if I wanted to go rescue an owl. Duh. So he went to load a canoe and a couple of saws, in case we had to cut a branch. I loaded a cardboard box, knives, and some old blankets, and grabbed a hoodie in case I got wet and chilled in the endeavor.&nbsp;</p>
  1674.  
  1675.  
  1676.  
  1677. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">On our way to Rose Lake, he called to speak with the kayaker about her location – an island where we picnic when we paddle that lake. Thanks to the 2019 derecho that knocked down so many trees in that area, she was able to get a signal to call REGI and to take calls from Bill on the water, where she and her companion were waiting near the owl.</p>
  1678.  
  1679.  
  1680. <div class="wp-block-image">
  1681. <figure class="alignright size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="729" height="1296" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44.jpg?resize=729%2C1296&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241142" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?resize=729%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 729w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?resize=427%2C760&amp;ssl=1 427w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1366&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?resize=864%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 864w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?resize=1151%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1151w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C2134&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?resize=576%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 576w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C3557&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C1387&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C711&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C1256&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-scaled.jpg?w=1439&amp;ssl=1 1439w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_20260604_131501226_HDR44-729x1296.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 729px) 100vw, 729px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">No pictures captured the portion of the owl rescue conducted standing in a canoe, but the rescuer managed to not fall. Here he is after delivering the bird to a raptor rehabilitation facility. (Photo by Donna Kallner / The Daily Yonder)</figcaption></figure>
  1682. </div>
  1683.  
  1684.  
  1685. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">I spoke to REGI, told them our plan, and how we were equipped. They suggested using the hoodie to mask the owl before trying to free it.&nbsp;</p>
  1686.  
  1687.  
  1688.  
  1689. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">From the boat launch, we proved to ourselves that we can still sprint in the 14.6-foot Mad River Winooski that Bill used to duck hunt from. It&#8217;s the most stable canoe we own, but not the fastest.&nbsp;</p>
  1690.  
  1691.  
  1692.  
  1693. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">As we approached the island, we could see spots of color from the two kayakers who had found the bird. The owl (actually a barred owl) was hanging from an outstretched wing, tangled in fishing line that dangled from a tree overhanging the water. The bottom drops off quickly there, and the water was too deep to reach the owl by wading. The tree looked sturdy enough for me to shinny out and cut the line from above, but dropping the bird from that height over water presented new problems on how to capture it. Bill thought he could reach the bird if he stood up in the canoe.&nbsp;</p>
  1694.  
  1695.  
  1696.  
  1697. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">So we positioned the canoe perpendicular to the shoreline. One of the kayakers stood near the shore and held one end to stabilize the boat. I waded out to stabilize the other end. My 5’7” husband got to his feet in the canoe. That was exciting. He reached up with the hoodie and was able to get it over the owl’s eyes and get control of the bird. I handed up a saw, and he used that to cut the fishing line. He lowered the bird into the open cardboard box we had in the canoe.</p>
  1698.  
  1699.  
  1700.  
  1701. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Cell phone service wasn&#8217;t the only miracle that day. There was some windmilling of arms, but Bill didn&#8217;t fall during the rescue operation. I didn&#8217;t fall while wading on slippery rocks. The bird did not sustain further injuries from our efforts: X-rays showed no fractures in the wing. We look forward to helping release the owl after he regains his strength.</p>
  1702.  
  1703.  
  1704.  
  1705. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">But we may have depleted our quota of miracles on the owl rescue. And we still live where snow and ice are concerns for five months out of the year. We still have a life where an old dog gets underfoot at times. Where we sometimes make rushed movements, or multitask unwisely, or carry more than makes sense. We are not frail elders, and prefer not to become frail elders for as long as possible.</p>
  1706.  
  1707.  
  1708.  
  1709. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">If that time comes while we&#8217;re still aging in place in our rural home, it will make sense to get a wearable medical alert system. In the meantime, it makes sense for us to improve our balance and make some behavioral changes, like <a href="https://fallpreventionfoundation.org/2025/07/01/how-to-reduce-fall-risk-a-comprehensive-guide-to-safer-living/">those</a> recommended by the Fall Prevention Foundation:</p>
  1710.  
  1711.  
  1712.  
  1713. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Move slowly when standing up</strong> or changing direction.</p>
  1714.  
  1715.  
  1716.  
  1717. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Pause to steady yourself</strong> after getting out of bed or a chair.</p>
  1718.  
  1719.  
  1720.  
  1721. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Use both hands on railings</strong> when using stairs.</p>
  1722.  
  1723.  
  1724.  
  1725. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Don’t carry objects that block your view</strong> while walking.</p>
  1726.  
  1727.  
  1728.  
  1729. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Avoid multitasking while moving</strong>, such as walking while texting or holding conversations.</p>
  1730.  
  1731.  
  1732.  
  1733. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">I also want to practice fall recovery techniques. Because it only takes one step sometimes for me to end up tail over teakettle. And because, while I don&#8217;t anticipate making more canoe-based owl recoveries, my husband and I are probably not done making sketchy choices.</p>
  1734.  
  1735.  
  1736.  
  1737. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The National Council on Aging offers <a href="https://fallpreventionfoundation.org/2025/07/01/how-to-reduce-fall-risk-a-comprehensive-guide-to-safer-living/">this free online questionnaire</a> for self-assessing your fall risk.</p>
  1738.  
  1739.  
  1740.  
  1741. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  1742.  
  1743.  
  1744.  
  1745. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Donna Kallner writes from Langlade County in rural northern Wisconsin.</em></p>
  1746. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/45-degrees-north-finding-balance/2026/07/09/">45 Degrees North: Finding Balance</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1747. ]]></content:encoded>
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  1753. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241139</post-id> </item>
  1754. <item>
  1755. <title>Rural Assembly Everywhere 2026 Explores Connecting Communities</title>
  1756. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/rural-assembly-everywhere-2026-explores-connecting-communities/2026/07/09/</link>
  1757. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/rural-assembly-everywhere-2026-explores-connecting-communities/2026/07/09/#respond</comments>
  1759. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff | Rural Assembly ]]></dc:creator>
  1760. <pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  1761. <category><![CDATA[From Our Team]]></category>
  1762. <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
  1763. <category><![CDATA[Rural Assembly]]></category>
  1764. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241519</guid>
  1765.  
  1766. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="597" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C597&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/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?w=2400&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=760%2C443&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=1296%2C756&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=768%2C448&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C896&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=2048%2C1195&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C700&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C597&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=2000%2C1167&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=780%2C455&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=400%2C233&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=706%2C412&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C597&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>
  1767. <p>This story also appeared in The Rural Assembly Living and working in a rural community can be isolating. The long days of organizing, chasing funding, and building relationships are taxing.&#160; The leaders of Rural Assembly believe their upcoming national broadcast, Rural Assembly Everywhere: Connecting Communities, will be “a source of enthusiasm and inspiration for people [&#8230;]</p>
  1768. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/rural-assembly-everywhere-2026-explores-connecting-communities/2026/07/09/">Rural Assembly Everywhere 2026 Explores Connecting Communities</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  1769. ]]></description>
  1770. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="597" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C597&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/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?w=2400&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=760%2C443&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=1296%2C756&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=768%2C448&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C896&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=2048%2C1195&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C700&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C597&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=2000%2C1167&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=780%2C455&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=400%2C233&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?resize=706%2C412&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Everywhere-logo-700x1200-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C597&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> <div class="wp-block-group alignright newspack-media-partners">
  1771. <div class="wp-block-group__inner-container">
  1772. <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized">
  1773. <a href="https://ruralassembly.org/" target="_blank"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="200" height="46" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rural-assembly-logo-1.png?fit=200%2C46&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-200x999 size-200x999" alt="Website for The Rural Assembly" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rural-assembly-logo-1.png?w=1611&amp;ssl=1 1611w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rural-assembly-logo-1.png?resize=760%2C176&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rural-assembly-logo-1.png?resize=1296%2C300&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rural-assembly-logo-1.png?resize=768%2C178&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rural-assembly-logo-1.png?resize=1536%2C356&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rural-assembly-logo-1.png?resize=1200%2C278&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rural-assembly-logo-1.png?resize=1568%2C363&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rural-assembly-logo-1.png?resize=706%2C163&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rural-assembly-logo-1.png?fit=200%2C46&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rural-assembly-logo-1.png?fit=200%2C46&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=400 400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></a> <figcaption>
  1774. This story also appeared in <a href="https://ruralassembly.org/" target="_blank">The Rural Assembly</a> </figcaption>
  1775. </figure>
  1776. </div>
  1777. </div>
  1778.  
  1780. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Living and working in a rural community can be isolating. The long days of organizing, chasing funding, and building relationships are taxing.&nbsp;</p>
  1781.  
  1782.  
  1783.  
  1784. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The leaders of Rural Assembly believe their upcoming national broadcast, <a href="http://www.ruralassembly.org/everywhere">Rural Assembly Everywhere: Connecting Communities</a>, will be “a source of enthusiasm and inspiration for people on the ground in their communities doing hard work throughout the year,&#8221; said Taneum Fotheringill, Rural Assembly Director of Programs and Partnerships.&nbsp;</p>
  1785.  
  1786.  
  1787.  
  1788. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“They are doing that work day-in-and-day-out. They are tired,” Fotheringill said. “A 90-minute thing one time is never going to transform someone’s life, but if you can walk away feeling just a little more energized, you’re going to keep doing what you’re doing every day with a little more inspiration and enthusiasm and be ready to keep it going.” </p>
  1789.  
  1790.  
  1791.  
  1792. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="587" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere.png?resize=780%2C587&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241522" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=1296%2C976&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=760%2C572&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=768%2C578&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=1536%2C1157&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=2048%2C1542&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=400%2C301&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=1200%2C904&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=1024%2C771&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=2000%2C1506&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=780%2C587&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?resize=706%2C532&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-scaled.png?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Granite-Falls-2025-RuralAssemblyEverywhere-1296x976.png?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">In 2025, community members in Granite Falls, Minnesota, organized a watch party followed by a meal and local discussion. This year, more than 30 locations will host in-person events across the country. (Photo by Anna Claussen )</figcaption></figure>
  1793.  
  1794.  
  1795.  
  1796. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This is the sixth annual virtual gathering hosted by the Rural Assembly, a program of the Center for Rural Strategies. The live virtual broadcast will feature conversations on rural funding, mutual aid, and the legacy of Indian American Boarding schools and the persistence of Indigenous culture and communities, as well as performances from rural writers and musicians. </p>
  1797.  
  1798.  
  1799.  
  1800. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The event promises a diverse range of ideas, stories, creative work, and practical tools that viewers can carry back into their own communities.</p>
  1801.  
  1802.  
  1803.  
  1804. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“It’s so easy for rural people to feel isolated,” said Rural Assembly Director Madeline Matson. “This allows people to come together and learn from each other &#8211; what is going on, what issues are people facing, how can they pool ideas and resources and capacity together to get things done.”&nbsp;</p>
  1805.  
  1806.  
  1807.  
  1808. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Lineup</strong></h3>
  1809.  
  1810.  
  1811.  
  1812. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The live broadcast will feature conversations, performances, and stories from rural communities. Scheduled segments include:&nbsp;</p>
  1813.  
  1814.  
  1815.  
  1816. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="455" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=780%2C455&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241526" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=1296%2C756&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=760%2C443&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=768%2C448&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=1536%2C896&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=2048%2C1195&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=1200%2C700&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=1024%2C597&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=2000%2C1167&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=780%2C455&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=400%2C233&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?resize=706%2C412&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-Everywhere-Agenda-Flyer-1296x756.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>
  1817.  
  1818.  
  1819.  
  1820. <ul class="wp-block-list">
  1821. <li>A conversation with Mary Annette Pember, author of <em>Medicine River: A Story of Survival and the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools. </em>She will be interviewed by ICT journalist Shirley Sneve;</li>
  1822.  
  1823.  
  1824.  
  1825. <li>A conversation about the role of rural philanthropy featuring Roundhouse Foundation Executive Director Erin Borla, in conversation with Department of Public Transformation’s Ash Hanson. Borla was recently recognized nationally as an innovator in rural funding on the<a href="https://time.com/collection/time100-philanthropy/2026/erin-borla/"> Time Magazine Time100 Philanthropy</a> list; </li>
  1826.  
  1827.  
  1828.  
  1829. <li>A panel on mutual aid and caring for our neighbors featuring Colorado-based Program Director of Justice 4 Migrant Women, Agueda Morgan, and Minnesota-based Executive Director of The Sowing Room, Dawn Espe. </li>
  1830.  
  1831.  
  1832.  
  1833. <li>Readings from Kentucky-based poet and farmer Angel Ballew and California farmer and writer Nikiko Masumato;</li>
  1834.  
  1835.  
  1836.  
  1837. <li>Music from Oregon-based indie pop band Holiday Friends and Kentucky singer-songwriter Grace Rogers</li>
  1838. </ul>
  1839.  
  1840.  
  1841.  
  1842. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">During the event, participants will be able to connect live in the chat. Fotheringill and Matson said the participation enriches the event for everyone, and they encourage folks to introduce themselves and share their thoughts and ideas.&nbsp;</p>
  1843.  
  1844.  
  1845.  
  1846. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Most people are coming to Rural Assembly Everywhere to learn about what other people are doing,” Fotheringill said. “They show up and are genuinely curious about what’s going on and have a lot of heart for the rural communities they are from or live in.”</p>
  1847.  
  1848.  
  1849.  
  1850. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Community Partners&nbsp;</strong></h3>
  1851.  
  1852.  
  1853.  
  1854. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">For the second year, the Rural Assembly sought partner organizations across the country to host local events in conjunction with the national broadcast. The number of communities hosting local events jumped from nine to more than 30. The events will be locally planned by libraries, arts centers, and other community organizations across 21 states. (See the list below) </p>
  1855.  
  1856.  
  1857.  
  1858. <figure class="wp-block-image 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/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5.jpg?resize=780%2C585&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241523" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C972&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C570&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C530&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VRHA-EVERYWHERE-5-1296x972.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">In 2025, the Virginia Rural Health Association organized a watch party and local discussion. This year, more than 30 locations will host in-person events across the country. (Staff photo)<br></figcaption></figure>
  1859.  
  1860.  
  1861.  
  1862. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We wanted to offer the opportunity to dial into a national rural conversation to people who are involved in their own communities and then layer on the local conversations they need,” Fotheringill said.&nbsp;</p>
  1863.  
  1864.  
  1865.  
  1866. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">While the local events will be held in-person, Rural Assembly Everywhere seeks to engage as many people nationally as possible with the virtual offering.&nbsp;</p>
  1867.  
  1868.  
  1869.  
  1870. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“You can be anywhere,” Matson said, “because we’ll be Everywhere.”&nbsp;</p>
  1871.  
  1872.  
  1873.  
  1874. <h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-white-color has-secondary-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-c058b86d6a72d30d0c85fd6ea3d91e4e">Local Everywhere events will be held in the following locations:<br></h3>
  1875.  
  1876.  
  1877.  
  1878. <ul class="wp-block-list has-white-color has-secondary-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-c373f6db1fb72b3ebfae3cde8988d32d">
  1879. <li>Eureka Springs, AR</li>
  1880.  
  1881.  
  1882.  
  1883. <li>Fayetteville, AR, plus satellite locations</li>
  1884.  
  1885.  
  1886.  
  1887. <li>Bisbee, AZ</li>
  1888.  
  1889.  
  1890.  
  1891. <li>New Cuyama, CA</li>
  1892.  
  1893.  
  1894.  
  1895. <li>Akron, CO</li>
  1896.  
  1897.  
  1898.  
  1899. <li>Sandpoint, ID</li>
  1900.  
  1901.  
  1902.  
  1903. <li>Moscow, ID</li>
  1904.  
  1905.  
  1906.  
  1907. <li>Durand, IL</li>
  1908.  
  1909.  
  1910.  
  1911. <li>Geneseo, IL</li>
  1912.  
  1913.  
  1914.  
  1915. <li>Boswell, IN</li>
  1916.  
  1917.  
  1918.  
  1919. <li>Paxico, KS</li>
  1920.  
  1921.  
  1922.  
  1923. <li>Jackhorn, KY</li>
  1924.  
  1925.  
  1926.  
  1927. <li>Presque Isle, ME</li>
  1928.  
  1929.  
  1930.  
  1931. <li>Lanesboro, MN</li>
  1932.  
  1933.  
  1934.  
  1935. <li>Winona, MN</li>
  1936.  
  1937.  
  1938.  
  1939. <li>Little Falls, MN</li>
  1940.  
  1941.  
  1942.  
  1943. <li>Granite Falls, MN</li>
  1944.  
  1945.  
  1946.  
  1947. <li>New York Mills, MN</li>
  1948.  
  1949.  
  1950.  
  1951. <li>Burlington, NC</li>
  1952.  
  1953.  
  1954.  
  1955. <li>Edenton, NC</li>
  1956.  
  1957.  
  1958.  
  1959. <li>Caliente, NV</li>
  1960.  
  1961.  
  1962.  
  1963. <li>Eugene, OR</li>
  1964.  
  1965.  
  1966.  
  1967. <li>Lewisburg, TN</li>
  1968.  
  1969.  
  1970.  
  1971. <li>Cosby, TN</li>
  1972.  
  1973.  
  1974.  
  1975. <li>Wharton, TX</li>
  1976.  
  1977.  
  1978.  
  1979. <li>Stuart, VA</li>
  1980.  
  1981.  
  1982.  
  1983. <li>Blacksburg, VA</li>
  1984.  
  1985.  
  1986.  
  1987. <li>Dayton, WA</li>
  1988.  
  1989.  
  1990.  
  1991. <li>Trout Lake, WA</li>
  1992.  
  1993.  
  1994.  
  1995. <li>Pulaski, WI</li>
  1996.  
  1997.  
  1998.  
  1999. <li>Capon Bridge, WV</li>
  2000.  
  2001.  
  2002.  
  2003. <li>Northern Cheyenne Reservation, near Busby, MT</li>
  2004. </ul>
  2005.  
  2006.  
  2007.  
  2008. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots"/>
  2009.  
  2010.  
  2011.  
  2012. <p class="has-text-align-center has-white-color has-secondary-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-f45583e7cdf5fa7c4f3702d38abe6f29 wp-block-paragraph"><em><strong>Rural Assembly Everywhere streams live July 23 at 1 p.m. ET; the virtual broadcast runs 90 minutes. Register and learn more at </strong></em><a href="http://www.ruralassembly.org/everywhere"><strong><em>www.ruralassembly.org/everywhere</em></strong></a><em><strong>. </strong></em></p>
  2013. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/rural-assembly-everywhere-2026-explores-connecting-communities/2026/07/09/">Rural Assembly Everywhere 2026 Explores Connecting Communities</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2014. ]]></content:encoded>
  2016. <wfw:commentRss>https://dailyyonder.com/rural-assembly-everywhere-2026-explores-connecting-communities/2026/07/09/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  2017. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  2020. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">241519</post-id> </item>
  2021. <item>
  2022. <title>Welcome to Widow&#8217;s Bay, A Totally Curse-Free Summer Destination</title>
  2023. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/widows-bay/2026/07/09/</link>
  2024. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/widows-bay/2026/07/09/#respond</comments>
  2026. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anya Petrone Slepyan]]></dc:creator>
  2027. <pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2028. <category><![CDATA[Rural Life]]></category>
  2029. <category><![CDATA[The Good, the Bad, and the Elegy]]></category>
  2030. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241438</guid>
  2031.  
  2032. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="551" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZGMyOWU4NTAtNjE4Ny00MTJlLWIzNzEtOWVlMjAzMTRjYWMyXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C551&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2033. <p>Apple TV’s new horror comedy series, “Widow’s Bay,” shows that screams and snickers are always in season. </p>
  2034. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/widows-bay/2026/07/09/">Welcome to Widow&#8217;s Bay, A Totally Curse-Free Summer Destination</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2035. ]]></description>
  2036. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="551" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZGMyOWU4NTAtNjE4Ny00MTJlLWIzNzEtOWVlMjAzMTRjYWMyXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C551&amp;ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw / 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw / 12)), 100vw" /></figure>
  2037. <p class="wp-block-paragraph" 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://dailyyonder.com/#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>
  2038.  
  2039.  
  2040.  
  2041. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the hardiest horror movie fan out there. Some people delight in oozing gore and jump scares, but I’m more likely to cover my eyes and peep through my fingers until the on-screen grotesquerie has subsided. I have an equally fearful reaction to cringe comedy shows like “The Office” (2005-2013), which mine embarrassing situations for laughs, at great cost to my personal psyche.&nbsp;</p>
  2042.  
  2043.  
  2044.  
  2045. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">So it was with some trepidation that I began watching “Widow’s Bay” (2026), a new comedy horror series created by Katie Dippold and Hiro Murai for Apple TV. I was rewarded for my bravery with a fantastically engaging and outrageously funny show that had me alternatively clutching a pillow for protection and cackling like a libidinous sea hag (if you know, you know).&nbsp;</p>
  2046.  
  2047.  
  2048.  
  2049. <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">
  2050. <iframe loading="lazy" title="Widow&amp;apos;s Bay — Official Teaser Trailer | Apple TV" width="780" height="439" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Nmc2RYm6PUE?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>
  2051. </div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Promotional trailer for &#8220;Widow&#8217;s Bay&#8221; (2026). (Credit: Apple TV via YouTube)</figcaption></figure>
  2052.  
  2053.  
  2054.  
  2055. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Originally conceived as an episode premise for “Parks and Recreation” (2009-2015), “Widow’s Bay” has all the best elements of any workplace sitcom, but offers far more range. Its absurd, character-driven humor combines with genuine scares and heartfelt moments to create the best sort of emotional rollercoaster.</p>
  2056.  
  2057.  
  2058.  
  2059. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The show follows Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) as he attempts to increase tourism to his remote New England island community. The sleepy town of Widow’s Bay has plenty of charm – comparable, Loftis hopes, to Bar Harbor or Martha’s Vineyard. But unlike either of those two summer destinations, Widow’s Bay is under a centuries-old curse, and things are getting dangerous, just in time for tourist season.&nbsp;</p>
  2060.  
  2061.  
  2062.  
  2063. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In the opening episodes, we learn that things have been going wrong in Widow’s Bay since its founding in 1702. Plague, witch trials, deadly fog, unnatural storms, killer clowns, and cannibalism are par for the course on the island. To cope, most locals have adopted a philosophy of fatalism and a stiff upper lip in the face of supernatural unpleasantness.&nbsp;</p>
  2064.  
  2065.  
  2066.  
  2067. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">But Mayor Tom Loftis, who was elected unopposed, wants more for the island and for his son, Evan (played charismatically by Kingston Rumi Southwick). And he’ll do everything in his, albeit limited, power as mayor to make Widow’s Bay prosper. Loftis is helped, and often hindered, by his team of office assistants and local managers. Actors Dale Dickey, K Callan, and Jeff Hiller shine as recalcitrant local bureaucrats, proving the adage that there are no small parts.&nbsp;</p>
  2068.  
  2069.  
  2070.  
  2071. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="419" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_.jpg?resize=780%2C419&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241440" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C697&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C409&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C413&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C826&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1101&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C645&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C551&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1076&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C419&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C215&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C380&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BZTgwMTlkNDUtYjU3Mi00MTkxLWE1YjEtZjkyMjQ2MWFkM2JhXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-1296x697.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Local bureaucrats Patricia (Kate O&#8217;Flynn) and Dale (Jeff Hiller) provide punchlines, and the occasional scare, in &#8220;Widow&#8217;s Bay,&#8221; (2026). (Credit: Apple TV via IMDb)</figcaption></figure>
  2072.  
  2073.  
  2074.  
  2075. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">As the series progresses, Loftis is forced to confront the realities of the island’s curse, assisted reluctantly by his loyal aide, Patricia (Kate O’Flynn), former mayor Wyck (Stephen Root), and Sheriff Bechir (Kevin Carroll).&nbsp;</p>
  2076.  
  2077.  
  2078.  
  2079. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The episodic structure of the show allows it to pay glorious (and hilarious) homage to the rural horror tropes that define the genre. Figures out of seafaring legends mix with superhuman slashers and immortal demons to create a potpourri of horrors afflicting the town. In my favorite episode of the series, inadvertent witchcraft brings a <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ceqQsuSOlgHzanIvQTSks?go=1&amp;sp_cid=e9931b48-01d4-4673-b813-e5d97b3be653&amp;utm_source=embed_player_p&amp;utm_medium=desktop">folk horror</a> theme to a municipal cocktail party gone wrong (and then right, and then wrong again).&nbsp;</p>
  2080.  
  2081.  
  2082.  
  2083. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">At first glance, the premise of the show may seem familiar to fans of rural horror. As we discussed in our podcast, <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/podcasts/rural-remix/the-rural-horror-picture-show/">Rural Horror Picture Show</a>, plenty of horror movies and shows take place in small towns that seem idyllic — until a dark secret is revealed. Often, the protagonists (frequently out-of-town visitors) are victimized by a hostile populace that is in league with, or at least indifferent to, the local source of evil. But that’s not what happens in “Widow’s Bay.” For one thing, the town’s dark history is dealt with in a comically open and casual way. In the opening episode, the town historian describes the town’s 18th-century witch trials as “a great source of pride. We caught ‘em, we burned ‘em.” And while tourists do play a role, the protagonists of the show are all locals with strong ties to the community.&nbsp;</p>
  2084.  
  2085.  
  2086.  
  2087. <div class="wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
  2088. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  2089. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">As a long-time and fully committed horror fan (<a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2016/10/awkward-babadook-halloween-costume-katie-dippold-tells-all.html">see this very funny post from 10 years ago</a>), showrunner Katie Dippold is well aware of these tropes, and knows how to use them to her advantage. The show gleefully plays with rural horror conventions – alternately poking fun at, subverting, and embracing them – while still delivering genuine scares. And in the moments between fear and laughter, I developed a real emotional connection with the characters. Their complicated relationships to one another, and to their home, create a plotline just as compelling as the supernatural mystery that envelopes the island.&nbsp;</p>
  2090. </div>
  2091.  
  2092.  
  2093.  
  2094. <div class="wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
  2095. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="780" height="1170" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_.jpg?resize=780%2C1170&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241441" style="width:348px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=864%2C1296&amp;ssl=1 864w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=507%2C760&amp;ssl=1 507w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=1365%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1365w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C1800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C1170&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C600&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C1059&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?w=1707&amp;ssl=1 1707w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-scaled.jpg?w=1560&amp;ssl=1 1560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/MV5BMjBkYTA2ZmEtMWUyNy00M2VkLTllMWEtN2Y3OGZkMGNiYWJjXkEyXkFqcGc%40._V1_-864x1296.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Promotional poster for &#8220;Widow&#8217;s Bay&#8221; (2026). (Credit: Apple TV via IMDb)</figcaption></figure>
  2096. </div>
  2097. </div>
  2098.  
  2099.  
  2100.  
  2101. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The show’s portrayal of the rural setting is equally nuanced. Widow’s Bay is located forty miles from the mainland, and is stylized with a quaintness that frequently crosses over into spookiness. The isolated island isn’t fully sheltered from modernity, but it’s the kind of place where landlines and walkie-talkies often serve better than cell phones, due to spotty service. Like in any community, the residents are made up of an eclectic mix of characters, from weathered fishermen to polished, book club-hosting women. The show has fun with the small town setting, but not in a way that makes rurality the punch line. If anything, viewers grow increasingly sympathetic to Widow Bay’s idiosyncrasies as it becomes clear that the odd local customs and perspectives are entirely justified. And while many characters express an urge to get the hell off the island, that has less to do with their dissatisfaction with rural life than it does with the fact that the community is really and truly cursed.</p>
  2102.  
  2103.  
  2104.  
  2105. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Personally, I’ll be looking forward to visiting the island again (since I am lucky enough to do so from the safety of my own couch) when it returns for season two.&nbsp;</p>
  2106.  
  2107.  
  2108.  
  2109. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Season one of “Widow’s Bay” is now streaming on Apple TV.</em></p>
  2110.  
  2111.  
  2112.  
  2113. <div id="signup" class="wp-block-group is-style-default has-light-gray-background-color has-background"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow">
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  2120. <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://dailyyonder.com/contact-us/subscribe-daily-yonder/#good-bad-elegy"><img data-recalc-dims="1" height="984" width="780" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/the-good-the-bad-and-the-elegy-1027x1296.png?resize=780%2C984&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-86113"/></a></figure>
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  2126. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">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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  2165. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/widows-bay/2026/07/09/">Welcome to Widow&#8217;s Bay, A Totally Curse-Free Summer Destination</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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  2174. <title>Ozarks Notebook: Saving Greenfield’s Town Square</title>
  2175. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/ozarks-notebook-saving-greenfields-town-square/2026/07/08/</link>
  2176. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/ozarks-notebook-saving-greenfields-town-square/2026/07/08/#respond</comments>
  2178. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Kaitlyn McConnell]]></dc:creator>
  2179. <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2180. <category><![CDATA[Community & Economic Development]]></category>
  2181. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241159</guid>
  2182.  
  2183. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-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/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-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>
  2184. <p>Rural communities are built and shaped by the hands of generations with good intentions. Sometimes those efforts are challenged by modern-day circumstances, fewer mom-and-pop businesses, and shifting populations that leave those who remain to reminisce about different days.&#160; That was on display in Greenfield, Missouri, in late May. The rural community of about 1,200 people [&#8230;]</p>
  2185. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/ozarks-notebook-saving-greenfields-town-square/2026/07/08/">Ozarks Notebook: Saving Greenfield’s Town Square</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2186. ]]></description>
  2187. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-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/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-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>
  2188. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Rural communities are built and shaped by the hands of generations with good intentions. Sometimes those efforts are challenged by modern-day circumstances, fewer mom-and-pop businesses, and shifting populations that leave those who remain to reminisce about different days.&nbsp;</p>
  2189.  
  2190.  
  2191.  
  2192. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">That was on display in Greenfield, Missouri, in late May. The rural community of about 1,200 people has seen significant change over the last few decades, losing most of its downtown businesses. Its square has faded, with many empty storefronts.&nbsp;</p>
  2193.  
  2194.  
  2195.  
  2196. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Those realities are in contrast with a time capsule that last saw the light of day in 1976 – back when things were better – that folks gathered to dig up in May.&nbsp;</p>
  2197.  
  2198.  
  2199.  
  2200. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">When it was buried, the Dade County seat was a thriving hub in a place of agriculture. Even in the 1990s, the town square included a pharmacy, a furniture store, a bakery, multiple cafes, insurance agencies, an historic hotel-turned-museum, a beauty shop, a lumberyard, a variety shop, a grocery store, and more.</p>
  2201.  
  2202.  
  2203.  
  2204. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">All of those stops are gone. A few others have opened, but not many.&nbsp;</p>
  2205.  
  2206.  
  2207.  
  2208. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Among those ghosts, locals gathered in late May to open that time capsule, their curiosity caught by the chance to remember what was. And the good times that may come again.&nbsp;</p>
  2209.  
  2210.  
  2211.  
  2212. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Because in the middle of this depressing scene is something else: hope. In April, Greenfield leaders learned it was approved for a $783,879 grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Community Development Block Grant Program. The funding will be used to support improvements to 14 downtown buildings, covering nearly half of the district.&nbsp;</p>
  2213.  
  2214.  
  2215.  
  2216. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We can&#8217;t lose our square – it&#8217;s the county seat,” said Missy Netzer, a city council member who grew up in Greenfield and championed the grant application. “Our courthouse is beautiful. But if we don&#8217;t do something, it&#8217;s all going to be gone. So many (small communities) are.”</p>
  2217.  
  2218.  
  2219.  
  2220. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Facing Communities’ Common Decline</strong></h3>
  2221.  
  2222.  
  2223.  
  2224. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In my travels throughout the Ozarks, I frequently see fading buildings and landmarks that remind of what once was. As people and money shift, things change, even though not everyone may want them to.&nbsp;</p>
  2225.  
  2226.  
  2227.  
  2228. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The bottom line: Greenfield isn’t alone in its decline, but I know its plight personally.&nbsp;</p>
  2229.  
  2230.  
  2231.  
  2232. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This town is where generations of my family have lived; it’s where my dad grew up. My grandfather founded one of those insurance agencies. Long gone is the cafe where he went to drink coffee most mornings, right around the corner from his office. Even in my 38-year lifetime, the town has faded a lot. And that’s hard to see.&nbsp;</p>
  2233.  
  2234.  
  2235.  
  2236. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Growing up in Greenfield in the 1970s and ‘80s, Netzer has experienced greater versions of those shifts.&nbsp;</p>
  2237.  
  2238.  
  2239.  
  2240. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“When I grew up, we didn&#8217;t go to Springfield to shop,” she said, referring to the region’s largest city, about an hour away. “We shopped on the square because it had everything.”&nbsp;</p>
  2241.  
  2242.  
  2243.  
  2244. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Most people, if they didn&#8217;t grow up here, don&#8217;t know what the square could look like,” she continued. “They&#8217;ve only seen it (now). You hear about that all the time – how bad it is.”</p>
  2245.  
  2246.  
  2247.  
  2248. <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/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241161" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-2025-2-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenfield’s downtown district has experienced change in recent years, a shift that includes the closure of numerous businesses. One storefront is shown here in 2025. (Photo by Kaitlyn McConnell)</figcaption></figure>
  2249.  
  2250.  
  2251.  
  2252. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">That’s why, in late 2025, I was intrigued and excited to learn of a grant application the town’s leaders had been working on for quite some time.&nbsp;</p>
  2253.  
  2254.  
  2255.  
  2256. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">With the help from the <a href="https://www.smcog.org">Southwest Missouri Council of Governments</a>, the city was applying for a grant from the <a href="https://ded.mo.gov/programs/community/community-development-block-grants-economic-development">Missouri Downtown Revitalization</a> program. According to the Department of Economic Development’s website, the program “offers opportunity for eligible Missouri communities to engage in revitalization efforts to renew downtown areas and restore them to their former prominence as a center of community activity.”&nbsp;</p>
  2257.  
  2258.  
  2259.  
  2260. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The potential benefit was significant: The grant would be in partnership with local property owners, with the state funding 80% of the approved projects – up to $75,000 each – and the owners footing the bill for 20%.&nbsp;</p>
  2261.  
  2262.  
  2263.  
  2264. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Netzer found the grant through an online search about three years ago, leading Greenfield leaders to approach Southwest Missouri Council of Governments (SMCOG) – the federally-designated economic development agency for the ten-county area of southwest Missouri – for help in completing the application. The process included securing local buy-in, blighting parts of the downtown area, and researching the history of relevant structures. Out of 32 downtown buildings, 14 signed on as part of the application.&nbsp;</p>
  2265.  
  2266.  
  2267.  
  2268. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">One of those building owners is Carmen Hargis Baker, who owns two structures included in the grant application. One, the town’s former International Order of Odd Fellows lodge, today is a flea market. The other building is currently condemned and simply used for storage.</p>
  2269.  
  2270.  
  2271.  
  2272. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I hope the grant will help revitalize our old buildings so they can be used for businesses for many years and bring some new life back to the square,” Baker told me. “This will be a great opportunity for our town and hopefully bring people to our area.”&nbsp;</p>
  2273.  
  2274.  
  2275.  
  2276. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Those years of work led to an afternoon in November 2025 when I sat at a meeting led by Kelsi Walker, SMCOG’s grants and environmental manager. Locals gathered for an update on the application, which was soon to be finalized.&nbsp;</p>
  2277.  
  2278.  
  2279.  
  2280. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“This has started from a small seed,” Walker said at the meeting, noting that, given the grant program’s recent start, it was a learning process on many sides to complete the application. “It&#8217;s been (relationship building) the whole time here, but we definitely have gotten to the peak of the application, and we&#8217;re really excited to submit and hear some good news. I do think this will be a really huge project for you guys, and to see the results will be really exciting.”</p>
  2281.  
  2282.  
  2283.  
  2284. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The application was submitted in early 2026, starting months of countdown to the moment in April when a letter arrived for Mayor Dave Engroff – another of the grant’s champions – from the Missouri DED:&nbsp; “On behalf of the State of Missouri, we would like to congratulate the City of Greenfield for its efforts in enhancing the community and strengthening its economy.”</p>
  2285.  
  2286.  
  2287.  
  2288. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The news brought hope that a better chapter – full of people, business, and community spirit – may be ahead via work that would have been difficult if not impossible without that state support.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  2289.  
  2290.  
  2291.  
  2292. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Folks such as Baker will be able to advance their renovation work, which in her case includes a new roof, lighting, and other minor improvements for one building and lighting, windows, heating, and cooling for the other. And it’s hoped the downstream impact goes beyond the property owners and the business district.&nbsp;</p>
  2293.  
  2294.  
  2295.  
  2296. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“The grant was written so that the building owners get the benefit, but we would use local contractors,” Netzer said. “We&#8217;re wanting to really push this so that the funds … stay in Dade County, too, because then it&#8217;s twice-fold.”</p>
  2297.  
  2298.  
  2299.  
  2300. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Encouragement Comes in Unexpected Ways</strong></h3>
  2301.  
  2302.  
  2303.  
  2304. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Part of why I share this story is to celebrate this specific win. But even for folks far beyond Greenfield and southwest Missouri, I share this – and other local work being done – as a reminder that things can change.&nbsp;</p>
  2305.  
  2306.  
  2307.  
  2308. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Greenfield’s revitalization grant is a huge moment to celebrate. But it’s one in several efforts Greenfield locals have championed in recent years to remind people that community is important, even when comparisons with the past bring a shrug and a sigh.&nbsp;</p>
  2309.  
  2310.  
  2311.  
  2312. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">One example is the Greenfield senior center, which closed during the Covid-19 pandemic; even after that, significant issues stood in the way of its revival. Netzer and others stepped in to ensure it reopened.&nbsp;</p>
  2313.  
  2314.  
  2315.  
  2316. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">A few blocks away, a group of local art enthusiasts founded <a href="https://dadecounty.art">Dade County ArtConnect</a>, <a href="https://www.ozarksalive.com/stories/the-arts-can-help-save-rural-spaces">a nonprofit dedicated to bringing people together around a love for art.</a> It moved into a former church, donated by a local minister, in 2025, and today is growing a community through classes, events, and performances.&nbsp;</p>
  2317.  
  2318.  
  2319.  
  2320. <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/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241162" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center.jpg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-Senior-Center-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Dade County Senior Center in Greenfield has been a community project championed by several local volunteers, including Missy Netzer, who is shown in the back hugging a visitor. (Photo by Kaitlyn McConnell)</figcaption></figure>
  2321.  
  2322.  
  2323.  
  2324. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">And, in recent years, the longtime newspaper editor and her daughter <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/ozarks-notebook-a-new-chapter-for-small-town-missouri-newspaper/2024/04/25/">bought back the paper from corporate owners and now run it themselves</a> for the good of the community.&nbsp;</p>
  2325.  
  2326.  
  2327.  
  2328. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Flickering flames of hope are possible wherever there are people who care. They aren’t isolated to big moments of grant funding, as huge as that is. The decision to care is what counts because you need that before anything else can happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
  2329.  
  2330.  
  2331.  
  2332. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I had a passion, because I grew up here,” Netzer said. “But if you didn&#8217;t, you&#8217;d walk away.”</p>
  2333.  
  2334.  
  2335.  
  2336. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">She meant from the grant. But I think it reflects something greater.&nbsp;</p>
  2337.  
  2338.  
  2339.  
  2340. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We&#8217;re hoping it&#8217;ll be the first of many grants,” Netzer said. “I know there&#8217;s grants out there for sidewalks and for lighting. They are giving us three years to get this one done. There&#8217;s other grants out there that we&#8217;ve started looking into to do more buildings. It&#8217;s a way to bring it back to what it was when I was a kid.”</p>
  2341.  
  2342.  
  2343.  
  2344. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Looking Forward</strong></h3>
  2345.  
  2346.  
  2347.  
  2348. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Of course, there most assuredly will be challenges along the way. Which takes us back to the time capsule on the courthouse lawn on a sunny Sunday afternoon, the day after the town’s annual spring festival.&nbsp;</p>
  2349.  
  2350.  
  2351.  
  2352. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Now came the moment: What would we see that hadn’t seen the light of day since 1976?&nbsp;</p>
  2353.  
  2354.  
  2355.  
  2356. <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/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1.jpg?resize=780%2C520&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-241163" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Greenfield-time-capsule-1-1296x864.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Allison Welch, who organized the time capsule’s opening, pulls out one of the first items: A flag recognizing Dade County, Missouri, of which Greenfield is the seat. (Photo by Kaitlyn McConnell)</figcaption></figure>
  2357.  
  2358.  
  2359.  
  2360. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We do not know the condition of anything in that (time capsule),” said Allison Welch, who organized the unearthing. “We’re all going to find out together.”</p>
  2361.  
  2362.  
  2363.  
  2364. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Sadly, what we first found was water.&nbsp;</p>
  2365.  
  2366.  
  2367.  
  2368. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The vault’s seal hadn’t held, and the time capsule was completely flooded. A few things, though, were able to be salvaged: Coins, photos, newspapers, a cassette tape, baby shoes, and a spoon. There were likely many other items that simply didn’t survive, disintegrated into the murky water.&nbsp;</p>
  2369.  
  2370.  
  2371.  
  2372. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">There was collective disappointment, and of course, I wish that more items had been recovered. But to me, it didn’t feel like a moment of despair. It was a reminder that people still care.&nbsp;</p>
  2373.  
  2374.  
  2375.  
  2376. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">It linked past generations and those today via a shared moment of enthusiasm with Greenfield at its center.&nbsp;</p>
  2377.  
  2378.  
  2379.  
  2380. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  2381. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/ozarks-notebook-saving-greenfields-town-square/2026/07/08/">Ozarks Notebook: Saving Greenfield’s Town Square</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2382. ]]></content:encoded>
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  2389. <item>
  2390. <title>Opioid Settlement Money Pays for Services To Battle Addiction in Rural Kentucky</title>
  2391. <link>https://dailyyonder.com/opioid-settlement-money-pays-for-services-to-battle-addiction-in-rural-kentucky/2026/07/08/</link>
  2392. <comments>https://dailyyonder.com/opioid-settlement-money-pays-for-services-to-battle-addiction-in-rural-kentucky/2026/07/08/#respond</comments>
  2394. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Taylor Sisk / KFF Health News]]></dc:creator>
  2395. <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
  2396. <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
  2397. <category><![CDATA[repub]]></category>
  2398. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://dailyyonder.com/?p=241324</guid>
  2399.  
  2400. <description><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.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/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.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>
  2401. <p>This story was originally published by KFF Health News. Drugs and the consequences of addiction are woven into the fabric of Jamie Madden’s life. Her earliest memory is of standing on the passenger seat of her dad’s car as a toddler, wearing a peach-colored blouse, while he drove from their Kentucky home to Florida to [&#8230;]</p>
  2402. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/opioid-settlement-money-pays-for-services-to-battle-addiction-in-rural-kentucky/2026/07/08/">Opioid Settlement Money Pays for Services To Battle Addiction in Rural Kentucky</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
  2403. ]]></description>
  2404. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.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/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=760%2C507&amp;ssl=1 760w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=1296%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1296w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?resize=706%2C471&amp;ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.webp?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Hub_01-scaled.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>
  2405. <p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph"><em>This story was originally published by <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/opioid-settlement-money-harm-reduction-services-rural-kentucky/">KFF Health News</a></em>.</p>
  2406.  
  2407.  
  2408.  
  2409. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Drugs and the consequences of addiction are woven into the fabric of Jamie Madden’s life.</p>
  2410.  
  2411.  
  2412.  
  2413. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Her earliest memory is of standing on the passenger seat of her dad’s car as a toddler, wearing a peach-colored blouse, while he drove from their Kentucky home to Florida to pick up drugs. On a stop for a burger, she met Ronald McDonald.</p>
  2414.  
  2415.  
  2416.  
  2417. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I grew up with the impression that that’s how you paid your bills,” Madden said. “That’s how your kids got things.”</p>
  2418.  
  2419.  
  2420.  
  2421. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">By 16, she was addicted to pain pills. By 30, methamphetamine. She lost custody of two children and gave up two more for adoption at birth. She served time in the county jail and state prison.</p>
  2422.  
  2423.  
  2424.  
  2425. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Pregnant again at 40, Madden resolved to stop using. It was then that she learned of The Hub in Whitesburg, a town of 1,575 residents, her hometown.</p>
  2426.  
  2427.  
  2428.  
  2429. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Over the past two years, the state of Kentucky has sent hundreds of thousands of opioid settlement dollars to the rural eastern region of the state to help minimize the ramifications of drug misuse. The Hub, a program that oversees a network of community centers offering a range of services from recovery peer support to canned food to sterile syringes, is part of that effort.</p>
  2430.  
  2431.  
  2432.  
  2433. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In April, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced $320,000 would be awarded to the Kentucky River District Health Department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://kaco.org/articles/opioid-settlement-funds-in-action-spotlight-on-the-kentucky-river-district/">Hub initiative</a>. There are now Hubs in four rural eastern Kentucky counties — Knott, Lee, Letcher, and Owsley, all of which are among the nation’s&nbsp;<a href="https://hdpulse.nimhd.nih.gov/data-portal/social/table?age=001&amp;age_options=ageall_1&amp;demo=00009&amp;demo_options=poverty_3&amp;race=00&amp;race_options=race_7&amp;sex=0&amp;sex_options=sexboth_1&amp;socialtopic=080&amp;socialtopic_options=social_6&amp;statefips=21&amp;statefips_options=area_states">most impoverished</a>&nbsp;— addressing substance use disorders, housing, hunger, employment, and other challenges. The program also operates The Hub on Wheels, which provides services throughout the district.</p>
  2434.  
  2435.  
  2436.  
  2437. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In 2025, The Hub received $545,000 from the same source, facilitating expansion from two to five counties. (The fifth Hub will be in Perry County.) The new $320,000 is a two-year grant to develop a program to help women who’ve been incarcerated reintegrate into society.</p>
  2438.  
  2439.  
  2440.  
  2441. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Both grants are from Kentucky’s approximately $1 billion share of the $57.8 billion for state and local governments from the&nbsp;<a href="https://nationalopioidsettlement.com/">settlement reached with pharmaceutical companies</a>&nbsp;to resolve litigation for their role in fueling the opioid overdose crisis.</p>
  2442.  
  2443.  
  2444.  
  2445. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Madden believes investment in harm reduction services is money well spent. She’s witnessed them work in her own life. She’s found solid footing for recovery at The Hub.</p>
  2446.  
  2447.  
  2448.  
  2449. <figure class="wp-block-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/kffhealthnews.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/06/Hub_02.jpg?w=780&#038;ssl=1" alt="A sign that says, &quot;The Hub / Meeting you where you are, but not leaving you there!&quot;" class="wp-image-2252176"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Hub is founded on the principles of harm reduction. Support includes housing, food, healthcare, and overdose prevention tools. (Photo by Taylor Sisk / KFF Health News)</figcaption></figure>
  2450.  
  2451.  
  2452.  
  2453. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">But the Trump administration is cutting federal funding for such efforts, disputing their benefits. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/ending-crime-and-disorder-on-americas-streets/">July 24 executive order</a>&nbsp;told programs across the country that they could no longer expect federal funding. The order stipulated that discretionary grants issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration should not be spent on “so-called ‘harm reduction’” efforts, claiming they “only facilitate illegal drug use and its attendant harm.”</p>
  2454.  
  2455.  
  2456.  
  2457. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Advocates for these services in this rural region, which cast its ballots for President Donald Trump in all three elections, beg to differ.</p>
  2458.  
  2459.  
  2460.  
  2461. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Meeting Folks Where They Live</strong></h3>
  2462.  
  2463.  
  2464.  
  2465. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Whitesburg — home to a lively cultural scene, including&nbsp;<a href="https://appalshop.org/">Appalshop, a media, arts, and education center</a>&nbsp;— is a town residents are fiercely proud to call home. The Hub is housed in a storefront on Main Street, neighboring City Hall, Hazard Coffee Company, Cut-Away Barber &amp; Beauty Shop, and the fire station. Like the other Hubs, it provides a range of services targeted to the needs of the community.</p>
  2466.  
  2467.  
  2468.  
  2469. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The inaugural Hub, launched in 2022 in Beattyville, the Lee County seat, two hours northwest of Whitesburg, offers breakfast and lunch, a food pantry, a clothing closet, a laundry room, and a computer lab. Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/naloxone">naloxone</a>, a medication that can quickly reverse an opioid overdose; drug test strips; hepatitis C treatment; sterile syringes; and wound care.</p>
  2470.  
  2471.  
  2472.  
  2473. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The program’s motto is “Meeting you where you are but not leaving you there!” It’s founded on the principles of&nbsp;<a href="https://harmreduction.org/about-us/principles-of-harm-reduction/">harm reduction</a>. Harm reduction services are designed to minimize the effects of drug use, keep people safe, and treat them with respect, until they might be ready to enter recovery. The support includes housing, food, healthcare, and overdose prevention tools.</p>
  2474.  
  2475.  
  2476.  
  2477. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">JoAnn Fraley is Kentucky River’s harm reduction program coordinator and its Hub initiative director. “In order for anybody to sustain recovery, they have to have financial stability, they have to have transportation, and they have to have a home,” she said. “We try to fill those gaps.”</p>
  2478.  
  2479.  
  2480.  
  2481. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">While critics suggest that exchanging clean syringes for used ones abets drug use, research published in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment indicates that people who participate in syringe services programs are more likely than those who don’t to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jsatjournal.com/article/S0740-5472(00)00104-5/fulltext">reduce their injection-drug use</a>&nbsp;or stop using drugs altogether, and that they are more likely to enter and remain in treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, syringe services programs also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis-syringe-services/php/about/index.html">reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis C</a>&nbsp;by about half.</p>
  2482.  
  2483.  
  2484.  
  2485. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In 2025, Kentucky River’s Hub model was named one of 19&nbsp;<a href="https://www.naccho.org/blog/articles/2025-model-promising-practice-awards">public health best practices</a>&nbsp;award winners by the National Association of County and City Health Officials.</p>
  2486.  
  2487.  
  2488.  
  2489. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“What jazzes me about it is it’s a community approach to harm reduction,” said Lauren Carr, who advises the Kentucky Association of Counties on how best to utilize opioid settlement funds. “Whether that’s feeding a hungry stomach, or putting clothes on somebody’s back, or giving them clean [syringes], you’re meeting that person’s needs.”</p>
  2490.  
  2491.  
  2492.  
  2493. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“It can be that lifeline,” Carr said.</p>
  2494.  
  2495.  
  2496.  
  2497. <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Paying Back for Good</strong></h3>
  2498.  
  2499.  
  2500.  
  2501. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Becky Todd, who leads the Beattyville Hub’s team, is a community health worker and peer support specialist. In April 2024, she was released from jail, having served multiple sentences on drug-related charges. She walked 3 miles from jail to The Hub with nowhere else to go. She’s working toward her bachelor’s degree in social work at Eastern Kentucky University.</p>
  2502.  
  2503.  
  2504.  
  2505. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I could not have done it without this place,” Todd said. “It’s my saving grace.”</p>
  2506.  
  2507.  
  2508.  
  2509. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Amber McDaniel recalls the first time she entered The Hub, after more than a decade of addiction, having lost her home, her kids, and her family’s support. “I didn’t know where to turn, didn’t know what to do,” she said. “I mean, I was about to lose my mind.” She’s now a Hub staff member&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americorps.gov/">through AmeriCorps</a>.</p>
  2510.  
  2511.  
  2512.  
  2513. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Hannah Stamper was placed in foster care and began using meth at 14. She was drawn to dealing drugs because “I loved for people to need me.” She’s now on staff as a member of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.recoverycorps.us/">Recovery Corps</a>, a program that trains AmeriCorps members to work in the recovery field. “People today need me in a good way, and I love that.”</p>
  2514.  
  2515.  
  2516.  
  2517. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Fraley has witnessed a transition in Lee County. A half-dozen years ago, conversations in public meetings about addiction and homelessness were strained “because nobody wanted to talk about it or acknowledge it.”</p>
  2518.  
  2519.  
  2520.  
  2521. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The community sees The Hub’s impact, she said, “and now they’re, like, ‘Whoa. We love you.’”</p>
  2522.  
  2523.  
  2524.  
  2525. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Scott Lockard, the district’s public health director, said a combination of data and anecdotal observations substantiates the initiative’s success, including an increase in the number of people entering treatment and a decline in reported communicable diseases.</p>
  2526.  
  2527.  
  2528.  
  2529. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I’ve been in public health for 36 years, and it’s one of the most effective interventions I’ve seen,” Lockard said.</p>
  2530.  
  2531.  
  2532.  
  2533. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Kentucky River team worked to educate the community about the potential outcomes of the Hub model, and Fraley said there was little resistance, just concern that the money be well spent. She said the planning has always included people who have lived with addiction.</p>
  2534.  
  2535.  
  2536.  
  2537. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Their voice needs to be at every table,” she said.</p>
  2538.  
  2539.  
  2540. <div class="wp-block-image">
  2541. <figure class="alignright"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/kffhealthnews.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/06/Hub_04.jpg?w=780&#038;ssl=1" alt="A woman sits with her toddler son on her lap for a photo." class="wp-image-2252179"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jannie Gatlin, who’s in recovery, comes to The Hub in Whitesburg, Kentucky, almost every day with her son, Hunter. (Photo by Taylor Sisk / KFF Health News)</figcaption></figure>
  2542. </div>
  2543.  
  2544.  
  2545. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Lockard agrees. To ensure the community is investing this money wisely, he said, “we’ll talk to those people who are experiencing the problem, find out what they think would help them best, and then look for those evidence-based interventions.”</p>
  2546.  
  2547.  
  2548.  
  2549. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Jannie Gatlin and Mandy Parker, who both are in recovery, attended a recent crafting class at the Whitesburg Hub. Gatlin, who started taking fentanyl in Colorado after her first son died at 2 months old of a digestive disorder, comes almost every day with her toddler, Hunter.</p>
  2550.  
  2551.  
  2552.  
  2553. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Parker was prescribed opioids for pain from a kidney disorder. When those pills became less available, she turned to street drugs. “That’s just the nature of the beast,” she said.</p>
  2554.  
  2555.  
  2556.  
  2557. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">She believes The Hub is helping break the stigma of substance use disorder in her community. When people see “real change happening,” she said, there’s a ripple effect. “It makes a difference.”</p>
  2558.  
  2559.  
  2560.  
  2561. <p class="wp-block-paragraph">She appreciates that The Hub is here on Main Street — right, she firmly believes, where it should be.</p>
  2562.  
  2563.  
  2564.  
  2565. <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
  2566.  
  2567.  
  2568.  
  2569. <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><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>
  2570. <p>The post <a href="https://dailyyonder.com/opioid-settlement-money-pays-for-services-to-battle-addiction-in-rural-kentucky/2026/07/08/">Opioid Settlement Money Pays for Services To Battle Addiction in Rural Kentucky</a> appeared first on <a href="https://dailyyonder.com">The Daily Yonder</a>.</p>
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