Quick hits: Coal states try to rescue coal-fired power plants; rural hospitals often blocked from clinical trials

Here's a roundup of stories with rural resonance; if you do or see similar work that should be shared on The Rural Blog, email us at heather.chapman@uky.edu.

Lawmakers in Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming are weighing plans to rescue coal-fired power plants; analysts say it's a sign of growing resistance in conservative, energy-producing regions against national efforts to transition to renewable energy. Read more here.

Scholars and activists are working to broaden the public's understanding of rural LGBTQ+ people. The story includes maps with state-level data on estimated rural LGBTQ+ populations. Read more here.

Some researchers say more accurate data-collection methods are needed to better understand recreational use of public lands. They say getting a more accurate picture of who frequents public lands, as well as when and why they do so, can help rural counties hone their economic development strategies. Read more here.

A coalition of hundreds of food and agriculture groups calls for an infrastructure package that meets rural needs. Read more here.

In pitching its infrastructure plan, the Biden administration is touting its benefits to rural America and Native American tribes. Read more here.

A new book does a deep dive into the Sackler family and how their company Purdue Pharma brought about the opioid epidemic with OxyContin. Read a review here.

Financial barriers can keep rural hospitals from participating in lucrative clinical trials. Read more here.

Many people who moved to Maine this past year said the pandemic was the tipping point for a decision they'd been considering for a long time. That's according to a recent survey by a non-profit focused on attracting new residents to the state, and could have implications for other rural areas trying to lure new workers. Read more here.

It's hard to plant more trees when we don't have enough seedlings. Read more here.

The pandemic exacerbated anti-Asian sentiment in rural areas. Read more here.

An emergency doctor who owned guns starting when he was a teenager weighs in on why "assault weapons" shouldn't be classified as guns. Read more here.

Everyone's hiring, but small business owners can't find qualified workers because of the pandemic and increased unemployment benefits. About a third of business owners surveyed said they had raised wages recently, and 17% said they plan to raise compensation in the next three months. Read more here.

A multimedia piece from The Washington Post explains how Congressional apportionment works, and who stands to benefit. Read more here.