Quick hits: Appalachian businesses sought for local food guide; webinar covers public transit's role in rural health-care access; exposé prompts Ala. police chief resignation

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.

The Agriculture Department has announced 11 regional positions, including three Farm Service Agency state executive directors and eight Rural Development state directors. Read more here.

Here's a great example of a metro paper doing due diligence in rural accountability reporting: In Brookside, Ala., pop. 1,253, a police chief hired in 2018 spearheaded an effort to bring in more revenue through fines and civil forfeitures. Revenue from such tactics increased by 640% from 2018 to 2020. Meanwhile, the town's part-time municipal judge and prosecutor also got outsized pay raises. The police chief resigned in January after AL.com published the first story about the issue. Read more here.

Appalachian Sustainable Development is seeking farmers, food producers, breweries, wineries, restaurants, farmer's markets, food pantries, small businesses, and more to add a free listing to its Local Food Guide. Read more here.

A recent Rural Health Information Hub webinar explored the role of public transportation in rural health-care access, especially for seniors and those with disabilities. Listen to the recording here.