Kentucky Hall of Fame journalist retires from UK, leaving a legacy of good journalism for rural folks and beyond

Dr. Jennifer Greer presenting the 2023 Polaris Award to Al Cross.
(Photo by Sydney Turner, UK College of Communications)

By Jenni Glendenning
Institute for Rural Journalism, University of Kentucky

After almost 20 years advocating for rural and community journalism in the College of Communication and Information, Al Cross is leaving the University of Kentucky as the Director Emeritus of the Institute for Rural Journalism (IRJ). Cross, who also served as an extension professor for the School of Journalism and Media, officially retires July 31.

Cross may be handing in his UK office keys, but he won’t be stepping away from journalism altogether. After all, as Cross told a colleague recently, “there is no such thing as a former journalist.”

Cross’ 27-page CV doesn’t do justice to his achievements. He graduated from Western Kentucky University and has covered every Kentucky legislative session since 1980. Right out of college, Cross edited and managed weekly newspapers in Monticello, Russellville and Leitchfield.

He then became a reporter for the Louisville Courier-Journal for 26 years, including more than 15 years as a political writer (1989-2004). In 1989, he shared a Pulitzer Prize with the Courier-Journal staff, and from 2001-2002, he was national president of the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2010, he was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame.

The Institute was co-founded in 2004 by Cross and Al Smith. Cross worked for Smith in Russellville and Leitchfield, and their relationship made Cross the longest-running panelist on “Comment on Kentucky” before Smith became an election-night analyst for KET.

Patti and Al Cross at the 2023 Al Smith Awards Dinner.
(Photo by Sydney Turner, UK College of Communications)

Al’s wife, Patti Hodges Cross, is from Grayson County and is an independent designer and editor of various publications. In addition to design work, Patti heads up the Franklin County Fair and Horse Show in Frankfort and volunteers for numerous other philanthropic events. Al and Patti have been married for more than 48 years.

Patti Cross said she looks forward to the two of them spending time in the river house they are building in Clinton County. “It will serve as a getaway place on the Cumberland River where we can entertain friends and family,” she said.

Patti Cross said they also plan to travel. “Al has been to 48 states and only needs North Dakota and Hawaii to complete his bucket list," she said.

The couple hopes to visit Germany, the place of some of Cross’ ancestors, with his brother and sister-in-law. She would also like to travel to the Mediterranean or take a European river cruise but said they won't take any major trips until after Cross finishes his book on Kentucky politician Earle Clements.

Cross’ successor at the IRJ, Benjy Hamm, joined the University of Kentucky in 2023.

“I could not think of a better successor than Benjy Hamm,” Cross said. “His career has given him a deep, broad understanding of rural journalism and its challenges.”

Hamm said that for 20 years, and across the country, Cross has been the institute's name and face.

“When I’m at different events with people, and you say you're with the Institute for Rural Journalism, they’ll say, ‘Oh, is that Al Cross?’ because that’s how he’s become identified."

Throughout Cross’ “significant and outstanding journalism career, he was able to take this institute and make it into something that has helped countless journalists and news organizations across the country,” Hamm said.

“Al has been very gracious to me to make sure that my focus is on the Institute and making it go forward for the future,” Hamm said. “He understands that it will change with subsequent directors, and over the course of years, it will change, and he is wholeheartedly in support of that… He’s not someone who thinks that the Institute should stay the same as it was 10 or 20 years ago.”

Al Cross and Benjy Hamm host a workshop panel at the National Summit
on Journalism in Rural America, July 2023. (Photo by Heather Close, IRJ)

Cross and Hamm have known one another for more than 20 years. Hamm was the editorial director of Landmark Community Newspapers, which had a division in Shelbyville, Ky., where he and Cross interacted quite frequently since Landmark, at the time, owned the most newspapers in the state.

“The institute is integral to the service and outreach missions of our college and UK,” said Jennifer Greer, dean of the College of Communication and Information. “The work that Al Cross and his team do supports local journalists and rural communities throughout the nation at a time when the need for accurate and trusted information is needed more than ever. We are thrilled to have Benjy carry on this important work.”

The Institute's Administrative Coordinator and rural blog writer, Heather Close, called working with Cross a “journey of learning and discovery.

“I have never read so many things in all my life or looked at so many maps,” Close said. “Al pushed me to look at writing more critically and opened my eyes to resources I never knew existed. I'm grateful for the lessons. I hope he enjoys retirement, but I know we'll be seeing him at this year's Al Smith Awards Dinner."

Cross leaves a legacy of achievement through the IRJ.

“Our overall aim is to help life in rural America and rural Kentucky,” Cross said. “We operate under the proposition that rural Americans deserve good journalism as much as anybody else in America.”

When Cross received the Al Smith Polaris Award in 2023, recognizing distinguished service to community journalism, an audience member called him “a kind of North Star for the field of rural editors.”

Although those at UK might not see Cross striding through the halls, all will still see his name in the media as he continues to advocate for newspaper readership and good journalism in Kentucky.

Cross said he is looking forward to writing books and the occasional column.

Cross has dedicated his life to serving his community and reporting, so it was no surprise to anyone who knows him – or knows of him – that even in his retirement, he won’t stop doing what he loves.

Jenni Glendenning

Author’s personal note: I had the pleasure of serving as the David Hawpe fellow for the Institute during 2024, Cross’ last summer at the University of Kentucky. The knowledge and information I gained from this man in three short months were invaluable to my academic career and personal development. Al and Patti are true exemplars of everything Kentuckians strive to be: Kind, caring, compassionate, and brilliant. I will undoubtedly miss my daily communication with Cross. I cannot wait to read his books! All the best to Al and his family. 

 

Worry over bird flu prevents some states from allowing dairy cow showings; for other states, the fair goes on with testing

Fair competitor Emerson Wemark, 10, reclines with a cow.
(Photo by KC McGinnis, STAT)

For many farming families, more than a year of planning and work can go into having their farm animals compete at summer fairs. Adults and children look forward to getting their animals all gussied up and judged with excitement on par with a major holiday. But this year's showings are a bit different, with vets and animal farmers sharing concern over bird-flu, or H5N1, spreading from lactating cattle, reports Eric Boodman of STAT. Some states or counties have canceled their lactating dairy shows, but other fairs, like many in Iowa, will include lactating cattle showings with required testing as bird flu remains a worry and an annoyance.

The Iowa State Fair takes place in August, and its dairy shows might include hundreds of lactating cows "from a long list of dairies scattered across six different states," Boodman explains. "Just as authorities fretted about Christmas Covid spikes, so vets are trying to prevent trailers from clanking back home with microscopic stowaways replicating in udder cells."

Vets and animal farmers want to prevent H5N1 spread while still holding a binding community event that people have worked all year to enjoy. "They’re hoping to avert inter-species spread. Cow-to-chicken could wipe out a whole poultry flock. Cow-to-pig could put the virus into an efficient mutation machine," Boodman reports. "Though the handful of human infections documented so far in farmworkers have been mild, cow-to-human is a real risk, too. The longer H5N1 circulates in cattle, the more it poses a pandemic risk for us."

Michigan took the step of prohibiting all lactating dairy cow showings, but states such as Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota have taken a testing route, which allows lactating dairy cows to show, if they’re tested for Influenza A within the seven days before they arrive.

Earlier this month the Winneshiek County Fair in Iowa was held and despite testing regulations and some bird-flu anxiety, many families chose to participate. John and Peggy Sparrgrove along with the grandchildren opted to attend. Boodman writes, "These were the events their grandkids had spent all year working toward, and to them, the current threat didn’t justify scrapping the whole idea."

When it came to bird-flu opinions, Winneshiek dairy attendees offered varying degrees of skepticism and agreement. "A dairyman might give a reflexive eye roll about some rules, but also describe them as necessary; you can resent something that makes a tough business tougher and also see why it’s in place," Boodman reports. "One used the word 'propaganda,' then corrected himself, saying the virus is real and must be taken seriously."

Oregon is using visiting nurses to help curb infant and new mother mortality rates; visits may have other benefits

Why babies do what they do is often a mystery.
(Photo by Chris Anderson, Unsplash)

Some of the most complicated human beings to deal with are the tiniest: babies. Often referred to as "bundles of joy" or "little miracles," babies can be cranky, impossible to calm and impervious to sleep.

With that backdrop, it's fair to say new parents have it tough, and many lack the resources they need to confidently care for a newborn, which can lead to stress, emergency department visits, and even neglect or abuse. To address these needs and provide a response to high infant and mother fatality rates, the state of Oregon implemented an evidence-based program called "Family Connects" that makes life with a newborn better for everyone, reports Cory Turner of NPR. "The program offers any family with a new baby up to three no-cost visits at home with a trained nurse."

After the birth of their first child, Matt and Amber Luman from rural Jefferson County, Oregon, chose to participate in Family Connects. Turner writes, "Matt and Amber seem genuinely relieved when [Nurse] Ibrahim arrives for her second home visit with them." After baby Esserley gets a thorough medical check, "comes the beating heart of any Family Connects visit: the chance for new parents to ask a registered nurse whatever they want. . . . Some share their confusion or frustration. Others are eager for advice or comfort in those early weeks of a baby’s life when new parents are most likely to feel exhausted and adrift."

Most new parents need all the help they
can get. (Photo by T. Heftiba, Unsplash)

The Oregon Health Authority based the state's program on a small, successful Family Connects model developed in Durham, N.C. "Research from its smaller rollout there found it was associated with a handful of significant benefits, including a big drop in the number of trips new parents were making to the emergency room," Turner reports. "A study of Family Connects in Durham found mothers in the program were 30% less likely to experience possible postpartum depression or anxiety."

Oregon policymakers used the Durham program model and expanded it to a statewide outreach. "Every nurse acts as a kind of human clearinghouse of local and regional support for caregivers," Turner explains. "If a family is struggling with housing or food insecurity or addiction, the nurse will connect them with local groups and agencies that can help. Mental health counseling, marriage counseling, child care while mom or dad finishes their degree online."

In Durham's smaller rollout, the program "suggested a real return on investment," Turner reports. "Rolling out Family Connects in Oregon has been a costly struggle." From the pandemic to the nursing shortage to trying to cover a state that can be widely rural, Oregon's program has been expensive. It remains to be seen if the "benefits of Family Connects will outweigh the costs."

California declared 'clean water for all' as a basic human right, but that promise isn't a reality for many rural areas

Aging systems can contribute to contaminated
water. (Photo by Daniel Fazio, Unsplash)

California declared clean drinking water a human right in 2012, but that promise remains a work in progress as residents in more rural or underserved counties still drink contaminated water, reports Ian James of the Los Angeles Times. "Approximately 913,000 Californians depended on public water systems that are failing to comply with drinking water regulations, while an additional 1.5 million people depended on water systems that are determined to be 'at-risk.'" The price tag for clean, affordable water "for all" rings in at $15.9 billion.

Risky water tends to be poured from taps in small, more rural communities. Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the state water board, told James, "What our analysis has shown time and again is that the common denominator is size. Small systems struggle, especially in communities that have experienced discrimination and disinvestment, and their challenges will be amplified as the weather grows more extreme, new contaminants emerge and costs increase.”

The contaminated water some rural Californians are using, many Americans might rightfully refuse to drink. "The water pumped from wells contains harmful levels of contaminants including naturally occurring arsenic, bacteria from sewage leaks, nitrate from animal manure, fertilizers or other sources, and carcinogenic chemicals," James explains. Many water systems "have at least one contaminant at levels that violate safe drinking water standards."

Getting regional water systems in line with safe drinking standards takes more than funding. It takes people and planning. "The estimated costs of solutions in the latest report were substantially higher than previous state estimates," James writes. "According to the report, the estimated costs of long-term solutions for failing and at-risk public water systems total $6.6 billion over five years, while the costs of solutions for 'high-risk' small water systems and domestic wells total $4.9 billion."

But those numbers don't include everything. James explains, "Those combined costs, totaling more than $11.5 billion, would be significantly higher if loan repayment costs and operations and maintenance costs are included, the report said, pushing the total estimated cost of 'achieving the human right to water' to $15.9 billion."

It's a total California may not be prepared to pay. James adds, "Officials projected that $2 billion in state grant funds will be available over five years, as well as $1.5 billion in state loans, leaving a substantial gap in available funding."

Rural Nevada leaders seek a voice in massive energy builds, but almost 80% of their land is federally managed

Across western federal lands, some renewable energy expansion is going at such a frenetic pace that rural county officials in Nevada can't keep up with the requests, reports Jeniffer Solis of the Nevada Current. "Several rural counties are now asking state lawmakers to establish a policy requiring federal agencies to coordinate all their land use planning and management decisions with state and county governments when considering massive utility-scale energy projects. . . . As of June, there are over 130 pending applications to build renewable energy projects across Nevada’s public lands. Most of those projects are in rural counties, where as much as 80% of land is federally managed."

NV Energy photo

Currently, Nevada lacks a statewide utility-scale solar plan, which exacerbates the problem for local governments.  In fact, county officials from Eureka and Lander County told state lawmakers that managing the sheer number of clean energy projects coming to their offices isn't workable because they lack staff and management capacity. Solis writes. "Rural governments told lawmakers that the intensity and scale of utility-scale energy proposals they are seeing in their counties will require targeted state policy to support and protect rural economies."

Eureka and Lander County lands are included in the "proposed Greenlink North Transmission Project — a 235-mile transmission line along Highway 50, which is expected to attract more solar projects in the coming years," Solis explains. And while the project is expected to bring thousands of good-paying jobs to the state, county officials want their offices and residents to have a say in local installations and time to prepare for the profound changes the builds are sure to bring.

Eureka County’s natural resources manager, Jake Tibbitts, "proposed amending state policy to clarify that federal agencies are expected to enter formal agreements with local governments in Nevada when considering projects on public land in their county," Solis reports. "Under the proposed amendment, those agreements would need to include a detailed coordination plan. . .especially when addressing conflicts between local land use plans and federal plans."

Solis adds, "But like Nevada as a whole, land in Eureka County is largely administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service, leaving the county at the whims of federal land use policy."

Quick hits: A good job for bots; farm safety for kids; double-dairy delights; blueberry contests; what's in your cart?

Dos Rios is also a destination for migratory birds along the Pacific flyway.
(California State Parks photo)

Filled with sunlight and the sounds of nature, California's newest state park steps back in time and into the future all at once. "The park opened this summer, emerging among the never-ending rows of agriculture the valley is known for. It's a lush 2.5 square miles now bursting with hundreds of thousands of native trees, bushes and animals," report Jonaki Mehta, Christopher Intagliata and Ailsa Chang of NPR. "But it isn’t like most state parks. In addition to bringing much-needed green space to an underserved area, its unusual design uses nature-based climate solutions that reinvigorate native wildlife. . . .By restoring the natural floodplain, the park will also help mitigate flooding that threatens residents in the area."

Busy farms can be full of dangers for adults and children. But particularly for farm kids, safety needs to be stressed and modeled, reports Jennifer Shike for Drovers, a beef industry publication. "The leading cause of injury and death for all ages on farms is large equipment. That's why Tawnie Larson from the Kansas Agriculture Safety and Health program urges farm and ranch owners to allow only youth with proper training and experience to drive large equipment. . . . Her advice to adults is simple. Demonstrate how to do things safely when children are young. Then, as they get older, take them to formal tractor safety training."

Caramel Popcorn Mascarpone Ice Cream Sundaes
(Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin photo)

What does joy in July look like for dairy lovers? Ice cream. What do dairy lovers from Wisconsin do in July? They add cheese to their ice cream! You don't have to be from the dairy state to do it. Go ahead, live large -- combine mascarpone cheese or even a cheddar with delicious heavy cream. Try scoops of cheddar apple pie ice cream or a mascarpone caramel ice cream sundae. Not ready to go that far into your dairy dream? A stop at any dairy shack is a delightful way to revel in summer -- while it lasts. 

Photo by Joanna Kosinska, Unsplash

Summer isn't just for animal fairs, it's time for produce competitions. The states of Maine and New Jersey have their blueberry dukes up and are seeking the "best berry" award. "The small blue fruit known for its antioxidants and other health benefits is New Jersey’s top crop. Meanwhile, nearly 100% of low-bush blueberries are grown in Maine," writes Matt Enright of Lancaster Farming. "But which state has the better berries? It depends on who you ask. . . . Ben Perrin, who’s been growing organic Maine blueberries for over 35 years, says it’s no contest. . . . Bill Mortellite notes New Jersey growers were the first to cultivate blueberries, so their farmers there have the most experience." 

How many of us have stood in a grocery store checkout line convinced that watching paint dry is more interesting -- only to have our eyes and minds wander over to the carts around us, quietly taking inventory of what's in the cart compared to the purchaser? "To better understand our relationship to the food we buy, we asked readers to send us their grocery receipts. . .and selected 27 people from across the U.S. to focus on," report Priya Krishna, Tanya Sichynsky and Aliza Aufrichtig of The New York Times. In combing through their receipts. . . we saw how identity, income and geography inform what makes it into the cart. . . .70% bought at least one bag of chips." Go ahead. Take a look.

Autonomous robots can tackle weeding and other field
work. (Photo by Aigen via The Guardian)

Robots can get a bad rap for stealing jobs humans need, but in the searing heat of summer, some bots are doing jobs no person wants. "Clint Brauer watches a team of bright yellow robots churn up and down the rows, tirelessly slicing away any weeds that stand in their way while avoiding the growing crops," reports Cary Gillam of The Guardian. Standing 4 feet long and 2 feet wide "the battery-powered machines pick their way through the fields with precision, without any human hand to guide them. . . . Baurer sees the robots as critical tools to help farmers reduce their reliance on chemicals and be more protective of their health and the environment."

A one-person newsroom in Pennsylvania was first with key details of the Trump assassination attempt

Vranesevich, left, is known for his local investigative reporting.
(Beaver Countian photo)

With his internal compass focused on news that isn't being shared, John Paul Vranesevich, the owner and only full-time reporter for the Beaver Countian, in western Pennsylvania, scooped key details of the Trump shooting story before national media could confirm it. While his stories revealed "some of the U.S. Secret Service’s most dramatic failure in decades," he credits his nimble reporting to his community connections, reports Elahe Izadi of The Washington Post.

"He said that some of those long-standing sources contacted him after the rally shooting to share some of the details of what had happened that day because they were concerned that the national narrative unfolding about the shooting was inaccurate or incomplete," Izadi explains. "That it would lead the public to believe that local law enforcement had failed to do its job and had put the former president at risk."

As Vranesevich was about to publish his scoop for Beaver Countian readers, he wanted the nation to hear the details, so he "tipped off contacts on CBS’s news desk," Izadi reports. "He knew his sources would want to get their story out to a national audience. CBS News published its story hours later, crediting the Beaver Countian’s original work."

Unlike many local reporters, Vranesevich's career started with bigger name recognition as an international computer security expert and then as a writer. "After his work got the attention of the New York Times, Vanity Fair and other national press, he started the Beaver Countian as a 'one-person guerrilla journalism venture,'" Izadi writes. "He now has the help of four or five freelance editors and contributing reporters."

Bill Vidonic, a Beaver Countian freelancer, noted that "Vranesevich is seen as somewhat of a 'renegade who 'doesn’t always have to play by the rules,'" Izadi adds. Vidonic told her: “He’s been an outlier in terms of media, and I think that’s where his strength has been. A lot of people reach out to him because they don’t think he’s part of the establishment. He’s one of them.”

Kentucky's Appalachian counties getting $297.6 million for post-flood recovery housing

State funds are being used for road and utility work at the new high-ground development in Knott County called Chestnut Ridge. (Photo by Zack Hall, Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky)

By Jenni Glendenning
Institute for Rural Journalism, University of Kentucky

Matt Sawyers has $298 million to spend.

Sawyers, a native of southeastern Kentucky, is commissioner of the state Department for Local Government. That puts him in a position to help make a difference in his home region as he helps his boss, Gov. Andy Beshear, decide where to put the $297.6 million the state has in a federal community development block grant for recovery from the 2022 floods.

Sawyers described it as “a tremendous opportunity for so many generations of eastern Kentuckians that are invested in the success of the region and understand the challenges that have been faced by the collapse of the coal economy, and before that, timber.”

The state has received 10 applications for infrastructure for housing projects to help southeastern Kentucky recover from the 2022 floods.  At least two are “high ground” communities above floodplains and one “is very close to being awarded,” Sawyers said.

The first deadline for infrastructure for housing projects was July 1, but the state is still taking applications, and has until February 2030 to spend the money.

Matt Sawyers, commissioner, Department for Local
Government (Photo by Al Cross)

Housing projects using disaster-recovery funding must serve low- to moderate-income households, and such households must be the majority of those served by infrastructure projects.

The governor is the ultimate decision-maker on recovery grants, but the process involves local governments and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, so “There aren't necessarily a ton of decisions that need to be made,” Sawyers said. “We have the money that was allocated to us by HUD, and we want to spend the money.”

Sawyers said his and Beshear’s “main, only, sole driving purpose is to bring people up out of the floodplain, fulfill the governor's commitment to Eastern Kentucky that we're not going to leave one person behind. This is a long-term recovery process and we're going to get them to safety and put them back at home.”

The state got a head start because it had some money left from the $123 million it got from HUD for recovery from 2021 flooding. Logan Fogle, the DLG’s chief information officer, said most of that was used in western Kentucky, but some is being used in Letcher, Floyd, and Breathitt counties because they were eligible for both 2021 and 2022 funding.

For example, in Prestonsburg, $8 million is being used to build 33 new homes and rehabilitate a vacant home in the New Hope neighborhood.

Breathitt and Letcher counties are two of the five that the federal government has identified as being hurt most by the 2022 floods. The others are Perry, Knott and Pike. At least 80% of the recovery money must go to those five counties.

In Letcher County, $8.7 million in 2022 recovery money will be used to build 29 homes in Seco and Uz, and install infrastructure to support the new homes.

In Jackson, $2.3 million will be used to build eight homes for flood survivors and $1.5 million is allocated for water and sewer projects for future housing projects in Breathitt County.

In Knott County, state funds are being used to build  new roads and lay water and sewer pipes in the new high-ground development called Chestnut Ridge.

The other counties eligible for federal disaster-recovery money are Casey, Clay, Cumberland, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Lee, Leslie, Lincoln, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley, Powell, Whitley and Wolfe.

Sawyers said the DLG works with local governments and supporting entities to develop their applications, and with HUD and the state Public Protection Cabinet, the Transportation Cabinet, and the Energy and Environment Cabinet, which is taking the lead on much of the planning for high-ground projects.

For decades, people in eastern Kentucky have wanted to see housing development on reclaimed strip mines. The flood and increased public pressure sparked some companies, families and individuals to begin making reclaimed land available for development.

Sawyers said that’s finally happening because of the tremendous investment being made in recovery by government and philanthropy. “We probably have a confluence of events” in developing entire new communities out of the floodplain,” he said.

A few wealthy Kentuckians and non-profit organizations have donated land or money for some of the housing projects. Sawyers says their team is “fully supportive of every resource that anyone can provide to fulfill the governor's promise to get people out of the floodplain, rebuild homes for them, and keep people in eastern Kentucky.”

Sawyers is a Lexington resident, but much of his family still lives in Clay, Laurel, and Perry counties. He said there is a cultural element to where people want to live, and many if not most of those uprooted by the flooding want to stay in their home areas, but on higher ground.

The state’s HUD-approved plan calls for $90 million to be spent on new single-family housing, which includes incentives to developers and assistance to qualified homebuyers; $25 million on owner-occupied rehabilitation or reconstruction, in grants up to $50,000 and up to $50,000 more in forgivable loans; $10 million in incentives to developers and builders for new multifamily housing, $5 million for rehabilitation or reconstruction of rental properties of seven units or less; and $134 million for infrastructure and related activities, including roads, bridges, drainage, publicly owned utility lines, and broadband for housing projects.

Also, $11 million is allocated for purchase of properties, $3 million in housing counseling and legal aid, $3 million in small-business grants, $1.5 million for resilience planning, and $15 million for administration of the program.

Jenni Glendenning, a Ph.D. student at the University of Kentucky, is the David Hawpe Fellow in Appalachian Reporting at UK’s Institute for Rural Journalism. Reach her at Jennifer.Glendenning@uky.edu.

Series of columns, "What I learned from dying," by rural weekly journalist Dave Taylor is now a book

Taylor’s book is available on Amazon.com.

In spring 2021, Dave Taylor found out he had Stage 4 esophageal cancer. The veteran journalist and editor of the weekly Hancock Clarion in Hawesville, Kentucky, began writing about the experience the week afterward in a column series called "What I Learned From Dying."

"If things go well this will be a long-term column that could serve as catharsis for me or a peek behind the gown for those who are curious," Taylor wrote in the first column. "If things don’t go as well, then maybe it’s just a long, rambling goodbye."

Taylor's columns weren't destined to remain a rambling goodbye. Instead, his widow Jamie D. Taylor re-released the entire collection as a softcover book available on Amazon.

Taylor told Jennifer Wimmer of the Clarion, "I believe what Dave achieved with his columns every week was amazing. . . . I saw how hard it was for him, physically and emotionally, to write those columns. . . . For him to go from being so very black and white to putting his heart in these columns and being completely vulnerable. . . I was just so proud of him. . . . He always wanted to publish a book, and I just feel like this was my way of making sure that his dream came true."

The book's cover also has a story. Dave commissioned the artist just 10 hours before his death. "Dave had texted Aaron Kizer, the artist who created his portrait," Wimmer writes, "asking him about painting it for him. That text is included in the book. Aaron also kindly accepted a commission to complete Jamie’s portrait, which was completed with Dave’s ashes."

As Dave faced cancer, he leaned on his faith in God, and Jamie Taylor hopes these shared details might help others. She told the Clarion: "I just hope that people who have cancer or love someone with cancer can pick it up and relate to it, and just understand that you can live a good life while you’re going through these things. . . . If there are any book clubs or churches that would like me to come and talk about the book, our prayers and our experience with cancer, I’m willing to do that. I want to share how faith can get you through these really hard times."

You can contact Jamie Taylor with any questions, or to schedule a speaking engagement at: davetaylorproject@gmail.com

The USDA has worked to entice dairy farmers to allow bird flu testing; anonymous testing is the latest pitch

Dairy farming is expensive and labor intensive. Cows have to be
milked twice a day. (Wisconsin Dairy photo)

Department of Agriculture scientists want to sample U.S. dairy herds for bird flu infections, but many dairy farmers won't allow testing. As a workaround, the USDA is suggesting anonymized testing, reports Tina Reed of Axios. "Many farmers are refusing to test their herds, fearing the economic consequences, while concern builds that the relatively benign virus could morph into a much bigger risk to humans."

Ashish Jha, who is dean of Brown University's School of Public Health, is among a small group of public health officials who would like universities to work with dairy farmers to facilitate herd testing. Reed explains, "Results from individual farms would be anonymized and sent to the USDA to offer snapshots about disease spread and how the virus is mutating, Jha said. . . . The idea has limitations, starting with the difficulty of zeroing in and addressing transmission at the source, experts said."

To date, the USDA has documented 140 U.S. herds across 12 states that have been affected by bird flu, or H5N1. "But prevalence is thought to be higher because many farmers are refusing to test," Reed reports. "Positive tests could be 'financially ruinous' for farms and individual workers, while the consequences of not testing so far appear to be limited to mild illness that can be treated with antivirals, Jha said." Jha told Axios: "It's not really clear for [dairy farmers] why they should engage."

But testing herds isn't the only method to assess bird flu's prevalence in dairy cows. Reed writes, "Another way of getting a better picture of bird flu activity in an anonymized way would be through the use of what's known as market basket surveys, Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota told Axios. . . The surveys, which have been used in Europe and Canada during this outbreak, are routine scans of pasteurized milk samples for traces of inactivated virus."

Osterholm told Reed, "The movement of milk is very, very closely monitored. While a sample couldn't necessarily be traced back to a specific farm, it could get close. It could give us a sense if there are certain areas of activity."

Drug-use stigma among addiction treatment providers is a barrier to care; state policymakers can help create change

Many substance abuse disorder providers have stigmas
about drug use. (Photo by V.  Hryshchenko, Unsplash)

Even though many addiction treatment centers encourage participants to talk openly about their opioid or substance-use disorder, many patients encounter medical providers with drug-use stigmas, which present an obstacle to care, reports Kaitlyn Levinson of Route Fifty. Some state governments can use policy changes to help remove social stigmas as a barrier to addiction treatment.

Noa Krawczyk, an assistant professor at New York University, told Levinson, "At the individual level of a person choosing not to use those treatments because of negative perceptions around them, to the policies that regulate these treatments [and] to the protocols that exist in treatment programs for how these medications are delivered. . . .[Stigma is] ingrained in every single aspect of these treatments and plays a huge role as in terms of a barrier to care.”

Even when opioid treatment is available and affordable, facing a biased medical community can mean a substance disorder patient opts out of recovery treatment. "A recent analysis from The Pew Charitable Trusts suggests normalizing methadone treatment could help expand its accessibility," Levinson writes. "Some states are moving to align their methadone-related regulations to mirror the federal government’s efforts, including California where policymakers are considering a bill that would allow doctors — not just methadone clinics — to prescribe take-home doses of the medicine."

Making treatment more accepted and widely available may address some stigmas, but changing policy goals and language can also help shift attitudes.

Massachusetts policymakers are working to remove drug-use stigma dynamics when a newborn tests positive for drug dependency. "Under current law, hospital workers are required to notify state officials about babies whose blood tests indicate substance use from their parent," Levinson reports. "The new policy would only mandate such reporting if the infant was at imminent risk of abuse or neglect, WBUR reported. The bill also directs health officials to establish a plan for new parents managing their substance use disorder."

Addiction workers need to thoroughly understand addiction as a medical problem or many treatment facilities will fail to help patients. Frances McGaffey, associate manager of Pew’s substance use prevention and treatment initiative, told Levinson, "[Otherwise] there is a mismatch between the community the provider aims to serve and the population actually getting care."

Fact-check: Last night's Republican presidential nomination acceptance speech

History in HD photo

This week Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Fiserv Forum played host to the Republican National Convention. The packed event highlighted the party's unilateral support for Former President Donald Trump, who took the stage last night and gave his nomination acceptance speech. Trump's speech was longer than most and filled with his past accomplishments and claims about President Joe Biden's poor performance.

CNN reporters fact-checked several points from Trump's acceptance speech, a few of which are highlighted below. For CNN's complete fact-check story, click here. The Rural Blog will run a CNN fact-check story after the Democratic National Convention in August.

Trump claimed that there is record inflation under President Joe Biden.
Facts First: "Trump’s claim is false. The current inflation rate, 3% in June 2024, is nowhere near the all-time record of 23.7%, set in 1920," reports Daniel Dale. "Trump could fairly say that the inflation rate hit a 40-year high in June 2022, when it was 9.1%, but it has since plummeted."

Trump claimed that the success of his trade deal with China resulted in China purchasing $50 billion in American goods.
Facts First: "The claim that China bought $50 billion worth of American products as a result of a trade deal is false," reports Katie Lobosco. "Trump is referring to what is known as the Phase One deal he struck with Beijing in December 2019. . . .While the deal required China to buy $50 billion worth of American agricultural products by the end of 2021 – Beijing did not live up to its commitment."

Trump claimed that U.S. gas prices were up 60%.
Facts First: "The average price of a regular gallon of gasoline nationwide is $3.51 as of Thursday, according to AAA," reports Bryan Mena. "That’s up about 47% from the day President Joe Biden was inaugurated when the average was $2.39 . . . ."

Trump claimed that Biden plans to quadruple U.S. taxes.
Facts First: "This is false," reports Daniel Dale. "The nonpartisan Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center think tank, which analyzed Biden’s never-implemented budget proposals for fiscal 2024, found this: 'His plan would raise average after-tax incomes for low-income households in 2024.' . . .The very biggest burden under the Biden plan would have been carried by the very richest households."

Trump stated that during his administration, the world was at peace.
Facts First: "Trump’s claim about world peace under his presidency is false. There were dozens of unresolved wars and armed conflicts when Trump left office in early 2021," Dale reports. "The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which tracks armed conflict in countries around the world, said in a June email that it estimates there were active armed conflicts in 51 international states in 2020 and again active armed conflicts in 51 international states in 2021."

A Minnesota town goes 'green' for rural independence and to save residents money; 'It was never about climate.'

Wind turbines help Morris residents save money on
their electrical bills. (Photo by Bastian Pudill, Unsplash)

When economic vision was paired with resource conservation in Morris, Minn., the small town accidentally went "green." Its success serves as a model for other rural places.

Seen from a distance, the Morris landscape is dotted with wind turbines, which create "cheap electricity. . .providing energy to make carbon-neutral fertilizer. Cows graze next to solar panels that provide them with shade," reports Edward Humes of The Wall Street Journal. "A county-wide compost operation disposes of food and agricultural waste, electric buses take kids to school, the public library relies on geothermal heating and even a city-owned liquor store has rooftop solar panels."

The small Stevens County town boasts 5,206 citizens and skews Republican. In establishing their green mecca, Morris residents focused on "rural self-sufficiency. . . saving tax dollars and eliminating costly inefficiency and waste," Humes adds. "When Troy Goodnough, the director of sustainability at the local campus of the University of Minnesota, arrived more than 15 years ago and asked how he could help address those economic concerns, a partnership emerged that has made Morris one of the most sustainable farm towns in America — even though that was never the town’s goal."

Blaine Hill, the recently retired city manager, told Humes, "We never made it about climate. We just did it because it makes sense. And the more we did, the more we wanted to do.” Humes reports, "The result has been dubbed 'the Morris Model' by its participants: the town, the school district, Stevens County and the campus of 1,500 students. They are making their data and blueprints available to other communities interested in trying something similar."

Location of Stevens County
(Wikipedia map)

The town's model had the humblest of beginnings -- garbage. "For generations, farm and food waste had gone to the dump. In 2012, a group of students at the university launched a for-profit compost operation so successful that it soon expanded beyond the campus to accept drop-offs county-wide," Humes explains. "Eventually the students donated the whole operation to a grateful Stevens County. From the farmers’ perspective, those 'kids next door' helped them turn trash into cash."

With an independent spirit as their guide, the town's practical efforts transformed waste into savings and produced a domino effect of residential participation. "By 2018, the Morris Model had 100 projects underway," Humes reports. "It set out to end the landfilling of waste by 2025 and to produce 80% of the county’s energy and reduce energy consumption by 30% by 2030. . . . The common thread in these projects is that they have been promoted as a way to cut waste and costs and to create local independence — which has helped them win support in states both red and blue."

Cases of bird flu in cattle and humans are on the rise; researchers disagree on vaccinations for farmworkers

Dairy cows or milk could infect humans
with bird flu. (Photo by A. Kipp, Unsplash)

As cases of bird flu increase in cattle, some experts believe the United States should follow Finland's example and offer vaccinations to workers who are likely to be exposed. "Veterinarians and researchers have taken note of Finland’s move to vaccinate farmworkers at risk of infection. They wonder why their government doesn’t do the same," report Amy Maxmen and Arthur Allen of KFF Health News.

Many farmworkers may handle infected birds or raw milk products, which could leave them vulnerable to catching the virus. Kay Russo, a livestock and poultry veterinarian in Fort Collins, Colorado, told KFF Health News, "Farmworkers, veterinarians, and producers are handling large volumes of milk that can contain high levels of bird flu virus. . . . If a vaccine seems to provide some immunity, I think it should be offered to them.”

Testing results from Colorado may support the move to vaccinate workers who could be in contact with cows, raw cow milk or chickens. Amy Maxmen of KFF Health News reports, "Five people who work at a poultry farm in northeastern Colorado have tested positive for the bird flu, the Colorado public health department reported July 14. (One of the cases awaits confirmation by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) This brings the known number of U.S. cases to nine."

Extreme heat may have played a role in the virus' spread in Colorado because farmworkers' protective gear, such as goggles and masks, makes the work even hotter. "Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, posted on X, 'You don’t send farm workers in to cull H5N1 infected birds without goggles and masks. Period,' Maxmen reports. "If it’s too hot to wear those protections, it’s too hot to cull. We need vaccines to be made available to farm workers. We have to stop gambling with peoples’ lives.'"

So far the CDC has remained reluctant to pursue bird flu vaccinations. "Some researchers side with the CDC recommending against vaccination for now," Maxmen and Allen write. "There’s no evidence that this year’s bird flu virus spreads between people or causes serious disease in humans. And it’s unclear how well the available vaccine would prevent either scenario. . . . In considering vaccines, the agency takes a cue from a 1976 outbreak of the swine flu."

So far, it has been difficult to gauge how many people have been infected with H5N1, but some researchers in Michigan are working on testing for it. "To understand whether cases are going undetected, researchers have sent the CDC blood samples from workers on dairy farms," Maxmen reports. 

What is "climate-smart" agriculture and how do we know if it works? Report authors call for a CSA framework.

U.S. farmers have their hands full amid increased production demands, climate change management and working to use fewer environmentally harmful practices. In response to those needs, a new agricultural strategy known as "climate-smart agriculture" has evolved; however, the concept lacks a prescribed model. In their article for the Prairie Research Institute, Olivia Messerges and Trent Ford "call for developing a consistent, widely applicable, and standardized framework to assess what makes a specific agricultural system or practice 'climate-smart' and analyzes agroforestry and prescribed grazing within said framework."

At this time, CSA is broadly defined with a three-pillar structure, which includes: increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing agricultural resilience and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Beyond those requirements, more specific guidance is needed. Messerges and Ford explain: "A standardized framework would also enable producers, policymakers and researchers to consistently compare the effectiveness, tradeoffs and implementation barriers of various CSA systems and practices. The framework will result in improved implementation of CSA goals, better policy development, and more informed decision-making processes on a national scale. . . . This article subsequently provides examples of such an assessment using examples of agroforestry and prescribed grazing systems, which are often referred to as 'climate-smart.'"

In its simplest terms, agroforestry means farming with trees, and its use is divided into four methods including silvopasture, riparian forest buffers, forest farming and alley cropping. Each implementation practice comes with a complex set of positives, negatives and "we don't know yet" results. "Alley cropping can support soil stabilization, bioremediation, and biodiversity, which are important for climate change adaptation and emission reduction," Messerges and Ford note. "However, root competition with grain or horticulture crops may hinder production benefits. Riparian forest buffers are effective at helping farmers to become more resilient. . . but productivity and emission benefits are not well-known."

Prescribed grazing is another farming practice considered "climate-smart," but once again without a structure the term and use of grazing as a method that delivers on the three pillars is hard to measure. "In the context of the three-pillar framework, the CSA benefits of prescribed grazing are less clear than for agroforestry," Messerges and Ford report. "While prescribed grazing offers many benefits, there is substantial uncertainty in its effectiveness in achieving CSA objectives."

To read Messerges and Ford's full report, sources and descriptive graphs, click here.

Some solar companies are offering jaw-dropping rates for land leases; prices are a source of profit and concern

A solar company's 'pitch' letter to a farmland
owner. (Farm Journal)

The U.S. eastern corn belt is one of the most popular regions for solar energy companies to vie for land contracts. To convince farmers to negotiate leases, solar companies are offering increasingly high rental rates. Their high-dollar offers can add to land competition and local conflicts, reports Tyne Morgan of Farm Journal. "Todd Janzen, an agriculture lawyer based in Indiana, says solar leasing started in the Hoosier state five years ago. Today, such leasing is gaining traction and some controversy."

U.S. farmland is predicted to decrease in value by 2025, but solar energy leases may change that. "In Illinois, farmers are reporting eye-popping offers that are well above $1,500. One farmer near Morton, Ill., shared with U.S. Farm Report some information regarding an offer he received via an unsolicited letter," Morgan writes. "The company offered him a rate of $3,200 to $4,500 per acre. The company offered an additional $1,000 if the farmer signed a letter of intent, plus $3,000 more upon signing the cash lease."

Most sources say that current solar energy leases range from $500 to $4,000 per acre, which even with a 50-acre lease, is a chunk of money; however, the length of those leases may cause some family farmers to balk. Janzen told Morgan, "Farmers are used to one-, two-, maybe five-year cash rent leases, and these are for 20, 30 or even 40 years. So, they're really a generational decision that needs to be made.”

Despite potential monetary gains, solar contracts come with risks. Jazen told Morgan, “I think there's some risk on a personal level. These are becoming somewhat controversial at the county level. And so it can divide neighbors and counties, which is unfortunate, but it's also a reality.”

Reviving a native coastal hay could be the solution for farmers experiencing saltwater intrusions on their land

Salt hay is naturally weed-free and rot resistant.
(Graphic by Adam Dixon, Ambrook Research)

As saltwater intrusion occurs more frequently along U.S. coasts, regional farmers are losing part of their livelihoods to ground that is too salty for many traditional crops. In seeking out a solution, some farmers are working to bring back a native hay species that thrives in salt. "Farms at the low, marshy edges of the East Coast are rapidly losing ground as rising sea levels push salty water further into the fields, reports Kate Morgan of Ambrook Research. "American growers are beginning to see their own opportunities in reviving a historic salt hay industry."

Spartina patens -- more commonly known as "salt hay" -- was grown along U.S. coastal borders beginning during colonial times through the end of the 1900s. The perennial cordgrass hay can be "used for animal fodder, as a building insulator, packing material, or turned into paper," Morgan explains. "It’s incredibly easy to grow, but equally difficult to harvest. It performs best in marshy areas close to the water, which meant farmers had to cut it by hand, using horses and oxen to haul it out, or loading it onto rafts. By 1945, tractors had officially overtaken horsepower on American farms, and marshes and machinery don’t mix."

While farmers love a crop that is naturally weed-free, self-seeding and rot resistant, not being able to harvest it with modern equipment presents a challenge. Atlantic-coast farmer John Zander, whose Cohansey Meadows Farms has some significantly salty soil, has been experimenting with salt hay production methods. "His fields, planted just a bit further inland than the grasses might typically grow, are producing prolifically," Morgan writes. "He cuts, bales, and sells some for mulch, bedding, and fodder, and he hopes increased supply will help reinvigorate the various markets for salt hay. But his main goal is to sell transplants to other coastal farmers."

Zander noticed his salt hay crops had added benefits. He told Morgan: “The root mass is just so dense and thick. It just really grips on. I think if we can get some of that into places where we’re having erosion problems, it might be pretty beneficial to some of these coastal farms and towns.” 

An Oregon Democrat won working-class votes in a 'red' U.S. House district; she wants more 'normal people' to be elected

Gluesenkamp Perez would like more 'normal people' elected
into Congress. (Marie Gluesenkamp Perez press photo)

As Democrats look for ways to regain footing with working-class voters, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Democrat from a previously red district in Oregon, is a living example of changes her party may need to embrace if it wants to gain votes from people who "work for a living," writes Jason Zengerle for The New York Times. "Before she was elected to Congress, in 2022, Gluesenkamp Perez ran an auto-repair shop with her husband; her professional and personal acquaintances still largely consist of people who work in the trades — construction, carpentry, woodworking."

Gluesenkamp Perez doesn't think or act like many other politicians. Zengerle explains, "She hired her legislative director, in part, because the woman drove a Toyota Camry with 200,000 miles on it. 'That says a lot,' Gluesenkamp Perez explains. But what really sets her apart is the way she thinks about the federal government itself — which she believes is woefully out of touch with the needs of working-class Americans."

She has given voice to issues that reflect the needs of those who voted her into office. "While her opponent [Joe Kent] asserted that the 2020 election was stolen and that Dr. Anthony Fauci belonged in prison, she focused on the concerns of the community she knew," Zengerle adds. "Her biggest issue was pushing for 'right to repair' laws, which mandate that consumers have access to repair tools for everything from their smartphones and home medical devices to their cars and tractors." Gluesenkamp Perez told Zengerle: “We’re more and more surrounded by these black boxes that we have no influence over. I think it’s the American ethos that we know how to fix [expletive].”

While working-class connections got her into Congress, Gluesenkamp Perez found it hard to connect with her fellow politicians. "One of the few friendships she did strike up was with Jared Golden, a third-term Democratic representative from Maine," Zengerle writes. Golden's history included becoming leader of the Blue Dog Coalition when only seven members remained. "As the head of the Blue Dogs, he recruited Gluesenkamp Perez and Mary Peltola, who represents Alaska’s lone House district, to be his co-chairs. . . .The new Blue Dogs wanted to make it possible for more people like themselves ('normal people,' Gluesenkamp Perez calls them), from more districts like theirs, to get elected to Congress."

But standing up and speaking her mind has yet to have the legislative impact Gluesenkamp Perez wants. "The signature bills she has introduced or supported — table saws, right to repair, one to expand Pell grants to cover skills training at community colleges — are stuck in legislative purgatory," Zengerle explains. Her "biggest problem at the moment is Joe Kent, who is running again. This time, of course, Trump will also be on the ballot, which means Gluesenkamp Perez will need a good number of ticket-splitting voters to stay in office."

Some say she can't win re-election. To that end, she said: “All of the eggheads and all of the economists and all of the statisticians said we couldn’t do what we did. But you all showed up, and you believed it. Nobody saved us but us.”

Closing rural labor and delivery units poses problems for women, babies and rural population growth

Addie Comegys travels 45 minutes for her prenatal visits. 
(Photo by Tony Leys, KFF Health News)

As rural women have fewer babies, hospitals that once served more remote locations have closed their labor and delivery units, which leaves rural pregnant women facing maternity care deserts, reports Tony Leys of KFF Health News. In many areas, women leaving or not wanting to relocate to smaller towns with limited obstetric care has contributed to rural population loss.

Rural areas surrounding Oskaloosa, Iowa, population 11,558, illustrate how obstetric care has become long-distance care for some pregnant women. "At least 41 Iowa hospitals have shuttered their labor and delivery units since 2000," Leys writes. "Those facilities, representing about a third of Iowa hospitals, are located mostly in rural areas where birth numbers have plummeted."

Addie Comegys, who lives in southern Iowa and is expecting a baby in August, has spent part of her summer driving "45 minutes each way for prenatal checkups at Oskaloosa's hospital," Leys writes. "Oskaloosa's hospital has kept its labor and delivery unit open, partly by pulling in patients from 14 other counties." Not every smaller hospital has that geographical benefit.

For women who don't have reliable transportation or flexible work schedules, longer travel to see an obstetric provider becomes a barrier to care. Declining births have accelerated the problem. "Katy Kozhimannil, a University of Minnesota health policy professor who studies rural issues, said declining birth numbers and obstetric unit closures can create a vicious cycle," Leys reports. "Fewer babies being born in a region can lead a birthing unit to shutter. Then the loss of such a unit can discourage young people from moving to the area, driving birth numbers even lower."

Despite delivering far fewer babies, some rural hospitals have kept their units open, but that choice has posed care challenges. "A study published in JAMA in 2023 found that women were more likely to suffer serious complications if they gave birth in rural hospitals that handled 110 or fewer births a year," Leys writes. "The authors said they didn't support closing low-volume units because that could lead more women to have complications related to traveling for care. Instead, they recommended improving training and coordination among rural health providers."