As a lens for this election, stay focused on places 'where rural voters are exercising their clear-minded independence'

Click on the map to enlarge it. (Map by Graham Marema, from Jacobs and Johnson data)

Rural areas will play a large role in determining who wins the U.S. presidential and Congressional races. "When the presidential results start rolling in . . . the usual battlegrounds will get all the attention. But the real story of the night will be hidden in rural communities across America," report Nicholas F. Jacobs and Robin A. Johnson for The Daily Yonder. "These aren’t just dots on the map — they’re bellwethers for how rural America will shape the outcome of the election for presidential, Senatorial, House, and state legislative elections."

There are two types of rural counties – "classified throughout as non-metropolitan according to the 2023 RUCC (Rural Urban Continuum Code) designation — that matter for the Harris-Trump contest: those that reversed course in 2020 over 2016 (the flippers) and those that continued the decade's long trend in Republican dominance in a rural area," Jacobs and Johnson explain. Kennebec County, Maine is an example of a "flipper." Mower County, Minnesota (Walz's old stomping ground) and Lake County, Michigan are examples of "long-termers."

The battle for the U.S. Senate will come down to a "handful of races in states where rural votes will be decisive," the Yonder reports. "All eyes will be on Montana to see if Jon Tester can keep his seat in a state where rural votes comprise about 45% of the statewide total. . . . Michigan features an open seat, and rural counties comprise about 17% of the statewide vote." Ohio, Wisconsin and Nebraska also have Senate races to watch.

The U.S. House is also up for grabs, and "both parties are targeting for control of the House of Representatives featuring [races with] significant shares of rural voters," Jacobs and Johnson write. "Rural voters could well determine which party controls the U.S. House." Maine, Colorado, New York, North Carolina and Iowa all have House districts with tipping point races. In New Mexico's 3rd district, incumbent Gabe Vasquez (Democrat) is fighting to keep his seat "in this district where 37.3% of the votes were rural last election."

While there are many races to watch, "let’s keep the focus on the places that matter: the districts where rural votes will truly decide the outcome and who might give us glimpses into a different political future for rural communities," Jacobs and Johnson add. "We should be looking at the places where rural voters are exercising their clear-minded independence and where candidates are working to restore two-party competition. These are the contests that will tell us more about the future of American politics than the losses."

New report reveals that U.S. child care workers are 'paid less than animal caretakers and dressing room attendants'

Two out of five child care workers need public assistance
to support their families. (Adobe Stock photo)

Child care teachers make such small salaries that "two out of five need public assistance to support their families," reports Jackie Mader of The Hechinger Report, which covers education. "Child care employees are paid less than animal caretakers and dressing room attendants. . . .That’s a major finding of one of two new reports on the dismal treatment of child care workers. Together, the reports offer a distressing picture of how child care staff are faring economically."

The Early Childhood Workforce Index 2024 reveals abysmal and somewhat stagnated child care worker wages, which means "43% of families of early educators rely on public assistance like food stamps and Medicaid," Mader writes. The report also shows that black child care teachers make about $8,000 less per year than their white peers. Overall, "wages for early educators are rising more slowly than wages in other industries, including fast food and retail."

Another report, by Chris M. Herbst, a professor at Arizona State University’s School of Public Affairs, suggests that many higher educated child care workers have already left the profession and others continue to leave due to low pay. Mader reports, "That’s led to a 'bit of a death spiral' in terms of how child care work is perceived and contributes to persistent low wages, he said in an interview." 

While education competencies aren't the only things that make a good teacher, "higher education levels may mean staff have a stronger background not only in English and math but also in topics like behavior modification and special education," Mader writes, "which are sometimes left out of certification programs for child care teachers."

Herbst’s full report is here.

Sixty-nine percent of Americans are worried about the 2024 presidential election, but there are steps to reduce stress

Shannon Sauer-Zavala
Licensed Clinical Psychologist,
University of Kentucky

Today is Election Day in the United States, but the country may not know the results of some races until later. And while most U.S. citizens know conscientious ballot counting can be time-consuming, unknowns often stress the human mind. To manage worry and prevent catastrophizing, Shannon Sauer-Zavala for The Conversation shares science-based approaches to reduce election tension.

If this particular election feels distressing, rest assured, that you are not alone. Sauer-Zavala writes, "A recent survey found 69% of American adults are seriously stressed about the 2024 presidential election. It’s difficult not to be worked up about politics in today’s polarized climate. Regardless of which side of the political aisle you sit on, you may find yourself glued to your browser or TV, gobbling up every tiny tidbit of news."

Being mindful and accepting of stressful feelings can keep them from skyrocketing. Sauer-Zavala explains, "Be present. Anxiety can draw you into an uncomfortable spiral of 'what-ifs' about the future. When you make a point to be present, you remind yourself what is actually happening right now, rather than letting hypothetical fears take over."

When the news feels like impending doom, take a deep breath and "shift away from rigid, all-or-nothing thinking about the future," Sauer-Zavala recommends. "When people are anxious, they tend to focus on the worst-case scenario. For example, you might be telling yourself, 'With this candidate in office, things will be terrible and I won’t be able to cope.' . . . Try thinking through what you’d do if the undesirable candidate takes office – thoughts like 'I’ll donate to causes that are important to me' and 'I’ll attend protests.'"

Concentrating on healthy daily behaviors that reinforce a sense of balance and peace also keeps worry from taking over your day or week. "Remember the goal of 24-hour news networks is to increase ratings. It’s in their interest to keep you riveted to your screens by making it seem like important announcements are imminent," Sauer-Zavala adds. "As a result, it may feel difficult to disconnect and take part in your usual self-care behavior. . . . Go for a walk or, better yet, to bed. Keeping up with healthy habits can help reduce your vulnerability to uncontrolled anxiety."

Smaller food makers and independent grocers bear brunt of distributors' fees. Bigger grocery stores have the advantage.

Unraveling why some grocery prices are high means
looking at little-known fees. (Adobe Stock photo)

 

As Americans continue to face stubbornly high grocery prices, many are searching for root causes. Turns out, mysterious add-on fees might be part of the problem. "The price of a bag of coconut-cashew granola jumped last year from $5.99 to $6.69," reports Jesse Newman of The Wall Street Journal. "The granola maker said the cost of making the cereal hasn’t gone up that much. . . It jacked up the price, it said, in large part to offset fees that piled up from a little-known link in the supply chain: grocery distributors."

Since the pandemic, bigger grocery chains have raised prices citing supply chain woes, high labor costs and ingredient price hikes. Newman explains, "Many small manufacturers that have raised their prices have another explanation. They say they also are being squeezed by the distributors who act as gatekeepers to many supermarkets."

Avoiding grocery store middlemen isn't easy for smaller food makers. George Milton, who runs a hot sauce business in Austin, Texas, used to deliver his product himself, but that model is no longer realistic. Newman reports. "These days, the chief executive of Yellowbird Foods relies on national distributors to ship his product to stores, a process he said is riddled with obscure costs that make it hard to know what, if anything, he’ll be paid." Milton told Newman, "That’s a really tough way to run a business. But what is the alternative, that I UPS it from one place to another?”

While distributors may look like the problem, it's not easy for them to make a profit either. "Distributors operate on razor-thin profit margins, with limited ability to offset rising operating costs," Newman writes. "The situation reflects a struggle for profit throughout the grocery sector. Big food manufacturers that account for the bulk of sales have pushed through hefty price increases and notched some of their biggest profits in years."

Distributor fees can harm independent grocery stores because larger chains can buy inventory directly and negotiate lower distribution fees. "Distributors’ rules and charges are a symptom of pressures rippling through the supply chain," Newman explains. "Grocers are competing with one another to win shoppers with lower prices. Big food sellers have gained market share, giving them more leverage in negotiations with distributors."

Cadaver dogs and their handlers comb through piles of debris to find people lost during Hurricane Helene

Cadaver dog handlers are always looking for ways to keep their dogs
interested during a long search. (FEMA photo via NC Health News)

Hurricane Helene's torrential rains and flooding across western North Carolina didn't just decimate homes and businesses, it swept people away, leaving many communities still searching through rubble for lost loved ones. To help find the missing, cadaver dogs and their handlers are painstakingly working through debris and high waters.

"Highly trained dogs have played a crucial role in finding victims’ remains; one canine-assisted search team from Guilford County recovered 20 bodies in the immediate aftermath of the storm," reports Jaymie Baxley of NC Health News. "These specialist canines and their handlers are likely to find more casualties in the weeks to come, according to cadaver dog expert Cat Warren." Baxley spoke with Warren about the added challenges cadaver dogs and handlers face after natural disasters. Their edited Q&A is below.

Baxley: What are some of the unique challenges involved in training a dog to detect human remains — especially in disaster scenarios like hurricanes?
Cat Warren: Disaster work adds bunches of challenges on top of just finding the scent of human remains. It takes absolute experience for the dogs and handlers to work in these situations.. . . In a tragedy like this, you also have so much competing odor. . . . Many times, the dogs will work for hours and hours without finding anything.

Baxley: How do factors like flooding, mudslides or dense forests affect the ability of dogs to detect remains after events like hurricanes?
Cat Warren: But in these cases, the dog may not be able to get close enough or the scent is so fractured that the dog is somewhat uncertain. That’s when the handler is going to tell people who are flanking them, 'Look, the dog showed real interest here.' The dog may not give his final indication because that body or that scent is underneath a pile of debris, so it’s then up to the searchers to go in and search that pile of debris.

Baxley: How would you describe a typical search operation involving cadaver dogs in disaster-hit areas? Is there a timeline for the work?
Cat Warren: It’s grim, but the timeline for this is going to be months because there’s such a huge area to search.. . . Officials are still gathering accounts of where people went missing, and we have a homeless population in Asheville that is probably very much still unaccounted for. 

Baxley: What improvements or advancements have you seen in cadaver dog training that could enhance future search and recovery efforts?
Cat Warren: Generally, training over the past 20 years or so has improved at the highest levels because people have a greater understanding of how positive reinforcement and motivation can be used to train dogs in a really disciplined way. . . . One of the things that handlers are doing all the time is figuring out how to keep these dogs motivated over long search periods.

For handlers, some of the feelings may come afterward. These guys are doing really, really hard work. It is exhausting, and it takes a real physical and emotional toll. . . .