Report: U.S. plants release a toxic herbicide into the air that more than 70 countries have banned

Waynesboro, Mississippi, in Wayne County is home to a 
 paraquat processing facility. (Photo by D. Nolan, The Lens)

Despite being banned in more than 70 countries, the toxic herbicide paraquat, which has been linked to Parkinson's disease, is regularly released into the air from facilities in the southern U.S., reports Delaney Nolan of The Lens. Currently, Parkinson's is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in the world.

The number of Parkinson's disease deaths in rural Wayne County, Mississippi, serves as an example. The county is home to the largest paraquat-emitting facility in the U.S., and was ranked in the top 7% for national Parkinson's deaths between 2018 and 2024, Nolan writes.

Although a significant body of research has linked the herbicide to Parkinson's disease deaths among residents living near paraquat plants, farms or golf courses that use it, the herbicide's popularity is growing. Nolan explains, "About 35% of large commercial farms in the U.S. now use paraquat to kill weeds and dry up crops for harvest, often soybean, corn and cotton."

American factories don't directly produce paraquat; they import paraquat concentrate. Oftentimes, the imported concentrate is "trucked up along the Mississippi River, reformulated and packaged at a [U.S.] facility," Nolan explains. And while paraquat is considered a toxic chemical in the U.S., it is not "a federally regulated air pollutant – states have the authority to regulate it but generally do not set maximum emissions standards."

A "mass of research, including a rigorous 2024 study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, has repeatedly affirmed the dangers of paraquat," Nolan adds. "When a person inhales paraquat, it travels into the brain, killing the neurons which produce dopamine, which in some people can lead to Parkinson’s. . . . Even people who live near fields where paraquat is sprayed have increased risks of Parkinson’s and thyroid cancer."

Millions of children in U.S. live in a home with an unlocked and loaded firearm

Rural residents are more likely to own firearms than
their urban counterparts. (Photo by S. Bauman, Unsplash)

Among the roughly 32 million children in the U.S. who live in households with firearms, almost 7 million are in a home that has "at least one gun that's unlocked and loaded, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open," reports Rhitu Chatterjee of NPR. The study's tally may be more concerning for rural Americans, who are 24% more likely to own a gun than their urban counterparts.

Study results highlighted how many children have easy access to a loaded gun. Dr. Chethan Sathya, a pediatric surgeon who works to prevent gun violence, told NPR, "Many of these families don't know the risk of having that gun not being locked up."

To uncover how households with firearms were storing their weapons, the study "surveyed 900 parents of kids under 18 who own guns," Chatterjee writes. "Nearly 35% said they stored them in the safest way possible — unloaded and locked up. But 21% had at least one firearm in the house unlocked and loaded — the least safe way possible to store a gun."

Children's ages seemed to be a factor among some survey respondents. Chatterjee explains, "Parents of children under 13 were more likely to keep their firearms unloaded and locked away compared to parents of teenagers."

Matthew Miller, who led the study, pointed out that "teenagers are more likely to commit suicide, and school shooters are also more likely to be in their teens than younger kids," Chatterjee adds. "So parents of teenagers should take just as much care to unload and lock away their firearms."

Sadly, many American families have lost children to gun deaths that may have been prevented if the firearm had been locked up or at least not loaded. Chatterjee reports, "Since 2020, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children and teens." While nearly 3 in 5 child firearm deaths were due to gun assaults, almost a third were suicides.

Opinion: Congress needs to act before the U.S. Postal Service goes 'bust' because of 'outdated constraints'

The USPS does 'what no other business would do.'
(Photo by Victória Kubiaki, Unsplash)

The U.S. Postal Service does what no private company can: It delivers mail 6 days a week to every address in the country at an affordable price. But the business model the USPS has been mandated to use is outdated and has plunged the delivery titan into insurmountable debt. Should the USPS be allowed to go bust? No. Congress needs to address USPS structural problems now, writes The Wall Street Journal editorial board.

Last week, the USPS "reported a $2 billion quarterly loss. 'We are in a cash crisis,' Postmaster General David Steiner said. 'We require urgent Congressional action to expand our borrowing authority and to address outdated constraints on the organization," the board writes. "The important part for lawmakers to hear is that last part."

The USPS business model was implemented when letter delivery and profits were reliable sources of revenue. Since the advent of email, Evites and online communications for almost every business need, the demand for "snail mail" sank, and with it, USPS profits. They write, "Last year the USPS handled 108.7 billion pieces, down 49% from a peak of 213.1 billion in 2006. A majority of what’s left is euphemistically categorized as 'marketing mail.'"

When Steiner testified to the House about the state of USPS finances and its inability to address losses without sizable shifts in its business model, he candidly pointed out the massive demands and their corresponding expenses that the USPS undertakes every day, saying, "We deliver from the tip of Puerto Rico to the tip of Alaska for 78 cents. That’s a distance of 5,000 miles.”

When addressing the House, the "Postmaster laid out two paths: 'First would be to remove the mandates that ensure the Postal Service loses money,'" the board writes, "Second, 'public service reimbursement,' meaning 'payment by Congress in return for the Postal Service doing what no other business would do.'" The editorial board writes, "Start with option one, and let Steiner run the business like a business."

Rye is the little grain that could, and it's helping to protect land and increase cash for farmers

While San Luis Valley makes up only a tiny percentage of Colorado's population, the region
contributes roughly 39% of the state's total agricultural economy. (Rye Resurgence Project image)

For farmers grappling with water scarcity in southwestern Colorado, growing rye offers multiple benefits, reports Ilana Newman of The Daily Yonder. "Rye is having something of a renaissance in the San Luis Valley, thanks to its remarkable drought-tolerance, and two women behind the Rye Resurgence Project."

Growing and promoting rye as an aquifer-saving initiative for the San Luis Valley began with Sarah Jones, Heather Dutton and a major dust storm that hit the Valley in 2023, Newman explains. Both women had already started using rye as a cover crop to protect the soil over the winter months, but traditionally, many farms left their soil bare.

After the 2023 duststorm ripped precious topsoil from farmland across the Valley, farmers began looking for ways to save their topsoil. Jones and Dutton offered growing rye as a viable solution, and the Rye Resurgence Project began to take shape.

While rye is a hearty cereal grain similar to wheat and barley, it requires "significantly less water than other common rotational winter crops," Newman explains. For instance, barley requires 18-20 inches of water per acre, while rye requires a mere 10-12 inches. "That’s a huge water savings when multiplied across a standard 120-acre field."

But to get more farmers to plant rye as a cash and cover crop, Dutton and Jones needed businesses to purchase it, which meant overcoming rye's reputation as a strong-flavored grain. "To that end, Jones said they had to do some 'rye reputation rehabilitation,'" Newman reports. 

In fact, rye's flavor is fairly mild, and it "works well in most baked goods, from brownies to pizza to bread," Newman reports. "It also has lower gluten and higher fiber content than wheat."

To date, the project has realized tangible successes. "Heather Dutton said that farmers are now growing 3,000-5,000 acres of rye a year," Newman writes. "And the project has helped them sell 771,409 pounds of rye at an average rate of $0.62 per pound, more than they were aiming for initially." 

Dutton and Jones are working to develop partnerships with bakeries, distilleries, and millers who will purchase rye or use rye flour, Newman reports. They are also sharing the story of how planting or purchasing rye can help the entire state support water conservation and its farming communities. To see a snip of their in-production documentary, click here. 

Survey: Seniors, rural residents and renters face the 'devasting impact' of inflation

Rising gas and grocery costs hit lower-income Americans 
harder. (Photo by rc.xyz NFT gallery, Unsplash)

Even before the Iran war, seniors and rural families were struggling to afford basics such as groceries, gas and rent. With the Strait of Hormuz closure, more Americans are under financial strain, but the higher costs hit lower-income people and families harder.

Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey shows "certain groups of Americans are falling behind financially, with seniors, renters and people living outside metropolitan areas facing particular hardships," reports Stephanie Liebergen of Scripps News. The survey gathers demographic, social and economic data on Americans over five-year time spans.

Between 2020 and 2024, the "poverty rate for seniors rose in more than 800 counties when compared to the five years before, according to the survey," Liebergen writes. "Inflation wiped out almost all income gains for older Americans during this period."

Rural Americans' finances also lost ground because of lower or stagnant wages. Liebergen explains, "The median household income in large metro areas is 30% higher compared to households in rural communities, according to the new data." Renters, who tend to fall into lower income brackets, also got pinched. 

Eric Pachman, a data expert who analyzed the survey's results, told Scripps, "What the story really is, and what's really hitting me very hard right now, is the devastating impact of inflation on people at lower income brackets."

The survey does not include details on the 2025 tariff wars and the 2026 Iran war. Those two impacts have driven inflation higher, leaving more Americans spending a higher percentage of their incomes on gas and groceries.

Consumer prices across the U.S. rose at the "fastest rate since May 2023 last month, as sharp increases in energy costs caused by the war in the Middle East," reports Lydia DePillis of The Wall Street Journal. "Average gasoline prices are above $4.50 per gallon, while diesel prices have nearly doubled. . . .Grocery costs rose 2.9% since last April."

June 1 is deadline for nominations for the Al Smith Award for public service through community journalism

Al Smith

The Bluegrass Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at the University of Kentucky seek nominations for the Al Smith Award by Monday, June 1. This honor is given annually for public service through community journalism over a lifetime by a native or resident of Kentucky, or someone who has spent a significant portion of his or her career in the state.

The award is named for its first recipient: Albert P. Smith Jr., who owned weekly newspapers in Kentucky and Tennessee and was the founding host of KET’s “Comment on Kentucky” and the main co-founder of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues. He was chairman emeritus of its national advisory board when he died in 2021.

The award is based on news coverage and editorial leadership that serve community needs. Preference is given to journalists in smaller markets, to recognize restrictions that market size can place on the ability to provide outstanding public service through journalism. If a publisher or station owner is nominated, the judges may consider his or her civic service and the successful management of conflicts that can arise between journalistic, managerial, ownership, and civic roles.

Past winners of the Al Smith Award have been Bill Estep of the Lexington Herald-Leader; Bobbie Foust, a longtime fixture in West Kentucky journalism; Ben Gish and Sam Adams of The Mountain Eagle; Chris and Allison Evans of The Crittenden Press; WKMS News at Murray State University; Becky Barnes of the Cynthiana Democrat; David Thompson of the Kentucky Press Association; Stevie Lowery of The Lebanon Enterprise; Ryan Craig of the Todd County Standard and his late uncle Larry Craig of the Green River Republican; Sharon Burton of the Adair County Community Voice and The Farmer’s Pride; the late Carl West of The State Journal; Bill Bishop and Julie Ardery of the Daily Yonder; John Nelson and the late Max Heath of Landmark Community Newspapers, Jennifer P. Brown of Hoptown Chronicle; and Smith. More details can be found here. 

The award will be presented at the annual Al Smith Awards Dinner Oct. 22 at The Campbell House in Lexington. Nominations, supporting letters and sufficient documentation should be sent by Monday, June 1 to:

Al Smith Award SPJ Bluegrass Chapter 
123 West Todd Street 
Frankfort KY 40601-2825

Nominations may also be sent electronically to al.cross@uky.edu. For more information about Al Smith and the award see www.ruraljournalism.org or call Bluegrass SPJ Secretary Al Cross at 502-682-2848.

Report: 'Deaths of despair' decrease across the country, but Appalachia still sees the highest mortality rates

Opioids are one of the biggest drivers of deaths of despair
in Appalachia. (Photo by S. Pollio, Unsplash) 

The U.S. mortality rate from "deaths of despair" has declined by 5%, according to a report by researchers at the University of Chicago and East Tennessee State University. The decrease means such deaths, which are commonly linked to drug overdoses, alcohol and suicide, are hovering near pre-pandemic levels, reports Liz Carey of The Daily Yonder. 

Despite the encouraging news, deaths of despair remain disproportionately high in Appalachia, where drug overdoses are considered the "primary factor driving the difference."

Michael Meit, the director of the Center for Rural Health and Research at ETSU and a co-author of the report, believes the reasons for the higher rate of deaths of despair in Appalachia aren't fully known. He told Carey, "I think there are a lot of complexities to it, and I don’t know if we know all of the answers."

The new report is the "latest update to research started in 2017," Carey explains. "At that time, Appalachian mortality from overdose, alcohol, and suicide was 44% higher than it was in the rest of the country." Despite a decreasing mortality rate since 2017, the number of Appalachian deaths of despair remains stubbornly higher than the rest of the U.S.

The decrease in the number of deaths by despair isn't happening evenly across all age groups. Millennials are a generation that has lost thousands of lives to deaths of despair. Carey reports, "According to a report by Trust for America’s Health, the largest number of deaths from overdoses, alcohol, and suicide in the 25- to 44-year-old demographic has steadily increased since 2017." 

The report singled out opioid addictions and overdoses as the biggest driver of Millennial deaths of despair. As a result of those findings, the Appalachian Regional Commission awarded "nearly $11.5 million in 2023 to nearly 40 projects across the region to address the impact of substance use disorder," Carey writes.

But regional progress is slow. Meit told the Yonder, "You don’t necessarily see a region-wide impact, but you see really strong community-based efforts that impact those communities. And as you reduce numbers in any given community, that has a broader impact across the region.”

Small towns use simple fix that starts with private funds to keep high schoolers out of dead-end jobs

rootED advisors help rural students navigate educational
and employment complexities. (rootED photo)

A new program launched by billionaire investment banker Byron Trott is helping students at small-town high schools develop and execute after-high-school plans that tap into their interests and keep them out of "dead-end jobs," reports Lauren Weber of The Wall Street Journal. 

Called rootEd Alliance, Trott's program "has placed advisers in schools across seven states to fill a gaping void: 17- and 18-year-olds are expected to navigate an astoundingly complex labor market, often with little or no explicit guidance," Weber explains. 

The majority of the 280 schools that rootEd partners with "already have guidance counselors," Weber writes. But many are "overstretched with basics like sorting students’ schedules and managing the life emergencies that hit students all too often."

The program partners with more than 1,500 national
and local businesses. (rootED photo) 

By planting an advisor dedicated to providing career guidance and opportunities, students and their post-high school plans get more attention. According to Weber, that kind of focused planning is particularly important for rural students who are traditionally exposed to fewer career options and role models. Root advisers also help employers connect with potential employees to fill skilled-labor shortages. 

Through its advisors, rootED also aims to help students avoid poverty by training for careers with solid pay and promotion possibilities. Weber reports, "Once a school is staffed with a rootEd adviser, students are 54% less likely to wind up in low-skill, low-paying jobs than before." 

At schools where a rootEd advisor is working, students are more likely to pursue higher education. Weber adds, But advisors are "agnostic on whether students choose college, military service, employment or trade school," Weber reports. "The goal is for each senior to have a Plan A and ideally a Plan B." To help students develop those plans, advisors take students to different trade schools and colleges and promote scholarships.

When reporters explore National Parks, stories and trails abound

A hiker on the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from California through Oregon to Washington state. (Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management, Flickr Creative Commons via SEJ)

For journalists looking for a break from the grind, taking a National Park excursion might be an assignment worth requesting. "Tell your editor you have to do it for work," writes Joseph A. Davis for the Society of Environmental Journalists. "It doesn’t have to be a long hike, necessarily. But it’s a good way to meet other hikers to interview."

Before setting out, it's worth considering which kind of park your audience would find most interesting. Davis explains, "There are four kinds of national trails: scenic, historic, recreational and side trails. To be officially named historic or scenic, a specific stretch of trail must be designated by Congress."

Besides intriguing people stories that can be gleaned while hiking over hill and dale, regaling readers with the history of America's National Park system, which includes 1,300 trails, also provides good storytelling fodder. "It goes back to Daniel Boone, Henry David Thoreau and John Muir, really. Read Thoreau’s essay, 'Walking.'" Davis adds. "President Lyndon B. Johnson gets big credit for the enactment in 1968 of the National Trails System Act."

For community journalists ready to don their hiking gear, sunscreen and EPA-approved insect repellent, an adventure and several stories await. Story ideas by Davis are shared below:

• The system includes some long-distance trails, like the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail. Spend some time on the trails (or at a good shelter). Talk to day hikers and through hikers. Explore their culture. You may need to get a trail name.
• The system doesn’t just include hiking trails. Some are also meant for biking, paddling or historical tourism. Talk to biking and paddling groups about their experiences. The Harriet Tubman trail network on Maryland’s Eastern Shore includes a fine museum on the Underground Railroad.
• Trails are often maintained by local or regional volunteer groups, like the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. Attend one of their maintenance events and talk to volunteers and organizers. Bring a shovel.
• Where the trail crosses a major road, there may be a handy grocery or ice cream store. Hang out there during the heat of the day and talk to hikers coming in. 
• Not all the great trails are in the system. Find the ones near you. For example, the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa pulls in riders from all over the United States. It’s hot in July, but there’s great support. 
• The Anacostia Water Trail is an officially designated part of the trail system. It’s short. But if you look … beyond, you will find it’s just one of many other (often nonfederal) water trails, which are a great way of exploring stories in your ecoregion.

Davis suggests these resources:

• Rails to Trails Conservancy: A nonprofit membership group that advocates conversion of abandoned rail rights of way into hiker and biker trails.
• American Hiking Society: A nonprofit membership and advocacy group whose members like to hike.
• National Park Service: The main agency coordinating the National Trails System. It has maps.
• State parks and recreation agencies: These usually manage state trails. Find yours in this directory.

Flora & Fauna: Wildlife and people agree on best mating sounds; eat your oats; 5.6 million bees found underground

Male zebra finch calls attract mates. Female zebra finches and human study participants
agreed on which males had the best calls. (Photo by Raina Fan via The Conversation)

When researchers compared which animal sounds, such as bird calls, frog croaks or cricket chirps, wildlife seemed to like best alongside which ones people preferred, the "results were striking," writes animal behavior expert Logan S. James for The Conversation. "Across our dataset, including animals separated from human beings by hundreds of millions of years of evolution, people tended to agree with the animals about which sound was more pleasant. . . . People particularly agreed with animals when it came to what researchers call 'adornments': the extra trills, chucks, clicks and flourishes that animals can add to their calls. These sounds were more appealing to both animal and human listeners alike." 

When a snow avalanche pummels an outdoor recreationist's spot, there's little people can do to find those buried under heavy piles of snow. That's when avalanche dogs are called to the scene. "Dogs play an essential role when an avalanche strikes," reports Christine Chung of The New York Times. "Their powerful noses help guide rescuers to people buried in the snow, saving critical moments that can mean life or death." Potential avalanche dogs are chosen for a very specific set of interests, skills and breed stamina, and their training starts when they're just a few months old. For avalanche dog handlers, training takes years. Click here to read about "Baggs," a golden retriever puppy from Wyoming who was once the runt of her litter. She's now a rockstar avalanche-dog-in-training.

Beta-glucan is what makes oats especially 
healthy. (Photo by Roman Matveev, Unsplash)

Among all the whole grains commonly eaten, oats may offer the most benefits. "Many studies have found that oats lower LDL cholesterol, or the 'bad' cholesterol that increases your risk of heart attack and stroke," reports Simar Bajaj of The New York Times. "Much of this effect comes from beta-glucan, a type of fiber that thickens the contents inside the gut, trapping cholesterol-rich bile acids and carrying them out of the body." Oat fiber also helps people maintain normal blood sugar levels, which "can be particularly beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes."

What's not to like about bitter greens? For many people, pretty much everything, because bitter and astringent foods taste gross. But humans didn't always avoid bitter fruits and vegetables; in fact, they were once a regular part of our ancestors' diet. "Much of the produce on grocery store shelves has grown mild or sweet in flavor, designed to appeal to a mass consumer palate," reports Joti Heir of Offrange. "That sits in high contrast to the complex tastes of wild, ancestral crops." Emerging food science reveals how bitter foods contain "compounds that provide a small challenge to the brain, and with that, activate neural pathways that result in enhanced cognition." There's even research "showing the potential of using bitter compounds to treat Alzheimer’s Disease."

Rebounding salmon populations along the Golden Coast are good news for commercial fishing operations and seafood lovers. "Federal fishery managers voted to open waters off the coast of California to commercial salmon fishing for the first time since 2022," reports Sophie Austine of The Associated Press. More recent drought-ending wet winters have helped salmon populations recover. "The federal council has said forecasts for Chinook and coho salmon off the West Coast look promising this year, though the season will open with some restrictions."

 

Miner bees are important pollinators that live in 
underground nests. (Photo by C. Lewallen via USFS)

Bees are commonly known for their constant busyness and for living in outdoor hives. But in fact, 70% of native bees don't live in outdoor hives; they live in underground nests. Researchers recently discovered 5.6 million burrowing bees "revealing just how abundant some understudied pollinators are," reports Margherita Bassi for Smithsonian magazine. "The team estimated that in 2023, between 3.1 million and 8 million of the bees emerged from the ground in the Ithaca cemetery, with the average estimate being 5.56 million. For comparison, Manhattan’s population is about 1.7 million people."