The Rural Blog

A digest of events, trends, issues, ideas and journalism from and about rural America, by the Institute for Rural Journalism, based at the University of Kentucky. Links may expire, require subscription or go behind pay walls. Please send news and knowledge you think would be useful to benjy.hamm@uky.edu.

The Rural Blog

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More than 14 small airports have lost commercial service; rural places face travel costs, job loss and more isolation

Air ambulances offer rural residents iffy memberships

Study that showed increasing air-ambulance charges may bolster Senate bill that cracks down on surprise medical bills

Texas columnist shows how modern times create a "whenever" Thanksgiving for many

Transportation secretary says rural communities would benefit from privatized air-traffic control

Small airports and rural interests don't like Trump's plan to privatize and modernize air traffic control

Eliminating Essential Air Service would have a big impact in Michigan, second to Alaska in subsidies

Low consumer demand for drones has industry turning more attention to agriculture market

Okla. lawmakers want to eliminate Essential Air Service; state doesn't qualify for subsidies

First federally approved drone delivery of medicine took place Friday in rural Virginia

Appalachian field hospital to be testing ground for federally approved drone deliveries of medicine

Some question need for Essential Air Service program, which provides flights to remote areas

Federal spending bill includes $255 million to boost rural air service

Small airports have fewer flights; pilots' group blames low pilot salaries, but there are other causes

FAA delays closure of 149 air-traffic control towers until June 15; locals may keep some going

Rural air-traffic towers to close; meatpackers win relief from USDA inspector furloughs

Senators attempting to stave off cuts in rural air control, furloughs and closures in meatpacking

FAA prepares to close air-traffic control towers, many serving rural areas

With regional jet routes disappearing, smaller communities may be out of the air system entirely

House votes to boost subsidies for rural flights