Quick hits: Skate this ice path for miles; chiming in on U.S. politics; discover full moon names; the Salton Sea's lure

Ice path on the Warroad River, Minnesota. (Jerry Holt, The Minnesota Star Tribune)

To make winter less depressing, try skating. "A river runs through Hockeytown USA, and you can skate on it for miles," reports Walker Orenstein of The Minnesota Star Tribune. "It's not a wilderness trail, but rather a wonderfully accessible ice path that attracts skilled hockey players and new skaters alike. It’s easy to forget you’re on a river at all."

For Americans tired of standing on the sidelines and watching turbulent news unfold, there are ways to make your voice heard. "No matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on — contact your federal or local representatives and let them know how you feel, via social media, texts, emails, or phone calls," writes Barbara Krasnoff of The Verge. "There are several online sites and mobile apps that can help, by letting us who to contact, helping us know what the issues are." Some apps offer scripts to make reaching out less intimidating.

Each month’s full moon marks the changing seasons.
(Photo by Kym MacKinnon, Unsplash)

Snow, sleet, ice and more snow -- winter's chill hangs on into February. The month is typically the Northern Hemisphere's coldest month, and its full moon's name -- the "Snow Moon" reflects its wintry days, reports Jane Alexander for Mental Floss. When March hits, the "Worm Moon" will glow above as a sign that spring is coming. Each month has a full moon with a unique name. "Any of the names we use today come from Native American traditions, though some originated in Europe as well. The monikers correspond with the seasons."

Just as rural problems might be best solved by rural communities, challenges across the country might be best met by average citizens. An Oregon county is giving its residents a trial run at solving homelessness. If successful, their "citizen assembly" model could become a new tool for other places, reports Nick Romeo for The New Yorker. "These gatherings do what most democracies only pretend to: trust normal people to make decisions on difficult policy questions. Many citizens’ assemblies follow a basic template. . . "

Adobe Stock photo

Fire has helped humans reforge the earth for almost a million years, and recent tragic burns serve as a reminder of how fire changes human lives. "In recent years, fires have blasted through cities in Colorado, the southern Appalachians and the island of Maui," writes fire historian Stephen Pyne for The Conversation. "The narrative is the unbroken saga of humanity and fire, a companionship that extends through all our existence as a species. . . . We are creating the fire equivalent of an ice age."

Aerial view of Salton Sea coastline. The sea is both 'fascinating and fetid.' (Adobe Stock photo)

As a curiosity and a place for communal contemplation, the Salton Sea in southern California was "created by the collision of geology and bad luck," writes Dennis Hinkamp for Writers on the Range. "Its salt-encrusted shores circle about 340 square miles of sea. A silo-full of conspiracy theories features the Salton Sea. . . It will likely remain a hiding place for the weird until some real monster beneath the sea emerges, which could be a rush to start mining lithium made by the sea. . . . It’s my refuge, my winter solace away from anxious headlines, and just strange enough to be hospitable."

Fund used to buffer U.S. farmers from tariff wars is dwindling; rural America could face an 'immense fallout'

Rural America could bear the brunt of possible trade wars
with China, Mexico and Canada. (Adobe Stock photo)

As U.S. farmers prepare for spring planting season, federal tariffs and trade wars are among their top income worries. Their concerns are shared by lawmakers who "fear they’ll have to enact billions of dollars in new aid to rescue farmers harmed by President Donald Trump’s escalating trade wars with China, Canada, and Mexico, reports Meredith Lee Hill of Politico. "The fund Trump tapped to send farmers $28 billion in 2018 is now dwindling."

During Trump's first-term tariff duel with China, his administration used the Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation to send relief checks to farmers; however, the CCC's available funds are low. Hill writes, "After upcoming payments are made, there will only be an estimated $4 billion left for the Trump administration to spend on any fallout from his newest trade battle."

The newest round of tariffs include a 10% tariff on Chinese imports imposed this week, which will ultimately make purchasing farm equipment more expensive. Canada and Mexico garnered a pause on a 25% import tariff Trump threatened, but that levy is still possible. Hill explains, "Farmers are warning that their products will be harder to sell if the three countries retaliate with their own tariffs."

When the CCC was flush with funding, giving farmer bailout checks was a simpler process. This year is different. "Replenishing [the CCC] could become another sticking point in the bipartisan spending talks happening ahead of a potential mid-March government shutdown," Hill explains. "With farm-state Republicans expecting federal help from the fund to offset any trade-war impacts on their constituents, Democrats could make their own steep demands in exchange."

With the Trump administration targeting the country's three largest agricultural trading partners, farmers could face the harshest consequences. "Among those raising alarms is the American Farm Bureau Federation, which this weekend detailed the immense fallout for rural America should the trade wars proceed," Hill reports. "New levies 'may inadvertently create financial hardships for U.S. farmers and ranchers who are already operating on very thin or negative margins,' the group’s president and long-time Trump ally Zippy Duvall wrote to the president."

The battle for egg farmers is stressful and riddled with uncertainty. They are 'begging for a new approach.'

Egg farmers and their employees suffer when flocks
of their hens have to be culled. (Adobe Stock photo)

When bird flu sweeps through a chicken farm, its aftermath is sadness, stress and death. The extreme losses have some U.S. egg farmers wondering if they will ever recover.

"Greg Herbruck knew 6.5 million of his birds needed to die, and fast," reports Kate Wells of NPR. "The CEO of Herbruck's Poultry Ranch wasn't sure how the third-generation family egg producer (one of the largest in the U.S.) was going to get through this round of avian flu, financially or emotionally."

As a preventative measure to protect their flocks from avian flu infections, U.S. egg farms have invested "millions of dollars into biosecurity. Employees shower in and shower out, before they start working and after their shifts ends," Wells explains. "But none of that has been enough to contain the outbreak that started three years ago."

Unlike the U.S. bird flu outbreak in 2014-2015, this version of bird flu has proven impossible to contain. "It's so entrenched in the global environment, spilling into mammals such as dairy cows, and affecting 147 million birds in commercial and backyard flocks in the U.S.," Wells reports. "Egg producers and the American Egg Board are begging for a new approach."

Herbruck described the "virus as a terrorist," Wells adds. "Ten months after Herbruck's Poultry Ranch was hit, the company is still rebuilding its flocks. . . . Still, he and his counterparts in the industry live in fear, watching other farms get hit two, even three times in the last few years." Herbruck told Wells, "We are in a battle and losing, at the moment."

Vaccinating birds is a solution being used in China, Egypt and France. Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, told Wells, "All the measures we're doing are still getting beat by this virus." Wells reports, "At this point, Metz argued, the industry can't afford not to try vaccination, which has helped eradicate diseases in poultry before."

U.S. has about 60 venison donation programs in 42 states that help to feed hungry Americans

Kip Padgelek loads 828 pounds of packaged venison for a
local food bank. (Photo by Randy Ferguson/HSH via the Yonder)

Ending hunger for many rural Americans can begin with connecting hunters with those in need. "Deer venison donation programs provide food-insecure Americans with tens of millions of pounds of meat every year," reports Katie Hill of The Daily Yonder. "And it’s their relationship with hunters, butchers, and food banks that make it possible."

For smaller communities with residents who often struggle with food insecurity, deer meat is a solution that provides sustenance and connection. Hill explains, "In states like Pennsylvania, Texas, and Illinois, where the urban-rural divide seems to deepen with every passing election cycle, venison becomes something of a bridge — a show of communal care passed from hunters to their neighbors in need, near and far."

Getting a harvested deer onto the table of those needs requires the donating hunter to find a butcher to process the meat. That's when businesses such as Kip's Deer Processing in Pennsylvania lend their expertise and hard work. Hill adds, "Kip's is one of roughly 100 independent processors from across the state who do the messy, tiresome work of turning donated deer into ground meat."

Butchers are paid for their work through the state's Hunters Sharing Harvest program, which "compensates participating butchers with money that comes partially from corporate sponsors and non-profit partners of HSH and partially through the Department of Agriculture's Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture."

A carve-out within the TEFAP law is foundational for many venison donation programs across the U.S. The allowance provides "funding to be spent on 'intrastate and interstate transport, storing, handling, repackaging, processing, and distribution of foods (including donated wild game)' and other commodity proteins." Currently, there are almost 60 venison donation programs in 42 states. 

Beachcombers find their treasure in washed-up items from the sea. Items include rubber ducks and diamond rings.

Man looks out over the shoreline. (Unsplash photo)

One man's trash is another's treasure and John Anderson’s trove is filled with items he has found along the Washington coastline.

Beachcombing for the majority of his life, “[Anderson] has curated 46 years’ of pickings in John’s Beachcombing Museum, a two-level warehouse on his Forks property (open summers only) that memorializes a family pastime he has taken to the extreme,” reports Elliott Almond at The Seattle Times.

Every time a ship goes down or a container goes overboard, its contents have to end up somewhere. Many things lost at sea eventually make their way to the Pacific coastline, carried by currents and in this case the North Pacific subtropical gyre, which according to Almond, is a vast circular system of ocean currents.

“The sandy, rocky outposts are a beachcomber’s paradise because the marine mosaic creates a natural seine to trap whatever happens to float past,” Almond said.

Some of the items spilled at sea include 28,800 bath toys and rubber ducks, 34,000 ice hockey gloves and 61,000 pairs of Nikes. Beachcombers found some of these items, as well as six diamond rings found by kids on a school trip, an 1896 silver dollar, the center spinner cone from a Boeing 747 jet engine, and remnants from tsunamis that hit Japan.

Deacon Ritterbush, who authored a book about beachcombing, told Almond, “It [beachcombing] is a portal to everything wonderful in life… It costs nothing, and you wear junk clothes. You’re just slopping it in nature.”

Beachcombing Washington’s 2,337 mile coastline isn’t always fun and games. Almond reports that Anderson has sustained multiple injuries trekking to and from the coast with his pack of treasures.

Anderson told Almond, “People always ask, ‘How many miles do you walk?’... I don’t count miles. I count two rebuilt ankles, two new hips and a back surgery.” 

Southern states spend millions on new clinics to serve rural residents. It's one way to avoid federal Medicaid expansion.

Clemson Rural Health serves rural Walhalla, S.C.
(Clemson University photo via KFF Health News)

Southern states made rural health a focus, but the sector's trendiness hasn't translated into Medicaid expansion plans. "State lawmakers nationwide are spending millions of dollars to address a rural health care crisis long in the making," reports Lauren Sausser of KFF Health News. For more than a decade most Southern states have refused billions in federal funds that would provide public health insurance coverage to more low-income adults."

Among the 10 states that refused Medicaid expansion, some have developed their own approaches to addressing rural health disparities with state dollars. Clemson Rural Health in South Carolina is a small primary care clinic run by Clemson University that "attempts to fill [rural health care] gaps by providing primary care. . .for uninsured patients free of charge or at reduced rates," Sausser explains. Clemson's clinic receives the largest part of its funding from the state Department of Health and Human Services.

Jonathan Oberlander, a professor and health policy scholar at the University of North Carolina, said "he doesn’t expect to see any of the remaining states rushing to fully expand Medicaid," Sausser writes. "Oberlander said conservative lawmakers often consider projects such as building new rural clinics more politically palatable than expanding Medicaid coverage."

Other southern states have followed suit. "The University of Georgia established a new medical school, partly to send more physicians into underserved and rural areas," Sausser adds. "The Georgia General Assembly kicked in half the cost of a new $100 million building for medical education and research in Athens. . . .The Tennessee General Assembly passed a budget last year that included $81 million for a variety of rural health initiatives." 

Making money off of money can be done at many banks, but they don't have to disclose better deals

Banks don't owe consumers their best
deals. (Adobe Stock photo)

Americans who choose banks with higher savings interest rates can make more money with little work; however, some U.S. banks hope consumers are too confused or hassled to bother making a switch.

"For the last few years, anyone keeping $10,000 in a high-yield savings account has earned close to 4% annual interest, or about $400 a year," reports Ben Blatt of The New York Times. "The nation’s three largest banks — Bank of America, Chase and Wells Fargo — offer 0.01% on their standard savings accounts. That works out to $1 in interest a year for a $10,000 deposit."

Sometimes banks offer additional perks to make up for their abysmal rates, but most believe "their customers won’t hunt for better deals out of inertia," Blatt explains. "Banks know their customers are generally not attentive to account details. A study commissioned by Capital One found that many people check their savings account less than once a month, and about half don’t know what interest they are earning."

While it may sound unethical, banks "have no fiduciary duty in many cases and can profit from customers’ confusion," Blatt reports. "The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said one bank, Capital One, went too far by intentionally creating confusion so that customers wouldn’t know to switch to a higher-paying account at the same bank."

While sowing confusion may be wrong, part of a bank's purpose is to make money. Scott Pearson, a lawyer who represents banks in regulatory matters, told Blatt, “I don’t know why anyone would think that it’s the bank’s job to tell you that you can get a better deal somewhere else or that they’ll give you a better deal. That is just kind of a shocking and unprecedented theory in my view.”

Coyotes can be friends, foe and sometimes just pests. They kill smaller vermin, but they can kill pets or livestock, too.

Coyotes aren't very aggressive, but they are still predators.
(Unsplash photo)

Coyotes have “increased their range more than 40% since the 1950s” and made their way North, East, South, West, onto farms and into your backyard, Whitney McKnight reported for The Edge.

Due to the extinction of wolves and mountain lions, and the near extinction of black bears in Kentucky, smaller predators have taken their place at the top of the food chain, including coyotes, foxes and bobcats.

“Coyotes are partially filling the niche wolves did in the state about 150 years ago,” John Cox, a University of Kentucky associate professor and wildlife management and conservation expert, told McKnight.

Even though they are considered pests, Cox said, “coyotes are good farm inhabitants, given that because of their flexible diet, they can clear a farm of voles, mice, and rats, even if they might also occasionally help themselves to the chickens.”

According to an Oregon State University study, due to coyotes' territorialism and their diet, they can also be beneficial for keeping away other predators. They can make unintentional guards for flocks of sheep, and farmers should consider letting them settle in that area.

While they aren’t often aggressive or bold predators, winter is coyote breeding season and sightings might become more frequent this time of year. McKnight said she has been seeing increased warnings on social media about keeping an eye on small pets and children.

Oftentimes if you see a coyote it is just because they are curious about you. If you do happen to have an encounter, it is important to remember that coyotes are predatory creatures and not to run from them or approach them, as advised by Kentucky wildlife management officials.

Mexico and Canada have a 30-day pause on import tariffs. Delayed levies may hit farmers and rural communities first.

The outcome from U.S. tariffs is uncertain.
(Adobe Stock photo)

With last-minute maneuvering, Canada and Mexico avoided stiff import tariffs threatened by the Trump administration, report David Alire Garcia, Trevor Hunnicutt and David Ljunggren of Reuters. In return for a 30-day tariff suspension, "Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to bolster border enforcement efforts in response to (President) Trump's demand to crack down on immigration and drug smuggling."

Even with the one-month pause, American consumers may still face higher prices and U.S. farmers remain concerned, reports Joshua Baethge of Farm Progress. Trump says the tariffs are "necessary to combat illegal drugs coming into the country and related criminal activity."

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall expressed alarm over the "potential harm to farmers resulting from tariffs," Baethge reports. "While careful to say that Farm Bureau members support the goals of security and free trade, he says experience shows farmers and rural communities will bear the brunt of the expected economic consequences."

Some lawmakers voiced concern that slapping tariffs on two of America's biggest agricultural trading partners will make everything, especially groceries, more expensive. However, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., says Trump’s "tariff policy has 'been an effective tool' in leveling the global playing field and ensuring fair trade for American producers," Baethge explains. "Still, not all Republicans were on board with the president’s plan."

House Agriculture Committee ranking member Angie Craig, D-Minn., noted that "tariffs imposed during the first Trump administration increased costs for farmers and consumers," Baethge reports. Craig pointed to high input costs U.S. farmers already face and the number of Americans struggling to afford groceries as reasons she opposed the tariffs.

Postal Service watchdog finds 'little convincing evidence' reforms will help; instead, plans will hurt rural communities

Despite its struggles, 72% of Americans see
the USPS favorably. (Adobe Stock photo)

The United States Postal Service is hemorrhaging money while struggling to complete its basic mission of delivering mail to American citizens.

An advisory review by the Postal Regulatory Commission found that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s 'Delivering for America' plan "offers ‘little convincing evidence’ its reform plans will succeed," reports Eric Katz of Government Executive. PRC said planned USPS reforms could negatively impact rural service areas.

In its review, PRC "examined two parts of DeJoy’s plan: its Regional Transportation Optimization initiative, which requires mail to sit overnight at post offices instead of being collected each evening for transportation to a processing center, and its processing plant consolidations that will result in the 60 regional processing distribution centers," Katz explains. PRC regulators said the initiatives lacked planning and were unlikely to streamline work, increase efficiency and produce impactful savings.

Regulators noted how the USPS was "glossing over how much more significantly rural communities would feel the impacts of the changes," Katz reports. "Some populations will not receive First-Class mail pieces for six or more days, it said. Those impacts may render the reforms in violation of the law, the commission added."

USPS has not responded to PRC's recommendations; however, DeJoy "previously promised to lawmakers he would take the PRC’s opinion seriously and tweak his plan as he saw fit," Katz writes. "PRC made more than three dozen recommendations for updating DeJoy’s reforms. . . . Postal management also recently announced lower on-time delivery targets for 2025."

Three ways the new administration could help rural America meet its challenges

Helping younger farmers helps local land stay
locally owned. (Abobe Stock photo)

Seeking a voice and change small-town America needs, many rural voters rallied for President Donald Trump to return to the White House. Now that he's back in the Oval Office, there are three ways his administration could work with Congress to help rural America face its challenges, write Randolph Hubach and Cody Mullen for The Conversation.

Health care is a good place to start.
Rural Americans are more likely to receive Medicaid or Medicare health care coverage and more vulnerable to negative impacts from policy or funding changes. "Funding from those federal programs affects rural hospitals, and rural hospitals are struggling," Hubach and Mullen explain. "Nearly half of rural hospitals operate in the red today, and over 170 rural hospitals have closed since 2010."

They recommend government funding continue for the Low-volume Hospital Adjustment Act and the rural emergency hospital model because both programs address rural health care providers' financial needs. Additional support and expansion of rural telehealth services is also needed.

Help small towns address affordable housing.
Like much of the country, rural communities lack affordable housing. To help small towns create housing solutions, the new administration should support the "bipartisan Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, which calls for creating a new federal tax credit to spur the development and renovation of family housing in distressed urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods," Hubach and Mullen add. "The Section 502 Direct Loan Program through the Department of Agriculture could be expanded with additional funding to enable more people to receive subsidized mortgages."

Keep local lands locally owned.
Rural businesses and landowners tend to care about the communities they call home. Congress could support rural land ownership through the "proposed Farm Transitions Act [that] would establish a commission on farm transitions to study issues that affect locally owned farms and provide recommendations to help transition agricultural operations to the next generation of farmers and ranchers," Hubach and Mullen add.

The Trump administration also could continue assistance for young farmers. "About 30% of farmers have been in business for less than 10 years, and many of them rent the land they farm," they write. "Programs such as USDA’s farm loan programs and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program help support local land purchases and could be improved to identify and eliminate barriers that communities face."

'Purchase nothing' is one way some Americans are fighting back inflation and paying off debts

No-buy challenges can help
reduce debt. (Adobe Stock graphic)

Faced with relentless inflation, some Americans have pledged to purchase nothing and plow what they might have spent into paying off debts. "The 'no buy 2025' trend encourages people to purchase as little new stuff as possible," reports Ann-Marie Alcántara of The Wall Street Journal. "Some people make lists of specific items they won’t purchase, while others vow not to buy any non-essentials."

While no buy isn't entirely new, this year it has gained momentum beyond social media popularity. "An idea like no-buy has trended before on TikTok," Alcántara explains. "Google searches for 'no buy challenge' are up 40% year-over-year, while 'no spend challenge' searches have hit an all-time high."

Families discovered that consciously reducing luxury items quickly stacked up funds to pay off debt. Rachel Holdsworth, a part-time nurse and stay-at-home mom, "wanted to pay off her family’s $10,000 credit-card debt," Alcántara writes. "Holdsworth is cutting out hair treatments and manicures. . . . They’ve paid down $2,000 of their debt through no-buy and Holdsworth’s side hustles."

Part of no buy's appeal is that it allows consumers to feel in charge of their money while pushing back against higher prices. Analyst and part-time grocery store worker, Donavan Harnage, told Alcántara, "If I can’t control what the stores do, I can control how I spend my money." Harnage plans to nix trips to Target and give less-used online streaming services the ax.

Other consumers opt to reduce purchases by using the products they have. "People also are adhering to 'project pan,' a similar trend to no-buy that spurs people to finish all their skincare, makeup or body-care products before buying replacements," Alcántara explains. "Some are even combining no-buy with project pan."

Great Backyard Bird Count goes through Feb.17; more than 7,900 species were identified in 2024

    Siberian Stonechat in Israel, left, Pied Cormorants in Australia, center, Adelie Penguin in Antarctica, right
(Photos by Parmil Kumar, Andy Gee and Steve B, Macaulay Library)

The global Great Backyard Bird Count is almost here. Spotters can begin counting and reporting all the birds they see or hear beginning on Friday, Feb. 14. Last year, more than 210 countries or subregions spotted approximately 7,920 of the world’s known bird species.

This year the count will run from Feb. 14 through Monday, Feb. 17 as the GBBC celebrates its 28th year of magnificent bird sights and sounds. During last year's count, GBBC participants shared 164,740 media uploads, including photos, videos, chirps, songs and squawks. Delightful images from around the world made up more than 159,967 submissions.

In 2024, the global community donned their bird goggles and rekindled their love of ornithology. The U.S. tallied 212,673 checklists and identified 676 species. India flew into second place, with 65,111 eBird submissions. Canada was third with 31,151 eBird checklists and 14,049 Merlin sightings.

This year promises to be as fun-filled and educational as bird watchers flock together with their tallies, photos and shared "rare finds." Participation is simple:

• Count birds on one or more days of the four-day event and report their sightings using Merlin Bird ID or eBird on mobile or computer.
• Anyone can take part in the count, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and you can participate from your backyard or anywhere in the world.
• Count birds you see or hear for 15 minutes or as long as you want.
• If you are a beginning bird admirer and new to bird identification, try using the Merlin Bird ID app to tell us what birds you are seeing or hearing.
• If you have participated in the count before and want to record the number of birds, try the eBird Mobile app or enter your bird list on the eBird website (desktop/laptop).
• Visit the official website for more information and check out the latest educational and promotional resources.
• On the program website, participants can explore real-time maps that show what others are reporting during and after the count.

U.S. imports from Mexico and Canada could be zapped with 25% tariffs starting on Saturday

(Photo by Michael Urman, Adobe Stock)

Unless Canadian and Mexican leaders move quickly, the United States will impose a 25% tariff on imports from both countries beginning Saturday.

"Speaking from the Oval Office, President Donald Trump justified the tariffs as a response to what he described as excessive migration, drug trafficking, and unfair trade practices," report Jim Wiesemeyer and Tyne Morgan of Daily Herd Management. "While he suggested the tariff rate could rise further, he indicated that a decision on whether oil imports would be exempted would come soon. . . . Both Canada and Mexico vowed to respond with retaliatory measures."

The steep tariffs are "intended to pressure the two countries into negotiating on migration, drug smuggling, and reforms to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement," DH Management reports. "The strategy reflects Trump’s preference for using tariffs as a tool to secure compliance with U.S. demands, as seen in a recent, albeit reversed, threat against Colombia."

Howard Lutnick, Trump’s pick for Commerce secretary, defended Trump's tariff tactics during his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Lutnick "repeatedly called for restoring 'reciprocity' in trade with other countries," report Pro Farmer Editors for Farm Journal. "Lutnick prefers 'across-the-board' tariffs rather than aiming them at particular products in a tit-for-tat exchange."

Lutnick took aim at Canada's treatment of U.S. dairy farmers and criticized their lack of access to Canadian dairy markets. He "vowed to secure better trade conditions under USMCA, which President Trump wants a renegotiation on an accelerated timeline," Wiesemeyer and Morgan explain.

Within the U.S., hefty tariffs on the nation's closest trade partners "could disrupt key industries, particularly the ag sector and automotive manufacturing, where supply chains depend on cross-border collaboration," DH Management reports. "Critics warn of potential economic fallout, including higher consumer prices and a possible recession in Canada."

Seeking the safety of higher ground, Kentucky builds new homes on its abandoned mountaintop mines

Coal mining can leave land with a "lunar surface"
atmosphere. (Adobe Stock photo)

Kentucky families looking for respite from repeated flooding look to make mountaintop mines their new home. "In 2022, apocalyptic flooding swept across eastern Kentucky," reports Austyn Gaffney of The New York Times. "Now, instead of rebuilding in the floodplain, the state is permanently lifting residents onto safer land."

Kentucky is two years into a $800 million plan to reinvent long stretches of barren land left behind from mountaintop strip mining into neighborhoods perched away from valley flooding. "Seven communities across four counties have been designed for 665 brand-new properties," Gaffney writes. "Fourteen houses have been completed and about a dozen people have moved into two communities."

Kentucky isn't the only state exploring climate migration. It has "already reached places like Louisiana, where low-lying communities like the Isle de Jean Charles are being forcibly abandoned," Gaffney explains. The state's mountaintop relocation approach "is the largest known housing project on reclaimed mine sites in the country."

Strip-mined mountaintops offer the safety of higher elevation and flat ground for construction. "Mark Arnold, a landscape architect who designed five of the high-ground sites. . .plans to incorporate the place-based culture of floodplain communities," Gaffney writes. "His vision — small clusters of houses, eventually enveloped by reforested land — would emphasize the importance of family and neighborliness."

Even with the benefits the new community offers, some residents may find it hard to leave the land their families have lived on for generations. "It can be difficult to adjust to life on higher ground," Gaffney reports. "But residents want to escape future floods and keep their families safe."

Bots scrub local news created by other journalists to publish newsletters in 355 towns; one 'editor' oversees them all

Photo via Nieman Labs

Matthew Henderson might be the most productive "journalist" in the country. The busy publisher of Good Daily newsletters "operates in 47 states and 355 towns and cities across the U.S.," reports Andrew Deck of Nieman Labs. Henderson's newsletter empire is fueled by busy bots scrubbing local news created by real humans to create newsletters. The publication is emailed to unsuspecting residents who have no idea machines wrote their news by taking the real work at other publications.

Deck uses Good Day Fort Collins as an example. The newsletter "appears to be a standard local news round-up. One recent edition of the newsletter includes short blurbs and links to over a dozen stories about the mid-size Colorado city — a restaurant opening, a record-breaking snowfall," Deck writes. "It turns out Good Day Fort Collins is just one in a network of AI-generated newsletters. . . Not only do these hundreds of newsletters share the same exact seven testimonials, they also share the same branding. . . "

Newsletter recipients are unaware of "who" generated their news or how un-local its creation is. "Separate website domains and distinct newsletter names make it difficult to connect the dots. There is Good Day Rock Springs, Daily Bentonville, Today in Virginia Beach," Deck explains. "The newsletters do all name the same founder and editor: Matthew Henderson, who a serial internet startup founder and software engineer."

In an interview, "Henderson didn’t shy away from the fact that each newsletter is produced using near full automation," Deck reports. "These automated agents 'read the news' in every town where Good Daily operates, curate the most relevant stories, summarize them, edit and approve the copy, format it into a newsletter, and publish." Henderson told Deck, "“At a high level, [the system] operates much like an editorial team" -- except, of course, for the fact that his publications do no original reporting and only take from others doing the real work.  

Henderson touts his bot news as "boosting the work of struggling local news outlets," Deck writes. Henderson told him, "Local news providers appreciate our work promoting their best local content for free, and often seek out ways for us to promote even more of their content.”

The news outlets Henderson's AI brains are using don't share Henderson's "rosy" view. Rodney Gibbs, the head of audience and product at the National Trust for Local News, told Deck, "His claim is, frankly, horses---. The suggestion that he’s helping news deserts is absurd." Deck adds, "Gibbs points out that, in order to operate, AI newsletters rely on human labor at existing local news publishers."

Bird flu has sickened wild birds, cats, cows and humans. As more people catch the virus, medical experts worry.

People working with livestock infected with 
avian flu are at risk. (Unsplash image)

While every American has seen the effects of avian flu on egg prices, bird flu, also know as H5N1, has the potential to become a greater risk to human health, too.

At the moment, avian flu poses the greatest threat to people working with livestock or wildlife. The disease has been found to have a devastating effect on poultry, but dairy cows have also had high infection rates. “Sixteen states and 927 dairy herds have been affected,” reports Claire Carlson of The Daily Yonder.

Farmers working with livestock can minimize their risk for infection by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), and those infected can get treated with Tamiflu. Carlson explains, "But at commercial farms, PPE use is spotty at best, according to Investigate Midwest reporting. Their investigation found that one-third of states with active bird flu outbreaks in dairy herds were not tracking the distribution of PPE, leaving it up to the farmers to protect themselves and their workers"

The spread of bird flu in smaller or more remote towns could prove difficult to isolate. Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, an infectious diseases physician, told Carlson, “Our rural communities may not have the same kind of healthcare resilience [as cities], so if you have more than a couple of cases, my concern would be that we want to ensure that we can quickly make testing available.”

While dairy cows are having less deadly results from avian flu than chickens, the disease can also be passed through the consumption of raw milk from infected cattle. The Food and Drug Administration found that the virus is made “inactive through pasteurization.” Twenty-eight states are enrolled in a program that tracks the flu rates and addresses what states should do in the event of an outbreak.

As of Jan. 16, there have been "66 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the U.S., and one death," Carlson reports. Bhadelia told her, “The more chances we give this virus to potentially infect humans and to evolve within humans, it is possible that it might grow into something that’s a greater threat to humans."

Since the Paleolithic era, honey bees pollinated apple trees and humans picked the apples. That's about to change.

A robot inspects apple blossoms for possible pollination.
(Washington State University photo via WSJ)

Human apple harvesters must scale ladders, fend off bugs, balance on branches and twist stretchy stems to get the job done. For farmers, hiring experienced apple pickers is difficult and expensive, which is why several "universities and startups are developing specialized robots for each stage of apple production," reports Jackie Snow of The Wall Street Journal. The bots will handle everything from "pollinating the trees to fertilizing them, pruning them and harvesting the fruit."

In areas where there aren't enough honey bees to pollinate apple blossoms, "researchers have developed robotic pollinators," Snow explains. Cameras help robots find apple blossoms, and then "a mechanical arm moves in close and releases a precise burst of pollen through a nozzle. Early results are promising."

Robots used to fertilize apple orchards base their application on individual tree's needs. Snow writes, "They consider multiple indicators, including trunk diameter, canopy growth patterns and fall leaf-color changes, and use AI models to determine precise nitrogen requirements. . . . Researchers believe precisely targeting individual trees could significantly reduce overall fertilizer."

Researchers are working on robots that can also prune. "The robots must evaluate the entire structure of each tree, analyzing branch length, angles, thickness and spacing to determine which cuts will promote ideal growth patterns."

To harvest apples, robots need to be gentle and nimble. "Researchers at Washington State are testing inexpensive, fabric-based robots that have three silicone fingers that close around apples," Snow explains. So far, their research has been in a lab "with fake trees and fruit. . . The system will face its first orchard trials during the next harvest season, in the fall."

Military members discharged for not getting Covid vaccine can now be reinstated with full benefits

Some soldiers can be reinstated
with full rank and pay. (Unsplash image)

More than 8,000 military troops were discharged between 2021 and 2023 due to “their refusal to get a mandated Covid-19 shot,” reports Nathaniel Weixel for The Hill. However, those discharged soldiers may be eligible to be reinstated to their full former rank and receive full back pay, benefits, bonuses or other compensation, according to a January White House executive order.

The order made it clear that it would only apply to soldiers who request to be reinstated.

Weixel reported, “The Pentagon allowed dismissed soldiers to reapply once the mandate was rescinded in 2023, but only 43 chose to do so, according to federal statistics.”

In 2021, the Department of Defense added Covid-19 vaccines to the list of required vaccinations for its enlisted members.

Despite the vaccine's endorsement from the Food and Drug Administration, many military members voiced concern and confusion about the vaccine -- particularly its use of new mRNA technology -- and refused to receive it.

The executive order said it would allow “service members who provide a written and sworn attestation that they voluntarily left the service or allowed their service to lapse according to appropriate procedures, rather than be vaccinated under the vaccine mandate, to return to service with no impact on their service status, rank, or pay.”

Quick hits: Super Bowl food line-up; heavy metal plants; immigration explained; changing U.S. geographical names

Buffalo chicken dip sweeps the Midwest and much of the South. (Coffeeness map via Mental Floss)

Super Bowl game parties are all about sporting fun served with delightful spreads of game-night food. "The Super Bowl is more than the championship game for professional football teams in the U.S. Super Bowl Sunday is the country’s 'second-largest food consumption day' (right after Thanksgiving)," reports CaLea Johnson for Mental Floss. "But which foods and desserts do Americans love most for the event?" Researchers mapped the answers state-by-state.

With China in control of much of the world's critical minerals and recently restricting exports to the U.S., that's causing “Western scientists and companies to embark on increasingly novel ways to develop alternative sources,” reports Jon Emont of The Wall Street Journal. One relatively inexpensive idea is to harvest plants grown in mineral-rich soil and purify them into nickel concentrate, which can create stainless steel and other metals.

Americans are waking up to all-time-high coffee prices.
(Coffeeness photo)

Some may blame President Donald Trump’s 25% tariff threat on Colombian products for the jump in coffee prices; however, coffee costs began climbing long before the Trump-Petro dustup. “Coffee futures have been elevated since 2011 as bad weather has plagued key coffee-growing regions like Brazil and Colombia," reports Vanessa Yurkevich of CNN. "And the region’s next crop isn’t expected to produce a bigger yield. . . . With or without a threatened tariff, coffee prices are high and will likely continue rising.”

How the new administration is addressing illegal immigration to the U.S. is hashed over by news media multiple times a day. However, the discussions toss around a lot of terms many Americans may not fully understand. Two scholars of immigration "who closely follow public discussions about immigration policy, trends and terminology" help de-mystify immigration terms, write Ernesto Castañeda and Daniel Jenks for The Conversation. "Understanding the many different immigration terms – some technical, some not – can help people better understand immigration news. While not an exhaustive list, there are 10 important terms to know."

Mt. McKinley is the tallest mountain in the world from base-to-peak on land, measuring 18,000 ft.
(Photo by Bryson Beaver, Unsplash)

When President Donald Trump ordered the name of North America’s tallest peak to be "changed from Denali back to Mount McKinley in honor of the nation’s 25th president, William McKinley, he put the spotlight on the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. . . . A little-known panel made up of officials from several federal agencies that has been in existence since 1890," reports Susan Montoya Bryan of The Associated Press. Under the Trump administration, the board "will have new members, but the makeup will be the same with representatives from several agencies ranging from the Interior and Commerce departments to the Post Office and the Library of Congress. Even the CIA plays a role when the board considers place names beyond U.S. borders."

The killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City in December set off a maelstrom of emotion from Americans sick of dealing with the U.S. health care system. The shooting compelled many U.S. physicians to speak out about what they think are the systemic issues with U.S. health care companies. Their video discussion by The Wall Street Journal is shared here.

More U.S. homeowners no longer have home insurance, 'leaving them exposed to financial ruin'

National Association of Insurance Commissioners and Federal Insurance Office, Department of the Treasury map

Whether it's tornadoes, wildfires, torrential rains, flooding or atmospheric rivers, extreme weather has carved a path of destruction across the United States. The collective losses caused drastic increases in home insurance costs, leaving some Americans unable to pay, "threatening what is, for many people, their most valuable asset," report Christopher Flavelle and Mira Rojanasakul of The New York Times.

New government data shows how increasing numbers of Americans have "given up on paying their insurance premiums, leaving them exposed to financial ruin," Flavelle and Rojanasakul explain. "The rising cancellation rates are part of a broader trend captured by the Treasury Department, which analyzed information for 246 million insurance policies issued by 330 insurers nationwide from 2018 through 2022."

How and when home policies get dropped depends on a variety of factors. For instance, some homeowners don't have a bank or lien-holder, so they can take the risk and drop their insurance. When policyholders fails to pay their premiums, their insurance company will cancel their policy for non-payment. Other homeowners lose coverage when their insurance company refuses to renew their policy. Without home insurance, homeowners are exposed to possible financial ruin and homelessness.

The rates of cancellations and nonrenewals "are increasing, and those increases are most pronounced in high-risk areas," the Times reports. "In more than 150 ZIP codes around the country, insurers canceled at least 10 percent of home insurance policies in 2022, the most recent year for which numbers are available because homeowners failed to pay their premiums."

While the new information doesn't explain why homeowners have stopped paying for their insurance, "Nellie Liang, the Treasury Department’s under secretary for domestic finance, said her team viewed it as an indicator of families facing growing financial stress worsened by climate change," Flavelle and Rojanasakul write. 

U.S. consumers get smacked with another round of food inflation. Egg prices spike and other costs follow suit.

U.S. consumers endure another round of
food inflation. (Photo by 青 晨, Unsplash)

It's déjà vu for American food costs. The price of eggs and other grocery items are increasing while American consumers face another soul-crushing round of food inflation. U.S. grocery costs "increased 1.8% from a year earlier in December, rising at the fastest pace in more than a year," report Patrick Thomas and Jesse Newman of The Wall Street Journal. "The cost of food overall was 0.3% higher in December, after increasing 0.4% in November."

Why this is happening -- again? "There isn’t one factor. Bird flu is killing chickens, cutting egg supplies and sending wholesale prices to a record," Thomas and Newman explain. "Extreme heat and dry weather in the world’s coffee-growing regions have sent the cost of brews surging. Chocolate and cereal makers have raised prices for their products, too."

It's a problem. "Consumers are still acclimating to a stretch of bruising inflation following the Covid-19 pandemic," the Journal reports. "Grocery prices in December were roughly 28% higher than they were five years ago."

While on the campaign trail, President Donald Trump promised to put a lid on grocery prices -- a promise that could prove difficult to deliver. "Some of the problems underlying food costs, such as disease and bad weather, don’t have quick policy fixes," Thomas and Newman add.

Even as egg prices climb, some egg producers are making hefty profits. "The index for eggs was up 37% from a year ago, and the average retail price of a dozen large eggs increased nearly 14% to $4.15 in December," the Journal reports. "Price increases have helped increase the profits of egg companies, including Cal-Maine, the largest U.S. egg producer, whose stock has doubled over the past year."

The price of meat has also increased but experts predict meat prices will level out. On balance, cocoa and sugar prices have surged. Thomas and Newman write, "A candy company recently said it would raise its prices by 10%." When asked about food inflation, Mark Skogen, CEO of Wisconsin-based Festival Foods, told the Journal, "It just doesn’t end."

Trump's choice for USDA secretary discusses tariffs, migrant workers and bird flu during confirmation hearing

Brooke Rollins
(Wikipedia photo)

The U.S. Senate's four-hour confirmation hearing with Brooke Rollins, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture, gave the agricultural sector a good look at how Rollins might weigh in on many key farming decisions, reports Jennifer Shutt of States Newsroom.

During questioning, committee members zeroed in on U.S. agricultural trade and Trump's promised tariffs on major U.S. commodity partner products. Rollins responded, "I think it probably comes as no surprise to anyone sitting in this room that he believes it is a very important tool in his toolkit to continue or bring America back to the forefront of the world and to ensure that we have a thriving economy. . . . But just as he did and we did in the first administration, he also understands the potential devastating impact to our farmers and our ranchers."

Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet "told Rollins that he is 'sympathetic to some of the trade policies that President Trump is trying to advocate for . . . But agriculture’s already in a tough spot,'" Shutt writes. When asked how she would embrace her role, Rollins replied, "To defend, to honor, to elevate our entire agriculture community in the Oval Office, around the table, through the interagency process."

When questioned about U.S. poultry and egg production in the wake of the worst egg-laying avian bird flu outbreak in history, Rollins told senators, "'There is a lot that I have to learn on this. And if confirmed, this will be, as I mentioned in my opening statement, one of the very top priorities,'" Shutt reports. 

Senators asked Rollins "about how sweeping deportations might impact the agriculture industry and food supplies throughout the country," Shutt writes. "Senators also asked how she planned to keep the pipeline that moves food from farms to people’s tables from collapsing if mass deportations are carried out. . . . Rollins said she wants to make changes to the H2A visa for temporary agricultural workers, though she didn’t detail what those changes might entail."

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Tina Smith asked "about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, saying that nutrition programs, many of which are administered by USDA, are 'foundational for healthy Americans,'" Shutt reports. "Rollins testified that she does believe in work requirements, though she conceded she didn’t have extensive knowledge of the SNAP." 

Rollins looks poised to secure her Senate confirmation, but a vote date has not been set.

Hot, kick-in, chewy, meaty -- Americans have fallen in love with the 'meat stick'

Roughly 41 million U.S. households buy meat sticks
each year. (Adobe Stock photo)

Lunch pails, glove compartments, purses and toolboxes are favorite places for Americans to stash their new favorite snack: The meat stick.

The tasty lengths of protein have "come a long way since the original Slim Jim," reports Jennifer Williams of The Wall Street Journal. The snack has grown into a $3 billion business that has spiked fan controversy over its ever-growing smorgasbord of spiciness and flavors.

Among old and new meat stick lovers, "the flood of flavors and high-end options that has come with the snack’s rising popularity has divided fans," Williams writes. "Traditionalists, who prize the snack for its smoky simplicity, have a beef with the onslaught of choice. Other fans are being lured to a new breed of packaged offerings. . . Some won’t touch anything that didn’t come from a butcher — and please, whatever you do, don’t call it a meat stick."

Meat sticks are the go-to snack of choice for common and famous Americans. "Roughly 41 million households buy meat sticks annually," Williams explains. "Actress Jennifer Lawrence took Slim Jims — hot and mild — to the Oscars in 2014, an emergency nibble for the hourslong ceremony."

Slim Jim maker Conagra Brands purchased Fatty meat snack brands to create what "their executives call the 'trifecta smokehouse,'" Williams reports. "The acquisition beefed up a portfolio that already boasted the Slim Jim and Duke’s brands." Ashley Spade, vice president of Conagra's snacks, described meat stick sales as "explosive."

Meat stick choices include "jalapeño, taco-seasoned, teriyaki and dill pickle. Meat options range from beef to turkey, chicken and lamb," Williams reports. 

Some fans feed their meat stick needs with a trip to the local gas station, but others up the ante. "Sarah Steele goes to her local butcher. . . . Steele prefers her meat sticks to have a kick. And high-quality meat is a must." She told Williams, "I’m a meat snob, what can I say? But I don’t judge — if you enjoy it, eat it.”

Opinion: New administration can support farmers and improve rural America's economies with four 'key steps'

John Bode

Some American farmers and farm workers voted for President Donald Trump, and some didn't, but most are counting on support from the new administration.

In his opinion for AgriPulse, John Bode describes how agribusiness workers are "eager to pursue a more prosperous rural America." He outlines four "key steps" the new administration could draw upon, which he believes would support economic growth and development in many parts of rural America.

Removing limiting regulations is the first step. Bode explains, "Deregulation does not mean elimination of regulation. Regulations provide such essential assurances as product safety and environmental protection. But a stable, rational regulatory environment should also be friendly to economic growth."

Policy that supports U.S. electrical grid integrity and other energy needs is vital. "When Trump left office four years ago, the U.S. electric grid had an overall capacity that substantially exceeded peak demand," Bode adds. "The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission tripled its five-year forecast for peak electric demand. . . .Without bold policy action, America will likely experience rolling blackouts in the next five years. A reliable energy infrastructure is fundamental to economic growth."

Continuing tax cuts would help the American public, businesses and farmers. "Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was signed into law, the American economy has had access to robust pro-growth tax policy, " Bode writes. "But many of the provisions that have helped boost business and put more money in the pockets of American workers are set to expire at the end of 2025."

Advancing American trade policy is vital to rural growth. Bode explains, "I believe [the new administration] can achieve alignment with Canada and Mexico so the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement may be refreshed to form a powerful economic platform to compete with China and other non-market economies. We should look past the dramatic tactics and focus on a strategy that advances American competitiveness."

John Bode is president and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association, the trade association representing the corn milling industry, and he chairs the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee, which advises the Department of Agriculture and U.S. Trade Representative on trade policy.

Audiences want weather experts to live in their community. Media parent company agrees to keep local coverage local.

American audiences prefer local weather experts.
(Photo via AL.com)

The Weather Channel might be a great source for coverage of tornadoes and hurricanes for a national audience, but local audiences prefer TV weather experts who live and work nearby and understand their communities, reports Howard Koplowitz of AL.com.

That’s the takeaway from a recent decision – quickly abandoned – by Allen Media Broadcasting to have staff based at The Weather Channel provide local coverage for its TV stations across the country. Allen Media also owns The Weather Channel.

As WAAY (Huntsville, Ala.) General Manager Mike Wright told Koplowitz, “In a rare moment these days, the parent company actually listened to those of us on the ground in these markets where they own a station, like WAAY 31. . . . But what was more impactful was the feedback from the local community – the hundreds of you who took time to express your concern.”

Wright told Koplowitz, “I get it, there’s uncertainty with the economy at times and companies are scaling back. . . but some things you just can’t cut or compromise."

Allen Media operates 27 broadcast TV stations in 21 U.S. markets, AL.com reported.

Hillman Prizes honor reporting that leads to public policy changes; deadline to enter is Jan. 30

Since 1950, the Sidney Hillman Foundation has honored journalists who pursue investigative reporting and deep storytelling in service of the common good. (Hillman Foundation photo)

Journalists can enter a national contest that honors “the excellence in investigative journalism and commentary in service of the common good.”

The Hillman Prizes celebrate print, digital and broadcast reporting and commentary in the public interest that exposes injustice and leads to meaningful public policy change.

The deadline to enter is Jan. 30, and winners will receive a $5,000 honorarium at an event in New York City on May 13. There is no fee to enter.

The 2025 Hillman Prizes includes awards for:

• Newspaper Reporting (story/series/multimedia — may include photo, video, graphics)
• Magazine Reporting (longform; print/online)
• Broadcast Journalism (TV, radio, podcast; at least 20 minutes in total package length)
• Opinion and Analysis Journalism (commentary and analysis in any medium)

Entries must have been published or broadcast in 2024 and made widely available to a U.S audience. Submit nominated material and a cover letter here.

For more information, visit hillmanfoundation.org