Reporter Bill Estep wins Al Smith Award for community journalism, recognizing 40 years of Appalachian stories

Bill Estep

Bill Estep, who chronicled the stories of Appalachian Kentucky and its communities for more than 40 years, is the 2025 winner of the Al Smith Award for public service through community journalism by a Kentuckian, given by the Bluegrass Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Institute for Rural Journalism at the University of Kentucky.

Estep retired this summer from the Lexington Herald-Leader, which he joined in 1985 after working at the Tri-City News in Cumberland and the Commonwealth-Journal in his hometown of Somerset. He spent most of his career covering Appalachian Kentucky, but was also a projects reporter and Frankfort Bureau chief. He worked on the Herald-Leader series “Cheating Our Children,” which helped lead to the Kentucky Education Reform Act; “Prescription for Pain,” which led to stronger anti-drug efforts in Appalachian Kentucky; and “Fifty Years of Night,” a 2012 look at the region in the 50 years since Harry M. Caudill published "Night Comes to the Cumberlands." 

The Herald-Leader’s Linda Blackford, who worked with Estep and John Cheves on the “Night” series, noted “Bill’s kind, patient, laconic way of asking questions, and truly listening to the answers. Thousands of Kentuckians trusted him with those stories because they recognized he was one of them.” His work also won praise from Gov. Andy Beshear, who said “Bill dedicated his storied career to lifting up the voices of his neighbors.” State Senate President Robert Stivers of Manchester praised his fair, factual reporting and said, “I consider him the Walter Cronkite of Kentucky.”

The Al Smith Award is named for the late Albert P. Smith Jr., who was the driving force for creation of the Institute for Rural Journalism, headed its advisory board and was its chair emeritus until his death in 2021. He published newspapers in Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee, was founding producer and host of KET’s “Comment on Kentucky,” and federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission. He was the first winner of the award in 2011.

SPJ Bluegrass Chapter Secretary Al Cross said many journalists might not think a reporter for a metropolitan newspaper could be a community journalist, but Estep was. “Community journalism has been called ‘relationship journalism,’ in which you rely on closer ties to subjects and sources than the typical practitioner of metropolitan journalism,” said Cross, who was founding director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and a regional and political reporter for the Louisville Courier-Journal. “You may not be a resident of their communities, but you want to be seen as a friendly neighbor, or at least a friendly acquaintance. You care about them, their communities, and their reactions to your reporting, writing and presentation in much the same way as their local community journalists do – if you are doing the job right. Bill is the best I’ve ever known at that.”

Institute Director Benjy Hamm said, "For decades, Bill Estep incorporated the best qualities of a community journalist into his work at the Herald-Leader. His powerful reporting has changed laws, lives and communities – all for the better."

“He’s been the voice for a community of communities that is often overlooked or even ignored nationally,” said Peter Baniak, former executive editor of the Herald-Leader. “He’s told stories that matter for an entire region and its people, and he’s told them with great care, empathy and honesty that news coverage – especially national news coverage – of the region often lacks. Time and again over the course of 40 years, his thoughtful, fearless on-the ground reporting in this region has made a difference and led to change. And his care, compassion and passion in doing his job has earned the trust of both readers and the people he’s covered, regardless of their politics or position in life.”

Herald-Leader Editor Rick Green, a former editor of the Courier-Journal, said of Estep, “He was a journalistic treasure, someone who knew the heartbeat of the commonwealth didn't emanate from the large cities of Lexington or Louisville.”

Estep, 65, still lives in his native Pulaski County. He is a 1982 journalism graduate of Western Kentucky University. When he retired, he said that he had seen many changes in journalism, but “What hasn’t changed is the mission. I see that as finding good stories, helping people understand what’s happening in their world, including what their government is doing for and to them, and holding power accountable — and doing all of it fairly, accurately and thoroughly.”

Estep will be honored at the annual Al Smith Awards Dinner Nov. 13 at The Campbell House in Lexington. He will be joined by Lisa Stayton of Inez, owner and co-publisher of The Mountain Citizen, the 2025 winner of the Institute’s national Tom and Pat Gish Award for courage, tenacity and integrity in rural journalism, along with winners of chapter scholarships. The keynote speaker will be Dee Davis, president of the Whitesburg-based Center for Rural Strategies.

Besides Smith, previous winners of the Smith Award, and their affiliations at the time, are:

2012: Jennifer P. Brown, Kentucky New Era; and Max Heath, Landmark Community Newspapers
2013: John Nelson, Danville Advocate-Messenger
2014: Bill Bishop and Julie Ardery, The Daily Yonder 
2015: Carl West, The (Frankfort) State Journal 
2016: Sharon Burton, Adair County Community Voice and The Farmer’s Pride 
2017: Ryan Craig, Todd County Standard, and the late Larry Craig, Green River Republican 
2018: Stevie Lowery, The Lebanon Enterprise 
2019: David Thompson, Kentucky Press Association 
2020: Becky Barnes, The Cynthiana Democrat 
2021: WKMS News, Murray State University 
2022: Chris and Allison Evans, The Crittenden Press 
2023: Ben Gish and Sam Adams, The Mountain Eagle 
2024: Bobbie Foust, The Lake News, Calvert City 

Rural families worry that Head Start will die a 'slow death.' Many parents can't afford to work without it.

Head Start participants are disproportionately rural. 
(Photo by Jackie Mader, The Hechinger Report)

For six decades, the federally funded Head Start program has helped low-income rural parents stay in the workforce by providing free child care and early education programming. But suggested cuts by the Trump administration have some families worried the program is slated for "a slow death," reports Jackie Mader of The Guardian. The program was earmarked for elimination in an "early draft of President Donald Trump’s budget proposal."

Although Head Start programs are found in communities of all sizes, its participants are disproportionately rural. "Nearly 90% of rural counties in the United States have Head Start programs," Mader explains. "Almost half of the 716,000 children Head Start serves live in rural congressional districts, compared with just 22% in urban districts."

Head Start has survived so far, but its services and employees have been reduced through staffing and funding cuts that began this past spring. "In early February, many Head Start programs were caught up in a federal funding freeze. Then the Trump administration fired about 20% of the program’s federal staff," Mader reports. The loss of support forced some programs to close, while others cut staff to stay open.

Head Start reductions have left communities and parents feeling uncertain about the future. Most parents who participate can't afford to work if they have to pay for child care, and the program employs several local people and small businesses.

Even though the Trump administration's 2026 budget proposal doesn't reduce Head Start funding, it did not increase the program's funding to allow for inflation, which "effectively amounts to a cut," Mader adds.

Laurie Todd-Smith, who oversees Head Start at the Administration for Children and Families, has not pushed for an increase in Head Start funding. Instead, she suggested that programs look for ways to be more efficient by eliminating Head Start offerings that other state programs already provide.

National Weather Service has hundreds of vacancies, 'exhausted employees'

The National Weather Service was created to protect people and property. (NOAA graphic)

On any given day, the National Weather Service deploys staff to research, predict and issue warnings for weather activity across the United States, which covers a total of roughly 3.8 million square miles. However, after losing 600 employees this spring, the agency is now stretched thin and may struggle to meet the demands of fall weather, which includes a busy hurricane season.

"Exhausted employees have maintained weather monitoring and forecasting almost without interruption, staff said. But many are wondering how much longer they can keep it up," report Hannah Natanson and Brady Dennis of The Washington Post.

Despite receiving an exemption from the federal hiring freeze and working to replace lost staff, the agency still has hundreds of vacant positions, an active Atlantic hurricane season, and a possible government shutdown to manage.

Tom Fahy, legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization, the union that represents the agency’s workers, told the Post, "We have a strained and severely stretched situation. . . .There’s a breaking point.” 

A spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offered reassurances that the Weather Service is “'equipped to meet its mission of protecting American lives and property through timely forecasts and critical decision support services,'" the Post reports. "But even before this year’s losses, the Weather Service was considered understaffed."

Since NWS shortages have been extreme, the Trump administration gave the agency permission to "list and hire 450 positions," Natanson and Dennis add. "But it won’t be an immediate fix. . . . Federal hiring is often slow. . . .Government work may seem like a bad option, since Trump has stripped away the guaranteed job stability that once made up for the lower pay."

Agriculture economists say farming recession, trade without China causing 'severe' financial squeeze

Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor graph

Agriculture economists share a bleak outlook for American farmers."The financial squeeze gripping row crop agriculture is only growing more severe, according to the latest Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor. As of September, 91% think the U.S. crops sector is in a recession, which is an all-time high for the anonymous survey," reports Tyne Morgan of Farm Journal.

Without orders from China, low soybean sales continue to be the "biggest drag on the farm economy," Morgan explains. "In fact, 77% of economists surveyed say current U.S.-China trade policies are hurting farmers." More than half of experts surveyed think China will eventually purchase U.S. soybeans.

Morgan writes, "Ag lenders in some regions, such as the mid-South, warn farmers are experiencing the most financial stress since the 1980s."

Graph by Lindsey Pound, Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor

Looking ahead to next year, agricultural economists are divided. Morgan writes. "Fifty percent say it will be somewhat worse off or unchanged, while the other half expect the situation to slightly improve."

The Department of Agriculture plans to release its farm aid package sometime over the next two weeks. Morgan adds, "Sixty-two percent of surveyed economists said government direct payments benefit crop producers."

Farm Aid turned 40 this year: U.S. farmers still need the concert to raise public awareness and financial support

John Cougar Mellencamp performs at the first Farm Aid concert in Champaign, Ill., on Sept. 22, 1985.
 (Photo by Seth Perlman, The Associated Press via The Daily Yonder)

Farm Aid began as a mega-concert event in 1985, featuring the likes of Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and John Cougar Mellencamp, who performed to raise awareness and funding for American farmers in crisis. The musical event, which turned 40 this year, spurred a homegrown tradition that recognizes the struggles American farmers face to stay afloat. "Farmers need just as much support now as they did 40 years ago," reports Claire Carlson of The Daily Yonder. 

Held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Farm Aid 2024 provided an opportunity for farmers and their families to connect with others who are also trying to survive the "difficulties of competing with large-scale agriculture, the disconnect between producers and consumers, and the vanishing federal support as some of the most pressing challenges facing farmers today," Carlson writes.

Jesse Womack, a policy specialist at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, told Carlson, "This is not a favorable economic time for producers, period. We are watching a lot of our leaders in this country totally ignore how difficult producers have it right now and really neglect their duty to make tools and services readily available and easy to use for producers."

In addition to this year's performances, a "separate corner of the arena hosted booths for farmer advocacy organizations that spoke on topics like factory farming and regenerative agriculture," Carlson writes.

During the concert, Farm Aid T-shirts and food sales highlight all things American-grown and made in the USA. Carlson adds, "The sales of these items and the festival tickets go to Farm Aid initiatives like their Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network and Family Farm Disaster Fund."

Many U.S. producers are anxious for Congress to pass a new Farm Bill, but "farmer advocacy organizations have been critical of the proposals they’ve seen," Carlson reports. "The Farm Bill, which authorizes federal spending on agricultural and food programs, is two years past its expiration date."

Farm Aid photos, swag and information about performances can be found here. 

Trump administration cancels household food security report

Photo by Austin Kehmeier, Unsplash

The annual report on household food security produced by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be discontinued, Dan Frosch, Patrick Thomas and Andrea Petersen of The Wall Street Journal reported.

The 2024 report is set to be released on Oct. 22 and will be the last of a series of reports that started in 1990 as a result of a 10-year comprehensive plan that was developed in accordance with the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act (NNMRR).

A press release from the USDA stated that the reports were “redundant, costly, politicized, and extraneous,” and “subjective, liberal fodder.”

Despite concerns from researchers, policy analysts, academics and others across the nation, the USDA states that it has other “timely and accurate data sets available.”

You can read more about how the USDA defines food insecurity and the survey questions they use here.

Trump announces plan to use tariff dollars to fund U.S. farmer bailout checks

Many U.S. farmers are harvesting crops that don't 
have a buyer. (Adobe Stock photo)

President Donald Trump announced plans to use tariff dollars to help U.S. farmers facing extreme economic strain due to high input costs and poor trade opportunities. Grace Yarrow and Meridith Lee Hill of Politico report, "Trump said he will use tariff revenue to offer cash bailouts for farmers who are struggling with trade uncertainty and other economic headwinds."

Trump told reporters, "We’re going to take some of that tariff money that we made, we’re going to give it to our farmers, who are, for a little while, going to be hurt until the tariffs kick into their benefit. . . .So we’re going to make sure that our farmers are in great shape, because we’re taking in a lot of money.”

Some Republicans share Trump's preference for tapping tariff dollars to help farmers, but other GOP lawmakers worry the plan "could run into roadblocks if the Supreme Court decides Trump’s tariffs are not legal," Politico reports. Several Republicans also cite what Democrats might ask for in return for agreeing to use tariff dollars to fund farmer checks.

While the Trump administration has promised to deliver better trade deals, American farmers are still waiting. Meanwhile, lobbyists and lawmakers from farming districts are pushing hard for a farm aid package to be passed soon. 

Cotton field project helps farmers and students learn how to outsmart bugs while saving money and time

Pests are identified by AI as they fly through a light sensor
inside this trap. (Photo by D. Mcgee via The Conversation)

Researchers working to introduce precision agriculture practices to farmers and agriculture students made progress during their recent project, in which AI was deployed to outsmart cotton-eating bugs in Jenkins County, Georgia.

Jenkins County, with a population of roughly 8,700, is "among the top 25 cotton-growing counties in the state," write Debra Lam, Atin Adhikari and James E. Thomas for The Conversation. The area's farmers rely heavily on expensive pesticides to defeat "stink bugs, cotton bollworms, corn earworms, tarnished plant bugs and aphids."

The project aimed to help farmers determine when to spray their crops by combining "AI-based early pest detection methods with existing integrated pest management practices and the Georgia Cotton Insect Advisor app," according to the report. By integrating those tools, researchers learned how to "improve pest detection, decrease pesticide exposure levels and reduce insecticide use."

The project's outcome demonstrated that AI tools could reliably predict where and when pest infestations would occur, providing farmers with the knowledge they need to save money and labor costs by applying pesticides only where and when necessary.

Through the use of AI sensors, the research provided farmers with practical and intuitive ways to plan and protect their crops. According to the report, "Even after the sensors are gone, farmers who used them become better at spotting pests. . . . AI dashboards and mobile apps help them see how pest populations grow over time and respond to different field conditions."

The project was part of Georgia's ongoing effort to train more farmers and students on how to integrate precision agriculture into their farming or pest management practices. According to The Conversation's report, "The same tools could help local governments manage mosquitoes and ticks and open up more agtech innovations." 

Opinion: Farmers don't need bailout checks; they need to make money by selling their crops

U.S. farming income ratio in 2024 was negative.
(Photo by Betty Haynes, Farm Progress)

Many U.S. farmers are already struggling to make ends meet as costs for equipment, labor and fertilizer remain high and crop income continues to drop. In her opinion piece for Farm Progress, Holly Spangler writes, "Grain prices are down, input prices are up, and not enough folks are buying U.S. products." Spangler shares insights on what Congress and the Trump administration can do to help farmers without sending bailout checks.

The National Corn Growers Association just "released a survey of U.S. corn growers, and nearly half — 46% — believe the U.S. is on the brink of a farm crisis," Spangler writes. "More than 75% are very or moderately concerned about the farm economy. . . . The average 2024 farm operating income ratio was negative for the first time in 30 years, and well below the five-year average of 18.2%."

Action from policy officials and Congress could help corn farmers access improved markets and better prices. Spangler explains, "Congress needs to pass the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025, which would remove an outdated provision in the Clean Air Act that restricts summertime fuel sales with 15% ethanol blends, or E15."

Soybean farmers also need robust market development since China is purchasing its soybeans from South America. Spangler notes, "The only deal to come out of last week’s U.S.-China trade talks involved TikTok, not soybeans."

While the Trump Administration and the Department of Agriculture may have plans to send farmers bailout checks, Spangler points out that this approach isn't a long-term solution. She writes, "Another bailout just produces money that flows through the farmer’s hands and back to landowners, input suppliers and equipment companies. Nobody has to lower prices when farmers can afford it."

Spangler believes farmers need to demand action from the Trump Administration and the USDA that fixes the E15 issue, passes a Farm Bill and secures trade partners. She adds, "Farmers need to make money. But they need to do it by selling crops — not by cashing another government check."

How to talk to your kids about current events

Finding out what a child knows about an event can 
help parents know where to start. (Adobe Stock photo)

The frequency and extremes of today's news and online media can leave parents and guardians wondering how to help their children process what's happening in the world. Eepti Hajela of The Associated Press outlines how to talk to your kids about "what’s going on."

First, be willing to talk about it. "It’s a basic parental impulse to want to protect kids from harsh realities or complicated situations," Hajela explains. But when it comes to national or world events, "information is EVERYWHERE." Shielding children is not realistic.

When approaching difficult or violent events, it's helpful to gauge how much your children or young adults know. "Don't assume they know everything," Hajela writes. To help kids process news or visuals, it's best to know what they know or might have consumed on social media before jumping into a conversation.

Parents and guardians who have processed their own responses first can better help younger people interpret events. They are their children's role model, so if possible, getting to a level of calm about any situation helps kids feel safer, even when discussing disturbing events or images. 

Make it an ongoing conversation, rather than a one-time discussion. Parents and guardians can't stop the world from turning to protect their kids, but they can provide a safe space where kids can ask questions and learn tools to process their emotions.

Clinicians in rural Idaho brace for Medicaid cuts that 'are already creating hurdles'

Pregnant women in Idaho often drive hours for
prenatal care. (Adobe Stock photo)

New rules for Medicaid have Idaho clinicians predicting more emergency visits, fewer residents with health care coverage and more maternity care deserts, reports Madeline de Figueiredo for The Daily Yonder. The systemic Medicaid changes will be the hardest on rural residents who tend to be more reliant on Medicaid.

Many Idaho medical providers see new Medicaid work requirements, income checks and possible co-payments as "changes [that] are already creating hurdles and could lead to major coverage losses and reduced access to care," according to the article. 

Coverage losses often increase emergency room visits because people delay care until their symptoms are so severe that they have no choice but to go to the emergency room. Individuals can be left with costly ED bills for care that could have been affordable if it had been sought sooner.

Idaho is already facing rural hospital closures and provider shortages, both of which impact prenatal care for expecting mothers and their babies. Figueiredo reports, "Bonner General Health, the only hospital with OB-GYNs in Bonner County, closed its obstetrics services in 2023. . . . All four OB-GYNs from Bonner County told NBC that Idaho’s strict abortion laws influenced their decision to leave."

The lack of obstetric care throughout the state means pregnant women often have to travel hours for care. Many are told to purchase insurance for emergency medical flights. Amy Klingler, a primary care physician assistant in Stanley, Idaho, told Figueiredo, “We encourage everyone, really, in our community to have that [coverage]. . . . Helicopter rides are probably anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000."

American farmers worried about lack of soybean sales to China; trade war could wipe out a 'generation of farmers'

China usually buys 51% of U.S. soybeans every year.
(Unsplash photo)

A North Dakota soybean farm is expected to lose $400,000 this year due to China’s boycott of American soybeans because of tariffs President Trump placed on Chinese goods, Alan Rapperport of The New York Times reported.

That farm is just one of many being hurt by the tariffs and trade wars. “Are we going to lose a generation of farmers because of the trade war? I think that’s what we’re fast approaching,” Justin Sherlock, a farmer and president of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association said in an interview with Rapperport. 

China has used its status as a major consumer of American agricultural products since Trump’s first term to strategically pressure the administration toward more favorable trade deals. This year soybean farmers have taken a major hit, but China has also scaled back purchases of other products as well.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has considered rolling out aid for farmers impacted by China’s pushback against tariffs.

“Farmers tend to live in Republican states that voted for Mr. Trump, so harming them economically threatened a core constituency,” Rapperport wrote. In other words, the livelihoods of American farmers have become bargaining chips in the U.S.-China trade war.

Farmers in North Dakota are increasingly worried that a deal will not be made in time for the nearing soybean harvest season. And for an industry that is already struggling to stay afloat, that could mean more farm closures.

New World screwworm detected roughly 70 miles from the Texas border as USDA efforts intensify

New World screwworm was found roughly 70 
miles from Laredo, Texas. (USDA photo)

 

The New World screwworm and its flesh-eating larvae have made their way through Mexico to hover fewer than 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. "The case was reported near Sabinas Hidalgo in Nuevo Leon," reports Joshua Baethge of Farm Progress. "That city is close to a major highway connecting Monterrey, Mexico’s second-largest metro area, and Laredo, Texas."

Screwworm larvae were discovered in "an 8-month-old cow that was moved to the area from southern Mexico, which has active NWS cases," Baethge writes. Concerned lawmakers and livestock owners would like Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to persuade the Mexican government to restrict cattle movement to contain the pest.

While NWS larvae will eat the flesh of any warm-blooded animal, female screwworm flies most often lay their eggs in the open wounds or scratches of sheep or cattle. The larvae are considered a threat to U.S. livestock and rancher economies as well as the U.S. food supply.

Rollins said "protecting the U.S. from New World screwworm is a 'national security priority," Baethge reports. Rollins added that "U.S. farmers and ranchers should know that the U.S. 'will not rely on Mexico' to defend the cattle industry, the food industry or 'our way of life.'"

State of Nuevo León within Mexico
(Wikipedia map)

The USDA and Mexican authorities have been working together to push the NWS away from both countries' livestock herds through sterile fly releases, animal surveillance and fly trapping and testing work. 

Since July, the USDA and Mexico "have been monitoring almost 8,000 traps across Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico," reports Jennifer Carrico of Progressive Farmer. "Currently, all the 13,000-plus screening samples have detected no NWS flies."

While the latest detection in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, appears to be limited to one cow, the USDA is still investigating. "Rollins said the U.S will be 'taking no chances,'" Baethge reports.

Fat Bear Week has arrived: Fans can vote daily, and the website provides materials for classrooms

What's big, brown, hungry and loves salmon? Alaskan brown bears in Katmai National Park, Alaska. The bears and their voting minions are gearing up for Fat Bear Week, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 23 and chowing down through Sept. 30.

Wait, what? "With the help of this playful competition, Fat Bear Week aims to bring Katmai National Park and Alaska’s brown bears closer to the people who may not be able to visit the park in person," reports Emese Maczko for Forbes. "Anyone can vote daily for which bear advances in the bracket to determine the eventual champion, Katmai's bulkiest brown bear."

Bulk is the aim, and salmon is their game. "To make it into the bracket, bears must first be visibly fat and appear at Brooks River in both early summer and fall, criteria that not all of the park’s bears meet," Maczko explains. "Bears in the brackets often have a compelling storyline that showcases the challenges of survival in Katmai."

No need to vote to join the fat bear fandom. "Voters can follow eight bear cams that provide live video feeds from different locations around the Brooks Camp area of Katmai National Park, Maczko adds. "Anyone can join the live chat, where Mike Fitz, resident naturalist at Explore.org, Christine Kliesrath, ranger at Katmai National Park and Naomi Boak from Katmai Conservancy will answer all questions."

The bears are here to eat and teach. "Classrooms can bring Katmai directly to their students. Teachers may request a virtual program with a park ranger to discuss the bears, the park and Fat Bear Week," Maczko writes. "The park also offers numerous free printable materials for classroom use, available online."

Report: Farmers and agricultural leaders put the brakes on part of national 'Make America Healthy Again' agenda

In its initial report, the national "Make America Healthy Again" commission advocated for changes to U.S. food production and dietary guidance while criticizing "lobbying efforts by American corporations to shape policy," report Jesse Newman, Liz Essley Whyte and Josh Dawsey of The Wall Street Journal. But the commission has since "held talks with scores of leaders from the food and agriculture industries."

Farm groups criticized MAHA's first report for not giving
them a voice. (Adobe Stock photo)

When the commission released its follow-up plan last week, it left "nutrition experts and consumer advocacy and watchdog groups, lamenting its lack of emphasis on regulatory action," the Journal reports. MAHA supporters worry that the commission's initial agenda, led by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has curtailed its mission to appease corporate leadership.

By comparison, agricultural and industry groups were glad their input was included. Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, told the Journal, "We appreciate the commission’s willingness to meet with farmers across the country, hear our concerns and develop smart solutions."

When the MAHA commission released its first report, "It questioned the health effects of glyphosate. . .a widely used farm pesticide," according to the Journal article. "It scrutinized ultraprocessed foods over some 15 pages."

The report then faced backlash from agricultural leaders and farmers who balked at the "report’s contents and a lack of engagement from the administration during its writing," the Journal reports. Before its follow-up strategy was released, the commission "sought input from farmers, food makers and retailers."

In an effort to juggle agricultural leadership and MAHA supporters, the commission said it aimed to give both sides a seat at the table. According to the article, "The White House used broad language in the latest MAHA report to leave the door open to take sharper or more lenient action in the future."

Quick hits: Fall leaf color predictions; Texas water crisis; rural movie for 2020 pandemic; opioid meds for jails

Map from SmokyMountains.com shows fall leaf color projections. Red indicates peak color. 

As autumn begins across much of the U.S., many Americans and tourists plan day trips or vacations to take in nature’s stunning fall colors. "Parts of the U.S. will soon start to see — if they haven't already — leaves and shrubs trade their green hues for vibrant shades of orange, yellow and red as the days get shorter and temperatures get chillier," reports Rachel Treisman of NPR. Explore Fall, TheSmokyMountains.com and Almanac websites offer some of the best "estimates [for] when leaves will change and colors will peak across the country."

Faced with ongoing population growth, an aging water system, and intermittent droughts paired with scorching temperatures, Texas officials and lawmakers are working to address the state's water crisis. But even as solutions are hammered out in Austin, the "state's regional diversity and patchwork of governments complicate matters further," reports The Texas Tribune. "Texas voters will be asked this fall to approve a $20 billion package to protect the state’s water supply. . . . The $20 billion is just a fraction of what some experts believe the state needs to invest going forward." 

In a bid to help balance pharmacy payments, Optum Rx "has increased reimbursement minimums for brand drugs for approximately 2,300 independent pharmacies," reports Heather Landi of Fierce Healthcare. The company's shift to a cost-based model is helping the bottom line of the "more than 24,000 independent and community pharmacies it works with. . ." More than half of all independent pharmacies operate in rural areas of the U.S., but many have closed or struggle to stay afloat due to high operational costs and low reimbursement rates.

When it comes to remembering 2020, many Americans would probably prefer not to recall the year at all. But film director Ari Aster doesn't want anyone to forget. In his latest film, "Eddington," Aster takes viewers back to the early days of the pandemic through the lens of a rural town drama set between a town sheriff and its mayor. Eddington captures the "anxiety, confusion, listlessness, and frustration of those first few months of lockdown as the backdrop for a dark and twisted story of a man, a town, and a country gone crazy," writes Anya Petrone Slepyan of The Daily Yonder. "Ari Aster’s latest rural thriller will give you something to think about."

When individuals suffering from opioid addictions are released from jail or prison, they face a high risk of overdose; however, a recent study shows that medication treatment during incarceration can lower their chances of overdosing upon release. "Use of medication for opioid use disorder (OUD) in jail was strongly associated with lower risks for overdose, death, and re-incarceration after release into the community," reports Shannon Firth of MedPage Today. The observational study was conducted in Massachusetts correctional facilities.

No matter where adults live, it may seem like kids have a different language that includes words that don't mean what they meant even three years ago. Keeping up with what young people are saying can feel impossible for anyone attempting to stay "hip," but not knowing kid-jargon can be a particular nightmare for parents. "As a little bit of an explainer, here’s a quick guide to slang terms that have made a mark in recent months," writes Paul Anthony Jones for Mental Floss. A few "explainers" are shared below.

Kid-jargon can mystify adults. (Graphic by Justin Dodd, Mental Floss)

W in the chat! "W has been used as a slang abbreviation for a win for over 50 years — although nowadays it’s used not just of victories, but of anything that could be regarded as laudable or impressive."

What the sigma?!? "As Merriam-Webster has noted, [the word] sigma has become increasingly ironic, pejorative, and jokey. . . This phrase in Gen Z and Gen Alpha vernacular is roughly the 2020s equivalent of 'What the heck?!'"

Do it for the plot! "If you imagine your life as one big movie, 'doing something for the plot' means doing something bold or risky that, in the retelling of your life story, would act as a major plot point."

Rivian Automotive forges onward and breaks ground on its $5 billion electric vehicle plant in a small town in Georgia

Rivian builds electric in Georgia.

Despite the downturn in electric vehicle sales and enthusiasm, Rivian Automotive overcame delays and broke ground last week on its $5 billion plant in Social Circle, Georgia, a town with a population of 5,415.

"It seems like a terrible time to build an electric vehicle plant in the U.S., but Rivian Automotive leaders say they’re confident," report Jeff Amy and Alexa St. John of The Associated Press. Since its public offering, the company's stock has dropped "by more than 80%. . . . Rivian lost $1.66 billion in 2025’s first half."

The Georgia plant will make truck models that are smaller and less expensive than Rivian's current offerings, which feature high-end electric trucks that start at $70,000. The smaller models will start at $45,000, which the company predicts will enable it to sell to a much broader market and turn a profit.

While some state and local governments have resisted the push to go electric, Georgia is welcoming the change. "Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp says he wants to make Georgia 'the electric mobility capital of America,'" AP reports. "Georgia has pledged $1.5 billion of incentives to Rivian in exchange for 7,500 company jobs paying at least $56,000 a year on average."

Not everyone in Social Circle supports Rivian building in the small, bucolic town about 45 minutes from Atlanta. According to the AP article, "Some residents say the plant is an inappropriate neighbor to farms and will pollute the groundwater."

What's for lunch? This year's school lunches include restrictions that challenge cafeterias and budgets

'Woodles' are a versatile school lunch favorite.

Estimates on how many rural children rely on school lunches for at least one nutritionally balanced meal to fill their bellies each weekday hover around five million. Nationwide, school cafeterias in America "serve 45 million meals a day," reports Kim Severson of The New York Times. "If they were a restaurant chain, it would be the largest in the country."

Besides the sheer number of meals that need to be served, school cafeteria planners and workers are managing "tighter nutritional standards, and limits on food purchased from other countries, like bananas, to 10% of what’s served," Severson explains. "School nutrition directors are bracing for the impact of federal budget cuts and updated federal dietary guidelines."

Some schools have already implemented some of the new guidelines, which include less sugar, fewer food dyes and more scratch-made entrees. But upgrading lunches while reducing costs will be tough on school cafeteria budgets. Severson adds, "And then there is the biggest challenge of all: How to satisfy the fast-changing tastes of a generation of food-savvy children."

Severson outlines what's new on the menu for 2025-26 school meals; a few are shared below.

• Sugar reduction and "cultural-club" food: Lunch favorites such as yogurt, milk and cereal are limited by grams of sugar. "A cup of chocolate milk, for example, can have only 10 grams or less of added sugar," Severson writes. Schools can opt to use "more culturally inclusive [ingredients], or swap out meat with legumes, tofu and other alternative protein sources."
• Make it from scratch, like they did before the 1980s, which saves money and is generally healthier. "Cooking from scratch is one way to make school food healthier," Severson reports. "More districts are trying to bring it back after economic pressures and looser federal standards in the 1980s resulted in an era of heat-and-eat meals."
• Bring on the noodles and 'Woodles': "Woodles are the most exciting new thing to hit the cafeteria this year," Severson explains. "The dried ramen noodles, made by a South Carolina company, were created specifically for school food service, with enough whole wheat to satisfy federal nutrition requirements."

Former 'city dweller' explores rural-urban divide in new graphic novel

Mahadavian reflects on rural life and the rural-urban 
divide in his new novel, This Country. (Yonder photo) 

In his new graphic novel, cartoonist Navied Mahadavian reflects on rural life, the rural-urban divide and the political divisions between “city dwellers” and “rural folk,” Myat Theingi of The Daily Yonder reported.

Searching for affordable living and what Mahadavian described as the “allure of possibility,” he and his wife moved to rural Idaho from the San Francisco Bay area.

Despite some unpleasant encounters due to his race, his interactions with people in the town opened his eyes to the emotions and pride of people who live in rural places, the complexities of their political beliefs, and their reasons for distrusting people who come from the city.

“So, after reading my book, I hope that city dwellers will gain some insights into rural life and vice versa. I also hope they see that there are divisions and different cultures. But there are also friendships that I forge, that show that it is possible to bridge those divides in a meaningful and lasting way,” Mahadavian said in an interview with Theingi.

Parents who skip or postpone vaccines for their kids are more concerned about vaccine safety, a new poll finds

 Photo by Mika Baumeister, Unsplash

Parents who skip, avoid or postpone standard vaccinations for their kids often share vaccine safety concerns and other attributes, a new poll from The Washington Post and KFF Health News shows.

The poll found that one in six parents have delayed or skipped some vaccines for their children, with most reporting "concerns about the vaccines themselves," report Lauren Weber, Scott Clement, Emily Guskin, and Lena H. Sun of The Washington Post. "About half of parents overall lack faith in federal health agencies to ensure vaccine safety, mirroring the findings of other surveys."

While the poll revealed that the majority of parents support child vaccinations, it also showed that "skipping or delaying vaccines is more common among parents who homeschool children, are Republicans, are young, or are White and religious," the Post reports.

Some polled parents believe in the effectiveness and necessity of childhood vaccinations -- just not on the schedule set by the federal government, which favors multiple shots in a single visit, rather than a more graduated immunization schedule.

Most interviewed parents did not support claims about vaccines causing autism or chronic disease. The Post reports, "But at least 4 in 10 parents say they don’t know enough to say whether those claims are true or false."

Poll results do seem to indicate some level of distrust in how the government manages vaccines. The Post explains, "Six in 10 Democrats are confident in federal health agencies overseeing vaccine safety, compared with 48% of independents and 41% of Republicans."

"Despite Republican parents being more likely to skip vaccines, 77% still follow vaccine recommendations," the Post reports. "Most of President Donald Trump’s voters believe vaccines save lives."

Fund with $50 billion for rural hospitals got off to a rough start; experts predict the money won't be enough

Delays, last-minute changes and a poor rollout have already plagued the newly created $50 billion rural hospital fund GOP lawmakers put together to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. But analysts predict the "money to be spent over five years is less than the estimated $137 billion in cuts to rural health systems over 10 years," reports Aneeta Mathur-Ashton of U.S. News & World Report.

The Rural Health Transformation Program was designed to help rural hospitals weather Medicaid cuts included in the GOP's package and support longer-term cybersecurity and infrastructure improvements hospitals need to stay afloat; however, fund critics say the program is a short-term solution for a long-term problem.

States that receive RHTP grants must use the funds for at least three purposes outlined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), including "promoting care interventions, paying for health care services and expanding the workforce," Mathur-Ashton explains.

As rural hospitals receive funds, they will need to apply them carefully. Alan Morgan, chief executive officer of the National Rural Health Association, "praised the fund as a 'fabulous program that hopefully, if done correctly, can transform rural health going ahead, to a sustainable model,'" Mathur-Ashton writes.

Some Democrats consider the $50 billion to be a slush fund with unclear guidelines that can't undo the harm planned cuts will cause. "The bill gives [CMS] the authority to determine which applications to approve and deny, but does not spell out the criteria it should be using to do so," Mathur-Ashton reports. 

Rural health advocates say they want states to apply for RHTP, but many are pushing to have the $150 billion in Medicaid cuts rescinded. Morgan told U.S. News, "Congress either later this year or next year, is going to have to repeal those cuts for rural hospitals, or you're just going to see hundreds of rural hospitals close. It's non-workable.”

Ozarks duo share vocals and instruments that 'reflects layers of history ... and the recognition that rural voices are important'

Cindy Woolf and Mark Bilyeu perform at the Library of Congress in August.
(Photo by Kaitlyn McConnell, The Daily Yonder)

Since the 1800s, music from the American Ozarks has combined instrumentation and vocals from northern Europe, West Africa and German traditions. The region's rugged topography and relative isolation helped its music develop a distinct and often haunting musical style.

While the Ozarks are no longer as isolated as they were more than 200 years ago, its talented musical artists, including the married duo of Cindy Woolf and Mark Bilyeu, known as The Creek Rocks, are determined to keep the musical heritage alive, reports Kaitlyn McConnell for The Daily Yonder.

When The Creek Rocks play, their music draws from "folk tunes and ballads, passed down from other continents and cultures before finding their way to the Ozarks," McConnell writes. The duo's sound ultimately reflects "layers of history... and the recognition that rural voices are important. . . .They are the voices of lived experience, linking generations and stories."

When the couple performed at the Library of Congress in August, the "echoes of generations of Ozarkers reverberated through the auditorium," McConnell adds. The Creek Rocks were "chosen as the library’s American Folklife Center’s inaugural Artists in Resonance, a fellowship founded to 'support artists in creating new musical works inspired by and sourced from collection materials in the Center’s archives.'"

The artists have dedicated part of their life's work to "research and document local folk culture," McConnell explains. "As part of the fellowship, Bilyeu and Woolf traveled to D.C., where they conducted research in the library’s archives."

As part of their fellowship, they focused on a musical collection by Sidney Robertson Cowell, who "visited the Ozarks in the mid-1930s," McConnell reports. Cowell's collection includes recordings from "local musicians in Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina."

The Cowell collection helped Bilyeu and Woolf hear and feel the distinct difference in Ozark music from this time period. McConnell writes, "'Ozarks folk music, as revealed by these collections, is all about the voice,' Bilyeu said – a key difference is in the way the songs sound. The tunes Cowell collected seemed even more 'ancient,' as Woolf put it, due to their musical structure."

Hear The Creek Rocks perform at The Library of Congress here.

U.S. ranchers finally see profits: Thin herds and high demand have beef prices climbing

There's no quick fix for low herd numbers pushing beef prices higher.
(Graph by Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University)

After years of hard work and economic struggle, U.S. ranchers are making bank on beef.  "Business hasn’t been this good for cattle ranchers in decades, maybe ever," reports Patrick Thomas of The Wall Street Journal. "Cattlemen are now making a record profit of more than $700 per animal, up from $2 five years ago, according to some industry estimates."

Demand for beef is high and herd counts are at historic lows, creating a market where prices have surged for "everything from ground beef to steaks," Thomas explains. "Retail ground-beef prices set a record in August, up about 13% from the same month last year."

U.S. beef cattle numbers began shrinking during recent droughts that decimated grazing lands, and pandemic-era meatpacking backups. Ranchers couldn't afford their herds and opted to thin them to stem their losses.

Farmers are using their new income to reinvest in their herds, pay off debts and purchase more sophisticated equipment. But no one knows how long higher prices will continue. Thomas reports, "Executives of Tyson Foods and JBS — two of the world’s largest meat companies — have projected that cattle supplies could tick up in 2027 or 2028."

Some ranchers don't think increasing herd size is a good business model and are choosing to invest in better genetics instead of more cattle. Thomas writes, "The idea is to produce cattle that can yield juicier steaks — and fetch higher prices."

Mobile home dwellers in rural desert towns face extreme temperatures

Photo by Patrick Reichboth,Unsplash

Extreme heat in the summer and cold in the winter pose risks for mobile home residents in Madras, a rural desert town in Oregon, Claire Carlson of The Daily Yonder reported. 

Data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) shows that 15% of houses in rural areas are manufactured or mobile homes.

Because many of the homes are old, they are often “less energy efficient and can have issues like mold and other dangerous health hazards,” Carlson wrote.

These poor living conditions can be deadly: 20% of deaths during the 2021 heat dome in Oregon were among mobile home residents. And it is only expected to get worse with climate change.

Nonprofits such as the Energy Trust in Oregon help to replace old, manufactured homes with new ones built to withstand the extreme temperatures.

However, according to Professor Patricia Solís from Arizona State University, “there are probably around 175,000 mobile and manufactured homes that are older in the state that need to have some kind of weatherization done to it.”

She believes the solution lies in tackling two issues: the affordable housing crisis and climate change. But it would require government investment in building more manufactured homes. 

Solís’ reasoning is that manufactured homes are less expensive, would provide affordable housing and can be outfitted with energy-efficient technology to adapt to the climate. 

Tribal radio stations in rural Alaska are hubs of culture that may not survive federal cuts

 The Anchorage skyline is dwarfed by the bold Chugach Mountains. The city is surrounded 
by more than five million remote acres. (Photo via Nieman Laboratories)

After Congress voted to pull back billions in funding, tribal radio stations in Alaska are exploring how they can continue to serve Native Americans across a massive state that can routinely lack highways and cell phone service.

Indigenous radio stations are different than those in the lower 48 states. Neel Dhanesha for Nieman Laboratories reports, "While many are part of the NPR and PBS networks, they are mostly staffed by Indigenous reporters and producers and primarily serve audiences in tribal nations around the U.S., many of which lack broadband or cell service."

Loris Taylor, president and CEO of Native Public Media, told Dhanesha, "The information environment in Indian Country is often fragmented, underfunded. . . . Tribal stations fill this gap. Without these stations, many tribal citizens, especially elders, low-income families, and those without broadband, would lose essential access to news and public discourse."

Without federal dollars, some stations are unsure how they will stay afloat to perform basic functions, such as issuing emergency notices for severe weather, AMBER and Missing Endangered Persons alerts. Jaclyn Sallee, president and CEO of KNBA, a tribal radio station in Anchorage, told Dhanesha, "Some stations are very concerned that they won’t be able to operate starting October 1."

Meanwhile, more funding for tribal radio stations may become available through grants from the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs. "BIA will distribute $9.4 million of previously appropriated funding to 35 tribal radio stations in 11 states," Dhanesha reports. "[But] details on the deal are scant."

BIA grants won't solve funding problems for all the remote-serving public radio stations in Alaska, and residents fear what will be lost if cuts are made. Dhanesha explains, "Every person I spoke with emphasized that losing tribal stations would mean losing a key cultural touchstone in Indigenous communities across the country. . . .Tribal stations are trying to figure out the path forward."

Rural women in Colorado with 'high-risk' pregnancies often travel long distances or take helicopters for care

Women in rural Colorado who encounter pregnancy complications often face long drives for care, with some having to take helicopters to reach treatment at a larger medical center. "Every year, more than 60 air medical transfers are made for pregnant patients in Colorado’s Eastern Plains, where helicopters regularly fly in to transport them to hospitals," reports Priya Shahi of Rocky Mountain PBS.

Graph by Priya Shahi, from Prowers Medical Center data

As more rural hospitals reduce or end obstetric care, emergency transportation, such as helicopters, has become more common. Emergency air flight can be for the health of the mom, the unborn baby or for after-delivery specialty care.

In Lamar, Colo., pregnant patients can receive routine prenatal care at Prowers Medical Center; however, its obstetric care is limited and expecting moms with more "high-risk" conditions are often transferred or flown to facilities with higher levels of care. 

While some women don't need more expert care or equipment until closer to delivery, some have to travel long distances throughout pregnancy. One patient in Lamar "has to make bimonthly trips to Colorado Springs just for ultrasounds," Shahi writes. 

She told Shahi, "My husband has to take time off just to take me, so we lose income just to go that far. We’re already struggling in the economy that it is. To take me up there for a two-minute appointment, it’s rough." A one-way drive from Lamar to Colorado Springs takes roughly 3 hours.

Drugged driving is difficult to detect, but it impairs drivers and contributes to accidents and fatalities

Cannabis slows reaction time and alters spatial awareness. 
 (Jason Doiy, iStock, Getty Images via The Conversation CC)

Despite its often invisible presence, drugged driving is a developing problem in most states. On rural roads where almost half of fatal crashes in the U.S. occur, the risks posed by drugged drivers may be disproportionately higher, but difficult to detect or prove.

In 2020, roughly 12.6 million people aged 16 and up drove after using illegal drugs. "Of that total, roughly 11.7 million were under the influence of cannabis," writes Andrew Yockey, a public health expert at the University of Mississippi, for The Conversation. 

While cannabis use is often downplayed, it impairs reaction time and spatial perception. Yockey explains, "Multiple studies have found that drivers with THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, in their bloodstream are about twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash – either as the cause or as a victim – compared with those who haven’t used drugs or alcohol."

Other drugs or any mix of drugs also play a part in devastating vehicle collisions and fatalities. "Opioids can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamine may lead to overconfidence and aggressive driving," Yockey adds. "When drugs are mixed — or combined with alcohol — the risks increase dramatically."

All states prohibit drugged driving, but how they enforce those laws varies, leaving "legal gray areas in how the laws are interpreted and enforced," Yockey writes.

Despite laws designed to discourage and punish drugged driving, detecting and measuring illicit drug use in drivers is tricky. "There is no standardized way to measure drug impairment as there is with blood alcohol content," Yockey explains. "Roadside tests that cops use to spot drunk drivers don’t work as well for drug impairment."

States have increasingly turned to using roadside saliva tests, which can "detect recent drug use more quickly," Yockey writes. But again, the measurement of drugs still in the bloodstream and how that translates into driving impairment or ticketed offenses isn't clear.

After a blaze destroyed 80% of a town's homes in 2020, the community's remaining 145 residents are still recovering

Malden rebuilt its fire department, city hall and post office.
(Photo by Jesse Tinsley, Spokesman-Review)

Over Labor Day weekend 2020, an electrical fire burned through Malden, Washington, and its neighboring community, Pine City. "While no deaths were reported, the fire burned 80% of the town’s homes and multiple rail bridges," reports Monica Carrillo-Casas of The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Wash. Malden residents are still rebuilding and healing from the fire's aftermath.

After the blaze, some Malden residents chose to leave. Chandelle Frick, treasurer for Malden, said the "town’s population has fallen from 200 to 145 people since the fire," Carrillo-Casas writes. Out of the 120 homes the fire destroyed, "at least 25 have been rebuilt, including nine of those by the Mennonite and Amish communities."

Malden resident Jessica Landry is "living in one of the houses the Amish and Mennonite communities built," Carrillo-Casas writes. "Ever since [the fire], the fear of another fire taking over the town lingers in the back of her mind."

Landry is sure some Malden residents may never get over the shock and destruction the blaze left in its wake. She told Carrillo-Casas, "There are a lot of people who still have PTSD when it comes to that. . . .We still get that heightened awareness and struggle."

Even with the emotional scars and population loss, Malden's remaining townspeople are working hard to rebuild. The town received a settlement from the electrical company involved and grant money. With those funds, Malden residents invested in "a new building that combines a fire station, post office and town hall," Carrillo-Casas reports.

The town still needs a new sewer system, and many residents still don't have permanent homes. A lack of funds has limited some recovery efforts. Carrillo-Casas adds, "An estimated 40% of the people who lost homes were uninsured."

Most community members realize they have to rely on each other. Frick told the Spokesman, "It takes a community coming together and seeking funding."