USDA Rural America at a Glance report has data on employment, population, poverty, education

Employment in rural areas is on the rise, according to Rural America at a Glance, an annual report by the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The report, released today, also features valuable information on trends in rural population, poverty and education.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement: "Today's report reflects a rural America on the road to recovery. Rural employment has increased; rural population decline did not increase over the past year and some rural counties have seen population growth; and the rural child poverty rate has declined by one percentage point. These trends are promising."

The report states: "Employment grew more than 1 percent in rural areas during the year that ended in the second quarter of 2015. This is a marked improvement from previous years of very slow growth or decline. Nonetheless, rural employment in mid-2015 was still 3.2 percent below its pre-recession peak in 2007. In contrast, urban employment rose nearly 2 percent in the past year, continuing a trend of consistent growth since 2011, and is now well above its pre-recession peak. In both urban and rural areas, employment growth is slightly ahead of population growth." (USDA graphics)

At the same time, "unemployment rates fell by a full percentage point or more in each of the last 2 calendar years in both rural and urban areas," states the report. "The share of adults who are working (total employment as a share of residents age 16 or older who are not on active military duty or in institutions such as nursing homes or prisons) remains 3 percentage points below its level prior to the recession in both rural and urban areas."

Rural population has declined by 30,000 each of the past two years and 116,000 over the past four years, states the report. "While these declines are small, 2010-2014 is the first period of overall population decline on record for rural America as a whole and stands in stark contrast with the urban population, which continues to grow by more than 2 million per year." From 2010 to 2014, about 300 rural counties lost population due to natural change and net migration, with 230,000 more births than deaths and 346,000 more people having moved out of rural counties than moved in.

Child poverty has increased from 21.9 percent in 2007 to 24.2 percent in 2009 to 25.2 percent in 2014, states the report. Deep poverty rates for rural children have increased from 9.6 percent in 2007 to 11.3 percent in 2014. The poverty rate for rural working-age was 6.2 percent in 2007 and 7.8 percent in 2014.

"The proportion of rural adults with a 4-year college degree or more increased by 4 percentage points between 2000 and 2014, and the proportion without a high school diploma or equivalent, such as a GED (General Education Diploma), declined by 9 percentage points," states the report. "Between 2000 and 2014, the share of young adults ages 25-34 with bachelor’s degrees grew in urban areas from 29 to 35 percent. In rural counties, the college-educated proportion of young adults rose from 15 to 19 percent."

New diabetes cases in the U.S. are on the decline; first substantial decline in 25 years

For the first time in decades, diabetes cases in the U.S. are on the decline, Sabrina Tavernise reports for The New York Times. In 2014, the number of new cases of diabetes in the U.S. was 1.4 million, down from 1.7 million in 2008, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's "the first sustained decline since the disease started to explode in this country about 25 years ago."

Diabetes is one of the symptoms of obesity, an epidemic that has been particularly bad in rural areas. Seven of the top 10 most obese states are in the South, and 23 of the top 25 are in the South or Midwest, led by Arkansas with an obesity rate of 35.9 percent. The obesity epidemic is costing taxpayers $147 billion to $210 billion each year. (CDC graphic: Annual number of new cases of diagnosed diabetes in adults 18-79 from 1980-2014)

While experts say the percent of Americans with diabetes is still more than double what it was in the early 1990s, "there is growing evidence that eating habits, after decades of deterioration, have finally begun to improve," Tavernise writes. "The amount of soda Americans drink has declined by about a quarter since the late 1990s, and the average number of daily calories children and adults consume also has fallen. Physical activity has started to rise, and once-surging rates of obesity, a major driver of Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, have flattened. Type 1 diabetes, often diagnosed in childhood and adolescence and not usually associated with excess body weight, was also included in the data."

Dr. David M. Nathan, the director of the Diabetes Center and Clinical Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, told Tavernise, “It has finally entered into the consciousness of our population that the sedentary lifestyle is a real problem, that increased body weight is a real problem.” (Read more)

Wells Fargo & Co. and Morgan Stanley to decrease coal investments

Wells Fargo & Co. and Morgan Stanley "are the latest banks to announce limits to coal mine and power plant financing," Manuel Quiñones reports for Environment & Energy Publishing. In March PNC Bank announced it was cutting financing to coal firms using mountaintop removal.

Wells Fargo "said its exposure to mountaintop-removal coal mining was small and declining and promised to keep moving away from boosting the practice," Quiñones writes. In a document the company stated: "Due to these significant industry changes, Wells Fargo has and will continue to limit and reduce our credit exposure to the coal mining industry . . . Wells Fargo will not extend credit or facilitate capital markets transactions to individual MTR mining projects or to a coal producer that receives a majority of its production from MTR mining."

Morgan Stanley "said it would continue to reduce its exposure to coal mining worldwide," Quiñones writes. "When it comes to mountaintop-removal mining, the bank said it would not fund companies that rely heavily on the practice." The bank also said "it would stay away from financing coal plants in the developed world without significant carbon controls. The bank said it would scrutinize coal plant financing in poorer countries."

Luke Popovich, spokesman for the National Mining Association, "said the announcements were largely 'for cosmetic effects' timed to coincide with the Paris climate talks," Quiñones writes. Popovich told him, "It's a sign of the low regard in which big banks are held in this country and how they are reviled among leading presidential candidates in both parties." (Read more)

Rural Ky. residents stayed away from polls during gubernatorial election, say their vote doesn't count

In Kentucky, where 400,000 residents gained health insurance through the state's expansion of Medicaid under federal health reform, residents—especially in rural areas—showed little interest in the recent gubernatorial election, even though one of the candidates said scaling back Medicaid expansion was one of his top priorities, Ashley Lopez and Ja'Nel Johnson report for WFPL News in Louisville.

Jackson County (Wikipedia map) has one of the state's highest Medicaid enrollment rates, with about 50 percent of the 13,289 residents on Medicaid and 2,000 gaining enrollment through Medicaid expansion, Lopez and Johnson write. The county is also one of the state's poorest, with 34 percent of residents living below the poverty line, compared to 19 percent statewide.

So when Republican candidate Matt Bevin said he would scale back Medicaid expansion and eliminate Kynect—the state-run insurance exchange program—it would seem like Kentuckians might voice their concern at the polls. Not so. Bevin earned 83 percent of the votes in Republican-heavy Jackson County. But that's not the whole story. Only 2,771 of the county's 9,846 registered voters cast a ballot. Similar numbers were seen statewide, with only 30 percent of the state's registered voters casting ballots in the election.

One reason is that rural residents say they feel ignored by politicians, Lopez and Johnson write. When asked why he didn't vote, Chad Tankersaley of Mckee, a town of 800 in Jackson County, told Lopez and Johnson, "I don’t know. I just didn’t. I just got tired of voting. Because it don’t matter. It doesn’t seem like who got in there or who it was or who you vote for—I don’t know, it always ends up with the same result.” Small business owner Stephanie Wilson told Lopez and Johnson, “I feel like . . . and I know this is going to sound terrible, but it’s not going to matter what we think. Our vote doesn’t really count at all.” (Read more)

Center for Rural Strategies president Dee Davis: Rural America has room, need for Syrian refugees

Struggling rural American towns should welcome Syrian refugees with arms wide open, Dee Davis, president of the Center for Rural Strategies, opines for the Daily Yonder. Here is an excerpt from his column:

Dee Davis

"Rural America is falling further behind. Farms don’t need farmers. Manufacturing moved offshore. And the rate of rural kids living in poverty is worse than it is in the inner cities. Here’s a solution. Let’s take in the Syrian refugees. Make them rural Americans. As many as we can feed.

"I live in a small town. The billboard says welcome to Whitesburg, Kentucky, population 1,534 friendly people plus two grouches. We are losing industry, businesses and people with alacrity. We are losing alacrity, too. Small towns often struggle to hang on to critical mass to keep a tax base or to have enough tuba players for the school band. In small towns everyone is necessary. Not even the grouches are expendable.

"We’ve got room here for more folks. Rural downtowns have empty buildings where dime stores and haberdasheries once catered to customer needs. Those can be converted to lofts and exotic food stands. And everybody’s Aunt Dovie has an empty house with a length of bottomland that she has been holding for her boy, if he ever gets tired of being a schoolteacher in Sheboygan or a comptroller in Orlando. The refugees who have fled across continents on foot, in overloaded boats, with their belongings on their backs and infants on their hips are not basket cases. I see people here who will drive around the Walmart parking lot in their pick-up trucks until they can find a spot by the door. Why not welcome some extra pluck, people who have invented ways to survive harsh times? Syrians can rebuild housing stock, turn weeded fields into gardens and help us create economies where economies once resided.

"In the Appalachian Mountains, Syrians, Lebanese, Persians and Palestinians came in throughout the 20th-century booms and stayed through the busts. They were coal miners and merchants and soldiers in the great wars. This nation welcomed strangers then, and strangers pitched in. Steve Jobs’ people were Syrian. eBay’s Pierre Omidyar is Iranian. There is an upside to an open-door policy.

"What is the downside? That these refugees are Muslims? Rural America was built by religious dissenters, and in my town dissent still thrives. We have a breakaway church in the old bowling alley. We have one where the picture show used to be. One in a warehouse. We do have a new legal moonshine distillery in an old tire shop. Maybe teetotaling newcomers would be troubled by that. But then again, not every Baptist is devout when it comes to booze. Sinners walk among us. Maybe we will all meet in the middle.

"Sharing the future with people who want to be here cannot be as daunting as preserving a present that’s straining under the load. The Statue of Liberty’s plaque plainly states: 'The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me.' That sounds like a plan. And it’s a more thoughtful rural policy than any we have now."

BLM unofficial photographer capturing forgotten National Conservation Lands

Bureau of Land Management unofficial photographer Bob Wick is showing Americans a different side of an agency "long known for promoting oil drilling, mining and grazing but less known for supporting outdoor recreation," Phil Taylor reports for Greenwire. "His images—from a fog-filled, desert sagebrush valley to a lush California redwood forest—have exposed thousands of Americans to the agency's National Conservation Lands, a 30-million-acre system of wilderness, monuments, conservation areas, wild and scenic rivers, and historical trails."
Ken Rait, director of U.S. public lands at the Pew Charitable Trusts, told Taylor, "BLM lands are frequently referred to as the forgotten lands. Bob is making sure these lands are given the iconic status they deserve." (Wick photo: Basin and Range National Monument in Nevada)

Wick "spends up to six weeks a year prowling the agency's starkest landscapes," Taylor writes. "He's hiked hundreds of miles, camped in subzero temperatures and scrambled up dicey slopes to capture scrubby BLM terrain as it unfolds in early-morning sun. He's taken tens of thousands of photographs since the agency hired him in the late 1980s." The photos, which are published on BLM's Instagram account, can be used by the public without permission because Wick shoots as a federal employee. (The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in Arizona)

The photos have also been used to help environmental causes, Taylor writes. "In March 2014, CBS Evening News reported that Wick's photos of the Northern California coastline helped catalyze grassroots support for President Obama's decision to expand BLM's California Coastal National Monument." Wick told CBS, "My photos did play a role in that people who weren't visually aware of how spectacular this coastline could get a feel for it."

About 50% of outpatient antibiotic prescriptions unnecessary; South leads nation in most antibiotics

Residents in the South are prescribed more antibiotics than in any other part of the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which estimates "that about 50 percent of antibiotic prescriptions written in outpatient settings, such as primary care offices and clinics, are unnecessary," Lena Sun reports for The Washington Post. West Virginia had the highest rate of prescribed antibiotics in 2014, at 1.24 per person. Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were not far behind.

Over-prescribing is leading to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, causing public health officials to worry that "even minor infections could become dangerous and that clinicians will lose their ability to treat cancer, transplant organs and save victims of burns and traumas," Sun writes. "At least 2 million Americans become infected every year with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. At least 23,000 people die as a direct result of these infections."

A Pew Charitable Trust study found that "45 percent of all antibiotics prescribed in outpatient settings in 2013 were written by primary care physicians, including family practice doctors, pediatricians and internal medicine doctors," Sun writes. "They wrote prescriptions for more than 120 million courses of antibiotics—an average of 512 prescriptions each. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners accounted for 18 percent of antibiotics prescribed in these settings, followed by dentists at 9 percent, emergency medicine providers at 5 percent and dermatologists at 3 percent." (Post map)

Rural Mississippi Delta town passes resolution to accept Syrian refugees

While many states—especially in the South—have said they don't want Syrian refugees, officials in a small rural town in the Mississippi Delta unanimously approved a resolution "in support of the U.S. policy to accept refugees from war-torn areas of the world," Bracey Harris reports for The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss. Officials in Louise (Best Places map), which has less than 200 residents, cited a moral religious responsibility to help those in need.

The resolution states: “This town’s governing body fears no threat but rather feels its Christian duty and obligation to divine providence, which has led this great nation from its founding to contribute relief for these poor peoples’ needs.” While the resolution doesn't cite specific groups, Louise Mayor Thomas Ruffin Smith said the town is open to taking Syrian refugees.

Even though Republican Gov. Phil Bryant has said he opposes resettling Syrians in Mississippi, Smith "said he is not worried about the resolution creating a conflict with the state," Harris writes. Smith told Harris, “There’s a long history of Southern governors resisting federal policy, and history has shown us it doesn’t work out well." Smith also said neighboring states have resettled Syrian refugees, which would make it difficult to keep them out of Mississippi. (CNN map: (Kentucky Governor-Elect Matt Bevin, a Republican, said the state will not accept Syrian refugees once he takes office Dec. 8))

Despite methane explosion, dirty water in rural Texas, officials deny any link to oil and gas industry

Rural Palo Pinto County, Texas, (Wikipedia map) residents in the Barnett Shale region whose water wells were found to be contaminated with dangerous chemicals say state officials are refusing to offer any assistance, Brett Shipp reports for WFAA 8 in Dallas-Fort Worth. According to documents obtained by WFAA, state inspectors found wells containing chemicals "that may pose 'adverse health effects' and an 'explosion hazard.'" State officials, who "suggested the contamination could be due to a 'natural occurrence in the groundwater,'" said "there were no baseline water tests to prove the chemicals did not already exist." The state's solution to property owners was to "vent your water well" and consider "installing a well water aeration system," documents show.

One resident said his or her well water turned completely brown, was full of dirt and smelled of rotten eggs, Shipp writes. Another resident's "water well house filled with methane and exploded, severely burning him, his father and daughter. All three survived, but the wells of both families were ruined." Christopher Hamilton, a lawyer representing both families who are suing two oil and gas companies, told Shipp, "These incredibly unnatural events, from methane spewing out of a shower, to methane exploding in a fireball from a water well, don't match 'naturally occurring.' What they do match are the known risks associated with fracking and gas drilling."

The Texas Railroad Commission, which oversees the state's oil and gas industry, refused requests for interviews, Shipp writes. Meanwhile, "despite the test results, the contamination and even a near-fatal explosion—there has been no attempt by state officials to suspend operations of the nearby oil and gas wells until a cause can be determined." (Read more)

Lobbyists want to use Syrian refugee crisis to block WOTUS, according to taped strategy session

Lobbyists want to use the Syrian refugee crisis to block the Environmental Protection Agency's Water of the U.S. rule, according to a leaked conference call, Lee Fang reports for The Intercept. During the conference call, "lobbyists representing a number of high-polluting industries agreed that the battle between Congress and President Obama on refugee policy will give them the cover they need to attach a legislative rider to the omnibus budget bill that rolls back newly expanded clean water regulation."

"Attaching a rider blocking WOTUS to the omnibus was potentially going to attract a lot of attention. Until now," Fang writes. "Now, lawmakers are expected to attach a provision to the omnibus bill to block Syrian refugee resettlement—a move that is bound to become the focus of any government shutdown confrontation between Congress and the White House."

"The call was hosted by the Edison Electric Institute, a trade group for major electric utility companies," Fang writes. "Participants in the call included senior officials and lobbyists from some of the largest trade associations in Washington, including the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the American Forest and Paper Association, the National Association of Home Builders and the American Farm Bureau. The total attendance list for the call, however, is not clear given that some participants did not identify themselves or only identified themselves by first name."

Attendees at the conference call deny talking about Syrian refugees, Fang writes. Liz Thompson, director of media relations with the National Association of Home Builders, said in a statement, "The Syrian crisis has absolutely no bearing on our discussions. With only two weeks left in the legislative calendar, the purpose of the call was to have an open discussion on the options available to us, including possibly adding a rider in the final omnibus appropriations bill." Other groups refused to comment.

Spirit of Thanksgiving is about respecting the earth year round, opines Indian Country Today editor

Ray Halbritter, editor of Indian Country Today and the leader of the Oneida Indian Nation, wrote a column about the true meaning of Thanksgiving and the importance of giving back to the earth. Here is the column in its entirety.

Ray Halbritter

"Recently, a new phrase has snuck its way onto TV airwaves during a seemingly relentless bombardment of holiday commercials. The word? Thanksgetting, as in now it’s time to go out and acquire products and things you desperately want (which, an optimist might argue, could serve as gifts for loved ones, but there’s plenty of ambiguity in these advertisements). Thanksgetting is the inverse of Thanksgiving, of course, the true meaning of which is all too-frequently lost in the pell-mell rush of modern life, where supermarket shelves are stocked with summer fruits all year round and there is no lack for those with money and the means to afford it.

"For indigenous cultures, the idea of giving thanks to Mother Earth for her bounty is not an isolated notion or a calendar-driven one. It is simply a world-view woven into how we try to live in relation to our environment and all the plants, animals and people in it. Respect for our fortunate place in this world rein forces the spirit of thanks, and in the best of times we are never too far apart from that spirit. It’s not an alien concept. For eons, harvest festivals were common celebrations for most agricultural societies. The more aware we are of the cycles of life, death and rebirth, the closer we are to what is right and true.

"This year, the National Geographic Channel broadcast Saints and Strangers (discussed in this week’s issue), a mini-series billed as the “true story” of the pilgrims’ encounter with the Native inhabitants of Turtle Island. It is rare for Indian history to be presented accurately by non-Natives, and this production has been no exception to criticism. There is little room here to delve into details, but there is a remark by Native actor Kalani Queypo in a promotional clip that speaks volumes about the inherent difference of perspectives. Queypo, who plays Squanto, relates how his character makes a suggestion that can be subtitled as, 'Let’s teach them how to farm here.' The literal translation? 'Let us speak to them so they know how to work the earth.'

"One could say we have been speaking so ever since."

Essay contest to award rural Virginia property goes bust

The growing rural trend of awarding property to an essay contest winner for a minimal entry fee—typically $100 to $150—has led to big cash rewards for property owners, as well as accusations of cheating. Janice Sage netted more than $906,000 for her rural Maine inn, but the new owner—who got the inn for a $125 essay entry fee—says he has been harassed by people who didn't win the contest who claim they were cheated out of the entry fee for a contest that was rigged. Some have been accused of posting negative online reviews of the inn. (Roanoke Times photo: An essay contest to award The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount, Va., didn't receive enough entries to make it worthwhile to sell)

Tony and Shellie Leete didn't have the same success as Sage in their efforts to sell The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast in Rocky Mount, Va. The Leetes, who said they were hoping to get $499,000 from an essay contest with a $150 entry fee, failed to award a winner after receiving less than 1,000 entries, Casey Fabris reports for The Roanoke Times. The Leetes needed at least 3,300 entries to get the money they were looking for.

Shellie Leete, who "said she isn’t sure she would have been able to deal with that kind of backlash, and maybe the contest not working out saved them from having to do so," said all entry fees have been refunded, Fabris writes. For now the owners said they plan to keep running the business while trying to sell it the traditional way. (Read more)

USPS 'Letters from Santa' program lets children receive a personalized response

Parents whose children are sending letters to Santa Claus this year can make sure their child gets a personalized response from Kris Kringle. Through the Letters from Santa program administered by the U.S. Postal Service, parents can include a personalized note from Santa Claus inside the letter, which will be returned with a  North Pole postmark. Return letters must be received by Dec. 15. To read more or for more information on how to receive a personalized letter from Santa Claus click here.

Jobs will outnumber grads in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources or environment

From 2015 to 2020 there will be 57,900 average annual openings for graduates with bachelor’s or higher degrees in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, or the environment, says a report by Purdue University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But not enough graduates are expected to be experts in those fields, says the report.

Of those jobs, 46 percent will be in management and business, 27 percent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), 15 percent in sustainable food and biomaterials production and 12 percent in education, communication, and governmental services.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects "a 10.8 percent increase in the U.S. labor force between 2012 and 2022 due to job growth and openings from retirement or other replacements," says the report. Employment opportunities in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and environment occupations are expected to grow more than 5 percent between 2015 and 2020 for college graduates with bachelor’s or higher degrees. "Job opportunities for food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and environment graduates in STEM areas are expected to grow. Expect the strongest job market for plant scientists, food scientists, sustainable biomaterials specialists, water resources scientists and engineers, precision agriculture specialists, and farm-animal veterinarians."

The report says colleges and universities aren't expected to keep up with the job market. "An average of 35,400 new U.S. graduates with expertise in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, or the environment are expected to fill 61 percent of the expected 57,900 average annual openings." That leaves the remaining 39 percent to be filled by graduates with experience in fields such  as biology, business administration, engineering, education, communication and consumer sciences. (Read more)

1/3 of New England high schoolers fail to intervene in cases of dating or sexual aggression, study finds

Two-thirds of high school students who had a chance to intervene in an instance of dating or sexual aggression did so, says a report by the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. The data, gathered from 218 high school youth at three New England high schools, found that 93.6 percent of students had the opportunity to intervene in such an instance during the past year, but only 62.6 percent of them did so. Girls and students with a history of dating and sexual aggression were more likely to intervene than boys.

The main reasons given for not intervening were: "avoidance of drama or a desire to fuel drama, social status and personal repercussions, closeness with the victim and/or perpetrator, the victim being male and the perpetrator female, the failure of the dating or sexual aggression to meet a certain threshold, the dating and sexual aggression occurring online, anticipated negative reactions from the perpetrator or victim and an inability to relate to the situation."

Researchers wrote: “Although most curricula include lessons on healthy relationships and dating and sexual aggression, it is less common for bystander intervention education included. Given the mounting evidence that bystander education is a critical component of prevention, we urge policy makers and educators to enhance the presence of this type of education.” (Read more)

Sanders was most popular U.S. senator this year, polls find; see how your senators rate

Bernie Sanders, a Vermont socialist who was elected U.S. senator as an independent and is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, had the highest home-state approval rating of any senator this year, according to polls by Morning Consult.

The survey, which included 76,569 respondents in all 50 states from May to November, found that Sanders has an 83 percent approval rating, Reid Wilson reports for Morning Consult. The most popular Republican among constituents is Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who received a 78 percent approval rating. Overall, 69 of 100 senators "have approval ratings of 50 percent or higher," Wilson notes.

Senators from rural states seemed to do better. "Members from smaller states tend to have higher approval ratings: All 14 senators from states with just three electoral votes sport approval ratings north of 50 percent, and seven have approval ratings higher than 60 percent," Wilson writes. "On the other end of the spectrum, senators with the lowest approval ratings tend to be either members who have just won election, about whom voters have yet to form an opinion, or those facing political trouble ahead."

Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) tied for the lowest approval ratings, at 37 percent. Peters hasn't been in office long, and Menendez is under federal indictment for corruption charges. Surprisingly, longtime Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the Senate majority leader, received an approval rating of 38 percent. McConnell was the only senator to receive a disapproval rating above 50 percent, with 52 percent of Kentuckians saying they disapprove of him, Wilson writes. Here's a list of how each senator ranked, in order of popularity; for a PDF of this chart, click here.

Three rural Iowa students educate Hillary Clinton on challenges facing rural schools

Three high school students in Keota, Iowa (Best Places map), launched a successful social-media campaign to urge Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to visit their town in the hopes of sparking a national conversation on the challenges facing rural schools, Samantha-Jo Roth reports for The Huffington Post. High school senior Megan Adam told Roth, "It’s a small town in the middle of nowhere. You look around and you see hog buildings, corn fields and bean fields, and that’s about it.”

The town has 1,000 residents and Keota High School, with a student body of 80, is in danger of closing. Even if the school stays open, it doesn't offer much for students. Abby Schulte, one of only 18 members of the school's Class of 2016, told Roth, "There’s not a lot of jobs in Keota because it’s mostly small businesses and farming. We don’t have a lot of things pulling people into our town besides our school.” Schulte "said budget cuts have hurt the quality of her education because many classes are only available online," Roth reports. She told Roth, "Our chemistry, anatomy, physics—all of that is online."

Sociology teacher Schuyler Snakenberg challenged Adam, Schulte and junior Kylea Tinneas "to find a way to improve the community, the state and the nation," Roth writes. "The students decided to capitalize on the upcoming Iowa caucuses, which have presidential hopefuls criss-crossing the state and visiting its 99 counties." Students "launched a Twitter account and corresponding hashtag in September called Keota Hopes For Hillary. They first encouraged their classmates to follow the account and use the hashtag, and then were able to connect with two campaign operatives with Hillary for Iowa." As of Tuesday the account had 1,300 followers. (Keota Hopes For Hillary photo: Abby Schulte, Megan Adam and Kylea Tinneas pose with Hillary Clinton on Nov. 3 in Coralville, Iowa)

On Nov. 3 students traveled to a Clinton event in Coralville, Iowa, where Adam was able ask Clinton, "What are your plans to help other rural schools in our same situation?” Roth writes. In her response Clinton said she would visit Keota and is expected some time next month for a town hall style event. Schulte told Roth, “I think it really demonstrates the democratic process. Such a huge political figure is coming to a school where there are only 80 kids in the high school to talk about her plans for improving society, answer our questions about the issues important to us.”

Most in U.S. know someone abusing prescription drugs; rural areas, rural youth rank high

More than 50 percent of Americans have a personal connection to prescription-painkiller drug abuse, says a report by The Kaiser Family Foundation. The report found that 56 percent of respondents say "they know someone who has taken a prescription painkiller that wasn’t prescribed to them, know someone who has been addicted, or know someone who has died from a prescription painkiller overdose," the foundation said.

Rural areas, especially in the South, have some of the highest rates of addiction to painkillers and drug overdoses, says a 2014 report by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also, rural youth are 35 percent more likely than their urban counterparts to have abused prescription painkillers in the past year, said a September report by Penn State University.

Kaiser found that 45 percent of respondents said "they personally know someone who has taken a prescription painkiller that was not prescribed to them, including 6 percent who say they personally have done this and an additional 27 percent who say that a close friend or family member has." Also, 39 percent said "they know someone who has been addicted to prescription painkillers, including 2 percent who say they personally have been and an additional 25 percent who say a close friend or family member has been addicted. About 16 percent say they know someone who has died from a prescription painkiller overdose, including 9 percent who say that person was a family member or close friend."

Respondents said attaining prescription drugs without a prescription is easier than getting a prescription, states the report. Overall, 77 percent said it's easier to access painkillers not prescribed to them, compared to only 58 percent of people who said they medically need drugs who were able to get a prescription.

"Large majorities say a number of efforts would be effective in reducing painkiller abuse, including treatment programs (85 percent), monitoring doctors’ prescribing habits (82 percent), public education programs (80 percent), training doctors (79 percent), and encouraging people to appropriately dispose of leftover medication (69 percent)," states the report. (Kaiser graphic)

Webinar Nov. 30 to focus on American Community Survey 5-year statistics to be released Dec. 3

The U.S. Census Bureau is hosting a webinar on Nov. 30 in advance of the Dec. 3 release of 2014 American Community Survey five-year statistics, which are based on data collected from 2010 to 2014. The survey is the only source of local estimates for 40 topics of statistics on people and housing for every community in the U.S., including ancestry, language, education, commuting, employment, mortgage status, rent, income, poverty and health insurance, the Census says.

"The webinar will show participants how to access the data, review block group-level data and provide a demonstration of Census Business Builder, a Web application that allows users to access both American Community Survey and economic statistics in map form," states the Census Bureau.. "Statistics will be available for all geographies down to the block group level regardless of population size." Embargo subscribers will have access to statistics beginning Dec. 1. (Read more)

Ky. weekly tells its readers tax rates in all counties

It's tax time in many if not most areas of the country, with bills coming due, but most local taxpayers don't have any idea how their local tax rates compare to those in other counties or states. The Adair County Community Voice in Columbia, Ky., got the various tax rates for Kentucky's 119 other counties, which conveniently all come after Adair in the alphabetical list, and published them in a chart in last week's paper. Here it is (click on the image for a larger version):