The Yonder Report

As bird flu spreads, egg prices continue to soar, wildfires are not stopping Americans from moving to wildfire-prone states, and post-pandemic infrastructure is not just roads and bridges but also education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.

Winter blues? Alaskans cure theirs at the Cordova Iceworm Festival, Trump's energy plans will impact rural folks, legislation in Virginia aims to ensure rural communities get adequate EV charging stations, and a retreat for BIPOC women earns rave reviews.

Opponents of a proposed Alaskan mine warn proponents they can't eat gold when the fish are gone, ahead of what could be mass deportations, immigrants get training about their rights and a national coalition grants money to keep local news afloat. 

"Drill, baby, drill" is a tough sell for oil and gas companies in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, rising sea levels create struggles for Washington's coastal communities and more folks than ever are taking advantage of America's great outdoors.

Rural America is becoming more racially diverse, but getting rid of language barriers is still a challenge, coal miners with black lung get federal help, farmers are bracing for another trade war and President Jimmy Carter elevated the humble peanut.

From the unprecedented election season to the latest environmental news, the Yonder Report looks back at stories that topped our weekly 2024 newscasts.

A potential funding cut for natural disasters could affect rural folks more than those in urban communities, a New Mexico town may have some answers for its housing shortage and who provides America's Christmas trees?

Many rural counties that voted for Trump also cast ballots against school vouchers and to protect abortion rights, Pennsylvania's Black mayors are collaborating to unite their communities and unique methods are being tried to address America's mental health crisis.

Limited access to community resources negatively impacts rural Americans' health, a successful solar company is the result of a Georgia woman's determination to stay close to her ailing grandfather and Connecticut is looking for more ways to cut methane emissions.

Residents in Colorado's rural communities face challenges to recycling, climate change and Oregon's megadrought are worrying firefighters and a farm advocacy group says corporate greed is behind high food prices in Montana.

The CDC has a new plan to improve the health of rural Americans, updated data could better prepare folks for flash floods like those that devastated Appalachia and Native American tribes could play a key role in the nation's energy future.

An urban vote slump, not the rural electorate, tipped the presidential election, Minnesota voters approved more lottery money to support conservation and clean water and a survey shows strong broadband causes rural businesses to boom.

Abortion care can be five minutes away in California or 11 hours for women in Texas, rural living proves a mixed blessing for veterans, an ancient technique could curtail climate-change wildfires and escape divisive politics on World Kindness Day.

A Montana court will decide the fate of a climate lawsuit brought by youth, housing for working families could boost jobs in the Northeast and a Cambodian poultry farmer who lost his livelihood could be a hero for others.

Political strategists in Missouri work to ensure down-ballot races aren't overlooked, a small Minnesota town is helping high school students prepare to work in the medical field and Oklahoma tribes' meat processing plants are reversing historic ag consolidation.

Rural towns in Wyoming and Kansas are building, not closing hospitals, an activist formerly incarcerated at San Quentin is launching media projects at other California prisons and a Rocky Mountain church reshapes a community's art scene. 

Hurricane Helene has some rural North Carolina towns worried larger communities might get more attention, there's mixed feelings about ranked choice voting on the Oregon ballot next month and New York farmers earn money feeding school kids.

Cheap milk comes at a cost for residents of Washington's Lower Yakima Valley, Indigenous language learning is promoted in Wisconsin as experts warn half the world's languages face extinction and Montana's public lands are going to the dogs!

The presidential election is imminent and young rural voters say they still feel ignored, it's leaf peeping season in New England but some fear climate change could mute fall colors and Minnesota's mental health advocates want more options for troubled youth.

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Rural voters weigh competing visions about agriculture's future ahead of the Presidential election, counties where economic growth has lagged in rural America are booming post-pandemic and farmers get financial help to protect their land's natural habitat.

Rural counties have higher traffic death rates compared to urban, factions have formed around Colorado's proposed Dolores National Monument and a much-needed Kentucky grocery store is using a federal grant to slash future utility bills.

Alaska's 'canarie of the sea' is struggling with a deteriorating whale environment, those in rural as opposed to urban areas are more likely to think raw milk is safe to drink and climate change increases malnutrition in America's low-income counties.

Smiles are guaranteed at America's State Fairs, jobs in recreational counties are rebounding the most, getting disaster-recovery help can be tough for rural folks and state 'ag gag' laws are being challenged by animal rights groups.

Hollywood's Twister sequel captures rural America without the stereotypes, a lack of healthcare access is impacting many rural women, South Carolinians lack legal means to fight evictions and prepping homes is important to keep out wildlife smoke.