Alex Milan Tracy for Underscore
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The dozens of independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan news organizations that make up the Rural News Network are developing the broadest news alliance reporting on rural America. These newsrooms are pursuing coverage that provides a more complete picture of what it means to live and work in these communities.
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LATEST NEWS FROM THE NETWORK
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After months of fighting, Gov. Laura Kelly hands over personal data for SNAP recipients to Trump administration
March 03, 2026
The Kansas governor said she received additional privacy guarantees from the federal government. Republicans say she folded under pressure.
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‘Nobody here knew’: Dozens were exposed to hazardous material in Missouri warehouse before EPA cleanup
December 16, 2025
Children, homeless people and even city officials entered the building unaware they were inhaling toxic dust.
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As the number of homeless people rises in Missouri, cities confront cross-border “drop-offs”
December 12, 2025
Joplin officials recently passed an ordinance banning the practice after noticing out-of-state vehicles dropping off homeless people. Columbia, meanwhile, has adopted a voluntary ride home program.
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The USDA defunded a program aimed at helping small farmers. What’s next for the Missouri farmers who relied on it?
November 25, 2025
The program reimbursed farmers for big purchases and helped make connections between farmers and potential buyers.
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Trump administration changes may stop hundreds of millions for broadband expansion in Kansas
November 19, 2025
Kansas was given $451 million for broadband development under the Biden administration. After Trump was elected, the program changed and Kansas may only spend $252 million.
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Half of Missouri ZIP codes see Postal Service cuts under consolidation plan, but millions still rely on the service
October 20, 2025
For rural Missouri businesses and farmers, poor mail delivery can put their operations at risk.
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Can grocery stores keep rural Kansas communities vibrant?
September 26, 2025
Amid expanding food deserts and soaring prices, investments in rural Kansas are keeping small grocery stores afloat.
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As rural maternity care units close, Missouri families lose options
August 22, 2025
In Missouri, nearly 42% of counties are defined as maternity care deserts, higher than the nationwide average. Rural families face fewer options and greater distances to get OB-GYN care.
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Rural hospitals in Missouri already struggle to turn a profit. Medicaid cuts could force some to close
August 08, 2025
Hospitals across Missouri are preparing for reduced revenue and increased costs under President Donald Trump’s new budget plan, which will slash more than $1 trillion from Medicaid spending over the next decade.
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Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill would kick Kansans off food assistance
June 27, 2025
The federal proposal wants to shift the cost of the SNAP program to states. Kansas doesn’t have the money to offset losses.
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Opioid overdose deaths drop in Missouri, but rural areas fight stigmas, barriers to care
May 28, 2025
Investment in medicines like Narcan, an overdose-reversing drug, has allowed many Missourians to respond to opioid overdoses quickly. But more work is needed to address barriers to care and other stigmas, especially in rural areas.
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Teaching Kansas students to read gets tougher after $22.6 million federal funding cut
April 23, 2025
Kansas used federal money on an evidence-based reading program. It was helping Kansas students improve their reading skills after pandemic learning loss.
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Revitalizing a rural downtown is difficult enough. It’s even harder when the state owns the main road.
April 07, 2025
Some Missouri towns don’t have control over their main streets because they are state highways. When they want to pursue downtown revitalization projects, not having control over the road can make things complicated.
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Trump administration’s cuts cancel food deliveries to Harvesters
March 26, 2025
The food bank, which provides food to pantries and other hunger outreach groups in Missouri and Kansas, will not get scheduled shipments of milk, eggs, chicken and canned goods.
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A surge in mental health care needs for uninsured Kansans could lead to cuts in services
March 12, 2025
Community health centers have to take patients regardless of ability to pay. More patients are coming in and many don’t have insurance that can cover the cost of care.
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