Rural Issues

The post’s 104-acre property in the rural Freeburg that has been plagued by squatting and criminal activity in recent years.

The past few years haven’t been kind to the 104-acre property in rural Freeburg. The Metro East American Legion post used to be one of the largest in southern Illinois — and the only one that operated a recreation area. But that's all changed.

St. Clair County Sheriff Rick Watson said a $300,000 plan put forth by the county board was a good gesture, but he’s skeptical of the plan.

The Ozark Conference dissolved when most of its members left for other conferences, leaving Rolla isolated and looking at options.

The U.S. has lost more than 2,800 newspapers since 2005, many of them in rural areas. Now some journalists are redoubling their efforts to provide local news and trying new models in a difficult industry.

A Missouri Foundation for Health report finds both planned and unexpected costs of medical care create financial, physical and emotional burdens for the state’s residents.

A recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that the population in rural areas is on the rise after a decade of decline.

A July report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, a national policy group, found that 19 of Missouri’s 57 rural hospitals are at risk of shuttering because of “serious financial problems.”

Elderberries are native to the Midwest, but the commercial cultivation of the crop is relatively recent and saw a big increase during the coronavirus pandemic. That has the burgeoning industry wondering if its future is as a small, niche crop or something bigger.

Rural areas are losing grocery stores to consolidation faster than their urban counterparts — but some communities have come up with innovative solutions.