Nebraska State

Investigate Midwest

* In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Jim Pillen said the pork industry would revitalize local economies, including staunching the population loss that many rural communities across the U.S. have dealt with. Data shows that most counties with Pillen Family Farms operations have continued to lose population. * As...

Pillen’s promises: Economic boom and little harm for neighbors. They haven’t always panned out.

Indiana State

Excess phosphorus and nitrogen from municipal wastewater, urban runoff and agriculture contribute to a growing problem in water quality across the country. The issue is particularly bad in the Midwest, where 1.2 billion pounds of excess nutrients run off of farm fields and into the Gulf of Mexico each year, according to models created by the U.S. Geological Survey.

GRAPHIC: Top commodity crop and CAFO states are responsible for the most nutrient pollution, USGS model shows

Kansas State

Illinois State

According to the latest Census of Agriculture, the Midwest is home to less than 10% of the country’s farmers who identify as Hispanic. This makes it the region with the second-lowest Hispanic representation among farmers, behind only the Northeast. Nationwide, Hispanic farmers total 112,379, representing only 3% of all...

GRAPHIC: Midwest is home to less than 10% of Hispanic farmers

* An Investigate Midwest analysis shows the areas with the largest increases in farmland prices have lost the most farmers. * Large investment firms are driving up farmland prices. In many cases, farmland is sold at prices multiple times the regional average. * The cost increases have hit young and...

As investors pay top-dollar for land, farmers are often priced out

Arkansas State

This story was originally published by Ambrook Research. The thick, squelching mud means there’s no outrunning the mosquitoes, which pierce any bit of skin left un-doused by bug repellant. Still, the discomfort of slogging through flooded Arkansas rice fields in the sticky month of June is offset by visions of abundance. A few glistening inches of water lie across several paddies on Hallie Shoffner’s 2,000-acre seed farm, Delta Harvest, from which thousands of bright green stalks of specialty rice protrude. An assistant stands on a metal levee bridge perched above the wet, taking measurements — part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture partnership pilot to determine how much methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide these fields are generating. When the pilot wraps up at the end of next year, Shoffner will share the results, for free, with any producer who’s interested.

The California-to-Arkansas farmer pipeline

Lancaster County, PA

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NewsByJoshua

Fans of Frisco's Chicken were left reeling as the beloved Peruvian-style eatery announced the closure of all its locations in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The chain, known for its delicious food and strong community values, posted a heartfelt note on its doors, informing customers of the devastating news.

Favorite Chicken Chain Suddenly Closes All Stores, Heartfelt Message Found on Doors

New York City, NY

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Cheryl E Preston

Yesterday was the third time this year that an ad stating Chelsea Clinton lives in a beautiful Virginia home popped up on my laptop. My computer did not warn me this was a dangerous site, so this time, I clicked on the link.

Chelsea Clinton is rumored to be living in Virginia but probably still in NYC

Chicago, IL

Foodie in Chicago

Shortly before 3 AM, people in the Chicago area may have felt their houses shake as a 3.4-magnitude earthquake occurred about 60 miles west of the city. (CHICAGO) The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a 3.4-magnitude earthquake around Somonauk, IL. Somonauk is in DeKalb and LaSalle Counties, 64 miles west of Chicago.

Did You Feel the Earthquake?

Iowa State

Upstream flooding along the upper Mississippi may bring downstream benefits and alleviate summer drought, according to meteorologists. A group of mayors and forecasters along the Mississippi River basin held a press conference on Thursday about the benefits and challenges of heavy rainfall in the Midwest in June and July. Representatives of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI) gave an update on how flooding in states like Iowa, Illinois and Missouri will affect downstream communities.

Upper Mississippi River flooding offers relief after ongoing drought in the south

Virginia State

History Facts lists eight names US parents no longer give their newborns, which you may no longer hear in Virginia. The girls' names are Doris, Gertrude, Mildred, and Judith. I know or have known women with all four names, but they are either baby boomers or boomer parents' ages and someone's grandma or great aunt. Consider the ages of females in Virginia you know with these names.

Eight names parents in Virginia may no longer be giving to their newborns

Jessica Serfitay flips the script on her previous statement. Virginia soap fans, Soap Opera News reports that Jessica Serfitay (ex Sloan Petersen) on Days of Our Lives posted on social media that her billionaire fiancé had abused her. The actress now says they argued as families do, and she never should have posted anything.

Days of Our Lives alum Jessica Serfitay retracts her statement that her fiance abused her

North Carolina State

Town Talks

As much as we want our pets to live forever, there will come a day when we have to say goodbye. Holding a memorial service for your pet and laying them to rest can be a great way to begin the healing process.

Can you bury a pet at home in your backyard in North Carolina? Here’s what state law says

California State

In a concerning trend for California, numerous large companies are gearing up for significant layoffs, affecting thousands of workers across various industries. According to the WARN Tracker, California has seen a staggering 37,086 WARN layoffs this year alone, impacting 713 businesses statewide.

Concerns Rise as Massive Layoffs Hit California

Savannah, GA

Daily Coffee Press

Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges.

Federal Charges in Southern GA: Indictments and Sentences for Firearms and Drug Offenses

Tennessee State

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John M. Dabbs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) has issued a health alert to clinicians statewide following reports of severe acute illnesses and adverse effects of consuming Diamond Shruumz™ brand chocolate bars, cones, and gummies. The warning comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received reports of serious health issues linked to these mushroom-containing edible products.

Tennessee Health Alert: Severe Illnesses Linked to Diamond Shruumz™ Products

South Carolina State

Explore Beaufort SC

The mantis shrimp is one tough customer. Beautiful and deadly are two words you don’t typically use to describe shrimp, but the mantis shrimp is definitely in a class of its own; earning a reputation as the ‘savage boxer of the sea’ and one of the most fearsome creatures in the ocean. And, they're right at home here in South Carolina.

Savage Boxer of the Sea: The Deadly Beauty of Mantis Shrimp

For more than a year, Investigate Midwest and the Flatwater Free Press have reported on Gov. Jim Pillen and the pork empire he created, Pillen Family Farms. Here’s what we’ve found so far. Click on the arrows to read more. As he set up CAFOs in local communities...

What to know about Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and his family business

This story was originally published by Ambrook Research. Some farmers keep livestock in their barns. Others store off-season equipment. But in Neil Mylet’s rural Indiana barn, you’ll find 10 miles of fiber-optic cable. Mylet, a corn and soybean farmer and tech entrepreneur, has long understood the importance of internet connectivity for rural ag communities — and the frustration with its absence.

Pandemic-era broadband access is receding — rural kids are paying the price

Univision Noticias placed silicone wristbands on 10 farmworkers, which showed that all of them were exposed to multiple pesticides as they went about their daily lives. That’s in line with findings from multiple scientists. The voices in this story include: José Soria, Hortencia Ramírez and Carlos Candelario.

Exposed

Wyoming State

WyoFile

The Wyoming Democratic Party is calling on U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman to apologize for calling Vice President Kamala Harris a diversity, equity and inclusion hire. “It took only three days for Harriet Hageman to disgrace herself on national television by launching a reprehensible and racist attack on Vice President Kamala Harris,” the WDP wrote in a statement .

Wyoming Dems demand Hageman apologize for calling Harris a ‘DEI hire’

NewsBreak

Latest farm data a ‘wake-up call’ as Midwest farmers face ever steeper challenges

Zemua Baptista had dreamed his whole life of becoming a farmer. In late 2019, while still in college, he was able to get a contract and...

Latest farm data a ‘wake-up call’ as Midwest farmers face ever steeper challenges

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