rural Kansas

The population decline within the Southern High Plains has been well documented. However, there are some communities within the region that are holding their own. University of Kansas Journalism Professor David Guth has been researching the area’s declining population. And in his final report, Guth says that family ties and aggressive community planning may be the reason some cities and towns are faring better than others.

Most of western Kansas remains in drought or near-drought conditions, raising fears that the region could once again return to the days of the Dust Bowl. University of Kansas Journalism Professor David Guth traveled the region while conduting research for an upcoming book about issues confronting the rural Midwest. In this report, he looks back at the Dust Bowl that was... and the one that may come again.

Many rural hospitals across the Midwest are struggling to stay open. In Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and other states, they're pushing for Medicaid expansion, which could help keep them financially afloat.

A conference on rural opportunities will take place in Newton in April.