Nov 20th, 2008 · Appleton, Wis., provides a lot of material for Cory Chisel: It's the childhood home of Harry Houdini, and it's surrounded by small towns, bigger lakes, paper mills and vast stretches of rural landscape. The singer-songwriter plays music inspired by the seemingly normal town, and talks about a music scene that takes a lot of pride in itself.
Nov 8th, 2008 · Rural voters have been considered reliably Republican since Bush won their support in the 2000 and 2004. But this election, Obama was able to win over rural voters who don't place a high priority on social issues and are concerned about the economy and the war in Iraq.
Nov 6th, 2008 · Some rural farmers in China are consolidating their individual small plots of land into farming cooperatives, as a result of new reforms. The reforms are jettisoning Communist Party ideology for the sake of economic necessity. But not everyone is happy.
Nov 3rd, 2008 · High school football is a rite of passage for many young athletes. But what does a school do if there aren't enough players to field a team? At Meeteetse High School in rural Wyoming, the answer was to cut by nearly half the traditional 11-member squad.
Oct 23rd, 2008 · Rural voters were instrumental in the election and re-election of President Bush, and big Republican margins in rural areas are considered critical to a John McCain victory next month.
Oct 14th, 2008 · Author Leslie Chang followed two girls from their rural homes in China to a city called Dongguan, where they became "factory girls." Life in these makeshift cities can actually be quite exciting and lucrative for these young hard-working ladies.
Oct 7th, 2008 · Nevada is one of several states still up for grabs. Republican voters in the state's rural counties are enthusiastic about Republican presidential nominee John McCain. But Democrat-run voter registration drives are gaining ground in urban areas like Las Vegas. However neither campaign is taking the state for granted.
Oct 7th, 2008 · U.S. policymakers trying to fix the nation's housing crisis may have a blindspot: rural America. A company relied on for foreclosure data says it doesn't report on 900 rural counties. Critics say the omission may foil attempts to help homeowners.