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The Kansas City Chiefs are vying for their second straight Super Bowl win, but something could stand in their way: themselves. Plus: Small towns in Kansas are using AI to better understand their economic outlook and attract more businesses and people.
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Communities in western Kansas are trying a new AI tool to help them target economic growth and hopefully fight long-term trends of population loss.
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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. Parts of the Midwest and Great Plains saw increases, but not as much as in some other U.S. regions.
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City and county officials are working to save ER services in the southeast Kansas community. If that doesn't work, they're trying to prepare by hiring more ambulance drivers.
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Production of utility-scale solar power in Kansas is expected to increase 34 times over in the next four years. But many rural Kansas communities are skeptical of out-of-state developers. Plus: A writer and photographer return to Independence, Missouri, 40 years after documenting daily life in the city.
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Most folks in the Kansas City region know Baldwin City for its famous fall festival. But the quaint city is also a college town with connections to Margaret Thatcher, a stop along the Santa Fe Trail, claim to the first armed conflicts of the Civil War and now, home to a charming and vibrant downtown.
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Rural communities across Kansas and Missouri are trying their hand at revitalization. In the face of population decline, many towns are putting effort into beautification — updating bike trails, investing in local business and Main Streets, and renewing interests in local history — in the hopes of attracting visitors and new residents.
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Located about 10 miles north of I-70, Lexington's population is roughly the same as it was in the 1860s. The town's biggest tourist attraction is the Battle of Lexington state historic site, but community members want to draw visitors to the rest of town.
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Four towns and one county have received funding to upgrade their water and wastewater infrastructure, an urgent need across much of the rural U.S.
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Located 48 miles southeast of Kansas City, Ottawa became a registered historic district in 1972. Its downtown maintains that feel with colorful Victorian facades, a stunning courthouse, the world’s oldest operating movie theatre and a wide variety of shops, restaurants and businesses.
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Senior citizens who want to live in the same rural towns where they grew up face a growing problem: how to get around. Unreliable transportation means many seniors have trouble shopping for groceries, visiting family and getting to medical care.
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Atchison is still in the early years of its revitalization, adding more public art, renovating historic buildings, and rethinking its downtown area. But leaders are optimistic about changing how both locals and tourists think about their community.