Newspaper and Magazine Articles:

Eckholm, E. (2006). Rural Oregon town feels pinch of poverty. The New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/20/us/20poverty.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1.

- This article describes the increasing plight of one rural town that once experienced “blue-collar prosperity” until the mills that had once employed much of the town closed as a result of shifting markets and a dwindling supply of logs because of depletion and tighter environmental rules. The reporter places the vivid description of this town and its economic deindustrialization in the context of U.S. rural poverty and the national trends that are taking place in much of rural America, specifically the widening pay gap between individuals in rural areas and individuals in urban areas. This article, although published two years ago, gives a reliable, accurate portrayal of the growth of rural poverty and its effects on communities and small towns that used to thrive on industries that have since left or shut down. This article serves as excellent reading material for any journalist looking for a vivid image and feature story of the economic effects of poverty on rural communities.

Kelley, M. (2008, May 24). America’ other housing crisis. The Washington Post, pp. A21.

- This article, written by Michael Kelly, president of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities and executive director of the District of Columbia Housing Authority, highlights the problems associated with the defunding and devaluing of public housing by the U.S. government, the importance of public housing and how a decrease in the availability of public housing negatively affects America’s poor, including its rural poor. Although the article’s focus is predominantly on urban areas, it briefly discusses rural poverty and the rural housing crisis as well. Also, most of the points made about the public housing crisis can be applied to rural areas as well. Although this article is not written by a professional journalist and serves as an opinion article rather than an objective news article, it remains well-researched and the points are well-argued. This article serves as valuable reading for any journalist researching the importance of public housing for America’s poor, including poor individuals in rural areas.

Mitchell, R. (2007). Rural U.S.: Doomed to Dial-Up? Computerworld. Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136441-pg,1/article.html.

- This article, although published by a computer-based magazine, examines the problems with the lack of technological infrastructure in rural America, predominantly, broadband internet. The reporter uses reliable statistics to support his claim that rural America is without broadband because telecommunications carriers refuse to pay the price to bring technology to these remote areas. The article also examines the differences between the number of Americans without internet access versus the lack of internet access in other industrialized nations, and how the high numbers of Americans without high-speed internet are due to the lack of internet access in the rural U.S. This article is short, easily read, well researched and beneficial to any journalist or individual interested in the problems surrounding a lack of infrastructure in rural areas.