News from rural America.

Americans are filling out ballots amid national gloom over rising consumer prices including energy, which affects Latinos more than others; Indiana is addressing children’s obesity, and Ohio volunteers sustain a rite of passage for foster kids.

TRANSCRIPT

For the Daily Yonder and Public News Service, this is the news from rural America.

Midterms are drawing near, with both rural and urban Americans anxious about rising costs.

An October poll from Pew Research Center shows 74% of respondents are concerned about gas and energy prices, compared to 60% in July.

Professor J. Michael Collins at the University of Wisconsin-Madison says when it comes to economic prosperity, folks rank the stock market far behind everyday financial pressures.

People can't eat their assets.

They need income to be able to pay for groceries.

And the fact that their 401k is rising might be great when they get to retirement age, but people are really worried about the day-to-day.

Less than a quarter of poll respondents said stock market conditions matter to them.

As Arizona and other states experience longer, hotter summers, Latinos are the group hardest hit by rising energy costs.

Natalie Fiera with Rural Arizona Engagement says Latino households spend 20% more on energy than other populations, in addition to higher grocery and fuel prices.

Our communities of color in rural spaces are impacted even greater, and that's because it's this compounding effect.

Kevin Moran with the Environmental Defense Fund notes Latinos own more than 22 percent of Arizona's small businesses.

And their businesses on average earn less than non-Latino businesses.

It means increases in energy bills are a bigger challenge for them.

Alternative energy advocates want the Arizona legislature to invest more money in wind and solar, despite lawmakers consistently voting in favor of fossil fuels.

A record high number of U.S. children and teenagers are living with obesity, and America's rural kids are at least 25% more likely to carry extra pounds than their urban peers.

Indiana's Youth Institute is putting its focus on movement, nutrition, sleep, and screen time.

The group's Tammy Silverman says the data show why healthy habits need to start early.

More than one in five Indiana children are living with obesity.

Nearly four in ten are either overweight or obese.

Those specifically ages 2 to 5, obesity jumped 83% between 2014 and 2023.

A bicycle can get a kid outside and moving, but many in foster care don't have one.

Filling that gap in Ohio is a nonprofit called Bike Lady, led by Kate Cook.

She says volunteers assemble and donate the bikes to children's service agencies.

In the past two decades, they've gifted bikes to more than 13,000 Ohio children and hope to provide 500 bikes to kids over the upcoming holidays.

Certainly a rite of passage to learn how to ride a bike.

It provides a sense of freedom.

It's something big for a kid in foster care.

For the Daily Yonder and Public News Service, I'm Roz Brown.

For more rural stories, visit dailyyonder.com.