Cami Koons

Stories by Cami Koons

John Pottie has a story for each of the pieces in The National Silk Art Museum. This piece depicts Charlotte Corday, a French journalist who was executed on the guillotine during the French Revolution.

‘There’s a Jewel Hidden in Weston’

By Cami Koons, Catherine Hoffman | September 28, 2021

John Pottie has spent the past 40 years assembling a remarkable collection of woven silk art, which can be seen at The National Silk Art Museum in the Weston, Missouri.

Nick Guetterman hopes to see a yield increase from his soybeans and corn after several years of using cover crops.

Preventing the Next Dust Bowl

By Cami Koons | September 22, 2021

Farmers in Kansas, which has the most no-till farm acreage in the nation, are embracing cover crops to support sustainability.

An interior view of House of Sight and Sound

Feedback: Bygone Record Store Still Echoes in Heart of Kansas

By Cami Koons | September 17, 2021

House of Sight and Sound left a lasting legacy in the Salina, Kansas, music scene.

Fabian Rosales (left) and roommate Emma Hopkins hope to return to their rental house in Lawrence after the repairs to their plumbing are finished.

Columbia and Lawrence Rank Among Cheapest College Towns to Live In

By Cami Koons | September 7, 2021

Columbia, Missouri, and Lawrence, Kansas, are among the most affordable major college towns to live in, according to a new study.

Jason and Keri Medows during a recording for Illinois Farm Bureau Women in Ag. Jason launched the "Ag State of Mind" podcast to discuss mental health issues in rural America.

Mental Health Assistance Hard to Find in Rural America

By Marissa Plescia, Cami Koons | August 25, 2021

A shortage of professionals, bad broadband and lingering stigma make it hard for people in rural America seeking mental health help. By at least one measure, Missouri is the worst state in the country in terms of rural mental health access.

Graystone Heights might be forgotten by some, but here's what we learned about the community. (Collage by Cami Koons | Flatland)

curiousKC | The Lost History of Greystone Heights

By Cami Koons | August 23, 2021

Greystone Heights once existed where Interstate 35 now sits. So, what happened?

Rosalie Gilbert says her husband Charles Gilbert has been a member of the State Historical Society of Missouri since his college years, and he was excited to come see its bicentennial exhibit in Columbia.

Missouri’s Bicentennial Quilt Stitches Together a State With Many Splits

By Cami Koons | August 11, 2021

The Missouri bicentennial quilt seeks to bring together an often divided state by collecting local stories from each of 114 counties.

Longtime employees at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant and Machinists Union members are protesting proposed budget cuts that could threaten their jobs. From left to right: Scott Brown, Ryan Waddell and Diana Dierking.

Lake City Ammo Plant in Cross Hairs of Proposed Budget Cuts

By Cami Koons | August 5, 2021

Lake City Army Ammunition Plant is facing deep cuts in U.S. Army spending on small caliber ammunition, threatening hundreds of jobs in Independence.

Fahrmeier Farm creates a farm destination to last all day with photo ops, snacks and toys.

Harvesting a Bumper Crop in Agritourism

By Cami Koons | July 21, 2021

Agritourism revenue tripled nationwide from 2002 to 2017, and it’s still on the rise in Kansas and Missouri.

Natalie Eddings plays with her daughter, Noelle (2), and dog, Ginger, in their large, Odessa backyard. The space they gained from the move makes Eddings' commute to the city twice a week well worth it.

On the Edge: More Suburbanites Embrace Rural Life

By Cami Koons | July 14, 2021

Soaring home prices and expanding remote work options are prompting more suburbanites to opt for rural communities to live.