The Hot Dish

Heidi and Joel analyze key election results and discuss how abortion politics led to Democratic victories across VA, KY, and OH.  From a major ballot measure passing that will enshrine abortion rights into the Ohio state constitution, to a rebuke of VA Governor Youngkin’s attempt to ‘to thread the needle on abortion,’ voters turned out at unexpected levels to protect women’s rights. Then Heidi and Joel discuss why Democrats aren’t polling better with rural Americans (hint: it’s interest rates), and how to widen the winning margins for Democrats in key districts. 

Rural farmers are facing a slew of challenges. Ongoing interest rate hikes are placing further financial pressure on farmers as the cost of lending increases. And prices aren’t the only thing rising in rural America.  In the coming decades, global warming will force farmers to find new ways to adapt to increasing heat. On this episode of The Hot Dish, we look at these two forces and what this means for people in rural America.

Content warning: this episode includes frank discussions about mental health and suicide. 

If you or someone you know is undergoing a suicidal, mental health and/or substance use crisis, please call 988.  Counselors at the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline are available to help.

Suicide is a public health crisis in the United States, with nearly 50,000 Americans dying by suicide last year, a 2.5% annual increase, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention..  To raise awareness about the need for more mental health resources across the USA and especially in rural America, Joel and Heidi share a very personal story.

The United States is one of only a few nations in the world that doesn't have guaranteed paid family leave. But recent polling shows growing support for federal legislation. Heidi and Joel speak with guests to learn more about the support for paid family leave, as well as the effect it can have on a family.

In this episode of The Hot Dish, we hear two very different stories about the significance of community and understanding those around us. 

First, Rep. Anthony Daniels joins to talk with Heidi about the importance of redrawing district lines in Alabama to ensure African American voters are represented equitably. Rep. Daniels stresses the importance of addressing the ways in which political and economic developments are intertwined in Alabama, and what measures are being taken to improve the lives of Rural Alabamians. 

Then, we hear from Angela Kennecke about the realities of the opioid epidemic in Rural America. Angela discusses the various facets of addiction and some of the ways in which it can start. She speaks about the lack of resources available in rural communities, and why early education about addiction is paramount.

Rep. Anthony Daniels is the house minority leader in the Alabama House of Representatives. He is a board member of the One Country Project and former elementary school teacher. His legislation is focused on economic development for his constituents.

Angela Kennecke is a journalist, host of the podcast Grieving Out Loud, and founder of Emily’s Hope. Her own family’s journey with addiction and loss has inspired her to turn heartbreak into action in her quest to ensure no other families endure the same experience.