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WILL BRUMLEVE: FROM THE PUBLISHER'S DESK
Combatting fake news indeed a constant battle
Local newspapers in rural areas have particularly difficult job with especially limited resources
By WILL BRUMLEVE
will@fordcountychronicle.com
When I recently received a phone call from Kendall Kartaly, program manager for WorldChicago, asking if I'd be interested in speaking with an international delegation of journalism and media professionals from India about what it's like to run a weekly newspaper in a small town in America, I was excited to share everything I'd learned over the past four years since starting the Ford County Chronicle with my colleague Andrew Rosten.
WorldChicago was hosting the group through the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program, and their visit to the U.S. involved meeting with their professional counterparts here.
Apparently, the Chronicle came recommended from someone ... who I wish I could thank.
It was a really cool experience. I even invited the mayor of Paxton, Bill Ingold, to welcome the group upon their 1 p.m. arrival at the Chronicle office on Wednesday, Nov. 20, and he obliged, spending a productive 20 minutes chatting about the real value of local community journalism and his enduring gig as the mayor of a blossoming rural community.
Prior to their arrival, WorldChicago's Kartaly said the group would be particularly interested in hearing of the "challenges of dis/ misinformation in rural contexts, where resources may be limited, and how local media can serve as a critical defense against spreading false information."
After we sat down together in the big dining room in the Commandery Building in downtown Paxton — just across the hall from my newspaper's office — the group had many more questions than just that one, though. Over the course of more than an hour, I spoke about a variety of topics, ranging from how our paper got started to where we are today, to what would happen if we were not here.
Answering their primary question — about the challenges of keeping the community informed of the truth in an age when rumors spread like wildfire on social media - required such context.
To answer their question, I had to think about it for a while. The first thing that came to my mind was that the challenges of misinformation — false rumors, for example — are faced everywhere, regardless of a community's size or the population of a newspaper's coverage area. Yes, resources are especially limited in rural areas — and my newspaper has far fewer staff than, for example, the larger daily paper in a larger community just down the road - but all newspapers, large and small, seem to be short on staff, some far too short. And we all have news to cover — amid rumors to confirm or dispel - on a daily basis. So the challenges are much the same regardless of a rural context, in my opinion.
In all cases, the biggest challenge is keeping the community informed. That includes having the resources to cover meetings of the city council, school board, county board, village board and park board, for example, and to do so every month, or every week if that's how often they occur. It includes having enough resources to cover the community's sports — from park district to junior high and high school — in your coverage area. It includes having the resources to cover the community's events, its people, its happenings, all the time. What goes into that challenge is a combination of loyalty to your community, lots of time and effort, and a never-ending dedication to get the job done to the best of your ability. Perhaps the most important thing, though, especially with tiny news organizations like ours, is the contributions of the community. After all, Andrew and I could never produce the publication we do on a weekly basis usually totaling 40 or more broadsheet pages — without a community that cares, providing not just news tips but sometimes already-prepared news stories, ready for publication, along with photos.
I tried my best to stress to the international delegation the important role that the community plays in the success of any community newspaper, because it really is the key. Where resources may be limited, the community must fill the void. I believe that a community that cares about its news and not just rumors — will support its newspaper if it is doing its job.
By covering the local news — and I mean actually covering it, unlike so many of these corporate-owned "ghost" papers out there these days — newspapers serve as not just a "critical defense" — but the most important critical defense against the spread of false information. Here anyway, there is no one else covering the local news like we do. The community recognizes that.
The challenge is always going to be there, of course.
Hopefully, the Chronicle will be, too.
Will Brumleve is co-publisher and news editor of the Ford County Chronicle, based in Paxton, Illinois.
Will Brumleve/Ford County Chronicle
An international delegation of journalism and media professionals from India poses in front of a mural in downtown Paxton on Wednesday, Nov. 20, after stopping by the Ford County Chronicle to chat with Publishers Will Brumleve and Andrew Rosten about community journalism and the challenges of "dis/misinformation" in rural areas. Also talking with the group was Paxton Mayor Bill Ingold, who stopped by to welcome the delegation. The group was traveling across the nation through the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program. U.S. embassies selected the Indian delegates to meet their professional counterparts and other leading voices in the U.S., and the Chronicle was selected as one of their many stops.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 26, 2026 Media Contact Information: Cartwheel Emily Paisner (888) 500-2067 emily.paisner@cartwheelcare.org
$1 million grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois will help Cartwheel scale access to care in rural and underserved communities through 2028
CHICAGO — August 26, 2026 — Cartwheel Care, a telehealth mental health provider for K-12 schools, today announced plans to expand access to care for up to 100,000 students across Illinois, supported by a $1 million grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL). The additional funding builds on an existing partnership between Cartwheel and BCBSIL, following a year of strong engagement and clinical outcomes. Cartwheel currently serves 40 Illinois school districts, and the grant will help expand services further into rural and underserved communities across the state through 2028. Mental health needs among Illinois students remain high. According to data from Lurie Children’s Hospital, approximately 50% of Illinois youth (ages 2–17) have experienced worsening mental health symptoms in recent years. At the same time, access to care has not kept pace: more than 80 of Illinois’ 102 counties have no practicing child psychiatrist, and the shortage is most acute in rural areas, where families often wait months for an appointment or travel significant distances for care. Cartwheel’s telehealth model is designed to remove the access barriers rural families face, like long waitlists and the need to travel to see a provider. By partnering with schools, Cartwheel provides licensed, Illinois-based clinicians with no waitlist, accepts all major insurance plans including Medicaid, and reaches kids and families where they already are, without requiring them to find or travel to an outside provider. “Every student experiences mental health challenges differently, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to supporting them,” said Dr. Juliana Chen, chief medical officer at Cartwheel. “Our goal is to meet students and families where they are, with practical support that helps them build skills, strengthen relationships, and feel more confident navigating challenges at school and at home. BCBSIL’s support is what allows us to bring that care to more Illinois communities.” “Supporting the health and well-being of Illinois youth is critical to building stronger communities,” said Brian Snell, president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. “The results we’ve seen through our partnership with Cartwheel demonstrate the impact that timely, accessible mental health services can have for students and families. This investment will help bring those services to even more communities across our state.” To date, four Illinois districts have received Cartwheel’s services through this grant: Steger SD 194 in Cook County and Will County, Troy CCSD 30-C in Will County, Mattoon CUSD 2 in Coles County, and Wolf Branch SD #113 in St. Clair County. In the first year of the program, more than 200 students were referred for care and completed more than 1,000 telehealth sessions. Appointments were scheduled in the same week with no waitlist. Sixty-eight percent of students served were covered by Medicaid or uninsured. Overall, 73% of students showed meaningful improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms on standard clinical screeners (GAD-7/PHQ-9). Additional districts where Cartwheel services are launching this fall include Litchfield CUSD #12, Panhandle CUSD #2, Leyden High School District #212, and Regional Office of Education #40. With the support of this grant, Cartwheel expects to expand into another 30 to 50 school districts, bringing access to care to a total of 100,000 students across Illinois. “Before this partnership, getting a student connected to care could take months,” said Jeffrey Peterson, director of student services & records at Troy CCSD 30-C. “Now our counselors can refer a student, know they’ll be seen within days, and are seeing real improvements as a result.” Through the grant, Cartwheel provides individual and family therapy, parent guidance, psychiatric evaluation and medication management, and specialized care programs for challenges like school avoidance, social media use, and intense emotions and behavior challenges. As reported in Illinois Policy, in 2025 about 25% of Illinois students missed at least 10% of the school year and this was more severe among low-income students, with 35.1% in that group chronically absent. Cartwheel’s school avoidance program delivers evidence-based care designed specifically for students struggling with school avoidance. In partnership with Cartwheel, Peoria Public Schools saw a 62% reduction in absences per student, along with decreases in suspensions and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Illinois school districts that want to learn more about this opportunity for the upcoming school year should visit: www.cartwheel.org/illinois. About Cartwheel Cartwheel is the nation’s largest and most trusted telehealth provider for K-12 schools, students, and families. Cartwheel partners with 350 school districts across 15 states to deliver comprehensive mental health services to students, families, and school staff. Founded in 2022 by educators and clinicians, Cartwheel combines evidence-based clinical care with technology to ensure every child has access to high-quality mental health support. Cartwheel accepts all major insurance plans including Medicaid and provides care at no cost to uninsured families. For more information visit: www.cartwheel.org. About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is the largest health insurer in Illinois, serving nine million members and operating in all 102 Illinois counties. BCBSIL is a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Learn more at bcbsil.com and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 24, 2026 Media Contact Information: Mather Institute Cindy Droog, president, Sabo PR (616) 717-8654 cindy@sabo-pr.com
Free online tool by Mather Institute supports local planning, partnership and investments
EVANSTON, Illinois – Chicago has a new tool to help understand where neighborhood conditions support social wellness among older adults – and where thoughtful investment and partnership may expand opportunities. Mather Institute launched a first-of-its-kind free Social Wellness Map, which scores the 77 community areas in Chicago on social wellness – a measure of feeling connected with others and with a community – for adults 55 and better. Previous research shows strong social ties are one of the most important predictors of a happy and long life, and that neighborhoods and communities shape how people interact, support one another and build shared identity. Mather Institute developed the map in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago. Designed as a planning and advocacy resource, the interactive map can help policymakers, community organizations, funders, planners and service providers explore local patterns, identify assets and consider where new investments may have the greatest benefit for older adults. “Social wellness is a crucial, yet often overlooked, part of healthy aging,” said Cate O’Brien, MPH, Ph.D., chief transformation officer at Mather Institute. “Because every community contains diverse histories, people and experiences, the map is intended to inform – not replace – local knowledge. The most useful next step is conversation. When organizations bring this data together with resident voices, they can better understand what is already working and what could be most beneficial to older adults and their communities.” The map is based on a new survey of more than 4,000 Chicago residents age 55 and better, combined with public data on community conditions, including walkability, economic factors and access to gathering places such as libraries, churches and community centers. Factors such as crime, lack of local businesses and poverty can hinder social wellness, but don’t tell the whole story. Users can view a side-by-side comparison of communities to explore how social wellness relates to health, happiness, income and other factors. Key findings include:
“Community leaders often have deep local knowledge, but need data to support the case for programs, funding and partnerships,” said Jennifer L. Smith, Ph.D., vice president of Mather Institute. “The Social Wellness Map offers another lens for understanding older adults’ experiences and for turning local insight into action.” High social wellness scores were not confined to one part of Chicago or to its wealthiest areas, suggesting that other factors such as neighborhood identity, belonging and longstanding social ties are also important to connection. Chatham emerged as a notable example, with a social wellness score of 8.14 out of 10, illustrating social wellness reflects aspects of community life beyond economic and safety indicators alone. Beverly received the highest community connectability score: 100 out of 100. Beverly is notable for its low crime rates, a strong family culture and several longstanding community gathering places. Jefferson Park stood out for having community conditions that support connection such as accessible transit, retail activity and established cultural gathering places. The map is free to use and does not require user registration. It can be explored at: https://www.matherinstitute.com/social-wellness-map/
About Mather and Mather Institute
Based in Evanston, Illinois, Mather is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1941 that is dedicated to a vision of changing the way society views aging. Mather creates Ways to Age Well℠ through programs, places and residences for today’s older adults. These include developing and operating communities that support older adults in pursuing wellness and fulfillment; sparking creativity and connections for older adults in Chicagoland and beyond; and through Mather Institute, conducting research and incubating innovation to help all live and age well.
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