Ninth District counties are older than most. Terms like "demographic time bomb" exaggerate the situation, but our aging population presents significant economic challenges-and opportunities

Crime patterns in the district vary widely, but explaining differences and trends is difficult.

Earmarks are easy to want, easier to criticize. Though inefficient at a number of levels, the political economy of pork barrel spending suggests some benefits are also ignored.

Rural sprawl happens when people try to grab their slice of paradise in the country. Critics view it as devastating; newcomers are just looking for a better life.

Lotteries and other forms of government-sanctioned gambling have spread rapidly across the Ninth District. What kind of jackpot do they really deliver to state and local governments?