Calen Moore
Western Kansas ReporterCalen Moore is High Plains Public Radio's western Kansas reporter. Based in Liberal, he covers the issues that impact the region — from water conservation and agriculture to rural development and immigration.
His work reaches audiences across through the Kansas News Service, a statewide collaboration of public radio stations.
Growing up in southwest Kansas, Moore has a heart for the region and hopes to tell stories and connect people across the often overlooked High Plains.
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Kansas farms have expanded their operations and are now bigger than ever, which has led to an economic boom. But that also means fewer farmers, and that has contributed to depopulation in rural parts of the state that were socially isolated to begin with. -
Southwest Kansas is known as a place dominated by beef and grain production, but there was a time when this region was instead known for watermelons. The fruit crop spurred the multibillion dollar ag industry that sustains Kansas today, but the water used to help Kansas farmers survive back then eventually ran dry. -
Western Kansas hospitals are often understaffed. But a Wichita medical school has teamed up with hospitals to give medical students the opportunity to experience health care in rural areas. -
More than 30 years ago, a group of southwest Kansas counties tried to secede and form their own state called West Kansas. It’s largely forgotten now, but the political divisions that caused it remain. -
Newspapers across the country are closing or consolidating, creating vast news deserts, especially in rural communities. But one small town printing press has been able to buck this trend.
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Western Kansas is projected to see large population declines in the coming years, but immigration may be the key to stemming the losses. The communities that have embraced their diversity have seen their population stabilize and the local culture shift, redefining what rural Kansas looks like. -
As newspapers around the country close and consolidate, a printing press in Liberal, Kansas, is a lifeline for local media in the region. -
People in the agriculture industry are still looking for local solutions to save what is left of the Ogallala aquifer that supports western Kansas. But systemic challenges are making it a slow effort. -
This year marks the 75th anniversary of what’s known as the Pancake Day Race in the southwest Kansas town of Liberal. It’s an oddity, but these types of community festivals offer economic and less tangible benefits to smaller towns. -
