It’s the middle of summer but Harrisburg Middle School is a hive of activity. Between summer school classes and renovations, it’s a little chaotic for counselor Brett Rawlings, who just wrapped up his first year at the school.

Harrisburg is a town of fewer than 300 people, midway between St. Louis and Kansas City. But the school also serves the surrounding area, which is primarily farmland. As the K-8 counselor, Rawlings is responsible for some 400 students, and he deals with a range of issues.

On this sweltering summer day, only a few people walk by Mousie’s restaurant. The building’s blue facade stands out next to its neutral surroundings. In one of its circular windows, there’s a neon ‘open’ sign that’s turned off. 

It's just one example of the economic decline in Connersville, Ind., once known as "Little Detroit."

Four Midwestern states have infant mortality rates “significantly higher” than the U.S. average, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control says.

Bouncing on a purple exercise ball, Alyssa talks to her new teacher about what classes she needs to graduate.  "There’s a Psychology 1 as an elective, I would take that, but I already took psychology and sociology... And I feel like Heartland in general is a psychology class," she says, laughing.

Temperatures are soaring, and that means Midwesterners are headed to summer fairs and festivals. They’ll eat plenty of high calorie foods ⁠—from corn dogs to fried ice cream sandwiches ⁠— but some festivals are trying to include healthier foods.

"This is the spot," Marilyn Evans says, standing in the empty parking lot of the Women’s Med Center in Kettering, Ohio.

The Women's Med Center is the only health clinic for miles around that provides abortions. Now, it’s embroiled in a legal battle with the state that could lead to its closure – the clinic couldn’t obtain transfer agreements from local hospitals, as required under Ohio law.

Nicole Dempsey remembers crying in a pew at church, watching a video of a woman with long dark hair and deep brown eyes. The woman was talking about her abortion, and how a local organization called Heartbeats helped her heal.

"And I thought, 'Wow, that’s what’s been missing in my life for 24 years,'" Dempsey says.