Xcaret Nuñez
Agriculture and Rural ReporterXcaret Nuñez covers agriculture and rural communities for KOSU. Her coverage focuses on undercovered farming and rural issues that affect both rural and urban residents in the state, particularly the Latino community.
She joined KOSU in June 2022 as a corps member with Report for America, a GroundTruth initiative that places emerging journalists in newsrooms across the country.
Nuñez previously worked at KBIA, the NPR affiliate in Columbia, Missouri, as a reporter, producer and anchor where she covered both community and education beats. She was also a Missouri Statehouse reporter for the Missouri News Network, covering the 2022 legislative session. Nuñez previously interned for Here & Now, NPR/WBUR’s midday news magazine program.
A first-generation college graduate, Nuñez graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in religious studies. She is originally from Yuma, Arizona, the Southwest city known as the “Lettuce Capital of the World” and “Sunniest City on Earth.”
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Despite a spike in deaths from COVID-19 and fewer births, recent research suggests rural counties saw population growth during the first year of the pandemic. Remote work opportunities could have contributed to more people moving to scenic rural destinations. -
Oklahoma lawmakers will consider thousands of bills over the coming months.
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A new school meal program will allow some Oklahoma school districts to provide more nutritious meals to students by partnering with local farmers and ranchers.
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Half a dozen rural Oklahoma businesses and agriculture producers will receive funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Fresh-cut evergreen trees are a little pricier this holiday season due to a tight supply and higher costs for growers. But the current drought may squeeze supplies further in the future.
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State Broadband Office warns billions of dollars towards securing high-speed internet for Oklahomans could be on the line if the Federal Communications Commission doesn’t receive accurate information on current internet access.
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Think of this year’s drought as a sort of dress rehearsal to consider the drier, hotter future that scientists predict climate change has in store. Long-lasting droughts could alter the way we live.
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From deadly wildfires to choking dust storms to decimated crop harvests, this year’s drought has left its mark across the country. For the hardest hit areas, such as the Great Plains, recovering from the far-reaching impacts of this historically dry year won’t be easy.
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Senate Bill 4 would rescind the Governor’s authority to hire the leader of Oklahoma’s Tourism and Recreation Department.
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The holidays are just around the corner, which means some Oklahoma farmers are opening up their Christmas tree farms for business.
