December 8, 2000
Staying at Home, a Commentary by Kristin Williams
RealAudio
While many people get an education in order to leave their community and move somewhere bigger and brighter, that's not the path chosen by college senior Kristin Williams. She's studying at the University of Rolla, Missouri and intends to use her degree to better her local community to make it the kind of place her kids would want to live in when they're older.

Small Town America: Q&A with Lawrence Christenson
RealAudio
Cuba, Missouri has been a model of economic revitalization. But can all small towns in middle America expect such success? Not according to historian Lawrence Christenson. He says the decline of small-town America is inevitable, and it's not such a bad thing.

December 7, 2000
Walmart Economy
RealAudio
Just down the road from Cuba Missouri is the town of St. James. City officials recently won a bid for a 10,000 square foot WalMart distribution center. And as Marketplace's Stephen Beard reports, they're hoping it will insulate them from the roller coaster ride of the global economy.

Head in the Sand
RealAudio
A local ostrich farmer in Cuba Missouri finds himself at the whim of regulations in South Africa. It's been a struggle, as Marketplace's Sara Harris reports.

December 6, 2000
Think Local, Act Global
RealAudio
Is it possible to run a successful business today and not be connected to the global economy? Emma Lou Brent thinks so. She's the CEO of a successful local bank near Cuba, Missouri. She's won awards as a top female entrepreneur and has made her mark by thinking locally, not globally.

Biotech or Bust
RealAudio
Missouri is betting its economic future on a global industry: biotechnology. But in its quest to become the biotech belt, obstacles stand in the way. Marketplace's Stephen Beard reports on why it's not all smooth sailing.

December 5, 2000
Around the World in a Barrel
RealAudio | View slideshow
Once a local barrel maker supplying Missouri oak to distilleries in Kentucky and Tennessee, LeRoy McGinniss now ships his barrels around the world, from Cuba Missouri to France, Spain and Scotland. Marketplace will follow the process, from Cuba to the Bordeaux region of France. Deborah Clark and Melody Walker report.

Wallice Oil Goes National
RealAudio
Cuba, Missouri may be a small town but it's home to one of the nation's largest natural gas distributors. Beginning 30 years ago with a single Mobile filling station, Wallice Oil has grown to into a company of 750 employees and over $150 million in annual revenues. Marketplace's Stephen Beard takes a look at the history of this small-town business turned national corporate player.

December 4, 2000
And We Found Cuba...
RealAudio
When the folks at Marketplace started looking for a location from which to broadcast for a week, they chose Cuba, Missouri, about 84 miles south of St. Louis. Why? As Marketplace's David Brancaccio explains, Cuba is the population center of the country and has an interesting economic story to tell.

Globe Trotting
RealAudio
Globetrotting in the Heartland: Poet Jim Bogan reflects on the allure and the pitfalls of globalization after returning to Missouri from a trip to Ireland.