As you read this, all three of the below Roca reporters are working in unique spots in this country.
Max Towey is in Maryland’s Prince George’s County; Max Frost is in the northern panhandle of West Virginia; and Ryan Hinske is just over the Pennsylvania border, a bit outside Pittsburgh. We’re all seeing and learning a lot about America. Pictures, videos, and articles from our current trips will be coming shortly.
But for now, we’ve got the below – a batch of stills from around America, taken in various places and at different times. Thanks for reading, and we hope that we’re helping you learn some more about this remarkable country.
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By Max Frost
This week, I chose to share some photos from my trips through southern Indiana and Kentucky.
Jeffersonville, IN
The first is a sight I’ve come to know far too well from travels around the country and even my own neighborhood in New York City. “The Flop,” “The Fold,” “The Fent Lean” – whatever you call it, it’s the look of someone who’s taken fentanyl and is unable to keep standing up straight. Disturbing no matter how many times you see it.
Evansville, IN
This one is from nearby Evansville, a city a bit further down the Ohio River from Jeffersonville. The man – who goes by Critter – spends his summers in a camper on the bank of a river, sandwiched between soya fields and the water. He told me, “Beer and women. That’s what America’s about.”
Jackson, KY
Unrelated to the other pictures, this was a couple I met in Jackson, KY. Just wonderful people. They’re running a general store (“Campbell’s This and That”) that captures the charm of this Appalachian town. Not an easy thing to be doing in 2026, but as husband and wife, they’re doing it.
Somewhere in Eastern Kentucky
A couple of hours from Jackson, I met this family – the Smiths. They live together in an isolated holler, three generations on the same plot of land. Again, just wonderful people. I need to write up their story in full, because it was one of the most tragic and beautiful I’ve yet come across in this country.
By Max Towey
I’ve done a couple of video trips in recent weeks, but for this edition of “Stills from America,” I want to go back to my home state of Florida. For one of my trips last year, I wanted to explore the “Forgotten Middle” of the state – everything south of Orlando and north of Miami in the central part of the Sunshine State.
Immokalee, FL
If you eat a tomato during winter, it’s almost certainly from the town of Immokalee. Nicknamed the “tomato capital of America” (producing 95% of US-grown tomatoes from October to June), Immokalee is a poor migrant farm worker town. It’s mostly Hispanic, though there’s a significant Haitian population. That Haitian population has produced NFL pros like Edgerrin James, J.C. Jackson, and Mackensie Alexander (whose twin I played in basketball). This is one of the Haitian farm workers.
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Sebring, FL
Sebring is known for its circular downtown and auto-track racing. In Sebring, we met some retirees – whom some locals are accusing of taking over – but on the periphery we met more of the working-class population. This gentleman below, a worker at Wendy’s, had an incredible spirit. He had just been hit by a car (he showed us a massive scar down his arm) and was struggling to find better work. Nevertheless, he had an amazing attitude and faith. Minutes after this picture was taken, his sister drove him away in her bicycle (with a little carriage in the back).
Liberty City, FL
Okay, we cheated here. This is technically in Miami-Dade County, though it’s certainly not the Miami you think of. This is Liberty City, FL, where the movie Moonlight was filmed. Incredibly, the neighborhood near the projects where the movie was set has improved dramatically. Today, you see many homes with nice cars out front. The man who lived here is retired, having spent his life working in the garbage industry. Now he volunteers in his church’s choir and was buffing his nicer vintage car inside when we pulled up.
By Ryan Hinske
Deep in the rolling hills of Missouri and Kansas, small towns are grappling with shrinking organized sports. I chose photos that showcase rural America’s love of these sports, and the fight to keep them alive.
Grant City, MO
This is Worth County High School’s 8-on-8 football head coach, Jon Adwell, coaching his players. Jon is an educator, administrator, and football lifer who has spent most of his life enrolled in or working at the high school, which has about 20 students per graduating class. Since his high school playing days, Worth County has gone from 11-man to 8-man football to keep up with shrinking enrollment. Last fall, his team took home the Missouri 8-man State Championship.
Kansas City, KS
These next two photos are from Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, KS.
The first is the track itself, a historic racing venue on the outskirts of the city that’s difficult to maintain. Thousands are spent each race day to maintain the fluctuating dirt surface drivers race on, and the infield pictured here has begun to sink into a makeshift pond. While the venue’s clientele age, there aren’t many young fans – and drivers – to replace them. But don’t get it twisted: Dirt racing is special, and many we spoke to said you just need to come see it to understand it. Having seen the race up close, it’s hard to disagree.
Kansas City, KS
Finally, Jon Backlund, a former race car driver who told us he has raced in nine decades. Dressed in a unique outfit (the hat speaks for itself), Backlund is royalty at Lakeside Speedway. He sits in one of the speedway’s only suites, thinking of his racing days. He couldn’t have been more excited to share his story with us, and boy, did he have a story to tell. As the dirt racing industry continues to struggle, stories like his could fade into obscurity.
Thanks for reading. We hope you enjoyed these photos and stories. We’ll be back with more tomorrow, and if you’d like to leave a comment, you can do so here:
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
—Max and Max
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