In Montana, ranch families are struggling to make ends meet. In the Pacific Northwest, savvy shoppers are trying to save. And in Colorado, a lively town hall was the center of attention during President Obama’s recent visit. These are just a few of the ways the economy is being covered across the country, in this week’s look around the nation.

Ranching has changed over the years, and the current economic climate is making it difficult for some to keep family farming going, as Emilie Ritter of Montana Public Radio reports.

Keeping up with fashion may seem a bit superficial after hearing about families losing their businesses, but keeping up appearances and the larger affect that cutting back is having on the retail industry cuts far below the surface. As Oregon Public Broadcasting reports, some young professionals are having a harder time staying with the trends:

And while the healthcare debate continues to rile Washington, Rocky Mountain PBS attended a town hall with President Obama, where the health care debate struck a chord close to home.