It is very quiet outside of emergency workers out here too. I think it is largely due to cell phones and wireless internet, email etc rather than any changes in the license requirements.

Check out any emergency volunteer groups, they will be active. Just don't count on many 2m or 70cm repeaters to "be listening".

I think the long holdout for reform in licensing left all the old geezers with no one interested in archaic communications. Packet and voice is pretty damn primative compared to all the wonder tools of youth. Who is going to sit in the shack and try and decipher static and voice or worse CW to figure out the temperature in Aukland when a Google search can show you the beach

Check out the ARRL for any emergency groups (RACES) in your area....that is about the only way to find any activity. My wife and I are members in a RACES group and we have a couple of repeaters that are still active.