Dave Ivan of Michigan State University Extension rocked the house at the Michigan Small Town and Rural Development Conference with his “Can Small Towns Be Cool?” presentation. He showered us with ideas and examples gathered from 250 community visits, a literature review and the Michigan “Cool Cities Initiative” survey of young professionals. He grouped his […]
Third Thursday is changing Hutchinson
When I saw what an exciting thing the Third Thursday downtown in Hutchinson, Kansas, was, I grabbed my cell phone, and Jim Seitnater, the Downtown Development Director for Hutchinson, and did a quick interview. I admit, the quality of my cell phone video is awful, but the content is terrific, so there is a […]
May 1 talk to your neighbors
On Thursday May 1, Barbara K. Baker proposes we revive some real world connecting. Get out and chat with a neighbor. Maybe even deliver a little May Day basket. Do you remember those little baskets of flowers you would leave on a neighbor’s door? Just exactly the kind of thing that used to be a […]
Top Ten Reasons to Shop Local
Karen Payne, yet another Okie, sent me this list. Though I couldn’t find an author or attribution, I want to share it with you. You can share it with your local community. Top Ten Reasons to Shop Local 10. Local stores are more likely to carry locally produced foods which supports local agriculture. 9. Local […]











