A few weeks ago, Jim and Deb flew by Cirrus to track the changing fall foliage. We headed north from Washington DC to Vermont. Treetops were still green over Maryland and into Pennsylvania. They turned to yellows and reds as we flew over New York, then clipped the border of Massachusetts and into Vermont, to Burlington.
Flying over the Adirondacks (photo by Deb Fallows)
Burlington was one of the first stops of our Our Towns journey back in 2013. Now, eight years later, Deb wanted to see how the Fletcher Free Library had managed during the pandemic and to hear about lessons learned. Deb’s report is chronicled here.
Jim wrote about our flight and some of his experiences with the always-impressive Air Traffic Control operators in his Substack piece.
Also this month, we congratulate two of Our Towns, De Smet, South Dakota, and Bucksport, Maine. They are both winners in USA Today's Reader's Choice for Best Small Towns. You can read about the honors they received here.
And finally, Rural Strategies held their Rural Women Everywhere conference in October. Our Towns' Ben Speggen joined Deb to moderate a conversation with three extraordinary female leaders who are redefining "rural" in their communities. You can listen to their conversation here.
As always, thank you for being part of this journey.
Deb & Jim Fallows
Congratulations to Two of Our Towns!
Small Towns Win Big Honors: De Smet and Bucksport
USA Today has announced its Readers’ Choice Best Small Towns winners for 2021. Our Towns is popping its buttons that two of our favorite small towns have won honors.
Reports from the Road…
Libraries are Leading the Way — Again
Every aspect of civic life has involved reinvention and adjustment, through this pandemic era. One of America's most "traditional" institutions has adjusted fastest and best. The Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, Vermont is a shining example of this innovation, Deb Fallows reports after her latest on-the-ground visit.
Want more on library innovation? WebJunction is working to strengthen libraries by offering free courses for library staff everywhere.
Sign up for their twice-monthly newsletter — Crossroads — here, to take advantage of WebJunction's upcoming events and courses.
And the Sky!
The Quiet Competence That Makes the Country Run
Everyday, millions of Americans depend on the confidence and professionalism of those who manage our air space, yet hardly any of us have had the opportunity to appreciate or experience it up close. Jim gives us a rare view into the world of aviation in his recent report from the sky.
Voices from America
Read Part V of a multi-part essay series from Our Towns contributing authors on what recommendations can come from a closer study of leadership and power that might lead to changes at the community level.
The Future of Power
Do Americans need a new narrative? In his final essay in the Paradoxes of Power series, contributing author Carl Hunt argues that yes, America needs a new narrative built on hope rather than fear, and local communities provide fertile ground for building it.
Join Our Conversations
Our Towns hosts panel at Rural Women Everywhere Summit. What do Ajo, Arizona; Charleston, West Virginia; Eastport, Maine have in common? The answer leads down a rural path, with three innovative women leading various charges there. Watch the video of our discussion, "Three Rural Women Who Inspire and Drive Rural Resilience," below and read the writeup from Ben Speggen here.
Change at Global, Local Levels. In a world with an abundance of doom-scrolling, the Progress Network seeks to answer the question, "What Could Go Right?" This is the name of their newest podcast, which Jim Fallows joined recently to reflect on how global changes affect us on the local level, and vice versa? Listen and read the writeup here from Ben Speggen.
K-8 School Rankings. For the first time ever, U.S. News and World Report published rankings for K-8 schools. Hear Jim Fallows speak with NPR's Michel Martin about the problems of such rankings and how they impact the American education ecosystem, which has long been part of the Our Towns coverage.
National Versus Local Perspectives. Deb and Jim Fallows join StriveTogether's Bridget Jancarz and Christian Motley to discuss how we are not as divided as we think, especially when you look at what is happening on the ground in local communities across the country. Listen to the episode here.