Our Towns Updates: Exploring New Towns and Reconnecting with Old Friends
Groundhog Day here in Washington, D.C. this year was sunny. We always have mixed feelings about this; happy to have a bright, sunny day, but unhappy that it means we have a lot of winter left. The upside of winter has brought the rare chance to ice skate on the beautiful C&O canal. A tough scramble up the canal banks, walkers and bikers have been out in numbers along the Capital Crescent Trail. The down side of winter has been… well, for those of you who live anywhere but Southern California or Florida, you all know the down side.
We have embraced the new year’s ambition of Making New Friends, in Boulder, Colorado and Keene, New York. And we have also been Keeping the Old in Bucksport, Maine; Columbus, Mississippi; and Charleston, West Virginia. Jim has reported updates on some of these towns here. Deb also catches up with Bucksport and their waterfront culture here.
Looking up as well as forward, Jim interprets the recording of a flight over Dulles International airport in Washington, D.C. here that demonstrates the cool of air traffic controllers and pilots, in face of potential disaster. And more on planes, Jim talks flying on the podcast "Between Two Wings" from ForeFlight which you can watch here and the Pilot's Discretion podcast from Sporty's which you can listen to here starting February 15th.
Thank you all again for being here with us. And – coming soon -- we are very excited to be readying announcements of new partnerships and projects.
Deb & Jim Fallows
Reports from the ground...
The River Walk Theory of Life
Bucksport's waterfront is a major natural asset for the Maine town. And along it runs Bucksport's Walkway. Here's a look at the river walk and why it matters.
DEBORAH FALLOWS | CIVIC LIFE
The Past, The Future, The Present: Updates From Coast to Coast
A Fellow named, college services goes big, and scenes from a Day of Enlightened Living —here are three updates on stories we've been following on this site over the years.
JAMES FALLOWS | CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT
Bringing a City Together: How Leaf Blowers Did It
Daily news tells us about how lawmaking gets done, or doesn't, in the divided terrain of Washington, D.C. This is the story of how citizens worked together toward a common goal, the object of which was the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in the nation's capital.
JAMES FALLOWS | CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT
And the Sky!
Cooperation, Calm, and Competence: This is How it Sounds
In the skies over Dulles airport last week, pilots and controllers gave an example of grace under pressure.
JAMES FALLOWS | FLYING & AVIATION
Voices from America
Building Bridges Within and Among Communities Through Stories
Not all bridges are physical. The ways communities are connecting with one another, and themselves, is happening differently in light of COVID-19 and with new tools like OurStoryBridge: an online platform that captures and houses community stories.
ALLIE KUROFF | TOWN HISTORY AND STORY
Max Taps Supports the Marshall Fire Victims
In the wake of one of the costliest fires in U.S. history, a local establishment offers a local response effort to support those in need.
BEN SPEGGEN | LOCAL HEROES
"Ally-Shore" To Restore U.S. Economic Leadership and Protect Democracy
"Ally-shoring" offers the United States benefits locally, nationally, and internationally. What is "Ally-shoring," and why does it matter? Why is it important now?
ELAINE DEZENSKI & JOHN AUSTIN | GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
The Coming Reckoning
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end of our democracy, or are we living through growing pains? Are we on the brink of a civil war, or will unity prevail adapted and renewed?
TOM RUBY | CIVIC LIFE
Join Our Conversations This Month
Where we've been...
Jim Fallows appeared on the "Between Two Wings" video series put together by ForeFlight to talk about reporting across the country by way of his Cirrus plane. You can watch the episode here or listen here.
Deb and Jim Fallows join students from the University of Charleston in an online session moderated by Judge Joanna Tabit — a major figure in the Our Towns HBO film — for the university's "Enlightened Living Day," as part of observances for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. Watch the virtual session here.
Coming up...
February 14: Deb and Jim Fallows join the BYU forum "Beloved Community" in Provo Utah. You can read more about the event here.
February 15: Listen to the recorded conversation with Jim Fallows on the "Pilot's Discretion" podcast from Sporty's here.
February 22: Jim Fallows joins George Sanchez, author of recent book "Boyle Heights," for a conversations at the Ten Across and Arizona State University summit in Los Angeles.