There’s simply no place like home. It’s hard to put your finger on it exactly. It’s a feeling. It’s a place to be yourself. A place to exhale. It’s a nostalgia for days gone by and people you hold dear. That first hometown love you have is a bit like your first love. It’s special. There’s a sacredness to it. A Bledsoe felt that way … Continue reading Lancaster, Texas – Home Sweet Home
Last year, when the folks in Watsonville, California, went to the polls, they got to cast a vote for their future. At stake: a tax increase. The additional funds (a half cent sales tax) were to be spent on the community. Funds to improve, enhance, and develop. City leaders were advised to not even put it on the ballot. It will never pass, they were … Continue reading Watsonville, California – Leaning In
Life is all about seizing opportunities. It’s about knowing when to close some doors. And at other times, it’s about knowing what doors to open. The key, though, is to not be afraid to swing that door wide open when opportunity comes knocking. There’s been quite a bit of knocking these days in the city of Wausau, located in the Wisconsin River Valley in central … Continue reading Wausau, Wisconsin – Opportunity is Knocking
Abraham Lincoln once quipped, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.” Chopping, according to Lincoln, is easy. It’s the exciting, visible part. The focus is always on the tree and how quickly it falls. Rarely, does anyone consider the ax– or the time it took to sharpen it. But without all of the … Continue reading Bartlett, Tennessee – Playing the Long Game
It’s beautiful here. Like stunningly, awe-inspiring, take-your-breath-away beautiful. There are forested hills, rocky bluffs, picturesque valleys, hiking trails, sandy beaches, and spectacular ocean views. Pacifica, California, is rugged and majestic. It’s also serene and peaceful. In 1957, a newly incorporated coastal city formed in San Mateo County, uniting all of the smaller communities in the San Francisco Bay area– from Sweeney Ridge to the east … Continue reading Pacifica, California – Spectacular Sights
It’s a new dawn It’s a new day It’s a new life for me and I’m feeling good. In much the same way as Nina Simone sang in her chart topping hit, the folks in Caldwell, Idaho, are feeling pretty good these days: they’ve become the gateway for the SunnySlope Wine Trail. They’ve reinvented their downtown. Development is on fire. Business is booming. People are … Continue reading Caldwell, Idaho – A New Day is Dawning
A fire starts with just a spark. Such was the case in 1781 when New London, Connecticut, burned to the ground. It had all the makings of a movie: a traitor (Benedict Arnold), leading a raid, set against the backdrop of the Revolutionary War. While that fire destroyed nearly all of the town, it didn’t snuff out the spirit here. You see, New London is … Continue reading New London, Connecticut – Phoenix Rising
Shakespeare penned the famous line, “Though she be but little, she is fierce.” That’s become a credo for the little guy. It’s a reminder that a smaller stature can still be strong. Newark, Delaware, is small. It’s just nine square miles. But packed in that perfect little square is a perfect combination punch: a city that operates with purpose and passion. They are fierce in … Continue reading Newark, Delaware – Raising the Bar
“This seems too good to be true.” That’s what Marion City Manager, Ryan Waller, kept saying to himself during his visits and interview process. He canvassed the downtown, incognito with his wife, doing a little reconnaissance. He’d chat up the people he found: the bartender and the shop owner. He asked about the city– their vision and plans. “It was incredible,” he says, “because they … Continue reading Marion, Iowa – The Place People Want to Be
J.F.K. said that “a rising tide lifts all boats.” It’s the idea that success breeds success. And the glow of that success can help all those around shine, too. The tide is rising in the city of Spring Hill. Located in middle Tennessee, this city of 55,000 is a suburb of Nashville. It used to be considered a bedroom community: a place where residents might … Continue reading Spring Hill, Tennessee – Rising and Shining
