Rural Resurrection

RAGBRAI 2023 Winners

Each year my team, the Buff Riders, and I joke that we are “winning” the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. It’s a joke because it is a “bicycle… Read more »

10 Commandments of Community Branding – My Take

“10 Commandments to Community Branding – My Take” is the latest posting in the Branding for Communities series. Understanding the need for the development and implementation of a brand is… Read more »

Czeching out Verdigre

Snuggled in a hook in the winding Verdigre Creek, the quaint community of Verdigre takes a lot of pride in its Czech heritage. Boasting itself as the “Kolach Capital of… Read more »

Matt Mitchell on Small Town Development

Sometimes we need a little chuckle to break up the rigors of revitalizing our communities. Often I check out a number of short videos, or “reels” as they are sometimes… Read more »

Wayzata’s Panoway Project

Whenever I attend the National Planning Conference, there are always sessions that stick out to me. This year was no different. One of those sessions was about the transformation that… Read more »

Become a Trail Town

With any luck, when this post is published, I’ll be in Carroll, Iowa. Sitting in a chair, sipping on a tasty beverage, and waiting for my team to ride into… Read more »

RAGBRAI ’23 is Coming!

Do you hear that? That distant rumble is the beginning of the convergence of hordes of bicyclists upon Iowa. Once again, I’ll be escorting the Buff Riders on their journey… Read more »

How to Start an Adopt-A-Road Program

You’ve seen them before, large signs along a roadway that state that this section of roadway has been adopted by an organization. You may have even witnessed a cleanup event… Read more »

The Pop-Up Placemaking Tool Kit

There’s a placemaking tool kit available to those who are working on such initiatives in their communities. Interestingly enough, the source for this tool kit is not an organization that… Read more »

Curbside Appeal of Your Town’s Front Door

While attending the Nebraska Planning Conference this spring I had the chance to listen to a keynote speech from Ed McMahon of Urban Land Institute (@UrbanLandInst). It was a great… Read more »