The most prevalent commodity shared by human beings is the air we breathe. Unfortunately, especially in municipalities to varying degrees, that air is not always clean. The stakes are dire. According to www.healthaffairs.org, air pollution contributed to 6.1 million deaths … Continue reading →
The city of Montgomery, Ala., has recently been recognized for its technological advances in becoming a smart city. It began with a collaboration and consultation between technology advocate and entrepreneur Boyd Stephens and Mayor Todd Strange. Their goal was to … Continue reading →
Dardanelle, Ark., is a historic city that lies on the banks of the Arkansas River and this year added to its history when a flood of historic proportions overcame the city at the end of May. Mayor Jimmy Witt … Continue reading →
Community events require intensive labor to be a success. Reaching the 10-year marker, especially when working solely with volunteers, is an impressive feat for any event. In Orrville, Ohio, a city of more than 8,000, an annual weeklong Fourth of … Continue reading →
A career in parks and recreation seemed a natural path for Roswell, Ga.’s, Director of Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs Jeffrey Leatherman. He took the position in Georgia just over a year ago but parks and recreation has … Continue reading →
“We like to call it the happiest place in Scottsdale, (Ariz.),” Darryl Grimes, assistant recreation coordinator, affirmed, referring to the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. The park recently won the 2019 Engaging Local Government Leaders Knope Award for the Best Park or … Continue reading →
They say if you want something done right, do it yourself; and when it comes to adding or improving parks in a particular community, it’s advice that engaged citizens are taking to heart. By launching online crowdfunding campaigns and encouraging … Continue reading →
When disaster hits a community and an SOS call goes out, generally the problem is not a lack of response but rather an overwhelming response of volunteers and donations. For mayors and other city officials trying to put their communities … Continue reading →
In August 2017 a catastrophic Hurricane Harvey left his calling card with the good people of Houston and southeast Texas who hadn’t invited him in the first place. The Category 4 high winds — 130 mph — and a … Continue reading →
We always like to think disasters won’t happen to us, but they can and do. Local to me — but still distant enough to dull concern — the weather has been a bit more exciting this spring. A confirmed tornado … Continue reading →
Though the time for “spring” cleaning is long past, there are still debris-littered hedgerows and various items of refuse and trash in municipalities that periodically will need to be cleaned up. Two cities featured here have taken the lead and … Continue reading →
