APRIL SERIES: COMMUNITY FACILITIES – Article 3 In conversations about infrastructure, education is rarely the first thing that comes to mind. Roads, utilities, broadband — these are the systems we typically associate with economic development. They are visible, measurable, and relatively straightforward to fund and maintain. Schools, by contrast, are often treated as a separate…
In last week’s article, we looked at the growing challenge rural communities face in maintaining essential community facilities. But what if some of those same buildings—often seen as liabilities—are actually among the most valuable assets for rural economic development that a community already has? Historic Sites and Places as Community Facilities In many rural communities,…
APRIL SERIES: COMMUNITY FACILITIES – Article 1 Community facilities are where self-government becomes visible. Courthouses, city halls, jails, libraries, and clinics are the places where decisions get made, services get delivered, and neighbors encounter “government” as something more than a line item on a tax bill. In many ways, these spaces form the backbone of…
You’ve seen the headlines—in print or online—heralding the impending doom of Rural America (or Canada, or Australia, or wherever you call home). When I see click-bait like these (hey, even online newspapers have to sell content) I try to pause, breath deeply, and try to work out the context. OK, whatever. But what do the…
Things we love we want to protect, but everything changes. We can’t live by exclusion. We have a responsibility to the places we live and the power to make them better. Ryan Short at CivicBrand is not a planner by training. He’s taken a roundabout journey. He started off doing branding and design work for…
If you don’t know where you want to get to then, as the Cheshire Cat told Alice in Wonderland, “it doesn’t matter which way you go”. In rural and small-town America, the challenges are familiar: aging infrastructure, shifting demographics, and limited budgets. But the real story isn’t about what’s missing—it’s about what communities are doing…
Music is life… if you believe the hashtags. I certainly believe music is one of the finer points of life: The Pursuit of Happiness. Or in my case, the Pursuit of Americana. The blog here at JCShepard.com is a bit of a sandbox, where I share my professional and creative interests, as well as family…
How Small Towns Can Plan for People, Land, and Legacy This article continues our November series: From Ideas to Action — A Month of Praxis and Implementation in Rural Communities. In week three, we focus on turning planning theories into useful rural zoning strategies — the essential tools that help small towns manage growth, protect…
This article launches our November series: From Ideas to Action—A Month of Praxis and Implementation in Rural Communities. Over the next five weeks, we’ll explore how small towns drive rural progress by combining local knowledge with practical implementation strategies. We’re starting with the basics: What is praxis in rural planning, and why does it matter?…
November: A Month of Praxis & Implementation in Rural Communities What if rural change doesn’t mean waiting— but building? This November, we’re digging deep into the real force behind rural progress: the partnership of praxis and implementation. This isn’t about jargon or top-down plans. It’s not about importing urban models or chasing buzzwords. It’s about…
