Rural headlines say “dying” and “disappearing,” but the map is more interesting than that.
New: a field guide walk through jobs & income data in one #rural county—layer by layer—so you can read your own hometown’s economic map, not just the headline. #EconDev
🔗 jcshepard.com/2026/03/unde...
Treat's for Her
Plymouth, IN
My new column, What the Data Center Boom Means for Planners, has just been posted on @planetizen.bsky.social
Thanks to Laura Schmahmann for her insights on the topic. I look forward to your comments.
lnkd.in/guRjqRSe
The image depicts a historical rural schoolhouse with an attached bell tower. The black and white photograph captures the building's exterior, showcasing its simple architecture typical of early 20th-century structures in remote areas. A metal gate is partially open at the front entrance, suggesting accessibility to the property. People are gathered around what appears to be a volleyball court adjacent to the schoolhouse, with some individuals seated on benches and others standing or engaged in conversation. In the background, an expansive landscape stretches out towards distant hills under a clear sky, emphasizing the remote setting of this educational institution. The photograph's monochromatic palette adds a sense of nostalgia and timelessness to the scene. This image is part of a collection that includes various elements from rural life during Dorothea Lange's photography career in Oregon. Further information about Lincoln Bench School and yard can be found at the provided source link, which offers additional context on this specific location within Malheur County, near Ontario, Oregon.
Lincoln Bench School and yard. Near Ontario, Malheur County, Oregon
#LincolnBenchSchool #Ontario #MalheurCounty #Oregon #DorotheaLanges #undefined #photography #DorotheaLange
https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2017773617/
STaR's Vice-Chair for Communications @jcshepard.com is a guest this week on Joe Barker’s Rural Strong podcast.
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/4pdX...
Or YouTube: youtu.be/uau5zV0xJYo?...
#smalltownrural #smalltowns #rural #planning #econdev
.
The image is a black and white photograph depicting an outdoor scene with tall pine trees dominating the background. In front of these trees, there are several small wooden cabins or sheds situated on what appears to be undeveloped land with sparse grass coverage. A pile of discarded bricks or stones lies near one of the cabins, indicating possible construction work or abandonment. Behind the structures and along a dirt path, old cars can be seen parked, suggesting this might be an area for storage or perhaps once used as living quarters in a rural setting. The overall atmosphere is rustic, with a sense of quietness typical of remote areas away from urban settings. The absence of water sources nearby suggests that it could be located within arid conditions where rainfall and runoff are sparse enough to not support extensive vegetation growth around the structures.
Owner provided cabins and wood but no nearby water on this ranch (hop ranch). Oregon, Josephine County, near Grants Pass. See general caption number 45-111
#Oregon #JosephineCounty #GrantsPass #undefined #photography #DorotheaLange
https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2017773084/
We’re sold out for next week’s webinar. Thanks to all who signed up!
We'll share practical, low-cost strategies tailored for small towns and rural communities, and you’ll walk away with concrete examples and ready-to-use ideas for comprehensive plans, zoning updates, and special projects.
#CommunityEngagement #PublicProcess
#SmallTowns #Rural #planning
Rural-Ready Engagement: Practical Tools for Small Town Planners
Community engagement looks different in rural America. Join us for a one-hour webinar with @jcshepard.com Vice-Chair for Communications of STaR
📅 Wed Feb 25 | Noon MT / 1pm CT
🔗 Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/rural-read...
Will Trump’s Order on Housing Help?
Why an executive order from President Trump to curtail Wall Street’s power in the #housing market will not be effective. Build-to-rent is where the investor capital is since the pandemic.
www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
Virginia is the world’s largest data center hub, and most of the state's existing and planned data centers are located within already water-constrained watersheds.
FEMA Community Resilience Challenges Index map detail
Rural Resilience, Federal Flux: Practical Planning for Local Hazard Mitigation
(going a bit #BoyScout #BePrepared on my Medium.com Small Towns, Real Ideas newsletter "short" post this week).
medium.com/small-towns-...
#hazardmitigation #communityengagement #planning
Silo
Saint Jacob, IL
The image depicts a vintage photograph of the "Blue Blaze Coal Co." store, which is identified as being located in Consumers Utah. The building appears to be made primarily from wood and has an old-fashioned design with a large awning covering part of its facade. Above the entrance, there's signage indicating that it serves both consumers and coal company entities. The photo shows snow on the ground, suggesting wintertime or early spring conditions. There is another structure visible in the background behind the store building, which could be associated with mining operations given the context provided by "Coal Co." The overall monochromatic nature of the image hints at a historical setting, potentially dating back to an earlier period when coal was more commonly used as fuel. Additional information about this photograph can be found under 'Company store in coal town. Consumers, near Price, Utah,' which suggests that it is part of a collection or archive pertaining to industrial towns and their company stores from the past century.
Company store in coal town. Consumers, near Price, Utah
#Price #the"BlueBlazeCoalCo #ConsumersUtah #undefined #photography #DorotheaLange
https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2017762867/
Despite financial incentives renewable energy offers to small-scale farmers, the hostile attitude of the current administration towards green energy stalls its development.
Rural Versus Urban: The Growing Divide That Threatens Democracy by Suzanne Mettler and Trevor E. Brown
Suzanne Mettler
This Saturday (Jan 31) at 2:00 pm EST, see @smettler.bsky.social, co-author of Rural Versus Urban, give a lecture as part of the National Writers Series! She will discuss her book and how the urban-rural divide drives partisan polarization.
Get tickets for this hybrid event here: buff.ly/2QZ3VnT
The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is one of the first hemp fiber processors in Kansas, and wants the investment to benefit both the tribe and the environment. The new products include insulation and compostable cutlery.
"The people who have the most to gain from this are legislators in rural areas"
43 percent of road deaths occur in rural areas, despite being home to only 20 percent of the U.S. population
"rural pedestrians...don't even have a crumbling sidewalk... they literally have nothing"
APA STaR 2026 Awards for Excellence in Small Town & Rural Planning nominations now open through 1/23 (next week!).
Info at link in graphic/bio.
#SmallTownRural
2025 Planning Excellence Awards Results are in!
international.planning.org/community/aw...
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the Planning Excellence Awards 2025. Congratulations to all!
Small town & rural planning award nominations for 2026
Showcase your planning projects and initiatives. Submit for a STAR Planning Award today!
Small Town and Rural Planning award submissions for 2026 are now being accpted. Check the STAR Newsletter or our new website for more information. smalltown.planning.org
#smalltownrural #planning
Promotional graphic stating that rural counties with high broadband use saw 213% greater business growth compared to low-use counties, against a blue map background. The Urban Institute "U" logo is listed in the bottom right-hand corner.
Many rural and Native American #communities in the US face the biggest #digitaldivide in high-speed internet access. Urban’s #research, supported by Comcast, explores strategies to expand connectivity for all.
Learn more. https://urbn.is/4sFSuvU
🌾 Winter 2026 STaR newsletter is live for members!
STaR Awards open for 3 more weeks—contact Vice Chair of Programs for your submission link.
#NPC26 details dropping soon--see you in Michigan in April!
STaR members log on & d/l yours: smalltown.planning.org
#SmallTownRural #planning
Trends come and go, but what’s always “in” is humbly observing where your community struggles. What’s always “in” is thinking of the next smallest thing you can do to address that struggle.
Then you do it. Do it now.
And repeat.
* Comprehensive Plan or Special Project Plan
* Planning Initiative
* Student Project
* Small Town or Rural Planner
All the info on our spiffy new STaR Division pages at APA's website:
smalltown.planning.org/community-ou...
APA STaR 2026 Awards for Excellence in Small Town and Rural Planning
Happy New Year! APA STaR Division's Small Town & Rural Planning Award nominations are open, now through January 23rd. You've got 3 weeks to get your projects or people recognized for the hard work you do.
Giant rock formations shrouded in mist, with a small tree perched on red rock in the foreground.
Zion National Park for New Years was truly magical. It rained all day, but that weather produced the most amazing clouds and mist. Can’t wait to go back. ❤️
#zion #zionnationalpark #photography #landscapephotography #rainydays
Small towns don’t need less planning—they need planning that fits their people, land, and budgets. A six‑step, rural‑ready path from vision to action. Kicking off a year-long series on small town and rural comprehensive planning.
jcshepard.com/2026/01/plan...
#smalltowns #rural #planning #plans
