Recently, during a visit to North Carolina by municipal officials from the country of Moldova, they and fellow municipal officials from around Wake County discussed possible "sister city" arrangements, to learn from one another and possibly create mutual resource opportunties. But sister-city arrangements can form for a number of reasons. On this episode we look at the impacts of sister city arrangements in North Carolina and beyond, and how it all works.

EP 79: How Sister Cities Work

When you think of downtown alleys, what comes to mind? Bad associations, maybe? The place to avoid at night? Ever since childhood, Americans have had the general impression that alleyways are dark, dirty, dangerous -- the right setting for noir crime stories. And that might sometimes be the case. But some U.S. cities are starting to embrace their alleys like assets -- as places to be -- with art, lighting, planters, seating and cleanliness. This is a classic episode of Municipal Equation from 2017, loaded with interesting voices and ideas.

EP 78: Ideas from the Alley

Welcome to a special LIVE episode of Municpial Equation, NCLM's podcast about cities and towns adapting to change, recorded in December with a panelists about HOW public art is achieved, with expert voices from the realm of local government. This episode was recorded at the N.C. Local Government Budget Association's winter conference. Special thanks to them.  2017 episode:  Previous live episode with NCLGBA:

EP 77: So You Want to Commission a Mural

The Town of Cary was recently recognized as one of the top three places to work, nationally, in terms of local government. What does that mean? How is something like that achieved? We speak with Cary Manager Sean Stegall to learn what they're doing differently. Municipal Equation is the podcast about cities and towns adapting to change, from the North Carolina League of Municipalities.

Episode 76:  Town of Cary A Best Place to Work, Nationally

As various public and private services adapt to evolved consumer expectations, local governments around the country are themselves adapting with in-house "digital service teams" to deliver in a modern, convenient way. In fact, these teams are becoming ubiquitous. But let's back up. What is a digital service team in the context of local government? What do they do? How are they assembled? And are they feasible for towns of all sizes? Joshua Pine of the National League of Cities joins us to discuss digital service teams, which some observers say aren't just a trend, but are here to stay.  Related reading:

Ep 75: Digital Service Teams at City Hall

We talk with Lena Geraghty of the National League of Cities about  in our cities and towns, and how municipal leaders can play a role in making it as good and inclusive as possible.

EP 74: Preparing for the Future of Work

Let's take a tour around this state we love so much. On this episode of Municipal Equation, NCLM's podcast about cities and towns adapting to change, we explore how municipalities from the mountains to the coast are programming their American Rescue Plan allocations -- federal funds with transformative potential, and recipient cities are acting in that regard. Our guest on this episode is NCLM's Jack Cassidy, who has been covering ARP from its inception and likes to point out that when municipalities get support, they get the job done. Plenty of examples to celebrate and inspire, here. Listen now.

Episode 73: ARP in Action

Cities and towns so good that vacations become permanent stays. On this episode of Municipal Equation, we talk with VisitNC, the state's promotional and tourism outfit, about its Dream Big in Small Town NC initiative, which aims to connect travelers with the state's alluring small towns -- places so great they're hard to leave, and that's the idea.

EP 72: Dreaming Big in Small Towns

On this episode of Municipal Equation, the podcast about cities adapting to change, we talk with Mayor Hugh Credle of Weldon, N.C., to learn how his small town is thinking big with the help of the river -- the Roanoke -- running just alongside its limits.

EP 71: Flexing the River (with Weldon, NC)

In April, during his acceptance speech as the new president of the N.C. League of Municipalities, Kings Mountain Mayor Scott Neisler emphasized that public service can be fun, that we can enjoy ourselves in working together, knowing our communities and their histories, charting how they've changed over time and what the future calls for. On this episode, we hear the affable president's perspective on service and his priorities ahead, in addition to some of the ways he's stepped forward to make positive change where he lives.

EP 70: President Neisler Speaks

Municipal Equation is a podcast about cities and towns in changing times. Created by the North Carolina League of Municipalities. Producer/host/music Ben Brown.

Well researched and fascinating subject matter.

Awesome Podcast

Highly recommended

Municipal Equation Podcast

Local governments are always looking for ways to get kids involved. Meanwhile, millions of skaters across the U.S. are doing their thing -- often to the irritation of business owners and law enforcement. On this episode, we look at the big things that happen when kids and government get together to develop public skateparks, a solution that takes away tension, encourages civic involvement and celebrates freedom and creativity. It's no wonder they often end up being the most popular feature of the local parks system. Listen in for practical advice from the Tony Hawk Foundation, lessons from a police captain who did an about-face with the local skating community, progress from a city currently developing a skatepark, and unquestionable testimony from kids who've benefited from the free, 24-hour public skatepark in their town. Show notes: UPDATE 12/7/17 Curbed article featuring this episode - https://www.curbed.com/2017/12/7/16746468/design-parks-skateboarding-teens Skatepark advice and financial help - http://tonyhawkfoundation.org Public Skatepark Development Guide - http://publicskateparkguide.org Rodgers Family Skate Plaza, Apex, N.C. - https://www.apexnc.org/485/Trackside-Skate-Plaza News story from the Skate Plaza's opening in 2015 - http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/southwest-wake-news/article30160455.html Morganton, N.C., skatepark in the works - http://www.morgantonnc.gov/index.php/government/city-manager/public-information-office/news-releases/2579-skate-park-moves-forward

Local governments are always looking for ways to get kids involved. Meanwhile, millions of skaters across the U.S. are doing their thing -- often to the irritation of business owners and law enforcement. On this episode, we look at the big things that happen when kids and government get together to develop public skateparks, a solution that takes away tension, encourages civic involvement and celebrates freedom and creativity. It's no wonder they often end up being the most popular feature of the local parks system. Listen in for practical advice from the Tony Hawk Foundation, lessons from a police captain who did an about-face with the local skating community, progress from a city currently developing a skatepark, and unquestionable testimony from kids who've benefited from the free, 24-hour public skatepark in their town. Show notes: UPDATE 12/7/17 Curbed article featuring this episode - <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2017/12/7/16746468/design-parks-skateboarding-teens" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.curbed.com/2017/12/7/16746468/design-parks-skateboarding-teens</a> Skatepark advice and financial help - <a href="http://tonyhawkfoundation.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://tonyhawkfoundation.org</a> Public Skatepark Development Guide - <a href="http://publicskateparkguide.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://publicskateparkguide.org</a> Rodgers Family Skate Plaza, Apex, N.C. - <a href="https://www.apexnc.org/485/Trackside-Skate-Plaza" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.apexnc.org/485/Trackside-Skate-Plaza</a> News story from the Skate Plaza's opening in 2015 - <a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/southwest-wake-news/article30160455.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/southwest-wake-news/article30160455.html</a> Morganton, N.C., skatepark in the works - <a href="http://www.morgantonnc.gov/index.php/government/city-manager/public-information-office/news-releases/2579-skate-park-moves-forward" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.morgantonnc.gov/index.php/government/city-manager/public-information-office/news-releases/2579-skate-park-moves-forward</a>

EP 27: The Skatepark Solution

After a little downtime, we're back -- and let's pick up with a fun one. On this episode, we continue our quest for ways to better connect with or figure out the city you're in -- whether it's your hometown or a place you've never been before. Here, we're documenting and learning the secrets of the city through street photography, as guided by notables from around the world. Hear from Craig Reilly (Street Photography International co-founder, Olympus ambassador), Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin (celebrated L.A. street photographer focused on the changing city) and Jerome De Perlinghi (career international photographer, Eyes on Main Street Photography Festival curator) on what they're able to extract between curiosity, chance, a walk, and a camera. We hit London, Los Angeles, Wilson (N.C.) and Kuala Lumpur. Craig Reilly   Craig at Street Photography International   Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin   Kwasi in the New York Times   Jerome De Perlinghi   Eyes on Main Street Photography Festival

EP 59: Street Photography, the City and You

Women are the majority of the United States, but only a slice of government leadership. On this episode, we talk with women working to turn the dial with research, myth-busting, confidence-building and a business case. (Tai chi, too.) We hear from the heads of the League of Women in Government, the president of N.C. Women in Municipal Government, and other local government officials who see positive trends but a lot of work to do. Oh, but first, we have to check in with a mayor and his mother who just made national TV. League of Women in Government  Morrisville, N.C., Council Member Liz Johnson (N.C. Women in Municipal Government President)  1976 ICMA report on women in the profession  ELGL's Local Government Diversity Dashboard Kickstarter  Rebecca Ryan -  "Spotlight on Clayton" with Mayor Jody McLeod and Mother Mayor  "The Mayor" promo with Mayor McLeod  That old workplace film reel

EP 35: 'Without Being Nudged' - Advancing Women in Government Leadership

There are so many cities and towns right now on amazing rebounds in the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. But what's missing? As innovation economies grow, we keep hearing more and more about the need for "inclusive innovation" in cities. But are we clear on what that entails? On this episode, we head out to Durham, N.C. -- an innovation-heavy city surging with activity -- to meet up with an authority on the subject. Christopher Gergen, an entrepreneurial leader and head of inclusive innovation collaborative Forward Cities, says the stakes are nothing to ignore. Listen and hear why. Show notes: Christopher Gergen, Forward Cities - http://www.forwardcities.org/convenings/2015/durham/forward-cities-staff/Christopher-Gergen.aspx Forward Cities main page - http://www.forwardcities.org @forwardcities - https://twitter.com/ForwardCities TechCrunch, "As tech startups surge in cities, inclusive economic growth must be a priority" - https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/10/as-tech-startups-surge-in-cities-inclusive-economic-growth-must-be-a-priority/ Pittsburgh's Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation - http://pittsburghpa.gov/innovation-performance/innovationroadmap/index.html Gergen's previous appearance on Municipal Equation, "The Five Levers of the Local Innovation Ecosystem" - https://soundcloud.com/municipalequation/ep-03 InnovateNC - http://innovatenc.org 2016 Southern City article, "How to Drive Innovation in any Community " - https://www.nclm.org/programs-services/publications/southern-city/2016/2016-07/Pages/HowtoDriveInnovationinanyCommunity.aspx#.WSNK4u1tmUk

There are so many cities and towns right now on amazing rebounds in the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. But what's missing? As innovation economies grow, we keep hearing more and more about the need for "inclusive innovation" in cities. But are we clear on what that entails? On this episode, we head out to Durham, N.C. -- an innovation-heavy city surging with activity -- to meet up with an authority on the subject. Christopher Gergen, an entrepreneurial leader and head of inclusive innovation collaborative Forward Cities, says the stakes are nothing to ignore. Listen and hear why. Show notes: Christopher Gergen, Forward Cities - <a href="http://www.forwardcities.org/convenings/2015/durham/forward-cities-staff/Christopher-Gergen.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.forwardcities.org/convenings/2015/durham/forward-cities-staff/Christopher-Gergen.aspx</a> Forward Cities main page - <a href="http://www.forwardcities.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.forwardcities.org</a> @forwardcities - <a href="https://twitter.com/ForwardCities" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/ForwardCities</a> TechCrunch, "As tech startups surge in cities, inclusive economic growth must be a priority" - <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/10/as-tech-startups-surge-in-cities-inclusive-economic-growth-must-be-a-priority/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/10/as-tech-startups-surge-in-cities-inclusive-economic-growth-must-be-a-priority/</a> Pittsburgh's Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation - <a href="http://pittsburghpa.gov/innovation-performance/innovationroadmap/index.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://pittsburghpa.gov/innovation-performance/innovationroadmap/index.html</a> Gergen's previous appearance on Municipal Equation, "The Five Levers of the Local Innovation Ecosystem" - <a href="https://soundcloud.com/municipalequation/ep-03" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://soundcloud.com/municipalequation/ep-03</a> InnovateNC - <a href="http://innovatenc.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://innovatenc.org</a> 2016 Southern City article, "How to Drive Innovation in any Community " - <a href="https://www.nclm.org/programs-services/publications/southern-city/2016/2016-07/Pages/HowtoDriveInnovationinanyCommunity.aspx#.WSNK4u1tmUk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.nclm.org/programs-services/publications/southern-city/2016/2016-07/Pages/HowtoDriveInnovationinanyCommunity.aspx#.WSNK4u1tmUk</a>

EP 25: Inclusive Innovation

It's no secret that infrastructure across the nation has gotten to ragged condition. What you maybe didn't know was that the burden of paying for it keeps sliding to local government. Why? And, more importantly, is there anything we can do? We dig in with guests national, state and local to talk about the infrastructure deficit and the tools municipalities can explore to trim it down. A recent report from the National League of Cities served as inspiration for this episode. Show notes: NLC report: http://www.nlc.org/Documents/Find%20City%20Solutions/City-Solutions-and-Applied-Research/NLC_2016_Infrastructure_Report.pdf

It's no secret that infrastructure across the nation has gotten to ragged condition. What you maybe didn't know was that the burden of paying for it keeps sliding to local government. Why? And, more importantly, is there anything we can do? We dig in with guests national, state and local to talk about the infrastructure deficit and the tools municipalities can explore to trim it down. A recent report from the National League of Cities served as inspiration for this episode. Show notes: NLC report: <a href="http://www.nlc.org/Documents/Find%20City%20Solutions/City-Solutions-and-Applied-Research/NLC_2016_Infrastructure_Report.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.nlc.org/Documents/Find%20City%20Solutions/City-Solutions-and-Applied-Research/NLC_2016_Infrastructure_Report.pdf</a>

EP 02: The Municipal Infrastructure Quandary

Of all the political, economic and cultural concerns of today, the “urban-rural divide” is no slouch. But sometimes it’s oversimplified, devoid of nuance, or turned into an adversarial narrative (i.e. “urban vs. rural”), instead of carefully analyzed for greater-good fixes. On this episode, we delve into a recent report that pulls apart that narrative and gives us a different way of looking at this “divide,” and shows us how urban and rural may be more linked than one might think. Christiana McFarland of the National League of Cities joins us. NLC report, “Bridging the Urban-Rural Economic Divide” -  Episode 36: Urban Cowboy 2, or Squashing ‘Urban Vs. Rural’ -

EP 48: Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide

If a city or town is intentional enough, it can foster a local innovation ecosystem -- which isn't just a game reserved for major metros. Christopher Gergen, leader of learning collaborative Forward Cities and entrepreneurship group Forward Impact, tells us how he's seen his town and others of varying sizes become thriving, colorful hubs of creativity and innovation. How? It starts with understanding five specific levers, and the role of local government in pulling them. Gergen offers big takeaways in this field-trip episode recorded at the Bullpen, Duke University’s bullish entrepreneurial space in downtown Durham, North Carolina. Show notes: -Christopher Gergen: https://entrepreneurship.duke.edu/associate/christopher-gergen/ Forward Cities: http://www.forwardcities.org Forward Impact: http://www.forwardimpact.info The Bullpen: https://entrepreneurship.duke.edu/bullpen/

If a city or town is intentional enough, it can foster a local innovation ecosystem -- which isn't just a game reserved for major metros. Christopher Gergen, leader of learning collaborative Forward Cities and entrepreneurship group Forward Impact, tells us how he's seen his town and others of varying sizes become thriving, colorful hubs of creativity and innovation. How? It starts with understanding five specific levers, and the role of local government in pulling them. Gergen offers big takeaways in this field-trip episode recorded at the Bullpen, Duke University’s bullish entrepreneurial space in downtown Durham, North Carolina. Show notes: -Christopher Gergen: <a href="https://entrepreneurship.duke.edu/associate/christopher-gergen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://entrepreneurship.duke.edu/associate/christopher-gergen/</a> Forward Cities: <a href="http://www.forwardcities.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.forwardcities.org</a> Forward Impact: <a href="http://www.forwardimpact.info" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.forwardimpact.info</a> The Bullpen: <a href="https://entrepreneurship.duke.edu/bullpen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://entrepreneurship.duke.edu/bullpen/</a>

EP 03: The Five Levers of the Local Innovation Ecosystem

On this episode, we journey into the psychology of moving from place to place and searching for the perfect town or city to settle down in -- if there is such a thing. Sometimes it comes with finding creative ways to build a relationship with your locale -- a conversation with huge insights not only for residents of any town but for local government as well. Our guest is Melody Warnick, author of a new book, "This is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live." You can listen to the episode over and over again and still find new things to take away. Show notes: http://melodywarnick.com Clip near beginning from 1970s "Greensboro is a Place" promotional video, via UNC-Greensboro University Libraries.

On this episode, we journey into the psychology of moving from place to place and searching for the perfect town or city to settle down in -- if there is such a thing. Sometimes it comes with finding creative ways to build a relationship with your locale -- a conversation with huge insights not only for residents of any town but for local government as well. Our guest is Melody Warnick, author of a new book, "This is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live." You can listen to the episode over and over again and still find new things to take away. Show notes: <a href="http://melodywarnick.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://melodywarnick.com</a> Clip near beginning from 1970s "Greensboro is a Place" promotional video, via UNC-Greensboro University Libraries.

EP 04: The Science of Place Attachment

The local media landscape is pretty fluid right now: extinct or shrunken newspapers, online-only outlets, freshly grown media entities that may or may not be objective. What's all this mean for local government? Is a reliable, objective media purely about watchdog dynamics? What about when local government needs to get its messages out? What happens when the local government IS the news source? It's too big a topic to solve on a podcast episode, but it's worth the talk. Episode 44: Chief Storyteller -  Michael Grass, Route Fifty -  The Source -  By the Bay -  By the Bay featured in Editor and Publisher -  Adweek coverage of The Source -  "To Inform and to Serve," sampled on this episode -

EP 51 - City Hall Beat

For our 50th episode, we're taking a break from the frequent talk of policy, economics and technology to tour the local dialects of the United States, the spoken identifiers of a city or region. Why do people in Chicago, or St. Louis, or the Outer Banks of North Carolina sound the way they do? What's in a voice? And what's happening that's changing those dialects or accents forever?  Walt Wolfram and "Talkin' Tar Heel" -  Edward McClelland and "How to Speak Midwestern" -  Library of Congress, The Center for Applied Linguistics Collection -  Garden &amp; Gun's Whole Hog podcast feat. Walt Wolfram -  CityLab, Edward McClelland, "Why City Accents are Fading in the Midwest" -  CityLab, "Techies Are Destroying Raleigh's Southern Accent" -  Podcast Engineering Show, Session 91, feat. Ben Brown -  Atlas Obscura, "How a Fake British Accent Took Hollywood by Storm" -  Philadelphia Story scene -

EP 50: Talking Dialects 

It's one of the biggest federal projects going, and it affects all of us. What do we need to know about the 2020 Census? It's different from any in the past. How private is the information being collected? What's it's used for? And how can we be sure it's accurate? We're joined by the U.S. Census Bureau, the National League of Cities, state government and academics on this, our 60th episode. General 2020 Census info   2020 Census questions   NLC resource, Cities Count: Preparing for the 2020 Census   D. Sunshine Hillygus   The Hard Count: The Political and Social Challenges of Census Mobilization   News story, Census Bureau to Test How Controversial Citizenship Question Affects Responses

EP 60: Inside the 2020 Census 

How do dogs figure into economic development? It's no joke. Ask the analysts who take economic vitals from man's best friend. Ask the industries that profit majorly from pet ownership. Or ask the Town of Benson, which em-barked on a dog-focused project to fetch economic bone-efits. Quartz piece connecting dogs and economic development -  Dog elected mayor -  Another dog elected mayor -  Benson profile, Southern City magazine - https://www.nclm.org/resourcelibrary/Shared%20Documents/Southern%20City/JanFeb2017.pdf

How do dogs figure into economic development? It's no joke. Ask the analysts who take economic vitals from man's best friend. Ask the industries that profit majorly from pet ownership. Or ask the Town of Benson, which em-barked on a dog-focused project to fetch economic bone-efits. Quartz piece connecting dogs and economic development -  Dog elected mayor -  Another dog elected mayor -  Benson profile, Southern City magazine - <a href="https://www.nclm.org/resourcelibrary/Shared%20Documents/Southern%20City/JanFeb2017.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.nclm.org/resourcelibrary/Shared%20Documents/Southern%20City/JanFeb2017.pdf</a>

EP 46: Doggonomics 

For as often as we hear the phrase "urban versus rural" -- like it's an irreconcilable competition between two oppositely distinct regions -- there are loads of examples of urban and rural communities working together to learn from one another, obliterate stereotypes on each end and team up on common goals. It's also fallacious to think "urban" and "rural" describe the whole of a truly complex spectrum of local economies. On this episode we head to Kentucky to check out a successful barrier-breaker called the Rural Urban Exchange before a meetup with the National League of Cities to map out how varied our cities and towns really are -- and how they depend on one another. Show notes: Kentucky Rural Urban Exchange (RUX) - http://www.kyrux.org/ AP story about RUX - https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kentucky/articles/2017-06-29/kentucky-man-taking-part-in-rural-urban-exchange NLC, 'Beyond Urban vs. Rural' - http://nlc.org/article/beyond-urban-vs-rural-new-report-reveals-five-distinct-local-economies Steve Holt, CityLab, 'What's the Future of the Urban Farmers' Market?' - https://www.citylab.com/environment/2017/09/whats-the-future-of-the-urban-farmers-market/538839/

For as often as we hear the phrase "urban versus rural" -- like it's an irreconcilable competition between two oppositely distinct regions -- there are loads of examples of urban and rural communities working together to learn from one another, obliterate stereotypes on each end and team up on common goals. It's also fallacious to think "urban" and "rural" describe the whole of a truly complex spectrum of local economies. On this episode we head to Kentucky to check out a successful barrier-breaker called the Rural Urban Exchange before a meetup with the National League of Cities to map out how varied our cities and towns really are -- and how they depend on one another. Show notes: Kentucky Rural Urban Exchange (RUX) - <a href="http://www.kyrux.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.kyrux.org/</a> AP story about RUX - <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kentucky/articles/2017-06-29/kentucky-man-taking-part-in-rural-urban-exchange" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kentucky/articles/2017-06-29/kentucky-man-taking-part-in-rural-urban-exchange</a> NLC, 'Beyond Urban vs. Rural' - <a href="http://nlc.org/article/beyond-urban-vs-rural-new-report-reveals-five-distinct-local-economies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://nlc.org/article/beyond-urban-vs-rural-new-report-reveals-five-distinct-local-economies</a> Steve Holt, CityLab, 'What's the Future of the Urban Farmers' Market?' - <a href="https://www.citylab.com/environment/2017/09/whats-the-future-of-the-urban-farmers-market/538839/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.citylab.com/environment/2017/09/whats-the-future-of-the-urban-farmers-market/538839/</a>

EP 36: Urban Cowboy 2, or Squashing 'Urban Vs. Rural'

Preview of Episode 24: Beep Beep

REBROADCAST with UPDATES We've all heard about the hard times that honeybees are going through and the huge implications for us all. But how do cities fit into all this? There's a surprising compatibility between cities and bees, and a role local governments can play. This episode comes just ahead of National Pollinator Week (June 19-25, though some honor it all month). To celebrate, we're joined by Bee Downtown, Bee City USA, and other voices covering the North Carolina cities of West Jefferson, Davidson, Asheville, Durham and beyond. Loads of trivia and insights on this one. Bee Downtown - http://beedowntown.org Bee City USA -  The Town of Davidson Becomes the 37th Bee City USA in the Nation -  USDA Colony Collapse Disorder and Honey Bee Health Action Plan -  Agriculture Research Service info on honeybee health -  Skeptoid episode and transcript, "Colony Collapse Disorder: Science and Pseudoscience" -  Pollinator Week -  News story, "A third of the nation's honeybee colonies died last year. Why you should care." -

REBROADCAST with UPDATES We've all heard about the hard times that honeybees are going through and the huge implications for us all. But how do cities fit into all this? There's a surprising compatibility between cities and bees, and a role local governments can play. This episode comes just ahead of National Pollinator Week (June 19-25, though some honor it all month). To celebrate, we're joined by Bee Downtown, Bee City USA, and other voices covering the North Carolina cities of West Jefferson, Davidson, Asheville, Durham and beyond. Loads of trivia and insights on this one. Bee Downtown - <a href="http://beedowntown.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://beedowntown.org</a> Bee City USA - The Town of Davidson Becomes the 37th Bee City USA in the Nation - USDA Colony Collapse Disorder and Honey Bee Health Action Plan - Agriculture Research Service info on honeybee health - Skeptoid episode and transcript, "Colony Collapse Disorder: Science and Pseudoscience" - Pollinator Week - News story, "A third of the nation's honeybee colonies died last year. Why you should care." -

Episode 49: Bee Downtown (Rebroadcast with Updates) 

When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looks into the ailments of a particular community, it’s safe to assume the concern is infection or some similar local threat to human bodily health. So when the CDC started investigating the youth violence plaguing Wilmington, Del. -- a first-of-its-kind study -- it was different. But not inconsistent. Increasingly, communities and their governments are reframing their approaches to crime, by considering it a treatable public health issue before one of criminal justice. On this episode we delve in with several voices from the conversation. A portion of it comes from a session of the National League of Cities' annual conference held late last year in Charlotte. CDC report on Wilmington, Del., firearm violence and prevention -  Southern City magazine, "Crime as a public health issue" -  CitiesSpeak, "Leaving mass incarceration behind: How cities are turning to a public health approach to violence" -  Daniel Latorre -

EP 45: Crime as a Public Health Issue

The FCC's map of broadband availability in the U.S. is a basis for policymaking, funding decisions and planning to close service gaps for communities. But what if we told you that map, as many can testify, is pretty inaccurate? How? Why? What's the fallout, here? As fast internet service increasingly solidifies itself as necessary infrastructure, it's vital we have accurate data to shape our policymaking and funding decisions. So what's going on here? We dig in on this episode. (Stick around, too, as we have updates on past episodes that you guys pitched.)  FCC broadband map https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/#/ Doug Dawson's "Pots and Pans" blog   Municipal Equation EP 47 "Leaping the Digital Divide"   N.C. Broadband Infrastructure Office  NCLM report, "Leaping the Digital Divide"

The FCC's map of broadband availability in the U.S. is a basis for policymaking, funding decisions and planning to close service gaps for communities. But what if we told you that map, as many can testify, is pretty inaccurate? How? Why? What's the fallout, here? As fast internet service increasingly solidifies itself as necessary infrastructure, it's vital we have accurate data to shape our policymaking and funding decisions. So what's going on here? We dig in on this episode. (Stick around, too, as we have updates on past episodes that you guys pitched.)  FCC broadband map <a href="https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/#/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/#/</a> Doug Dawson's "Pots and Pans" blog   Municipal Equation EP 47 "Leaping the Digital Divide"   N.C. Broadband Infrastructure Office  NCLM report, "Leaping the Digital Divide"

EP 58: The Map Is Wrong

Muni Replay! Here's one of our most popular episodes. Meanwhile, we're headed to the coast to record a special live episode, which we'll bring you soon! When you think of downtown alleys, what comes to mind? Bad associations, maybe? The place to avoid at night? Ever since childhood, Americans have had the general impression that alleyways are dark, dirty, dangerous -- the right setting for noir crime stories. And that might often be the case. But some U.S. cities are starting to embrace their alleys like assets -- as places to be -- with art, lighting, planters, seating and cleanliness. Inviting spaces that pedestrians can use to cut from block to block. Some alleyway owners even hold weekend events in them. There's a lot you can do to sweep out the bad associations and boost charm and use, if you want to. What could you do with your downtown alleys? You'll hear tons of ideas and considerations on this intercontinental episode. Show notes: Peter Gorman, "A Guide to Value Added Alleys" -  Allison Meier, Hyperallergic, "LED Street Art Lights Up a Dark, Dodgy Alley in Philadelphia" -  Wilson, Artsy Alleys -  Wilson Times, "Project adds color to downtown alleys" -  Shelby Star, "Local scout takes on alley beautification for Eagle Scout Project" -  "Alleys in Urban Design: History and Application" -  Public art episode followups (thanks for sending these!): Monroe, La., News Star "'Wish you were here'! Artists paint postcard-style murals in the Twin Cities,"  Wilmington, N.C., Star-News, "Public art in New Hanover Co. spurs both aesthetic and economic activity, backers say" -  Durham, N.C., Herald-Sun, "New public art in Durham coming to a corner near you?"  And some vintage stranger-danger vids: "Don't Talk to Strangers" -  "Dangerous Stranger" -  "Never Be A Victim" -

Episode 53: Back Into the Alley

Appropriate to the age of exponential innovation, the smart-cities conversation is moving quickly. Should we it slow down? Explore additional ethical questions? Evaluate our best practices and ideas? More and more people think so. On this episode, we meet a town that's built a "simulated smart city" so they can try it before they buy it and experiment to better understand how it all fits together. And we talk with an author whose new book, among many other things, questions whether advances in civic technology are really taking the complexities of human beings and their various communities into account. Are we being inclusive in our efforts to collect better public data, engage with residents, and manage municipal resources? (After that, we get a bit lighter -- by listing out some of the best fictional mayors of all time, as submitted by you.) Episode 18, "The Smart Cities Primer" -  GovTech, "Cary, N.C., Turns Existing Government Campus Into a Simulated Smart City" -  Cary Citizen, "Cary Joins Municipal Initiative to Streamline Data, Share with Other Towns" -  Book by Cassim Shepard, "Citymakers" -  Urban Omnibus, a publication of The Architectural League of New York -  Popular Mechanics, "Bill Gates Is Buying Land in Arizona to Build a Smart City" -  Places Journal, "A City Is Not A Computer" -  Richard Florida, "Innovation and Urban Inequality Go Hand in Hand" -  Tech Crunch, "Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs to turn Toronto area into a model smart city" -  Death and Taxes piece, "The politics of Mayor McCheese from McDonaldland" -  Episode 17, "That High Lonesome Data" -

EP 38: Being Careful About Smart Cities and Civic Tech (And the Best Fictional Mayors)

A little while back, we began talking with police chiefs for a video series on what they're doing to tackle the surging opioid problem locally -- and sat upright at the different approaches of chiefs Tom Bashore in Nashville, N.C., and Bill Hollingsed in Waynesville, N.C. They're seeing results, even as one of the chiefs said this approach initially was out of his comfort zone. So we made an episode to explain it all, step by step. (This joins with the video series and other resources now available in the N.C. League of Municipalities' Opioid Solutions Toolbox at nclm.org/opioidsolutions.)

A little while back, we began talking with police chiefs for a video series on what they're doing to tackle the surging opioid problem locally -- and sat upright at the different approaches of chiefs Tom Bashore in Nashville, N.C., and Bill Hollingsed in Waynesville, N.C. They're seeing results, even as one of the chiefs said this approach initially was out of his comfort zone. So we made an episode to explain it all, step by step. (This joins with the video series and other resources now available in the N.C. League of Municipalities' Opioid Solutions Toolbox at <a href="http://nclm.org/opioidsolutions" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nclm.org/opioidsolutions</a>.)

EP 57: 'We Can't Arrest Our Way Out of This' 

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