Municipal Equation Podcast (NC League of Municipalities)

What could aliens and flying saucers mean to a community and its government? Like, for real. Whether you believe we've actually been visited by interplanetary travelers or whether simple, Earthly explanations cover the sightings and stories, no community has a stronger association with extra terrestrials and UFOs than Roswell, New Mexico. On this episode, we look at what that means from a community and economic-development angle. We're joined by a ufologist and one of the world's foremost experts on what's called "the Roswell Incident" and from a spokesperson of the local government itself. Ultimately it's about embracing your community's story and taking it to intergalatic levels. City of Roswell, N.M. https://roswell-nm.gov Blog of Dr. Kevin Randle http://kevinrandle.blogspot.com Randle's latest book on Roswell, "Roswell in the 21st Century" "Report of Air Force Research Regarding the 'Roswell Incident'" (July 1994) https://www.nsa.gov/Portals/70/documents/news-features/declassified-documents/ufo/report_af_roswell.pdf "The Roswell Report: Case Closed" https://archive.org/stream/AFD-101027-030/AFD-101027-030_djvu.txt Roswell tourism video https://roswell-nm.gov/656/Tourism-Video  

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"   

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.

North Carolina cities and towns will receive $1.3 billion in federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds in 2021 and 2022. That is a staggering number, and it encompasses just a small piece of the ARP. More funds will be sent to North Carolina counties. Still more is going to the state itself. Never before has money flowed directly to our cities and towns like it will through the ARP, and as such, it is a generational opportunity—to both recover from the pandemic and to prosper well into the future.

The Town of Boone appears to be the first in North Carolina to have shifted from fossil fuels to 100 percent renewable energy for its municipal facilities, and many years ahead of its own timeline for doing so. But how? On this episode of Municipal Equation, the League’s podcast about cities and towns adapting in the face of change, we talk with Boone Sustainability Manager George Santucci for an education on how the town and its leaders paired will with recognition of resources to achieve a big goal the town’s people can be proud of.  Is there a story from your town that would make a great highlight for Municipal Equation? Email the show’s host/producer Ben Brown at to be featured.

Iowa Watershed Approach  

Audio companion to the North Carolina League of Municipalities' fiscal year 2019-20 annual report. Produced by the League's Communications team. 

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 & 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 -      

The people say it's time to close the broadband gap, and really find a way to make internet speeds adequate for the modern age, for everyone, from areas in cities where the service isn't enough, to rural areas that lack access altogether. A new report shows us how to get there. On this episode, we hear from the report's authors along with state- and local-level leaders who endorse the plan as essential to connect residents with the gigabit pace of the world. Full report this episode was based on: https://www.nclm.org/broadband    

Out on April 17. Thanks.

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. 

A new program from the North Carolina League of Municipalities is convening frank talks with municipal officials about racial tensions and inequities in our communities. Learn how DIRECT (Diversity, Inclusion & Racial Equity for Cities & Towns) works for better lives through best practices and historical knowledge. Mark your calendars -- on Feb. 1, at 10 a.m., DIRECT will hold a webinar, which you'll have to register for. You can find it on the events calendar at nclm.org. This webinar will provide the basics city and town leaders need to advance discussions and local efforts on racial equity. Webinar attendees will have the opportunity to learn valuable information and engage in meaningful conversations. The course includes: -Discussion of the importance of racial equity and its associated values -Review of historical events that have impacted racial equity at the national, state, and local level -Examination of relevant data that impacts racial equity -Strategies and tools for practical solutions at the local level -Participation in a racial wealth gap learning simulation The DIRECT webinar is available to members for $65 plus applicable taxes and $75 plus applicable taxes to nonmembers. Attendees who complete the course will earn 2.5 credit hours toward AML’s Order of Municipal Leadership. ​If your town wants to address racial inequities, but you’re not sure where to start, Introducing DIRECT: How Cities and Towns Can Engage in Racial Equity Conversations is the first step in learning more. .

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:    

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  

Municipal Equation over the years has covered the challenges and successes of local law enforcement in a variety of ways. Today, we hear from the League of Municipalities’ in-house Shield Services experts – Tom Anderson and Joe Graziano, both of whom help agencies through the times, able to cite their own experience on the clock as sworn officers – about what it’s looking like out there today for law enforcement and public safety. Analysis of risks and liabilities; work toward innovations and solutions – it all makes for a thick conversation, evolving always, and it’s important that agencies participate together to understand and move the common needle, they say. “We’re only as strong as our networking,” Graziano told Municipal Equation. “Nobody can do this job alone.” Enjoy a full episode of interesting facts and candid perspective from League representatives who know the story closely. 

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:    

It's summer, and beach towns all along the coast are each receiving thousands and thousands of visitors from across the U.S. Take Atlantic Beach, N.C., for example. It has a year-round population of about 1,500, but in the summer months that number surges to roughly 50,000. How in the world does such a small community -- with limited staffing and resources -- prepare for that? How can it provide adequate services, like police or even enough public water, amid outsize demand? What's the procedure when someone calls the authorities to report mysterious matter washing ashore? And did you know it's somebody's job there to make sure the beach is still there for tourists? Yes, literally. It's amazing how it all comes together, though we suntanned beneficiaries seldom ever consider it. Let's think back to that classic summer vacation as we hear from a panel of experts in this special live episode of Municipal Equation, recorded with an audience in Atlantic Beach.

At a recent gathering of North Carolina municipal leaders, discussion briefly fell on a viral form of accountability activism from the public: “First Amendment audits," performed by citizen "auditors," with whom many local governments have had unforgettable experiences. Styles and practices of auditing vary, but generally in this context it’s the term for when private citizens, equipped with recording devices, occupy public spaces and engage with government officials (police officers, mostly) to test or evaluate their conduct. It can get tense. YouTube is bursting with videos uploaded by auditors that appear to show police and other government employees failing their test -- for example, an auditor might use provocative language to get a reaction from the police officer, who is expected to be cool and respectful of the auditor's free speech and other constitutional rights throughout. There are several cases of auditors successfully suing towns or police agencies over how their officers handled encounters, and it's a subject the N.C. League of Municipalities has followed for many years, even offering a course (called “Dangerous Crossroads”) meant to help with awareness of and readiness for peaceful outcomes with auditors, should they come around. On this episode, we talk with expert Scott MacLatchie about the subject and how the course, which he teaches, can help local agencies of any size.

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  

Here's an encore of a favorite: Games Over Gangs. Those dang video games. Can't pull the kids away from them. And there's one city using that to its advantage -- with an innovative partnership that's actually teaching video game development to local youths from a rough neighborhood (yes, they jumped at the offer to become game developers), affording them a break from an anxious environment and setting them up with a sweet professional skill that can open big doors: computer coding, which has tons of (well-paying) applications. On this episode, we meet the program's creators and some impressive kids who are boosting prospects and expressing real-life (and often tough) experiences through the games they create. With, on the host's part, some reminiscing about old-school Sierra games. Show notes Games Over Gangs info and donation site - NCSU Game2Learn Lab - http://eliza.csc.ncsu.edu/people.html Technician (NCSU student newspaper) story - Space Quest III - Pulseboy (used to compose some of the oldschool video game music heard in this episode)  

Superheroes exist. Yes, in real life. Just like in the comics, they wear masks and uniforms, they nab bad guys, and they spread peace across the city. On this episode, we talk to a couple of them, and their stories are absolutely amazing. Thanks to Sgt. Clint Ferguson and Officer Damon Cole for making this happen. Sgt. Clint Ferguson and Deadpool https://www.policeone.com/chiefs-sheriffs/articles/480045006-NC-cop-uses-Marvel-costume-to-connect-with-teens-community/ Officer Damon Cole http://www.heroesandcopsagainstchildhoodcancer.org/what-we-do.html 2020 Census news update https://www.npr.org/2019/01/28/689237309/census-bureau-conducts-massive-recruiting-effort-for-2020-head-count

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. 

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" -    

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. 

When a city's or town's governing board adopts a comprehensive plan -- a big document meant to guide or manage growth and other elements of the locality's future -- it's a pretty big deal. Sure, municipalities across North Carolina have them, with insistence from state law. But for an individual city or town, it's a tremendous feat to complete such an intensive product in its purpose and sensitivity for the community, requiring all kinds of self-awareness work, public involvement, math, predictions, visioneering (the "blue sky" versus the real and practical) and, of course, time investment. On this episode of Municipal Equation, the podcast from the North Carolina League of Municipalities about cities and towns and how we shape them, we talk with a number of officials about how they view and pursue comprehensive planning guides, and how that might be changing with time. Philosophies, ideas for public engagement and inclusion, and plenty of other takeaways make this episode a solid one in the ongoing conversation of ever-improving and protecting the places we call home. // Municipal Equation is a publication of the N.C. League of Municipalities, . Contact host/producer Ben Brown at . 

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. 

A preview of Episode 51.

A preview of Episode 50.

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. 

Government communications, specifically the kind meant to connect with a diverse mix of everyday people, are always evolving in their reach, variety, and challenges. “I’ve been in the government communications side of things for 12 years, and it has changed dramatically over time,” said City of Hickory Communications and Marketing Manager Dana Kaminske. “It’s not just a press release anymore.” Kaminske, recently named Communicator of the Year by trade advancement group North Carolina City and County Communicators, in an interview with Municipal Equation said the city appreciates its media partners in helping to get the word out (about city hall programs, initiatives, proposals, announcements of immediacy, and so on), but there’s plenty more for government communicators to do. “We as governments have to be very active, just like a business, to communicate what I’d say our air-quote product is, and that’s our city, that’s our town, our government and what we’re doing,” said Kaminske. “We have to find what works really well for our community. I think everybody has to do that.” These points start off a great conversation between Kaminske and League podcast host Ben Brown about the modern and changing landscape of government outreach and information sharing, what the challenges are, what the public might expect, and what seems to be working in the state’s array of cities and towns. How does your town approach it? // Municipal Equation is a production of the N.C. League of Municipalities, . Contact host/producer Ben Brown at . 

Calling climate change an intimidating issue may be understating it. It's massive, right? Being so global and often pulled into intense debate, climate change may have us individuals feeling helpless against it. But there are local-level approaches for making a difference, and municipal governments are sharing best-practices with one another to that end. We travel to Chapel Hill -- the electric-vehicle capital of North Carolina -- to learn how they are others are leading the charge in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing other environmental impacts as part of a program called the Cities Initiative, which seeks to remove the barriers to sensible policies and practices that could be exactly what the world needs right now.  To join or pose questions about the Cities Initiative, email Zach Ambrose at .  Cities Initiative overview and consensus action items   Description of phases 1 and 2   Mayor Pam Hemminger, Chapel Hill, North Carolina   

***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." -  

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. 

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. 

In 2017, the City of Greensboro logged more than 40 vehicle crash fatalities, at the time a high mark that rattled officials enough to explore ways toward safer travels. This led city officials to a global movement in the form of a scalable initiative called Vision Zero. On this episode, City of Greensboro Transportation Planning Engineer Lydia McIntyre explains what Vision Zero is, how it seeks to reduce traffic fatalities and serious accidents, and what the city has learned (with surprises) since embarking.  Related material:

You’ve heard of “artificial intelligence,” or AI, in one sense or another; we’ve been reckoning with the concept through books, movies and academic discussions since its earliest mentions in the 1950s. When you hear about it today, though, it’s typically in the context of “generative AI,” the rapidly evolving web-based tool that humans are using right now to enhance their worlds. Generative AI (like the popular ChatGPT engine, among others) writes up entire documents, draws up complex images, researches historical issues, drafts organizational plans, and even provides advice on complicated scenarios, pretty much on its own, hence the "generative" term; all you have to do is type in what you're looking for. It's pretty amazing. If you work in local government, you might be thinking about where and how it fits in; perhaps your city already has an AI policy on the books, or has used it to help draft or enhance language in public documents. But, like with any transformative technology, it comes with all kinds of cautions and ethics worries. Are we comfortable with it essentially learning how to do jobs we've always entrusted humans with? Already, we’ve seen trust in generative AI lead to embarassing, avoidable public blunders and messes. It brings privacy and authenticity issues, too. Did you know generative AI can sample a recording of your voice and learn how to speak as if it's really you, potentially faking out anyone who hears it? Take this episode of Municipal Equation, the podcast about cities and towns from the NC League of Municipalities, as a sort of primer on the generative-AI conversation in the context of local government at the moment. What’s the potential? What are the dangers? How can cities and towns use generative AI safely and for the best? It’s not going away. // Municipal Equation is a production of the N.C. League of Municipalities, . Contact host/producer Ben Brown at . 

Let's catch up on driverless cars, shall we? Last year, we did a primer on autonomous vehicles and policy implications, but it seems like a lot can change in short time with this technology. What's the latest? How does the public feel about it? What are some example scenarios of how we as people might interact with autonomous vehicles in our day-to-day? Brooks Rainwater of the National League of Cities has the research and joins us to flesh it out. NLC report, "Autonomous Vehicles: Future Scenarios" Related news release Pew Research Center, "Americans' attitudes toward driverless cars" AAA, "More Americans Willing to Ride in Fully Self-Driving Cars" Municipal Equation Episode 24: Autonomous Vehicles in Your City 1971 film clip about driverless car    

We'll be back with a new episode next week, but I'm also working on a a lot of other episodes and new ideas. I want to hear from you on what should be different about this podcast, as we've been doing it for a couple years now and it's time to solicit comment. Feel free to keep sharing ideas for episodes while you're at it.   Thanks. -Ben

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  

It seems inconsistent: pandemic-related, record-level job losses while employers report their own hardships in finding workers. But that’s the nature of what analysts have called one of the strangest labor shortages in memory. Nationally, employers have reported too-tight talent pools or general hard times retaining staff. While much of the labor-shortage news spotlight is usually either broad-talking or sector-specific, municipalities far and wide indeed have felt the effect. On this episode, we hear from a few on their unique challenges and ideas to improve their situations. And we've love to hear about yours. 

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’ -  

A preview of Episode 47. Look for it April 3.

We revisit the intersection of drones, local government and public need with a trip to Holly Springs, North Carolina, a small town innovating nationally with a pilot project to see commercial food delivery by way of drone. As you can imagine, it's stuffed with logistical and policy questions.  Sushi delivery in Iceland   Holly Springs press release   Timeline, "Forget self-driving car anxiety: In the early days human drivers were the fear"   NCDOT Launches 'First Flight' in Drone Pilot Program   Municipal Equation Episode 13, "Drones and Local Government"  

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 -

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.) 

We kick off Municipal Equation with one of the toughest local leaders around -- Winston-Salem City Council Member Denise D. Adams, who crashed through a sudden series of mysterious and deadly health problems all while ramping up a contested re-election campaign. How in the world did she pull through? And how did it change her perspective on life and public service? Huge takeaways here.

A preview of Episode Two: Infrastructure!

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

Preview of Episode Three: Innovation! (And Where Local Gov't Fits In) by NC League of Municipalities

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/

Preview of Episode Four: Place Attachment! (The 'Art & Science' of...) by NC League of Municipalities

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.

A preview of Episode Five, out Aug. 16, 2016.

What's your town doing with its government access television channel? Creatively, we mean. In Raleigh, North Carolina, city government is putting the spotlight on the local music scene with top-shelf live performances -- professionally produced, as good as anything you'll see on TV -- to in turn shine light on the city itself and humanize local government. Using city-owned or -operated venues to showcase public spaces or functions, Raleigh's government basically has its own Austin City Limits, with some extra, local flair to set it apart. The bands that perform even take the time to talk about their love for Raleigh. Could this be something your town could duplicate? Show notes: Oak City Sessions episodes - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0mTYYBl2CE_gwkMKoVomQr8Xxzw7icl9

A look ahead at Episode Six, a special focus on police and public safety issues. Trust, technology, a changing conversation and some news you can definitely use.

In this extended episode all about law enforcement, we spend time with a number of police leaders ready to hit the reset button and create positive, new interaction between sworn officers and the public. But with so much tension in the air lately, what can actually be changed? What can police and the greater public learn from one another to create harmony? During a recent panel discussion arranged by the North Carolina League of Municipalities at the request of the state's Legislative Black Caucus, things got frank and clear, and we'll hear plenty of it here. Later, we'll check in on another challenge -- the search for best-practices with police body-cameras. We'll also learn from an expert about psychological reactions to active shooter situations and how a little bit of forethought can go a long way. And have you ever been a little nervous about meeting a stranger to complete a transaction for goods arranged online? We hear from one police department that's implemented a pretty simple solution. Tons of takeaways and ponderings on this episode. Show notes: Video of the full panel discussion featured - https://youtu.be/Dhidnbk1tcM Southern City magazine past issues - http://www.nclm.org/programs-services/publications/southern-city/Pages/default.aspx

A look ahead at Episode Seven, about the rate of technology, what today's consumers expect and what that means for local government.

Where's your local government with technology? Sensors? Automation? Readiness for self-driving vehicles? Teleportation? Kidding on that last one but, because we're in an age of exponential advances in technology and the Internet of Things, and with the consumer market now so accustomed to quick gratification and one-touch app services, there's pressure on government to act more quickly, streamlined and futuristic than ever before. ".... government just can't be immune to this massive change" in our culture and commerce, says William Eggers, executive director of Deloitte's Center for Government Insights. Eggers is our guest as we dive into today's digital technology, where it's going and how local governments can catch up. It's even an issue with government employee hiring and retention, he says. A lot to think about here. Show notes: William Eggers at Deloitte - http://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/profiles/weggers.html "Delivering on Digital" - http://www.deliveringondigital.com

Preview of Episode Eight, a talk with Joel Kotkin.

Joel Kotkin, a prolific writer of articles and books on urbanism, demographics, city planning and density, takes a different angle. Often at odds with convention or popular beliefs on planning, the suburbs, the patterns of millennials and so on, Kotkin in his latest book -- "The Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us" -- argues that ongoing focuses on high-density layouts and other popular planning approaches don't serve most people well and that the suburbs deserve much more love than they get. We hear why on this interesting and challenging episode with the man whom The New York Times calls "America's uber-geographer." We also hear why he thinks local governments should be allowed to decide their own policies with fewer constraints from the state and federal levels. Listen in. Show notes: http://www.joelkotkin.com "The Human City" - http://www.joelkotkin.com/content/006-joels-books Kotkin article on local government authority - http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2016/09/16/local_govt_control_the_ignored_campaign_issue_131786.html Archive audio source - "The Dynamic American City" (1956, U.S. Chamber of Commerce)

Preview of Episode Nine, another look at suburbia and where it's going.

A question dangles before populous states that grew with low-density development in the 20th century: What do we do now? Planning and development preferences aren't what they used to be. Today they favor higher-density, walkable, mixed use layouts, and local governments far and wide are wondering how to best reshape the traditionally spread-out suburban spaces. "What is the local government’s role in this transition? How does a city or county encourage the redevelopment of suburban spaces? And what are the practical and political implications?" Those are questions posed by UNC School of Government Assistant Professor Adam Lovelady, our guest on this episode. If one thing's for sure, he says, it's a complex issue. Show notes: Report, "Reshaping Suburban Spaces: Lessons from North Carolina Cities" - https://www.sog.unc.edu/publications/reports/reshaping-suburban-spaces-lessons-north-carolina-cities

A preview of Episode 10, a look at the science of city trees.

We enter a better kind of urban jungle on this episode all about the science and economics of trees in cities -- way more interesting than you might think at first. Yep, there's a big economic argument for more trees in our cityscapes. Our guests here apply scientifically backed dollars-and-cents appraisals to the trees that line our streets or green our downtowns. And they discuss tools you can access to tally such values where you live. And, yes, we also discuss the much-harder-to-quantify relationship that humans and trees have shared since the dawn of man -- and what that means for city neighborhoods lacking in greenery. A lot to think about -- and surely a few surprises -- in the episode. Show notes: Greg McPherson - http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/uesd/staff/gmcpherson/ Report, "Structure, function and value of street trees in California, USA" -http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/mcpherson/psw_2016_mcpherson004.pdf David Nowak - http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/people/dnowak iTree - http://www.itreetools.org Adam Dale - https://adamgdale.org Report, "Forecasting the Effects of Heat and Pests on Urban Trees: Impervious Surface Thresholds and the 'Pace-to-Plant' Technique" - http://ecoipm.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Dale_2016_Arb.pdf Jill Jonnes, "Urban Forests: A Natural History of Trees and People in the American Cityscape" - http://jilljonnes.com UPI story, "Tree growth slows as cities heat up" - http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2016/10/05/Tree-growth-slows-as-cities-heat-up/2081475676027/ Report, "Urban warming reduces aboveground carbon storage" -http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/283/1840/20161574 OpenTreeMap - https://www.opentreemap.org City of Raleigh Urban Forestry Division - http://www.raleighnc.gov/community/content/ParksRec/Articles/Programs/UrbanForestry/UFDivision.html NEWS AND REPORTS SINCE THIS EPISODE'S AIRING: New report, 11/16, "Selecting Trees to Grow in Cities" - http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/compass/ CityLab article, "The Big Green Payoff From Bigger Urban Forests" -http://www.citylab.com/design/2016/10/the-big-green-payoff-from-bigger-urban-forests/505913/ Smithsonian.com, "Why Public Health Researchers Are Looking to Urban Trees" - http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-public-health-researchers-are-looking-urban-trees-180960985/?no-ist Governing article, "Phoenix's Ambitious Plan to Beat the Desert Heat" -http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-phoenix-shade.html

Preview of Episode 11, all about local economic development tools and how to negotiate with business prospects.

Mash 'play' for a personal crash-course in local economic development -- with high-value tools, tips and insider knowledge -- in this special, extended episode featuring a couple of pros who know both sides of the business -- public and private -- and where they can pair up to make a difference for cities and towns of any size. It's important to recognize that economic development isn't just one thing. It can take one of many directions, each with its own terrain and set of tools for positive outcomes. Our expert guests, Mac McCarley and Ron Kimble -- among spotlight speakers at the League's recent CityVision 2016 conference, where the bulk of this episode was recorded -- break it down for us and offer hugely important know-how. Anyone can learn from this episode, whether you're a locally elected official, a town administrator or resident curious about what all goes into business recruitment or downtown development. Don't miss this one. Show notes: Ron Kimble - http://charlottenc.gov/CityManager/AboutUs/Pages/Interim%20City%20Manager%20Ron%20Kimble.aspx Mac McCarley - http://www.parkerpoe.com/attorneys/dewitt-f-mccarley CityVision 2016 coverage - https://www.nclm.org/PROGRAMS-SERVICES/PUBLICATIONS/LINCED-IN/2016/Pages/default.aspx?issue=38 Followup notes from Episode 10: New report/manual, 11/16, "Selecting Trees to Grow in Cities" - http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/compass/2016/11/03/selecting-trees-to-grow-in-cities/ CityLab article, "The Big Green Payoff From Bigger Urban Forests" - http://www.citylab.com/design/2016/10/the-big-green-payoff-from-bigger-urban-forests/505913/ Smithsonian.com, "Why Public Health Researchers Are Looking to Urban Trees" - http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-public-health-researchers-are-looking-urban-trees-180960985/?no-ist Governing article, "Phoenix's Ambitious Plan to Beat the Desert Heat" - http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-phoenix-shade.html

A preview of Episode 12.

Place your order! Local governments are taking after food trucks and serving up convenience at a curb near you. That's on this episode of Municipal Equation, the podcast from the N.C. League of Municipalities about today's challenges, trends and concepts for cities and towns. We talk with the City of Boston about its City Hall To Go program, which converted an old food truck into a city hall on wheels. Yes, that means it travels from hotspot to hotspot to make it easier for residents to connect with local government and access services. Since Boston pioneered it four years ago, several other U.S. cities have joined the fleet -- most recently Durham, North Carolina, with whom we discuss the program. Could it work in your hometown? Show notes: Boston's City Hall To Go - https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-hall-go Durham's City Hall On The Go - http://durhamnc.gov/2883/City-Hall-on-the-Go CityLab, "In Houston, Taco Trucks Serve Up Voter Registration" - http://www.citylab.com/politics/2016/09/food-trucks-serve-tacos-with-a-side-of-voter-registration/502034/

Preview of Episode 13, a look at where drones and local government intersect.

What do drones mean for local government? How can city hall regulate these unmanned aerial systems? What are the rules to fly one? And -- perhaps most interestingly -- how might local governments adopt drones for better service delivery? Or even to save lives? On this episode, we hear from national and state experts in the public and private sectors, and from one town already flying its own drone. And yes, as drones are commonly outfitted with high-resolution cameras, the discussion didn't get away without a discussion of privacy issues. Don't miss. Show notes: National League of Cities report, "Cities and Drones" - http://www.nlc.org/find-city-solutions/city-solutions-and-applied-research/governance/cities-and-drones N.C. League of Municipalities video, "Educational Forum on Unmanned Aerial Systems, Drones" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKK_loUcbg0 FAA drone info - https://www.faa.gov/uas/ NCDOT drone info - https://www.ncdot.gov/aviation/UAS/ YouTube rabbit hole, "Drones" - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22drone%22 Town of Manteo - http://www.townofmanteo.com/

A look ahead at Episode 14 of the Municipal Equation podcast from the North Carolina League of Municipalities.

When we think of the word "brand" in an advertising sense, surely we first picture the Nike Swoosh, or the Coca-Cola can, or the Ford medallion, or, who knows, maybe the Quaker Oats guy. And for good reason. Their owners put forth gargantuan levels of money and strategy to make you think of them before their competitors. But what about when branding is the project of a local government? It's been happening a lot over the past decade, as cities and towns across the country seek to freshen or sharpen their images, most often to win new businesses, residents and economic growth. Just like with the private sector, town branding or rebranding is a delicate process that requires steady navigation to stay out of the ditch. What are the best practices? What's the secret? What happens when a town branding goes right? Or wrong? On this episode we talk with a town that's embarking on a branding project, another town that recently completed one, and a researcher who's written a lot on the subject. If your town is thinking about branding or rebranding, you might want to give this one a listen. Show notes: Southern City article, "Being a Brand Apart"- http://www.nclm.org/programs-services/publications/southern-city/2016/2016-05/Pages/BeingaBrandApart.aspx Town of Morrisville, "Live Connected. Live Well." - http://www.townofmorrisville.org/index.aspx?NID=794 City of Newton branding initiative - http://newtonnc.gov/brand/ Town of Fuquay-Varina, "A Dash More" - http://www.fuquay-varina.org/416/Fuquay-Varina---A-Dash-More Staci Zavattaro - https://www.cohpa.ucf.edu/directory/staci-zavattaro/ Zavattaro on Twitter, with links to books - https://twitter.com/staciwithaz

Our 2016 year-end.

Are we catching up to pop-fiction's futuristic portrayal of DNA in crimesolving? How about a technology that can sketch up an image of a suspect based solely on a sample of his or her DNA? The Fayetteville, North Carolina, Police Department is one of just a few local law enforcement agencies in the U.S. openly using such a tool. Applying it to a decade-old, unsolved local case of a serial rapist, the FPD is catching new tips after releasing facial renderings based on analysis of the perpetrator's DNA -- a potentially important development, as victims didn't get a clear look at his face and could only give authorities limited descriptions. FPD says it's using this innovation cautiously but wants to show the public that the department is willing to try cutting-edge techniques to bring about justice. Hear how it works on this episode. Show notes: Complete details about the 'Ramsey Street Rapist' suspect - https://nextdoor.com/agency-post/nc/fayetteville/fayetteville-police-department/fayetteville-police-department-media-release-38457122/ Report leads on the case to FPD at 910-483-8477 or 910-433-1855 Fayetteville Observer story about 'Ramsey Street Rapist,' with composite images of suspect - http://www.fayobserver.com/news/local/fayetteville-police-closer-to-catching-ramsey-street-rapist/article_1509b1c0-6bac-5384-8c09-958a510467eb.html Police release DNA-based photos of 'Ramsey Street Rapist' - http://wncn.com/2016/12/14/fayetteville-police-release-dna-based-photos-of-ramsey-street-rapist/ More details - http://abc11.com/news/fayetteville-pd-hopes-new-technology-helps-catch-rapist/1657206/ NBC News from 2014 on "dying art" of police sketches - http://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/dying-art-forensic-sketch-artists-face-digital-future-n41421 AP story on oldschool police sketch artistry - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3512027/Sketchy-work-Police-artists-nab-bad-guys-pencil-paper.html BBC coverage of Alec Jeffreys and DNA - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8245312.stm More - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5405470.stm

A preview of the next Municipal Equation

What do Dobros and datasets have in common? We're about to find out. On this episode we talk with A'yen Tran and Jer Thorp of the New York-based Office for Creative Research to hear about their folksy initiative -- a finalist in the 2017 Knight Cities Challenge, no less -- to strengthen civic engagement via bluegrass music. Mystified? Well, the modern wave of data in municipal policymaking can sometimes mystify, too, at least when put in the form of charts and graphs for public consumption. Could data-fied mountain string music -- and lessons from the past that changed the history of bluegrass -- strike a new chord? Listen and learn why this novel approach is a Knight Cities finalist. Show notes: A'yen Tran, Jer Thorp and the Office for Creative Research - https://ocr.nyc Tran-authored piece, "Cultural Data Collection in Appalachia" - https://medium.com/memo-random/cultural-data-collection-in-appalachia-9c4a9547e80f#.l39hmhnrp 2017 Knight Cities Challenge Finalists, including "That High Lonesome Data" - http://www.knightfoundation.org/articles/144-finalists-advance-in-2017-knight-cities-challenge GovTech coverage about the project - http://www.govtech.com/civic/Demystifying-Civic-Data-Through-Song-and-10-Other-Civic-Tech-Finalists-in-the-Knight-Cities-Challenge.html A front-porch tune from Bascom Lunsford - https://youtu.be/FS_BeQMWUEA

A preview of Municipal Equation Episode 18.

It's okay to admit you're not fully up to speed on "smart cities" or the "Internet of Things." A lot of people aren't. The talk is so ubiquitous that it might feel like a runaway topic that's tough to break into. Or maybe you're from a small town and think smart-cities and IoT are more of a big-city conversation. But it concerns just about everybody, everywhere. So what does it really mean? As initiatives and projects multiply in the focus of smart cities and IoT -- and while the federal government is actively soliciting comment on a new plan to collaborate with local communities toward smart-city enhancements -- this episode explains the who-what-when-where-why to get us all up on the essentials. Because now is the time to know. Show notes: -Draft "Smart Cities and Communities Federal Strategic Plan: Exploring Innovation Together" and Request for Comments https://www.nitrd.gov/news/RFI-SCC-Federal-Strategic-Plan.aspx -NLC report: "Trends in Smart City Development" http://www.nlc.org/article/new-report-on-smart-cities-released-by-national-league-of-cities -News story, "3 Insights from NLC’s Smart Cities Report" http://www.statetechmagazine.com/article/2017/02/3-insights-nlc-s-smart-cities-report -News story, "Greensboro to Participate in National 'Smart City' Program in March" http://wunc.org/post/greensboro-participate-national-smart-city-program-march#stream/0 -News story, "Envisioning Smart Cities" https://smartcitiesworld.net/news/news/envisioning-smart-cities-1352?platform=hootsuite -Callback to EP 07, "The Value of 'Digital Mindsets' in Local Government" https://soundcloud.com/municipalequation/ep-07 -Thought piece, "A City is Not a Computer" https://placesjournal.org/article/a-city-is-not-a-computer/

A preview of Episode 19.

A local police department is trying to change perceptions between officers and youths -- via unscripted, uncoached, one-on-one conversations broadcast out to the world in a high-quality web series. Real moments, both candid and heavy, drive each episode of "The Other Side," which seeks to not only humanize police officers but also highlight how simply talking eye-to-eye at a relaxed pace can build trust, rapport and understanding in a world where distrust, fear and misconception can run wild. On this episode, we talk with the Fuquay-Varina (North Carolina) Police Department and video production company Amazing Studios about how the series came to be and how it's been received around town. Show notes: Full episodes of 'The Other Side' - http://www.fuquay-varina.org/783/The-Other-Side-Videos Homepage - www.otherside.tv Fuquay-Varina Police Department on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fvpolice/ Amazing Studios - http://amazingstudiosinc.com Past episode, 'Restarting the Law Enforcement Conversation' - https://soundcloud.com/municipalequation/ep-06

Preview of Episode 20, about Sister Cities.

No doubt you've heard of sister cities. You probably even have a vague idea, at least, of the concept. Perhaps your town has a sister city in a far-off country. But do you know the origin of sister cities? How the concept took off? And what it's evolved to? And that it's greased the track for huge business relationships? And probably even saved lives? It's fascinating when you dig in. We do so on this episode. Show notes: http://sister-cities.org/ http://www.sistercitiesofcary.org/ http://sistercities-burlington.org/ https://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/catalog/AV2_FM_296-people2people https://www.youtube.com/user/SisterCitiesIntl

Preview of Episode 21: More Than Public Art by NC League of Municipalities

Sure, perspectives vary on public art. But on this episode we visit a small southern city with a ton of buy-in for art as a transformative tool -- for revitalization, community pride, local history, economic development -- all starting with publicly facilitated yet privately financed murals. And then, for our host, comes a funny coincidence. Hear what it's all about on this episode of Municipal Equation, from the North Carolina League of Municipalities. Show notes: City of Sanford - http://www.sanfordnc.net Mayor Chet Mann on Facebook (Timeline includes pics from our walking tour) - https://www.facebook.com/MayorChetMann/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE Mural Art Trail Map - http://www.sanfordnc.net/sanfordarttrail.pdf "Statewide podcast to highlight Sanford's Murals" - https://rantnc.com/2017/03/21/preview-statewide-podcast-to-highlight-sanfords-murals/ "Mann shares vision for public art" (paywall) - http://www.sanfordherald.com/news/mann-shares-vision-for-public-art/article_d23b8cc8-02b6-11e7-8eee-27564a5a5133.html "Sanford preserves its history with series of downtown murals" - http://wncn.com/2016/08/25/sanford-preserves-its-history-with-series-of-downtown-murals/ "More murals on the way in 2017" - http://welcometosanford.com/index.php/2017/01/15/downtown-murals-way-2017/ Scott Nurkin, The Mural Shop - http://themuralshop.com The Mural Shop on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themuralshop/

A preview of Episode 22

As America develops, how often do you pause to listen? To the places undergoing active change? Or those preserved in time? To the sounds that truly identify a location, whether natural or developed? On this episode -- headphones required this time! -- we talk about the connections and influences we can develop with specific places when we pause to take them for what they are in the moment, via active listening. Many have taken to field recording, to capture what's around them for analysis -- in some cases highly scientific, and influential of public policy. Listen in. Show notes: Anne Guthrie's Urban Omnibus piece with field recordings, "Tune In: Soundscapes of New York" - http://urbanomnibus.net/2015/05/tune-in-soundscapes-of-new-york/ Anne Guthrie, Arup - http://thoughts.arup.com/post/userposts/212 Donald Best, Raleigh Recording Co. field recordings - https://soundcloud.com/raleighrecordingco USDOT noise map - https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/press_releases/bts015_17 SONYC - https://wp.nyu.edu/sonyc/ New York Times, "To Create a Quieter City, They're Recording the Sounds of New York" - https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/nyregion/to-create-a-quieter-city-theyre-recording-the-sounds-of-new-york.html?_r=2 Noisy ice-cream truck? - http://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/service/3019/noise-from-ice-cream-truck

A preview of Episode 23.

On this episode, we answer a frequent listener question (coming most often from people who work in government): "What do I really need to know about starting a podcast? Equipment? Approach? Editing?" There's a jungle of online resources for that, but they're frustrating to sort through. A lot of them conflict with or contradict one another, or are just marketing materials to get you to purchase some specific podcasting solution that might not be right for you. So this episode serves as our plain-English, how-to guide (especially for folks who work in government or public service, though anybody can apply these lessons) on getting started in podcasting. We list equipment, software, best practices to help you stay out of the ditch, and some philosophy on podcasting for public agencies (or any other field, really). It's a big primer packed into a listener-friendly 36 minutes. And hear why Ben thinks virtually any local government can do something positive with podcasting. Show notes: GovLove Episode 95 (Ben among guests talking about podcasting) - https://soundcloud.com/govlove/95-a-bottomless-pit-of-ideas-leaders-in-localgov-podcasting Ben's example gear guide (just an example) - https://kit.com/benbrownmedia/your-podcasting-studio More good advice on buying a mixer (with product recommendations) - https://www.thepodcasthost.com/equipment/podcast-mixers/ Reaper (the program Ben uses for editing) - http://www.reaper.fm/ Simple tutorial on using EQ for voice (in Reaper, but it works the same way in other audio software) - https://youtu.be/V6XtciKhgUY Make your voice sound cleaner with a noise gate (again, in Reaper, but ditto last comment) - https://youtu.be/zVWoxC3m4cc Simple tutorial on editing in Audacity - https://youtu.be/uAyF-i604Hs Audacity download - https://sourceforge.net/projects/audacity/

A preview of Episode 24.

Do autonomous vehicles or driverless cars still sound futuristic to you? Even if deployments are planned for just a few years away? That's right, this technology is developing so quickly that it's catching a lot of local policymakers off-guard. Experts say it's time for cities of all sizes to put some serious thought into what will be a major change in how we get from A to B. For cities, that means understanding the implications, considering the unknowns, and thinking about policy. But with the technology so fresh and incomplete, where would a city even begin with that? That's our focus on this episode. We're joined once again by Nicole Dupuis from the National League of Cities, which just released a report with guidance on the subject. According to Dupuis, "Absolutely, we need to take this seriously." And another question: Will future generations know the feeling of passing a driver's test? There's a lot to ponder on this episode. Show notes: NLC report, "Autonomous Vehicles: A Policy Preparation Guide" - http://nlc.org/AVPolicy NLC press release, "New Autonomous Vehicle Guide Helps Cities Prepare for a Driverless Future" - http://www.nlc.org/article/new-autonomous-vehicle-guide-helps-cities-prepare-for-a-driverless-future CityLab story, "The Self-Driving Dilemma" - https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2017/05/the-self-driving-dilemma/525171/?utm_source=nl__link3_050417 Bloomberg Philanthropies report, "Taming the Autonomous Vehicle: A Primer for Cities" - https://www.bbhub.io/dotorg/sites/2/2017/05/TamingtheAutonomousVehicleSpreadsPDFreleaseMay3rev2.pdf USDOT's Federal Automated Vehicles Policy - https://www.transportation.gov/AV Deloitte piece, "Securing the future of mobility: Addressing cyber risk in self-driving cars and beyond" - https://dupress.deloitte.com/dup-us-en/focus/future-of-mobility/cybersecurity-challenges-connected-car-security.html?id=us:2sm:3tw:4mobilitym:5eng:6Consulting:20170501:fom,fom%20:deloittestratop&linkId=36955724 GovTech story, "Autonomous Cars Will Change the Insurance World" - http://www.govtech.com/fs/Autonomous-Cars-Will-Change-the-Insurance-World.html?utm_content=bufferebbf1&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

A preview of Episode 25

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

From a distant land, an iPhone memo to stand in for our usual off-week preview.

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. Show notes: Bee Downtown - http://beedowntown.org Bee City USA - http://www.beecityusa.org The Town of Davidson Becomes the 37th Bee City USA in the Nation - http://www.ci.davidson.nc.us/CivicSend/ViewMessage/message?id=33089 USDA Colony Collapse Disorder and Honey Bee Health Action Plan - https://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/CCD-HBH_Action_Plan_05-19-2015-Dated-FINAL.pdf Agriculture Research Service info on honeybee health - https://www.ars.usda.gov/oc/br/ccd/index/#public Skeptoid episode and transcript, "Colony Collapse Disorder: Science and Pseudoscience" - https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4524 Pollinator Week - http://pollinator.org/pollinatorweek/ News story, "A third of the nation's honeybee colonies died last year. Why you should care." - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/05/26/third-nations-honeybee-colonies-died-last-year-why-you-should-care/348418001/

A preview of Episode 27.

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

A preview of Episode 28.

Why does government feel inclined to support or invest in local arts? We ask the director of a municipal government arts office and talk with a notable public artist who together paint a picture of beautification, community pride, connection, attraction, inclusion, dialogue and big economic returns. They say public art also brings about an important conversation for growing municipalities whose identities may be changing or as new public challenges emerge. Can art be an outlet for government itself? Or a culturally significant communications tool? A lot to consider on this episode. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 'New Data Showcase Economic Impact of Arts and Culture in U.S. and States' - Matt McConnell, McConnell Studios - Office of Raleigh Arts - Chicago public art initiative - CitiesSpeak, '8 Ways the Arts Can Boost Your Local Economy & Strengthen Your Community' - News & Observer, 'Arts play big art in local economy, study shows,' Americans for the Arts' Raleigh study - CityLab piece, 'Where Are America's Real Arts Capitals?' - Mayor Rahm Emanuel's podcast -  

A preview of Episode 29.

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" - https://ced.sog.unc.edu/a-guide-to-value-added-alleys-for-small-towns-and-cities/ Allison Meier, Hyperallergic, "LED Street Art Lights Up a Dark, Dodgy Alley in Philadelphia" - https://hyperallergic.com/320309/led-street-art-lights-up-a-dark-dodgy-alley-in-philadelphia/ Wilson, Artsy Alleys - https://www.ioby.org/project/wilson-artsy-alleys Wilson Times, "Project adds color to downtown alleys" - http://www.wilsontimes.com/stories/project-adds-color-to-downtown-alleys,88759 Shelby Star, "Local scout takes on alley beautification for Eagle Scout Project" - http://www.shelbystar.com/news/20170206/local-scout-takes-on-alley-beautification-for-eagle-scout-project "Alleys in Urban Design: History and Application" - http://www.canin.com/alleys-in-urban-design-history-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," http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2017/07/06/greetings-twin-cities-artists-paint-postcard-style-murals-monroe-west-monroe/452275001/ Wilmington, N.C., Star-News, "Public art in New Hanover Co. spurs both aesthetic and economic activity, backers say" - http://www.starnewsonline.com/entertainment/20170707/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?" http://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article160722269.html And some vintage stranger-danger vids: "Don't Talk to Strangers" - https://youtu.be/jCJRaLWitTc "Dangerous Stranger" - https://youtu.be/eAy2oTIZ38g "Never Be A Victim" - https://youtu.be/t21QskbOl9Y