Confronted with railroad layoffs that all but demolished the local economy, Erwin, Tennessee, took a sordid event from its past and created a new selling point for the town. Once the site of unspeakable cruelty, Erwin now brings in tourists and raises money for The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Also in the episode, viewers will… Continue Reading Season Six, Episode Four
Tag Archives: Community Design Assistance Center
Season Six, Episode One
Up-and-comers in Wytheville, Virginia – in search of bold ideas – weren’t happy with how things were playing out at Town Hall. See how a younger generation of leaders made their voices heard and began to change the face of downtown.
Season 3, Episode 5
In Bramwell, West Virginia, town leaders have cashed in on the Hatfield-McCoy ATV trail, while Cleveland turned to demolition in order to build the town back up. Graduate student Maxwell Vandervliet highlights a pending government grant that will help rehab former coal mining sites in his monthly segment, and T. Allan Comp champions the VISTA/Americorps… Continue Reading Season 3, Episode 5
Season 3, Episode 3
In this month’s Example of Awesome, we discover how leaders in Rocky Mount made their town a destination for music lovers by investing in a performance venue. Our Cleveland update details the big money that has been rolling into town–more than $2 million in grant dollars. We introduce a new segment, “Maxwell’s Number,” featuring graduate student… Continue Reading Season 3, Episode 3
Season 3, Episode 1
Season Three opens with a bang, featuring a profile of Independence, Virginia, and an introduction to the town of Cleveland. Jim Brooks of the National League of Cities offers up an expert tip for town leaders, while we hear about the work of Virginia Tech faculty member Stephen Schoenholtz, the director of the Virginia Water… Continue Reading Season 3, Episode 1
Season Two, Episode 4
While many Southwest Virginia towns have historically depended on the coal industry for jobs, residents of Appalachia, Virginia, made their voices heard after the tragic death of a child and may have helped preserve their town in the process. This month, we skip our update from Pearisburg to bring you feedback from Roanoke, where attendees… Continue Reading Season Two, Episode 4
Episode 9
We wrap up the first season of Save Our Towns with a look at Buchanan, Virginia, and its Hokie connections. The town is now renowned as one of the best places in the United States to buy antiques, but once had a less-than-stellar reputation. The team reached out to Virginia Tech’s Community Design Assistance Center for… Continue Reading Episode 9
Episode 8
In this month’s Example of Awesome segment, broadband leads to industry in Lebanon, Virginia, and we ask three questions of mayor Tony Dodi, who praises the virtues of technology in his tiny town. Our look at St. Paul brings sad news with the passing of young business owner Brock Funk. Funk and his wife, Terri,… Continue Reading Episode 8
Episode 2
In this episode, we see how leaders in Galax and the Twin Counties have worked towards job creation and training in their communities, while in St. Paul, mayor Kyle Fletcher talks about the importance of building tourism in his town, while Carroll County administrator Gary Larrowe offers an expert tip about the lessons that can… Continue Reading Episode 2
