Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Deep Singh reports on how Jasper Main Street has boosted the development of downtown while encouraging young people to join the movement and help revitalize their hometown. Read More »
Tag Archives: New College
Civic Dispatch: Downtown Revitalization as an Agent Against Rural Brain Drain
Civic Dispatch: Anatomy of Rural Renewal
Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Vaughn reflects on rural progress in his thought piece from Jasper, Alabama.
“We’ve got to keep a high level of community interest involvement. We can’t let our people get to where we’re complacent” Brent McCarver says as he leans forward over his desk, making slight hand gestures. Born in Athens, Alabama, but living in Jasper, McCarver lived in and around Athens and Russellville in North Alabama until his mid-twenties. He went to college in the area, but had never been to Jasper until he was 25 and working on a political campaign.
Civic Dispatch: When Rural Isn’t Rural Enough, Challenges to Mental Healthcare in Walker County
Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Logan Fenhouse reports on access to mental healthcare in her civic dispatch from Walker County.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, almost one in five of American adults will suffer from a mental illness of some form within the next year. In Walker County alone, that means nearly 13,000 of the almost 65,000 residents here will experience mental health problems. For a tight-knit small town like Jasper, this means that practically everyone knows someone, or are themselves, facing mental illness.
Civic Dispatch: The Future of Small Town America
Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Vaughn Gingerich reflects on small town America in his thought piece from Walker County.
I kept an open mind, having spoken with a previous intern who had a great experience, but didn’t quite know what to expect. Having grown up in Anchorage, Alaska, I had never spent much time in a rural setting before, let alone in the American South. So, when I first came to Jasper, my eyes mostly picked out what confirmed the stereotypes and assumptions people have about small, rural towns: vacated industrial properties, abandoned storefronts, and empty streets.
Civic Dispatch: Finding Home
Jean O’Connor-Snyder intern Logan Fenhouse reflects on the idea of home in her thought piece from Walker County.
The photo of Logan was taken by Ms. Nicole Smith for the four-piece series on the 2019 Walker County Interns featured in the Daily Mountain Eagle.
Want to know more?
Contact Us