Finding the City of Lost Hills
California's agricultural Central Valley—so rich in output, so poor in median income—is the focal point of trends in immigration, in education, in political trends, in sustainability.
Posts by author
Deborah Fallows
158 posts
Deborah Fallows is a writer, linguist and fellow at New America. She has written extensively on language, education, families and work, China, and travel for The Atlantic, National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times, The LA Times, and The Washington Monthly.
How Libraries Are Becoming ‘Sustainable’
An ambitious goal of "making choices that are good for the environment, make sense economically, and treat everyone equitably."
Sustainability: Suddenly the action is local.
Ten years ago, we were searching for examples of local-level sustainability efforts. Now they are everywhere.
Florida Man!
How a regional Florida newspaper informs its citizens and encourages activism.
How Story Maps Drive Progress
At Our Towns, we’ve been following the tools and applications of geospatial information systems (GIS), as they have progressed from promise to delivery. GIS helps in countless ways: for cities…
Mississippi Immortalizes a Lost Moment of Desegregation
High school students honor six African American women of the 1960s.
Reading Banned Books Out Loud
When books themselves come under assault, public read-outs give new voice to the choir of believers. A note from the nation’s capital during Banned Books Week.
The ‘Civic Soft Power’ of Public Places
You know it when you feel it: How the public places of a town reveal a sense of its soul.
Outstanding Programs in Public Education from the American South
Lessons from Mississippi for the rest of the U.S.
Our Towns Returns to Eastport, Maine, Ten Years Later
Deb and Jim Fallows talk with David Dahl of The Maine Monitor.
Summer in Our Towns
How the summer of 2023 looks from the air and on the ground.
Libraries in the Age of Book Bans
Across the country, libraries are coming under political pressure. Here is how they are upholding their role as anchors for their communities, 'Open to All.'
‘America is the most interesting place in the world at this moment’
Deb and Jim Fallows discuss the Our Towns journey with Brett Hollenbeck on 'The Impact Code' podcast.
How One Small Ohio Town Practices Democracy
Small is big in Mount Blanchard, Ohio. The town approached change in two ways, and Deborah Fallows reports on the impact she and her husband, James, saw during their travels there.
A Student Newspaper Takes on Community Responsibilities
The Ball State Daily News has filled a local journalism gap.
Turning the Tides
Turtles, and people — a connected story, with an outcome you might not have guessed.