In this episode, I talk to Maria Sykes, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Epicenter (https://ruralandproud.org/) in Green River, UT. Maria shares with me how and why she came to Green River from the Deep South 16 years ago and why she stays. We talk about the nonprofit Maria co-founded and leads, Epicenter, and its focus on art, affordable housing, and rural investment in Green River. Maria describes art residencies and events, like Green River Rocks, and housing design and development t...

In this episode, I talk to Markie Vetere, teacher, barrel racer, and entrepreneur in Green River (UT). Markie talks about how she balances those three passions and how they influence and reinforce each other. Markie talks about the importance of loving the kids she teaches, giving them experiences, and showing them what is possible. She talks about how and why she started her business - Rare Renegade Boutique - and the importance to her of being authentic and supporting local. Markie gets rea...

In this episode, I talk to Edward Castro Bennett, Green River (UT) City Manager. Edward explains how he came to be city manager (it includes having Green River roots, his economic development background, and LinkedIn actually working). We talk about Green River’s history and future as part of the Wild West (connections to Butch Cassidy, John Wesley Powell, and of course, melons and Ray’s Tavern). Edward highlights Green River’s potential as a transportation hub (planes - a municipal airport, ...

In this episode, I talk to Louis Williams, river and backcountry guide and owner of Ancient Wayves (the only indigenous owned and operated outfit commercially permitted to provide guided tours within the Bears Ears National Monument). Louis shares how he caught the river guiding bug (through a Navajo friend in Bluff, UT), branching out on his own, and how it’s community that sustains him and his growing business. Louis explains that what he really does with clients on guided trips is time tra...

In this episode, I talk to Sarah Burak (Education Director for the Bears Ears Partnership) about what brought her to the Bluff (UT) area from Alabama and why she never left. We talk about her journey to the Bears Ears Partnership and what she does in her current role as Education Director. We talk about what a Dark Sky designation means and requires (a commitment to dark skies, education, and monitoring light pollution) and what it can do for a community like Bluff. Sarah also shares the Dark...

In this episode, I talk to Erin Nelson, owner of Canyon Smokehouse in Bluff (UT) and Bluff Town Manager. Erin shares how she came to live in Bluff and own Canyon Smokehouse (it involves dark skies, small town life, marrying a chef and chasing their joint dreams). We talk about how hard it is to get financing in a rural, remote, small town, and how creative you have to be. Erin talks about how often they have to DIY solutions and the importance of community. With her town manager hat on, Erin ...

In this episode, I talk to Talia Hansen, Economic Development Manager for San Juan County. Talia shares a little of her traumatic childhood story of escape and survival and how she learned from it to take risks, “jump on the truck”, and to be curious and put people first. Talia also talks about how her work with nonprofits, with design thinking, and with running her own business prepared her for her economic development role. We talk about the San Juan County Basecamp conference and the goal ...

In this episode, I talk to Michael Powell, currently a staff writer for The Atlantic and author of Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation (which was the inspiration for the Netflix movie Rez Ball). Michael and I talk about our brief experiences playing rez ball (he calls it a “fast flowing stream”) and Michael talks about the inspiration for the book, the reservation basketball gyms that hold more people than the population of the towns they are built in, hours long road trip...

In this episode, I talk to Allison Yamamoto-Sparks, Visitor Services Manager for San Juan County, UT. Allison gives an overview of the geography of San Juan County/Utah’s Canyon Country and describes her role (a little bit of everything related to marketing and tourism for San Juan County). We talk about the county’s new “Head South to Go West” campaign and the evolution from casting a wide net to targeted marketing to places like Salt Lake City, Denver, Phoenix, Canada, France, and Germany.&...

In this episode, I talk to Marci Goodwin, rural entrepreneur, rural microbusiness advocate, and co-founder of SmartStart Business Development. Marci talks about her entrepreneurial background (including starting an online home school science curriculum) and how she came to co-found SmartStart Business Development. SmartStart is focused on helping rural main street and microbusinesses (less than 5 employees and less than $250K in revenue each year) start and thrive. We talk about how each rura...

In this episode, I talk to Teresa McKnight, CEO of REDI (Regional Economic Development for Eastern Idaho). Teresa shares her interesting background - from accountant at Pepperidge Farm in Cache Valley, Utah to technology transfer positions to leading Research Parks in Utah, South Dakota, and Montana. We talk about the work REDI is doing in 16 SE/E Idaho counties related to economic development and highlight Idaho success stories like Melaleuca, Lamb Weston, and Chobani. We also touch on the f...

Sticking with the theme of back where this all started, for the second episode of the return of the Rural Towns Project Podcast, I talk to my favorite historian, HannaLore Hein, State Historian for the State of Idaho and friend of the podcast. HannaLore and I spend most of the episode talking about America 250 - the 250th birthday of the United States of America on July 2026. HannaLore explains what is happening at the federal, state, and local levels to celebrate and mentions oral histories,...

And I’m back! I apologize. It’s been too long. Life got busy but my passion for the rural American West has only increased and I’ve got a number of other projects related to rural towns, rural entrepreneurship, and rural economic development going on (if you really want to follow along with the other things I’m working on, the best option is probably to follow me on LinkedIn). I’ll be publishing episodes every two weeks with a similar plan as before - with several episodes dedicated to and in...

As promised, this is Part 2 of my conversation with HannaLore Hein (Idaho State Historian) on the history of Bear Lake. As usual, HannaLore takes us on a well-researched ride on the history of place as this time we talk about the actual Bear Lake and the Bear River - the largest river in the US that doesn’t empty into an ocean. It empties into the Great Salt Lake and we talk about how the Bear River watershed will play a key role in the future of the Great Salt Lake. HannaLore educates me on ...

In this episode, I chat with Natalie Randall, Executive Director of the Utah Tourism Industry Association (UTIA). Natalie and I talk about her interesting background in tourism and economic development and what brought her to her current position. We talk about life in Monticello and the thousands of miles she drives across Utah focusing on the the work of tourism advocacy and education for UTIA. Natalie explains the Transient Room Tax and the debates over how it should be used, the Tourism M...

In this episode, I chat with Mark Smoot (Owner of Epic Recreation, Bear Lake Lodge, Sunrise Resort & Event Center and more!). Mark and I talk about what brought him to Bear Lake as a second career and what keeps him there (he’s become a serial entrepreneur). Mark highlights the importance of community, collaboration, and relationships with employees, customers, business owners, and elected officials and how he uses the Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce (he’s currently the Executive Director) ...

I’m taking a slightly different approach to podcast episodes as I work to align some of my professional and academic interests with my personal interest in the rural American West. Rather than focus on one particular town, I will be focusing on the entrepreneurial and small business ecosystems that exist in and around rural small towns. I’ll still be talking to historians, small business owners, entrepreneurs and artists but I’m trying to get a better understanding of the entrepreneurial ecos...

In this episode, I chat with Shawn Milne, Cache Valley Economic Development Director. Shawn is a friend and a graduate of Westminster College and one of the most interesting people I know. Shawn and I talk about his background as a small business owner and county commissioner and how those experiences inform his new role in Cache Valley. We also talk about the role of economic development directors, chambers of commerce, and higher ed. institutions in rural economic development. Shawn tells a...

Hi. It’s been a minute. There have been some life and work changes keeping me busy the last several months but the Rural Towns Project Podcast is back! I’ll be sharing this episode and one more focused on Richmond, Utah that were recorded earlier this year before moving on (and back) to Bear Lake (Idaho AND Utah sides) in the new year. So please stay tuned for even more episodes of the podcast and be on the lookout for updates on a slightly different approach I’m taking. In this episode, I c...

In this episode, I chat with Cameron Blevins, a history professor at the University of Colorado Denver. Cameron recently wrote the fascinating and important book, Paper Trails: The US Post and the Making of the American West. I loved this book and was thrilled to have Cameron on the podcast to talk about the outsized but often overlooked role the US postal service played in the settling of the American West. We talk a lot about the history of rural post offices but we also talk about the Pony...