Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPKyle Clark @kylec.bsky.social · 12hNEW: Dem Gov nominee Phil Weiser rolls out endorsements from current/former Colorado GOP officials. Noteworthy are fmr US Rep/Colorado GOP Chair Ken Buck, fmr AG Cynthia Coffman, and fmr House Speaker Russ George (big name on Western Slope) 1422260
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 18hA wind turbine on the horizon is a land use decision on somebody's private property. Wind energy, wildlife, and rural zoning are interconnected concerns. I wrote about this last year... and this year... and last week. 110
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPHansi Lo Wang (he/him) @hansilowang.bsky.social · 13/10/2026NEW: The Census Bureau says it plans to release new one-year estimates from the American Community Survey on Oct. 29. The release was delayed after the Trump administration’s banning of a data privacy protection technique that the bureau used for decades www.census.gov/newsroom/pre...census.govCensus Bureau Announces Release Dates, Webinars, and Embargo of 2025 American Community Survey 1-Year EstimatesThe Census Bureau announces two webinars and the release date of the 2025 ACS 1-year estimates. 12112
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPFlatwater Free Press @flatwaterfreep.bsky.social · 13/10/2026New at Flatwater: As Medicaid reimbursement rates in Nebraska fail to match the rising costs of healthcare, it has put a squeeze on facilities that rely on the program. Two senior living centers are now closing, sending almost 100 people scrambling for a place to live. Read more 🔗 buff.ly/yOjWgrQ 144
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 19h"A North Dakota judge ruled Friday that state rules on where infrastructure, such as pipelines, can be built do not automatically trump local zoning ordinances." Not a fan of state pre-emption of local #zoning. Also means we need to do better with local planning. www.agriculture.com/partners-sum...agriculture.comSummit Pipeline Ruling in North Dakota Called a Win for Local ControlA North Dakota judge ruled Friday that state rules on where infrastructure, such as pipelines, can be built do not automatically trump local zoning ordinances. 000
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 11/10/2026The grocery store is six blocks away. But without a car, the sidewalk ends two blocks from home and the highway crossing has no safe place to wait. Nearby isn't the same as within reach. Part 2 of my October series on transportation and the comprehensive plan. 120
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPThe New York Times @nytimes.com · 11/10/2026Serving in public office in the U.S. is dangerous. A new normal of violent threats is making it worse, dozens of elected officials told the New York Times. nyti.ms/4ydVlgU 206028
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPNational Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 09/10/2026#Rachel is expected to approach the coast of the northern Baja CA Peninsula and extreme Southern CA at tropical storm strength Saturday night. Tropical storm conditions are expected over portions of western Baja California, Mexico where Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect. 213951
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPNational Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 09/10/2026#Isaias 4pm CT update: A life-threatening storm surge is expected from the Mouth of the Mississippi River to Suwannee, Florida. Residents under evacuation orders should leave immediately and follow advice from local officials. 8212100
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPNational Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 09/10/2026Hurricane #Isaias is expected to make landfall on the Central Gulf Coast later today, bringing a threat of heavy rainfall and flash flooding to the region. Numerous instances of flash flooding are likely, some of which will be significant. 15516
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPWes Marshall @wesmars.bsky.social · 08/10/2026In honor of #BannedBooksWeek, I'm happy to report that many state DOTs have refused to add my book to their own libraries (and happier to report that many of the same state DOTs have held secret book clubs with my book) 510717
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 08/10/2026The sign says you're in town. The road says keep going. Roads connect places; streets serve them. Ask one piece of pavement to do both and you get a stroad: too fast to be a good street, too many driveways to be a good road. 110
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPJay Hobgood @jayhobgood.bsky.social · 08/10/2026Former Tropical Storm Isaias strengthens to hurricane; max wind speed 80 mph (130 km/h); moving toward east-northeast at 9 mph (15 km/h); Hurricane Warning in effect for portion of coast from Ocean Springs, Mississippi to Bay County/Gulf County line in Florida. 011
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPNational Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 07/10/2026Isaias is forecast to begin impacting the northern Gulf Coast by Friday afternoon with damaging winds, flooding rains, and deadly storm surge. TODAY is the time to make your preparations. www.noaa.gov/isaias 312060
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 07/10/2026When I worked in Pagosa Springs, for Archuleta County, Colorado, the night sky was one of the community's most valued assets, and it stays dark on purpose. My new short read for Small Towns, Real Ideas newsletter looks at dark-sky lighting as a planning tool for small towns. 110
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPThe Durango Herald @durangoherald.bsky.social · 07/10/2026A natural gas pipeline exploded Tuesday afternoon sending 100-foot flames into the air in San Juan County, N.M., near the Colorado border.bit.lyPipeline explodes, leads to wildfire near Colorado-New Mexico borderLos Pinos fire responds offering mutual aid to San Juan County, N.M. 088
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPThe Christian Science Monitor @csmonitor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026As tourism waned along Route 66, many motels closed. A New Mexico investor is renovating some of the old structures into apartments that can increase housing stock. #route66 #housing #tourism www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/...csmonitor.comIn New Mexico, housing shortage finds a fix on Route 66: Renovated motelsAs tourism waned along Route 66, many motels closed. A New Mexico investor is renovating some of the old structures into apartments that can increase hous… 072
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 06/10/2026Wayne, Nebraska, adopts Streetscape Master Plan, facilitated by JEO Consulting, to overhaul Main Street, fix sidewalks, and elevate the area's overall aesthetics. The plan calls for adding placemaking features to make the downtown core more welcoming for visitors and residents. 110
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 04/10/2026A highway can cross the city-limit line without ever becoming a town street. When the speed limit drops but the pavement still says “65 mph,” drivers keep moving. That affects safety, local businesses, walkability, & the first impression a community makes. 120
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 04/10/2026A comprehensive plan is supposed to answer the hard questions before a development application arrives: * Where does growth belong? * What land and infrastructure should be protected? * Does zoning match the plan? * What will approval cost over time? 110
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPThe Associated Press @apnews.com · 03/10/2026U.S. employers added a disappointing 29,000 jobs and the unemployment rate ticked up last month, the government reported Friday.bit.lyAmerica In Focus: Unemployment rate climbs, mortgage rate hits nearly 3 year highU.S. employers added a disappointing 29,000 jobs and the unemployment rate ticked up last month, the government reported Friday. 810740
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPBrad Holkesvig @bradjholk.bsky.social · 02/10/2026I enjoy walking along the trails above Barcelona and look down towards the city and Mediterranean Sea. #landscapes #barcelona #woods #trails #hiking #mediterraneansea #photography 0222
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 02/10/2026Growth is not the problem. The question is whether a community has considered the full public cost of the growth pattern it is approving. Last weekend we asked an uncomfortable question: Who Pays When Development Sprawls? The answer isn't just to say "NO!" 110
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 02/10/2026Fuel Prices Move Fast—Transportation Systems Do Not. A preview of our October theme of Transportation & your Comprehensive Plan, and a bit of a rant on the price of fuel and prolonged uncertainty in planning. The real question here: Can vehicles, infrastructure, and access develop together? 110
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPHansi Lo Wang (he/him) @hansilowang.bsky.social · 01/10/2026NEW: The U.S. Postal Service's "extraordinary measures" starting Oct. 24 for mail-in ballots for the midterm general election include: - creating "Ballot Postmark ONLY" lines & drive-through ballot mail options at some post offices - extending opening/closing times by 30 minutes at some post officesabout.usps.com 42114
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 01/10/2026Authenticity is the Key to Building Better Community. What makes the place you live different from every other place out there? Hint: It's not the Taco John's out on the strip. Short-read here: medium.com/small-towns-... #CommunityDevelopment #planning #econdev 011
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPHigh Country News @highcountrynews.org · 01/10/2026Some stories refuse to stay in the past. Our October issue is out and we’re resurrecting 3️⃣ stories from the archives that offer some surprising context for the West we’re living in now. buff.ly/9H0SmkF 02510
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPAlerts from NWS Omaha/Valley NE (UNOFFICIAL) @oax.nws-bot.us · 01/10/2026🚨 Flood Warning issued October 1 at 9:42AM CDT until October 4 at 3:10AM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE 🚨 Additional Details Here. 011
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPNational Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 01/10/2026During a flood, water levels and the rate at which the water is flowing can quickly change. Get to higher ground. Do not drive or walk into water. It only takes 6 inches of water to knock you off your feet. Stay informed by monitoring local media and checking weather.gov for the latest updates. 18125
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 30/09/2026Is land use in your comprehensive plan working to build the place community engagement told us people want for the future? In September, we put four questions to that thesis: Is your land use framework doing the job it was designed to do — or is it just collecting dust? 100
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPIsland Press @islandpress.bsky.social · 30/09/2026A practical framework for urban transportation design. Transportation and the Shape of Cities by @christofspieler.bsky.social, David Copeland Loredo, and Mandi Chapa is now available worldwide! Order yours: buff.ly/ZuNaxV8 #Transportation #Policy #Design #UrbanDesign 063
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPOSINT Mirror Feed @osint-mirrors.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Source: @osint613 on X Officials have ordered the immediate evacuation of Hatch, New Mexico, amid a flash flood emergency in the Hatch Valley. Evacuations are also underway in nearby Rincon, Salem and Garfield. 032
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPOrgan Mountain News @organmountainnews.bsky.social · 30/09/2026BREAKING: Hatch, Placitas, Rincon, Salem and Garfield are now under evacuation orders as flooding worsens across north Doña Ana County. Residents are being urged to leave now.organmountainnews.comEvacuation orders expand across north Doña Ana County as flooding worsensDoña Ana County has issued evacuation orders for Placitas, Hatch, Rincon, Salem and Garfield as flooding closes roads and officials urge residents to leave before conditions worsen. 178
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 27/09/2026New rural development can add tax base—but it also creates long-term obligations: road maintenance, bus routes, fire/EMS, snow removal, drainage, eventual replacement costs. This isn’t an argument against growth. It's asking if growth is happening where we can afford to serve continued sprawl. 111
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPAFP News Agency @en.afp.com · 27/09/2026🇲🇳 Mongolian herders enlist new tech against harsher, drier climate Huge and sparsely populated, Mongolia is disproportionately affected by climate change, but an app is helping the herders navigate the extreme weather that threatens the country's nomadic population and livestock. 0175
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 25/09/2026Zoning is often treated as if it is land use policy. It is not. The comprehensive plan establishes the community’s direction. The Tool and the Plan. The future land use map tells the community what development pattern the community intends to support over time. 100
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPThe Daily Yonder @dailyyonder.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Yonder Radio: Rural Healthcare Affordability, Colorado Tarantula Festival, and ‘What is Rural?,’ Tune in to Yonder Radio to hear conversations about the state of rural journalism, access to abortion in Appalachia, and a Tarantula… dailyyonder.com/yonder-radio-episod…dailyyonder.comYonder Radio: Rural Healthcare Affordability, Colorado Tarantula Festival, and ‘What is Rural?,’Tune in to Yonder Radio to hear conversations about the state of rural journalism, access to abortion in Appalachia, and a Tarantula Festival in Colorado. 001
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 23/09/2026Craft beverages are often discussed as lifestyle amenities-something pleasant to do on a Saturday afternoon. But in many small towns, a winery, brewery, cidery, or distillery can be a piece of rural economic development infrastructure. 100
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPHansi Lo Wang (he/him) @hansilowang.bsky.social · 23/09/2026NEW: The Commerce Department inspector general's office says it observed some workers for the "2026 Census Test" using their personal phones to locate households and not following interview procedures, putting at risk the public's trust in the security of their data and the accuracy of test resultsoig.doc.govManagement Alert: Operational Issues Observed During the 2026 Census TestHome > Reports > Management Alert: Operational Issues Observed During the 2026 Census Test Date Issued September 21, 2026 Report Number OIG-26-028-I Report Type Audits / Evaluations, Census Reading Ro... 13416
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 23/09/2026Zoning is not land use policy. It is one tool for carrying land use policy into force, and like any tool it can be sharp, dull, or pointed at the wrong thing. So go ahead and ask the question: Does your zoning code make possible the community your comprehensive plan says you want? 100
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 20/09/2026A field outside town can look like the easiest place to put new houses. But a dozen lots can affect much more than forty acres. 100
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPAFP News Agency @en.afp.com · 16/09/2026US Federal Reserve raises interest rates for the first time in over three years to tackle stubbornly high inflation, defying President Donald Trump's demand for a cut. u.afp.com/SjuT 2217
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 13/09/2026A field outside town can look like the easiest place to put new houses. But every rural development decision reaches farther than the lot lines—to farm operations, roads, water, emergency services, public costs, and the future of the town itself. 100
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPThe Washington Sun @washingtonsun.com · 09/09/2026For the first time, the federal government wants to stop collecting race and ethnicity information about Americans as part of the nation’s census.washingtonsun.comTrump Wants the Census to Stop Collecting Race and Ethnicity DataThe administration wants to stop collecting data widely seen as fundamental to public policy, scientific study, market research and more. 12624
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 10/09/2026They left town long before they inherited the farm, and a developer offers to buy the west forty for 12 rural home sites on a gravel road 5 miles from town. The planning commission meets in three weeks, and somebody at the counter asks the easiest question in the room: what does the plan say? 100
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPWIRED @wired.com · 09/09/2026A Census report on noncitizens voting touted by President Trump as proof of electoral fraud in the 2020 presidential race had grave flaws in its analysis and approval process, WIRED found.wired.comA US Census Report on Noncitizen Voting Used Bad Data to Reach Faulty ConclusionsTrump has touted a recent Census report. WIRED found grave flaws in its analysis and the process behind it, and confirmed the identity of several of its authors—among them a one-time DOGE affiliate. 45912418
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPThe Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 10/09/2026Millions of residents could be excluded from the U.S. census, congressional representation could be reshaped and federal funds could be reallocated across states under changes proposed by the Trump administration. Here’s how:wapo.stTrump administration proposes changes to census that could exclude millionsIf adopted, the changes could exclude millions of residents from the decennial tally, reshaping congressional representation in the country. 83124
Reposted by John C. Shepard, AICPCensus State Data Centers @censussdc.bsky.social · 09/09/2026via @FedRegister Public Inspection: Proposed Rule: Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions... Proposed Rule by the Census Bureau on 09/10/2026 www.federalregister.gov/public-inspe...federalregister.govPublic Inspection: Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic QuestionsDecennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions 103
John C. Shepard, AICP @jcshepard.com · 10/09/2026Rural Broadband Makes Progress… at a Cost. #Broadband availability has improved significantly, but availability is not the same as practical, affordable, high-quality service, especially for #rural communities. Link: medium.com/small-towns-... #econdevmedium.comRural Broadband Makes Progress… at a CostThe US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently reported 96.9% of Americans have access to 100/20 Mbps fixed terrestrial broadband… 000