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. Bea...
Jun 30, 2025•30 min•Ep. 38
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 rural c...
Jun 16, 2025•23 min•Ep. 37
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 fede...
Jun 02, 2025•26 min•Ep. 36
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, vo...
May 19, 2025•26 min•Ep. 35
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 insp...
May 05, 2025•45 min•Ep. 34
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 all...
Apr 03, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 33
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 Mark...
Mar 20, 2023•36 min•Ep. 32
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) to ...
Mar 06, 2023•40 min•Ep. 31
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 ecosyst...
Feb 20, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 30
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 st...
Feb 06, 2023•42 min•Ep. 29
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 chat ...
Dec 12, 2022•39 min•Ep. 28
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 Ex...
Apr 17, 2022•32 min•Ep. 27
In this episode, I chat once again with HannaLore Hein (Idaho State Historian). The focus this time is Arimo, Idaho and as usual HannaLore has done some amazing research. She shares stories about Marsh Valley, the Hudspeth Cutoff, Chief Arimo, the Fort Fall Indian Reservation, the General Land Office, Arimo Ranches, sheep and turkey grazing, trains, cold storage and more! We also talk about how HannaLore approaches doing research for our conversations and public history in general and she shares...
Apr 01, 2022•58 min•Ep. 26
In this episode, I chat with Rosie Williams, Manager of the Lewiston Theatre, in Lewiston, UT. Rosie and I chat about her long history with the Lewiston Theatre and why she’s still there showing movies and still loving it. We talk about how the Lewiston Theatre is run, how it is uniquely owned by the city of Lewiston, and the importance of cheap tickets, cheap concessions, and community. We end, as always, with the Road Trip Music Question. Podcast music: “A Happy Day” by codemusic, http://www.j...
Mar 21, 2022•26 min•Ep. 25
In this episode, I chat with Dale Buxton of AltaBank (formerly Lewiston State Bank) in Lewiston, UT. Dale has been with the bank for over 30 years and in that time has spent time in pretty much every role, including President. Dale and I talk about his background and the history of Lewiston State Bank. We talk about the changes he’s seen in the banking industry generally and in rural banking specifically. We talk about the opportunities and challenges facing rural banks and small businesses and ...
Mar 14, 2022•26 min•Ep. 24
In this episode, I chat with Jamie Andrus, President & CEO of the Cache Chamber of Commerce. Jamie and I talk about her background and rural roots and how she came to lead the Cache Chamber of Commerce. We talk about the important roles chambers play in rural communities and the relationship between her chamber and the state legislature. We talk about the issues facing rural and urban Cache Valley - things like roads, traffic, water, the growth of Bear Lake and the coming of In-N-Out(!). We ...
Mar 06, 2022•34 min•Ep. 23
And we're back! Sorry for the delay. In this episode, I talk to Patrick Mullen, Vice President of Arctaris Impact Investors. Patrick has a fascinating background in finance and impact investing with a recent focus on rural communities and Opportunity Zones. Patrick and I talk about Opportunity Zones - what they are, how they work, and what he would like to see them do better. We talk about the importance of regional planning, public/private partnerships, why he was in Malad recently, and how you...
Jan 31, 2022•40 min•Ep. 22
In this episode, I talk to Chris Jensen, florist and owner of Daisy Hollow Floral in Malad, Idaho. Chris and his shop are beloved in Malad and throughout rural Southeast Idaho. We talk about how Chris came to be a florist and rural small business owner (he bought and took over the shop at age 21!) and the importance of family and community. Chris also provides some interesting insights on the behind-the-scenes of how flowers get from wholesalers to an arrangement on a rural kitchen table. We tal...
Nov 19, 2021•26 min•Ep. 21
Welcome to Season 3 of the Rural Towns Project Podcast! Season 3 will have even more Idaho and Utah towns, even more episodes, and soon a companion newsletter and a few other things I’m working on so stay tuned. I’m starting Season 3 with Malad, Idaho and kick things off by welcoming back to the podcast Idaho State Historian HannaLore Hein. HannaLore and I talk about the history of Malad generally but quickly get into the fascinating role Malad played in the political history of both Idaho and U...
Nov 15, 2021•58 min•Ep. 20
In this episode, I talk to Jake Powell, a professor at Utah State University in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, and a leader of the newly formed GNAR (Gateway & Natural Amenity Region) Initiative. Jake and I talk about his background in the rural West and what led him to the GNAR Initiative. We talk about what the GNAR Initiative is all about and the work Jake and his colleagues are doing to help gateway communities “prepare for and respond to planning, development, natura...
Aug 13, 2021•44 min•Ep. 19
In this episode, I talk to TJ Davis of the Pickleville Playhouse in Garden City, Utah. TJ and his family founded and run the Pickleville Playhouse and TJ writes for, and acts in, the plays and deals with the business side of the Playhouse and the Pickleville brand. We talk about how TJ came to be involved in the family business (hint: it wasn’t in his first or second plan), the growth of Pickleville, Garden City, and Bear Lake, and the joys and challenges of live theater in a rural community. We...
Jul 16, 2021•33 min•Ep. 18
In this episode, I welcome HannaLore Hein back to the podcast. Regular podcast listeners will recall that HannaLore is the Idaho State Historian and great friend of the podcast. HannaLore and I start by checking in on recent Idaho State History Department events. We then jump right in and have another wide ranging and fascinating conversation, this time about the history of Soda Springs Idaho. We talk about how Soda Springs got its name and the role of trapping, religion, agriculture, mining, Si...
Jul 09, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 17
In this episode, I talk to Jared Davis, owner and operator of the Idan-Ha Drive-In Theatre (yes, a rural drive-in!) in Soda Springs, Idaho. Jared and I talk about the unique challenges of running a drive-in theater in general (there are only a few hundred left in the U.S.) and in a rural community in particular - especially now that he lives 1.5 hours away from Soda but is at the drive-in every weekend in the summer. We talk about other opportunities and challenges that come with providing rural...
Jun 25, 2021•32 min•Ep. 16
In this episode, I talk to Shane and Camille Petersen, owners, operators, and do everything-ers for the Idan-Ha Theatre in Soda Springs, Idaho. Shane and Camille talk about how they came to own the movie theater in Soda Springs (and now another one in Montpelier!), the unique challenges facing rural movie theaters, and what it takes to run a business essentially as a hobby and community service. We end, as always, with the Road Trip Music Question. Podcast music: “A Happy Day” by codemusic, http...
Jun 19, 2021•29 min•Ep. 15
In this episode, I talk to Brandon Schrand, author and Director of Communications for the College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences at Washington State University. Brandon grew up in Soda Springs, Idaho and wrote a wonderful memoir about it - The Enders Hotel - that I highly recommend. Brandon and I use that book to frame our discussion about life in a rural town and the opportunities and challenges facing rural businesses and communities. We talk about our concerns and hopes ...
Jun 04, 2021•35 min•Ep. 14
In this episode, I talk to John Patterson, CPA, rural business and building owner on Morgan’s historic Commercial Street. John and I talk about the old bank building he bought and restored and the changes happening on Commercial Street. We talk about the changes - and the challenges that come with trying to manage those changes - happening in rural communities across the West. We also talk about ideas for the local level management of change and growth. We end, as always, with the Road Trip Musi...
May 28, 2021•31 min•Ep. 13
In this episode, I talk to Roger Roper from the Historic Preservation Program for the State of Utah. Preservation of buildings on rural main streets is something that keeps coming up on the podcast, including this month with the focus on Morgan, UT. Roger and I talk about his role with the Historic Preservation Office, how he got the position, and his decades long preservation work in Utah and elsewhere. We talk about the work happening now in Utah related to main street preservation and his tho...
May 21, 2021•27 min•Ep. 12
In this episode, I talk to Teresa Lake, owner of Morgan Mercantile as well as owner of, and baker for, Mama Lake’s Bakery, in Morgan, Utah. Teresa shares her story of growing up in Morgan and becoming a rural entrepreneur and business owner later in life. We talk about the importance of main streets in rural towns and about the challenges and opportunities that come with being a rural business owner. Teresa makes a strong case for visiting Morgan - hint, it includes a free cinnamon role for Rura...
May 14, 2021•31 min•Ep. 11
In this episode, I talk to Rachel Turk, County Historian, Morgan County Historical Society, Morgan, Utah. That’s right, Utah. The podcast is expanding to rural towns in Utah! The plan is to alternate between rural Idaho and rural Utah towns each month and I’m thrilled to have Morgan as the first rural Utah town on the podcast. Rachel and I talk about her role as County Historian, how she got the position, and the pros and cons of coming to it as an outsider. We talk about her work assisting with...
May 07, 2021•40 min•Ep. 10
In this episode, I talk to Heidi Khokhar, Executive Director of Rural Development Initiatives (RDI). RDI is an organization focused on revitalizing rural economies, developing rural leaders, and elevating rural voices in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. I chose to make my conversation with Heidi part of this month’s focus on Inkom, Idaho because of the grassroots effort of folks in Inkom and elsewhere towards revitalization. Heidi and I talk about her passion for rural issues, what drew her to RDI...
Apr 23, 2021•30 min•Ep. 9
