Stories from around America

I've decided to start highlighting more stories from smaller papers across the country - the ones that cover and celebrate the America I know and like.

For instance, from Rhode Island comes this story about "stay-at-home moms" banding together in a local chapter of M.O.M.S. (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club. The headline is "Seekonk M.O.M.S. Club builds friendships."

From South Carolina comes the news that a YMCA has figured out how to use video games to get kids to exercise. And, I might add, they're teaching kids to be competitive, too. (Shhh. Don't tell the self-esteem-can't-handle-contests crowd.)

From Alaska, here's a feature on the surprising success of a book about Haines, Alaska. Hmmm. It says there that the author bases each chapter on her experiences as an obituary writer for the local paper. People magazine and Entertainment Weekly like it. USA Today is planning to list it as a summer sleeper and NPR is planning a spot with the author. I sometimes don't like the picks of People, etc., but I'm game to check it out, at least, especially with this to go on:

It’s no surprise that Heather Lende’s new book about Haines is flying off the shelves in the local bookstore. More surprising, perhaps, is the attention it’s getting from readers and reviewers Outside.

In "If you lived here, I’d know your name," longtime resident Lende reflects on life in Haines—through the lens of death: each chapter draws on her experiences as an obituary writer for the Chilkat Valley News.

"Writing about the dead helps me celebrate the living—my neighbors, friends, husband, and five children—and this place, which some would say is on the edge of nowhere, but for me is the center of everywhere," writes Lende in the book’s introduction.

From North Dakota, comes a story of a can-do young lady, who is coming back from serious head injuries sustained in a car wreck last August. Just call her 'The Comeback Kim' is by Jane Haas, and it's on one of those general links that might get reused for something else, so be sure and check it out soon. It starts:

From an intensive care unit to the junior prom in nine months turned out to be a long journey for Kim Wolf. The journey has amazed her family, friends and people in her home communities of Ashley and Kulm. Kim is not so amazed. She always knew she could do it.

Kim Wolf gives her signature thumbs up to the notion that she is getting better and will continue to make strides toward regaining her speech and the ability to walk normally.

“(Attitude) will help me,” Kim says, using an alphabet card to make her spoken words easier to decipher. “I never doubted that.”

For anyone interested in starting a similar 'hidden-in-plain-view America' project, my present M.O. is to go to US Newspaper List, and browse until I chance upon something that strikes my fancy. It's like going on a treasure hunt. I'm having a blast.

UPDATE: I've just received permission to reprint the story about Kim Wolf. See here.