The Old Cozad Mill

05/02/2025

Yesterday, I had the chance to speak at the Idaho Rural Success Summit and spend time with dedicated people who are passionate about strengthening their state. I talked about place, about pride, and about how we’ve got to stop confusing investment with improvement.

Too many communities fall into the “growth for growth’s sake” trap but we should never place attraction over belonging. A town doesn’t need to be the next big thing to be a success. It just needs to be good enough to make the people who live there want to stay.

Every hometown already has a built-in advantage: it’s home. That’s a powerful starting point if we take it seriously.

If a young person grows up in a place that doesn’t give them joy, doesn’t offer connection, doesn’t make them feel heard or respected, if there’s no fun, no ownership, no sense that their presence matters, then they should leave. And when they do, it’s not a failure of the kid. It’s a failure of the town.

The kind of place we need to build is the kind our grandparents had, resilient, self-reliant, and rooted in community. Places that are dignified, sustainable, and beautiful because they were designed for the people who live there. Not to impress investors. Not to go viral. But to create a life worth staying for.

We don’t need gimmicks. We need pride. And we need places that earn it.

04/21/2025

It’s that time of year again—when we fling open the windows, attack the junk drawer, and finally deal with that mystery Tupperware in the fridge. But spring cleaning isn’t just for our houses. It’s something our blocks, our neighborhoods, even our entire cities desperately need—and we all benefit when we treat our surroundings like they matter.

Because here’s the truth: when we tend to our environment, we tend to ourselves.

There’s something deeply human about wanting to live in a place that feels cared for. Clean sidewalks. Freshly painted benches. A storefront with actual pride. When we see order, beauty, and attention in our surroundings, we feel better, we act better, and—surprise—we make better decisions.

We spend more time outside. We say hi to neighbors. We litter less. We walk more. We yell at our kids less (okay, maybe). The ripple effect of a well-tended place is real and powerful.

So yes, clean out your garage this spring—but maybe also pick up that plastic bottle rolling around the curb. Paint that peeling railing. Plant some flowers by the sidewalk. It’s not just civic duty—it’s self-care.

A better block makes better people.
And better people build better places

04/09/2025

When people talk trash about their hometown, they’re not just being negative—they’re trying to distance themselves from decline. It’s a way to protect their self-image from being tied to a place that feels forgotten or broken. That reaction is understandable. Most of us have never lived in a town that’s truly gotten better in our lifetime.

And how could we, when the only “progress” we see is more strip malls, more vinyl-sided subdivisions, more road expansions, and national chains that drain character and pride from our communities? These projects don’t inspire hope—they erode it.

But we can’t just keep waiting for people to become more civic-minded. We can’t just hope they’ll start showing up to council meetings or join the local revitalization group. If a place is suffering from low civic self-esteem, the only real cure is action. Relentless, local, boots-on-the-ground self-improvement.

The good news? Decline can be halted in an instant. The moment someone picks up trash, paints a wall, or plants a flower, the trajectory shifts. No, it won’t fix everything overnight—but that’s how every comeback begins. And with every small improvement, pride starts to grow. Progress feels possible. People stop distancing themselves from their town—and start associating with it to boost their own identity.

So if your town feels stuck, don’t ask what others should do. Ask what you can do. Because the only way to rebuild civic pride is the same way we rebuild personal confidence: through steady, visible, meaningful work.

04/07/2025

Time for a reset!!

Times didn’t start changing. They already changed. If your city still runs with the same old chamber, tourism bureau, and economic development office doing the same old things—it’s time for a reset.

Let’s be honest: those institutions had their moment. They did good work for decades. But things evolve—people, the economy, expectations. And cities need to evolve too. We’re not moving the needle because we’re afraid to say out loud that what used to work just… doesn’t anymore.

This isn’t about tearing things down. It’s about asking: Are we still relevant? Because doing the wrong things more efficiently isn’t progress. Revitalization today isn’t about jobs or visitors—it’s about residents. It’s about emotion, beauty, pride, and belonging. Most legacy institutions haven’t caught up to this shift.

We live in an economy of aesthetics. People decide where to eat, live, shop, and travel based on how places make them feel. A beautiful home sells faster. A stylish café gets more foot traffic. A pretty downtown gets posted on Instagram. This isn’t shallow—it’s human nature.

So why are cities still ignoring this? Why are they laser-focused on cost instead of value? A fancy car and a luxury grocery store still do basic functions—but people pay a premium for the experience. Cities are no different. Residents want places that make them feel good. Proud. Connected. Inspired.

Your job isn’t to lure strangers. It’s to delight the people who already live there. Create places they love walking through. Give them beauty, safety, joy, and a little whimsy. That’s what builds loyalty. That’s what drives momentum.

Here’s a wild idea: start a Chamber of Cute. A Bureau of Enjoyment. An Office of Holy Hell This Town Makes Me Feel Great. Sounds silly? Not really. Because the places people love the most are the ones that deliver those exact feelings.

So take a hard look at your mission. At your budget. At your hours. Are you making people’s lives better? Are you proud of what your town looks like? Are your residents?

If not—change. It’s not too late. But the clock’s been ticking for a while

04/01/2025

This is a post from my friend, Rose Mapel:

Hi, I am trying to get approval for backyard chickens on the Cozad city meeting agenda for May 5, 2025 at 7PM meeting. If you support this please let me know and let the city know you would like this added to the agenda. I plan to speak on this and bring solutions to the table on how other cities successfully manage this concept. Once this gets on the agenda I invite you to show up May 5, 2025 at 7PM and speak on it whether you want chickens or want to take advantage of a ready source of nutritious eggs from local hens. An egg number is easy to get to legally sell farm fresh eggs.

Video spoiler: In 2010, the city of Diest, in Belgium, offered to buy 3 chickens per household to help reduce organic food going to the landfill. 2,000 families took them up on their offer. They found they dropped 100 tons of food waste being sent to the landfill. They reported organic waste was cut in half and families had a source of fresh eggs. They estimate that if 1 in 3 households had hens to eat household kitchen scraps there would be no need for the commercial egg industry.

10/03/2024

09/04/2024

Beautiful!!

09/04/2024

So cute! We want one!

02/24/2024

02/16/2024

First, I will squelch the current rumor that The Old Cozad Mill is being sold. That can't be further from the truth. I have invested too much blood, sweat, tears and soul into this building. I AM NOT SELLING. I have, however, closed down the rental hall reservations, to allow more time to focus on other ventures.

Second, exciting things are happening behind the scenes at The Old Cozad Mill! Thanks to Stiver Construction and Remodeling for working on several projects on the upper floor. Most recently, they installed the wood and tin ceiling. Thanks guys! I know it wasn't easy, as this old building is not true and square at all, and we used salvaged tin and wood that wasn't perfect either. I love that the final ceiling is perfectly imperfect!

Stay tuned for the next adventure in the upper floor renovations!