The Cincinnati Enquirer says Columbus is not a cowtown anymore.   

Copyright 2006 Columbus Best Blog and Maureen McCabe

This Sunday is Worthington's Fifth Annual "Hi Neighbor!" Night.

Tree lined streets, friendly neighbors... 

Worthington Ohio Calendar

"Hi Neighbor
Sunday, Sunday, June 25, 2006 - 4:00PM
Come outside to meet and greet your neighbors for Worthington's "Hi Neighbor" night. Cook out on your front lawn! Plan a block party! Have refreshments! Take a walk! Join your neighbors for this community-building event.
Event Location: Worthington Neighborhoods " 

This Week Worthington - Candy Brook's article has the history of the "Hi Neighbor" Night and more. 
 

Worthington Neighborhoods include Colonial Hills, Rush Creek, Old Worthington, Worthington Estates, Wilson Hills, Worthingway, Olentangy Hills, Worthington Park, Medick Estates, Linworth,   Potters Creek and more....

Copyright 2006 Columbus Best Blog and Maureen McCabe

This weekend, the 34th annual Comfest.  Comfest is Community Festival

"Print out this game card and take it to the fest. Then, when you see a dog wearing tie-dye or a white couple with dreadlocks, yell, "Bingo"

Buddy (my dog) is wearing a great bandana for Comfest,    Smiley faces and peace signs. 

...more Comfest in The Other Paper - but only in print grab one

" Headed to Comfest? Then check out our critics' picks for the top eight shows."

Copyright 2006 Columbus Best Blog and Maureen McCabe

Real Estate Articles from Inman News today included a column from Robert J. Bruss about  a  book by Bert Sperling and Peter Sander " Best Places to Raise Your Family,"  The new book is published by Wiley Publishing, Inc.

Wiley Publishing's site:  

Author Information
 
 List of Tables & Maps.
About the Authors.

100 Best Places: Ranked & Rated by Category.

PART I: INTRODUCTION.

Chapter 1: Finding Your Best Place.

Chapter 2: Today's Families and Family Trends.

PART II: EVALUATING THE CHOICES.

Chapter 3: What Makes a Best Place Best?

Chapter 4: A Closer Look at the Facts.

PART III: 100 BEST PLACES TO RAISE YOUR FAMILY.

Chapter 5: Neighborhood Profiles.

Appendix: More Data.

Bruss wrote:

"Although there are many authors' opinions throughout the 100 reports on the best U.S. family-friendly towns, most of the best places are based on facts and lots of statistics. Subjective evaluations are extremely difficult, even for the expert authors. For example, I grew up in Edina, Minn., so I was especially interested in the authors' recommendations for that state. Their first choice was Rochester, Minn., primarily for its superb Mayo Clinic medical facility and the excellent public schools. I agree. But their second Minnesota choice was Lakeville, a distant Minneapolis suburb. With that selection, I respectfully disagree because there are far better located, better quality of life, and more affordable towns (such as Edina!) close to employment centers."

"As I poured through all the information, I was impressed with the many towns that are "near" a big city and its special attractions. Of the list of ideal places to raise your family, shockingly there are no large cities. I suspect the reason is most big cities have poor-quality public schools, which is a major disqualifier."

I wondered what Ohio "places" are considered best by the authors? 

Bruss wrote:

"Surprisingly, some states have no recommended places to raise a family. Those few states are Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Maine. Many states have only one "best place" for families. "

Whew!!  Ohio does not seem to have made that list!!   Surely... Dublin, Worthington, Westerville, New Albany, Hilliard, Gahanna, Powell, Upper Arlington, Bexley, Pickerington (have I left out anyone..) ... one of them had to make the list of best places didn't it?

Bruss wrote: 

"Just in case you absolutely must know the top 10 best places for families to live, as selected by Sperling and Sander, they are Louisville, Colo.; Gaithersburg, Md.; Roswell, Ga.; Lakeville, Minn.; Flower Mound, Texas; Fort Collins, Colo.; Cary, N.C.; Sugar Land, Texas; Columbia, Md.; and Noblesville, Ind."

Bruss rated the book an  8 out of 10.  To paraphrase lots of table and stats not a lot of subjective descriptions of what it is like to live in a place.  

Lots of coverage of the book... but reading these failed to find any mention of Ohio.

MSNBC.com on the 'best places'  book picks up story from the New Hampshire Union Leader as Nashua New Hampshire made the list.

Boston Paper on the 'best places' book again Nashua NH making "the list" also says:

Families most interested in education also should check into Charlottesville, Va.; Gainesville, Fla., or West Nyack, N.Y. Best places for health and safety include Appleton, Wis.; Coralville, Iowa; and Nashua, N.H.

FL Paper about Valrico Florida making the list in the 'best places' book!

Boulder Blog on 'best places' book - Louisville CO is one of the top ten.

A California website PE.com says of the 'best places' book

"In the book's introduction, the authors explain that they sought out places that would provide "value," not just excellence. Communities such as Lake Forest, Ill., Beverly Hills and Greenwich, Conn., certainly have excellent services but they simply are too expensive for many families. "

Times Online on the 'best places' book Times Online is in Pennsylvannia "Good place for families " Patrick O'Shea, Times Staff wrote of the Moon-Coraopolis area 18 miles from downtown Philadelphia making the list in the book for  'best places' to raise a family.

Inman.com  Inman requires subscription so no point in going there to read Bruss' article after today. 

Inman requires subscription so no point in going there to read Bruss' article. 

Copyright 2006 Columbus Best Blog and Maureen McCabe