Can the livable town of Hershey survive a sale of Hershey Foods Corporate to a conglomerate like Nestle?
Unlike Disney World's Main Street, Hershey, Pennsylvania is an authenticplace. One of America's great utopians, Milton Hershey laid out thetown's landscaped streets, created a small shopping district, built a trolleyline, and fashioned distinctive housing for everyone from workers tocorporate executives. The question now being asked throughout much ofPennsylvania is whether the quality of life fostered by good jobs and atruly great place can survive the sale of Hershey Foods to amultinational conglomerate. Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher doesn't think so and is appearing in a state court on September 3 seeking a restraining order to prevent the sale.In this latest piece from the Elm Street Writers Group, PulitzerPrize-winning journalist Thomas Hylton comments on how the proposed saleof Hershey Foods is roiling a beautiful central Pennsylvania town, andnot just because of impending job losses. Milton Hershey's utopian idealsand effective town design fostered civic strength and a sense of belongingthat is all too rare in America today. Those values are sure to diminishunder new ownership, he argues.
Thanks to Keith Schneider
FULL STORY: In Land of Kisses, a Slap in the Face

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie