Starting this month, we’ll be traveling the country asking the question: what makes for a strong local economy? There’s “Eco-localism,” local food and local farming, local media movements, and regional, state, and even national ad campaigns urging us to “eat local,” “buy local,” and “put local first.” Local’s gone global, but what exactly does it mean? That’s why Dan Swinney believes manufacturing needs to be part of the strong local economy too. The strongest local communities have local independent media—think Berkeley, Boulder, Tampa (all are community-radio rich). From Mississippi to Pine Ridge, allies abound for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and those who want to build strong local economies.