Patch Launches Dispatches: The Changing American Dream

We're excited to inaugurate a new series for our Patch Readers: "Dispatches: The Changing American Dream."

Every day, the national media is full of stories about how American families, businesses, and neighbors are adjusting to these trying times. There are so many changes happening so fast that it's dizzying: national debates about unemployment, foreclosures, debt, religion, government and private enterprise all touch on fundamental ways in which we see ourselves and our communities. At Patch, we want to explore that conversation on a daily basis so we can better understand how our neighbors are adjusting to the challenges and opportunities that surround us.

We don't think there's one American Dream, but a multitude of American Dreams which a multitude of people are working toward. Looking out across nearly almost 900 Patch sites, we see businesses holding their breath deciding whether to expand; college graduates returning home because they can't find jobs; and senior citizens bringing boarders into their homes to help pay their bills. We also see bold new volunteer efforts, inspiring stories of local businesses that succeed because they innovated, and locals who've taken these trying times as a signal to engage more, not less, in their government.

At the purely local level, we want to know where we, as Bradenton neighbors, fit along these fault lines.

Nationally, there's a debate about which government-building efforts are "shovel-ready." Locally, we know that leaders are pushing the Riverwalk Project as a way to bring life to Bradenton's riverfront. They continue to struggle with that to do with the landmark Manatee River Hotel, also known as the Pink Palace. And a reconfiguration of Manatee Avenue through the downtown area, set for completion in the fall, has been a controversial public project.

Nationally, there's a debate about the education system, which is at the center of our dreams of a better life for our children. Locally, we know Manatee County schools are struggling with the school budget, which has included cutting teacher pay. And while overall the schools performed better in standardized measurements, with nearly 70 percent receiving As or Bs from the state, seven schools saw their grades drop from last year. and Manatee School for the Arts and Sciences each fell from a C to a D. G.D. Rogers Garden received an F for the second straight year. Improving those schools will be a priority in the coming school year.

"Dispatches" will be built upon the compelling vignettes and snapshots we unearth across all of our Patch sites.

And, of course, we want your help: Tell us what issues and what stories in Bradenton go to the heart of your American Dream.