Congratulations are due to Echo, Oregon for being the first town to officially register for the America in Bloom 2013 national awards. City administrator, Diane Berry, has led the city's five previous entries and says she is looking forward to showing off their downtown, which has undergone some changes. For details on Echo's last AIB effort, check http://blog.oregonlive.com/kympokorny/2010/09/echo_a_small_town_in_northeast.html.

For registering before December 31, Echo will receive a copy of America in Bloom's acclaimed book, "Ten Years of Best Ideas".

Other towns are expressing excitement about registering for the 2013 awards and will be taking advantage of the 25% discount offered for each new town they recruit. Registration deadline is February 28.