The tragedy has touched off visceral waves of emotion in this close-knit village of 7,600 people.

You can volunteer part time for a week or two while also studying Spanish, or you can live and work in a close-knit indigenous village for a year.

It is not difficult to guess who the prowler might be in small close-knit villages.

But he also recalled the extraordinary natural beauty, and the serenity of a culture of close-knit villages.

Monkstown, Glenbrook and Passage West are three close-knit villages side by side along the harbour R610 route.

Humans are tribal creatures, and our desire to live in small, close-knit villages finds expression even in the most sprawling cities.

"Nobody said a thing about it," said Charles Edwards Sr., who watched Mr. Watkins grow up in the close-knit village.

Nevertheless, Champion continued to mature into a stable and close-knit village.

One reason this close-knit village has rallied around the tree, the way another town might support its local football team, is the Heady family's deep roots in the community.

What may make Pleasantvillians uncomfortable is that the wholesomeness satirized in the movie is quite true of this close-knit village.