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A compilation of news links about and for regional communities pursuing local and regional development.
Published on line since November 11, 2003.
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Contents
Top Regional Community stories … 1. – 9.
U.S. Regional Communities - sub-State, State or multi-State – news articles …10.01 - .39
Other Regional Community News for Our Local Planet … 11.01 - .20
Blogging about Regional Communities … 12.01 - .12
Announcements and Regional Links … 13.01 - .09
Custom search: region, regions, regional communities … 14
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Top Regional Community stories
1. FEMA Lacks Measures of Regional Collaboration - HSToday -
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) lacks a means to measure the performance of urban areas to confirm that they are collaborating to build regional capabilities, therefore it lacks certainty that cities are spending their Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grants effectively, congressional investigators found.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that FEMA develop performance measures to determine what progress cities have made in developing the means to collaborate regionally. FEMA agreed with the recommendation, which was made public Thursday in a GAO report titled "Urban Area Security Initiative: FEMA Lacks Measures to Assess How Regional Collaboration Efforts Build Preparedness Capabilities."
FEMA has been gathering data on regions eligible for UASI grants to examine their spending on specific projects and to rate their preparedness priorities and capabilities but the agency has not taken a look at how well those regions have collaborated to build preparedness capabilities--a key goal of the UASI grants, GAO said.
…
GAO surveyed 49 UASI regions in the study to prepare its report. It discovered that 46 of them report having active mutual aid agreements, and 44 of them identified "training and exercises as activities they use to build regional preparedness capabilities."
The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-53) directed FEMA to change the way it defines a geographic region when determining its eligibility for UASI grants. But the urban areas affected by these determinations do not necessary agree with how FEMA defines their areas.
Of the 49 regions in the GAO survey, 27 regions said FEMA included additional jurisdictions in their geographic area when the agency assessed risk related to UASI grant determinations. But those regions do not consider those additional jurisdictions to actually belong to their urban area.
Seventeen of those regions said …
Report PDF http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09651.pdf
http://www.hstoday.us/content/view/9219/128/
2. Economic factors tap the brakes on traffic congestion - (Press release) Texas Transportation Institute - Texas A&M University System,
As goes the American economy, so goes the traffic.
Though it might have been hard to notice, traffic congestion took a break from its worsening trend even before the current recession, with high gas prices in the last half of 2007 bringing about a slight reduction in traffic. The recession that took hold soon after could prolong that effect, but experts warn that the slowdown in congestion growth will be temporary. When the economy rebounds, expect traffic problems to do the same.
The most current information on the nation's traffic picture is outlined in the 2009 Urban Mobility Report, published recently by the Texas Transportation Institute. This year's installment tracks a quarter century of traffic patterns in 439
Travelers spent one hour less stuck in traffic in 2007 than they did the year before and wasted one gallon less gasoline than the year before. The differences are small, but they represent a rare break in near-constant growth in traffic over 25 years.
...
Researchers recommend a balanced and diversified approach to reducing traffic congestion – one that focuses on more of everything. Their strategies include:
* Get as much use as possible out of the transportation system we have.
* Add roadway and public transportation capacity in the places where it is needed most.
* Change our patterns, employing ideas like ridesharing and flexible work times to avoid traditional "rush hours."
* Provide more choices, such as alternate routes, telecommuting and toll lanes for faster and more reliable trips.
* Diversify land development patterns, to make walking, biking and mass transit more practical.
* Adopt realistic expectations, recognizing for instance that large urban areas are going to be congested, but they don't have to stay that way all day long.
"The best solutions are going to be those in which actions by transportation agencies are complemented by businesses, manufacturers and commuters," Lomax says. "There's a mindset that says that this is a city government's job or a state DOT's job, but the problem is far too big for transportation agencies alone to address it adequately."
...
Regional Congestion Data by City Reference: http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/congestion_data/
2009 Annual Urban Mobility Report Main Page: http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/
3.
“I made it official (Tuesday),” he said. “I sent a letter to (the commission), and I sent a letter to the governor’s office.
The Northwest Georgia Regional Commission is expected to be the lead body for land use, environmental, transportation and historic preservation planning in the region. The North Georgia Regional Development Center (NGRDC) [http://www.ngrdc.org/ ], headquartered in
NGRDC members had initially opposed state efforts to merge them with the 10-county Coosa Valley RDC [ http://www.cvrdc.org/ ] into the Northwest commission. Whitfield County Board of Commissioners chairman Mike Babb said last week board members were leaning towards remaining with the NGRDC, but that changed after commission members found the NGRDC planned to challenge the state law requiring the merger.
“
Ridley said he was waiting to see what
…
http://www.daltondailycitizen.com/murray/local_story_188184825.html?keyword=secondarystory
4. ARC is Philadelphia-bound - Norristown Times Herald -
The location of a proposed American Revolution Center (ARC) museum and conference center, the subject of numerous lawsuits and procedural objections over the past five years in
The new location will be “in the area of Third and Chestnut streets” within the 55-acre Independence National Historical Park (INHP) in
Officials of the ARC announced a “land-exchange agreement” with the National Park Service (NPS) Wednesday afternoon following the signing of an agreement on Monday for the land where the one-story, 39,000-square-foot
“It’s a good day for our
…
The Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau (VFC&VB) President, Paul Decker, said the VFC&VB was “extremely disappointed that ARC leadership has moved this project to Philadelphia and out of the place in which it was conceived more than 13 years ago — Montgomery County and, more specifically, Valley Forge.”
“The bureau sees no ‘regionalism’ in another decision to stack the region’s major attractions in Philadelphia and move the museum’s potential $50 million annual economic impact to one of America’s greatest, but already attractions-rich cities,” he said. “Instead of giving visitors and tour operators another reason to extend their overnight stays in the region, this decision puts our strongest historical attractions ‘all in a row’ within a few city blocks, creating competition between them and extending Philadelphia’s long-suffered, albeit invalid, reputation as a rush-through-it, short stay destination.”
http://www.timesherald.com/articles/2009/07/02/news/doc4a4c4e3d87d50082530076.txt
5. Business leaders ready to think regionally - The Natchez Democrat -
Several members of the private sector on hand at Tuesday’s meeting on regionalism said they think the local business community is ready to get the regional ball rolling.
Ronnie Bryant, president and CEO of Charlotte Regional Partnership, told the crowd of business and elected leaders that the private sector must lead the charge for a better community. In
Delta Bank President Cliff Merritt said he thinks a change in mindset among business leaders in Ferriday, Vidalia and
“We need to let the people that are in control know we are not satisfied with what we’ve been doing,” Merritt said. “It’s time for us to find bottom with our feet and push in a new direction.”
..
That step is one Green said he thinks the Miss-Lou business community is strong enough to do.
“I think the (private) sector is capable,” he said. “It’s probably an idea or issue that is on the forefront of people’s minds right now more than it was years ago because of the frustration of watching elected officials not work together.
“Now that we realize they aren’t going to, we’ve got to do it.”
But the private sector may not have to go it alone just yet; several elected officials in attendance at the meeting said they liked the idea of regionalism as well.
“I think we can work together,” Natchez Mayor Jake Middleton said. “Trust is the biggest (challenge); we’ve always been at each other. But if we put a board together and try to land the project, we can quit worrying about who gets the pat on the back.
…
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2009/jun/23/business-leaders-ready-think-regionally/
6. Critics on the left a relief,
...
MW: There’s a pretty strong preconception that your creative class hypothesis is built on class division, and that really rankles activists.
RF: But it is. One of the things my work points out is that class is becoming a more important category.
…
With Rise of the Creative Class, I was very reluctant to use the word “class” - my editor pushed me really hard on that.
…
What we said was you could divide not only between the physical working class and the capitalist class, but, taking Marx’s view that the working class worked with its physical labour, and moreover, that physical labour turned into economic value, I said to myself there are a lot of people grappling with information, knowledge, technology - what would be an analogue to this knowledge work class, what would be an analogue like physical labour?
And it struck me that it’s this thing called human creativity.
I think where people get confused. If you read the opening lines of that book, it says “every single human being is creative; the real task is to stoke the creative furnace that lies deep within every human being.”
So what I was posing is that although 30 percent of us have the great good fortune to be part of this professional, technical, artistic, entertainment creative class, the real goal in society should be to expand those borders.
…
What I discovered is not only is the creative economy concentrating in megaregions, because of things Jane Jacobs discovered, that when people live near one another, they’re more productive and innovative.
But within these creative centers, they’re pulling apart. Now, Canadian metros look better than
…
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/657407
7. Mayors agree - sort of - on regional cooperation - Muncie Star Press -
Officials from
All seven officials -- Muncie Mayor Sharon McShurley, Anderson Mayor Kris Ockomon, the
The speechless response showed that "Speaking Regionally: Connecting the Dots in East Central Indiana" -- the title of the workshop -- remains in the early stages.
"We are all connected," said Jim Brunner, a radio station personality and president of Marion City Council. "Maybe we need to do more things together."
Noting that attendance at such meetings is often low, McShurley said "it's nice to see this participation." She called for more group efforts among East Central Indiana cities to promote economic development and improve the quality of life.
Ockomon expects speaking regionally "to be very fruitful for
The crowd laughed again when Ockomon said, "We like to mention
..
East Central
The public needs to be educated about the benefits of regionalism, according to McShurley, who noted that she was criticized by some
8. Editorial: Regional synergy needed to attract more jobs - Anderson Herald Bulletin -
Last Thursday’s meeting in
In the past, the three cities have been protective of their area and very competitive when it came to attracting businesses. They kept their deals close to the vest and if there were any secrets to landing a business and the ensuing jobs, all lips were sealed.
That kind of attitude might be changing. The tri-county area is experiencing severe job loss, mounting unemployment, devastating assessed valuation and the accompanying revenue loss and decaying infrastructure. For the first time, city leaders are realizing that they are not in this alone and might be able to actually help each other.
The officials — Anderson’s Kris Ockomon, Muncie’s Sharon McShurley and Marion’s Deputy Mayor Stacy Henderson — were the focal point, but more than 100 others showed up to learn new ideas about cooperation.
“We’re not competing with
She’s got a point. The global economy has forced states like Indiana, and the communities within, to compete on an international scale for jobs. Most of the tri-county area had numerous automotive jobs leave and go outside the country to take advantage of low foreign wages. With those jobs gone, the communities have had to scramble to find replacement employment and, often as not, been unsuccessful.
…
To be sure, there will always be a healthy competition among the counties and cities. But officials realize that cooperation in education and job openings will help the residents of these counties throw off the yoke of the past and meet the future united.
http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/opinion/local_story_180233633.html?keyword=topstory
9.
In its quest for new revenues,
Council cannot levy payroll or sales taxes on commuters without producing an exodus of jobs. The communities of greater
The underlying problem isn't the number of people using
There can be no regional governance without political accountability. If
It's not just residents of outlying towns who believe
…
Perhaps the best way to achieve regional goals, fairly managed, is through amalgamation. A regional consensus is possible. To achieve it, city councillors must first demonstrate they are fiscally responsible, politically accountable and prepared to treat suburbanites as equal citizens.
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/707262
10. U.S. Regional Communities - sub-State, State or multi-State - in news articles.
Bold font words are Google search terms. Bold italic words considered worth noting. In this and section 11, links to websites of organizations are added to the news excerpt when this is the first time an organization has been found. A goal of this newsletter is to find every regional council in the U.S. in a news story as well as recognizing other regional organizations. In most cases, where a full name is present, a Google search will quickly get one to that organization. News reports do not always get the organization name correct. Contents
.01 Metro crash prompts federal funding talks
Business Gazette -
Lawmakers at every level of government have called for a dedicated funding source for the regional transportation system. Congressional members of Metro's service area introduced resolutions Wednesday to push their colleagues to make good on the federal funding portion of a Metro agreement passed by Congress last year. ... Metro's board passed a $2.1 billion fiscal 2010 budget, including $740 million in capital spending. Metro officials estimate the system still has about $11 billion in unfunded capital needs over the next decade, including the money to replace the series of cars involved in Monday's incident. While regional lawmakers continue their funding efforts, and Metro and NTSB continue safety inspections, other rail systems are conducting their own safety inspections. ...
http://www.gazette.net/stories/06262009/polinew202945_32530.shtml
.02
Leaders in
http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=10346
.03 Big City Populations Survive the Housing Crunch
Brookings - Metropolitan Policy Program – Washington, D.C.
http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2009/0701_housing_frey.aspx?emc=lm&m=227387&l=1&v=1034753
.04 SEPTA to partner with Google
SEPTA has gone Google. Schedules and routes for all SEPTA trains and trolleys will be synchronized with Web-based trip-planning program Google Transit, officials announced yesterday. On the Google Transit Web [http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/transit/#mdy] site, part of the larger Google Maps program, users can now enter a starting point and destination in the Philadelphia region - keywords like Independence Hall or movie theater or exact addresses - and Google will display a SEPTA route. Riders will still need to visit SEPTA's Web site for fare information. ...
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/technology/20090701_SEPTA_to_partner_with_Google.html
.05 Local Congress brings new generation of leaders
... new Millennial Mayors Congress [http://www.millennialmayors.org/ ] , representing 18 Detroit-area communities, ... pairs an elected official such as a mayor with a community resident, age 18-35. The delegations exchange ideas and develop local and regional policy recommendations. The group is assisted by researchers, technical experts and administrative support coordinated by the Michigan Suburbs Alliance, a coalition of older-inner-ring suburbs. Over the next six months, Congress representatives will develop a set of goals on regional issues, which they aim to adopt by 2010. They will then work to make those goals a reality. ...
.06 Regional Red Cross exec explains change coming
Last June, facing a $200 million operating deficit, the American Red Cross named Gail J. McGovern, a
http://www.myrecordjournal.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=20338873&BRD=2755&PAG=461&dept_id=592709&rfi=6
.07 A crisis in budget form
THERE ARE many things to like about the $27.4 billion state budget currently on the governor's desk, and much that saddens us. Although most of the heat has been directed at nearly $1 billion in tax increases needed to keep the budget balanced, the program cuts and spending reductions total $2.4 billion: more than twice as much. ... The first tentative steps toward regionalization of municipal services is encouraged with a $1 million incentive program. ...
.08 Sterman leaves job to direct new levee district
A recently formed metro-east flood prevention council has hired the long-time executive director of the East-West Gateway Council of Governments. East-West Gateway Executive Director Les Sterman has left his post after 26 years to serve as the chief supervisor of construction and works for the Southwestern Illinois Flood Prevention District Council. ...
Sterman said he decided to make the move because he feels that the new council and region's levees are vital in securing its industrial and economic core and in protecting its 150,000 people and 4,000 businesses from flooding. He said the levees are the most critical and challenging infrastructure problem in metro-east. ...
http://www.bnd.com/news/local/story/823864.html
.09 Transit Bill Hearing Postponed - Outlook Perhaps Cloudy - Changing MPO boundaries
The Progressive Pulse – NC Policy Watch
S. 910 mandates that urban local governments wanting access to new funding for public transportation or local road projects align their relevant MPO’s (Metro Planning Organizations - urban transportation planning boards responsible for long range plans under Federal law) to their federal EPA (air quality) boundaries. Currently, MPO boundaries may be changed if the affected counties, municipalities and the Governor agree. This would align long-term urban transportation planning with air quality conservation and promotion. At present, they are hopelessly out of whack. http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/tpb/mpo/ This goal is desirable, but it is not the only important one for transportation planning. …
http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2009/06/30/transit-bill-hearing-postponed-outlook-perhaps-cloudy/
.10 William H. Hudnut III: Collaboration, not competition, is critical
But now, collaboration would be a good start toward a more regional approach to governance. Are there departments duplicating each other’s work, such as purchasing, that could be combined? How many different entities are filling potholes or plowing snow or picking up trash? Is it necessary to have so many police and fire departments, or so many sewer, water, lighting and highway districts? How many school districts are there and how many big bucks are the top people drawing? Ben Franklin graphically depicted the problem of finding common ground for cooperation when he drew a snake in 13 parts and gave it the motto: “Join together or die.” Today,
http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/anothervoice/story/719152.html?imw=Y
.11 East Bay Green Corridor grows, cash pours in
San Francisco Chronicle - CA,
The sun is shining on the
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/26/BUEH18EP14.DTL
.12 GPCID Participating in ARC Lifelong Communities Study
Gwinnett Gazette - GA,
The
http://www.talkgwinnett.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=797&Itemid=1
.13
Business Courier of
The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber has laid off seven employees, a chamber spokesman confirmed Monday. The cuts represent about 9 percent of the chamber’s work force, spokesman Chris Kemper said. The organization employed 75 people before the cuts.
“Like many of our members and many businesses in the community, we have to manage this continued volatility of the economy,” Kemper said. Response to the chamber’s programs has been stronger than ever, and membership renewals are going well, too. But the organization has seen lower contributions from businesses in the form of sponsorships, Kemper said.
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/06/29/daily8.html
.14
U.S. News & World Report
As homeowners everywhere search frantically for signs of a real estate recovery, it's worth taking a look at how markets recovered from previous regional busts. To that end, the Federal Housing Finance Agency--that's Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's spanking new regulator--has released a research report examining just that. By looking at real estate crashes that occurred between the first quarter of 1975 and the first quarter of 2009 in inflation-adjusted terms, researchers uncovered some ominous findings: First, house price downturns have tended to be long. The median time required to return to prior peak prices was 10½ to 20 years. Second, it tends to take longer for prices to rise from the trough to their former peak than it takes prices to decline from peak to trough. While the difference is small for Census Divisions and states, FHFA’s Metropolitan Statistical Area and Division (MSA) indexes suggest that the time from peak to trough tends to be about 3¾ years, whereas the median recovery period (from trough to prior peak) was 6 2/3 years. The paper went on to examine four distinct regional housing busts in greater detail. ...
.15 Working together seen best approach
Laconia Citizen -
Belknap County Commissioners discussed the importance of communities working together within the county referring to a word that grown in popularity in the past few months; regionalization. ... State Rep. Bill Johnson, D-Gilford, said he would like to see the state take a more proactive approach in the way of regionalization, suggesting that many small problems can be solved at the county level. Selectman Kevin Hayes posed the question, what if county government was done away with completely. Boothby said the State could possible take over in some areas such as the county jail and nursing home, but do this wouldn't be such a great idea since the level of service would not be the same. ...
http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090625/GJNEWS02/706259778/-1/CITNEWS
.16
Mobilizing the Region - Tri-State Transportation Campaign
In May, Governor Corzine signed Executive Order 141 creating the Atlantic City Regional Implementation Group for Housing and Transportation (AC RIGHT), a task force designed to streamline land use and transportation planning in
http://blog.tstc.org/2009/07/01/atlantic-city-transportation-plan-misses-the-point/
.17 Regional cooperation may be key to ballpark
A long-term ballpark solution will be addressed by the city and neighboring counties after the new franchise has formally relocated and the ownership group can join discussions. ... Regional cooperation is vital to a long-term solution, in the estimation of William J. Pantele, a former City Council president. "At the end of the day, we need to look at what a baseball stadium or that activity really is, and it's a regional entertainment event. That's worth contributing to. It's not worth breaking the bank over," Pantele said. "So wherever [a new or transformed ballpark] is located West End, Boulevard, someplace else -- it's got to have a fiscally feasible model, and I don't think you'll ever get to that kind of model without the regional governments getting together." ...
.18
http://www.ohio.com/news/48983201.html
.19 Health Care - Not Affordable
The Seminal -
Health Care for America Now and the Institute for
http://www.theseminal.com/2009/06/23/health-care-not-affordable/
.20 MNREM Honored with
The Economic Development Association of Minnesota (EDAM) announced winners of the organization’s annual Economic Development Awards on June 17, 2009, at the organization’s Summer Conference. ... Non-Metro: Renewable Energy Marketplace –
http://www.mnrem.org/news/2009/6/26/mnrem-honored-with-edam-partnership-award
.21 Funding to aid health care costs for area residents
Waxahachie Daily Light -
Efforts to assist Medicare beneficiaries who are likely to be eligible for help paying their health care costs and prescriptions will be stepped up in North Central Texas, thanks to special funding awarded to the North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging. ... The NCTAAA is a program of the North Central Texas Council of Governments. North Central Texas is one of six area agencies on aging in
http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2009/06/26/health/doc4a4503ef0ae25919608250.txt
.22 Yahoo! decision to build here may attract others
State and local government leaders are betting that their aggressive efforts to capture Yahoo!’s new $150 million data center for Niagara County will convince other high-tech firms to consider Western New York, bringing investments and jobs to the struggling region. ... Government officials and Yahoo! executives said the region already has a strong, educated, skilled work force, a cadre of colleges and universities, a diversity of possible sites, a fiber-optic network and appropriate infrastructure, and competitive low-cost hydropower — all of which played a role in landing Yahoo!. “
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/720201.html?imw=Y
.23
Mlive.com - MI,
The Michigan Suburbs Alliance, an association of 31 localities in southeast
http://www.mlive.com/businessreview/annarbor/index.ssf/2009/07/michigan_suburbs_alliance_aims.html
.24
In recent weeks, the Maricopa Association of Governments has unveiled its plans on how to build the next round of transportation infrastructure despite near-crippling economic woes. ...
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/141035
.25 Town applies for regional dispatch grant
The Landmark -
... Sterling Fire Department has applied for a $100,000 grant that could be used for consulting purposes in forming a regional dispatch center that would also include the Sterling Police Department, as well and 12-13 other area communities. "The grant would essentially fund a feasibility study on the proposed regionalization, which could add up to big savings for the towns involved in the long run. In these economic times we have to look at all options. The money will be used to hire a consultant with an eye toward actual implementation," ...
http://www.thelandmark.com/news/2009/0625/sterling_news/056.html
.26 Kemper won't support regionalized senior services Merger talks
The Daily News of
A plan to regionalize services for senior citizens with Merrimac stalled last week when selectmen Chairman Glenn Kemper issued a public statement saying he would not support it. ... "It has the appearance of saying 'the process is over,'" Cushing said of the letter, "I think you've jumped the gun; we're not done." In addition to exploring the COA proposal, Cushing said his board needs to establish a general protocol for how decisions about any type of regionalization are rendered. "I'm just giving you my opinion," responded Kemper. The fact that the COA voted unanimously against the idea and indicated they will all resign if selectmen pursue it is a clear indication of how seniors feel, he believes. ...
http://www.newburyportnews.com/punews/local_story_182233912.html
.27 OCONEE, PICKENS AND
Lakefront Hartwell -
... leaders from the Tri-County area met to discuss the effects of the economic downturn on our region and to forge a partnership focused on mutually beneficial collaboration and joint economic development. Council Chairmen from Oconee, Pickens and
RC:
.28 Lack of transmission capacity stymies deals with wind developers
... problem is that most power lines are built by utilities to carry their own electrical generation, leaving little room for third-party generators to get their power onto the grid. ... The first major expansion of transmission capacity in the region may be the Wyoming-Colorado Intertie Project, which is on track to be in service in 2013. ... However, most of that additional capacity is already under contract. ... there is a gap between companies that want to develop wind energy and companies that want to build transmission lines, and that's where the Infrastructure Authority tries to make connections. "That role of facilitation is absolutely critical," … "But we need to do it without taking away the competitive nature of the transmission projects.
http://www.trib.com/articles/2009/07/01/news/wyoming/79bf4e23cb6aa484872575e5007fc443.txt
.29 Spec building going up at industrial park
The Times and Democrat -
Representatives of the Southern Carolina
http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2009/06/23/news/13830718.txt
.30 Regional event to benefit
A new event which will be held in
The World Coon Dog Championship will be held at the Marion County Fairgrounds in October, but the city of
http://www.register-news.com/local/local_story_172221649.html
.31
Gary Campbell, at-large director and vice mayor of Fort Smith, acquired a new title Friday when he ascended to the presidency of the Arkansas Municipal League at the end of the group’s summer conference in Hot Springs. ... He said he hopes to promote regionalism and economic development. ...
http://www.swtimes.com/articles/2009/06/20/news/news062009_01.txt
.32 Baker Chosen to Develop Regional Assisted Evacuation Plan in
Business Wire (press release) -
Michael Baker Jr., Inc., an engineering unit of Michael Baker Corporation (NYSE Amex:BKR), announced today that it has been selected by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) for a contract to create a seven-county regional emergency preparedness and evacuation plan that will improve emergency preparedness, disaster response and disaster recovery for populations with specific mobility needs. ...
.33 Work Beginning to Pick Up at Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
Parabolic Arc
When the Minotaur rocket carrying the TacSat-3 military satellite blasted off last month from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, one of the people who helped it happen was a Saxis native and mother of two whose job it is to ensure spaceport customers have everything they need to succeed. ...
http://www.parabolicarc.com/2009/06/24/work-beginning-pick-midatlantic-regional-spaceport/
.34 Editorial: ER in south
Lee Memorial Health System and NCH Healthcare System are sticking with plans for a stand-alone emergency room in
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/jun/20/editorial-er-south-lee-county-bonita-springs-plans/
.35 Interdependence Day
StarNewsOnline.com -
... developing strategies to address problems we 'rugged individualists' can't solve alone. Even if I don't agree with the solutions, I agree with the approach that is rooted in the belief that government can play a limited positive role in our lives. We're too interdependent to survive on 'rugged individualism' alone. Actors depend on audiences. Businesses depend on buyers. Buyers depend on employers. Employers need healthy educated employees. Healthy workers need health insurance. We're all virtually and really part of the world wide web. It's a proud day ... Maybe one day we'll be able to celebrate 'Interdependence Day.'
.36 “Reading the West” Gets the Word Out About Regional Books
New West Books & Writers -
“I shamelessly copied from my fellow regional bookseller associations,” Knudsen said, noting that the
.37 Cooperation gets results for region
Just when we thought regionalism was losing ground, there has been a spate of good news recently that provides hope for those of us who believe that regional cooperation is vital to the growth of southeast
.38 The Rise of Megaregions
The American Prospect
… , the RPA,
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_rise_of_megaregions
.39
Earth911.com
The President has established an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley, to recommend a national policy, as well as the framework for implementation of the policy, within 90 days for the protection and restoration of these waters. The Task Force will make coastal and marine spatial planning recommendations, looking at development activities including offshore drilling. President Obama stressed the importance of a unifying framework under a clear national policy to succeed in protecting the oceans, coasts and
http://earth911.com/blog/2009/06/19/comprehensive-ocean-protection-plan-introduced/
11. Other Regional Community News for Our Local Planet Contents
.01 Create single airspace, task force urges
Trinidad & Tobago Express -
THE only way to action the idea of a single airspace across the eastern
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161495882
.02 PM: Region under threat
Trinidad & Tobago Express -
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161495898
.03 Could CARICOM Come Crashing Down Over The `Ethnic Cleansing` Of Guyanese From
There seems to be the mother of a row brewing over the seeming discrimination, early morning raids on their homes and the `ethnic cleansing` of illegal Guyanese immigrants in
http://guyanainquirer.com/?p=9606
.04 COMESA launches its Customs Union despite concerns for peace and Security situation in the region
Shaebia -
The 13th Summit of Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) Heads of State and Government took place in
http://www.shaebia.org/artman/publish/article_5871.shtml
.05 Un Reports Calls For Interregional Trade To Boost African Economic Development
Journal of Turkish Weekly -
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development says African countries can boost their economic development by expanding inter-regional trade and strengthening road and telecommunication systems. In its annual report on Economic Development in
.06 What's next for
Latin America Press -
A moment of calm took over after lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to revoke two pro-investment decrees on June 18. Their decision came on the heels of more than two months of protests by Amazon indigenous groups, demonstrations that turned bloody on June 5, when police moved in, that left 24 officers and at least 10 protesters dead, according to government figures. But now the government and native groups from Peru´s Amazon are scheduled to sit down and discuss the region´s development. Participating in the group is the Inter-Ethnic Development Association of the Peruvian Amazon, or AIDESEP, the umbrella organization of Amazon indigenous groups that first called the protests on April 9. …
http://www.latinamericapress.org/articles.asp?art=5887
.07 'Boom and bust' of deforestation
BBC News
"It is generally assumed that replacing the forest with crops and pastureland is the best approach for fulfilling the region's legitimate aspirations to development," said Dr Rodrigues
"We found although the deforestation frontier does bring initial improvements in income, life expectancy, and literacy, such gains are not sustained." ... The research was possible only because
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8095833.stm
.08 ALBA Bloc Grows by Three New Member Countries at
Venezuelanalysis.com -
The strengthening of the ALBA is a functioning example of a burgeoning "pluripolar world," said Chavez. "The ALBA is no longer a theoretical proposal, but a platform of political, territorial, geopolitical power."To symbolize this, it was agreed that the acronym ALBA, which means "dawn" in Spanish, will stand for Bolivarian Alliance for the
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/4547
.09 International nature park rises in
Inquirer.net -
An international project seeks to build friendship parks in countries bordering the
.10 Think Regionally Act Locally
Scoop Independent News -
The North Shore City Council is doing all it can to assist local community groups to prepare for the new “super city” governance structure, says Councillor Tony Holman, Chair of the council’s Community Services and Parks Committee. “Our community groups number in the thousands and are the lifeblood of the
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0906/S00282.htm
.11
The Register -
British police chiefs are drawing up plans to set up regional “cybercrime” squads along the lines of existing teams tasked to handle anti-terror operations. The idea - still in its formative stages - is the brainchild of the Association of Chief Police Officers, and reflects concern that existing efforts are not enough to keep auction fraud, malware, hacking and other forms of cybercrime in check, ...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/24/cybercrime_squad_plan/
.12 Region fights for higher profile
BBC News -
The creation of a South of Scotland Forum is being considered to help the area attract increased investment. The group would be used to represent the interests of organisations across Dumfries and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/south_of_scotland/8114820.stm
.13 Gilgit Baltistan: Response To
UNPO -
The right of legislation in Gilgit-Baltistan rests with the people of the region. “The government of Pakistan’s proposals to make laws and bring constitutional packages for the region are unlawful and hold no ground at all, as the region does not fall under Pakistan's constitution of 1973,” said Chairman Gilgit-Baltistan United Movement Manzoor Hussain Parwana. He spoke at a consultative workshop titled “Gilgit-Baltistan's constitutional status and the government's constitutional package” organized by the Human Rights Advocacy Network and Sangi Development Foundation . ...
http://www.unpo.org/content/view/9738/254/
.14 Algebra Capital confident of regional economic upturn
AME Info - United Arab Emirates
'The short-comings of the regional markets in terms of lack of transparency, and the short-comings of the regulatory environment, such as effective bankruptcy regimes, have been brought to the surface and will need to be addressed in the very near future to re-establish trust and confidence. Budgetary spending, which was already at record levels prior to the crisis, has been maintained to continue funding much needed infrastructure. This, combined with crude oil at over $50 per barrel, means that budget deficits can be kept to a minimum; above $70 per barrel and many in the region will be back in surplus accumulation mode,' ... the Mena region remains one of the fastest growing areas in the world with substantial wealth, relatively low levels of leverage and falling inflation. These, he says, 'Are strong and attractive attributes in this uncertain global economy.' ...
http://www.ameinfo.com/202215.html
.15 Regional hub for business
Gulf Daily News -
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=255086
.16 Saudi worst media pirates in Mid-East
Rapid TV News
“The Arabian Anti-Piracy Alliance has highlighted the growing grey market, where DTH platforms from outside the region are illegally sold within it. The
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/200907014170/saudi-worst-media-pirates-in-mid-east.html
.17 Fresh ADB initiative to promote sub-regional cooperation
The New Nation -
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has undertaken a fresh initiative in their ongoing efforts to promote South Asian sub-regional economic cooperation, with the new government of
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/07/08/news0246.htm
.18 ABU starts new collaboration on Early Warning Broadcasting Systems
Media Network
The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) is to begin a new collaboration on Early Warning Broadcasting Systems (EWBS) with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for
http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/abu-starts-new-collaboration-on-early-warning-broadcasting-systems
.19 Competing Paradigms On Russian-EU Cooperation
GeorgianDaily.com
The global economic crisis can be a window of opportunity for enhanced cooperation between
http://georgiandaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12612&Itemid=132
.20 IBM to collaborate with city of
NewNet News -
The Dutch city of
12. Blogging about Regional Communities Contents
.01 BROOKINGS MetroMonitor
Bacon's Rebellion
... The primary message to take from MetroMonitor? These data document that there is NO one nation-state-wide policy that will improve the economic, social and physical well being of all Regions. Further some of the most often touted “policy alternatives” (aka, ways to spend federal money) will damage many Regions. Three examples drive home this point: It is painfully apparent that MainStream Media and most Governance Practitioners are still dreaming that the Great Recession will be eclipsed by the two principle economic forces that have been relied on to end every recession since World War II. (It is worth noting in passing that it was World War II, and not specific economic policies that ended the Great Depression.)
The sale of cars and houses have pulled citizens and their Organizations out of every recession over the past 64 years. ...
http://baconsrebellion.blogspot.com/2009/06/brookings-metromonitor.html
.02 Sane planning? Not for transportation
The
Gather a bunch of people interested in urban regions – as opposed to just cities – and it's only a matter of minutes before the acronym MPO comes up, and the grumbling starts. MPO means Metropolitan Planning Organization, and it's a federally mandated way to plan "transportation" "regionally." Those quote marks are intentional. To too many MPOs, "transportation" means only roads, and of the highway genre, not of the city street genre and certainly not transit or pedestrian or bicycle paths. And for an alarming number of MPOs, including in the
http://marynewsom.blogspot.com/2009/07/sane-planning-not-for-transportation.html
.03 New Report on Old Roads Uses Old Assumptions
DC.StreetsBlog.org
... On its face, the report sounds like an argument for prioritizing road repair and modernization over new construction, which is certain to be a flashpoint as Congress works on a new federal transportation bill. But some of the upgrades that the authors suggest rely on outmoded assumptions about driver safety -- not to mention pedestrian safety, a concept never mentioned in the report. ... Taking its origins and questionable assumptions into account, however, two maps in the report tell an interesting tale of the regional toll exacted by traffic. ...
http://dc.streetsblog.org/2009/07/06/new-report-on-old-roads-uses-old-assumptions/
.04
Yesterday at the Regional Governance committee, the
- A maximum of 21 wards for locally elected councillors
- A minimum of 8 at large elected councillors
- A Mayor, who is able to appoint their own Deputy, as well as the major committee chairs
- The Mayor determining the high level vision for the city
...
http://aucklandblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/auckland-citys-regional-governance.html
.05 Regional Knowledge Ecosystems
URENIO Portal: Innovation, Environments of Innovation, Intelligent Cities & Regions
In the article “Regional Knowledge Ecosystems: Laying the Groundwork for Future Technology-Based Economic Development”, published in the newsletter of the International Economic Development Council, Dr. Anthony Townsend, Research Director of the Institute for the Future, writes about the growth of regional approaches to technology-based economic development. According to Dr. Townsend, we are just beginning to see the outlines of this approach, which involves many partners – research parks, large research-driven companies, startups, universities, investors and professionals – working together to develop regional knowledge ecosystems. ... the strength of regional knowledge ecosystems is that they can adapt faster than national systems, which are dictated by federal politics, and they can scale up successful enterprises much more effectively than individual research parks or municipalities. ...
http://www.urenio.org/2009/07/02/regional-knowledge-ecosystems/
.06 Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech
Owengreaves.com
The Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech, (SRCTec), was founded in 2006 and is supported by key Regional strategic partnerships, including Chilliwack Economic Partners (CEPCO), City of
http://blog.owengreaves.com/srctec-ca-sumas-regional-consortium-for-high-tech
.07 Let's Think Regionally in this New Energy Era
Emerging West -
I’ve attended meetings, participated in conferences, tried to keep up to date with the latest developments regarding alternative and renewable energy – or as it’s called “the new energy economy.” Not once at these many meetings, attended by those who want to share in a piece of this promising new economy, has anyone talked about the regional needs and opportunities that require collaboration among many different entities. I first became aware of the regional issues facing energy developers, state governments and power distributors when I served on the board of the Wyoming Business Council ... But there seems to be a parochial view, at least in
http://www.johnstonwells.com/blog/
.08 Two Great Articles Via Blogs We Love
Sixty Feet, Six Inches
Most people outside the region don't even know
http://www.sixtyftsixin.com/2009/06/two-great-articles-via-blogs-we-love.html
.09 There and Here
The Way of Improvement Leads Home
...these days everybody has a good word for regionalism and the sense of place. But it remains to be seen whether the balance between Here and There is actually being redressed, or whether universal culture, more powerful than ever, is merely donning a few quaint local costumes now that they're fashionable and benign. I've never visited a "neo-traditional" town like Seaside, the planned community on the Florida panhandle celebrated for its humane postmodern architecture and sense of neighborhood, but I can't help wondering if the experience of sitting out on one of those great-looking front porches and chatting with the neighbors strolling by doesn't feel just a bit synthetic. ...
http://www.philipvickersfithian.com/2009/06/there-and-here.html
.10 TTTMS#12 (Things That Threaten My Sanity): Regionalism
Country
Local and regional music scenes are great. There’s a lot to be said for communities of artists, promoters, and fans forming support systems to enable success outside of the mass mainstream model that so often squelches the independence of its stars. Or forming support systems to help catapult local/regional acts to that national level so that they can have their independence squelched (if that’s what they want). In his excellent Red Dirt: The Power of Infrastructure at The 9513 last year, Ben Cisneros (himself active in the Southern California scene) concluded: I, for one, hope that not only does Red Dirt music continue to thrive, but that folks in other regions of the country follow Texas/Oklahoma’s example, get organized, and work together to enable regional success for independent artists playing new, original country music. Amen to that. I’m all for getting organized and supporting the music. I’m not as crazy about the insular, myopic attitudes you sometimes find within these scenes. Like rabid Red Dirt fans loudly proclaiming the superiority of everything
http://www.countrycalifornia.com/tttms-12-regionalism/
.11 Collaboration - Sooo Hard to Do - Is there a good example?
Tales from the Trenches
The word “Collaboration” is on everyone’s lips these days. But as anyone who has tried to “Collaborate” knows, it’s hard to pull off. It’s a bit like eating healthy: we all know we should do it but it is easier to eat the wrong things. Collaboration will be essential, however, if Americans are to help each other in their communities to get through the Mortgage Crisis. Where is there an example of how to do this better? Surprisingly, because I thought the state would be all about Rugged Independence, I found one via Rocky Mountain PBS in
http://www.facingmortgagecrisis.org/?p=140
.12
Overseas Pakistani Friends
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is emerging as yet another player in a crowded web of diplomatic and military ties. For many in the region, particularly the smaller nations, this jockeying promises benefits of all sorts, whether measured in aid, security guarantees or energy investments ... The SCO is the only organization in the modern world which has enough potential to put forward an alternative to the Western style of socio-economic development. The SCO embraces most of the territory of the continental geopolitical center of the world. It can either rise to the level of a geopolitical center that would make other countries follow, or run into geopolitical non-existence and collapse. ...
13. Announcements and Regional Links. Contents
.01 Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Burnham’s 1909 Plan of
July 2009 marks the 100th Anniversary of the 1909 Plan of Chicago, familiarly known as the Burnham Plan—after its principal author, architect and city planner Daniel H. Burnham. A legacy planning document that influenced and shaped the entire planning profession, it looked at the metropolitan area from a regional perspective.
The annual Upper Midwest Planning Conference, whose sponsorship rotates between
This conference is designed to make participants “think big!” The mobile workshop-centric program will get participants out and about in one of the world’s greatest metropolitan areas. The goal is to expand the way attendees view their work in shaping regional growth, development, and re-development.
For information and online registration: http://www.ilapa.org/conf/09/conf2009.html
.02 Surviving the global economic downturn—how supply chains and logistics providers need to evolve in a changing economic environment - Ti (Transportation Intelligence) Europe Conference - October 6-7,
Within a dynamic and evolving market the need to keep up to date with the distribution strategies employed by world class companies has never been greater. How manufacturers and retailers organise their supply chains, the political, economic and social influences on their decisions and the effectiveness of the execution of their strategies is critical to competitive advantage.
Moreover understanding the strategic development of the myriad of service and infrastructure providers is essential to the facilitation of best practice.
The conference focuses on the importance of nodal choices: cross-docking, warehousing, logistics platforms or indeed direct to consumer approaches. It takes into account the latest trends of inventory management mitigated by best practice in customer service.
http://www.ticonferences.com/gds_europe/strategic-overview/
.03 - Advance
Advance
- Fund for Our Economic Future
The Fund for Our Economic Future is a collaboration of philanthropic organizations and individuals that have united to strengthen the economic competitiveness of
- EfficientGovNow
Efficient government: A system of local governments that meets the needs of citizens in a way that is cost-effective and cooperative. EfficientGovNow is what the 16-county region of
EfficientGovNow attracted project ideas from hundreds of leaders across Northeast Ohio to help the region’s governments increase collaboration, save money and enhance the economic competitiveness of
Now, the residents of the region get to choose which three projects from the below finalists most deserve a piece of $300,000 in awards provided by the Fund for Our Economic Future. Voting is open July 1 – 31, 2009.
Make change happen. Reward efficient government in
http://www.efficientgovnow.org/Vote/
.04 Administrative Divisions of Countries ("Statoids")
A table of internationally recognized codes for countries and territories, showing their dependent status where applicable.
http://www.statoids.com/statoids.html
.05 Religious Intelligence Weekly Summary – Religious Intelligence
Security List Subscribers can now also refer to Religious Intelligence’s list of current conflicts, to be found below the security list. This list does not record the countries with the worst security situations, rather those most volatile countries where there is the greatest likelihood of escalated violence in the immediate future.
http://www.religiousintelligence.com/news/?NewsID=4680
The Security Newsletter, a detailed analysis of ongoing conflict around the world, is available. To subscribe to the Security Newsletter send an email to: info@religiousintelligence.com with the subject Security
.06 e² the economies of being environmentally conscious – PBS
e² transport includes programs on congestion pricing in
http://www.e2-series.com/ Go to webcasts
.07 A
Introduction - This unit discusses the future of
http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=2667&topic=all
14. Custom search: region, regions, regional communities Contents
To search on topics like those in Regional Community Development News use this custom search engine which utilizes 2,107 regional related sites as of July 9, 2009. Entering the term environmentally conscious returned 346 items; environmentally safe returned 371 items.
Search engine link: http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=000551187207053117963:m1gvkhigkeo&hl=en
My name is Tom Christoffel. I've worked in the field of intergovernmental and regional cooperation since 1973. As a consequence, "I see regions work.” Regional Community Development News is published bi-monthly based on news reports as of Wednesday of the publication week
Making visible such cross-boundary planning, collaboration and cooperative action at multi-jurisdictional networked regional scales, public, private and NGO is my purpose. "Think globally, act locally" was innovative in its time. Today the local scale is often too small to address today's needs and opportunities. "Think local planet, act regionally,” is my candidate paradigm. No one said we're only allowed one paradigm.
We can see that “regional communities of communities” are organized locally and now act both to avoid tragedy in the commons and gain benefits. An effective multi-jurisdictional regional community has DNA. It is geographically Defined; has a common Name and its Alignment is inclusive of smaller communities and participatory in larger communities. So, by scanning this compilation, reading articles and checking organizations - you too will be able to see the regional communities that already exist.
News references are found using the Google News search service. Media article excerpts and links are “fair use” to transform globally scattered reports to make regional approaches visible. Links go to the publisher and do not compete with it. Such publishers are likely to have related stories and thus be seen by new customers. “Regional” is an emerging news category. There is no charge for this service and no profit is made from its use, though any user can become more aware of the topic itself.
To search previous issues since 2003 go to: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/regions_work/
To join Regional Community Networkers and get a free subscription use this email link – no additional information required: regions_work-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
For the Google Groups version go to:
http://groups.google.com/group/regional-community-development-news
For the Blog and RSS feed go to: http://regional-communities.blogspot.com/
Questions, comments or items to feature in Regional Community Development News?
Please email the editor: Tom.Christoffel@gmail.com
Thomas J. (Tom) Christoffel, AICP - http://www.regional-communities.com/
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