1. This project needs a powerful manager - Neal Peirce - Seattle Times, United States 

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's suggestion that President Bush appoint a powerful super manager to oversee the federal government wide efforts to recover from Hurricane Katrina's ravages is logical — if not imperative.

...

Why?

 

First, there's limited time. The reaction to a Katrina-like event, says Robert Yaro, president of the New York Regional Plan Association, is shock, dismay and quick focus on rescue and recovery steps.

 

In New York soon after 9/11, civic forces did intervene quickly to initiate intensely public discussions on redesign and rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, and to get major public money committed to improving transit lines and terminals and housing in Lower Manhattan.

 

Meanwhile, The New York Times reports, private contractors, ranging from the Halliburtons to local road builders, are hiring well-connected lobbyists and rushing to pick up nonbid contracts, cashing in on the unprecedented Katrina recovery funds already flowing.

 

A super manager, some person of impeccable personal integrity, is needed to control the greed, to assure an already deeply disillusioned American public that its expenditures of literally hundreds of billions of Katrina relief dollars will not be cronied or corrupted.

...

 

 2. Visions of the New New Orleans - Washington Post, United States 

 

By EJ Dionne Jr. PORTLAND, Ore. -- If the rebuilding of New Orleans is to be something other than a new government disaster, a coalition of the skeptical and the visionary will have to stand together and confront the lobbyists and the corporate welfare artists.

 

Fiscal conservatives in Congress are right to worry about the potential for -- yes -- waste, fraud and abuse ... the fiscal conservatives need the visionaries. The visionaries are insisting that we put in the time to make New Orleans a model for a better kind of city and the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast a model for a better approach to governing. The people of the region, not the lobbyists, need to lead in creating an environmentally sustainable, socially just and economically viable region.

 

These thoughts are inspired by one of Congress's rare visionaries. Rep. Earl Blumenauer not only represents his beloved city of Portland but is also evangelical in spreading Portland's gospel of "livability."

 

 3. Commission told to outline renaissance - Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS 

 

Most of the 42 members of Gov. Haley Barbour's new commission sat for hours Tuesday under a tent in the parking lot of a battered outlet mall in Gulfport to learn about their new jobs — helping to create a new Mississippi.

 

"Creating a renaissance in this area is what I'm working on for the rest of the time I'm governor," Barbour promised.

...

Headed by former Netscape CEO Jim Barksdale, the Governor's Commission on Recovering, Rebuilding and Renewal hopes to issue a report by the end of the year that outlines how Gulf Coast and other Hurricane Katrina-affected communities should rebuild infrastructure and how local communities should prepare for another big storm.

...

 

RCs: Mississippi Planning & Development Districts

 

 4. TTA now looks at leaner bus system - Durham Herald Sun - Durham, NC, USA

 

Triangle leaders are exploring ways to jointly streamline some services of five area bus systems in lieu of moving forward with a plan that would have consolidated the systems under one name, logo and work force.

... Committees will meet during the next 12 to 15 months to figure out exactly how the local governments and the TTA can:

 

-- Undertake regional marketing activities.

 

-- Prepare a Triangle seamless bus plan.

 

-- Develop a regional customer service program.

 

-- Develop a Triangle seamless service paratransit program.

 

-- Regionalize the installation and maintenance of bus stops, signs and shelters.

 

-- Centralize specialized maintenance services such as a paint and body shop and major engine and transmission rebuilds.

 

-- Implement a regional information technology plan.

...

That plan was developed by a consultant hired by the Triangle J Council of Governments after Mayor Bill Bell suggested consolidating the bus systems. It called for fully consolidating regional bus service by the time TTA's proposed regional rail service was in place -- now slated for early 2008, Bell said.

...

 

 5. Norwegian Policy in the High North - Odin – Norway

...

The Barents Co-operation is also an important forum for Norwegian-Russian co-operation. The Barents Euro-Arctic Council consists of Russia, the five Nordic countries and the European Commission. It is a key tool in our northern areas policy.

 

But the most distinctive feature of this co-operation is the importance of the regional level. The local authorities of 13 counties in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia are represented in the Barents Regional Council. Over the years they have launched and implemented a large number of projects and initiatives.

 

The Barents Co-operation has now entered its second decade and has proved to be a success. This is due not least to the active contacts at the regional level. Trust has been built. An active cross-border network has been created. This will give us a sound foundation for more ambitious political co-operation in the years to come.

...

 6. World Faces Prospect of Teeming Mega-Slums - ZNet - Woods Hole, MA, USA

 

A new report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) warns that governments will have to take the lead in building some 96,150 housing units per day if the world hopes to avert a massive urban crisis in the near future.

 

Titled "Financing Urban Shelter", the report explores the challenges of urban development within the broader context of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which include achieving a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by 2020.

 

Almost half of the world's six billion people already live in cities. Of these, it is estimated that about a third live in slums.
...

 

 7. San Benito County Joins AMBAG, Expands Its Influence - Hollister Free Lance - Hollister, CA, USA

 

San Benito County supervisors voted this week to join the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, a tri-county agency charged with discussing and studying regional issues, such as transportation, housing and water and air quality.

“San Benito County needs to have a stronger presence in the Monterey Bay area,” Supervisor Anthony Botelho said ....

 

Botelho, who has been attending AMBAG meetings as an member representing the San Benito County Council of Governments since January, said he is pleased that the board voted to make the county full members.

“Being just an associate member, you’re welcome to attend the meetings and voice concern on issues that affect our county, but you don’t get to vote,” he said.

Formed in 1968, AMBAG is a voluntary organization that studies issues of concern in the region of Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz County. The association studies transportation, housing, water quality and air quality, according to Papadakis, who added that AMBAG also prepares population and housing forecasts.

San Benito County was the last regional government to join the association.

...

8.Partnership Plans Region's Economic Future - Springdale Morning News, AR

 

BENTONVILLE -- Members of a new two-state partnership met with a handful of residents in Bentonville on Tuesday to map the economic growth of Northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri.

 

Rich Davis, president of the Regional Chamber of Commerce and director of economic development for the Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce, spoke at NorthWest Arkansas Community College's Shewmaker Center for Workforce Technologies about Benton County's role in the new Missouri/Arkansas Partnership and the Arkansas Community of Excellence, or ACE, program. 
...

Benton County this year created the partnership with two Missouri counties, Barry and McDonald, to form a regional ACE. Missouri does not have its own state community program, but Missouri counties can participate in a regional effort with a neighboring Arkansas community.

...

 

 9. First Japanese-German Conference on Regenerative Medicine in Mie - uniprotokolle (Pressemitteilung) – Germany

... the 1st Japanese - German Conference on Regenerative Medicine will be held in the Japanese Prefecture Mie. Top German experts from research institutions and companies active in the young field of "regenerative medicine" will participate in this scientific meeting.

 

... Based on the successful cooperation between the bioregions Medical Valley Mie, Japan and BioCon Valley, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern since 2003, BioCon Valley was commissioned as the conference organiser. The scientific conference is part of a cooperation agreement signed between BioCon Valley and the Japanese bioregion Medical Valley in May 2004, and between ...

 

10. Jasper plan challenges 60 years of sovereignty - Beaufort Gazette - Beaufort, SC, USA

 

When the Jasper County Council and SSA Marine announced an exclusive development agreement for a $450 million cargo container terminal on the Savannah River, the small audience before the council dais in Ridgeland broke into applause.

 

Two weeks later, on Jan. 18, the S.C. State Ports Authority filed a declaratory judgment suit against the county in the state Supreme Court challenging the county's right to build.

...

The State Ports Authority contends that its 1942 enabling legislation provides exclusive powers to "promote, develop, construct, equip, maintain and operate a harbor or harbors within this state on the Savannah River," as the legislation reads.

 

Jasper attorneys have argued in legal briefs that an implicit county right can be found in the 1974 Home Rule Act and an explicit right under the state's 1976 Revenue Bond Act for Utilities, which cites "terminals" on the long list of entities a county government can finance.

...

More than a decade ago, Henry Moss, Jasper's former administrator, and Buddy Thompson, former director of the Lowcountry Council of Governments, parked their car atop the Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge, which spans the Savannah River, and took in the big picture.

 

"We thought it's crazy these people don't see the value of what's happening here," Moss recalled. "Savannah and Georgia are getting all the economic development, and Jasper and South Carolina are getting all the mud."

 

Moss and Thompson found an audience with then-S.C. Gov. Carroll Campbell, spoke at a Ports Authority board meeting and even pitched the idea in Georgia.

 

"No one was interested," Moss said. "We were told to scram everywhere we went."
...

 

RC: Lowcountry Council of Governments. Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton & Jasper Counties - Box 98. Yemassee , SC 29945

 

11.  Korea Becomes Regional Plastic Surgery Hub - Chosun Ilbo - Seoul, South Korea

An increasing number of Chinese and Japanese women head to Korea for beauty treatments and plastic surgery, encouraged by a vogue for Korean actresses among Asia’s young people and a Korean pop culture boom in the region.

...

Many others make the trip to Korea itself. A dermatology clinic in southern Seoul sees some 10 Chinese women a month for cosmetic treatment. More than 90 percent of the patients are professionals or family of staff with large Chinese corporation or high-ranking government officials. They range in age from their 20s to 50s. Korean doctors say most Chinese patients kill two birds with one stone, seeking dermatological treatment and plastic surgery together. The clinic has a website in Chinese and gets frequent enquiries from patients in China.

 

12. Emergency preparedness in regions

 

      a) Are you ready for the 'the big one'? Regional officials can help - Seattle Post Intelligencer – USA

I'll provide you with some facts about what government has been doing on a regional basis with other public and private partners, and also ask you a question ...

 

RC: Puget Sound Regional Council

      b) Regional emergency disaster plan is updated - San Diego Union Tribune - United States

Disaster officials from local cities and county government yesterday received the first update of a regional emergency operation plan to be made in five years ...

 

RC: San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)

 

      c) 'Regional response' to Katrina planned - Greenwood Commonwealth - Greenwood, MS, USA

"This is a regional response to the disaster that happened down on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Louisiana. The Delta, while it ...

 

      d) Matteau is top emergency manager - Brattleboro Reformer - VT, United States

The executive director of the Windham Regional Commission has been recognized for his work in emergency planning. Vermont Emergency Management director Barbara Farr announced on Thursday that Jim Matteau has been named the Emergency Manager of the Year. Each state in the Northeast States Emergency Consortium nominated a manager and Matteau represented Vermont for his years of organizing and coordinating the county's emergency response plans. ...

 

      e) GET IN FIRST TO SAVE LIVES -Calcutta Telegraph - Calcutta, India

... Fourteen regional response centres are being set up across the country to enable immediate response to floods, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides etc. ...

 

      f) Selangor Hosts First Asean Disaster Emergency Response Exercise - Bernama - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The first Asean Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX-05) will be held in Selangor on Monday. ...

 

      g) Region ready to face storm - Danbury News Times - Danbury, CT, USA

... emergency. Meanwhile, the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials helped each of the 10 area towns draw up their emergency plans. ...

 

      h) Group launching emergency-response education campaign on Monday - Lowell Sun - Lowell, MA, USA

... Northeast Homeland Security Regional Advisory Council plans to start a media campaign next week, teaching residents about terrorist warning levels and how to prepare for an emergency....

 

      i) Tuning in to Homeland Security - Durham Herald Sun - Durham, NC, USA

... complete what they're hoping [will become] a statewide network," said Dee Freeman, executive director of the Triangle J Council of Governments , a regional ...

 

      j) DC blocks regional coordination effort - The Common Denominator - Washington, DC, USA

... Officials at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments say the lack of coordination between regional transportation departments and other agencies...

 

 

13. Straight from Google.

 

      a) Atlanta mayor speaks at Emory - The Emory Wheel – USA

... Franklin has been committed to building strong coalitions across racial, gender, socio-economic, political, cultural and regional boundaries," Reingold said. ...

 

      b) Panel proposes regional primaries - The Argus - Fremont, CA, USA

... proposing steps to strengthen state election procedures and recommending that Congress require political parties to hold four regional presidential primaries ...

 

      c) Facing the reality of regionalized services - York County Coast Star - Kennebunk, ME, USA

... The KTA has used the "regionalism" idea as an argument against the building of a new station at this time. Many in town hall ...

 

      d) Growth concerns widespread in Franklin Co. - Hagerstown Morning Herald - Hagerstown, MD, USA

... A number of them voiced support for a package of legislative recommendations put together by a committee of the county's Council of Governments. ...

  

      e)  "Schoolpool" Program Helps Parents Survive Gridlock - KFMB - San Diego, CA, USA

 

... About 275 area schools are part of the program and 100 families are signed up at each school. Organized by the San Diego Association of Governments, Schoolpool is seen as a way to help ease the stress of the morning commute and save people money. ...

 

      f) Program to fast-track creation of marine sanctuaries - Manning River Times - Taree, New South Wales, Australia

A PUBLIC awareness program is about to start in the Manning Shelf Bioregion -- proposed as the next marine park -- in an effort to fast track the creation of ...

 

      g) Municipal Cooperation Commission hopes to create more partnerships - Citizens Voice - Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA

... A $250,000 street sweeper is not used every day and can be shared among two or three communities, he said. The summit itself is an example of regionalization. ...

 

      h) Viewpoint: The settlers' mistakes - Middle East Times - Cairo, Egypt

... simply become the vanguard of the movement that we founded over 100 years ago. In fact, they are totally out of step with history - local, regional and global. ...

 

      i) Fugitive task force marks a milestone - San Diego Union Tribune, United States

The San Diego Regional Fugitive Task Force has announced that it recorded its 20,000th arrest Thursday. The task force, created ...  

 

      j) Film commission seeks members - Beaufort Gazette - Beaufort, SC, USA

The Beaufort Regional Film Commission is accepting applications for commission membership. Four seats are open on the 16-member panel. ...

 

14. Other U.S. regional communities in news articles.

 

      a) Buying or selling, ebay opens doors - Marietta Times - Marietta, OH, USA

The Buckeye Hills Hocking Valley Regional Development District Office, 1400 Pike St., is sponsoring a one-day training session on ebay selling basics on Sept. ...

 

      b) Cycling survey - Arlington Advocate - Lexington, MA, USA

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the regional planning agency for 101 cities and towns in the Boston metropolitan region....

  

      c) Our taxes buy flower pots for San Diego - North County Times - Escondido, CA, USA

The scene was a meeting of the San Diego Association of Governments where local elected officials met to dole out $19 million in federal highway money to 14 ...

 

      d) Taking a closer look at using land wisely - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Milwaukee, WI, USA

... at Greystones. The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission has recommended that towns slow the pace of development. ...

 

      e) Funds improvements will benefit area - Demopolis Times - Demopolis, AL, USA

The West Alabama Regional Commission was recently awarded $150,000 to update antiquated data systems to state of the art Geographic Information System mapping ...

 

15. Other in the news:

 

      a) Citizenship is stewardship - Business Day - Johannesburg, South Africa

... What we seem to be lacking is the political will to close the gaps between values we espouse and our daily practices; between policy-making and implementation; between problem analysis and strategic interventions.

 

A key constraint to closing these gaps seems to be our failure to acknowledge and address human and intellectual capital weaknesses in a systematic and consistent manner. We spent too much time post-1994 in denial about the extent to which apartheid education had damaged our skills base. It was as if we feared that acknowledgment of our woundedness would be interpreted as proof that we were indeed of inferior intellect, as asserted by racists, and unready to govern. Our denial betrayed our vulnerability to buying into such racist myths.

 

It is refreshing to see the growing candour from government acknowledging the seriousness of our human capital challenges. A recent government survey found that only 8% of people in key jobs at the local authority level had the requisite skills. This explains much of the failure to deliver services where it matters most — where people live.

...

 

      b) Solving Peak Oil - Report - ZPEnergy – USA

SYNOPSIS: Instead of meaning global economic disruption, Peak Oil provides an opportunity to create a new global civilization free of dependence on petroleum.

 

While much has been written recently on the Peak of Global Oil Production, very little has been written to demonstrate how we can overcome these problems and manage declining oil supplies with workable and effective strategies.

This report "2007: Solving Peak Oil" fills that gap. It focuses on the answers to Solving Peak Oil.

"2007: Solving Peak Oil" explains how known, tried and tested and cost effective technologies can be implemented quickly to reduce oil consumption in step with falling oil supply and maintain security of global transport without major disruption to society.

 ...

 

Note: Sample download available. The report costs €595 for the pdf download or €695 for the CD-ROM.

 

      c) Iowa lacks ban on phosphorus - DesMoinesRegister.com - Des Moines, IA, USA

 

Madison, Wis. — Iowa should take a lesson from Minnesota and Dane County, Wis., and allow cities and counties to limit the use of phosphorus fertilizer, the main culprit in lakes' algae blooms, an Iowa environmental leader said.

 

As it is, Iowa law doesn't allow local legislation to restrict fertilizers, and the state has no ban on phosphorus.

 

"If nothing else, local cities should be able to do things to protect the natural resources," including lakes, said Richard Leopold, director of the private, nonprofit Iowa Environmental Council. "It affects property values, boating recreation and fish populations."

 

Efforts over the past decade or so to pass phosphorus bans in the Iowa Great Lakes area, Clear Lake and Iowa City were blocked by state lawmakers, who have insisted on statewide control of lawn fertilizers and farm operations.

 

Phosphorus comes from lawn fertilizer, livestock and pet wastes, sewage and other sources. The level of phosphorus in water determines how bad algae blooms are in Iowa. Those blooms can suck oxygen from lakes, killing fish. They also can lead to natural toxins in the water and harbor disease-causing organisms.

...

      d) Search on for Normin’s top G4 barangays - Philippine Information Agency – Philippines

 

THE Regional Nutrition Committee, chaired by Director Casimira V. Balandra of the National Economic and Development Authority, announced the launching of the Search for Outstanding Garden of Go, Grow, and Glow Foods Barangays in Region 10.

The “Go” foods are the energy-giving foods like rootcrops; the “Grow” are the body-building foods like legumes; and “Glow” are the regulating foods like fruits and vegetables.

 

As a way of showcasing best practices in the region, the Regional Development Council-10, in its 68th meeting last July 1, 2005, passed Resolution No. 33, endorsing the project for support and participation by local government units and other concerned parties like private and business sectors.

 

G4 intends to address the improvement of nutritional status of the Filipino community through advocating for backyard and communal gardening that will focus on the 3Gs of nutrition.

...

 

16. Announcements

 

      a) The Population Change in Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: 1990 to 2003 report will be available on the U.S. Census Bureau website on Thursday, September 22, 2005. - http://www.census.gov

 

      b) Third Annual South Florida Regionalism Summit - Regional Integration: Catalyst for Economic Progress  - Friday, October 21, 2005

 

Representatives from Leadership Miami-Dade, Leadership Broward and Leadership Palm Beach have been meeting regularly to create a series of symposia on Regionalism and educate leaders from the tri-county area about the concept of regionalism as well as about its “status” in the South Florida area.

RCs: Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council - Region X   South Florida Regional Planning Council - Region XI

 

      c) PolicyLink is launching an online forum called Advancing Regional Equity. It is  to facilitate the exploration of questions raised at the recent forum, Advancing Regional Equity: The Second National Summit on Equitable Development, Social Justice, and Smart Growth. It was sponsored by PolicyLink and the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities. 

 

17. Data & IT  

 

Firefox and Mac security sanctuaries 'under attack' - Register 

 
Symantec has attacked the perceived security advantages of Firefox and Apple Macs by drawing unfavourable comparisons with Microsoft's software and describing Mac fans as living in a "false paradise". According to the latest edition of Symantec's Internet Security Threat Report, 25 vulnerabilities were disclosed for Mozilla browsers and 13 for Microsoft Internet Explorer in the first half of 2005.

 

Graham Pinkney, head of threat intelligence EMEA at Symantec, said that switching from IE to Firefox as a way of minimising security risks was no longer valid advice. ...

 

18. Subscription link stories 

 

      a) Council goes for broke on the budget - San Antonio Express (subscription) - San Antonio, TX, USA

 

For local officials, the path to toll roads has been filled with obstacles, most of them the result of a dysfunctional relationship with the state.

 

Has that road been smoothed recently, paved by a new attitude?

 

Indications are that it has, and that bodes well for San Antonio.

 

In a recent meeting, Texas Department of Transportation officials said they would make no decisions on 47 miles of toll roads here without seeking the blessing of the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority.

 

County officials hope the reconciliation will grant the regional group the power to manage all the toll roads once they are built.

...

RC: Alamo Area Council of Governments

 

      b) California water plan calls for regional flexibility - San Jose Mercury News - United States

 

As California's population climbs from 36 million to a projected 48 million by 2030, a lack of water particularly in arid Southern California may pose the biggest limit on growth.

 

Water agencies say billions of dollars worth of additional storage is needed, including reservoirs and dams that are anathema to many environmental groups. One environmental group countered this week that California can meet its needs by increasing conservation in a state that already helps lead the nation in water stinginess, per capita.

 

The state Department of Water Resources, which is developing a new state water plan to be released later this year, says both sides are right.

 

Each of the previous seven state water plans developed since the first in 1957 have treated the water balance like a math equation: Demand minus supply equals a gap that must somehow be filled.

 

The five-volume draft plan under final review for the first time offers a smorgasbord of recommendations for how to bridge the gap that could exist by 2030 - but says solutions may vary by region.

 

A new reservoir that might be politically palatable in one region might never stand a chance elsewhere, for instance, said Jerry Johns, the state's deputy director for water resource planning and management.

 

"Rather than throwing it out entirely, we think we ought to keep all the tools in our toolbox and see what works best for each region," he said.

 

The report breaks the state down into 10 regions, with separate projections for each: four coastal areas, three in the Central Valley, two in the mountains, one in the southeast desert.

...

Hydrologic regions               California Councils of Government