Regional Community Development News - July 5, 2006 [regions_work]



A weekly compilation of news links about and for regional communities
pursuing local and regional development. Published on line since
November 11, 2003.





1. <http://www.bakersfieldonline.us/news/read/21/82986> Hundreds
help in mapping Valley 'blueprint' - One Bakersfield Online - CA,
United States


The <http://www.greatvalley.org/blueprint/About.htm> San Joaquin
Valley Blueprint project will spend $2 million in state funds to plan
for a population that is expected to double by 2040. That's equivalent
to 10 new Fresnos" between Stockton and Bakersfield, said Richard
Cummings, director of research and communication for the event's
organizers at the <http://www.greatvalley.org/index.aspx> Great
Valley Center in Modesto. "

...
Modest as it is, it may be the most significant step that Valley
leaders have ever taken toward regional planning. As such, however, it
is likely to meet with skepticism if not resistance among local
leaders reluctant to cede control over land use and related matters.

The center's president, former Modesto Mayor Carol Whiteside,
acknowledged as much in characterizing the event's audience of
politicians, business leaders and interest group representatives.

"Two-thirds of them are enthusiastic and interested, and the other
third is here to make sure we don't do anything bad," she quipped.

Nevertheless, Mark Baldassare, director of a newly released Public
Policy Institute of California survey of 2,000 Valley residents, said
the results showed widespread public support for regional planning to
deal with issues such as air pollution, population growth and loss of
farmland.
...
In coming weeks and months,
<http://www.greatvalley.org/blueprint/contact.htm> Councils of
Governments in each of the Valley's eight counties will be seeking
more public comment. ...



From Blueprint Website:
* Interface with the work of the
<http://www.greatvalley.org/sjpartnership/index.aspx> California
Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley and helps support state data
collection and integration needs for the region.



Reports:
<http://www.bth.ca.gov/capartnership/sanjoaquinvalley_moreinfo.asp#ove
rviewofreports> California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley



2.
<http://www.buffalo.edu/reporter/vol37/vol37n39/articles/FosterLecture
.html> Foster shares Insights on regional governance - University at
Buffalo Reporter - Buffalo, NY,USA



Despite the multitude of cities, towns, villages and other
nonmunicipal interests that make up metropolitan regions, no standard
system exists in the United States to coordinate these autonomous
local units on major issues, according to Kathryn Foster, director of
UB's <http://www.regional-institute.buffalo.edu/regi/map.html>
Institute for Local Governance and Regional Growth.



"There is no regional mayor. There is no regional legislature. There
is no place where the buck stops at the regional level," Foster said.



She made the observations during a June 22 presentation entitled
"Metaphors for Regional Governance: Insights for the Buffalo-Niagara
Region from the European Union, Iroquois Confederacy, National
Football League, University of California System, General Motors and
the Internet," part of the UB This Summer lecture series.



Urban sprawl, traffic, air pollution, regional economic development
and regional promotion are all issues that are not confined within the
individual jurisdictions that make up a region, Foster said.



"Issues transcend local government boundaries," she said. "There is no
mandate for the individual people or units affected to cooperate on
those issues. It's a governance problem that's not unique to Buffalo
Niagara-it's one that pervades most metropolitan areas in general."

...

3. a)
<http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/localnews/ci_3988838
> Bay Area not ready for growth
San Mateo County Times - San Mateo, CA,USA



The Bay Area needs to make room for a million more people by 2020, but
we're doing a poor job preparing for their arrival, according to a
report being released today by the <http://www.greenbelt.org/>
Greenbelt Alliance.

The region's leaders and city planners are doing just one-third of
what must be done to adequately protect open space, reduce sprawl and
make sure these new arrivals - and even some of us long-timers - can
afford to buy a house, according to the alliance's tallies.

"We know we're going to grow. We know we've got major areas of land -
about 400,000 acres - that are facing significant (risk of) sprawl
development," said Tom Steinbach, the alliance's director. "The idea
that we're only doing a third to half of what we should be doing is
alarming to us."

The report ranked city and county government efforts to build local
parks, create affordable housing, increase density and protect open
space, among other efforts. Of the 101 cities examined, only 17 earned
even half the points possible on the group's scale. One area where
local governments generally excelled: mixed-use development. Mixing
residential and commercial districts encourages round-the-clock
activity on local streets and puts residents closer to shops and jobs,
creating, according to the Alliance, "safer, more vibrant and more
complete neighborhoods."

But in many cases, cities lack even basic smart-growth policies to
contain growth or promote transit-oriented, high-density living. "The
policies ... lay the groundwork," Steinbach said. "If the city doesn't
have the policies, it's very unlikely it will grow responsibly."

Petaluma earned top rankings, with a score of 70 percent. San Jose -
which built a reputation in the 1950s and '60s as a land of strip
malls - was second with 69 percent.

At the bottom, wealth apparently trumps any desire - or need - to plan
as the alliance saw fit. Tony Hillsborough in San Mateo County and
Belvedere in Marin County earned zero points; affluent Atherton had 3
percent; Contra Costa County's Orinda had 10 percent and Piedmont -
surrounded completely by Oakland - 12 percent.

Laurel Prevetti, San Jose's deputy planning director, said San Jose's
leaders have spent 30 years turning around the city's image as a land
of sprawl. "It takes a long time to retrofit suburbs and mend those
mistakes of the past," she said Tuesday. The city, she added, aims
someday to go from "being the poster child of sprawl to hopefully
being the poster child for smart growth."

But "smart growth" - which often translates to in-fill condos - won't
meet the region's housing and development needs by itself, cautioned
Dennis Oliver, spokesman for the California Alliance for Jobs, which
represents workers and contractors who pave the roads, bury in the
pipes and build the infrastructure.

...

RC: <http://www.abag.ca.gov/> ABAG - Association of Bay Area
Governments

b)
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/200
6/07/02/EDGT1JM4421.DTL> How does your region grow? - San Francisco
Chronicle - CA, USA

...

"I wish we could do a scorecard of good-growth planning by the
regional agencies," Steinbach said. "The reality is we don't have
regional agencies that have that power. Our region would be much
better off if cities and counties had to coordinate with each other.

"They don't."

...



4.
<http://www.oregonlive.com/metrosouthwest/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/me
tro_southwest_news/115111053324760.xml&coll=7> MY TURN - Plan sooner,
not later for a million new people - OregonLive.com - Portland, OR,USA

How we respond to the addition of a million new people to the Portland
metropolitan area needs to be decided today. Tomorrow is too late.

Some people will ignore the warnings or dismiss them with arguments
that <http://www.metro-region.org/> Metro and other groups
researching population growth are rigging the numbers. The "head in
the sand" faction is looking for excuses, not solutions. They'd rather
point fingers and place blame, and not use that energy to help solve
the problem. They'd rather fight to protect their corner of the region
and not realize that this is a regionwide issue that requires a
regionwide solution.

Fortunately, most stakeholders in the region are not taking that
approach. That is evident by the turnout at Friday's "New Look
Regional Forum," hosted by Metro, an event that sold out well in
advance.

...



5.
<http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2006/06/26/daily
18.html?jst=b_ln_hl> Blunt signs regional transit bill - Kansas City
Business Journal - MO, United States

...

The bill will enable a process that could result in the enactment of a
half-cent sales tax to finance public transit projects in the Kansas
City area. Any vote to raise sales taxes probably is a year or two
away, though, said Jody Ladd Craig, spokeswoman for the
<http://www.marc.org/> Mid-America Regional Council.

The bill authorizes the creation of a commission to plan and identify
beneficial regional transit programs, which could include rapid bus
lines or light rail service. Clay, Platte, Cass, Jackson, Ray and
Buchanan counties in Missouri are authorized to participate in the
planning process. Those counties will decide whether to support any of
the commission's proposals and, ultimately, whether to put tax
proposals on a ballot.

...

6. <http://www.capecodchronicle.com/harnews/har070606_4.htm>
Regionalism Seen As A Means Of Preserving Cape Character - Cape Cod
Chronicle, MA

Regional issues are growing and not being addressed, members of the
Cape Cod Business Roundtable told selectmen here in a session that
sought to get local officials to look regionally at the needs of Cape
Cod.

Earlier this spring the group developed a "call to action" platform,
identifying several key areas vital to the Cape's future. The group
identified the needs for enhanced regional service delivery; a
regional workforce housing strategy; establishing a Cape-wide transfer
of development rights; refining the focus of the Cape Cod Commission;
and using a regional authority to designate districts of critical
planning concern.

"We commend you on regional discussions and issues," local resident
and member of the group John O'Brien told selectmen last week. "Once
again Harwich is leading the pack."

Harwich has begun looking at ways to use regional resources as a means
to reduce costs and improve efficiency in government as recommended by
the town's operation review task force. Selectmen have met with their
counterparts in Dennis and Chatham and discussed such concepts as
regional schools, regional public safety departments and shared
resources in the department of public works.

What the Cape Cod Business Roundtable is proposing followed more along
the line of planning and transcending town lines to protect the
environment.

RC: <http://www.capecodcommission.org/> Cape Cop Commission



7. W.Va. to host multistate summit on mass evacuation issues - Daily
Press, VA

West Virginia will host a multistate conference in August to tackle
its top homeland security priority: what to do if the nation's capital
must evacuate because of a natural disaster or terrorist attack.

Military Affairs and Public Safety Secretary Jim Spears views the
upcoming summit as one of several signs that the state remains
vigilant and ready for emergencies. He also cited past flood relief
efforts, and the thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees that the
state flew from the Gulf Coast and housed and fed in that disaster's
wake.

"We want the people of West Virginia to know that they have an entity
within the state that is watching, and is prepared to handle
disasters," Spears said. "I believe we are extremely prepared."

Spears expects officials from all five of West Virginia's neighbors,
and from Washington, D.C., and Delaware as well, to take part in the
Aug. 23-24 conference.

...

8. a)
<http://qconline.com/archives/qco/sections.cgi?prcss=display&id=294833
> Community leaders want options weighed - Quad-Cities Online - Rock
Island, IL,USA

A number of community leaders urged caution Thursday in the debate
over changing the way economic development is done in the Quad-Cities.


The task force charged with studying the regionalization of economic
and community development activities in the Quad-Cities said in a
statement received Thursday that their members endorsed the
collaborative talks and their discussions had no pre-ordained outcome.

The task force is comprised of representatives of the Quad City
Development Group, DavenportOne, the Illinois Quad City Chamber of
Commerce and the Bettendorf Chamber of Commerce.

A group of 27 community leaders told the organizations June 12 that
they expected the task force to propose a new regional economic
development "structure" within 120 days. The letter warned there would
be "funding consequences if the status quo is maintained."

However, representatives of area city governments said Thursday there
may be other steps that should be taken before the groups plunge ahead
and reorganize the development group or consolidate DavenportOne and
the Illinois and Bettendorf chambers of commerce.

...



b)
<http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2006/07/02/opinion/opinion/doc44a59eb
1ca0f8490189006.txt> Onward to regional economic development - Quad
City Times - Davenport, IA,USA

The gauntlet has been thrown. Some of the Quad-Cities' most dedicated
civic leaders have challenged our community's economic development
organizations to work together with a regional governance board now,
or lose financial support.

The terse, four-paragraph letter sent to the chairmen of the four
largest economic development groups was clear: "The current system is
not working and the healthy future of our region is at stake."

Amen.

The collaboration we've called for over the past two years on this
page and the pages of the Quad-City Business Journal received a warm
reception in our business community. But reception hasn't resulted in
action by the boards of our four biggest development groups.

Part of the problem is the absence of an entity to take action. The
chamber staffs aren't in the best position to initiate community-wide
change.

This new call charges the boards of the four largest business groups
to move quickly on a regional approach or face a loss of financial
support.

It's a necessarily heavy-handed tactic to prompt a change absolutely
essential to our community.

...

RC: <http://www.bistateonline.org/index_ie.shtml> Bi-State Regional
Commission

9.
<http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=n
ews_view&newsId=20060627005925&newsLang=en> Cross-Border Collaboration
Needed for Growing Health Risks in the San Diego-Baja California
Region - Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco, CA,USA

While immigration issues are the topic of Congressional and Senate
hearings, one issue that is more important and often overlooked is the
state of health issues as they relate to both sides of the border.

The International Community Foundation, a leader in border-health
issues, released the report - "Shared Destiny; Shaping a Binational
Agenda for Health Priorities in the San Diego-Baja California Border
Region" - to engage civic leaders and elected officials about the need
for urgent action in addressing critical health risks faced across the
San Diego-Baja California border region.

With funding from the California Endowment and co-authored by Robert
Bach, Ph.D., and Richard Kiy, ICF president, the report is a call for
action to raise the scale of investment and program engagement to
respond to the rising rates of infectious diseases, such as
tuberculosis and HIV, chronic ailments and, most urgently, the risk of
bioterrorism, food contamination and other sources of transnational
illness and threat.

"Public health risks in the San Diego-Baja California border region
demand urgent attention," said Kiy. "Today, healthcare in the region
is in such disarray and health conditions are so dismal for so many
people that even a willingness to spend more money on health could be
counter productive unless the cross-border community engages in an
examination of common priorities and strategies."

The report observes that as the binational region becomes even more
integrated through cross-border economic partnerships, commercial
exchange, travel and two-way migration, public health programs that
work only on one side of the border are increasingly unable to respond
to cross-border health risks. According to the report, what is
critically needed is an expanded emphasis on cross-border health
programs and initiatives to respond to the growing public health
challenges faced in the San Diego-Baja California border region - now
the largest binational metroplex in North America.

The report offers a strategic agenda for improving the quality of
cross-border health through regulatory reform, including: ...



RC: <http://www.sandag.cog.ca.us/> SANDAG - San Diego Association of
Governments



10. U.S. regional communities - sub-State, State or multi-State - in
news articles. Highlighted words are Google search terms.



a)
<http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=106805&ran=13846
1> Chesapeake Council to end contract with regional trash authority
Virginian Pilot - Norfolk, VA,USA

The city voted late Tuesday to end its contract with the regional
trash agency, the culmination of months of disputes about out-of-state
garbage and new questions about the agency's finances. If borne out,
the decision could throw the agency's future in the air ... At the
same time, the city could be entitled to a share of SPSA's assets...



b)
<http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/14944132.htm>
Water agency scolds suburbs
Pioneer Press - St. Paul, MN,USA

St. Paul's water board has thrown down the gauntlet to officials in
six northern Ramsey County suburbs, accusing them of intentionally
creating a water management organization too weak to protect the
waters in its care. ... Vadnais Lake Area Water Management
Organization, threatens to petition the state for its dissolution.



c) <http://nwanews.com/nwat/News/42288/> Board members of new
senior services group hear update
Northwest Arkansas Times - Fayetteville, AR,USA
HARRISON - Members of the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development
District board heard an update Wednesday about the organization taking
over senior services ... The Council on Aging is continuing to fight
the February change in provider decision through an administrative
appeals process.



d)
<http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/nj/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1152072
3954790.xml&coll=2> Underfunded Highlands
The Express Times - Easton, PA,USA

Significant federal funding to preserve land in the Highlands region
continues to be in doubt. The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee
last week earmarked only $1 million for the four-state region, $1
million less than President Bush proposed ... the $11 million annually
for 10 years called for under the federal Highlands Conservation Act
...



e) <http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=5092636&nav=0jsh>
Region 8 Tornado Victims Get a New Lease on Housing
KAIT - Jonesboro, AR,USA
CARUTHERSVILLE, MO -- Some Region 8 residents left homeless after a
spring tornado now have a new address. One of the hardest hit areas in
Region 8 following April 2nd 's tornado was Pemiscot County....



f)
<http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060619/NEWSRE
C010201/606190301> Thinking regionally
Greensboro News Record - Greensboro, NC,USA
Merging the Triad's municipal public transit systems into a single
entity is a long way down the road, if it happens at all. But ...



g) <http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=5078172&nav=HMO6>
Southern Arizona officials meet to plan for growth
KVOA.com - Tucson, AZ,USA
Officials in Arizona's border counties agreed to try to attack
growth-related issues regionally as southern Arizona is expected to
see 500-thousand newcomers ...



h)
<http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060621/NEWS10/606210
329/1016/NEWS> New regional water authority OK'd
Reno Gazette Journal - Reno, NV,USA
... the Truckee Meadows Wastewater Plant. "Regionalization means no
one has control," Amodei said. The Regional Water Planning Commission
...



i)
<http://www.sunherald.com/mld/thesunherald/news/special_packages/renew
al/long_beach/14882793.htm> Shaping future transportation
SunHerald.com - Biloxi, MS,USA
... Gulf Regional Planning Commission is wrapping up the long-range
plan ... examination of issues, including studies of goods movement,
intermodal connectivity ...



j)
<http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/environment/20060628/7/1895/>
Off the Farm and Into the Faucet
Gotham Gazette - New York, NY,USA

... the contents of Hutson's little bag has significance for New York
City residents as well. Hutson's farm is within the Catskills/Delaware
watershed, the city's primary source of drinking water. What he does
on his land has a direct impact on the purity of the water coming out
of New York City's taps - and on how much the city must spend to keep
that water clean. ...



k)
<http://www.charlescitypress.com/articles/2006/06/28/news/news05.txt>
Criteria set for Urban Revitalization District
Charles City Press - IA, United States
... Fox recommended the county contract with the North Iowa Area
Council of Governments to set up the Urban Revitalization District.
The $500 cost of establishing the district will be shared between the
county and CCADC....

l)
<http://www.nj.com/news/gloucester/index.ssf?/base/news-1/115147427616
3610.xml&coll=8> Regional EMS plan gets look
The Gloucester County Times - Woodbury, NJ,USA
A countywide proposal to regionalize emergency medical services would
not interfere with how current responders operate, officials announced
on Tuesday. Under the plan being explored by the county, there would
be several regional "hubs," which would have employees responsible for
handling scheduling, administrative duties and third-party billing.
...

m)
<http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2006/06/29/new
_ri_law_requires_electricity_conservation_before_generation> New RI
law requires electricity conservation before generation
Boston Globe - United States

... The bills, adopted by lawmakers last week, force electricity
distributors to meet the state's growing energy needs by investing in
conservation measures before importing energy from other regions or
burning pricey and polluting fossil fuels at electric plants. Bill
supporters say conserving electricity costs less than generating it.
...



n)
<http://nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/massachusetts/press
/press2514.html> Legislators Provide $400,000 for Statewide Land-Use
Map
The Nature Conservancy - Arlington, VA,USA

... one-time expenditure is contained in the Legislature's final
version of the FY 2007 state budget. It would direct the state Office
of Geographic and Environmental Information Systems (MassGIS) to
develop a map of all structures and natural areas in each city and
town of the Commonwealth. The Nature Conservancy urges Governor Romney
to put Massachusetts on the cutting edge of land use planning by
signing it into law ...



o)
<http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060702/OS
H03/607020341/1128/OSHnews> Anglers contribute $221 million to
five-county region's economy
Oshkosh Northwestern - Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA

...tournament and recreational fishing on the Lake Winnebago System
generates $221.4 million in local spending and supports about 4,300
jobs, ... "It legitimizes a lot of what local clubs do. They put money
into conservation projects and now they can say they're doing what
they do to help support a $220 million-per-year tourism industry."...



p)
<http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0701wvcavanau
gh0701.html> Goodyear's mayor is new MAG leader
Arizona Republic - Phoenix, AZ,USA
Mayor Jim Cavanaugh was tapped this week as chairman of the Maricopa
Association of Governments. It's a prestigious position that has been
held by Mesa Mayor Keno Hawker... It provides a regional forum for
analysis, discussion and resolution of issues, including
transportation, air quality, environment, regional development and ...



q) <http://www.mdcoastdispatch.com/corbin063006.html>
Director's Firing Leads To Host Of Committee Resignations
The Dispatch - Ocean City, MD,USA
BJ Corbin was fired in March by Tri-County Council (TCC) Director Mike
Pennington, who, the LSWA contends, had no authority to do so. ...



r)
<http://www.courier-gazette.com/articles/2006/06/30/rowlett_lakeshore_
times/news/news_20.txt> City honored by North Central Texas COG
McKinney Courier Gazette - McKinney, TX,USA
The city of Rowlett was recently presented with the Regional
Cooperation Award by the North Central Texas Council of Governments
during the association's ...



s)
<http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/politics/?ArID=184171&SecID=285>
Mayor focuses on sustaining Capital Region economic success
Capital News 9 - Albany, NY,USA
... Albany can leverage the opportunities coming to the Capital Region
to draw people back in from the suburbs. "Now people want to come back
to the cities. We have to address that to make sure number one it's
affordable, we're competitive, there are jobs here, and that'll be all
part of the discussion how do we attract population back into our
cities," Mayor Jennings said.



t) <http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/1510.cfm> Follow
the Sun: Predicting Population Growth in the U.S. - Real Estate -
Wharton

... The kind of amenities that a city or region has to offer emerge as
key ingredients in the high-growth formula. "Growth today," Saiz
notes, "is based on quality of life, prevailing trends, the
availability of parks and recreation, the character and variety of the
architecture, the climate, taxes ... and, above all, the quality of
education available in any given location." ...



u)
<http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060701/APN/607
010746&cachetime=5> Three cities discuss forming Alabama's first
regional jail
Times Daily - Florence, AL,USA
Officials in Homewood, Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills are
discussing forming Alabama's first regional jail by using a new state
law. ...


v) <http://www.jobcircle.com/?source=tusa_biznet> Welcome to
the Circle! - Website


We have one mission: help jobseekers and employers connect.
JobCircle.com is one of the nation's largest regional niche job
boards, serving the needs of employers in jobseekers in Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington DC areas. ...



w)
<http://www.dailypress.net/stories/articles.asp?articleID=2694>
Catholic Diocese Planning Committee looking at regions
Escanaba Daily Press - Escanaba, MI,USA
... committee met on May 30 and discussed what the future of parish
ministry might look like in the following regions of the diocese: Holy
Name of Mary Vicariate (Luce, Chippewa and Mackinac Counties, as well
as Grand Marais and Germfask); The Most Holy Name of Jesus Vicariate
(Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw Counties); St. John Neumann Vicariate
(Menominee County); and St. Mary Rockland Vicariate (Gogebic and
Ontonagon Counties). ...

x)
<http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2006070
4/NEWS01/607040307/1002> Lamar planner says county benefits from
controlled growth
Hattiesburg American - Hattiesburg, MS,USA
... The county recently contracted with Southern Mississippi Planning
and Development District to do those tasks at a cost of $135,000. ...



11. Other in the news: Highlighted words are Google search terms.



a)
<http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/social_affairs/detail/Xenophobic_Swiss_w
ant_more_integration.html?siteSect=201&sid=6853083&cKey=1151476817000>
Xenophobic Swiss want more integration
Swissinfo - Switzerland
... Paradox While half the interviewees could be termed as
xenophobic, 77 per cent wanted foreigners to be better integrated and
55 per cent wanted naturalisation to be eased. More than half of the
Swiss population are xenophobic, according to a survey designed to
allow the country to compare itself with the rest of Europe. ...



b) <http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=16853>
Questioning Geographic Luck
MIT Technology Review - Cambridge, MA,USA
... Jared Diamond ... that what sepa-rates the haves and have-nots in
our world is largely geographic luck; climate and access to natural
resources and farmable animals are what matter most. ... MIT economics
professor Daron Acemoglu ... a society prospers to the degree that
it builds institutions that feature three key things: property rights,
limits on the power of elites, and some equality of opportunity. ...



c)
<http://news.gov.hk/en/category/administration/html/04c19272-8141-43da
-8543-b189071b2fbd.htm> Views sought on sustainable population policy
News.gov.hk - Hong Kong
... The first regional forum for Hong Kong Island was held today at
Central Library. The other two regional forums for Kowloon and the ...



d)
<http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2006/06/29/dehcho-plan.html>
Dehcho land plan approved
CBC North - Canada

A regional land-use plan that would protect more than half of the
<http://nwt-tno.inac-ainc.gc.ca/dehcho/mp_e.html> Dehcho region from
development was approved Wednesday by delegates attending the annual
assembly of the Dehcho First Nations. The organization, which
represents 11 communities in the southwest region of the Northwest
Territories, is meeting in the community of Kakisa ...



e) <http://www.dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=15072>
Chambers of commerce in the Hemisphere sign unprecedented
Collaboration Agreement
Dominican Today - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
A transcendental accord among Chambers of Commerce from North, South,
Central America and the Caribbean was ... endorsed by eleven Chambers
of Commerce from countries in the hemisphere. ... theme
'Entrepreneurial Evolution of the Americas.' ...



f)
<http://www.intertradeireland.com/module.cfm/opt/25/area/News/page/New
s/id/224> GREATER CROSS BORDER PLANNING WILL MAXIMISE 100 BILLION
INFRASTRUCTURE SPEND
InterTradeIreland - Dublin, Ireland
... Spatial Strategies on the Island of Ireland" undertaken on behalf
of InterTradeIreland by the International Centre for Local and
Regional Development (ICLRD). ...



g)
<http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/story.html?id=43f80e3
f-c0a2-46da-b344-72e2c66dab51&k=76950> Population plummets: Tax cut
considered to stem exodus
StarPhoenix - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

REGINA -- The dollars are flowing into Saskatchewan, but people keep
flowing out. On the same day the provincial government announced it
had taken in an extra $1.2 billion in the last budget year ...
population to 988,980, putting it under 990,000 for the first time
since July 1982. ...



h) <http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,6-2254596,00.html>
Africa is not going to rock to Bono's tune
Times Online - UK
... Selling Nigeria to investors is a tough job: insurgents, bandits
and corruption are endemic. But here is Mustafa Bello, head of the
Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission: "The US will talk to you
about governance, about efficiency, about security, about the
environment," he says. "The Chinese just ask: 'How do we procure this
licence?'" Something extraordinary is going on in the developing
world: everywhere you look, there is China....



i) <http://www.interbiznet.com/ern/archives/060628.html> Aging
Is Not A Disease - Electronic Recruiting News

... Our business leaders often prefer to hire the young because they
are somewhat less expensive. They also tend to be really naive about a
range of things (including compensation). So, when it's time for a
layoff, expect a natural round of age discrimination. Besides, firing
an older person is likely to produce a bigger bang in the downsizing
process. ...



j)
<http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20060628095344116>
July 15: International day of action vs. climate change
Infoshop News - USA
... shut them down! "This is a call for autonomous, decentralized
actions appropriate for your town, city, or bioregion. Use this ...



k) <http://www.crowsnestpasspromoter.com/story.php?id=239292>
Regional strategy unveiled
Crowsnest Pass Promoter - Blairmore, Alberta, Canada
... to Mountains Economic Regional Initiative and has also just kicked
off a huge drive to promote the region. Besides the website, the
organization has invested ...



l) <http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/jun/06063011.html> EU
Calls for Elimination of National Boundaries and State Veto on
Criminal Matters
Lifesite - Niagara Falls, NY,USA
... of a central office on criminal matters across the European Union,
the elimination of veto powers for individual states, and of national
boundaries for police. ...



m) <http://www.commonground.ca/iss/0607180/cg180_soap.shtml>
GVRD's sustainable region initiative saves on soap use
Common Ground.ca - Canada
... As part of the Sustainable Region Initiative (SRI), the Greater
Vancouver Regional District is working to inform Lower Mainland
residents about this unique ...



n)
<http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/2006/07/03/284871/Singapore__039_s_a
ir_hub_plans_upgrades_in_regional_bid.htm> Singapore's air hub plans
upgrades in regional bid
Shanghai Daily - Shanghai, China
SINGAPORE plans to further liberalize air service agreements with
China, India and countries within the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations to preserve the city-state's status as a hub....



o)
<http://www.finfacts.com/irelandbusinessnews/publish/article_10006458.
shtml> Shannon Development calls for plan to make Shannon Airport both
debt free and independent
FinFacts Ireland - Ireland
... "Specific actions that should be included are fully resourcing
Shannon Airport to be debt free and independent, accelerating
infrastructure delivery so that the Airport's catchment area is
expanded significantly, the undertaking of a multi-million
multi-annual tourism campaign to promote Shannon as the regional
gateway, accelerating broadband connectivity in the region, and
developing an international conference centre in the Limerick/Shannon
area" ...



p)
<http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/04/opinion/opinion_30007935.php>
Asean credibility compromised by lack of regional integration
Nation Multimedia - Bangkok, Thailand

... outcomes of the Asean Summit held in Kuala Lumpur last December
was the appointment of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) to guide the
development of an Asean charter. ... the EPG has been preoccupied with
forming new ideas and emulating the best practices from other
successful regional organisations in order to make a set of
recommendations ...



q)
<http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/3/business/1467
2393&sec=business> Reducing the regional gap
Malaysia Star - Malaysia

ONE of the key objectives of the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) is to
implement more developments in less developed regions and states, with
the aim of dispersing the benefits of growth while narrowing economic
disparity among regions. ...



r) <http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/507637> Regional tier
system halted
New Vision - Kampala, Uganda
THE Government has put on hold the regional tier system of governance
that Parliament passed recently to become operational this financial
year starting July 1 ...



s)
<http://searchcio.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid19_gci119
5182,00.html> Social Bookmarking: Pushing Collaboration to the Edge -
SearchCIO.com - USA
... Users can apply tags, or keywords, to the bookmarks they save. In
social bookmarking, tagging creates a grass-roots taxonomy for the
shared bookmarks. ...



t) <http://www.dmreview.com/article_sub.cfm?articleId=1058254>
Data Management Association (DAMA) The Next Data Management Frontier:
Unstructured Data
DMReview.com - New York, NY,USA
... Why is unstructured data important to a company? It has been
estimated that at least 80 percent of a company's data is unstructured
and not easily accessible or found. ...



u)
<http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/106/map-quest.html?partner=fastta
ke> Map Quest - Location, location, location: The Web cognoscenti are
mashing up data with maps to create a new way to communicate.

FastCompany.com

... Whether user-generated or not, map apps are rapidly evolving from
novelty to necessity. "You don't just want to find a 7-Eleven," says
Metcalf, "you want to find one that carries your brand of toothpaste
and that's open right now." The future is ours for the mapping.





12. Sub-State Regions - Oklahoma - U.S. Census - South Region; West
South Central Division, FIPS Code 40

Following is a selection of links relating to regional arrangements
in Oklahoma. This year each issue features a State with links to maps
of regions and regional related resources. The
<http://www.census.gov/geo/www/us_regdiv.pdf> Census Regions and
Divisions of the United States map (PDF) is being used going, region
by region from the Northeast to the South to the Midwest to the West.



a)
<http://www.ecok.edu/repository/unmanaged_content/cartography/okatlasi
nstitute/okatlas/geopolitical/planning.htm> Oklahoma State Planning
Districts



b) <http://www.ok.gov/okohs/regions.php> OK Homeland Security
Regions Map



c)
<http://www.health.state.ok.us/program/Injury/trauma/regions.html> OK
Trauma Systems Division Regions



d) <http://www.swosu.edu/cebd/remi_regions.htm> Ctr Economic &
Business Devel. Regions



e)
<http://www.ecok.edu/repository/unmanaged_content/cartography/okatlasi
nstitute/okatlas/tourism/stateparks.htm> Web Atlas of Oklahoma -
Tourist Regions



f) <http://www.touroklahoma.com/region_map.asp> Oklahoma Parks,
Resorts & Golf - Region Map



g) <http://www.travelok.com/ada-rec> OK State Accessible
Recreation Guide



i) <http://www.ok.gov/%7earts/artists/presenters.html> OK Arts
Council - Presenters by Region



j) <http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/ok_geography.htm>
Oklahoma Geography - Land Regions



k) <http://www.oklahomasheriffs.com/meet.htm> Oklahoma Sheriffs
Association Regions



l)
<http://www.ecok.edu/repository/unmanaged_content/cartography/okatlasi
nstitute/okatlas/cover.htm> Web Atlas of Oklahoma - Interactive Maps



m) <http://www.narc.org/cogs/oklahoma.html> Oklahoma Regional
Councils - NARC



13. Announcements



a) The Art of Hosting and Convening Meaningful Conversations -
<http://www.berkana.org/index.html> Berkana Institute



The Art of Hosting is a practice retreat for all who aspire to learn
and find new ways of working with others to create innovative and
comprehensive solutions. We invite leaders, trainers, teachers,
politicians, entrepreneurs, social innovators, youth workers, hosts -
all who want to help. We are a growing community of practitioners
supporting each other to respond to today's challenges.



Nova Scotia: August 13-16, 2006 at The Shire in Nova Scotia, Canada.
This four-day workshop explores hosting as a leadership practice.
Contact <mailto:tim@...> tim@... [
<http://www.berkana.org/pdf/artofhosting_shire.pdf> Click here to
download a brochure]



Rivendell, British Columbia: September 24-27, 2006 It is a 20 minute
ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay, just outside of Vancouver, British
Columbia. We will learn through observation, experience, and practice
- Open Space Technology, Appreciative Inquiry, Circle Council, World
Café - and we will apply our learning to your own projects. Contact
<mailto:Tenneson@...> Tenneson@.... [
<http://www.berkana.org/pdf/AoHBowen2006.pdf> Click here to download a
brochure]



Boulder, Colorado: November 18-20, 2006 - The Art of Hosting and
Convening Conversations is a training for all those who aspire to
learn how to work with groups in more interactive, engaging and
effective ways; nurturing collective intelligence, shared learning and
wise action. For more information contact Sera Thompson -

<mailto:sera@...> sera@...





b) <http://www.airsider.com/files/airport.htm> Airport Reports
- Airsider



An online magazine with news and extensive reports about airlines,
airports and the aviation industry.





14. Density



a)
<http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/07-06/07-01-06/01opinion.htm>
GUEST VIEW: Sprawl is linked to rise of loneliness and crime
SouthCoastToday.com, MA - Jun 30, 2006
Douglas E. Morris Mr. Morris is the author of "It's a Sprawl World
After All.". A week ago, a study was released, showing a rise in crime
nationwide.



b)
<http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lioyst0629,0,853334.s
tory?coll=ny-linews-headlines> High-density apartment complex in
jeopardy
Newsday - Long Island, NY,USA
Oyster Bay town officials say they intend to kill a controversial
proposal by Avalon Bay on Long Island to build a high-density
apartment development in the ...



c)
<http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060630/OPI
NION01/606300404/1015> March toward urbanity
The Journal News.com - Westchester, NY,USA
Irresponsible is the only word suitable for Ramapo's ill-advised move
to amend its zoning code expressly to foster density. It ignores the
future of all Rockland, not just the town's, in not addressing water,
traffic, drainage and sewering issues. It will regret this force march
of urbanity onto a suburban landscape. ...

d)
<http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=68002&paper=7
1&cat=104> Density Hits Home
Reston Connection - VA,USA
Residents respond to county plans to modify a density "cap," which is
fast approaching.... The PRC zoning ordinance includes a total
residential density "cap" of 13 persons per acre, which is fast
approaching, according to Zook. ...



e)
<http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200607
02/NEWS01/607020323/1006> County looks to high-density building
PensacolaNewsJournal.com - FL
... The "density bonuses," as the incentives are called, are a first
for Santa Rosa and most Panhandle counties, including Escambia. ...

f) <http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/276057_opened.html>
Downtown Density: Using open space
Seattle Post Intelligencer - USA
As Seattle's density increases, ponder this: Many spaces around
downtown towers may be as open as they look. As long as civil behavior
is maintained, the space apparently is supposed to be kept open to
public access. Thanks to a recent Seattle City Council clarification,
most free speech activities are explicitly protected. ...

g)
<http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=c
d72d770-2aeb-455f-9d1a-04c021b1e288> Pro-density folk take note
Vancouver Sun (subscription) - British Columbia, Canada

... The downtown peninsula, however, is a model of densification, with
a present population of about 85,000 (and planners hope to get that up
to 125,000). But the downtown peninsula is an anomaly. Take it out of
the picture and Vancouver looks much like the rest of the metropolitan
area -- an expanse of single-family neighbourhoods dotted with a few
high-density nodes....



15. Subscription link stories.



a)
<http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/washington/stories/0
62906dntexredist.5d4d658.html> Court's decision rejects many
redistricting questions - Dallas Morning News (subscription) - TX,USA



WASHINGTON - By handing Texas Republicans a major victory in their
contentious congressional redistricting case, the U.S. Supreme Court
may have lowered some of the last obstacles to bare-knuckled political
fights in statehouses across the nation, though predictions of
political chaos may be premature, experts said Wednesday.

In a complex, multifaceted decision, the high court largely upheld a
2003 redistricting plan crafted by the Republican-controlled
Legislature, though justices invalidated a GOP-held South Texas
district, citing a dilution of Hispanic voting power.

They also said redistricting can occur at anytime - on multiple
occasions, if need be - between each decade's census. They suggested
that politically motivated congressional boundaries are a part of the
remap process.

"We're very gratified with the decision," said Solicitor General Ted
Cruz, who had argued Texas' case. "The Supreme Court has clearly
decided that state legislatures - not the courts - should decide
issues of partisan politics."

Texas Democrats were particularly disappointed that the justices
didn't reject what they saw as undue party allegiance.

"This case was an extreme example of a partisan gerrymander, and the
court says today that replacing a perfectly valid map in mid-decade
solely for partisan gain is not impermissible under the Constitution,"
said a disappointed Gerald Hebert, counsel for the Texas Democrats.
"In doing so, the decision could open the floodgates for partisan
re-redistricting."

Said Mary G. Wilson, president of the League of Women Voters: "We now
can expect an even more vicious battle between the political parties
as they redraw district lines every two years for partisan gain."

Daniel Epstein, a redistricting expert at Columbia University Law
School, said the failure of Texas Democrats to convince the court -
and especially Justice Anthony Kennedy - that the Texas redistricting
fight was unconstitutionally political may simply signal the court's
ultimate retreat on the issue.

...



b) <http://www.dailyherald.com/business/story.asp?id=203620>
Why Chicago's plan won't work in the suburbs - Chicago Daily Herald
(subscription) - Chicago, IL,USA

The Chicago City Council's finance committee on Wednesday voted for a
revised "living wage" proposal that opponents say will drive "big box"
retail jobs to the suburbs.

However, supporters maintain that a phased-in schedule raising wages
to $10 an hour with benefits valued at $3 an hour by 2010 will have
only a marginal effect on suburban economies.

Under an earlier proposal the new wage rate would have gone into
effect next year. The ordinance would only apply to retailers with $1
billion in sales and 90,000-square-foot stores.

"Maybe a store near one of the boundaries will move but I don't think
the overall effect will be significant," said Samuel Rosenberg,
professor of economics, Roosevelt University, Chicago.

Indeed, Rosenberg said suburbs aren't likely to adopt similar living
wage ordinances because retailers can easily move across boundaries in
geographically smaller suburbs.

...



c)
<http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/points/stories
/DN-stegall_02edi.ART0.State.Edition1.24b8ed0.html> POPULISM NOW! -
Dallas Morning News (subscription) - TX,USA



Kansas farmer and lawyer argues that this nation of alienated citizens
should reclaim its destiny from power elites.

In the 1980s, the historian and social critic Christopher Lasch
pronounced dead the conventional political categories of right and
left and argued for a revitalization of politics through a
redefinition of terms.

"The idea of a 'left' has outlived its historical time and needs to be
decently buried, along with the false conservatism that merely clothes
an older liberal tradition in conservative rhetoric."

Since that time, a number of third-party candidates have tried to do
just that - from Pat Buchanan to Ross Perot to the perpetual candidacy
of Ralph Nader - with a mixed record of success and virtually no
electoral victories.Yet there remains a growing sense that the times
finally have caught up with the prophetic Mr. Lasch. Could it be that
the old political stereotypes and national parties are no longer
capable of addressing the needs of the nation? Could we be on the
verge of a tectonic shift in American politics?

There are signs. Peggy Noonan recently wrote in The Wall Street
Journal that due to popular discontent with the widening gulf "between
those in power and those who put them there," the time is here for a
successful third-party run in American politics.

...

It may be too late, things too far gone, for the kind of
Anti-Federalist regional populism I am describing to become
politically viable in our day. If so, we will likely be tossed between
the tyranny of a militantly nationalist populism and the stifling
bureaucratic rule of a progressively universalizing liberalism.
Neither is a welcome alternative.



d) <http://www.newsreview.info/article/20060628/NEWS/60628013>
County steps in with offer to save Umpqua Transit - The News-Review -
Roseburg, OR,USA



Douglas County agreed Tuesday to absorb Umpqua Transit, ensuring that
bus service between Sutherlin, Roseburg and Winston will continue
uninterrupted.

The board of directors for the Umpqua Regional Council of Governments,
which operates Umpqua Transit, is scheduled to meet this afternoon to
ratify the deal. Officials said they are confident the deal will be
approved.

"I like it. I think this is a win-win for the county, for the cities
and the citizens," Roseburg Mayor Larry Rich said.

With only three days remaining before the transportation provider was
scheduled to go out of business, the Board of Commissioners said it
would step in and run the service itself. Umpqua Transit's 16
employees will be retained and go to work Monday as new county
employees.

"There'll be no disruption in services and that's really critical,"
Commissioner Dan Van Slyke said Tuesday afternoon during a meeting
between the commissioners and officials with the Umpqua Regional
Council of Governments.

Van Slyke met privately last week with URCOG officials after a meeting
failed to bring a solution for Umpqua Transit's impending shutdown. He
said then that an interruption in service was not an option and he
worked to make sure the buses kept running past the end of the month,
the end of the fiscal year.

With the county stepping in, the goal is to make the transition "as
seamless as possible," said Commissioner Doug Robertson, who offered
the motion for the county to take over Umpqua Transit. The main thing,
he said, was to make sure riders continue to be able to get where they
need to go.

"They're going to be able to get to work, to get to their medical
appointments and wherever else they need to go," Robertson said.

Commissioner Marilyn Kittelman, who last week pressed the Oregon
Department of Transportation to instead contract directly with the
Umpqua Community Action Network to take over the bus service, voted in
favor of the motion offered by her fellow commissioners.

Kittelman had expressed reservations about having the county take over
Umpqua Transit in case that meant also being saddled with any leftover
debt when URCOG shuts down at 5 p.m. Friday.

...





16.
<http://news.google.com/nwshp?tab=wn&q=Regional+Community&ie=UTF-8&aut
h=DQAAAHYAAADKfXPsBBjQLu4SCAu3QXKoawQU7_0mMmID9Khgr3uXld_mxTnLrXO2FMdx
Qnu3EVQDvOkj0HgYoCatKz8X7K1WsLoDpucqsdrwE9zoB-JWNqa4yTkNn2ZhHDvLjd6MN2
Sd7ADIEagB0Z2ixHiqE6pqBSw1HK1pC01keuf0CeSlLA> Google News for
"Regional Community"



Other menu sections available from this link include: Regional
Development; Regional Council; Regional Commission; Regional America;
Regional Asia; Regional Europe; Regional Competition; Regionalism;
Intergovernmental and other search terms. They can be sorted by date
or relevance. These are among the 50 search terms I use to produce
this newsletter.



My name is Tom Christoffel. I've worked in the field of
intergovernmental cooperation since 1973. As a consequence, "I see
regions." Regional Community Development News is published weekly
based on news reports as of Wednesday. Making visible analysis and
actions at multi-jurisdictional regional scales is its 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" 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 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 read and search previous issues go to:
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/regions_work/messages>
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/regions_work/messages The term
"Development" was added to the name in January, 2006.

For a free subscription use this email link - no additional
information required: <mailto:regions_work-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>
regions_work-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Questions, comments or items to feature in Regional Community
Development News?

Please e-mail the editor: Tom.Christoffel@... or
regional@...

Thomas J. (Tom) Christoffel, AICP Making regions visible for Leaders
and Problem-solvers. <http://www.regionalintelligence.com/>
www.regionalintelligence.com or <http://www.regions.ws/>
www.regions.ws



© 2003-6 Redistribute freely with attribution.

<http://www.regions.ws/>