Regional Community Development News - December 10, 2008 [regions_work]

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Tom Christoffel, AICP

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Dec 11, 2008, 12:37:08 AM12/11/08

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Regional Community Development News – December 10, 2008 [regions_work]

A compilation of news links about and for regional communities pursuing local and regional development.

Published on line since November 11, 2003.

________________________________________________________________________

Top Regional Community stories … 1. – 9.

U.S. Regional Communities - sub-State, State or multi-State – news articles …10.01 - .22

Other Regional Community News for Our Local Planet … 11.01 - .28

Blogging about Regional Communities … 12.01 - .25

Announcements and Regional Links … 13.01 - .09

Custom search: region, regions, regional communities … 14.

2. Regional Excellence: The First Regional President – Bill Dodge - Regional Communities Blog

Regions have emerged as the nation’s new communities. President-Elect Barack Obama, if he chooses to be the first regional President, can focus federal government efforts on building the capacity of these new communities to address our toughest challenges.

These new regional communities are both urban and rural. The more urban ones evolved organically from small settlements into central cities and sprawling suburbs. The more rural ones create a national, even global, identity for groups of towns linked by common agricultural and natural areas. Successful regions attract the mix of entrepreneurs, capital, facilities, and workers needed to drive the national economy and provide the mix of amenities critical to living the good life, neither of which can be usually provided by individual jurisdictions.

Regions are often the most local level for delivering cost-effective water, sewer, transit, and other public services. They have also become the most appropriate level for addressing the toughest challenges. Regions are large enough to encompass economic marketplaces and environmental watersheds/airsheds, as well as rich and poor jurisdictions. Yet regions are small enough to engage community leaders and citizens in pursuing practical strategies to provide affordable infrastructure and services, protect threatened environments, and foster robust economic development.

Unfortunately, regions are almost impossible to govern. Federal, state, and local governments have created single purpose planning groups to address particular challenges, sometimes coordinated through regional councils of governments. In addition, other sectors have established regional chambers of commerce, united ways, academic institutes, community foundations, and citizens leagues. At times, these regional groups join forces to design strategies to address common challenges.

Building regional capacity would benefit from, and might only succeed, with a regional President.

First, President-Elect Obama could declare his regional citizenship. …

http://regional-communities.blogspot.com/2008/12/first-regional-president-by-bill-dodge.html

3. Mayors Get in Line for U.S. Funds - Wall Street Journal - USA

Big-city mayors will arrive on Capitol Hill Monday to lobby for more federal spending to be funneled to urban areas that they say drive the country's economic engine.

The push comes after a strong Democratic turnout in metropolitan areas helped President-elect Barack Obama -- who is set to become America's first urban president in almost half a century -- win by such a decisive margin in November.

A delegation of mayors, including Michael Bloomberg of New York and Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, plans to ask the federal government to distribute funds directly to cities instead of going through state governments. The group is set to present a list of more than 4,600 infrastructure projects that they say are "ready to go."

Tom Cochran, executive director of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which is organizing Monday's event, said the next administration has signaled that it will coordinate financing for projects for an entire metropolitan area instead of dealing with cities and suburbs separately.

"I am of the opinion, based on our conversations with President-elect Obama, that he gets it," said Mr. Cochran. "You can't just have a transportation system that stops at the city line."

Mr. Obama's transition office is drawing up plans to create a White House office on urban policy, which would report directly to the president, to coordinate funding for cities from different federal agencies. Mr. Obama has pledged to provide new funding for job training, education and grants for local governments and organizations.

…

A delegation of mayors, including Michael Bloomberg of New York (above), plans to ask the federal government to distribute funds directly to cities instead of going through state governments.

…

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122869590580386751.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

4. Obama courts state officials - The Post-Standard - Syracuse.com - Syracuse, NY, USA

... early evidence from the transition, combined with aspects of Obama's past political experience, indicates that better days may be ahead for the federal-state relationship. Meeting with state governors last Tuesday in Philadelphia, Obama invited them into a partnership on the economic recovery effort and asked for their input in shaping the economic plan.

I recently spoke with Michael Bird, senior federal affairs counsel for the non-partisan National Conference of State Legislatures. Beginning with Reagan, Bird has seen four presidential administrations from various positions at the state level.

Bird was decidedly optimistic about the future. Fueling his hopefulness was a confidence that things couldn't get much worse. He observed that "the relationship has really deteriorated over the past eight years, on all sides - legislative, regulatory, collaborative and fiscal. It's the lowest point we've ever been at in my 23 years."

But there were also positive reasons for his optimism. First were two key picks for Obama's administration, less discussed than posts like Treasury, State, and chief of staff, but central to the federal-state relationship. To oversee intergovernmental relations in his inner circle of senior advisers, Obama named Valerie Jarrett, a longtime friend and confidant with extensive experience at the city level of government. He then named Cecilia Munoz, senior vice president of La Raza, as director of intergovernmental affairs. Munoz is deeply versed in intergovernmental relations, as La Raza has worked with the states on immigration reform, among other issues.

Pointing to the fact that Obama's state-level experience was not as governor, but rather as a "relative back-bencher in the state senate," Bird noted that Obama and Jarrett had both been "foot soldiers in subnational government, with real experience in the trenches," and thus had, he thought, a keen appreciation of the value of intergovernmental cooperation.

…

http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/opinion-0/1228557480306260.xml&coll=1

5. Mergers involve everyone - Albany Times Union - Albany, NY, USA

…

Looking at a map of our patchwork systems of local government, few people would insist that our borders and boundaries still make any logical sense, would argue against modernizing our system, or against spending less on government.

… it is in the struggle to bring these ideas down to the realm of the practical that so many of the recommendations for consolidations, mergers, and other forms of intergovernmental integration have foundered over the years.

And so the question has to be asked:

If merging, consolidating and streamlining government is such a good idea, why has it not happened more often?

…

For any recommendation for structural or functional integration to succeed, it must work on four levels:

The Fiscal. Yes, there should be a saving in dollars to appeal to taxpayers' pocketbooks. But those savings also need to be meaningful and sustainable in light of the other real and perceived costs of integration or consolidation. "Cost" is not the only variable when voters and taxpayers assess these plans. There are also very personal and subjective considerations of "value" (What does having this mean to me or do for me?) and "worth" (How does the cost to me stack up against the value to me?).

The Practical. How is this really going to work? The concept of merging or consolidating governments or services holds little attraction if in practice significant reductions in the level or convenience of public services is the probable result.

The Cultural and Political. Voluntary political or functional integrations are most likely to occur where strong similarities exist between neighboring jurisdictions. The greater the differences - political, social, cultural, ethnic, economic, or in land use or settlement patterns - between communities, the less appeal the notion of consolidation, merger or regionalization will have.

The Symbolic. …

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/storyprint.asp?StoryID=747771

6. Awaiting the Rebellion - Hartford Business – USA

Crisis precedes dramatic change, and for proponents of property tax reform in Connecticut, the crisis is not here yet. Oh, it’s painful for homeowners out there, but not so painful that the general public is demanding, in clear and angry tones, a solution.

As is always the case, small groups of municipal and legislative leaders are huddled in corners trying to come up with an answer to the growing problem of the property tax burden. …

The municipal property tax system has been an issue for decades, but the intensity of the pain it causes has grown worse in recent years. ...

The bigger half of the problem is the spending side. That’s where the tentative push for regionalization comes in.

Connecticut’s political leaders have been fearful of pushing regionalization too hard because it is believed that we — as voters — cling to the tradition of local control. We all want our own police and fire departments, our own libraries, our own snowplows flying our own town colors. Maybe that’s the old Connecticut.

Time For A Change?

Are the boroughs, villages and districts that many of us grew up with really that important to the present day population, which isn’t necessarily from here? Suppose a change in political subdivisions could dramatically reduce the cost of living?

An effort to reform the property tax system through a tax shift and forced cost sharing would result in a major political battle. For that reason, it is unlikely any serious effort will be made in the coming year. It will be hard enough just to get the state budget back in balance.

In 2010, the combination of continuing annual tax increases and the race for governor could bring about the public revolt necessary to put a serious effort for tax reform on the agenda.

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news7319.html

7. Research questions need for regional councils

Massey News – Massey University, New Zealand

Regional councils are performing poorly on environmental issues and do not accurately reflect the values of their communities, says an environmental researcher.

Jeff McNeill is a senior lecturer in the School of People, Environment and Planning and has worked as a policy manager for Horizons Regional Council and as a policy analysis consultant. He graduates this week with a Doctor of Philosophy in Politics.

Mr McNeill's thesis questions the logic of policy-making based on regional boundaries.

“Many environmental management issues are not regionally based and the regional boundaries have no particular meaning to the people in those regions,” he says. “Environmentalists and farmers, for instance, are more likely to share opinions and values reflecting their sector than any regional allegiance. This is very clear in their approaches to water quality, in how they see the state of water and what needs to happen.”

Mr McNeill was surprised how little regional council representation reflected their communities.

“Political systems are never completely representative, but regional councils outside the main centres are dominated by farmers, most by between half and three-quarters, and by retired district councillors,” he says. “Farms and municipal sewage treatment plants and landfills are the dominant pollution sources outside the large cities - it has to be a brave councillor who is going to stand up to his or her peers and tell them to pull their socks up.”

In the immediate future, Mr McNeill says his research supports the new Government's intention to establish an environmental protection agency. Consistent environmental policy by central government would be preferable, but he has some reservations.

“So far governments of all political colours have been extremely tardy in providing strong political leadership,” he says. “If we are going to have an environmental protection agency, we also need to see some political commitment as well.”

Longer term, Mr McNeill suggests comprehensive regional or provincial government is desirable, as it is desirable to have the governing body accountable to its community.

http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-us/news/article.cfm?mnarticle=research-questions-need-for-regional-councils-26-11-2008

8. Editorial: Regional rail debate needs focus, not fiction - Dallas Morning News - Dallas, TX, USA

A recurring criticism of the North Texas plan to expand rail transit is that it would create a new level of government or a new taxing district.

Let's not engage in fiction. The transportation plan is complicated enough and requires painstaking lobbying just to explain it to state lawmakers. Playing on fears about new taxing agencies could derail the plan just as it's picking up momentum.

The proposal is this: The Legislature would allow metro areas to raise new transportation revenue, such as higher auto registration fees and property tax increments. Cities and counties in North Texas would propose projects to be financed with the new funds. Expanding rail would be the primary goal, but DART cities like Dallas, Plano and Garland could propose new or improved roads, bridges, walkways, bikeways and other mobility projects.

It stands to reason that a coordinated planning group should evaluate the proposals and ensure that they are consistent with the nine-county mobility plan required by the federal government. Fortunately, such a group already exists. Created more than 30 years ago, it's called the Regional Transportation Council [ http://www.nctcog.org/trans/committees/rtc/index.asp ]. Thirty-six of its 43 members are elected or appointed by cities and counties. Using this existing board to guide new transportation dollars makes obvious sense.

Under the plan, voters would go to the polls and decide on lists of RTC-certified projects. Here's the important thing: Elections would be called by individual counties. Money approved by voters would stay in those counties.

So if the existing RTC works with existing counties, where is this new layer of government?

The RTC endorsed the essence of this plan last month, and ...

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/DN-transit_10edi.State.Edition1.17695eb.html

9. Northeastern’s David Soule dies - Massachusetts Municipal Association - mma.org

David Soule, associate director of Northeastern University’s Center for Urban and Regional Policy [ http://www.curp.neu.edu/ ] and the former executive director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, died of cancer on Nov. 17. He was 61.

Soule was a co-author of the report “Revenue Sharing and the Future of the Massachusetts Economy” that was presented at the MMA Annual Meeting in 2006. The report made the case that vibrant cities and towns are essential to the state’s economic well-being.

“David was a remarkable person,” said MMA Executive Director Geoffrey Beckwith. “He was a strong and forceful advocate for governing and working together in the public interest, and his leadership and friendship will be sorely missed by all of us.”

At the Center for Urban and Regional Policy, Soule focused on helping to revive older industrial cities. Through the center’s Economic Development Partnership, dozens of New England cities are able to chart their progress on economic development, affordable housing, and workforce development.

Soule, who earned a doctorate through Northeastern’s Law, Policy and Society program in 2003, also was the editor and a contributor to “Urban Sprawl: A Comprehensive Reference Guide,” published by Greenwood Press in 2005.

Prior to becoming the executive director of the MAPC, a position he held for more than 15 years, Soule directed the regional planning commission in Nashua, N.H.

Northeastern will pay tribute to Soule at noon on Dec. 12 at the university’s Spiritual Life Center. [ http://www.northeastern.edu/spirituallife/contact.html ]

http://www.mma.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3279&Itemid=86

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 The Top 10 Regions for Banking Bailouts

BNET - San Francisco, Ca, USA

There’s a new geography of financial woe and The New York Times has done a major service by putting it together in a revealing graphic. ... Here’s a breakdown by city and region: 1. New York. $148 billion with Citi taking $50 billion; AIG, $40 billion; and J.P. Morgan Chase, $25, with $10 billion each going to Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs. ...

http://industry.bnet.com/financial-services/1000225/the-top-10-regions-for-banking-bailouts/

.02 Players shift, but Twin Cities still best for business: Dallas, Columbus move into top 10 in MarketWatch study of metro regions

MarketWatch

... Last year, the Twin Cities was at the top of MarketWatch's list in the first annual survey of where companies tend to gravitate and create the most jobs. It appears little has changed for the region, as the concentration of companies has stayed strong, and job growth continues while unemployment remains relatively low.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/players-change-twin-cities-still/story.aspx?guid={545526D2-EE56-472C-B568-749D0EA2AE88}

The 2008 rankings of all 50 cities

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/climbed-fell-marketwatch-city-rankings/story.aspx?guid={689B5735-A37D-4DBD-80EB-CAD16BD69556}

.03 Little city is at center of a great debate

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI

... Superior has emerged as a mainline for the nation's energy infrastructure. About 9% of the country's imported oil, roughly 1.2 million barrels a day, already flows into this city of 27,000 at the headwaters of the world's largest freshwater system. And that figure is about to balloon with the opening of a $3 billion "Alberta Clipper" pipeline that could ultimately deliver some 800,000 barrels a day of the gooey tar sands oil, called bitumen, to an existing tank farm just outside downtown Superior, before it is shipped to refineries around the region. The black stew won't arrive from Canada refinery-ready. That means billions of dollars must be pumped into retrofitting the regional refineries so they are able to strip away the bitumen impurities. ...

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/35664859.html

.04 Be part of the economic development team

Greenville News - Greenville, SC, USA

You are only as strong as your weakest link, and it is important in this day in time that all levels -- state, regional and local are communicating flawlessly and prepared for each opportunity. There are seven regional economic development organizations in the state of South Carolina. Together, they represent 43 of the 46 counties. The roles of the regional alliances differ vastly because of differences in geography and population. ... To date, the counties in our region have announced more than 28 percent of the state's capital investment and a significant portion of the jobs created. ... I am asking you, the members of our community, to be a part of our team. You, too, are essential to economic development and can help make our job easier by believing in our state, region and the community in which you live.

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20081207/OPINION/812070306/1004/NEWS0

.05 6 towns look at regional collaboration - Worcester Telegram - MA, USA

… Franklin Regional Council of Governments [http://www.frcog.org/ ], … Phoebe Walker, director of community services for the council, explained that the FRCOG grew out of the abolition of county government in Massachusetts in 1998. Formerly the Franklin County Commission, the council was formed in 1997 to assists all 26 towns in Franklin County in western Massachusetts, the most rural county in the state, she said. The total population involved is 72,000. For fees, the council provides towns with accounting, cooperative inspection, cooperative purchasing, regional health inspection, regional public health, engineering, and other services. “It’s not always a financial savings, but it’s always better for the towns,” Ms. Walker said.…

http://www.telegram.com/article/20081205/NEWS/812050499/1007/NEWS05

.06 Highstead Arboretum leads regional effort to protect forests, open space

The News-Times - Danbury, CT, USA

... taking the first steps to do that by creating the Western Fairfield County Regional Conservation Partnership -- a coalition of town land trusts and conservation commissions in Bethel, Danbury, Newtown, Redding and Ridgefield. The idea is that with such a partnership, the region can preserve and protect the forests that do exist, and help in regional efforts to preserve more land. "We may be able to do more collectively than we can do on our own,"...

http://www.newstimes.com/ci_11102398

.07 Salem County schools look to the future

Today's Sunbeam - NJ.com - Salem, NJ, USA

A transformation is on the horizon for Salem County schools, with ambitious aims to consolidate administrations while truly readying each child with a 21st-century education. It has begun with an image of five regional, geographically-based school districts rather than the current 13, where each district's children share a common curriculum, a common school board, and one central administration. It will end in the hands of the voters, ...

http://www.nj.com/sunbeam/index.ssf?/base/news-4/122803321118280.xml&coll=9

.08 EDITORIAL

Fort Worth Star Telegram - Fort Worth, TX, USA

The North Central Texas Council of Governments predicts that by 2030 the population of the 16-county area will be 9.49 million, or nearly 3 million more people than today. By 2050, the population could mushroom to 12 million, or nearly double today. ... That raises serious questions: ... We can do a lot to curb the harm that population growth does to traffic and air quality. The region can focus on intelligent, sustainable development

http://www.star-telegram.com/242/story/1077671.html

.09 Ex-legislator hired by town of Marana

FOX11AZ.com - Tucson, AZ, USA

The town of Marana has hired former Arizona State Representative Steve Huffman to be their intergovernmental affairs administrator. ... “There is a great quality of life here, and our town will continue to play a vital role in the development of the entire region.” Huffman started his new job on December 1st, and will work to develop programs facilitating interaction among the town’s administration, mayor and council and the state legislature, and other county, city and regional council of government officials.

http://www.fox11az.com/news/topstories/stories/KMSB_20081207_jh_huffman.3f4b1e2c.html

.10 Local Foundations To Merge; Will Become Largest Grant And Scholarship Foundation In HR

WTKR Your NewsChannel 3 - Hampton Roads, VA, USA

... The Norfolk Foundation and The Virginia Beach Foundation have announced plans to merge in 2009 and form the Hampton Roads Community Foundation. ... The new community foundation will have nearly $190 million in assets and will focus on increasing regional philanthropy in Hampton Roads. ... "We are really one big community in Hampton Roads. City lines have nothing to do with philanthropy," says Joshua P. Darden Jr., chair of The Norfolk Foundation board.

http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp?S=9464840&nav=menu78_1_9

.11 Farmington Valley Towns To Think Regionally

Hartford Courant - United States

Officials from the towns usually meet monthly to discuss regional issues, but Glassman said she wanted to host a meeting to discuss cost-saving measures specifically. "Given the extreme financial difficulties of the state and given the difficulties that the Farmington Valley towns will have coming up with budgets … I thought we needed to explore all options to save tax dollars," Glassman said.

http://www.courant.com/news/local/fv/hc-simmeet1208.artdec08,0,2613554.story

.12 PLAINSBORO: State plan to consolidate school districts raises doubts

Lawrence Ledger - Lawrence, NJ, USA

Gov. Jon Corzine has called for smaller school districts to be consolidated into regional school districts to save money, but a panel discussion sponsored by the New Jersey School Boards Association on Saturday morning cast some doubt on whether mergers can be achieved. … One obstacle is the apportionment of property taxes among the municipalities that form a regional school district, the panelists agreed. The school property tax most likely would not be split evenly among the member towns, they said. ”Each town won’t save money,” …

http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2008/11/27/the_lawrence_ledger/news/doc492dd9b96a3bb089726748.txt

.13 Thompson: 'Megaregion' concept has no real meaning

Athens Banner-Herald – Athens, GA, USA

Earlier this month, the Atlanta Regional Commission - a planning and intergovernmental coordination group serving 10 metropolitan Atlanta counties - unveiled a planning concept sporting the grand name of Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion. … While it is high-sounding, the "megaregion" approach is, in reality, nothing more than a tacit admission of the clear fact that Georgia's state and local governments have failed to keep pace over the years with infrastructure needs, and are now facing the consequences of that lack of attention to such basic issues. …

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/113008/opi_361634674.shtml

.14 Arizona’s path to the federal treasury

East Valley Tribune - Phoenix, AZ, USA

The Monday session was aimed at emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation, getting the attention of a new administration in Washington and overcoming political resistance to a federal handout. ... “Arizona has done a pretty good job on its own, but we need to work as a region to help us get to where we need to go,” Democrat Napolitano said. Said Republican Smith, “…unless we join with our fellow states in the Intermountain region, we will be dead on arrival.” ...

http://jimripley.freedomblogging.com/2008/11/29/arizona%E2%80%99s-path-to-the-federal-treasury/152/

.15 Stimulus for Skeptics

New York Times - United States

... add just one idea: Create a network of social entrepreneurship investment banks. These regionally operated semi-public funds would invest in the best local community organizations, so they could bring their ideas to scale. ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/28/opinion/28brooks.html?ref=opinion

.16 Summit shows challenges of river region

The Daily Advertiser – Louisiana, USA

The average income for residents in the 252 parishes and counties that make up the eight-state Delta Regional Authority is $25,918, nearly 25 percent below the national average. The poverty rate in the region is 55 percent higher than the national rate, and recent natural disasters have only made matters worse, he said. "When you carve out our region, we're much like an underdeveloped nation,"

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20081205/BUSINESS/812050314

.17 Didier to lead regional collaboration

Newton Daily News – Newton, IA, USA

Today, Kim Didier, executive director for the Newton Development Corporation (NDC), informed the NDC Board that she has accepted an offer to lead the implementation of the seven-County Regional Economic Development Strategic Plan. ... The regional plan was developed with the support of a $250,000 Regional Innovation Grant (RIGS) from the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor. The RIGS grant program was created in response to requests for planning support as a result of the loss of Maytag in the region. ...

http://www.newtondailynews.com/articles/2008/11/20/news/local2.txt

.18 Regional approach to safety dispatch mulled

Lakeville Call - Lakeville, MA, USA

“I’d need to look into it and make sure it’s the best thing for Lakeville, but regionalization is the wave of the future,” Yeatts said. ... “Never in recent memory has regionalization been such an important endeavor,” Clarkson said.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/lakeville/news/x1772968696/Regional-approach-to-safety-dispatch-mulled

.19 Council seeks comments on air-quality rules

Galveston County Daily News - Galveston, TX, USA

The Houston-Galveston Area Council is requesting comments from the residents of the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria region about measures to be included in the next State Implementation Plan to improve air quality. ...

http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=6319b8b17f023f3a&-session=TheDailyNews:42F949731d784027AFTtO2B571A1

.20 Editorial: Act now to make Michigan competitive

DetNews.com - Detroit, MI, USA

But even as the domestic carmakers, the leading engine of this state's economy, confront extinction, the political leadership of this state keeps looking for ways to tread water. We simply can't afford that attitude any longer. A new study produced for Detroit Renaissance, a group of southeastern Michigan chief executives, details the extent of this region's competitiveness problems. And this region accounts for 58 percent of the state's economy. Southeast Michigan's economy shrank by ...

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081205/OPINION01/812050313/1008

.21 Midwest urged to think regionally

Green Bay Press Gazette - Green Bay, WI, USA

The Midwest can still be a global economic force in today's world economy, though it has to adopt a regional mindset to move forward. That was the focus of the presentation by Richard Longworth, former Chicago Tribune reporter now a fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, who was the keynote speaker at the annual New North summit ... "Globalization is not going away, it's the future," said Longworth. He said New North is a good example of regional thinking and pooling of resources to benefit a larger geographic area. "If the Midwest was to begin thinking more regionally, its resources and university systems would be a real force," Longworth said. ...

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20081209/GPG03/812090462/124

.22 Yale professor: two years to recovery

Delta Farm Press, NE

“We are at the beginning of a massive transformation of the global financial system,” Garten told participants of the recent Sourcing USA Summit in Austin, Texas. “No part of the global economy is unaffected.” ... Garten said investment pullback is likely. “But we have to see a revival of private investment before we see an improved economy.” He said the ramping up of regional investment access across borders over the past few years has “come to a rapid halt.” He said industrialized countries have depended too much on emerging markets to stimulate growth. “Those markets have been significant and account for 100 percent of global growth. That’s unrealistic. …

http://deltafarmpress.com/news/economy-recovery-1204/

11. Other Regional Community News for Our Local Planet Contents

.01 Inevitable and Disgraceful, but Still Unpredictable

The Daily Reckoning

Who’s to blame for the worldwide financial meltdown, a crisis that has so far wiped out a notional $30 trillion dollars ... give or take a trillion or so? ... Before 1987, only about one of every 10 dollars of corporate profits made its way to the financial industry – in payment for arranging financing, banking and other services. By the end of the bubble years, the cost of ‘finance’ had grown to more than 3 out of every 10 dollars. ... The financial industry was just doing what it always does – separating fools from their money. What was extraordinary about the Bubble Years was that there were so many of them. ... “Six Nobel prizes were handed out to people whose work was nothing but BS,” says Nassim Taleb, author of The Black Swan. [ http://www.fooledbyrandomness.com/imbeciles.htm ] “They convinced the financial world that it had nothing to fear.” ... If they had just looked back 10 years, says Taleb, they would have seen that their “value at risk” models didn’t work. ... In the real world, Taleb explains, things are stable for a long time. Then, they blow up. Then, all the theories and regulators prove worthless. These blow ups are inevitable, but unpredictable...and too rare to be modeled or predicted statistically. “And they are almost always much worse than you expect.”

http://www.howestreet.com/articles/index.php?article_id=8062

.02 Queen’s Speech - Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill

Number10.gov.uk

The Bill is the keystone of a wider programme to put people at the heart of local decision-making, giving citizens greater influence over decisions affecting their lives and making public services more transparent and accountable to all. It also builds on a continuing programme to devolve decision making to regions and local areas, ensuring that those who best understand local circumstances are those who are able to take decisions affecting the local economy. In addition, the bill will ensure a more level playing field for construction businesses, especially small, local ones, in construction contracts.

http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page17670

.03 "Building partnership – for a renewed security policy in the twenty-first century"

Auswartiges Amt

... the fact remains: we cannot achieve security and stability in our European house by confrontation. What we need is cooperation – not just in the fight against terrorism but on all the major challenges we face, from the financial crisis to climate change. That is why our goal remains an area of common security extending from "Vancouver to Vladivostok". ... confidence-building must be strengthened also at regional level. In concrete terms, we need determined efforts to resolve the conflicts in Moldova, Nagorny Karabakh and Georgia. ...

http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/diplo/en/Infoservice/Presse/Interview/2008/081204-BM-OSZE.html

.04 Top 10 innovative regions in Europe 2008

raphael volz - Germany

Statistics are made for innovation, too. One of the more adequate measures is the innovation index developed by the Statistical Office of Baden-Wurttemberg, a federal state in Germany. ... map that depicts the innovation level across the different regions in Europe. We have put the top 10 spots on a Google map for your convenience: ...

http://www.raphaelvolz.de/top-10-innovative-regions-in-europe-2008/

.05 UK House Prices

BBC News – UK

REGION RANKINGS - This page shows how house prices vary across different regions of the UK, with the highest average current price first. …

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/uk_house_prices/regions/html/regions.stm

.06 The Next Global Meltdown?

Daily Beast - New York, NY, USA

The full repercussions have yet to be felt. Bangkok’s ambitions to be the business and manufacturing hub of the region may have suffered a fatal blow as multinationals pull up stakes or look elsewhere for a more reliable base of operations. The triple blow to Thailand’s tourism, manufacturing, and export industries might ultimately reverse two decades of economic gains, leading to further instability in the region—all because the airports were closed. ... Airports are the most critical pieces of infrastructure for any nation hoping to compete in a just-in-time world, and they must be protected and cultivated as such. To treat them otherwise will be at their own economic peril. And at ours.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-12-02/the-next-global-meltdown/

.07 Kevin Rudd wants to redraw security priorities

The Australian

Australia, "a regional power prosecuting global interests", faced a "complex array of national security challenges", Mr Rudd told parliament. "For the first time, this country will have a coherent statement of the national security challenges facing Australia into the future and the comprehensive approach we propose to adopt in responding to those challenges," he said. Those responses would require a strengthening of regional security co-operation with Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24753632-2702,00.html

.08 Regional ministers endorse policy document on governance

Jamaica Observer - Jamaica

... The Caribbean Forum of Local Government Ministers (CFLGM), at their second Regional Local Government Consultation and Conference have ratified and endorsed the final draft of a policy document aimed at enhancing local governance in the region.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20081203T210000-0500_143307_OBS_REGIONAL_MINISTERS_ENDORSE_POLICY_DOCUMENT_ON_GOVERNANCE_.asp

.09 Jamaican senator calls for stronger regional collaboration to fight human trafficking

Caribbean Net News

State Minister in Jamaica's Ministry of National Security, Senator Arthur Williams, has called for the strengthening of coordination and cooperation mechanisms in the region in order to address the issue of human trafficking in the Caribbean. ...

http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-12583--9-9--.html

.10 Government Sets Clear Direction on Regional Development

eGov monitor

One North East today (25th November, 2008) welcomed the Government’s decision to strengthen and streamline arrangements for delivering sustainable economic development across England. … The reforms will mean closer alignment of national, regional and local strategies, funding and resources. The primary objective for the RDA over the coming months will be to work with local authorities, the business community and other stakeholders ...

http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/22238

.11 A regional School of Public Administration promoting cooperation in Western Balkans

emportal - Belgrade, erbia

The future activities of the school will strengthen the administrative capacities of the parties involved and promote regional co-operation. A letter of intent concerning the establishment, in Montenegro, of the Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA) was signed on 12 June 2008 in Castle Jable, Slovenia. ...

http://www.emportal.rs/en/news/region/70640.html

.12 Think regionally, act regionally: council

Kings County Record - Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada

Councillor Gary Fulton said while Sussex has stepped up to the table because it has a regional vision, Sussex Corner seems to be going the opposite direction. He expressed disappointment that the village opted to abandon a proposed joint emergency measures plan with Sussex. ...

As for the dilemma of funding recreation facilities regionally, he said, "what we are moving to is a shoe waiting to be dropped."

http://kingscorecord.canadaeast.com/news/article/498369

.13 Pirates menace: India for more international cooperation

Hindu - Chennai, India

India too launched an important regional maritime security initiative, namely, the "Indian Ocean Naval Symposium" with focus on 'Constructive Engagement' amongst all littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region. Its primary aim is to sustain a regionally relevant, consultative forum to promote a shared understanding of issues and concerns relevant to the Indian Ocean region, which bear upon maritime security, he said.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200812051413.htm

.14 Minister Comanescu: EU must strengthen ties with Eastern countries

Financiarul - Bucharest, Romania

The complementariness between the Eastern Partnership and the Black Sea Synergy can lead to a good regional cooperation, as “they are different tools for the same area and should join efforts.” ...

http://www.financiarul.ro/2008/12/05/minister-comanescu-eu-must-strengthen-ties-with-eastern-countries/

.15 Russia building 'Berlin Wall' in Georgia: FM

AFP

"Russia physically destroys physical links between the regions of Georgia," she said. "It is blowing up bridges in Gali region so that it is harder for people to go to the neighbouring region of Samegrelo. "In Zugdidi city, for that matter, they are building a wall which will be not perhaps the size of the Berlin Wall but is something resembling that. ...

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jjr583sDpvXnpHd8PpVrHN7zifLA

.16 Rf 140 Million Needed For First Stage Of Decentralisation

Minivan News

"As a concept, regionalization is very important for the Maldives,” he said. “But the administration has to think about island identity, equitable representation and equitable distribution of resources," ...

http://www.minivannews.com/news_detail.php?id=5572

.17 Regional govt will bring rapid development – Falae

The Punch - Nigeria

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, has said that unless deliberate steps were taken to rewrite the Nigerian constitution, and pave the way for the return of regional government, it might be difficult for the country to move forward. ...

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200812043304779

.18 Role of SAARC in combating terrorism, ensuring regional peace

Ceylon Daily News

The eradication of terrorism should indeed be the foremost goal of SAARC if there were to be a robust partnership for growth of all the people in the region. However, even more important is that this be achieved in an environment of peace. Peace, in this context should not be a mere absence of war, but should transcend political and diplomatic tension between SAARC member States. …

http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/12/04/fea01.asp

.19 Regional jet completes first flight

China Daily - China

China's first independently developed regional jet completed its maiden flight ... ARJ21 is an acronym for "Advanced Regional Jet for the 21st Century". Aircraft manufacturer China Aviation Industry Corp I said it has received 208 orders for the regional jets from home and abroad, including 25 orders from major industry player GE Capital.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-11/29/content_7253468.htm

.20 Zambia: Banda Launches Vehicle to Development

AllAfrica.com - Washington, USA

THE Government has launched the national Public Private Partnership (PPP) policy that will accelerate development, ... Zambia's strategic location on the continent made it possible for the country to be a hub for various regional infrastructure links such as transport, energy and telecommunications. ...

http://allafrica.com/stories/200811280699.html

.21 Roger Augustine Elected Assembly of First Nations' Regional Chief of New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island

Canada NewsWire (press release)

National Chief Phil Fontaine is pleased to announce that Roger Augustine, of Eel Ground First Nation (Miramichi), has won election by the Assembly of New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island Chiefs to become Regional Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (representing NB/PEI). ...

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/December2008/05/c7549.html

.22 Melbourne's boundaries to be extended for booming population

Melbourne Herald Sun - Australia

With Melbourne's population predicted to hit five million in 20 years, urban growth boundaries in the north, west and south east of Melbourne will be extended with up to 134,000 new homes to be built. ... work on expanding the growth boundaries would begin immediately with the new boundaries expected to be in place by 2009. A blueprint for development in regional Victoria will be released next year. ...

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24739234-661,00.html

.23 APCERT Nails Down Online Underground Economy In Regional Drill Exercise

Bernama - Malaysia

The Asia Pacific Computer Emergency Response Team (APCERT) has successfully completed its APCERT Drill ... a scenario of cyber attacks by the professional cybercriminal groups targeting the Asia Pacific economies was simulated to put pressure on the participating teams in APCERT to test their response capability in addressing cyber threats. ... participating teams include 14 teams representing 13 economies in the Asia Pacific region ...

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsbusiness.php?id=376291

.24 Regions 'need broadband to boost jobs'

The Age - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A lack of action on broadband infrastructure is stripping rural and regional Australia of jobs where they are most needed, economists say. The latest snapshot of the state of local government regions, launched in Melbourne on Monday, recommends urgent action to address deficiencies in Australia's broadband network.

http://news.theage.com.au/national/regions-need-broadband-to-boost-jobs-20081208-6tr4.html

.25 Russia Today – Interview with Igor Panarin - Video

The break-up of America into six pieces? Alaska joining the Russian Federation? Will Russia survive the crisis? Igor Panarin, a Russian professor of economics, discussed these questions when he dropped by the RT studio on Thursday.

http://www.russiatoday.com/guests/video/1839%20Interesting%20interview

.26 Wireless Network Traffic to Increase Tenfold, Says Analysys Mason

MarketWatch - USA

Mobile network operators in developed regions should prepare for a tenfold increase in wireless network traffic by 2015 ... "While developed regions will account for just 25% of the cellular user population by 2015, they will generate 65% of total global wireless network traffic"...

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Wireless-Network-Traffic-Increase-Tenfold/story.aspx?guid={48EEB208-724F-4D64-A8C5-5EE8BDDAE9DE}

.27 Australia Publishes Aviation Green Paper; Precursor to White Paper on Aviation Strategy in 2009

Green Car Congress

The Government of Australia has published an Aviation Green Paper, and is inviting comments on it to be considered in the development of a White Paper in 2009. The Aviation White Paper will be the first attempt to bring all aspects of aviation policy together in a single forward-looking statement. Australia’s economy is heavily dependent upon aviation, given its vast internal distances and isolation from the rest of the world, says Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. ...

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/12/australia-publi.html

.28 Global Internet Map

TeleGeography-com

... The map‘s global projection traces the intercontinental links between the countries of Europe, Asia, North and Latin America, and Africa. Regional close-ups provide insight into key routes within each region.

http://www.telegeography.com/products/map_internet/index.php

12. Blogging about Regional Communities Contents

.01 Regional Theatre Holds Wake For Itself

Blog Stage

The failing economy is affecting more than just Broadway, as news of regional theatre troupes shutting their doors for good continues. Milwaukee Shakespeare had to shut down so suddenly, it seems, that the company has decided to throw itself a wake for "closure." ...

http://backstage.blogs.com/blogstage/2008/12/regional-theatre-holds-wake-for-itself.html

.02 Betty Knight responded to How Should The Infrastructure Stimulus be Spent?

National Journal Expert Blogs - Transportation
It is imperative that any economic recovery package contain regionally strategic infrastructure investments that maintain a strong focus on the priorities of local communities, act in partnership with regional planning organizations, ...

http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2008/12/how-should-infrastructure-stimulus-be-spent.php?rss=1#1187802

.03 A Sustainable Economy — “The Change We Need”

By Rick Cole

Regionalism. In a June speech to the US Conference of Mayors, Obama identified metro regions as the engines of global growth. Denver, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Sacramento, Portland, Chattanooga and St. Louis have emerged as models for metro/suburban collaboration. Obama also embraced the social equity dimension of regionalism, to ensure inner cities will benefit from collaborative efforts to improve education, reinvest in older communities and create globally competitive high-wage, high-value jobs. ...

http://www.wemagazine.org/a-sustainable-economy-%E2%80%94-%E2%80%9Cthe-change-we-need%E2%80%9D/

.04 The Urban President

By Bruce Fisher

There’s a new advocate for regionalism in America. His name is President-elect Barack Obama. … I, for one, am delighted. For all the years we worked on regionalism in county government—drafting a law to merge Buffalo and Erie County; building a computer system that could handle all the back-office operations of all the cities and towns and villages; building the public safety campus to handle all the e-911 calls from Cattaraugus Creek to Tonawanda Creek—we still had a big problem called federal policy. The federal government and the state government still treat city governments and town governments and county governments as if they can all go it alone, as if they were on separate planets rather than side by side in the same metro region.

http://artvoice.com/issues/v7n48/the_urban_president

.05 Regional Planning: The Poor Appears to Be Left Out

By The CEO

If you are interested in Understanding what Regionalization is and how it is going to impact your life I encourage you and your families to get involved in the planning process and demand accountability and transparency. Environmental Justice Communities such as Gary Indiana's Central and northern districts must be represented in regional planning ...

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/darrylharris/gGxXj8

.06 The nature of sub-regional group debated

East Central Texas SRPC

“Chapter 391 allows regions and subregions to organize, but the governor must so designate,” said Jim Reed, executive director of the Central Texas Council of Governments, which was created under chapter 391. “My understanding is the governor has not so designated. Whether they have legal standing under the state of Texas is under debate, although I don’t think anybody would debate that getting together to solve problems is a good thing.” ...

http://ectsrpc.blogspot.com/2008/11/nature-of-sub-regional-group-debated-by.html

.07 Look, How Much Regional Government Do We Need, Anyway?

UNFAIR PARK

Yes, I have written about new extra levels of regional government that people want to create so we can have even more stuff like Dallas Area Rapid Transit and the Dallas school board in our lives -- you know, those really amazingly unresponsive local government entities, ... I mean, maybe we need a new layer of government. But trying to peddle a new layer of government to voters by telling them it is not a new layer of government is disingenuous.

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2008/12/look_how_much_regional_governm.php

.08 Quote of the Week

Disaster Zone: Emergency Management in the Blogosphere

I still like the word resiliency when it comes to building a community that is “disaster resilient.” In my presentation that I do on a “Formula for Regional Resiliency” the focus is on building relationships that stand the test of time and events. Regional planning is one of the keys to building a more resilient “regional” community, one that shares resources across disciplines and jurisdictional boundaries. ...

http://www.disaster-zone.com/2008/11/quote-of-week_30.html

.09 Rail Runner Headed North

By SantaFeMove.com

Mark your calendars: The Rail Runner Express commuter train’s inaugural public run into Santa Fe is tentatively set to take place Friday, Dec. 12, with Wednesday, Dec. 17, expected to be the actual start of scheduled commuter service to and from the capital city. ... “We’re going to use a couple days thereafter to just run trains so that people can just ride and not do our regular commuter service schedule” immediately, said Lawrence Rael, executive director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments. ...

http://santafemove.com/news/rail-runner-headed-north

.10 Regionalism for Development

By Mwesigye Herbert

For many years now, academics have debated whether regional trade agreements are ‘building blocks’ or ’stumbling blocks’ for development and free trade. ... research found that developing countries should strengthen regional cooperation with other developing countries, and proceed carefully with regard to North-South bilateral agreements. The main reason for this is easy to understand: Many of these North-South agreements are missing the developmental perspective, for at least three reasons: 1. ...

http://mwesigyes.blogspot.com/2008/11/regionalism-for-development.html

.11 A dangerous precedent!

Bay Buzz – Hawke’s Bay, NZ

What a radical and dangerous idea he has floated … things that really matter to the long term growth and vitality of the Bay should be handled regionally. Wow, what a shocker!

http://www.baybuzz.co.nz/archives/1285

.12 Can Too Much Local Knowledge Be Counter-Productive?

By Chloe

Stand-up comedians often emphasize regionalism to great effect as it builds warmth and a common basis for comedy. On the other hand, audiences can also get a bit bored with work that reflects themselves and their direct environment too closely ...

http://www.chloeveltman.com/blog/2008/11/can-too-much-local-knowledge-be-counter.html

.13 Public office requirements

By Jack Ricchiuto

... entrepreneurship, venture capital funding, project management, community building, leadership, research and policy development, civic engagement design, public private partnership building, and regional collaboration. ...

http://www.jackzen.com/2008/11/30/public-office-requirements/

.14 English regions run by anonymous, powerful, unelected, US-style Govenors

By Toque

Farquharson’s suggestion that the constitutional debate needed to include “voices from the English regions” drew predictable objections along the lines of “England is a country, and no more a collections of so-called ‘regions’ than is Scotland.” Surprisingly, and to his credit, Farquharson responded: ...

http://toque.co.uk/blog/?p=1704

.15 Contesting Neo-Liberalism and Post-Fordism Through Regional Planning from Above and Below in Toronto, Canada

By Michael Romande

‘Regional planning from below’, as the term was originally used by the Coalition to Keep GM Van Nuys Open and then appropriated by Keil (1998a; 2001; Kipfer and Keil, 2002) referred to regional planning by groups traditionally left out of official regional planning efforts and discourses that manifest themselves in a top-down fashion. ...

http://urbanexperience1.blogspot.com/2008/12/contesting-neo-liberalism-and-post.html

.16 The tension between rural and regional development

By Han Wiskerke

... we are beginning to see increasing interactions between different kinds of economic activities. Sustainable regional development, in particular in metropolitan and peri-urban regions, can only be achieved when regional development policies and rural development policies are better aligned (or even integrated into one new policy). This requires regional policies to take more notice of the importance of rurality in regional development and rural policies to acknowledge the need of supporting sustainable agricultural development in urban and peri-urban regions.

http://wiske001.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/the-tension-between-rural-and-regional-development/

.17 The territorial reform or game seven errors

Elefant Eye

The first error is that the size of the Regions is a decisive factor. Our French regions would be too small to succeed in the game of global competitiveness. But the full powers related to regional economic development, innovation, employment training, synergies with the university and the presence of financial centers over the size of territory or demography. ...

http://elefant-eye.blogspot.com/2008/11/territorial-reform-or-game-seven-errors.html

.18 California’s new car culture

Livemint

Recent petrol price highs accelerated many a switch, helped by the natural propensity of Californians to revel in the outdoors, thus combining commuting and exercise, and benefiting both environment and pocket. On any given weekend, you could always see Bay Area residents getting around on every sort of wheeled device known to man. ...

http://www.livemint.com/2008/12/04225219/California8217s-new-car-cul.html?h=B

.19 North & South with the Blueprint in Durham Region

Poverty Watch Ontario

... Great concern in the region about the state of the economy. Always told that a growing economy would take care of poverty - but latest periods of economic growth did not produce poverty reduction effort. Learning that governments have an active role to play in the economy and distribution of wealth. ...

http://povertywatchontario.ca/2008/12/03/north-south-with-the-blueprint-in-durham-region/

.20 Excerpts from the Ontario Legislature re: Environmental Assessment Amendment Act

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper

This change would be a major improvement and it would require early discussions and agreement between municipalities for all cross-jurisdictional undertakings prior to the filing of an application for an environmental assessment approval. ...

http://www.waterkeeper.ca/2008/11/28/excerpts-from-the-ontario-legislature-re-environmental-assessment-amendment-act-nov-27-2008/

.21 A Europe of Regions

The Cornish Democrat

Despite English becoming ever more present in the working and personal life of millions of EU citizens, the United Kingdom is rich in regional languages, from Cornwall to Shetland. It is therefore appropriate that in 2008, the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue; the CoR will recognise this and grant special status to the UK regional languages. ...

http://thecornishdemocrat.blogspot.com/2008/12/europe-of-regions.html

.22 Tourism Research #3 - Green your Business - Toolkit for Tourism Operators

Tourism Research, E-Marketing, and New Media

One of the tourism trends for 2009 that has been identified is Green Travel by a number of agencies and reports such as Tripadvisor and the Travel Advocate - Going Green. ... Green your Business - Toolkit for Tourism Operators. It is available free ... Some excellent resources ... Geotourism Program

http://tourismvc.wordpress.com/2008/11/24/tourism-research-3-green-your-business-tookit-for-tourism-operators/

.23 Wal-Mart Learns A Branding Lesson

Branding Strategy Insider

There is only one problem with brand repositioning: it does not work. Never in the history of marketing has a theory been embraced and attempted by so many, and failed so frequently. ... Wal-Mart realised that its repositioning strategy was not working, and shifted to a revitalisation approach instead. Brand revitalisation is a more simple, humble approach to brand change. First, go back to your history and remember what made the brand great in the first place. Second, revisit these associations but in a modern and contemporary way. It's one of the hardest lessons in branding. To remain consistent to your brand you must change. Not the brand itself, but the way the brand presents its enduring and eternal associations to new consumers experiencing a new set of circumstances.

http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/2008/11/walmart-learns-a-branding-lesson-.html

.24 Initiative for Peacebuilding

By admin

Thematically, the action includes: security; gender; democratisation and transitional justice; mediation and dialogue; regional cooperation on environment, economy and natural resource management; and Capacity-building and training. ...

http://www.eliamep.gr/en/security/projects-security/initiative-for-peacebuilding-ifp/about-ifp/initiative-for-peacebuilding/

.25 The New Environmentalism

Big Think

This week, Big Think brings you an interview with rising star social and environmental activist Van Jones. The author of The Green Collar Economy and the founder of the nonprofit Green For All, Jones has already earned a reputation as a leading and original voice in the world of social and environmental activism.

http://www.bigthink.com/science-technology/the-environment/14283

13. Announcements and Regional Links. Contents

.01 Regional Studies Association International Conference 2009 - Understanding and Shaping Regions: Spatial, Social and Economic Futures - 6th - 8th April 2009 + Excursion to Brussels and free walking tour of Leuven on 5th April

The Department of Architecture, Urbanism and Spatial Planning and the Research Unit Planning and Development, Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Belgium

Abstracts are invited for the following themes:

- Regional policy and evaluation

- Regions as innovation hubs?

- Labour markets, employability, worklessness and migration

- Spatial planning, cities and regions

- City regions, governance and democracy

- Tourism, innovation and local development

- Experience economy and spatial strategies

- Regional and local identity: culture and imagination

- Economic restructuring

- Local and regional economic development

- Liveability and environmental quality in local and regional development strategies

- Territorial politics, regionalism and federalism

- Social inequality, health and well-being – regional perspectives

- Mobilities and connectivities - drivers for change

- Non-urban issues – rurality, peripherality and island development

Timeline: Speaker deadline for abstract submission and payment is 8th January 2009

Non-speaker deadline for registration and payment: Early booking on or before 6th February 2009. Late booking from the 7th February 2009 onwards.

The Association strongly encourages timely booking to allow us to improve the quality of our events for you.

How to register, pay, submit an abstract and join or renew your membership - go to: http://www.regional-studies-assoc.ac.uk

You will need to pay for the conference at the time of registration. All abstracts will be accepted although the organisers reserve the right to work with speakers to raise the quality and/or fit to the conference themes of individual papers. In case of difficulty email: eve...@rsa-ls.ac.uk or phone on +44 (0) 1323 899 698.

Regional Studies Association Travel Awards

As part of its new Development Plan 2008-2013, the Regional Studies Association has implemented the Travel Award scheme, which offers up to £200 towards travel costs to events such as research meetings, field trips expenses and seminars and conferences, with the aim of facilitating networking within the community. The RSA Travel Award encourages research and dissemination activities, both within and across trans-national borders and to further the overall aims and objectives of the Association.

For more information on how to apply for a Travel Award, please go to:

http://www.regional-studies-assoc.ac.uk/members/travel_award.doc

.02 Call for papers: Innovative City and Regional Innovation System - Inderscience News

A special issue of International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital - The regional development of society and the economy are closely related with innovative capacities. ... Regional Innovation Systems (RIS) is an emerging concept, and is a new field of world economy and geography. ... In this special issue, we invite authors to submit papers addressing topics on the factors, mechanisms and modelling of the innovative city, RIS, government governance and policies, innovation environment, regional innovative capacities and competitiveness, etc. We strongly encourage results that focus on regional innovation theories and applications. ... Deadline for Submissions: March 1, 2009

http://inderscience.blogspot.com/2008/12/call-for-papers-innovative-city-and.html

.03 Cascadia Megaregion "Ecolopolis" - America 2050

The graduate students at the Toulon School of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University have released their latest study of the Cascadia Megaregion, "Ecolopolis," which presents a vision for coordination and sustainable economic development in the Vancouver-Seattle-Portland megaregion. Building on two previous studies, the report includes a detailed sector-based economic analysis and recommendations for further strengthening Cascadia's economic "competencies" in areas of green building and architecture, creative services, agriculture and food production and high tech. It also makes recommendations for protecting Cascadia's renowned environmental heritage and reputation for sustainability, while improving flows and connections within the megaregion.

Download PDF at: http://www.america2050.org/

.04 BookTV - In Depth - Kevin Phillips - his latest book "Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism" http://www.bad-money.com/excerpt

Former political strategist and historian Kevin Phillips was the BookTV guest for In Depth on Sunday, December 7, 2008. Mr. Phillips was formerly a special assistant to the U.S. Attorney General in 1969 and was a regular political contributor to CBS News, NPR, and the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of over a dozen books including, "The Emerging Republican Majority," "Wealth and Democracy: A Political History of the American Rich," and "American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush."

http://www.booktv.org/program.aspx?ProgramId=9941&SectionName=In%20Depth

.05 OMB BULLETIN NO. 09-01 dated November 20, 2008 provides the definitions of all Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Metropolitan Divisions, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, Combined Statistical Areas, and New England City and Town Areas in the United States and Puerto Rico based on the standards published on December 27, 2000, in the Federal Register (65 FR 82228 - 82238) and Census 2000 data as well as Census Bureau population estimates for 2006 and 2007. The attachment provides the details on the updates to the statistical areas, principal cities, and area titles. The appendix to this bulletin provides complete listings of all statistical areas that are recognized under the standards.

Download: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/bulletins/fy2009/09-01.pdf

.06 World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic Geography – The World Bank

Places do well when they promote transformations along the dimensions of economic geography: higher densities as cities grow; shorter distances as workers and businesses migrate closer to density; and fewer divisions as nations lower their economic borders and enter world markets to take advantage of scale and trade in specialized products. World Development Report 2009 concludes that the transformations along these three dimensions--density, distance, and division--are essential for development and should be encouraged

http://go.worldbank.org/K2CBHVB7H0

.07 Urban and Regional Planning – Open Directory Project

The Open Directory Project is the largest, most comprehensive human-edited directory of the Web. It is constructed and maintained by a vast, global community of volunteer editors. This link is to the Urban and Regional Planning section. If your organization or you are not listed, you may want to take the time to submit an entry or make that a New Year’s Resolution.

http://www.google.com/Top/Science/Social_Sciences/Urban_and_Regional_Planning/ H

.08 Collaboration Homepage – CISCO

Bring people and information together to reduce decision times and accelerate innovation. Develop a strategy to enable open, secure, adaptable collaboration that improves your company's creativity and velocity.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns870/index.html?Referring_site=PrintTv&Country_Site=us&Campaign=EMME&Position=Vanity&Creative=go/collaboration

Working Across Borders

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns874/index.html

A Blueprint for an Adaptive Collaborative Application Architecture

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/solutions/ns340/ns858/ent_collaboration_archit.html

Industry Solutions - Government

http://www.cisco.com/web/strategy/government/index.html

.09 Regional Communities - eclipse WIKI

Eclipse is an open source community whose projects are focused on building an open development platform comprised of extensible frameworks, tools and runtimes for building, deploying and managing software across the lifecycle.

Regional Eclipse Communities are groups of people located in the same geographic area, that have a keen interest in using and contributing to Eclipse. Regional communities can share ideas, discuss projects, exchange code and compare solutions. Anyone can join a community and most groups will meet in person at least once a year.

http://wiki.eclipse.org/Regional_Communities#Start_a_Regional_Community

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 regional related sites. Entering the term taxation returned 186 items; revenue returned 505 items. Please recommend links for inclusion.

My name is Tom Christoffel. I've worked in the field of intergovernmental cooperation since 1973. As a consequence, "I see regions work.” Regional Community Development News is published bi-monthly, as of May 7, 2008, based on news reports as of Wednesday of the publication week. It was published weekly through April 23, 2008. At the start, it was twice-weekly.

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 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 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/

The term “Development” was added to the name in January, 2006 and the Group was renamed Regional Community Networkers & RCDNews as of March 10, 2008.

For a free subscription use this email link – no additional information required:

regions_wor...@yahoogroups.com

For the Google Groups version go to:

http://groups.google.com/group/regional-community-development-news

Editions since April 11, 2007 and other tools are at: http://regional-communities.blogspot.com/

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

Please email the editor: Tom.Chr...@gmail.com

Thomas J. (Tom) Christoffel, AICP - http://www.regionalintelligence.com/

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