Monday Mailing
Year 20 • Issue 14 09 December 2013 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Amazon Delivery Drones? Not So Fast Nelson Mandela- Prisoner, Rooftop Food Gardener December Issue of Local Focus Now Online Sauvie Island's Bella Organic Farm Can Continue Hosting Dinners, but Within Limits, Court Rules WhiteWave Consumes Organic Salad-Greens Distributor Earthbound Beyond Emergency Food: Thoughts From Both Sides of The Border In Oklahoma, Satanists at Statehouse? Fast-Food Protest in Portland Joins National Push for Higher Pay Nelson Mandela Death: South Africa and World Mourn RAC Launches Rural Obesity Prevention Toolkit Oodles of Funding Opportunities
1. Amazon Delivery Drones? Not So Fast Not so fast, Jeff Bezos—before Amazon can deploy its fleet of delivery drones, the company will have to wait for the results of drone tests at six state-run sites, which the FAA will select later this month. At least 24 states are competing to host these sites, which are expected to bring jobs and investment from a rapidly growing industry. Congress has directed the FAA to safely integrate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), or unarmed drones, into the national airspace by 2015. Until then, the FAA has said it will grant flight privileges to UAV operators on a case-by-case basis. Quote of the Week: “The snow doesn't give a soft white damn whom it touches.” ~E.E. Cummings Oregon Fast Fact: The Oregon Trail is the longest of the overland routes used in the westward expansion of the United States. The Trail used from 1840 to 1860 began in Missouri and ended in Oregon. It was about 2,000 miles long.
Bezos, the CEO of the Seattle-based e-commerce giant, said in an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS’s “60 Minutes” news program that Amazon hopes to use drones to make same-day deliveries within five years of FAA approval. “It will work, and it will happen, and it’s gonna be a lot of fun,” Bezos said To access the full story, click here. 2. Nelson Mandela- Prisoner, Rooftop Food Gardener Excerpt from Mandela’s autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom”. “The Bible tells us that gardens preceded gardeners, but that was not the case at Pollsmoor, where I cultivated a garden that became one of my happiest diversions. It was my way of escaping from the monolithic concrete world that surrounded us. Within a few weeks of surveying all the empty space we had on the building’s roof and how it was bathed the whole day, I decided to start a garden and received permission to do so from the commanding officer. “Each morning, I put on a straw hat and rough gloves and worked in the garden for two hours. Every Sunday, I would supply vegetables to the kitchen so that they could cook a special meal for the common-law prisoners. I also gave quite a lot of my harvest to the warders, who used to bring satchels to take away their fresh vegetables.”
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“A garden was one of the few things in prison that one could control. To plant a seed, watch it grow, to tend it and then harvest it, offered a simple but enduring satisfaction. The sense of being the custodian of this small patch of earth offered a taste of freedom. “In some ways, I saw the garden as a metaphor for certain aspects of my life. A leader must also tend his garden; he, too, plants seeds, and then watches, cultivates, and harvests the results. Like the gardener, a leader must take responsibility for what he cultivates; he must mind his work, try to repel enemies, preserve what can be preserved, and eliminate what cannot succeed.” 3. December Issue of Local Focus Now Online The current issue of Local Focus, the League of Oregon Cities’ monthly magazine, is now available. To access the current issue of Local Focus, click here. 4. Sauvie Island's Bella Organic Farm Can Continue Hosting Dinners, but Within Limits, Court Rules The Oregon Court of Appeals has now spelled out just how elaborate Sauvie Island's "agritainment" farm stands can be. In a decision filed on Wednesday, the court ruled that Bella Organic Farm, a Sauvie Island business, can continue offering farm-to-table dinners and other moneymaking events on its 100-acre property. But the court laid out other limitations on Bella's activities. Bella is licensed as a farm stand, but also operates a pumpkin patch, corn maze and food carts, hosts dinners and sells wines. The farm's owner, Mike Hashem, wants to expand those offerings to host more dinners and ticketed events. The county granted him an expanded use permit to do so, but both Hashem and Mark Greenfield, a Sauvie Island resident and land-use attorney, appealed the permit to a hearings director. To access the full story, click here. 5. WhiteWave Consumes Organic Salad-Greens Distributor Earthbound WhiteWave CEO, and former Dean Foods CEO, Gregg Engles knows as much about vegetables as he knew about dairy when he orchestrated a global feeding frenzy in that market to build Dean Foods. The end result was the destruction of dozens of independently owned, regional dairy businesses and thousands of jobs. After they were done pillaging they then jettisoned the WhiteWave division earlier this year. Now Engles and WhiteWave are setting their sights on exploiting these assets on Wall Street as well. WhiteWave has announced its purchase of organic vegetable producer Earthbound Farm for $600 million. This is the same management that built the Horizon dairy label in its early years with virtually all their milk coming from giant “organic” factory farms, with as many as 10,000 cows living in their own filth. (One such operation was eventually shut down, through the USDA certification process, after a legal complaint by The Cornucopia Institute.) WhiteWave still depends on giant dairies in the desert West, some milking thousands of cows, for a large percentage of their milk production.
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This is the same company and management that, after buying “organic” soybeans from China, took over the Silk soymilk product line and converted it from 100% organic to virtually no certified organic products/sales volume — replacing organic with “natural” products. To access the full story, click here. 6. Beyond Emergency Food: Thoughts From Both Sides of The Border Upcoming webinar Pod-Cast: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 12-1 p.m. EST Join Community Food Centres Canada on December 11 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EST for a webinar Pod-cast with Jessica Powers from WhyHunger on the work they do to support emergency food providers to go beyond charitable food access programs and create initiatives that foster a more inclusive and sustainable food system. The webinar will cover key principles underlying this work, drivers for transforming organizations, redefining relationships with funders, inspiring examples of change, useful resources and more. We'd like to cater the webinar to your interests, so please email us questions you'd like us to pose during the webinar and we'll do our best to get to as many as we can. When: Wednesday December 11, 2013 from 12 to 1 p.m. EST Where: Your Computer - Register Here! - https://cfccanada.webex.com/ How Much: Free! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at ross@cfccanada.ca. About WhyHunger: WhyHunger is a leader in building the movement to end hunger and poverty by connecting people to nutritious, affordable food and by supporting grassroots solutions that inspire self-reliance and community empowerment. About Jessica Powers: Jessica is responsible for leading a team of advocates on the National Hunger Hotline and developing capacity building resources for emergency food providers through the National Hunger Clearinghouse. Prior to joining WhyHunger, Jess managed an emergency feeding program that planned and responded to disasters affecting people in NYC and the lower Hudson Valley for the American Red Cross in Greater New York. She responded to nationally declared disasters in New York, Iowa and Louisiana, and, most recently, managed a kitchen site in response to the Alabama tornadoes. She worked as a foodservice professional for over ten years. About Community Food Centres Canada: Community Food Centres Canada provides resources and a proven approach to partner organizations across Canada to create Community Food Centres that bring people together to grow, cook, share, and advocate for good food. CFCC works with the broader food movement to build greater capacity for impact and to empower communities to work toward a healthy and fair food system. If you want to learn more about Community Food Centres Canada's work to build centres that bring people together to grow, cook, share and advocate for good food, sign up for CFCC's monthly enewsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at@aplaceforfood. 7. In Oklahoma, Satanists at Statehouse? In their zeal to tout their faith in the public square, conservatives in Oklahoma may have unwittingly opened the door to a wide range of religious groups, including satanists who are seeking to put their own statue next to a Ten Commandments monument on the Statehouse steps. The Republican-controlled Legislature in this state known as the buckle of the Bible Belt authorized the privately funded Ten Commandments monument in 2009, and it was placed on the Capitol Page 3 of 7
grounds last year despite criticism from legal experts who questioned its constitutionality. The Oklahoma chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit seeking its removal. But the New York-based Satanic Temple saw an opportunity. It notified the state’s Capitol Preservation Commission that it wants to donate a monument and plans to submit one of several possible designs this month, said Lucien Greaves, a spokesman for the temple. “We believe that all monuments should be in good taste and consistent with community standards,” Greaves wrote in letter to state officials. “Our proposed monument, as an homage to the historic/literary Satan, will certainly abide by these guidelines.” To access the full story, click here. 8. Fast-Food Protest in Portland Joins National Push for Higher Pay A downtown Portland rally Thursday was a small part of a nationwide campaign for higher wages, with protests and strikes planned in more than 100 cities. About 15 people gathered outside of McDonald's at the corner of Southwest Sixth Avenue and Main Street, chanting in unison as the lunchtime crowd passed by. "Hey McDonald's, you can't hide. We can see your greedy side." Labor organizers planned protests across Oregon and southwest Washington Thursday, including locations in Gresham, Salem, Ashland, Medford and Vancouver. The Service Employees International Union is leading the push nationwide, though Thursday's turnout across the country was difficult to gauge. It was business as usual inside the downtown Portland McDonald's during the rally, as about three dozen customers were eating. Workers did not strike and walk out of the restaurant. To access the full story, click here. 9. Nelson Mandela Death: South Africa and World Mourn South Africans have gathered in Johannesburg and Soweto to mourn their former leader, Nelson Mandela, who died on Thursday aged 95. Crowds have been paying tribute, dancing and singing in front of Mr Mandela's former home in Soweto. He is to be accorded a state funeral on Sunday 15 December, President Jacob Zuma announced. Mr Mandela spent 27 years in jail before becoming South Africa's first black president in 1994. His administration replaced the racist white-minority regime that had enforced segregation of black and white people in a policy known as apartheid. Mr Mandela went on to become one of the world's most respected statesmen. At a news conference on Friday afternoon, Mr Zuma outlined a week of events to mourn the former president. To access the full story, click here.
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10. RAC Launches Rural Obesity Prevention Toolkit In an effort to help rural communities better address the current obesity epidemic, the Rural Assistance Center has launched a Rural Obesity Prevention toolkit. This toolkit contains resources to help communities develop obesity prevention programs, building on best practices of successful obesity prevention programs. Rural areas in the United States not only have a higher rate of obesity than urban areas, but they also face a different set of challenges when it comes to implementing a successful obesity prevention program. The Rural Obesity Prevention toolkit has the tools to help adapt obesity prevention programs to make them work for your rural community. Content for the Rural Obesity Prevention toolkit was developed by the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis as part of the Community Health Gateway. The Gateway is designed to help rural communities learn about proven methods of providing rural residents with better access to health and human services. Development of these resources is part of an ongoing effort by NORC and RAC to provide innovative health and human services information to rural America. Funding for this project is provided by the federal Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP), part of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). To learn more about the Community Health Gateway and its current toolkits, visit www.raconline.org/communityhealth/. 11. Oodles of Funding Opportunities Feds offer rural efficiency loans (The Hill<http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/192065-feds-offer-rural-efficiency-loans> – 12/4) The Department of Agriculture is starting a new loan program to promote energy efficiency. The department’s program, announced on Wednesday, will provide up to $250 million for rural electric cooperatives to lend to businesses and households to retrofit their homes and facilities. THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY has issued a NOFA for the 2014 funding round of economic development grants through the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, and the Native American CDFI Assistance Program Grants. Deadline for both programs: 12/23/2013. Click here <http://rurallisc.createsend1.com/t/r-l-ndthuyd-jrdkjkiilu-o/> to read the NOFA for economic development grants. Click here<http://rurallisc.createsend1.com/t/r-lndthuyd-jrdkjkiilu-p/> to read the NOFA for the Native America CDFI Assistance Program. BLACKSTONE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION is accepting proposals from nonprofits serving veterans and active servicemen and women transitioning to civilian life. Deadline: 1/14/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.createsend1.com/t/r-l-ndthuyd-jrdkjkiilu-m/> to visit the Foundation’s website. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) is offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies for both assessment and cleanup work at a specific Brownfield site. Deadline: 1/22/2014. Click here <http://rurallisc.createsend1.com/t/r-l-ndthuyd-jrdkjkiilu-q/> for more information about these grants. THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR is offering WaterSMART: Water and Energy Efficiency Grants to states, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located in the western United States. Deadline: 1/23/2014. For more information, click here<http://rurallisc.createsend1.com/t/r-l-ndthuyd-jrdkjkiilu-a/>.
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THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR is offering grants to nonprofits, LEAs and others to provide high school students with education and training that combines rigorous academic and technical curricula focused on specific in-demand occupations and industries. Deadline: 1/27/2014. Click here <http://rurallisc.createsend1.com/t/r-l-ndthuyd-jrdkjkiilu-f/> for guidelines and an application. WILLIAM G. AND MARIE SELBY FOUNDATION is accepting applications from nonprofits for capital grants for the construction, acquisition and/or renovation of facilities, as well as the purchase of equipment or software. Projects focusing on education, human services, arts and community projects including history, science, and/or the environment will be given top priority. Deadline: 2/1/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.createsend1.com/t/r-l-ndthuyd-jrdkjkiilu-v/> to visit the website for guidelines and an application. LOWES CHARITABLE AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION is accepting applications for the 2014 Toolbox for Education Grant Program. Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded in support of facility improvement projects that have a permanent impact on a K-12 school community. Deadline: 2/14/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.createsend1.com/t/r-l-ndthuyd-jrdkjkiilu-e/> to visit the website and review program guidelines. THE KAZANJIAN FOUNDATION is offering grants to nonprofits for projects with national impact that address issues of economic education. The average grant is approximately $22,000, however grants as small as $3,500 and as large as $150,000 have been made. Occasionally, multi-year grants are made for larger projects. Deadline: 2/15/2014. Click here <http://rurallisc.createsend1.com/t/r-l-ndthuyd-jrdkjkiilu-s/> to go to the Foundation’s website for guidelines and an application. THE OPEN MEADOWS FOUNDATION supports projects that are designed and implemented by women and girls; reflect the diversity of the community served by the project; promote building community power; and encourage racial, social, economic, and environmental justice. The Foundation provides grants of up to $2,000 to cover start-up expenses or to support ongoing projects and also administers a number of special funds that are targeted to specific groups or activities. The next application deadline is: 2/15/2014. Funding guidelines and application instructions are available on the Foundation’s website here<http://rurallisc.createsend1.com/t/r-lndthuyd-jrdkjkiilu-g/>. Call for Proposals: Behavior Health Information Pilot Communities - The Community Assessment and Education to Promote Behavioral Health Planning and Evaluation (CAPE) project is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and facilitated by the USDA. The project is advised by a technical committee of university and community behavioral health professionals drawn from across the nation. The purpose of the project is to explore ways in which communities currently gain information on behavioral health, to discover what datasets exist, and to work with pilot communities to enhance access to needed information. Important information about behavioral health is often published at the county (or parish/borough) level, so this project focuses primarily on a county-level definition of community. Local leaders serving smaller geographic units partially or fully within the county (such as cities, towns or districts) will be included in the project activities. Measuring and monitoring the various behaviors and related health outcomes can provide pivotal information to community decision-makers. More information is available at the project web site: http://healthbench.info/. A webinar describing the project is scheduled for Thursday, December 19, 2013 at 12:00 PM – ET at http://connect.msu.edu/cape. The webinar will be archived at the project web site. Timeframe & Available Support: Proposals are due January 21, 2014. Community selections are expected to be announced at the end of January. The pilot program is expected to run from March 3, Page 6 of 7
2014 to October 31, 2014. Communities selected for this program will receive funds to buy out up to 8 months of up to 1.0 FTE (0.67 FTE total) per selected community for current staff members to join the CAPE project. Funding will come in the form of a contract with the land grant institution leading the community effort. Community teams of one, two, or three individuals will be considered. Pre-approved travel or other pre-approved out-of-pocket costs will be directly reimbursed. Details and how to apply see attached document. HUD announced the 2014 "Difficult to Develop Areas" (DDAs) for the purpose of the LowIncome Housing Tax Credit program (LIHTC). A DDA, as designated by HUD, is an area that has high construction, land, and utility costs relative to the area median gross income. A LIHTC project in a qualified DDA is eligible to receive up to a 30 percent higher LIHTC allocation in order to make the building financially feasible. Read the Federal Register notice here<http://rurallisc.createsend1.com/t/r-l-ndthuyd-jrdkjkiilu-td/>.
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