Monday Mailing
Year 20 • Issue 42 21 July 2014 1. Backyard Homes Are Almost as Car-Lite as Apartments on transit Lines, Study Finds 2. Slow Food, Slow Cities 3. How City Park Design Contributes to Resident Health 4. Online Tool Helps Find Opportunities for Bike/Pedestrian Project Funding 5. Gender Gap Discussions 6. Why Monsanto Will Never Rule the Food World 7. Son of Columbia River Crossing: Madore Floats New Bridge Plan 8. Why Oregonians' Incomes Lag Behind the National Average 9. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sees Critical Role for Oregon on Local Food, Renewable Fronts 10. The World-Changing Ideas Of 2014 11. Funding Opportunities 1. Backyard Homes Are Almost as Car-Lite as Apartments on transit Lines, Study Finds When it comes to cars, accessory units in backyards and basements are nearly as low-impact as big apartment buildings next to bus lines. That’s the conclusion of a new state-funded analysis (PDF) that combines the results of a survey of Portland accessory dwelling owners with other recent studies to start examining one of Portland’s newest real estate trends.
Quote of the Week: “Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.” ~John Ray
Oregon Fast Fact: The world's oldest shoes, 9,000-year-old sandals made of sagebrush and bark, were found at Fort Rock Cave in central Oregon in 1938.
The average rental unit in Portland brings 1.31 cars on site, according to the U.S. Census. For transit-oriented apartment buildings, that falls to 0.83 cars — and for accessory dwelling units, it’s 0.93 cars. To access the full story, click here. 2. Slow Food, Slow Cities She lives in a condo. She walks to work. She’s a member of a car-share program. In summer, she grows vegetables and herbs in pots on her south-facing balcony. In winter, every third Thursday she meets with girlfriends to discuss the novel they’re reading, or perhaps uses that as an excuse to drink wine and share a laugh about changing workout regimens, colleagues, an argument with a partner. She buys her clothes down the street from a retailer that brings in Canadian designed and produced fashion. Some of her wares she makes by hand. Although she’s not associated with a specific group or association, she’s a part of the “slow” revolution. Slow food, slow homes, slow science, slow love making. There are numerous performances within the “slow” narrative, but all are generally aligned to resist or act against the dominant paradigm of speed in our contemporary times — fast food, fast cars, immediate gratification. But within the complex system of our click and consume culture, there are emergent acts — often unconscious acts of resistance Page 1 of 5
— that do not accord with faster, newer, more-er, more. There’s a reason why practitioners of the slow movement like to say that it’s a revolution: savouring the quality and uniqueness of an experience has become so counter-cultural that it can be appreciated as a political act. To access the full story, click here. 3. How City Park Design Contributes to Resident Health City parks are more than pretty outdoor spaces — research shows they can also be critical to improving a community’s health. In fact, from the earliest days of their implementation, parks have been tools for boosting air quality, encouraging safe physical recreation, reducing disease and discouraging crime, according to the George Wright Forum. That’s why park design is so important. The way a park is set up and organized plays a crucial role in how much it is used and, therefore, what level of impact it can make. How are some of America’s parks influential in city environments today? What are some examples of urban parks that are contributing to their communities’ overall physical well-being? To help answer these questions, here’s a look at a few of America’s healthiest cities and the parks that you’ll find in them. To access the full story, click here. 4. Online Tool Helps Find Opportunities for Bike/Pedestrian Project Funding A new tool from Advocacy Advance makes it easier to identify the federal transportation programs that could be used to pay for many types of walking and bicycling programs. The tool also provides helpful information about each type of federal transportation funding source available for biking and walking projects, including what it is, how much funding is available, and who to approach for more information. To access the tool, click here. 5. Gender Gap Discussions Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 12:00 PM - Wednesday, July 30, 2014 at 6:30 PM (PDT) On average, female planners receive $.91 for every dollar a male planner makes (2014 APA Salary Survey). OAPA is organizing guided discussions on gender equity in planning across the state in late July. If you are interested but don't see your community on the event list, we are still looking for more local planners to help organize informal events (happy hour, brown bag lunch) to discuss issues related to gender and planning. Contact Jennifer Shih at oregonwomeninplanning@gmail.com for more details. Eugene/Springfield Date: Tuesday, July 22 Time: 12pm - 1pm Place: Sprout! Food Hub, 418 N. A Street, Springfield, OR 97477 Sprout! is going to reserve some tables/chairs in the courtyard. People can buy lunch from the 100 Mile Bakery or Leela's Kitchen inside Sprout! Salem/Mid-Valley Page 2 of 5
Date: Tuesday, July 22 Time: 4:30 pm Place: The Brick Bar & Broiler, 105 Liberty Street NE, Salem, OR 97301 (corner of State & Liberty in downtown Salem) Hillsboro Date: Tuesday, July 29 Time: 12 pm (brown bag lunch) Place: City of Hillsboro Civic Center, 150 E. Main Street, Room 207, Hillsboro, OR 97123 Portland Sponsored by the OAPA Emerging Planners Group Date: Wednesday, July 30 Time: 5pm - 6:30 pm Place: Radar Bar, 3951 N. Mississippi Avenue, Portland, OR 97227 To register for one of these discussions, click here. 6. Why Monsanto Will Never Rule the Food World The issue of how we grow and process our food, while it’s always been important, is now a hot topic both at the kitchen table and on Wall Street. From the recent scandal about a chemical used in yoga mats being found in Subway bread to the rising awareness of GMOs and demands to label their presence in foods, the public is fast awakening to the need for safe, whole, natural nourishment. In early May 2014, the stock price of Whole Foods Market (WFM) dropped about 20 percent in 24 hours, based largely on fears that Walmart and other grocery giants will overtake WFM’s share of organic food sales. The number of equity funds looking to invest in the next Annie’s or Clif Bar is astounding. Astute investors now understand that food impacts not just waistlines but bottom lines. To access the full story, click here. 7. Son of Columbia River Crossing: Madore Floats New Bridge Plan Clark County Commissioner Dave Madore is the man with the plan for a new Columbia River bridge. But for now, he's keeping the details to himself. The bridge plan, apparently submitted "unsolicited" by FIGG Engineering, "includes price, terms, financing, guaranteed construction and design," Madore said at a Thursday commission meeting. He coyly demurred when his fellow commissioners pressed him for more information. To access the full story, click here. 8. New Report Explores Why Oregonians' Incomes Lag Behind the National Average Incomes in Oregon fall far short of the national average, a decades-long dynamic that stems from a handful of causes, according to a new report. The state Employment Department ties the personal income gap to several trends that have shaped Oregon in recent decades -- relatively high population growth and short workweeks among them.
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The findings suggest policymakers have "no easy solutions to reduce the gap" since there are so many root causes, says the report, authored by state employment economist Nick Beleicik To access the full story, click here. 9. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sees Critical Role for Oregon on Local Food, Renewable Fronts The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture said Thursday that Oregon's setting a good example for other states in terms of recognizing opportunities that exist within rural economies. Tom Vilsack also said during several Oregon stops he hopes to steer money from the new Rural Business Investment Company fund to Oregon.The funds aim to help “small cutting-edge businesses also need equity support in addition to or instead of borrowed funds.” Several such opportunities exist in Oregon. "It could be a food hub that makes locally produced goods available to local grocers and universities, or a company that takes agricultural waste and turns it into plastic products, Vilsack said. "The goal is to encourage more capital investments in business opportunities within rural areas. To access the full story, click here. 10. The World-Changing Ideas Of 2014 Forecasting the future is never easy. We were, of course, supposed to have flying cars by now--and yet here we all are, still stuck in traffic on the ground. But lack of personal aerial-transportation options aside, we are living in a world in which the pace of innovation and scientific discovery makes reality seem more and more like science fiction. In the next year, those lines will get even more blurred: Think electronic pills that beam your vitals to your doctor, a drone swooping from the sky to save lives in a disaster, or even a fundamental rethinking of how businesses relate to society. One thing that's certain: The world will look very different a year from now. We predict that these 12 ideas, currently being shaped in labs, skunk works, and boardrooms around the world, will be some of the most revolutionary, changing how we live, for the better, in 2014 and beyond. And if they fail to materialize in the next 12 months, just wait--they'll still happen before that flying car. To access the full story, click here. 11. Funding Opportunities The Diane Lupke Scholarship Fund – Due Friday, July 25, 2014 - If you work in a distressed community and are interested in pursuing professional development opportunities, we have an opportunity for you. Through the Diane Lupke Scholarship Fund<http://www.iedconline.org/webpages/professional-development/diane-lupke-scholarship-fund/>, IEDC is proud to award four scholarships to economic development professionals (two IEDC members and two nonmembers) working in distressed communities to attend an IEDC education course of the recipient's choice. Please download the application and submit all materials by to be eligible for consideration. » Download the application form <http://www.iedconline.org/clientuploads/Downloads/Lupke_Fund_Donation_Form.pdf> (PDF) Submit application materials and direct questions to Rebecca Thomas at rthomas@iedconline.org<mailto:rthomas@iedconline.org>. KaBOOM! Invites Applications for Community Playground Grants <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTwEH6B8ixfdB87MMqAACSSkZ5/rfpb23> - DEADLINE:
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Open. Build It With KaBOOM! playground grants provide community organizations with most of the funds, tools, and resources needed to build a custom-made playground in one day.... IEEE Foundation Invites Applications for Science Education and Humanitarian Projects <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTwEH6B8ixfdB87MMqAACSSkZ5/rfpb25> - DEADLINE: August 1, 2014 Grants will be awarded in support of new projects in the areas of STEM education, history of technology, and applying technology for humanitarian causes.... National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Accepting Nominations for Lifetime Achievement Awards <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTwEH6B8ixfdB87MMqAACSSkZ5/rfpb19> DEADLINE: November 7, 2014 (Letters of Nomination) The annual awards are designed to honor current NCTM members who have exhibited a lifetime of achievement in mathematics education at the national level.... NCTM Accepting Applications for Projects Using Music to Teach Pre-K-2 Mathematics <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTwEH6B8ixfdB87MMqAACSSkZ5/rfpb20> - DEADLINE: November 7, 2014 Grants of up to $3,000 will be awarded to individual classroom teachers or small groups of teachers collaborating in one grade or across grade levels.... Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Announces 2015 Culture of Health Prize <http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTwEH6B8ixfdB87MMqAACSSkZ5/rfpb31> - DEADLINE: September 17, 2014 (Phase I applications) Up to ten grants of $25,000 each will be awarded to honor outstanding community efforts and partnerships that are helping people live healthier lives....
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