|
“This is what WE DIG...” Photo Contest Celebrates Region’s Beauty and Amenities
Westmoreland Economic Development Initiative for Growth will award an iPad for contributed photos that capture the essence of northern Westmoreland County. New Kensington, PA -- The Westmoreland Economic Development Initiative for Growth, (WEDIG), is organizing a photo contest to showcase the beauty of northern Westmoreland County. > More
Seeking Volunteer Table Facilitators for New Stanton Community Conversation
The Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County invites you to participate in a Community Conversation to be held on June 28, 2013, at the New Stanton Fire Hall. Community developers, planners, and others skilled in group dynamics are welcome to volunteer as table facitators for the event. Based on the Community Conversation process for public engagement that was used during the Power of 32 regional visioning effort a few years ago, this event will focus on the New Stanton interchange, any potential future land developments nearby, and on community chang > More
Upcoming PSU Shale Programs
Penn State Extension Upcoming June Shale Programs Seismic Testing, Pipeline Agreements and Shale Gas Development Updates - Where is Industry Headed? Wednesday, June 19, 2013 Indiana County Extension Office 827 Water Street, Indiana, PA 15701 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Registration is required by calling 724-465-3880 $10 fee per person or $15 per couple payable at the door Utica Shale - What We Know Now That We Didn’t Know Then Tuesday, June 25, 2013 Mercer County Extension Office 463 North Perry Highway, Mercer, PA 16137 6:30 to 8:00 PM. Registration is requ > More
2013 Penn State Natural Gas Utilization Conference
Mark your calendar for the 2013 Penn State Natural Gas Utilization Conference September 10-11, 2013 Conference topics include: %B7 Trends and globalization of the shale gas resource %B7 The role of natural gas in power generation %B7 The manufacturing renaissance %B7 The role of shale gas in the state’s energy portfolio %B7 Natural gas vehicles Re > More
U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
Good day, We are delighted to share the below updates with you: - EDA Seeks Applications for the First Phase of the “Investing in Manufacturing Communities” Partnership - New EPA Publication on Redevelopment of Petroleum Brownfields on Tribal Lands - FHWA Establishes the Livable Communities Discussion Board - In their Voice : Grantees Engage Youth in Pl > More
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission Wants Your Input!
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is in the early phases of creating the draft 2015-2018 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which identifies the region’s priority transportation projects for the next four years. The regional TIP is updated every two years in a cooperative process of local, state, and federal agencies, as well as the general public. To make it easier to provide input online, SPC has created an online form to help you with your submissions. Please go to www.spcregion.org/trans%5Ftip%5Fprojform.asp to give us your ideas. Y > More
Future Story Community Visioning Project
Future Story Community Visioning Project A blog -- http://futurestorycollaborative.wordpress.com/ -- has been set up to continue the collaboration begun at the Future Story: Community Visioning Project at WCCC New Kensington Education Center on April 19th. If you haven’t already, consider adding to the discussion. Thanks for your participation! > More
Students create new visions for region's future at Economic Exchange Day
By Chris Ulicne Bulletin Staff Writer Area high school students on Wednesday worked with local and regional officials to come up with plans to improve the quality of life and the economy in their communities during Latrobe Area Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Exchange Day, hosted this year by Derry Area High School (DAHS). "The idea behind it is to get the kids to look at and apply the economics they’ve learned throughout the year," said Derry Area faculty member Jeff Kelly. > More
Economic Exchange Day
John Turack & Leanne Griffith (Penn State Extension & Smart Growth Partnership) wish to extend a sincere THANK YOU to all who made our May 1 ECONOMIC EXCHANGE DAY a great educational experience for Greater Latrobe & Derry Area HS students, including: Julie Donovan (Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau), Jeff Landy (Mt. Pleasant Borough), Gary Sheppard (Penn State Extension), Chris Bova & Brian Lawrence (Westmoreland County IDC), Joe Szczur (PennDOT District 12), Gabe Monzo (Westm’d. > More
Group mapping vision for future of New Kensington, Arnold, Lower Burrell area
By R.A. Monti More than 70 local leaders, business professionals and citizens met Friday afternoon to discuss the future of the New Kensington, Arnold and Lower Burrell area. The meeting, which was held at the Westmoreland Community College New Kensington campus, was held in hopes of spurring ideas to revive the area, according to Scott McMannis, who is with the Circles Initiative. The Circles Initiative is a group that teaches people how to overcome poverty. > More
Entrepreneurial Webinar
Session 2- Creating an Entrepreneurial Community of this webinar series will take place on April 25, 2013 between noon and 1 pm. The webinar will focus on how entrepreneurial development fits into broader community and economic development efforts. Examples of success and approaches from around the country, how community readiness is assessed, and ideas for developing strategies will also be addressed. > More
Help Vandergrift win a $25,000 State Farm Grant
The Vandergrift Improvement Program is one of the top 200 finalists out of 3,000 applicants nationwide in the State Farm Neighborhood Assist%99 grant program. We need your help to make it to the top 40 to receive the grant. Cast your vote to help us win! Click here to get to the Neighborhood Assist Facebook page and click on the “Vote” button to show your support for the project, Building Business. > More
Braddock's Battlefield History Center
Braddock’s Battlefield History Center and The Rivers of Steel Heritage Museum The first stop in our day-long bus trip is Homestead at the Rivers of Steel Heritage Museum in the Bost Building. The mission of Rivers of Steel is to interpret the "dynamic and powerful story of the region’s evolution from the colonial settlement to ’Big Steel’ to the modern era." The Bost Building was built in 1892 as a hotel and served as the temporary headquarters for the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workersduring the Homestead Lockout and Strike. > More
Community Visioning Project
What is your vision for the future of our community? Please come and join us in this Community Visioning Project to share your ideas on how we can create a community where everyone thrives. April 19 th 2013 from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm Westmoreland County Community College New Kensington Center 1150 5th Ave., New Kensington Vision project facilitator: John Turack of Penn State Extension Lunch will be provided > More
The Line-- a documentary by Linda Midgett
From Emmy Award-winning producer Linda Midgett, The Line is a groundbreaking documentary chronicling the new face of poverty in America. As Sojourners CEO Jim Wallis puts it, "more and more of our friends are in poverty -- in the pews, in our workplaces -- through no fault of their own, and they are slipping below the poverty level." In the Chicago suburbs, a single dad was laid off from his bank and is now a regular at the local food pantry, trying to make it by with three kids. > More
Community action group puts poverty in Alle-Kiski Valley in spotlight
By Liz Hayes A local community action group this month is asking Arnold, Lower Burrell and New Kensington residents to take a hard look at poverty and develop a plan to eliminate it in their cities. Circles, a nationwide campaign aimed at helping people leave poverty behind, will host two programs within the next week -- a screening of an Emmy Award-winning documentary on poverty in America and a session to brainstorm methods for helping downtrodden Alle-Kiski Valley residents to prosper. > More
Ivar Kroghrud, QuestBack's Lead Strategist
This interview with Ivar Kroghrud , the lead strategist at QuestBack, which specializes in feedback management, was conducted and condensed by Adam Bryant . Mr. Kroghrud, a co-founder of the firm, was its C.E.O. for 13 years. Q. Tell me about your approach to leadership. A. Part of my role is to be “chief ironing officer.” It’s very easy in a fast-growing company and fast-changing industry to get hung up on all the things that aren’t working and that we should be fixing. > More
Improving Connectivity and System Function through Local Planning
PennDOT’s new handbook on Improving Connectivity and System Function through Local Planning provides guidence to municipalities on how to enhance vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian connectivity. This training offers an overview of the handbook and includes strategies to effectively regulate and manage a connected transportation network within a community including a review of connectivity index calculations and model ordinance language. > More
Providing Assistance to Agricultural Producers and Small Rural Business
WASHINGTON , March 29, 2013 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is seeking applications to provide assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Funding is available from USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. > More
Work on Pittsburgh mixed-use project could start in July
The Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority board in Pennsylvania plans to begin development of roads and utilities at the 28-acre site of the former Civic Arena in Pittsburgh as part of a $40 million mixed-use project being proposed by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The project will consist of "1,200 units of housing, 600,000 square feet of office space and 200,000 square feet of commercial development." The state will contribute $15 million for the infrastructure work. > More
"...visionary plans, urban design goals and architectural aspirations."
"As land use planning changes, ’zoning’ is no longer appropriate," stated a recent Washington Post article that has been re-published in the planning trade journal Planetizen. In his blog entry this month, Extension educator John Turack reflects on that statement: How might it apply to the urban/suburban/rural communities of Southwest Pennsylvania, and elsewhere? Westmoreland "Rattlesnake Flag" of the Revolution from New Alexandria, Pennsylvania, website -- http://newalexpa.com/history3.htm ; Also see -- http://www.westmorelandhistory.org/shop/ and www.heinzhistorycent > More
Is it Time to Ditch Zoning?
As mixed-use development increasingly supersedes single-use development, Roger K. Lewis argues that we should retire the word "zoning" and its outdated "characterization of how we plan and shape growth." Although we still need land-use regulation, says Lewis, "zoning increasingly has become a conceptually inappropriate term." In an era in which elements typically regulated by zoning such as parking requirements, height limits, and maximum densities are becoming flexible and negotiable, Lewis argues that the term, and its conventions, have become obsolete. > More
Expert: Health care too expensive, not effective
Expert: Health care too expensive, not effective By Kari Andren Published: Wednesday, February 20, 2013, 12:01 a.m. While the new federal health care law is not perfect, America’s current health care system is too expensive and not effective enough, a national health care expert said on Tuesday during a town hall meeting at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. The United States spends about $2.5 trillion annually on health care, about one-fifth of our economy, and more per person than countries in Europe, said Dr. > More
Land-use webinar offered by Penn State Extension on Feburary 20
UNIVERSITY PARK -- A Web-based seminar focusing on limitations in municipal land-use authority will be offered by Penn State Extension at noon and 7 p.m. Feb. 20. "How Pre-emption of Zoning and Other Local Controls Impacts Planning" will provide participants with an appreciation of how state laws can impact local land use. In the one-hour session, attorney Charles Courtney, of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, will explain why planners, elected officials and other interested parties should understand how certain statutes can limit municipal land-use authority. > More
Planning Matters
"A hundred years after we are gone and forgotten those who never heard of us will be living with the results of our action" - Oliver Wendell Holmes, former US Supreme Court Justice This quote from a non-planner struck me as I was listening to Union County Planning Director Shawn McLaughlin speak at a recent Penn State Extension Land Use Decision-making webinar. Shawn discussed the types of communities today’s planners are creating for future generations. > More
Update from the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities
HUD Launches Groundbreaking Rental Assistance Demonstration Program! To stem the loss of critically needed public and other forms of subsidized housing, HUD recently launched its Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) , the Obama Administration’s groundbreaking strategy to preserve tens of thousands of public and HUD-assisted housing units. In the near term, RAD is expected to preserve and enhance more than 13,000 units of affordable housing and generate more than $650 million in private capital to address the estimated $26 billion backlog in capital > More
A how-to on throwing your hat into the ring
Would-be candidates for local offices get pointers on running. by David Mekeel Reading Eagle For Gary Hadden, it was a new world. He’s never held political office, but said he’s been thinking about running for his local board of supervisors. Figuring out everything that entails - well, that’s why he showed up Monday night. "I was just interested in trying to get some more information," said Hadden, who lives in the Leesport area. > More
Decisions, decisions
Posted: January 25, 2013 Every group has to make them, but too often we put off those pesky decisions. We talk in circles, get bogged down in details, repeat ourselves - all to avoid the moment of truth when we finally decide what to do. Sound familiar? It’s a scenario that plays out in business boardrooms, community meetings, local governments, clubs, and church councils; just about any type of organization. > More
USDA Highlights 2012 Investments to Build Stronger Rural Communities
USDA Highlights 2012 Investments to Build Stronger Rural Communities Rural Development helps to invest more than $862 million to strengthen rural Pennsylvania WASHINGTON , January 23, 2013 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently issued a report highlighting USDA Rural Development’s fiscal year (FY) 2012 investments in job creation, businesses, infrastructure and housing for Americans living in rural communities across the nation. > More
Monthly webinar series on land-use issues to start Jan. 16
Thursday, January 3, 2013 Balancing farmland preservation with the need for future housing development is among the issues facing land-use planners. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A new series of Web-based seminars offered by Penn State Extension will cover issues related to land use. Kicking off Jan. 16, the hour-long, monthly webinars will be offered at noon and 7 p.m. on a Wednesday with time for questions and answers. > More
Smart Growth offers resources to Westmoreland Communities
Smart Growth offers resources to Westmoreland communities Marilyn Forbes for the Daily Courier -- John Turack, Smart Growth Partnership interim executive director, asks for ideas or problems that could be addressed. jan 2013 By Marilyn Forbes Published: Tuesday, January 15, 2013, 12:01 a.m. Updated: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 Officials with Smart Growth Partnership held an informal community partners meeting in Mt. > More
Looking Back, Living Today, and Leaning Forward
January 10, 2013 By John Turack "When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people." -- Chinese proverb. Last month in this space I used some quotes from the website Proverbia to inspire thought about planning and planning processes. Think of this as part two. Looking Back, Living Today, and Leaning Forward To read more, go to -- http://extension.psu.edu/ecd/news/2012/looking-back-living-today-and-moving-forward > More
Lincoln Avenue Project Plans Displayed for Review at the 2013 City of Latrobe Strategic Visioning Summit
Posted on July 13, 2012 by Chris Townley This was a group project for the Spring 2012 semester Planning Design II course at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Deemed the "Lincoln Ave Studio", the goal of the class was to create a proposal to provide ideas for the redevelopment of the Lincoln Avenue corridor in Latrobe, PA. There is a rail bed which had been abandon adjacent to Lincoln Ave and the city was looking for creative ideas for reuse. > More
Trees grace gateway to Latrobe
By Joe Napsha Published: Tuesday, December 18, 2012, 8:45 p.m. Updated: Friday, December 21, 2012 --> For the past six years, Cheryl Koloshinsky of Latrobe has mowed or used trimmers on a narrow strip of grass in front of her sidewalk, making sure she does not step into the path of Lloyd Avenue traffic. But Koloshinsky won%91t have to do that work in front of her home next spring because Latrobe has replaced the grass with gray-colored stamped-and-dyed concrete as part of the first phase of the Lloyd Avenue gateway redevelopment project. > More
Large crowd previews plans for bridge in Derry
By Jeff Himler Published: Friday, January 11, 2013, 12:01 a.m. Updated: Friday, January 11, 2013 --> PennDOT intends to keep two-way traffic flowing along the Route 217 railroad bridge in Derry during construction of a new bridge, tentatively set to begin in 2015. That news pleased more than 120 citizens who attended a meeting the state held in the borough Wednesday to provide an update on the project, estimated to cost between $12 million to $15 million. > More
Preliminary design for Route 217 bridge revealed
By Marie McCandless Latrobe Bulletin News Editor January 10, 2013 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials and engineers Wednesday presented a preliminary design for the Route 217 bridge replacement in Derry Borough. The public plans display at AV Germano Hall attracted more than 125 people curious to see how the new bridge will be aligned. The design calls for the existing bridge to remain open and vehicular and pedestrian access maintained during construction of an adjacent structure that would angle to the west near Brown Way (behind the laundromat), then continue alongsid > More
Excela near deal for center in Unity
By Joe Napsha Published: Thursday, January 10, 2013, 12:01 a.m. Updated: Thursday, January 10, 2013 Excela Health is close to a deal to acquire a 29-acre parcel off Route 30 in Unity Township, where the hospital system plans to build a three-story outpatient medical center between the Wal-Mart and Kmart stores, an official said Wednesday. “We’re close to an agreement. > More
ICMA Center for Sustainable Communities
ICMA Center for Sustainable Communities ICMA’s Center for Sustainable Communities provides knowledge resources and technical assistance on leading practices at the intersection of sustainability and local government management Sustainable Communities fellows tour the State House in Annapolis, MD with ICMA member Bob Agee New and Free! Asset-Based Economic Development and Building Sustainable Rural Communities --With support from the National Association of Development Organizations through a contract with the U.S. > More
Happy Holidays & 2013 Local Government Academy Program Announcements
Happy Holidays & 2013 Local Government Academy Program Announcements: In This Issue Contemplating Governing CTAC CORE Series Free Roundtable in January Feasibility Study for ALCOSAN Communities Sustainable Community Essentials Certification New Webinars & Blog Posts ALOM Banner Community Program Advocates for Good Government To view the full newsletter click here: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=5i49mxbab&v=001SZ1qw1gWteRfwipfHHVJAM82sbaSKcPpYEftoZHU%5F2TvbySyHN9YBPVq5U8HVvZuPraWdSxCW2jeOO%5FGI6DkWn8Ilm8Ur47s9XmDlbC5StpQ4%5FLOUMa8XQHopB-FcpovJURXUfVFQYm0wTJaDuWhM > More
Residential Construction Trends in America's Metropolitan Regions
Residential Construction Trends in America’s Metropolitan Regions EPA’s Smart Growth Program released a new report today examining residential construction trends in America’s metropolitan regions. The report finds that nearly three out of four large metropolitan regions saw an increased share of new housing development in previously developed areas during 2005-2009 compared to 2000-2004. > More
Beyond Density: The Art and Science of Walkable Neighborhoods
Beyond Density: The Art and Science of Walkable Neighborhoods Anthony Flint / Dec 14 2012 For Release Friday, December 14, 2012 Citiwire.net The business of place-making - part science, part art - has had a long evolution, but American cities have never needed good urban design more urgently than at this moment. Changing demographics, energy savings and environmental concerns all mandate getting great urban neighborhoods just right. > More
Blairsville Diamond wins award
The Indiana Gazette &nb > More
Community Power
Where does Power lie in your community? Are there different power centers depending on the issue? by Liesel Dreisbach Senior Extension Educator, Ag Entrepreneurship/Economic and Community Development Team -- Power in my community has for many years been found among the families of two churches who also make up most of the staff of the volunteer fire company. They also filled most offices/jobs in municipal government. In other communities Power might include major business owners as well. > More
Why Plan? Who Should Plan?
In this month’s blog entry John Turack ponders the importance of plans, planning processes, and who is best suited or equipped to plan. -- When I started my community development educator career with Penn State Extension over five years ago, I was hired to assist a partnered program known as the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County , a non-profit corporation whose mission is “ to enable communities to enhance their viability, quality of life, and long-term sustainability by providing education and technical assistance, and by promoting smart growth principl > More
Asset-Based Economic Development and Building Sustainable Rural Communities, Part 2: Natural Resources and Amenities
The second in a series of briefing papers on asset-based economic development and building sustainable rural communities, this document examines natural and working landscapes. For the full document, see -- http://icma.org/en/icma/knowledge%5Fnetwork/documents/kn/Document/304314/AssetBased%5FEconomic%5FDevelopment%5Fand%5FBuilding%5FSustainable%5FRural%5FCommunities%5FPart%5F2%5FNatural%5FResources%5F " Key Takeaways: •Identify existing assets and evaluate their benefit to the local economy •Identify existing historic and cultural assets and evaluate their be > More
Time to Run for Office
By Judy Chambers "Now that the elections are over, are you ready for the next round? No joke: 2013 is a municipal election year in Pennsylvania. You’ll be voting for township supervisors, borough and city council members, school district directors, and other local offices. The primary isn’t until May, and the general election won’t happen until next November, so why think about this now? > More
Community Champions -- Where Would Our Communities Be Without Them?
Community Champions -- Where Would Our Communities Be Without Them? Posted: October 25, 2012 There are a lot of research documents, case studies, and resources out there for communities to draw from, if they intend to become more vibrant. But not if there is no leader with the commitment and determination -- and the stamina -- to do it. What does this mean for your community? Many community projects, like this one, take a decade or more to complete. > More
Smart Growth Partnership Impact, Background, Needs and Officer Statements
Impact Statement The Smart Growth Partnership (SGP) has excelled as a convener of stakeholders and resources, and as a community advisor providing education and technical assistance to organizations such as WEDIG, DARCee, PEC, LHCC, LHCLI, SPC, VIP/FLAG, Trafford CDC, CommuteINFO Advisory Committee, and in municipalities such as Murrysville, Rostraver, Irwin, Trafford, Jeannette, and Greensburg. Smart Growth Partners work directly with multiple townships, municipalities and county agencies. > More
Are you a Citizen of your Community?
By John Turack I’ve been focusing in my last few blog entries on communities and land-use decisions. Today, I ask you to consider further the role of the citizen within communities. In Westmoreland County in 2010, I helped to plan and coordinate a Community and Economic Development Summit where the Keynote Speaker was Dr. John McKnight of Northwestern University’s Asset Based Community Development Institute (to hear a recording of Dr. > More
Call Renewed for Pennsylvania Turnpike, Arnold Palmer Airport Link
By Joe Napsha TribLIVE News Westmoreland County economic development officials Tuesday made yet another pitch for constructing an expressway that will connect the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport at Route 30 near Latrobe with the Pennsylvania Turnpike, via Route 981. “It’s the county’s No. 1 transportation priority. We’ve got to keep pushing. The economic benefits that project will create can’t be predicted. > More
How to Increase the Numbers Engaged in Civic and Political Issues in Our Communities
How to Increase the Numbers Engaged in Civic and Political Issues in Our Communities Posted: September 10, 2012 Liesel Dreisbach , S enior Extension Educator Research shows that youths whose parents volunteer and who participate in family discussions about politics engage in more civic and political activities as adults than those whose families do not volunteer or discuss politics. I still remember the phone call from my then 14-year old daughter one Saturday morning years ago. She wanted to do her part for the presidential election and was volunteering her services in the local > More
Land Use Decisions and Youth -- Reflections from Ag Progress Days 2012
Penn State Extension Economic and Community Development Educator and Blogger John Turack summarizes his thoughts on working at the 4-H Youth Building. The Extension Economic and Community Development Team presented "My Community: What’s the Plan?" at this year’s event. A few snapshots of the "Wooden Village" activity Last month in this space, I talked with you about the definitions and bounds of, and other terms related to, “ community development .” Since then, I have spent a few days working the Penn State Extension My Community: What’s the Plan? > More
What Does Good Planning Look Like?
One of my professors up at State College is fond of asking the question -- "What does good planning look like?" Read More http://extension.psu.edu/ecd/news/2012/what-does-good-planning-look-like > More
Exploring the idea of Community
Last week John Turack explored the meaning of community development. This week Liesel Dreisbach, Senior Extension Educator with Penn State Extension’s Ag Entrepreneurship/Economic and Community Development Team takes a look at an even more fundamental idea, that of community. Seven or eight years ago a history professor at one of our state universities asked her students to define "community." Someone waved his cell phone and said, "This is my community." Our communities have certainly expanded beyond brick and mortar neighborhoods. What happens if your house burn > More
Community Development -- Thinking about definitions
Westmoreland County based Penn State Extension Economic and Community Development Educator John Turack sparks a discussion about the definition of community development. Mr. Turack also serves as the Interim Director of the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County. Source: http://agsci.psu.edu/communications/contact Welcome to my first attempt at writing an Economic and Community Development Blog . Bear with me; I’m probably going to ramble a bit. Nevertheless, I hope that’s ok, since as I learned back in college from one creative writing professor - &ldquo > More
Power of 32 Highlights of Recent Milestones
Power of 32 engaged thousands of citizens in Community Conversations to develop a vision for the region. From this input, Issue Teams were formed to address ideas for change in six key categories: Economy, Education, Environment, Government, People & Community, and Transportation & Infrastructure. The Teams identified 14 Projects to unlock the potential of the region and improve its future. > More
|
