NEXT WEDS, 4 p.m. NO 3rd Bridge Rally at Courthouse Square

(Not smart enough to work a blog post scheduler I guess -- this just posted on 6/4/14 as
"TODAY, 4 p.m. NO 3rd Bridge Rally at Courthouse Square," which is true for all values of TODAY=6/11/14)

https://www.facebook.com/events/291635261011516/?ref=22

• Wednesday, June 11 at 4:00pm

• Courthouse Square, 555 Court St., Salem

NO 3rd Bridge is holding a rally to coincide with the Salem River Crossing Open House. We will assemble on the sidewalk in front of the Court Street entrance to Courthouse Square beginning at 4 pm. We will have remarks from NO 3rd Bridge activists beginning at 4:30. Then at 5 we will attend the Open House at Courthouse Square en masse. Please come and show your support for NO 3rd Bridge.

Fascinating -- Plato's early advocacy of Full Representation Election Methods

 

An interesting snippet for you all from George Hallett's regular column in the December 1934 National Municipal Review:

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Undernews: How urban gardens can be better than many real fields

http://prorevnews.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-urban-gardens-can-be-better-than.html

How urban gardens can be better than many real fields

Take Part -  [A] study, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology in April, looked at the allotment plots—the U.K.'s version of community gardens—in Leicester, England, and compared the soil quality with what's found on the farms surrounding the city. Both the organic carbon density—a general measure of soil health—and the nitrogen density in the allotment plots were higher than on nearby farms. The most depleted farmland tested had 65 percent lower organic carbon density than the city gardens. Dirt with a higher carbon content is better able to hold water, is more nutrient-rich, maintains an even temperature, and functions as a habitat for beneficial bugs and other organism. It's the dirt you want to grow food in—and the dirt that will readily nourish whatever's planted in it. In another sign of good soil health, the bulk density—a measure of how compact the dirt is—was lower in the urban gardens.

In a survey of the gardeners who work these allotments, some of whom have been growing food on the same plot for as long as 50 years, 95 percent said they practiced composting, and 75 percent said they added manure to their soil. In doing so, they're taking better care of the earth that's supplying their families with tomatoes and greens to serve alongside food from the supermarket or elsewhere than the vast stretches of dirt that are tasked with feeding the world.

The report notes that some 800 million people around the world are growing food in urban areas—many of them are farming out of necessity, not as a hobby. The authors conclude that drawing from the management practiced by the allotment gardeners could help make those gardening for fun and those gardening to survive both reap better harvests and become part of the fabric of more sustainable cities—especially if municipalities can feed urban soil with their own waste. It sounds like traditional farmers can relearn something from these model urban gardeners too.

MORE FOOD NEWS

WORST. IDEA. EVER: Trading farmland for sprawl (American farmland decreasing fast)

http://prorevnews.blogspot.com/2014/05/american-farmland-decrasing-at-rapid.html

American farmland decreasing at rapid rate

Rural Blog - The amount of U.S. farmland is decreasing at a rapid rate, "with the country losing three acres of farmland every minute," at a time when experts say more land will be needed to grow enough food to feed the world, reports Agri-Pulse, a Washington newsletter. The recently released Census of Agriculture reports that American farmland dropped from 987 million acres in 1982 to 914.5 million acres in 2012, and "The U.S. is losing farmland at a fairly rapid pace to strip malls, parking lots, highways and other forms of development."

Some say those numbers don't tell the whole story. Andrew McElwaine, president and CEO of American Farmland Trust, said the Census of Agriculture "doesn't track the changes in land use such as losses to development or highlight the crops most likely to be lost," saying that more than 90 percent of fruits and nearly 80 percent of vegetables "are grown on farmland under pressure from development." McElwaine told Agri-Pulse, "Since 1982, we've converted 24.1 million acres—an area the size of Indiana and Rhode Island combined."

Every state saw rural land developed from 2007 to 2010, regardless of statewide increases or decreases in farmland, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Agri-Pulse reports, "All 19 states with land-in-farms increases in the 2012 census also developed 'significant acres of rural land,' according to the AFT."Russ Shay, director of public policy at the Land Trust Alliance, told Agri-Pulse, "This is a crisis, but it's a quiet crisis. We lose farmland one farm at a time. We lose primarily smaller farms. People don't see it."

MORE FARM NEWS

Salem, another waterfront city, has bigger problems than how to promote sprawl

One of the best parts of hearing the lapdog UnStatesmanlike Journal's tinny barking of "losers" at people who recognize the Salem River Crossing as a gigantic boondoggle is that the uSJ couldn't help themselves and so they wound up making clear that none of the reasons given as the official cover story for the thing actually have anything to do with it.  

Instead, as the uSJ makes clear, it's just about maintaining the fantasy that suburban pattern, auto-centric growth will continue and that, after a century of autosprawl, it's suddenly urgent to provide other counties with another auto connection to I-5 (one that bypasses Salem).

In other words, it's about land speculation and development, aka money. Members of the Chamber of the 1% smell money, and lots of it, if they can persuade Salem folks to tax and toll themselves to make land to the west more valuable. It has nothing to do with benefitting the people of Salem, that's for sure.

What do you expect from a corporate chain paper that's not even printed in the city that's on the masthead?  The Gannett chain is to journalism what Velveeta on Wonder Bread is to fine dining - a prefab corporate homogenized substitute that seeks only profit by selling a debased product at the same price as the real thing.

That's why you can have the once-unimaginable sight of an in-name-only Salem paper calling for Salem residents to help destroy the town to cater to the Sprawl Lobby.  

The corporate execs that Gannett whizzes through the outposts of its empire have no ties to the towns where they reside briefly while overseeing the process of getting the daily satellite download of "news" from the Gannett wire and putting a tiny few local stories -- many press release rewrites -- into the thing. They care nothing for Salem or for the people who will remain here while they resume their climb up the corporate ladder in the next burg. 

We should care though. Like Norfolk, we face serious challenges, and had best start preparing for them, not keeping our heads in the sand the way the Chamber and its tame pet paper do, as they promote grand real estate schemes and ignore the real challenges of adapting to a world where greed like theirs is fueling climate chaos.
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In Norfolk, evidence of climate change is in the streets at high tide - The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/in-norfolk-evidence-of-climate-change-is-in-the-streets-at-high-tide/2014/05/31/fe3ae860-e71f-11e3-8f90-73e071f3d637_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage
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Come to the NO 3rd Bridge Rally on Wednesday, June 11th from 4-5 PM

The UnStatesmanlike-Journal Editorial Board, peering out from the vest pockets of the Chamber of the 1%, calls Salem citizens who are standing up for fiscal and environmental sanity "Losers."  

Consider that the next time you see one of the soporific SJ droning-ons about the importance of citizen involvement. Apparently the SJ's rule is that, since they get their opinions from above, and accept them with no critical inquiry and give the subjects no meaningful scrutiny once they have been told what their views are to be, citizens in Salem are supposed to do likewise.

YOU'RE INVITED TO THE

NO 3RD BRIDGE RALLY!

To coincide with the Salem River Crossing Open House that is announced below, NO 3rd Bridge is holding a rally on the sidewalk in front of the Senator Hearing Room at Courthouse Square from 4 pm to 5 pm on Wednesday, June 11th. We will begin gathering at 4 pm. Speeches will begin at 4:30 pm. At approximately 5 pm we will attend the Open House en masse to show our united opposition to the 3rd Bridge.

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this event. It is imperative that everyone opposed to the 3rd Bridge turn out to show that there is strong opposition to  building a bridge that would destroy neighborhoods, raise taxes, and is the wrong way to solve our peak hour congestion problems.

Bring your friends and family. Forward this message to others. We'll look forward to seeing you there!

The passive voice was used

Note how the sender (CH2M Hill*) uses the passive voice:

The City of Salem and the Oregon 
Department of Transportation (ODOT) 
are pleased to announce that a 
Preferred Alternative has been recommended 

When they run their scams, con-men and other swindlers instinctively use the passive voice, known as "the language of non-responsibility," because they scurry away from accountability for their actions the way cockroaches scurry away from the light, and for much the same reason.

*CH2M-Hill is a giant corporation, and only entity who will ever benefit from the millions Salem has wasted -- and appears determined to continue to waste -- on this giant boondoggle.

From: "SalemRiverCrossing@CH2M.com" <SalemRiverCrossing@CH2M.com>
Date: May 30, 2014 at 16:12:25 PDT
Subject: Come to the Salem River Crossing Project open house on June 11, 4:00-6:30 pm
Reply-To: "SalemRiverCrossing@CH2M.com" <SalemRiverCrossing@CH2M.com>

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Oh. My. God. Ironist takes over city website, publishes brilliant satire of autoslave city

Kudos to the Swiftian genius who infiltrated the City of Salem website and posted this razor-sharp satirical attack on the city that lavishes money and attention on people in cars, giving the back of the hand and worse to people who want or must walk, bike, or depend on transit. 

This is the city that put the Kroc Center behind an impenetrable moat of high speed asphalt, and that offers no transit to help kids reach anything, anywhere, on weekends, the same city where no sane adult uses many of the roads for bicycling, much less a kid.

But, hey, great satire on Salem's "playfulness."

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City of Salem Designated 2014 Playful City USA
// City of Salem

KaBOOM! and Humana Foundation Unveil 2014 Playful City USA Communities
Recognized for Prioritizing Play

Salem, Oregon/Washington, D.C. - On May 13, 2014, KaBOOM!, in partnership with the Humana Foundation, announced 212 cities and towns across the United States as 2014 Playful City USA honorees. These communities are leaders in playability - the extent to which a city makes it easy for kids to get balanced and active play - and are making play part of the solution that can move the needle on countless urban challenges.

The City of Salem was honored with a 2014 Playful City USA designation for the first time. The City of Salem has established programs centered on improving park playgrounds by offering matching grants to neighborhood associations wishing to make park improvements at local parks. The City also partners with the Salem Parks Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to promote, develop, facilitate, and sustain stewardship dedicated to the enhancement of parks if the city of Salem. Additionally, the City has many volunteer groups who participate in maintaining parks, building playgrounds, and helping to ensure our parks are safe. All of these combined efforts along with the support of the Salem Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, has resulted in the Playful City USA designation.

"The City of Salem will strive to provide a balance of active play, especially outdoor play in our city parks. We acknowledge that play provides an unlimited opportunity for growth, learning, and healthy lives. I'd like to affirm our commitment, at City of Salem, to provide every child in our community a healthy, safe, and playful childhood."
Mayor Anna Peterson

The KaBOOM! Playful City USA program, sponsored by the Humana Foundation, honors cities, towns, and communities across America that are taking bold steps to ensure all children, especially the 16 million American kids living in poverty, have easy access to balanced and active play in their communities. Cities being recognized span every region of the country, and include Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Nashville; Austin; Providence; San Francisco; New York City; and 205 others.

To advance the national dialogue on playability, KaBOOM! and City of Salem invites interest, expertise, and voices from members of the Salem community to get involved (and get playful!) in thinking about how play can create more family-friendly cities. Join the Twitter conversation and encourage action:

* Participate on Twitter (@kaboom) and provide your point of view and forward-looking insights on playability in cities using the hashtags #playability and #playmatters.

"With the tremendous support of our friends at Humana Foundation, we are thrilled to recognize all of these communities that are working to ensure all kids, particularly the 16 million that live in poverty, get the play they need to thrive," says KaBOOM! CEO and Founder Darell Hammond.

Humana President and CEO Bruce Broussard added, "We're excited about our journey with KaBOOM! and we appreciate the shared values that Humana, the Humana Foundation, and the KaBOOM! organization can rally around. Making it easy for families to play, be healthy and thrive together is a part of Humana's dream, and it's a commitment that all of us at Humana enjoy sharing with KaBOOM!."

The Playful City USA honorees range in size from eight-time honorees such as San Francisco and Shirley, Mass., to first time recipients Washington, D.C. and Plantersville, Miss. (population: 1,174). These Playful City USA communities are making a commitment to transform their communities to become more playable by developing unique local action plans to increase the quantity and quality of play in their community. Other city initiatives include:

* Increasing City Playability for All Kids: Chicago, IL has made a goal for every child living in the city to be within a seven-minute walk of a new park or playground.

* Encouraging Play Everywhere: San Antonio, TX partnered with SA Sports in the SPARK Park program, which turns elementary and middle school properties into playspaces outside school hours, reinforcing that kids want and need play everywhere.

* Creating a Competitive Advantage through Play: Bloomington, IN sees playability as the third piece to complement walkability and bikeability and boost the city's competitive advantage. The city plans to increase accessibility and availability of safe sidewalks, parks and play infrastructure.

* Promoting a Balance of All Types of Play: Orlando, FL is developing The Vision for Play in the City of Orlando initiative that will guide actions and investments over the next 20 years to provide a healthy urban play environment that promotes all types of play for all kids, which is critical to cognitive, creative, social, emotional, and physical development.

* Inspiring Family-Centric Play: Missoula, MT is installing fun, creative programs so children can play in a safe, fun and nurturing family and community-centric environment. To encourage more play opportunities for families and communities to enjoy, the city has designated an annual Play Day, a KidsFest celebration in the fall, as well as youth summer camps to keep kids engaged in active play.

* Using Play to Help Address Toxic Stress: Washington, D.C. recognizes its underserved youth are faced with physical, social, and mental health challenges that directly impact their quality of life and their ability to cope with adversity. Kids growing up in the face of significant adversity are at risk of toxic stress, which hinders healthy brain development. Through the Play DC and Parks and Recreation Master Plan initiatives, the city is redefining playgrounds as community spaces where youth can find release from everyday stress and build resilience.

* Fostering 21st Century Skills through Play: Pittsburgh, PA realizes play is critical to developing kids into healthy and successful adults, including preparing kids to be innovators, collaborators, and problem-solvers. The city plans to consider play in every educational and community decision that is made to ensure all Pittsburgh kids are prepared to succeed.

To see the full list of the 212 communities named 2014 Playful City USA honorees, or for more information on the Playful City USA program, visit www.playfulcityusa.org.

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KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to the bold goal of ensuring that all children, particularly the 16 million American children living in poverty, get the active play they need to become healthy and successful adults. KaBOOM! has been a powerful champion for play since its founding in 1996, working with partners to build, improve, and open more than 15,000 playgrounds, engage more than 1,000,000 volunteers and serve more than 6,600,00 children nationwide. KaBOOM! creates and promotes great places to play; inspires, empowers and leads play advocates; and elevates the societal conversation about the importance of play in children's lives. For more information, visit www.kaboom.org/act or follow the conversation on why #playmatters at www.twitter.com/kaboom or www.facebook.com/kaboom.

About the Humana Foundation
The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc., one of the nation's leading health care companies. Located in Louisville, Ky., the site of Humana's corporate headquarters, the Foundation promotes healthy behaviors and healthy relationships. The Foundation's key funding priorities are childhood health, intergenerational health, and active lifestyles. For more information, visit www.humanafoundation.org.

Humana and the Humana Foundation are dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility. Our goal is to ensure that every business decision we make reflects our commitment to improving the health and well-being of our members, our associates, the communities we serve, and our planet.
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Converging Energy Crises – And How our Current Situation Differs from the Past | Our Finite World

What Salem needs to be preparing for, rather than how to bankrupt its people with sprawlchitechture and commit the grave sin of converting productive land into tract carburban degeneracy (need a word for it other than "development," since development implies progress, attainment of a more developed state, rather than a more depleted, vulnerable state).

http://ourfiniteworld.com/2014/05/29/converging-energy-crises-and-how-our-current-situation-differs-from-the-past/#more-39009

Justice demands that Salem fund a fully-functional transit system

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/27/us-usa-commute-costs-idUSKBN0E721M20140527?utm_source=digg&utm_medium=email

And realize that once you starve the transit system enough to kill service on weekends, you force people to live in the used car economy where they are easy prey for the sleazy used car dealers who are so abundant in Salem; and once people have to fork out for a used car and insurance, and pay the outrageous used car interest rates, their cheapest choice day to day is to drive.

In fact the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which surveyed Americans about daily commutes and their effects, discovered a virtual horror show. They found the longer the commute, the higher the levels of one's obesity, cholesterol, pain, fatigue and anxiety.

What's more, the costs of commuting disproportionately hit those with modest incomes. For the working poor, commuting gobbles up roughly 6 percent of income - double the percentage of those bringing home higher salaries, says Robert Puentes, a senior fellow at the Metropolitan Policy Program for the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution.

For the working poor who drive alone - instead of in carpools, for instance - that percentage rises to 8 percent to 9 percent of income.