• Leadership: Czech Village New Bohemia Main Street District, Cedar Rapids
• Mixed Use: Riverworks Development, Dubuque
• New Civic: Historic Millwork District Complete Streets, Dubuque
• New Residential: Flood Recovery Infill, Cedar Rapids
• Renovated Commercial/Civic: The IVCCD OrpheumTheater Center, Marshalltown
• Renovated Residential: Riverpoint Lofts, Des Moines

Vinton Today, May 4, 2011

Vinton comprehensive plan: Process began with public meeting Tuesday By Dean Close

What are the best things about Vinton, and living here?

What are the greatest future challenges and concern for Vinton?

The process of beginning the Vinton comprehensive plan began with a group of 21 local individuals sharing their answers to those questions.

The 2020 Vision for Vinton Committee began the process of making a comprehensive plan with a public meeting led by Chad Sands, a community development specialist with the East Central Iowa Council of Governments. (ECICOG).

Sands told the group that public input is essential for any plan to succeed.

"People here know what is good for your city," he said. "Without public input, it holds little water."

The ideal comprehensive plan is simple, and can be understood and used by everyone, said Sands.

"It's a policy document; a road map of where to go and how to get there," he said.

After introducing the planning concepts, Sands divided the 21 participants into three groups of seven and asked them to answer the two questions at the top of this story. After listing several of the positive qualities and challenges in small groups, the entire group met again to begin selecting which ones were the most important.

Read the entire article by clicking here , or copy and paste the following into your browser:

http://www.vintoniowa.org/articles/News/article103433.html 

**PRESS RELEASE FROM SMART GROWTH AMERICA**        

For Immediate Release:                      
February 17th, 2010                         

Contact: Paula Chrin
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(202) 223-9541

Stimulus TIGER projects: What Happens When We Use Transportation Dollars to Strengthen Communities, States, and the Country

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In today’s announcement of $1.5 billion in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) awards, the US Department of Transportation (US DOT) showed the kinds of transportation projects that move people and freight in a way that makes places stronger, cleaner, and safer.

DOT received 1,380 applications for the $1.5 billion pot, for a grand total of $56.5 billion in funds requested. The 51 projects announced under TIGER, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), include:

• Port and freight-rail projects in Tennessee, Alabama, Hawaii, Illinois that support economic growth and take freight off the road;
• Bridge replacements in Oklahoma, Michigan, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Indiana that support multiple modes of travel;
• Modern streetcars to support vibrant places in Tucson, Dallas, Portland, New Orleans and Detroit;
• Innovative highway funding and operations in Texas, North Carolina, Colorado, South Carolina and Arkansas;
• Bicycle and pedestrian networks in Philadelphia, Indianapolis, and complete streets in Dubuque, IA;
• Beautiful new train stations in places as different as New York and Normal, Illinois.

**Press Release from the USDA**

• New Commercial/Civic: Marshalltown Public Library, Marshalltown
• New Residential: Court Avenue Lofts, Des Moines
• Renovated Commercial/Civic: The Durrant Building, Dubuque
• Renovated Residential: Westfield Avenue Lofts, Waterloo
• Mixed Use: Plaza Towers , Iowa City
• Leadership: Historic Millwork District Master Plan, Dubuque

Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is elgible to receive $242,767 through the Specialty Crop Block Programs. Iowans are invited to comment on priorities in funding.  Iowans interested in submitting comments on the priorities for the program can email their comments to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   or by mail to Horticulture and Farmers Market Bureau, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, 502 East 9th, Des Moines, Iowa, 50319.

In addition to inviting public comments, the Department is creating a Review Committee to help make recommendations on grant proposals. If you are interested in learning more, visit www.IowaAgriculture.gov/Horticulture_and_FarmersMarkets/specialtyCropGrant.asp.