RegionWatch Index

January 2005
ARS LETTER TO YOU

Dear ARS Network,

ARS is plunging into the new year feet first - full of energy and ready to run. 2005 promises to be an exciting year for ARS. We are uniquely positioned as this country's only action-oriented, grass-tops movement for Regionalism.

The Board and staff of ARS aim to make 2005 the Year of the Region. With the latest election under our belt, it is time to begin exploring how the Region fits into the national policy picture.

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THE REGIONAL FILES


InternetCoast
Located along the southeast coast of Florida, from Palm Beach to Miami, the non-profit organization InternetCoast focuses on social innovation, entrepreneurship and a knowledge-based workforce in order to facilitate regional economic development. Comprised of technology companies, educational institutions and economic development organizations, the InternetCoast is a regional initiative to cultivate South Florida-the nation's sixth largest metropolitan area-as a leading global science and technology hub. Its goal is to position the region for high value Internet firms define the next Internet trends, which include applications service providers (ASPs) where firms or individuals can access sophisticated software online rather than purchase it.

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GETTING TO KNOW ARS


Each month in 2005, ARS will be introducing its Board members and Associates. This month, we introduce Nancy Douzinas, President of the Rauch Foundation, and Scott Fosler, Visiting Professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Affairs, College Park.


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ARS ACTIVITIES


ARS Announces 2005 Regional Stewardship Awards

Applications due by March 21, 2005
The ARS Board of Directors is pleased to announce the second annual Regional Stewardship Awards. The Board established the Regional Stewardship Awards to recognize regions that demonstrate progress in all four elements of the Principles for Regional Stewardship and that have achieved tangible results, increased regional capacity, and shown the potential for sustainability.

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INNOVATIVE IDEAS

Community Values Driving Regional Change


Deb Nankivell can hardly be called shy and retiring. In a recent email message to us noting the unveiling of a school reform initiative for the Fresno Unified School District, she noted that it was a momentous day in Fresno&We did a community intervention in a school district of 80,000 kids that was widely believed to be academically and fiscally broken. Nankivell mentioned that next up is a community-wide barn raising. She wrote that the intervention was the ultimate equity issue. Until a community takes responsibility for all its children&the American Dream cannot be realized.


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What's the Big Idea?

The Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program Reviews Its 2004 Research
This year, the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings changed its name, adopted a new mission statement, released 32 reports, churned out 28 newspaper and web commentaries, and published two books. We also delivered more than 220 presentations in the last 12 months.

But what did all this add up to? What were the truly important new insights, big ideas, and key takeaways contained in all this productivity?

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Old Dogs, New Tricks: Business-Civic Organizations and the New Regionalism

MetroBusinessNet Annual Convening on February 17 and 18, 2005 in Miami, Florida
MetroBusinessNet is a new resource for business-civic leaders. It is demonstrating how business leaders can work collaboratively through civic institutions to develop and implement business practices and public policies that support sustainable and inclusive economic development on a metropolitan scale. Learning from each other and from expert practitioners, network participants are designing and implementing innovative solutions to regional socio-economic challenges that impact business performance.

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ARS E-Newsletter Administrative Information

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RegionWatch Index