August 2008 Archives

Mark your calendar now for the inaugural Leeds Downtown Folk Festival featuring John Henry Days from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, and 12 noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21. Admission and parking are free to the public.
The two-day outdoor event in Leeds, Ala., celebrating the roots, richness and variety of American culture will feature folk music, craft exhibits and demonstrations, children’s activities, food, storytelling and Leeds’ second annual celebration of John Henry Days.

The two-day outdoor event in Leeds, Ala., celebrating the roots, richness and variety of American culture will feature folk music, craft exhibits and demonstrations, children’s activities, food, storytelling and Leeds’ second annual celebration of John Henry Days.

The Southern lifestyle magazine Garden and Guns recently named Fairhope as the “Best Birding Town” in the South. From the article “Southern Dream Towns” by Allston McCrady in Garden and Guns magazine:
 
Perched high on the bluffs of Alabama’s Eastern Shore, the town of Fairhope sits squarely on the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail. Each spring and fall, the 240-mile-long birding extravaganza surrounding Mobile Bay attracts upwards of one million visitors of the wingless variety, hoping to get a glimpse at the hoards of migratory birds that use the bay as a rest stop on their routes to and from Mexico and beyond. When the flocks have passed, however, Fairhope does not fold up its wings. The town is known for its sweeping panoramic views of Mobile Bay, its old bluff cottages, its tree-lined avenues, and its explosion of flowers lining planters and windows of downtown shops. The town owns and operates eight greenhouses. Even the trash receptacles double as planters.

The area has long been a haven for artists and writers, and maintains a progressive, culturally vibrant climate year-round. The annual Arts & Crafts Festival in March is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the South. Each April, the Fairhope Yacht Club hosts the Dauphin Island Regatta, the largest one-day sailing regatta in the nation, which celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2008.
 
For the complete article see http://gardenandgun.com/stories/features/southern_dream_towns-111

"Shipwreck! Treasures from the SS Republic" will be on display at the Baldwin County Heritage Museum in Elberta, Alabama, beginning Sunday, August 31. The discovery of the wreck, the high-tech exploration and the recovery efforts undertaken have all garnered worldwide media attention, such as an hour long National Geographic program. "Shipwreck! Treasures from the SS Republic" exhibit will also showcase these efforts, along with the vessel's rich history and the wealth of artifacts and coins recovered. In August 2003, Odyssey Marine Exploration discovered the wreck of the SS Republic, a Civil War-era side-wheel steamship that played a prominent role in the Battle of Mobile Bay, and was later lost in a fierce hurricane off the Georgia coast.  Odyssey Marine Exploration was co-founded by Greg Stemm, whose family has deep-rooted ties to the Baldwin County community. For more information see http://www.baldwincountyheritagemuseum.com/ss_republic.html

Who Should Attend:

• State and Local Elected Officials
• Community Leaders
• Economic and Community Developers
• Community and Regional Planners
• Chamber of Commerce Officials
• Any Individual Interested in Building a Successful Community

September 10, 2008

8:00 A.M. Registration

9:00 AM Welcome and Introductions

9:15 AM ADECA Programs and Services, Doni Ingram, Assistant Director, ADECA

9:45 AM USDA Rural Development Programs, Steve Pelham, State Director, USDA Rural Development

10:15 AM Tourism Opportunities for Alabama’s Small Towns and Downtowns, Lee Sentell, Director, Alabama Tourism Department

10:45 AM EDAA Community Leadership Training Program, Tucson Roberts, President & CEO, Covington County Economic Development Commission

11:15 AM Break

11:30 AM Community Support for Dropout Prevention, Sydney Hoffman, Director, Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

12:00 Noon Star Awards Luncheon

1:45 PM Regional Cooperation – Working Beyond Jurisdictional Boundaries, Wiley Blankenship, President/CEO, Coastal Gateway Regional Economic Development Authority

2:15 PM Funding Partners, Diane Roehrig, President, Alacom Finance

2:45 PM Break

3:00 PM Boomtown USA: The 7 1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns Keynote Speaker: Jack Schultz

4:30 PM Closing Remarks, Book Signing

Registration:
Save $10 by registering now!! Early Registration: $45. Deadline: August 15
Regular Registration: $55. Deadline: September 2

Registration includes:

• Seminars
• Star Awards luncheon
• Refreshment Breaks
• Boomtown USA: The 7 1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns ($20 value)
• ABC Volume One: Enriching Your Community One Letter at a Time ($10 value)

Location:
Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center
201 Tallapoosa Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, 334-481-5000

Download the ACE Brochure: ACE-missing-pieces.pdf

18-part series that covers the entire spectrum of grant proposal development. This series offers step-by-step tutorials, checklists, worksheets, and samples to help guide proposal development. The series will help novice grant writers understand each segment of the process, as well as provide more experienced grant writers with new ideas about how to approach grant writing.
http://www.grantstation.com/Public/News_Views_px/trackstosuccess.asp

This and the other recently posted information comes from the Faith and Community Based Loop, part of the Alabama Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
 

To provide support to entities that need assistance to plan, organize and develop a health care network because they do not have a significant history of collaboration and are not sufficiently evolved to apply for a three year Rural Health Network Development Grant. This support may be sufficient to jumpstart a network into becoming operational and developing strategies for becoming sustainable.
WHO: Faith-based and community organizations are eligible to apply
WHEN: Applications are due by September 15, 2008
AWARD AMOUNT: Amounting up to $1,700,000
CONTACT: CallCenter@HRSA.gov
https://grants.hrsa.gov/webExternal/FundingOppDetails.asp?FundingCycleId=99865F79-FF7E-4A12-80D6-0C51287F1E14&ViewMode=EU&GoBack=&PrintMode=&OnlineAvailabilityFlag=&pageNumber=&version=&NC=&Popup=

In collaboration with the American Library Association, the American Association of School Libraries, and the National Education Association, Dollar General provides support to public school libraries in the company's communities through the Beyond Words program. Libraries that have been severely damaged due to natural disaster, fire, or federally-recognized terrorist acts are eligible to apply for funding to replace or supplements books, media, and/or library equipment. (The impact on the libraries can be through direct loss or through enrollment increases due to displaced/evacuated students.)
Grants generally range between $5,000 and $15,000.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
To learn more, please see http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslawards/dollargeneral/disasterrelief.cfm

The mission of Farm Aid is to keep family farmers on their land. Farm Aid supports nonprofit organizations that work to maintain a family farm system of agriculture and that promote solutions to the challenges facing rural communities. Grants are awarded in the following categories: Growing the Good Food Movement, with emphasis on encouraging new markets for family farmers; Helping Farmers Thrive, including assisting farmers to transition to more sustainable farming practices; and Taking Action to Change the System, which focuses on promoting fair farm policies.
Applications for grants from $1,000 to $40,000 are due on August 31, annually. Grant program details are available on the Farm Aid website. http://www.farmaid.org/site/c.qlI5IhNVJsE/b.2723595/k.EE67/Family_FarmersGood_Food_A_Better_America.htm

Coon Dog Cemetery Labor Day Celebration
Tuscumbia; Sep. 1
Graves are freshly decorated for the event. View over 185 graves. Enjoy buck dancing, liar's contest, speech-making and entertainment. Barbecue available.

Chickasaw Trails Invitational
Moulton; Sep. 6
Each year, students convene in Lawrence County for this championship event. Snug between Bankhead National Forest and the Tennessee River is one of America's top-rated cross country championship courses featuring scenic wooded trails that allow for a fast race and great spectating.

Navistar LPGA Classic
Prattville; Sep. 22-28
This multimillion dollar event showcases a full field of professional LPGA golfers. The tournament is scheduled to be televised nationally and internationally.

Boom Days Heritage Celebration
Fort Payne; Sep. 12-20
Weeklong art and music festival highlighting the rich cultural and historical heritage of Fort Payne, culminating with the Boom Days Heritage Celebration on the 20th, which features two dozen musical acts and display and sale of works by fine artists and craftsmen along four blocks of the downtown district.

Hank Williams 85th Birthday Celebration
Montgomery; Sep. 12-13
Live music on Friday with food and drinks at Noble's Restaurant in downtown Montgomery. Oakwood Cemetery visit on Saturday and then live music and a tour at the Hank Williams Museum.

8:00 - 8:30 a.m. Welcome & Introductions
Tom Maxwell, Regional Planning Commission | Dalton Smith, Region 2020

8:30 – 9:30 am Breakfast with Presentations
Greenprinting for Growth, Amy Condon, Trust for Public Land
Chattanooga Greenways Program
Rick Wood, Trust for Public Land

9:30- 10:00 am Heart of Alabama: A Gateway to Greenspace
Tom Maxwell, Regional Planning Commission

10:00 - 10:15 am Break

10:15 – 10:45 am Metro Birmingham Land Conservation In Action
Brian Rushing, Freshwater Land Trust

10:45 – 11:30 am Metro Atlanta Greenways – Past, Present & Future
Ed McBrayer, PATH Foundation

11:30 – 12:15 pm Preserving the Visual Qualities of Parkways & Byways
Kevin Fry, Scenic America

12:15 – 1:30 pm Lunch with Presentation
Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and Communities
Edward T. McMahon, Urban Land Institute

1:30 – 3:00 pm Roundtable Discussion with Presenters

Brochure and Registration Information:
2008_BC_brochure.pdf

Yesterday, August 26, 2008, two members of the America's Byways Resource Center in Minnesota came to Birmingham, Alabama for an all-day training session on directional signage, tourist interaction and how to provide a positive visitor experience--AND get tourists to find the places you want them to find. The workshop was primarily aimed at the scenic byways experience, but almost all of the information is just as relevant to every other community in Alabama. They've kindly provided the manual that they've been developing.

Wayshowing_ReferenceManual.pdf

Alabama Trail Plan and Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Public Workshop
Monday, September 8, 2008. 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Alabama Power Clanton Conference Center

As a part of the Alabama Trail Plan and the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, a public workshop will be held to present information, to obtain citizen comments and to propose suggestions for future trails and outdoor recreation needs.

The trail and recreation workshop is being conducted by the South Central Alabama Development Commission (SCADC) under a contract with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). The workshop is open to the public and interested persons are encouraged to attend. If you require special accommodations, please send an e-mail to scadcplanning@adss.alabama.gov with your request. Persons unable to attend a meeting may review material after September 8, 2008 at www.trails.alabama.gov and are requested to submit written comments by September 19, 2008 to: Trail Plan, SCADC, 5900 Carmichael Place, Montgomery, AL 36117. This is a free workshop, however, space is limited.

Workshop Agenda
10:00 AM Overview
State of Alabama Outdoor Recreation Needs and Goals By Region

State of Alabama Proposed Trail System Concept

11:00 AM User Group Work Sessions

12:00 PM Lunch On Your Own

1:00 PM User Group Work Sessions

2:00 PM Review Results of User Group Work Sessions

User Groups:

• Outdoor Recreation Hiking
• Biking Canoe
• ATV/OHV Equestrian
• Special Interest

For More Information, Go To www.trails.alabama.gov
Questions? E-mail scadcplanning@adss.alabama.gov

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
Register by Phone:
South Central Alabama
Development Commission
334-244-6903, ext. 120

Register By E-mail:
scadcplanning@adss.alabama.gov
Provide your name, organization, address,
phone number and user group preference.

These awards are "designed to recognize outstanding transportation projects, processes, and people who incorporate environmental stewardship into the planning and project development processes using FHWA funding sources." The awards are given in 12 categories, including a category for America's Byways®. Entries may be submitted by October 15, 2008 to the Division Administrator at the Federal Highway Administration Division Office in the State in which your entry is located. For more information, go to http://www.fhwa-ee-awards.com.

 


Wonder how many people YourTown Alabama has reached? Take a look at the map at left (click it for a larger version). So far, in our 10 year history, we've reached 620 people through the workshops held.

Watch in the coming days for one of the latest Your Town Alabama projects: a video presentation that conveys a brief version of the Your Town philosophy. Coming Soon!

The United States' first-ever official travel and tourism website, www.discoveramerica.com, was successfully launched in the five leading international travel markets - Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Germany and Japan. Travel Industry Association is promoting DiscoverAmerica.com to media in key countries.

Ten America’s Byways® are included under the "Scenic Byways" tab, and are included on all five international sites http://www.discoveramerica.com/ca/activities/scenic-byways.html.

We need your help in letting judges in Jefferson County know that we need their “buy in” to implement the Assign-A-Highway Program in Jefferson County.  Members of the Jefferson County Helth Action Partnership will be scheduling a meeting with Judge Vowell to present the program for a second time as an option for litter abatement in our community.  Jefferson County Land Development and Roads & Transportation Department have agreed to perform the logistics.
 
Read on for a request that Kellie Johnston, Cawaco RC&D sent to the Health Action Partnership members and a suggested Letter of Support template. We need letters from your agencies as well as friends, relatives, etc.
 
Please, use agency or company letterhead if possible.  Send them by August 25, 2008.  An E-mail attachment is fine. You might also want to consider a program like this in your community!

At the Travel & Tourism Research Association (TTRA) meeting held in June, Scott Hanson, CEO, Longwoods International®, participated on a "Government Resources for Cultural and Heritage Tourism" panel with the National Scenic Byways Program Marketing Director Patricia McNally. Scott compiled data for A SNAPSHOT OF: The U.S. Cultural Traveler Market - 2007, and agreed to share this information with the community.

The information relates to much more than just national byways: all communities interested in increasing tourism in their community need to have a better understanding of cultural and heritage tourism. To read more, visit the website below:

http://www.bywaysresourcecenter.org/topics/visitor-experience/marketing/tools/1248/

A new $11.5 million Hampton Inn is slated for Leeds to cater to visitors of Barber Motorsports Park, Bass Pro Shops and a planned outlet mall.  Birmingham's Jackson Hospitality Services will develop and manage the four-story, 106-room hotel, sporting a prototype design for the Hampton Inn chain. The hotel will be built on a site directly across the road from the main entrance of the new Bass Pro Shops store, which is set to open in November.
 
"We think it will become the hottest hotel spot in Alabama as things develop out there," said Corey Jackson Jr., president of Jackson Hospitality. In addition to a 60-seat meeting room and a swimming pool, the hotel will have features of the new Hampton Inn design such as a boutique-style lobby with lounge seating, a modern exercise room and a new breakfast area.
 
Barber Motorsports Park officials have been vocal about their hope for hotel space catering to visitors to the racetrack, museum and Porsche driving school there. Neal Jackson, vice president of Jackson Hospitality, said the company originally wanted to develop a hotel inside the Barber Motorsports property. When that wasn't in keeping with the park's plans, officials at Barber worked with Jackson Hospitality to steer them to a nearby site.
 
"We see this as a showcase project to go along with the Bass Pro development and the rest of what is to come," Neal Jackson said. Work on the hotel will begin this year and should be completed by late 2009 or early 2010.
For the complete article see the Birmingham News: http://www.al.com/business/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/business/1218788156235470.xml&coll=2 

The Alabama Welcome Center Educational Retreat is back by popular demand.  Please mark your calendar for November 9 and 10 in Montgomery.  The Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center is the host hotel and is offering a conference rate of $109 per night.  The Welcome Center Retreat is a unique opportunity to update staff members of the eight Alabama Welcome Centers on your attractions, hotels, and special events.  The registration fee per person is $150. The cost includes meals and a FAM tour of Montgomery.  For registration and additional information, please contact: JoJo Terry with the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitor Bureau at 334-261-1119 or email:  jterry@montgomerychamber.org

Since we started the Your Town Alabama blog approximately six months ago, we've been working hard to provide information that people will find helpful. We hope you have. Our main goal has always been to help Alabama be all that it can be. However, we've discovered that people from all across the country are on occasion turning to the Your Town Alabama website for information. Here's a map detailing where they've been coming from in just the last month (most visits are still from Alabama, of course--as it should be).

Thanks for dropping by. And, if you noticed the site was down for a little while yesterday, sorry. That doesn't happen often. We're in the process of changing our email routing to a more robust junk mail filter and that's where the problem happened.

The Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau celebrated their 20th anniversary of service to the community this week when a year of promotional activities culminated in a festive luncheon at the Hotel at Auburn University. Legislators, city and county officials, hoteliers, retailers, and Auburn University officials were among those invited to commemorate the occasion with tourism bureau staff and board members.
 
“Tourism revenues in our community have increased over 99% the past 10 years,” said John Wild, bureau president. “The positive economic impact of our industry in the Auburn-Opelika area cannot be understated, and we are proud to serve and to share this great community with visitors from around the world.”
 
Advertising campaigns for the year were designed to inform local residents about the impact of tourism and visitor spending on the economy in Lee County. The “We Just Thought You Should Know” series provided a variety of compelling statistics: On an average day, visitors spend $709,589 in the Auburn-Opelika area. If the citizens of Lee County had to replace the tax revenues provided by tourism dollars, every single household would owe an additional $396 per year. Tourism revenues injected $1,860,000 directly into our cities’ general funds last year.
 
The featured presenter at Thursday’s luncheon was Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department. Sentell commented on the importance of tourism to the state’s economy and praised the Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau for playing a significant role in bringing visitors to Alabama. He also noted John Wild’s contributions to the development of the amateur and youth sports market both in Auburn-Opelika and in the state as a whole.  www.aotourism.com

Thirteen tourism organizations, leaders and events were honored Tuesday night at the closing event of the three-day 2008 Alabama Governor's Conference on Tourism. Governor and Mrs. Bob Riley attended the awards gala at The Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover. The Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center in Mobile was named the Attraction of the Year; the Event of the Year Award went to the Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts in Gadsden for its “Art of Competition” exhibit; and the Brundidge Historical Society’s original folklife play, “Come Home, It’s Suppertime,” was honored with the Governor’s Tourism Award.
 
Individuals recognized for outstanding achievements in the state’s tourism industry included Southern Living Vice President and Editor-in-Chief John Alex Floyd Jr. who was honored with the Media Advocate Award; U.S. Representative Artur Davis with the Government Advocate Award; Charles Winters, Vice President of Marketing, Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau was named Tourism Employee of the Year; Gene Brett, Brett-Robinson Realty, Gulf Shores/Orange Beach was named Executive of the Year; and the Alabama Tourism Department Employee of the Year award went to Art Director Tommy Cauthen. Chalmus Weathers (posthumous) was inducted into the Alabama Tourism Hall of Fame.
 
The 2008 Organization of the Year was presented to the Decatur/Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau; Welcome Center of the Year went to the Sumter Welcome Center in Cuba; The Montgomery Chamber of Commerce/Convention and Visitors Bureau received the Partnership Award; and the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro was honored with the Director’s Award.
 
The awards were first presented in 1998 and honor outstanding achievements in the state’s tourism industry. Each award winner is recognized as a key player in making tourism a strong economic force. Tourism contributed $9.3 billion to Alabama’s economy in 2007 and supported 170,000 jobs statewide. An estimated 22.4 million people visited the state last year. 

To provide support to entities that need assistance to plan, organize and develop a health care network because they do not have a significant history of collaboration and are not sufficiently evolved to apply for a three year Rural Health Network Development Grant. This support may be sufficient to jumpstart a network into becoming operational and developing strategies for becoming sustainable.
WHO: Faith-based and community organizations are eligible to apply
WHEN: Applications are due by September 15, 2008
AWARD AMOUNT: Amounting up to $1,700,000
CONTACT: CallCenter@HRSA.gov | https://grants.hrsa.gov/

The FM Global Fire Prevention Grant Program offers seed money to fire departments and related international, national, state, regional, and local organizations for a wide array of fire prevention, preparedness, and control efforts. Grants of up to $5,000 are available for pre-fire planning for commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities; fire and arson prevention and investigation; and fire prevention education and training programs. Examples of funded projects include: preventive juvenile fire-setter programs, continuing education courses, digital and specialized cameras, and community outreach initiatives and workshops.

Requests may be submitted throughout the year and are reviewed quarterly.
Please go to http://www.fmglobal.com/page.aspx?id=01060200.

The mission of Farm Aid is to keep family farmers on their land. Farm Aid supports nonprofit organizations that work to maintain a family farm system of agriculture and that promote solutions to the challenges facing rural communities. Grants are awarded in the following categories: Growing the Good Food Movement, with emphasis on encouraging new markets for family farmers; Helping Farmers Thrive, including assisting farmers to transition to more sustainable farming practices; and Taking Action to Change the System, which focuses on promoting fair farm policies.
Applications for grants from $1,000 to $40,000 are due on August 31, annually. Grant program details are available on the Farm Aid website.

http://www.farmaid.org/site/c.qlI5IhNVJsE/b.2723595/k.EE67/
Family_Farmers_Good_Food_A_Better_America.htm

Helping senior citizens enroll in Medicare’s Prescription Drug Plan is one of the largest projects the Alabama Department of Senior Services and the Area Agencies on Aging have undertaken. Last year, the faith-based and community initiatives network assisted the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselors and volunteers at the local Area Agencies on Aging in the Medicare Part D enrollment effort. 

ADSS is asking for your assistance again this year to ensure our state’s elderly population receives proper counseling and advice. Your help is needed to guide new seniors through enrollment and assist those already on Medicare Part D in evaluating their coverage for the coming year.  Your organization can help to ensure that seniors receive the counseling they need to make an informed choice.

For more information on how to volunteer or to host an event for Medicare beneficiaries and their families, email ageline@adss.alabama.gov or call 1-800-AGE-LINE.

Eric Boehm thought he knew what state parks had to offer: leafy campgrounds, wooden picnic tables and, of course, plenty of outdoor activities. Then in April of this year, as regional manager and meeting planner for Maryville, Tenn.- based Clayton Homes, he helped organize a conference at Lake Guntersville State Park in Alabama. “Our experience was not at all what I expected,” he says. “I was really blown away.”
 
What Boehm found was surprisingly high-end accommodations, fully equipped meeting space and resort-style recreation- at bargain rates to boot. The park offers a variety of accommodations at reasonable rates, including 20 chalets (starting at $125 per night) on a bluff overlooking a 69,000-acre reservoir, 15 lakeside cottages (also from $125), and 112 rooms and suites (from $96) at the sprawling Guntersville State Park Lodge. In the lodge are eight meeting rooms, most featuring wireless Internet and a full complement of A/V resources, accommodating from 14 to 500 attendees.
 
Boehm’s group spent two days at the park. On the first day, which was devoted to meetings, “we never left the facility,” says Boehm. “We had everything we needed.” Day two was spent enjoying the park’s recreational amenities, including an 18-hole golf course, a beach complex, fishing, and hiking. Boehm was so impressed with the place that he brought his own event, a sales managers’ meeting that he plans twice a year, to the same location a few months later.

From the article “Natural Selection” by Kaylee Hultgren in the August issue of Meetings and Convention magazine:
 
 
For more information on Lake Guntersville State Park Resort see:  http://www.alapark.com/LakeGuntersville/

Well, time to mark your calendars for the next workshop. June 17-19, 2009. It will be here before you know it!

Here's another number that should make you stop and think: 620. That's the number of people who have attended the Your Town Alabama workshops over the last 10 years.

Alabama Community Leadership Network (ACLN)
210 Extension Hall, Auburn, Alabama 36849-5631

The Alabama Community Leadership Development Network Conference will be held October 8-9, 2008 at Auburn University. Registration information and additional details can be found at www.acln.info.

Contact: Arturo S. Menefee (334) 844-2307, menefas@auburn.edu

Join the Western States Tourism Policy Council and partnering Federal agencies at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa on the Santa Ana Pueblo in New Mexico, just 20 minutes north of Albuquerque.

Join leaders from gateway communities, the tourism and recreation industry, government and the academic community to learn about:

• How gateway communities can increase economic growth while conserving their natural and cultural resources.
• How they can work more cooperatively with Federal, State, local and tribal agencies.

For more information and to sign up for regular updates, visit http://www.newmexico.org/WSTPC/.

More than half of U.S. land is privately owned—much of it farmed—so tax incentives for land protection could significantly boost efforts to save farms across the country. The 2008 Farm Bill extends substantial tax incentives for "qualified farmers and ranchers" who donate conservation easements. Qualified landowners can deduct the value of donated easements up to 100 percent of their adjusted gross income and carry the unused deduction forward. For the latest on tax incentives and other farm business and family transfer issues, see our updated Farm Transfer and Estate Planning (pdf) fact sheet and the 2008 Conservation Tax Update (pdf).

From The American Farmland Trust.

A study released this week by the U.S. Department of Commerce showed that international visitors to America increased 14% in May 2008 over a year ago and spending by those visitors grew by 21%.  The Alabama Tourism Department targets several important international markets, all of which are showing increased visitation to the U.S. from one year ago; Canada is up 17% and Western Europe is up 21%.  Of the Western Europe segment, the United Kingdom accounts for 39% of all travel from Western Europe.  Venessa Alexander, head of Global Travel Marketing and the Alabama Tourism Department’s UK representative, will be in Birmingham- Monday, Aug. 11 to make a presentation on international tourism at the Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism. http://www.traveldailynews.com/pages/show_page/26652

Thursday, August 7, 2008
City of Fultondale Council Chambers, Fultondale, AL

7.0 CLE Hours, 0.7 CEUs; this course counts toward recertification in the "Certified Alabama Planning and Zoning Official" (CAPZO) Program.

Course description and registration information can be found on our website at www.una.edu/conted, select Planning and Zoning tab.  You may also call 800-825-5862, extension 4786, or 256-765-4786 to register.  Walk-ins are welcome.

Background:
The Rural Alabama Initiative (RAI), a grant program funded by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, provides financial support to seed worthwhile rural initiatives in support of economic and community development.  Over the last two years, Extension has provided over $1,000,000 to fund 84 projects.  Funded RAI projects included community and regional adult and youth leadership development programs, workforce development academies, a technology camp for high school counselors, a high school robotics competition, computer skills training for adults, economic development workshops and training programs, rural tourism, and entrepreneurial programs.  Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the program, Extension has decided to continue the program for 2009.  
 
Program Description:
The 2009 Rural Alabama Initiative will fund Extension-supported educational initiatives related to community and economic development for Alabama communities.  Grants of between $1,000 and $25,000 will be awarded to fund worthy local projects.  Any County Extension Coordinator (CEC) may submit project proposals. Other organizations also are eligible to apply for the grants, but the proposal must be submitted by a CEC as a partnership project between the requesting organization and Extension.

Priority will be given to projects that: 1) Serve rural constituencies, 2) Involve collaborations among jurisdictions and/or organizations, and 3) provide matching funds to support the project (matching funds may be in-kind/non-cash).

Program Administration:
The Economic & Community Development Institute at Auburn University administers the program.  For questions, please contact:

Mike Easterwood, Senior Outreach Associate
Economic and Community Development Institute
216 Extension Hall
Auburn University, AL  36849
334-844-4704 (phone); 334-844-4709 (FAX)
easterm@auburn.edu

Application Deadline:
Proposals should be sent to the address listed above and must be received by August 22, 2008.

Download the full Rural Alabama Initiative Packet Here:
RuralAlabama.doc


 

"Battle of Mobile Bay" Commemorative Day
Dauphin Island; Aug. 2
Cannon salute at 9:45 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., followed by oral account of the battle. Also, blacksmith demonstrations in the fort's original blacksmith shop and a performance by Ross Moore, "Southern Son," who will perform music from his CDs.

DeKalb County Fiddler's Convention
Fort Payne; Aug. 2
Come visit us for our 100th Birthday Bash! Founded in 1908, this daylong event features over 10 categories in which contestants can register to participate. It will include old-time fiddling, sacred harp music, banjos, bluegrass and much more. For more information about admission or entry fees, contact the Big Wills Arts Council at 256-845-2224.

Ardmore Rodeo
Ardmore; Aug. 8-9
One of the best rodeos in North Alabama, featuring bareback riding, bull riding, steer wrestling and much more. Something for everyone. Miss Rodeo contest.

Thunder on the Gulf
Orange Beach; Aug. 14-17
NASCAR meets H2O. Powerboats travel along a race course at speeds exceeding 100 MPH fighting to be first over the finish line. Come and see high-powered machines running at these speeds with no breaks!

Franklin County Watermelon Festival
Russellville; Aug. 15-16
Arts, crafts, 5k run, bike ride, golf, tennis tournament, antique car and truck show, beauty pageant music, games, food and watermelon contest.

The Alabama Power Foundation, in partnership with the Alabama Urban Forestry Association, is accepting applications for the 2008 Community Forestry Program.

Over the past nine years, more than $536,000 has been distributed in tree grants to more than 570 cities, counties, schools, and community groups. Grants have been used to buy thousands of trees for planting in community parks, along roadways, and on school grounds, among other sites. "Plant A Tree in Alabama — Community Forestry Project" grants of up to $2,000 are awarded.

This year, a new "Gateway" award will also be given of up to $4,000 each to six communities to beautify their gateways or welcome-sign areas. Community Forestry Project and Gateway grants are available to local governments (cities, towns, communities); educational institutions (city and county school systems, private schools, and universities); and any 501(c)(3) organization. Information and applications are available at the Alabama Power Foundation Web site. Deadline: September 1, 2008
Contact: Link to Complete RFP http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=222000008

Selma, Alabama - August 12th and 13th, 2008

This FREE, two day training covers the basics of organizational development and grant resources, including special instruction on the HUD’s Logic Model. The training will run from 9:30 – 5 on Day One; 8 – 3:30 on Day Two. Participants must be present for both days to receive a certificate. Detailed syllabus, hotel and restaurant information will be emailed to registrants. Registration is limited; first-come first served. Register on-line at www.hud.gov/alabama. Presented in partnership with: City of Selma; Governor’s Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives; Community Action Association of Alabama; Corporation for National and Community Service; and, the Alabama Association of CDC’s. Location: Carl C. Morgan Convention Center 211 Washington Street Selma, AL. Google map: http://maps.google.com/maps

For more information, contact: John Gemmill, (205) 731-2617, john.gemmill@hud.gov Farmers Market Authority FMA's WAMBLES RE-EMPHASIZES SAFETY OF ALABAMA PRODUCE
Brooke Thorington

The Alabama Scenic River Trail has received $1.2 million in national media coverage, according to media measurements. The 631-mile Alabama Scenic River Trail, the nation's longest one state river trail, was announced on May 15 and had its grand opening on June 6.  The USA TODAY article on the Alabama Scenic River that appeared in the newspaper’s May 23 edition had an advertising value of $774,630.00 with a circulation of nearly 2.2 million. The story on the Alabama Scenic River Trail that appeared in The New York Times on May 16 titled “Discovering Alabama From Its Watery Byway” had an advertising value of $343,643.00 with a circulation of 1.1 million. The story also appeared on NYTIMES.COM with an advertising value of $65,877.00. A feature story on the Alabama Scenic River Trail was also distributed nationally by the Associated Press.  
 
Volunteers and canoeing enthusiast partnered with the Alabama Tourism Department to make the scenic river trail a reality with a grand opening in June. “Outdoor recreation is an important part of tourism in our state,” said Alabama Tourism Marketing Director Grey Brennan. “Since the opening of the trail we have seen an increase in tourism along the river and the media attention has been phenomenal,” said Brennan. The cornerstone marketing piece for the Alabama Scenic River Trail is the 16- panel brochure designed by Alabama Tourism Art Director Tommy Cauthen.  For more information on the Alabama Scenic River Trail see www.alabamascenicrivertrail.com

The Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism is scheduled for Aug. 10-12 at the Wynfrey Hotel in Birmingham. The conference brings together representatives from the state’s tourism industry for professional development and educational seminars. Conference highlights include sessions on National Sports Marketing, Attracting International Tourists, Communication Leadership Skills, and Tourism Education 101. The conference concludes with an awards ceremony honoring the best in the Alabama tourism industry.  For conference itinerary and registration information see www.algovernorsconference.com.