December 2008 Archives

A Town of the Creek Nation, 1790
Birmingham; Jan. 1 - Dec. 31
This interactive, hands-on exhibition introduces families, children, educators, and students to the beautiful art and design of the Creek people.

Winter Camellia Display
Mobile; Jan. 1 - Feb. 28
See Bellingrath's famed camellias and a winter garden filled with the blooms of ornamental kale, mustard, pansies, violas, etc.

Hank Williams 56th Anniversary Memorial
Montgomery; Jan. 1
Visit Oakwood for a memorial at 10 a.m., then enjoy entertainment at the museum.

Eagle Awareness Weekend
Guntersville; Jan. 2-31
One of America's greatest symbols, the American Bald Eagle is the focus of this interpretive program. Enjoy fireside chats, guided interpretive programs at various Bald Eagle nesting sites and knowledgable guest speakers.

"My Body Works" Exhibit
Mobile; Jan. 10 - Dec. 31
The exhibit will feature nearly 50 interactive health-science exhibits and will open as the most technologically advanced health gallery in the country. Highlights of the gallery include state-of-the-art technology that will be on display for the first time in any museum or science center in the world.

330 entries have been made since February 16, 2008 in the Your Town Alabama blog. That's right around one entry per day!

Since July 2008, we've had the following:

* 7,014 Visits
* 5,678 Absolute Unique Visitors
* 11,300 Pageviews

Top keywords include the following:
Your Town Alabama; land and water conservation fund Alabama; year of Alabama history; comprehensive plans Eufaula; Christmas light shows in Alabama; green resource center Birmingham; small town development; history brochure; Alabama small towns (and many, many more)

Referring Sites include: twitter.com; facebook.com; linkedin.com; cadc.auburn.edu; rpcgb.org; cawaco.org; Alabamacommunitiesofexcellence.org; earpdc.org;  yourtowndesign.org; designalabama.org; myecoscapes.org (and many more)

Country Visits:
6,672 visits came from 82 countries/territories

The U.S. has sent the vast majority of those visits with 6,267 visits via 52 regions (all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and one undefined area within the U.S.) 3,360 of those visits came from within Alabama.

Missouri's plan to spend $750 million in federal money on highways and nothing on mass transit in St. Louis doesn't square with President-elect Barack Obama's vision for a revolutionary re-engineering of the nation's infrastructure.

Utah would pour 87 percent of the funds it may receive in a new economic stimulus bill into new road capacity. Arizona would spend $869 million of its $1.2 billion wish list on highways.

While many states are keeping their project lists secret, plans that have surfaced show why environmentalists and some development experts say much of the stimulus spending may promote urban sprawl while scrimping on more green-friendly rail and mass transit.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aV2SxqQRuOFw

The Federal Highway Administration is now seeking grant proposals for National Scenic Byways Program funding consideration for FY 2009. SAFETEA-LU authorized up to $43.5 million for this fiscal year. FHWA has decided to continue to be more strategic in its grant awards process by targeting its resources toward projects that provide the greatest benefits. FHWA invites the application of large-scale, high-cost projects that provide strategic benefits to the byway and the byway traveler. Applications are due to FHWA division offices by March 13, 2009.

For more information, please visit http://www.bywaysonline.org/grants.

The Alabama Tourism Partnership is sponsoring a "Getting to Know Your Alabama Legislature" seminar on Tuesday, Jan. 13. The seminar will be from 10 a.m. to noon with registration at 9:30 a.m. All parts of the legislative process from bill introduction to passage will be covered in this educational seminar. The seminar will be moderated by Bob McCurley director of the Alabama Law Institute and will feature a panel consisting of Sen. Wendell Mitchell, Rep. Cam Ward, Sen. Bobby Singleton, and Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow, and Kim Adams.   After the seminar there will be a tour of the legislative chambers and an opportunity to observe the joint budget hearings. There is no charge for the seminar, but pre-registration is required. To register contact Patti Culp, executive director of the Alabama Travel Council at patticulp@alabamatravel.org   
 

The Selma to Montgomery Civil Rights Trail was recently named one of Frommer's Top 12 Destinations in the World for 2009. Only two other U.S. destinations were included on the list published in the Dec.-Jan. issue of the international travel guide: Washington, D.C. and Lassen Volcanic National Park, California. The Selma to Montgomery Trail is featured in the Alabama Tourism Department's Historic Alabama brochure and accompanying book as part of the just-launched "Year of Alabama History" campaign. The Trail was also part of a special report CNBC did on the top destinations list.
 
From the CNBC report:
"What happened 40 years ago between Selma and Montgomery- the antecedent for the Voting Rights Act- is why the U.S. will welcome Barack Obama into the White House this year. It's additionally important because the U.S. Southeast is rich both historically and culturally, and the Trail provides a very accessible window to what it has to offer. The Civil Rights Trail both captures a moment in history through its many small museums- both in Selma and Montgomery- and in the journey visitors take to travel from place to place." http://www.cnbc.com/id/28112603?slide=7

Well, I don't normally do this sort of thing, but I've been reviewing applications for National Scenic Byway Designation over the past week + and just really wanted to share the itinerary that my friend Colette Boehm at the Gulf Coast Convention and Visitor's Bureau has put together to highlight the great experiences someone can have on a trip to Alabama's Coastal Connection.

There are many ways to enjoy Alabama's Coastal Connection, but none offers more scenic views than our Connecting with Nature itinerary. Take two days and experience the beauty and variety of the natural assets of Alabama's Gulf Coast and the interpretive facilities that help visitors understand their connection. Spring and fall are the best times of year to enjoy this itinerary, and completion times will vary depending upon the degree of interest in hiking and/or biking along the variety of trails.

Start: Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary

After beginning your drive along the rural farmlands of Mobile County and by the scenic docks of Bayou La Batre, continue across the Dauphin Island bridge onto the island. Arriving at the Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary, you'll find parking and picnic areas and interpretive signage describing the habitats and birds to be found here, and along the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail, on which the sanctuary is a stop. Explore the 1000-foot handicap accessible boardwalk from the parking lot to "Gaillard Lake" or the raised walkway through the Tupelo swamp. The sanctuary encompasses more than a mile of trails through a variety of intact habitats including preserved maritime forest.

Registration is now underway for the 2009 Annual APA Spring Conference beginning March 25 in Orange Beach, AL.  Brochures will be mailed soon.  You can register online at www.una.edu/continuing-studies (select Alabama Planning Institute) or call 256-765-4862 to register by phone.  We accept all major credit and debit cards. Please share this email with others who may be interested.  

2009 Annual Spring Conference Alabama Chapter of the American Planning Association

Course Number:  09-PZAPA
March 25 - 27, 2009              
8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Location:  Perdido Beach Resort, Orange Beach, AL

Cost:
Early Bird Fee if registering on or before February 23, 2009 -$249
Fee if registering after February 23, 2009 - $279
Student & Retired Planners Fee - $79
Fee for Awards Dinner & Reception Only - $59

HOTEL INFORMATION
The Perdido Beach Resort is located at 27200 Perdido Beach Blvd., Orange Beach, Alabama 36561.  

PERDIDO BEACH RESORT RESERVATION PROCEDURES:
Reservations will be made on an individual basis or through Internet reservation. The Perdido Beach Resort has a toll free Group Reservations Telephone Number (800) 634-8001. Please use this number when making reservations and  be certain to identify yourself as a participant of UNA APA 2009, Booking ID #6043 in order to receive the group rate.

HOTEL ROOM CUT-OFF DATE:
The Perdido Beach Resort will accept reservations until Monday, February 23, 2009, at which time any unreserved rooms will be released into general availability.  The group rate will no longer be available after the cutoff date and the prevailing hotel rates will apply to any reservation(s) made after Monday, February 23, 2009.  Group reservation requests made after the cutoff date will be honored on a space available basis.

Each year, the Boat U.S. Foundation ( http://boatus.com/foundation )  awards local nonprofit
organizations up to $4,000 each for the  promotion of clean boating education. Over the past
six years the  foundation has awarded almost $100,000 in grants to local community organizations, yacht clubs, flotillas, and squadrons for  innovative projects that teach boaters  how to reduce their impact  on the waters they use for boating. Topics can range from petroleum pollution prevention to pumpout education to keeping trash  out of waterways.
 
To be eligible for grant funding, an organization must be volunteer and nonprofit.
 
Visit the foundation's Web site for a 2009 grant application form, grant guidelines, and an
FAQ.
 
 RFP Link: http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/15016127/boatus
 
 For additional RFPs in Athletics/Sports, visit:  http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_athletics.jhtml
 
 

A competitive program that will award up to $200,000 to a private nonprofit organization or public agency to identify, institutionalize, and replicate promising practices related to the provision of a comprehensive array of services to family members of homicide victims in rural areas. In the first 12-month phase of this project, funding will be used to develop or enhance a comprehensive service strategy for services to family members after a homicide.

Closing Date for Applications: Jan 20, 2009

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/fund/dakit.htm

The 38th Annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts, set for October 17 and 18, 2009 has been chosen as one of the Top Ten Festivals in the country by readers and editors of American Style Magazine,  the nation's premier arts lifestyle magazine for art lovers, collectors and travelers.  The article  can be found in the February 2009 issue which hits newstands tomorrow, December 16 (online link: Birds of a Feather).

Coming in at number 10, Kentuck was noted for its unique mix of contemporary artisans alongside folk and outsider artists, its location, and its large following of out-of-towners who make the third weekend in October an annual excursion to Northport, Alabama.

Currently the Kentuck staff is wrapping up two major community events, the 2008 festival and the recent Dickens Downtown.   "We are delighted for the 2009 festival to receive this recognition in a magazine such as American Style, especially this early in our festival year.  From a planning and executing standpoint this type of attention could and should create a greater awareness among interested artists to participate in the festival and for the festival-goer to plan to attend,"  stated executive director Sara Anne Gibson.  

American Style devotes much of its content to educating collectors and arts enthusiasts about the significance of handmade objects of art. By covering festivals, art events such as Artrageous, professional artists living and working in communities across the country, the publication promotes awareness of the economic and aesthetic contributions that art and craft bring to our homes and community.

For more information regarding Kentuck, its festival or other programming call 205-758-1257 or visit www.kentuck.org.

For additional information regarding the annual Top Ten Festivals of American Style please contact Jean Thompson at 410-889-2933.

Visitors can enjoy Opelika's Victorian Front Porch Christmas tour on portable media devices. The Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau has listed the tours on its Web site as a downloadable Global Positioning System (GPS) file. The technology enables visitors to view the decorated wonderland of more than 60 Victorian homes. In addition to seeing handmade Christmas figures on porches and lawns, visitors can download the tour to an MP3 player or GPS device and receive turn-by-turn directions for the tour, detailed descriptions of the history of each home and building along the route and additional historical documentation of the downtown area.
 
"This is another way to enrich the visitor experience," said John Wild, bureau president. "Technology and new media are allowing us to provide enhancements to our existing area tours and attractions, keeping them fresh and interesting even to those who may have visited or seen them before."  Featured in Southern Living and Better Homes and Gardens, Opelika artist Jan Jones spent years creating the Santas and other characters. Named one of the Southeast's top holiday events, the tour is in its 16th year and is seen by more than 10,000 visitors annually. This year's tour is available for download on the tourism bureau's Web site at www.aotourism.com.

Many people are proud of their ethnicity and heritage, which makes ethnic festivals a surefire way to draw huge crowds. For instance, an Ecuadorian festival in Croton-on-Hudson, NY (pop. 7,610), this fall saw cars lined up for miles. Such festivals not only attract those from a specific ethnic background, but they also attract many members of the general public who are curious about the food, music, arts, and crafts represented at the festival. That makes these festivals the perfect way to celebrate downtown's diversity and bring people together at the same time.

from  http://www.DowntownDevelopment.com

A Note from Congressman Artur Davis

As we look to the 111th Congress, I anticipate that there will be several opportunities for me to offer input on various infrastructure investment proposals related to the Economic Recovery package, FY 2010 Appropriations Bill as well as the Transportation Bill. In advance of these opportunities, I would like to invite you to a meeting that I am hosting next week in Birmingham.

This meeting will be an opportunity for me to hear from elected officials, economic developers, business leaders, and other stakeholders in the 7th Congressional District regarding infrastructure needs in your communities and other opportunities for economic growth. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 17th from 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm at the law offices of Balch and Bingham on the 15th floor of AmSouth Harbert Plaza (address below).
AmSouth Harbert Plaza
Balch and Bingham, 15th Floor
1901 Sixth Avenue North, Suite 1500
Birmingham, AL 35203

Should the new administration offer opportunities for infrastructure development and jobs creation as part of an economic stimulus effort, I want to ensure that communities in the 7th Congressional District are prepared to take advantage of these prospects. We need to make certain that our district has well-thought out projects that are ready to execute on day one.

Thank you for your time. Please RSVP to my Special Projects Coordinator, Sissy Hembree, at (205) 254-1960 by Monday December 15th to confirm your attendance.

Regards,
Artur Davis
Member of Congress

The Board of Directors of the Travel Industry Association (TIA) approved a merger on Dec. 5 with the Travel Business Roundtable. The newly formed U.S. Travel Association, effective January 1, 2009, will further intensify the voice of America's $740 billion travel industry. "Travel supports nearly 18 million U.S. jobs that cannot be outsourced and contributes more than $100 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue," said Roger Dow, TIA's President and CEO, who will serve in the same capacity for the U.S. Travel Association. "America's travel community has created an organization that matches the power and scope of America's travel economy."
 
The U.S. Travel Association will represent leaders from nearly all major travel-related companies, state travel and tourism offices, dozens of the top U.S. convention and visitors bureaus and nearly all of the major travel associations. The new organization will serve as the leading advocate for increasing travel to and within the United States and provide its members with valuable research, events and marketing. http://www.tia.org/pressmedia/pressrec.asp?Item=931

The Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform (ACCR) Foundation, a non-partisan education organization, is launching its largest initiative to date.  A Mock Constitution Convention will convene next year with the purpose of helping Alabamians gain a better understanding of the constitution convention process.  They are looking for community leaders throughout Alabama to serve in one of two ways.
 
First, they are looking for people to serve as delegates to the convention.  There is a simple online application to complete and the deadline is December 31st.   To be a delegate, you must have lived in your state house district for more than three years and continue to live in that same district in 2009.  Delegates will gather during two weekends in 2009 and unveil a new Alabama Constitution next summer.
 
If you do not have the time to serve as a delegate, you can still participate in this project by being on a Local Selection Committee (LSC).  People on the LSC help spread the word in their area about the Mock Convention and during the week of January 5th, are responsible for selecting the person to be their delegate.
 
You can find more information on the project's web page: http://www.constitutionalreform.org/mockconvention.shtml
 
If you have any questions or would like to serve on your Local Selection Committee, please contact Audrey Salgado, the ACCR Foundation's Special Projects Coordinator: Audrey@constitutionALreform.org or (205) 437-0951.
 

The American Legacy Foundation is dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. Through Legacy Innovative Grants, the Foundation supports projects in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories that advance creative solutions to the challenges caused by tobacco use in America. In 2009, priority will be given to projects located in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming, as well as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Foundation provides up to $100,000 for the first year of funding, with the possibility of additional second-year funding. The deadline for letters of intent is January 16, 2009. Visit the Foundation's website to review the application guidelines for the Innovative Grants program. http://www.americanlegacy.org/1710.aspx

The Coming Up Taller Awards program, sponsored by The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for the Arts, recognize excellence in after-school and out-of-school arts and humanities programs for underserved children and youth. Finalists receive a $10,000 award, a Coming Up Taller Awards plaque, and an invitation to attend the annual Coming Up Taller Leadership Enhancement Conference. Programs initiated by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, universities, colleges, arts centers, community service organizations, schools, and eligible government agencies are encouraged to apply.
The 2009 nomination deadline is January 30. Visit the website listed below for nomination guidelines and forms. http://www.pcah.gov/cut.htm

USDA Rural Development is making available Household Water Well System Grant program, a program that provides financial assistance through non-profit organizations to rural residents in order to drill water wells. Grants may be made available to qualified non-profit organizations to establish lending programs for household water wells. USDA does not provide funds directly to property owners under this program. Non-profit organizations must use the grants to make loans to individual homeowners to construct or upgrade household water well systems. The non-profit groups must contribute at least 10 percent of the grant request to capitalize the loan fund.
 
Applications must be received by May 31, 2009. Call (202) 720-9583 to request paper copies of application guides and materials, and the published Notice and application guide may be obtained electronically through http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/. For additional information, see the November 20 Federal Register, page 70315, http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-27586.pdf.

http://www.alabamamosaic.org/


What a fascinating website about Alabama's past. This doesn't really have a lot to do with getting grants or with impacting the future of our communities directly, but the interesting collections of materials is worth a look by every Alabamian. And, if you are reading this and aren't from Alabama, perhaps you should see if your state has done something similar.

AlabamaMosaic is a repository of digital materials on Alabama's history, culture, places, and people. Its purpose is to make unique historical treasures from Alabama's archives, libraries, museums, and other repositories electronically accessible to Alabama residents and to students, researchers, and the general public in other states and countries.

The December/January edition of Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel magazine features a multi-page "Road Trip" feature article on Alabama. The article chronicles a 4-day trek through the state beginning with a flight into Birmingham and continuing to attractions and restaurants in Cullman, Decatur, Moulton, Newbern, Mason's Bend, Selma, Cahawba, and Montgomery. Photographs include the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Birmingham artist Joe Minter, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, the Jesse Owens Museum in Moulton, the St. James Hotel in Selma, a cabin in Cahawba, the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, a Rural Studio home in Newbern, and the Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman. To view the article "Under Southern Skies" see http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2008/11/02/AR2008110201593.html
 

The Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau has released data showing that the lodging revenue from this year's summer season was almost equal to last. Taxable lodging revenue for summer 2008 topped $130,224,911. This figure was .5% (or $633,729) less than summer 2007, which was a record-breaking year. "These numbers indicate that families still choose to take their annual summer vacation," said Herb Malone, president/CEO of the CVB. "Instead of a costly or exotic vacation, many searched for alternatives, and we were happy that many selected our clean, family-friendly destination. When you stop to consider the cost of fuel and economic situation, it is a remarkable fact that we produced a summer season comparable to our previous benchmark year of 2007." http://www.gulfshores.com/pressroom/release.aspx?ID=311

 A 168-page book showcasing the state's colorful heritage will be released December 12 at the Year of Alabama History kickoff  in Montgomery. Governor Bob Riley will kick off 2009 as the Year of History during the state's 189th birthday bash at the Department of Archives and History.
 
The magazine-format book begins with a timeline that takes readers on a journey through time starting with 8000-10000 BC at DeSoto Caverns, one of the oldest recorded caves in the nation, and concluding with the music history of the1960s and 70s at the recording studios in Muscle Shoals. Woven in between are vignettes of the Civil War in the 1860s, America's civil and voting rights struggles of the 1950s and 60s and Alabama's role in space exploration in the 1950s and beyond.
 
"This book is a valuable tool for learning about Alabama's history and heritage. I believe it will encourage children to become more involved and interested in our state's history," said Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell. "We plan to ship a copy of the book and brochure to fourth-grade  history teachers in Alabama so they can share and explore the unique stories with their students."

Read more: http://www.alabama.travel/about-alabama/news/press/story.cfm?ID=520

This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities to compete for financial assistance through the Sustainable Skylines Initiative (SSI). The SSI provides a framework to integrate transportation, energy, land use and air quality planning programs into projects that yield measurable air quality benefits in a relatively short period of time. SSI works with eligible entities to aid their communities to develop locally-led activities to help reduce emissions and promote sustainability with the goal of cleaner and healthier air. This is performed by participants working with EPA and other partners to increase community participation and leverage resources. The long-term goal of SSI is to help communities build self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that will continue to achieve positive environmental impacts, livability, and economic development benefits for many generations to come.

Deadline: Dec 17, 2008. Grant Amount: Up to $125,000.

The Tree Seedling Giveaway deadline has been extended to Friday, December 5!
The Alabama Forestry Commission is donating 35,000 tree seedlings to schools enrolled in the
Alabama Outdoor Classroom Program, but you must send in your Seedling Order Form asap! Tree seedlings will be delivered to the schools in the spring of 2009, but you must fax in your order form to the AWF at 334-285-4959 by Friday, December 5

Visit the website for more information:
www.alabamawildlife.org/conservation_education/seedlinggiveaway.asp

Grants for America's Media Makers support media projects that explore significant events, figures, or developments in the humanities in creative and new ways. America's Media Makers projects promote active exploration and engagement for broad public audiences in history, literature, archaeology, art history, comparative religion, philosophy, and other fields of the humanities.

NEH supports the development of humanities content and interactivity that excites, informs, and stirs thoughtful reflection. To that end, NEH urges applicants to consider more than one format for presenting humanities ideas to the public. Grants for America's Media Makers should encourage audiences to engage with the humanities, promote dialogue and discussion, and foster learning among people of all ages.

Closing Date: Jan 28, 2009. Maximum Grant Amount: $75.000.

Most businesses are reporting losses this year, but that is not the case for the Alabama tourism industry. The numbers prove tourism in the Wiregrass is booming, up almost 20 percent this past year alone.

The tourism industry in the Wiregrass is proving to be a success despite this struggling economy. Bob Hendrix with the Dothan Convention & Visitors Bureau said, "Our numbers are up about 1 percent in occupancy and then our revenue is up 18 percent due to the fact that our hotels are charging more."

Read the full article at www.wtvynews4.com