Pink...The New Green

**Looper's in Southside Bethlehem is organizing the following fundraiser for Cancer Research. For more information on participating, please visit Looper's and talk to Natalie.

We are hoping that you will join us in a special St. Patrick's Day event. We are asking local companies, schools, organizations and anyone that wants to make a difference in the fight against cancer to participate by making a dress down day at work on Friday, March 17th - St. Patrick's Day!

We are designing a special shirt for the day and ALL of the net proceeds will go to the new St. Luke's Cancer Research Facility. We will be selling the shirts for $10, and each and every group that agrees to participate in advance will be included on the back of the t-shit.

Pink...The New Green.

Because the color pink is the newest rage, we will be taking a short sleeved pink t-shirt and imprinting on the front: Pink...The New Green (Shamrocks will be included in the design for our Irish heritage.) The back will list St. Luke's as the recipient and all of the groups participating.

Wanted: The Young and Restless

By Carol Coletta and Joseph Cortright

Recent headlines about the latest census data on U.S. cities have had city leaders -- most notably D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams -- fretting. According to the new numbers, Washington has lost about 20,000 residents over the past five years at a time when Williams very publicly pledged to add 100,000 people by 2010.

While these reports should certainly be cause for concern, city leaders would be wise to shift their attention to another set of data that points to a positive trend occurring in cities: the preference among 25- to 34-year-old college-educated workers to live in neighborhoods within three miles of a city's center.

Why is this demographic -- and its geographic preferences -- important?
Over the past four decades, we've enjoyed rapid growth in the quantity and quality of the U.S. workforce. But the three decisive forces that drove this growth -- the sizable baby boom generation, the dramatic economic impact of women entering the workforce and the impressive increase in college graduation rates -- will run out of steam or shift into reverse in the next two decades.

In response, cities must focus their energies on attracting and retaining a group we call "The Young and Restless": young, mobile, college-educated workers. They are a key indicator of the economic success of cities in the knowledge economy, where prosperity hinges on the ability to come up with new ideas.
A recent study by the organization CEOs for Cities ("The Young and Restless in a Knowledge Economy") revealed that this demographic is roughly 34 percent more likely to prefer close-in neighborhoods than people in other age groups (up from 10 percent in 1980 and 12 percent in 1990). This was true in every one of the top 50 metropolitan areas in the United States.
Metro areas with vital centers will fare better in attracting talented young adults.

To continue with the example of Washington, data from the 2000 Census show that this city's close-in neighborhoods have a higher level of college attainment than in most other close-in neighborhoods in large U.S. metropolitan areas -- higher than Atlanta and much higher than fast-growing Phoenix or Las Vegas.

More than 65 percent of the 25- to 34-year-olds living within three miles of the center of the region (measured from the White House) have a four-year degree or higher level of education, a rate only slightly lower than for close-in San Francisco (67 percent) and significantly higher than hip Seattle (56 percent).

City planners in the District clearly appreciate the significance of vibrant neighborhoods, showcased by the new theaters and shops downtown as well as the city's marketing campaign "City Living, D.C. Style." Walkable destinations, lively commercial districts and interesting streets are attractive to the Young and Restless. Good public services, including transit and parks, can also make close-in neighborhoods more appealing.

The ability to capture these young people is already playing an integral role in some cities' economic success. Booming metro economies such as Charlotte, Austin, Atlanta and Portland, Ore., have increased the number of college-educated adults about five times faster than the nation as a whole. Cities that are losing young college graduates, such as Hartford, Conn., and Rochester and Buffalo, N.Y., are struggling.

So whether the census numbers are right or wrong may not be as important to cities as it used to be. What's clear is that cities will succeed or fail depending on how much they appeal to this talent-rich pool. And if the number of cranes dotting the D.C. skyline and the still-hot housing market are any indicator, the city continues to position itself well in the race for talent.

Joseph Cortright is an economist with Impresa Inc. Carol Coletta is president and chief executive of CEOs for Cities, a network of urban leaders committed to strengthening America's cities.


Article courtsey of The Washington Post

Super Bowl Saturday?!

Come join Vynecrest Winery as we celebrate our Third
Annual Super Bowl Saturday on February 4, 2006
from 11am to 5pm. We are proud to present our own
guest Chili chef, Dave Sweeney,  who will be cooking up
his legendary Black Bean Chili that promises to "light
you on fire", as well as a milder, healthy Turkey Chili.  
In addition, his wife, Mary, will be making her mouth-
watering, original recipe Cornbread.

Both the Chili and Cornbread will be offered for free
sampling as well as to purchase and enjoy at the winery.
Seating will be available throughout the afternoon inside
the winery and wine will be sold by the glass. Recipes for
the Chili and Cornbread will be handed out at the winery.
Guest Chef Dave Sweeney will be on-hand at the winery from
1pm to 3pm to answer any Chili questions you may have.


Finally, Vynecrest Winery will be offering the chance to
win 2 March Madness Passports (valued at $25.00 each)
by making their best Super Bowl Guess. There will be one
winner and each person can only guess once. Contestants do
not need to be present to win.


Free admission to the public, for more information or directions,
call 610-398-7525 or log on http://www.vynecrest.com/.



Vynecrest Winery
172 Arrowhead Lane
Breinigsville, PA 18031

5 things: To Do List for February

In a few days, we'll already be in our second month of 2006! Time flies, eh? These are some things that we're thinking about doing here in NET-land. What are some of your plans for February?

1. Find a new flame, a card or gift for that special someone, or just someone to commiserate with on Valentine's Day (Tues, Feb 14).
2. Check out the Winter Olympics schedule; pick events to watch Team USA go for the gold!
3. Come out to First Thursday at Stooges, February 2nd. Let's try to break 100...
4. Throw some non-fiction into the reading list and try to increase your knowledge about U.S. Presidents, in honor of Presidents Day (Mon, Feb 20).
5. Save the date [Tues, Feb 28] to meet some of your counterparts in the Berks county, Lancaster and Tricounty Young Professionals. *

* This is the Young Professionals Network Night with the Reading Royals (Professional ice hockey team). Join us at 5:30pm, before the game meet Coach Carl Taylor and General Manager Gordon Kaye. Coach Taylor will provide insight into the team, the game, and inside "scoop" on tonight's game. Gordon Kaye, GM, has years of professional sports experience including the NBA. He will provide insight into the business of the Reading Royals. $12 per person includes snacks before the game! Actual game time is 7:05pm. Reading Royals vs. Greenville Growl, Sovereign Center (Reading, PA). Leave a comment or email one of the officers of the NET for more info.

Something else for Super Bowl Sunday

Not into the Super Bowl or need to get away from all the craziness that is football? Here are a couple of events that might be right up your alley.

11th Annual Super Bowl of Chili Cook-Off

What: A competition of local area chefs to show off their creative and traditional chili. A great warm-up to the big game.

When: Sunday, February 5th

Time: 11:30-4pm

Where: Pearly Baker's (11 Centre Square, Easton)

Cost: $5 Donation at the door to benefit ProJect Easton

--------------------------------------------------------------

Chocolatefest

What: Sample chocolate til your heart's content at this gourmet festival. Benefits Keystone Human Services

When: Sunday, February 5th

Time: 1-5pm

Where: Hershey Lodge, Hershey, PA

Cost: $17.50 in advance, $20 at the door

Contact Vanessa Williams for more information.

Something Interesting and a Bit Random...

FILM MAKERS CONDUCT WORKSHOP ON
HOW TO PRODUCE AN INDEPENDENT FILM

TUESDAY, JAN. 31, AT DE SALES UNIVERSITY
Center Valley, Pa. (Tuesday, January 19, 2006) - How to get an
independent film made will be the focus of a community workshop
with professionals in the field from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday,
January 31, in the auditorium of the Priscilla Payne Hurd Science
Center at DeSales University.

Featured speakers are David Title, East Coast head of development at
Crossroads Films, and Adrienne Stern, casting director and producer,
who will present, "Schemes, Dreams and Dedication: Independent film
production in the new millennium," as part of the Visiting Artist Film Series
at DeSales. The program is open to the public free of charge. Earlier in the
day, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Dooling Auditorium, a workshop will be
held for DeSales students.

The Visiting Artist Film Series at DeSales, established in fall 2005, is
designed to benefit DeSales students and the Lehigh Valley performing
arts community. Funded by a grant from the Dexter F. and Dorothy H. Baker
Foundation, the series of master classes and public presentations are a
celebration of creative, intellectual and cultural diversity. The workshop on
January 31 is the first in the series of programs scheduled during the
spring 2006 semester.

Title, an active participant with the Independent Features Project, was a
Filmmakers Mentor at this year's Hamptons and TriBeca Film Festivals.
Prior to Crossroads Films, he was the executive vice president at Bon Mar
Entertainment and he began his film work at Unapix, where he was manager
of acquisitions and development. David holds a master's of fine arts in
directing from Rutgers University.

Crossroads' Feature Film division specializes in the development and
production of full-length feature films with a first-look deal at United Artists.
It recently completed production on Love Song For Bobby Long

"The End of Suburbia"

BETHLEHEM - The SouthSide Film Institute will present the acclaimed and controversial documentary The End of Suburbia on Thursday, January 19 at 8:00. The screening will be followed by discussion with a leader in urban development. Deja Brew café will host the event at 101 W. 4th Street, South Bethlehem. Admission is free, and refreshments will be available.

The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream explores the current American way of life and our future prospects, as the global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip the supply. Produced by the Post Carbon Institute, the film has been lauded by critics and film festivals as "shocking" and "fascinating." The darkly humorous documentary has most recently been recognized with the "Environmental Vision Award" by the Putnam County Film Festival, NY. Canadian director/writer Gregory Greene created the film to provoke discussion about what he sees as the coming energy crisis and what the populace can do about it. Information may be found online at http://www.endofsuburbia.com/ and www.ssff.org.

Who: SouthSide Film Institute invites anyone to attend this free screening
What: The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream – an honest, darkly humorous documentary film (80 min.) followed by a discussion led by a leader in urban development.
Where: Deja Brew, 101 W. 4th Street, Bethlehem, PA, 610-865-2739
When: Thursday, January 19 8:00 PM