Group's mission: Renew Valley

Wednesday, March 08, 2006
By MEGHAN SMITH The Express-Times

ALLENTOWN - What the Lehigh Valley is -- and what it has the potential to become -- are two very different things, according to a fledgling group aiming to revitalize the region.

Members of Renew LV, a Campaign to Renew the Lehigh Valley, announced its formation Tuesday at a news conference in the Pennsylvania CareerLink offices on Union Boulevard.

The group's mission, according to Co-chairwoman and Emmaus Councilwoman Joyce Marin, is to "transform the Lehigh Valley into a vibrant community" by sprucing up cities, cutting back on suburban sprawl, retaining young college graduates and improving local government.

Through various initiatives, she said, Renew LV will seek to reverse "troubling trends" detailed in the Brookings Institution's 2005 study of the Lehigh Valley that put the region behind state or national averages in key categories such as farmland preservation, college-educated residents, income level increases and job growth.

The group, which includes community leaders, businesspeople and government officials, has zeroed in on two objectives this year -- to study municipal consolidation options for water and sewer, and to devise a strategy to keep young adults living and working in the Lehigh Valley.

Renew LV Co-chairman Andy Daub of Brown-Daub dealerships said the group plans to embark on a $150,000 grant-funded water and sewer consolidation study as the first of many potential services that could be regionalized to the benefit of local communities.

"It's worth investigating," he said of the consolidation, citing regional police forces and county-wide school districts as other opportunities for mergers.

Spearheading the effort to attract and retain young professionals, first-year Emmaus Councilman Wes Barrett, a member of the target age group, said an interactive "Live LV" Web site is in the making.

The site, he said, would serve as a virtual gathering place for the Valley's professionals in their 20s and 30s, where visitors could view community information and post announcements on an online bulletin board.

Live LV is coordinating efforts with College Valley, an online forum and information hub for the region's college students, and the Network of Young Professionals, a society for the area's young, working adults.

The first in a series of five Live LV-sponsored community forums is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 14, at the Hotel Bethlehem. The group hopes to get feedback from young professionals about the benefits or drawbacks of living and working the Lehigh Valley.

At the news conference, Northampton and Lehigh County executives voiced support for the new organization, currently based out of the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley's Bethlehem office.

For Northampton County, Executive John Stoffa spoke of the importance of long-range community planning and the continuous improvement of resources in the Valley.

"We could probably do better than what we're doing," he said of the Valley's current state.

Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham said achieving the group's high goals will take work.

"No one holds a magic wand to decree all this to occur," he said. "It takes everyone This effort -- Renew LV -- will lead the charge."

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How Can We Make Our Region Better?

Renew Lehigh Valley is a grassroots initiative spawned from the issues introduced by the Brookings Institute Report, Back to Proseperity: A Competitive Agenda for Renewing Pennsylvania. Our campaign is supported by a strong Leadership Council consisting of Community Leaders, Community Members and Community Organizations and steered by our Organizing Committee.

Renew Lehigh Valley, College Valley and The Network of Young Professionals are sponsoring a community forum titled "How Can We Make Out Region Better?" on Tuesday, March 14th at the Hotel Bethlehem. This community forum is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.

We want to know what you have to say. Young Professionals, like you, are the future of the Lehigh Valley.

Date: Tuesday, March 14th
Time: 6:00pm
Place: The Terrace Room - Hotel Bethlehem (437 Main St, Bethlehem)
Cost: Free

5 Things: St. Patrick's Day

Are you green with envy because it seems like everyone is going to be away on St. Patty's Day and you can't wait until fall for the next Celtic Classic for your fix of all things Irish. Well fear not laddie, we have plenty of stuff to do right here in the Lehigh Valley!

1. Jack Callaghan's - (2027 Tilghman Street, Allentown)
   March 16th - Ancient Order of Hibernians Night & O'Grady Dancers, March 17th - A St. Patrick's Day Celebration like no other.
2. St. Patrick's Day Parade in Allentown, March 12th at 2pm - Parade route starts at the Fairgrouds
3. Donegal Square - (534 Main St, Bethlehem) - The perfect store for all your Irish shopping needs.
4. Celtic Cooking Classes At Granny McCarthy’s Tea Room (534 Main St. Bethlehem) Tuesday March 21st POTATO PANCAKES Cost: $20/person Classes will be held from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Call 610-868-9599 to register.
5. Participate in Dress Down Day at work with your "Pink is the new Green" T-shirt to benefit St. Luke's Cancer Center. More details can be found here.

10 Questions with Tara

Networking and meeting new people is what we are all about, so what better way to meet a few NET members than to have a member spotlight. We hope to make this a regular feature here on the blog, so if you know someone that you consider interesting, recommend them to us and we can keep this going!

These 10 questions originally came from a French series "Bouillon de Culture" hosted by Bernard Pivot. It is probably more familiar to many of you as the questions James Lipton asks at the end of "Inside the Actor's Studio". We have, however, taken creative liberty and changed a few to better apply to the NET.

Without further ado, meet Tara...

01. What is your favorite word?
Olgemulde

02. What is your least favorite word?
Slacks

03. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Early Jazz Music

04. What turns you off?
Clutter

05. What sound or noise do you love?
Thunder

06. What sound or noise do you hate?
Smoke alarm when I've burned dinner.

07. What professional other that your own would you like to attempt?
Theater/Broadway

08. What profession would you not like to do?
Public bathroom cleaner

09. What have you gotten from the NET?
Networking skills and confidence

10. What do you think is the best part (for you personally) about the Valley?
Great culture (arts/restaurants) while still close to mountains and hiking.

Anything else you'd like to add about yourself?
I highly encourage those uncertain (or new) with the NET to get involved in event planning. Once I did, I met many people and tried many things I had never done before.

Single in the Valley 2006

While the NET isn't a singles meat-market we still want to provide you with events that are happening in our area and relevant to our members.

What: Join Lehigh Valley Magazine's "Single in the Valley 2006" event, for a night of live music by the Blues Brotherhood, great food, and drink specials. Proceeds benefit St. Luke's Pediatric Unit.

When: Sunday, March 19th
**NOTE: This event was postponed from February 12th due to the weather.

Time: 5-9pm

Place: Looper's Grille and Bar (313 East 3rd Street, Bethlehem, PA)

Cost: $15 in advance, $20 at the door

For Tickets or More Information, Please call 610-691-8833

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