University of Akron Making an Impact

At Greater Ohio, we often talk about the important role “anchor” institutions (universities, medical centers, etc.) play in Ohio’s metros. These institutions often provide a large number of jobs, contribute to a place’s social, cultural and human capital, and have a stake in maintaining the health of their community. The University of Akron is a great example of an anchor institution making an impact in their region.

The University of Akron is a national leader in polymer science and research. Recently, the university broke ground on its $13 million National Polymer Innovation Center. The center will encourage collaborations between students, researchers and companies to build new high-tech materials and other products. The university’s strong reputation in the polymer sciences has also helped the City of Akron attract a polymer-related industrial cluster. With the development of this new center, the mutually beneficial relationship that the university and city share has the potential to further strengthen.

Ohio Hub of Innovation and Opportunity

Last week, Governor Ted Strickland announced exciting plans for Dayton, Ohio! Dayton has been designated as the state’s first Ohio Hub of Innovation and Opportunity in recognition of its aerospace and technology assets.  The state program was created to revitalize Ohio cities and regions as centers of commerce and community.  The Dayton Hub will allow for stronger partnerships with local universities, businesses and government to  support growth and attract high-tech jobs. The state hopes to announce three more specialty designations by year’s end.

For the complete story, go to

http://www.flyernews.com/articles/volume/57/issue/4/id/5039/category/news

10th Annual Ohio Farmland Preservation Summit

Registration is now open for the 10^th Annual Ohio Farmland Preservation Summit. Greater Ohio’s Co-Director Gene Krebs will be in attendance at this event which will take place on November 5, 2009. For this landmark anniversary, there is an exciting and information-packed agenda.  To celebrate a decade of gatherings, The Ohio State University President, Gordon Gee, will give a welcome and USDA Deputy Secretary, Kathleen Merrigan, will provide an address via video.  There will also be exhibition space and a fresh produce market with live music in the afternoon.

You often hear that farmland provides services beyond food and fiber production. The morning panel will begin by addressing the question: How can we begin to value these services, such as carbon sequestration and nutrient management and what selling and trading of these services mean for farmland protection? The afternoon session focuses on the role of farmland protection in balancing growth and restoring prosperity to Ohio.

Breakout sessions are available on a variety of topics ranging from the basics of preserving the farm business, adapting to climate change through soil management, using surveys to gauge support for farmland protection, results from the latest census, to food policy and Ohio farmland.

For more information about session and speakers, please visit the following page:  http://cffpi.osu.edu/summit09_speakers.htm

The planning committee for this conference includes: Office of Farmland Preservation, Ohio Department of Agriculture; Center for Farmland Policy Innovation, Ohio State University; Otterbein College; American Farmland Trust; Western Reserve Land Conservancy; Ohio Farm Bureau Federation; Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts; Denison University; Ohio Township Trustees Association; Ohio Environmental Council; Ohio Farmers Union; County Commissioners Association of Ohio; Countryside Conservancy; Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission; and Tecumseh Land Trust.

Visit to Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio

By Katherine Buckingham On Wednesday September 9, Co-Director of Greater Ohio Lavea Brachman and I traveled to Springfield, Ohio for Wittenberg University’s Opening Convocation Ceremony.  A year after introducing its groundbreaking Center for Civic and Urban Engagement, Wittenberg welcomed urban policy expert and author David Rusk as the featured speaker for the Witt Series-sponsored Opening Convocation of the university's 165th academic year.  We listened to David Rusk’s opening convocation speech in Wittenberg's historic Weaver Chapel.  He discussed Springfield Ohio, the role of Anchor Institutions, and other urban policy issues.

Rusk’s speech kicked off two days of innovative educational opportunities centered on urban issues.  This is where Greater Ohio came in.  Lavea Brachman was asked to make a presentation for the afternoon breakout session on Universities and Hospitals as Anchor Institutions.  Other panelists in this session included Mark Erickson, President of Wittenberg University and Mark Weiner, CEO of Community Mercy Health Partners.  The session was moderated by Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland.  It was a very interesting and informative day.  Check out pictures from the day on Greater Ohio Policy Center’s Facebook Page.

Columbus ranked one of the best cities to find a job

Given the current state of Ohio’s economy and the long term decline of its manufacturing sector, it is easy to paint a negative picture of Ohio’s future. By dwelling on disheartening stories and statistics, we too often minimize Ohio’s successes. To help curb this tendency, today’s post highlights positive press that Columbus recently received. A couple of weeks ago, U.S. News & World Report, released a study that listed the Top 10 cities in America for finding a job. The report listed Columbus, Ohio as one of the best cities to find a job in 2009. Being the state capital and home to a large university has helped Columbus fair better than other cities. The report also points out that Columbus’ diverse economy plays an equally important role. The strength of the city’s technology, distribution and healthcare industries has allowed Columbus to remain resilient during these tough times.

Gene Krebs in the Columbus Dispatch

Yesterday Greater Ohio’s Co-Director Gene Krebs was quoted in a Columbus Dispatch article about growth policies in Columbus, Ohio.  The article was titled, “City shouldn’t push outward, critics contend.”  The article discussed the need to re-think growth policies. Krebs discussed the need to focus on the vitality of the core of Columbus.  He also drove home the point that smart growth relates back to efficient use of taxpayers’dollars.  For more information, read the full article.

Greater Ohio Policy Center on Facebook

We have recently been revamping our facebook outreach.  Greater Ohio now has a fan page entitled “Greater Ohio Policy Center.”  If you’re on facebook, you should become our fan!  We’ll keep you posted with pictures, events and other news.  And it’ll also be another venue to post your comments and let us know what’s going in your area too.  This is just another way to bolster our communication with supporters like you.  Check it out! http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Greater-Ohio-Policy-Center/98817441132?ref=nf

We’ve also recently added a lot of pictures from the Cleveland Mini-Summit, our Peer to Peer Workshop, and the Harvard Landbanking Seminar.  If you were at any of these events, see if you can find yourself in the crowd.  Feel free to tag yourself and others in the pictures too, if you’re so inclined.  Most of all, have fun with it!  And keep us posted with other suggestions about how Greater Ohio can do a better job staying in contact with supporters like you.

Urban Farming Made Profitable

Urban farming and urban gardening is an idea that has been talked about it for a while.  In fact, we wrote a blog entry about it back in July.  But a new finding proves that it’s more than just a good idea.  Roxanne Christensen of Philadelphia set out to prove that urban farming could be a profitable venture.  Her goal was to take a half acre lot and make a profit of $50,000.  In her fourth year of planting 60 types of vegetables and high value crops that grow quickly, the gross sales came to $68,000.  This is very interesting news because it indicates that urban farming and urban gardening could become a practical business model.  This is especially relevant to Ohio’s shrinking cities with excessive amounts of vacant land.  Urban farming in these areas is a possibility that could be not only good for the land, but also it could create jobs and become a lucrative profession. Roxanne Christensen is also the co-founder of Small Plot Intensive Farming or SPIN-farming.  For more information about SPIN-farming, check out their website.  To read more about this story, read Governing Magazine’s article on Urban Harvest.