NC Media Watch

Nevada County's population declined in 2009.

Russ

According to the Department of Finance, California’s population grew less than one percent between July 1, 2008 and July 1, 2009.  This represents 353,000 new residents during the fiscal year and continues the pattern of modest growth rates over the past few years. The only years of lower growth rates since 1900 were in the years 1994 through 1996.

Natural increase remains the primary source of the state’s growth since 2002. The natural increase of 316,000 in the past year is composed of 547,000 births minus 231,000 deaths. This accounted for almost 90 percent of the 2008-09 fiscal year growth. Net migration contributed over 37,000 new residents, around 10 percent of the growth. Net migration includes all legal and unauthorized foreign immigrants, residents who left the state to live abroad, and the balance of hundreds of thousands of people moving within the United States both to and from California. During the fiscal year, the state gained over 179,000 new foreign immigrants and, similar to the prior four years, experienced a modest loss of 142,000 persons to other states.

While the state population has grown less than 1%, Nevada County's populations declined by 230 citizens, -0.24 percent. For the first time since 2000 Nevada County is experiencing a net outflow migration. Also, 60 more citizens died (901) than new NC citizens were born (841) in the County. Net result, a declining population, and an indicator we are growing older.

The real question is, now will this population decline impact our future economic development?  Who were the people that left the County? Were they the very people we need to grow our economy? It is clear, wealthy retires are no longer moving to Nevada County. Where are they going?

White Christmas - early forecast

Russ Steele

Checking the Unisys Weather forecast models it does not look like we will have a white Christmas in Nevada County this year. However, that can change we are still ten days out. Northern California is forecast to have light rain on the 23rd, but there is no cold air to produce snow.

Temperatures

Precipitation

DIY technologies can also impact our libraries

Russ Steele

While we are having an emotional debate "about outsourcing our library management, little has been said about how technologies are impacting our libraries" writes a former editor of The Union on his blog.

I was reminded of this statement about technology when I read about this low cost home built scanner that can scan a 400 page book in 20 minutes. The product is a pdf file that can be read on any computer.  Details in this Wired Article and attached pdf.

For nearly two years, Daniel Reetz dreamed of a book scanner that could crunch textbooks and spit out digital files he could then read on his PC.

Book scanners, like the ones Google is using in its Google Books project, run into thousands of dollars, putting them out of the reach of a graduate student like Reetz. But in January, when textbook prices for the semester were listed, Reetz decided he would make a book scanner that would cost a fraction of commercially available products.

So over three days, and for about $300, he lashed together two lights, two Canon Powershot A590 cameras, a few pieces of acrylic and some chunks of wood to create a book scanner that’s fast enough to scan a 400-page book in about 20 minutes. To use it, he simply loads in a book and presses a button, then turns the page and presses the button again. Each press of the button captures two pages, and when he’s done, software on Reetz’s computer converts the book into a PDF file. The Reetz DIY book scanner isn’t automated–you still need to stand by it to turn the pages. But it’s fast and inexpensive.

“The hardware is ridiculously simple as long as you are not demanding archival quality,” he says. “A dumpster full of building materials, really cheap cameras and outrageous textbook prices was all I needed to do it.”

Note: Picture above is of version 2 of the DIY scanner.

How long before the County Library can buy a low cost scanner at Staples or Amazon and scan all the books in the library, including the historical library and store them in an online data base.  Why have multiple buildings for storing musty books, when one computer center can do the job.

Perhaps some of the more talented local DIY types can build a couple of scanners for our library. Detailed plans are here.

Where are we going and what will we do when we get there?

Russ Steele

Steve Frisch, Sierra Business Council, who often comments here is at a state wide economic development conference at Stanford University and is posting comments on the Facebook. Steve writes:

"Very exciting day. People all over the state are doing amazing work. Here with Joint venture Silicon Valley, Los Angeles Economic Development Commission, The Inland Empires Green Valley Initiative, Valley Vision, Humboldt Area Foundation, San Lois Obisbo County ED and others.

All working on leveraging new economic development strategies in various ... See Moreregions. Huge emphasis on connectivity, network development, leadership development, improving workforce development, creating vocational opportunities to raise the wages of non-college educated workers, rural resource development tied to community revitalization.

Major theme developing in rural communities it is efficacy--improving the ability of rural community members to work together by leaving personal needs and agendas at the door and commit to a common goal. Huge body of working showing this is MUCH more of a barrier in rural communities in the US than urban communities, and it holds us back."

Steve and I often disagree on economic development, but in this case I do agree with the above paragraph. I agree working together we can get more done through efficacy (the ability to produce a desired or intended result). But, so far the desired results have not been defined. 

Every organization in Nevada County has a different vision of what we should be working on or producing, for example economic development. The ERC was tasked with developing an comprehensive economic development plan, but every reader/reviewer wants to add their own favorite programs: going green, world class retirement community, more high tech, more eco-tourism, more of this and more of that. It is clear we lack a coherent vision of what we want our community to be in 10 years.

One of our first tasks should be develop a community vision for what we want our community to be in ten years. Then with a clear vision we can apply efficacy.  We can work together to create our shared vision.
All past efforts to come up with with a shared vision have failed. I wonder if Steve has the secret sauce for solving this problem?

Local Contractors at Sierra College Nevada County Campus

Russ Steele

Many local residence will remember the promises that were made during the Measure G campaign to use local contractors on the expansion of our local college campus. We were all highly disappointed when no local contractors were use in Phase I of the NCC Expansion and Renovations Project.

Now Stephanie Ortz, Executive Dean of Sierra College Nevada County Campus in responding to a question about the use of local labor, materials and subcontracts on the NCC Expansion and Renovations Project, Phase 2 has provided a list of local contractors working on the project.

Approximately two-thirds of the value of the subcontract work for Measure G/Phase 2 has been awarded to local subcontractors and suppliers, including the following:
 
    •    Ace Welding
    •    Black Bart Ornamental Iron
    •    Bold Image Sign and Crane
    •    Brewer Refrigeration
    •    C & D Contractors
    •    Daves Landscape
    •    DMCE Concrete
    •    Foothill Painting
    •    Gray Electric
    •    Hansen Brothers
    •    Moule Paint & Glass
    •    Nelson Engineering
    •    Patterson Fire Equipment
    •    Reeds Locksmithing
    •    Shefs Plumbing
    •    Spring Tile
    •    Youngs Carpet
    •    The Cabinet Company
    •    Grass Valley Sign
    •    Fergusons
    •    Hills Flat Lumber
    •    R.J. Miles
    •    B & C
    •    Caseywood
    •    A to Z Supply
    •    Gold-N-Green

ERC/New Business Network Survey

Russ Steele

The ERC's Nevada County New Business Net work is conducting a short CONFIDENTIAL survey of young professionals and entrepreneurs from or currently living in Nevada County. The ERC/NCNBN's goal is to determine the size and approximate make-up of this community of young entrepreneurs so that we can use the data to more effectively serve them. The survey can be found here. For more information contact Jesse Lockes at: jesse@ncerc.org

Copenhagen economic suicide - the California model

Russ Steele

Joel Kotkin writes The West's goals in Copenhagen are tantamount to suicide.

Whatever the results of the Copenhagen conference on climate change, one thing is for sure: Draconian reductions on carbon emissions will be tacitly accepted by the most developed economies and sloughed off by many developing ones. In essence, emerging economies get to cut their "carbon" intensity--a natural product of their economic evolution--while we get to cut our throats.

Kotkin points out that California has become the model for this economic suicide.

You can get a glimpse of this future in high-unemployment California. Here a burgeoning regulatory regime tied to global warming threatens to turn the state into a total "no go" economic development zone. Not only do companies have to deal with high taxes, cascading energy prices and regulations, they now face audits of their impact on global warming. Far easier to move your project to Texas--or if necessary, China.

The Economic Resource Council has been charged with developing a comprehensive economic development plan for Nevada County. That is one hell of a challenge for Gil Mathew and the ERC Board given the growing California regulatory environment.

One hope on the horizon is Dan Logue's initiative to put AB32 on ice until California's economy recovers and unemployment is under 5.5%.  See this story in The Union for details on suspension of the Global Warming Solutions Act. 

Greg, when you can explain this get back to me.

Russ Steele

George and I often get bashed on a little known local blog. Here is an example by Greg Zaller.

I also marvel at Russ and and Rebane, the two R’s. They can read and write but fail at global warming arithmetic. How they can read a thermometer. explain that the explanation is wrong, and not notice that temperature is rising? That’s the important part. I can see them standing on the bow of a sinking ship debating if is a hole or an open valve. Of course they don’t think this has to do with them. They have ivory towers.

Greg, please explain this? What is it that George and I do not understand?


This is the plot of satellite global temperatures. Can you show me the rising temperatures since 2001. Really. Where?  Oh, you want the CRU Surface Temperatures. OK here they are?


Greg, when you have some facts on rising temperatures could you get back to me?  Just post little note in the comments.

More spread it around and hope for results

Russ Steele

The Union: County to form visitors and conference bureau

Nevada County will create a convention and visitors bureau to attract tourists countywide after the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to do so Tuesday morning. The board took the recommendations from a special committee it created to hire a marketing director for the new bureau and to seed it with $90,000 for the first year.

Another example of spreading the money around rather than have a coherent County wide marketing effort. The County, Cities and Business are funding multiple organizations, there is no coherent focus, just a shotgun effort to attract tourist and jobs to Nevada County. I wonder what the utility function for that strategy is?

Six Chambers of Commerce
    Grass Valley/Nevada County
    Nevada City
    Truckee/Donner
    South County
    Penn Valley
    Rough & Ready
   
Two Downtown Associations
    Grass Valley
    Nevada City
   
One Economic Resource Council

One Visitor and Conference Bureau

In these tight fiscal times for both business and government the BOS might think that we should be consolidating rather than spreading their limited resources around. I wonder what the Visitor and Conference Bureau utility function will be? I am assuming they will have some way to measure success to find out if our tax money will be well spent. I wonder what the utility function is for the Chambers, Downtown Associations and the ERC? Are we getting our moneys worth? How is their performance measured? Against what standard? Just asking!

More Wireless Broadband for Nevada County?

Russ Steele

Comcast announced last week that its partner Clearwire has raised enough funding to provide a “reasonable likelihood” that it will be able to build out wireless internet in all 39 states, where the cable company operates. "I believe . . . there is a reasonable likelihood that Clearwire is going to continue to build out the 4G network all over our markets," said Comcast’s Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts. Clearwire has said that it expects to cover as many as 120 million people by the end of 2010.

Comcast is a major provider of Broadband in Western Nevada County, the addition of WiMAX service will spread Broadband into currently unserved areas in the Western County. WiMAX is a wireless service that covers miles rather than feet and provides handoffs to moving platforms like cell towers. This will provide stiff competition to the small wireless Internet service providers currently filling the gaps between AT&T's DSL and the current Comcast Broadband services over their cable network.

This WiMAX expansion will also provide stiff competition for the Nevada County Connected project which has applied for a $13 million dollar grant under the ARRA Stimulus Program. NCC recently received approval for $1.3 million in funding from the California Advanced Service Fund, managed by the California Public Utilities Commission. Stay Tuned.