An assessment of regional growth management activity in central and western states: Working paper series--01-03

The results of numerous polls and several ballot initiatives show that Americans are highly supportive of policies designed to manage growth in their local communities. In response, increasing numbers of jurisdictions have adopted proposals designed to protect the environment, preserve the quality of life, and promote continued economic growth. At the same time, many municipalities and counties have adopted a regional perspective in order to manage growth in the broader community. Issues concerning transportation, urban sprawl, open space, and water usage impact all the communities in a built-up area. As a result, organizations that operate with a regional perspective have formed to address common problems and propose region-wide solutions to these issues. This paper reviews the activities of several organizations that have arisen in many of the western and central portions of the U.S. In each instance, the structure of the organization is reviewed along with its history and the goals and strategies that each has established. The premise common to most of these organizations is the use of a collaborative approach to manage growth within a region, and the adoption of smart-growth practices to address universal problems. These typically include a desire to promote continued growth while establishing policies and guidelines that preserve and protect natural resources and promote social justice. Some of these organizations rely more heavily on market-based approaches; others have adopted a more regulatory attitude. In the end, each region is trying to demonstrate how to compete in a new environment while maintaining its uniqueness and preserving those qualities that initially attracted residents to each region

Mental Health--Sex Offenders: The North Dakota Supreme Court Contemplates the Use of Self-Incriminating Statements While Denying a Petition for Discharge

In re G.R.H., 2008 ND 222, 758 N.W.2d 719In In re G.R.H., the North Dakota Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s order rejecting G.R.H.’s petition for discharge from commitment as a sexually dangerous individual. G.R.H.’s previous criminal history, his confessions during treatment, his diagnosis of anti-social personality disorder and sexual attraction to adolescents, and his lack of self-control satisfied the definition of a sexually dangerous individual. G.R.H. disclosed he had contact with previously unknown adolescent victims during a homework exercise and polygraph at a treatment center. In her concurrence, Justice Kapsner labeled these disclosures as self-incriminating statements. Distinguishing In re G.R.H. from Allen v. Illinois, Justice Kapsner explained that North Dakota’s sexually dangerous individual commitment jurisprudence allows a trial court to consider both refusal to disclose and disclosure of additional sexually predatory conduct as evidence of the need to continue commitment. Additionally, North Dakota law currently prohibits the use of final determinations of civil commitments as evidence in subsequent criminal proceedings, but North Dakota law is silent as to the use of evidence considered in order to determine whether someone is a sexually dangerous individual. In re G.R.H. has fueled challenges to civil commitments of sexually dangerous individuals based upon the use of self-incriminating statements. The facts of In re G.R.H. reveal the need to amend the commitment statutes to limit the use of self-incriminating statements disclosed during treatment to the hearing for determination of a sexually dangerous individual and prohibit the use of those statements in subsequent criminal proceedings

Spaceborne memory organization, phase 1 Final report

Application of associative memories to data processing for future space vehicle

Spaceborne memory organization Interim report

Associative memory applications in unmanned space vehicle

The effect of hydrocarbon contamination and mycorrhizal inoculation on poplar fine root dynamics

Quantifying the effects of hydrocarbon contamination on hybrid poplar fine root dynamics provides information about how well these trees tolerate the adverse conditions imposed by the presence of petroleum in the soil. Infection by ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi may benefit hybrid poplar growing in contaminated soils by providing greater access to water and nutrients and possibly inducing greater contaminant degradation. The overall objectives of this research were to: 1) investigate the relationship between the varying concentrations of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and nutrients across a hydrocarbon-contaminated site, as well as interactions between these contaminants and physical and chemical soil properties; 2) quantify the effects of these properties on the spatial and temporal patterns of fine root production for Griffin hybrid poplar (P. deltoids x P. petrowskyana c.v. Griffin); and (3) quantify the effect of ectomycorrhizal colonization on hybrid poplar fine root dynamics and N and P uptake when grown in diesel contaminated soil under controlled conditions. A minirhizotron camera provides a nondestructive approach for viewing roots in situ. This camera was used in both the field and growth chamber experiments to provide the data necessary for estimating fine root production. The field study was conducted at Hendon, SK, Canada. Twelve minirhizotron tubes were distributed across the field site and facilitated quantification of fine root production in areas of varying contamination levels. Residual hydrocarbon contamination was positively correlated with soil total C and N, which may suggest that the hydrocarbons remaining in the soil are associated with organic forms of these nutrients or increased microbial biomass. Total fine root production at the site was greater in the 0- to 20-cm depth (1.27 Mg/ha) than the 20- to 40-cm depth (0.51 Mg/ha) in 2004. Fine root production was stimulated by small amounts of hydrocarbon contamination at the field site. Nonlinear regression described fine root production as increasing linearly up to approximately 500 mg/kg TPH, then remaining constant as contamination increased. This trend was most pronounced in the 0- to 20-cm soil layer, with a (r&178; = 0.915). Stimulation of fine root production in the presence of hydrocarbons has significant implications for phytoremediation. If hybrid poplar can maintain increased root production in hydrocarbon contaminated soils, the rhizosphere effect will be exaggerated and increased degradation of contaminants is likely to occur. Under controlled conditions, colonization of hybrid poplar roots by the ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus tinctoriusincreased fine root production in a diesel contaminated soil (5000 mg diesel fuel/kg soil) compared to non-colonized trees growing in the same soil. Fine root production was 56.6 g/m&178; in the colonized treatment and 22.6 g/m&178; in the non-colonized treatment. In diesel contaminated/ECM colonized treatment, hybrid poplar leaf N and P concentrations after 12 wk were 23.1 and 3.6 g/kg, respectively. In diesel contaminated/non-colonized treatment, N and P concentrations were 15.7 and 2.7 g/kg, respectively. After 12 wk, 5.0&37; of the initial concentration of diesel fuel remained in the soil of the non-colonized treatment and 6.7&37; remained in the colonized treatment. Both treatments removed more contaminants from the soil than an unplanted control, which contained 8.9&37; of the initial diesel fuel concentration after 12 wk. Significantly more hydrocarbons were found sequestered in hybrid poplar roots from the colonized treatment (354.1 mg/kg) than in the non-colonized treatment (102.2 mg/kg). The results of this study indicate that hybrid poplar may be good candidates for use in phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons because of the stimulation of fine root production at low levels of hydrocarbon contamination. However, colonization of hybrid poplar growing in diesel contaminated soil by P. tinctorius inhibited remediation of diesel fuel

An examination of recent migration to Arizona: Working paper series--10-13

In the decades leading up to the current recession Arizona's population growth was among the fastest in the nation, with net domestic inmigration a major source of growth. In this paper we use Internal Revenue Service county migration data to examine migration flows to Arizona between 2006 and 2007. We examine both inmigration and net migration for Arizona counties and focus on the attraction of Arizona to outmigrants from other counties in the United States as well as from other states as a whole. We also examine migration flows with respect to distance from Arizona and location-specific factors in the origin and destination counties that impact migration decisions. Our findings revealed interesting differences among Arizona's counties in terms of overall net migration and origin states. While distance effects were significant, maps of the residuals from the regression models revealed regional clusters that indicate other factors also affect migration to Arizona. Comparisons of migration flows using the Rural-Urban Continuum Codes to classify origin and destination levels of urbanization reveal a tendency to move down the urban hierarchy when migrating to Arizona

Insect Prospects for 1964

Trouble expected from insecticide-resistant corn rootworms, corn borers and periodical cicadas plus heavy fly population. Weather to be big factor. Here are analyses and insect control recommendations

Insect Prospects for 1965

Western corn rootworm, black cutworm, corn borer are among crop insects to watch. Mosquito-borne encephalitis has been increasing and warrants protective measures for both humans and livestock