Open Spaces Newsletter, Winter 2009

Life Changes

For those also seeking jobs in these challenging times, remember that the alumni and career offices of colleges and professional schools have current, active programs to help their graduates (no matter how long ago you graduated) find positions and network with other grads who may have positions available.

Reading and Writing

Update on the Northwest

Two of the most frequently sought out articles on the Open Spaces website are

Publishing in the Northwest by Debby Garman and

Northwest Publishers by Kristine Ekman.

Both of these articles contain a list of leading publishers located in the Northwest. We have just updated these lists to reflect changes in the industry.

Reading

For those seeking a deeper understanding of the issues behind the headlines, see www.aaupnet.org/booksforunderstanding.html from the Association of American University Presses.

Also, visit NPR's 2009 book suggestions from independent booksellers and a list of "Best Cookbooks," etc.

Writing

For information on the winter gathering at the Fishtrap Center for western writing, see www.fishtrap.org/winter.shtml.

For information on writers' events scheduled for 2010, see www.writersconf.org/cal/fulllisting.php#2010.

For writers' events specific to the Pacific Northwest, see www.writersconf.org/memdir/dirPnw.php.

For current activities of Northwest Association of Book Publishers, visit www.nwabp.org.

River Restoration

Draft Klamath Hydroelectrc Settlement Agreement
In the Klamath Basin, overallocation of a limited amount of water has sparked conflicts among various interest groups. In this area, that spans the Oregon-California border, those whose cultures and livelihoods depend on irrigation have historically been in conflict with those whose cultures and livelihoods depend upon fishing and others who would preserve native species. Recently, the realization of the interdependence of economic recovery with ecological restoration has lead to a search for common ground.

This fall, PacifiCorp--the hydroelectric company that operates the dams and distributes the water--local, state, tribal and federal partners reached an agreement, that will be available for public review, and that establishes a process through which the Secretary of the Dept. of the Interior would investigate the costs and benefits of dam removal. The plan would set in motion one of the most ambitious efforts in U.S. history to restore the habitat of a federally protected species if it receives final approval by the parties in December, as expected.

The Draft Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement contains a proposal to remove four dams on the Klamath River. The Draft Agreement is to work in tandem with a separate Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement that includes provisions for irrigation water allocations, delivery of water for national wildlife refuges, the rebuilding of fish populations and assistance to impacted communities.

View a copy of the Draft Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement and additional documents regarding these negotiations.

For an entertaining and enlightening discussion of the history and context of the inhabitants of the Klamath Basin, see River of Renewal: Myth and History in the Klamath Basin by Stephen Most.

A history of the conflicts over water allocation in the Klamath Basin are summarized in “Running on Empty: There Isn't Enough To Go Around” by Daniel Jack Chasan.

Check out articles and photos of the removal of Marmot Dam on the Sandy River.

Mark Your Calendars

For admirers of the art of Deborah DeWit, which includes the staff of Open Spaces where her work has appeared frequently, there will be showing of her new work at the Waterstone Gallery in Portland, OR from January 6-24, 2010. There will also be a premiere of Wetlands, a film about art and the environment co-produced by Deborah Dewit and Carl Vandervoort at the Hollywood Theater in Portland on January 10 at 4 PM. More information on both events will soon be available on DeWit's website (www.dewit-marchant.com).

Just for Fun

For free downloads of sudoku puzzles, visit www.websudoku.com. You can print out all levels of difficulty in large size for those of you who don't like to squint or cramp fingers from writing in all those little squares, or for an extra challenge guaranteed to drive you crazy, you can do them in your head online.

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