Tim Halbur

<p>Parkersburg, IA, reeling from a recent tornado that devastated the town, could look to nearby Charles City for a silver lining.</p>

<p>Noah Radford of Space Syntax gave an interesting presentation on the possible future of "spimes", objects like bricks that are given self-awareness in space and time (hence, spime) and what such objects might mean for future planning and design.</p>

<p>Dimitri Roussopoulos of Urban Ecology and Capital Councillor Clive Doucet make the case that city planning in Ottawa ignores the smart growth plan in place, is driven by economics, and is not in the best interest of communities.</p>

<p>Humboldt's port shows promise, but would require massive investment. Goldman Sachs expresses an interest, surprising locals.</p>

<p>Asphalt is a byproduct of oil production, and so is getting more expensive along with rising oil costs. A $5 million research project is looking for greener solutions.</p>