A town planner from Brisbane, Australia, has been crowned the beauty-queen face of an annual open-air motor racing event.
"Marieka Van Den Bergh is the 2008 Bartercard Miss Indy. The 22-year-old blonde beauty from Belmont, Brisbane, was crowned last night before hundreds of Nikon Indy 300 VIPs at the Indy Gala Ball at Conrad Jupiters Casino."
"Marieka instantly became the new face of the Nikon Indy 300 and an ambassador for naming sponsor Bartercard for the next 12 months."

Read the full story: Planner scoops Miss Indy crown
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Colorado’s Largest Data Center Could Rise Next to Homes — Without a Public Hearing
The proposed campus would consume 11 times the power of Denver International Airport; as it has across the country, opposition mounts.
Community feedback ushers in changes to NYC’s Park Avenue redesign
New aspects of the design include a two-way bike lane and separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians.
Road safety in Charlotte, NC, a 'public health crisis'
Twelve serious or fatal crashes happen in the region every week. Since 2021, over 900 people have been killed in accidents.
Federal judge strikes down DOE orders to keep Michigan power plant open past retirement date
The decision is one of the first successful legal challenges to President Trump’s “national energy emergency” ruling, which instructs federal agencies to use emergency powers to increase fossil fuel production.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
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Eagle County Government
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The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello