Upcoming events of interest

• WaterVision Conference (May 22, Durham County)
• Best Practices for Policing Gangs conference (May 12-13, Wake County)

'WaterVision: The Future of Water Resources in North Carolina' to be held May 22

• More information (PDF)

The southeastern United States has been in extreme drought for much of the first decade of the 21st century. The rapid growth of our state means that millions more citizens will need water in the next 20 years. Can our water supply meet this vastly increased demand, given the real possibility of more and deeper droughts?

Citizens are looking to their local leaders for answers. How can elected officials contribute to the resilience and sustainability of their community’s water supply? What changes can we make to prepare for water demands in the future?

The NCACC is serving as a co-sponsor for “WaterVision: The Future of Water Resources in North Carolina,” a School of Government program to be held May 22 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in Durham County.

This mini-conference, offered through the Local Elected Leaders Academy, will present a “big picture” perspective on water resources in North Carolina and throughout the Southeast.

Visit www.sog.unc.edu/courses/0585/index.html for more details and registration information.

Gang violence prevention focus of May 12-13 conference

N.C. State University, the N.C. Governor's Crime Commission and the Raleigh Police Department will host a statewide conference May 12-13 on recent research and on-the-ground efforts to highlight best practices for responding to gang problems. Although the conference, titled “Best Practices for Policing Gangs,” is focused on law enforcement executives, local government officials will benefit from learning more about effective approaches for responding to gang problems.

Presentations from national and North Carolina local agencies will include:

• Highlights of the "High Point Model," featuring the efforts of the High Point, N.C., Police Department, which received a national award for best practices in violence reduction;
• "Why 'Lock 'em Up' Strategies Aren't Enough to Solve Gang Problems," by "Buddy" Howell of the National Youth Gang Center;
• A panel discussion on "Getting Serious about Gang Prevention" that features prevention programs from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, the N.C. Center for Prevention of School Violence, and the New Hanover Sheriff's Office Gang Task Force;
• Updates and applications of North Carolina's statewide GangNet intelligence database, a proactive tool for investigating gang crime; and
• A candid assessment by Darrel Stephens, chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, titled "The bottom line – how well are we really doing in reducing gang problems."

The conference will be held at the McKimmon Center on the campus of N.C. State University in Raleigh. Advance registration is required. For more information and to register, visit psli.chass.ncsu.edu/conference/index.htm.