If regional policy is an episode of "Iron Chef," 2012 was the year of the kitchen prep.

There's a lot coming down the road, but most of the work at Metro in the past year was setting the stage for the future, chopping the carrots and peeling the onions before a meal is served.

Here's a look back at what made news at Metro in 2012.

Rex Burkholder may have served the last 12 years on the Metro Council, but he's spent more than two decades working on the issues confronted by the regional government. He's worked on sustainability as an educator and a recycling advocate, he helped establish the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and he worked with 1000 Friends of Oregon.

His term-limited tenure representing northern Portland on the Metro Council ends Monday. Last week, Metro News talked to Burkholder (and fellow term-limited Councilor Carl Hosticka) about their experiences as Metro councilors.

Carl Hosticka leaves no doubt that he's a regionalist. As a political science professor at the University of Oregon and a state legislator from Lane County, Hosticka helped shape Metro's formative structures; he moved to the region in the 1990s before running for Metro Council in 2000.

Visitors still have a few more evenings to brighten the holiday season at the Oregon Zoo. ZooLights, the zoo’s winter wonderland of sparkling lights and brilliant hues runs through Monday, Dec. 31 – after that, it’s lights out for another year.

Once you’ve taken down the lights, packed up the ornaments and swept up all the tinsel, what do you do with the tree? It’s easy to recycle at the curb with your yard debris, or through a local nonprofit. Metro can tell you how.

It's an important question. Metro is under a state mandate to come up with a plan to significantly curb tailpipe emissions in the Portland region by 2035. The planning is still in the early stages, but one of the of the leading ideas is creating a strategy to increase regional journeys of less than six miles roundtrip by bike to 30 percent of all trips.

News and blogosphere references for the week of Dec. 17-24, 2012.

Whatever holiday you celebrate, if there are gifts still to give and if it’s the 11th hour, fear not – Metro natural gardening specialist Carl Grimm shared tips on KATU’s AM Northwest today that could save your day, your pocketbook, and a little bit of the planet too.

Wondering how to install signs in your community directing walkers and cyclists to local businesses? Interested in creating activities that encourage people to get out of their cars and walk, ride or take transit? If so, your city, public agency or nonprofit organization may be eligible for a Regional Travel Options grant.

Certain Metro facilities will be closed to the public on Christmas and New Years Day.