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November 2005 Theif River Falls The Technology Workshop Series is underway and will be offered twice. Workshop titles include Get Broadband – General Information, Internet Workshop I – Brief Introduction to the Internet, Internet Workshop II – Developing Your Own Webpage, E-Commerce Workshop I – Planning Your Small Business Website, and E-Commerce Workshop II – Making Your Business Known On-Line. The Workshops are open to the public, and to date have been filled to capacity! The Thief River Falls Get Broadband project is planning to give away ten complete computer systems along with many free subscriptions to high-speed internet. Workshop participants are eligible to register and the lucky winners will be announced at the January 21, 2006Technology Fair. The Workshop Series will end on December 1 st. Visit our website at www.visitthiefriverfalls.com/getbroadband/ to learn more. The Windom Blandin Committee has completed their late summer/fall curriculum of computer education classes. Community Ed has incorporated the classes into their program, will coordinate registration and advertise them in their quarterly Community Ed booklet. The local access channel and the cable connection will also advertise the classes. Many local educators have been identified and their talents shared with the community. The most well attended class has been the Safe Surfing class. The class provides information on detection and removal of spyware, spam, e-mail viruses. The Committee is already planning the winter curriculum, which will include a class on webcam and classes taught by instructors from the U of M and the Science Museum. The community computer lab has been utilized during the classes and by the computer club. In late September committee members will meet with the Senior Citizens Club to discuss computers in their senior room and volunteers to monitor the computer lab. The Committee is also
working with the local hospital administration for consideration of including
space in their master facility planning for virtual visits for Outreach
Services. Cambridge is getting organized. Both the Isanti County News and Star newspapers printed press releases informing the public of the Blandin survey, which was conducted the week of October 24th. The Chamber Friday News Facts alerted business to the phone survey. Jackie Moen of Training Connections has been selected to be the consultant for the Cambridge Broadband Project. The first meeting of the Steering Committee is scheduled for November 10th or 14th. Four classes have
been organized as a part of the Community Education programs. “What’s
the Big Deal About Broadband? (Informational sessions) will be held on
February 7th and March 6th. “Broadband: Check It Out!” (hands
on classes) will be held on February 9th and March 9th. Sue Olson, Jacqui Nagel, Sandy Plante and Nancy Poradish attended a city council meeting to introduce the Get Broadband program and explain the “hot spot” in Grand Marais. The information provided to the city council was well received. The International Falls steering committee hosted two community presentations by Frontier and Charter Communications that were targeted at the business community. Unfortunately attendance was light. Both presenters did a wonderful job explaining the basics of broadband, their new and improved services for quick set ups for businesses and Frontier’s Managed Business Server. Two business seminars on effective web design and internet marketing are scheduled for November and will include a hands-on demonstration. Christa and Tricia Heibel of CH Consulting present the internet marketing seminar.
Cohasset - Setting goals and planning community events October 10th was the Technology Fair for Cohasset and what a day it was. Seven educational sessions, twelve exhibitors, great food, door prizes and an audience – the Cohasset Steering Committee is pleased with the outcome. The event offered something for everyone, and drew everyone from young children to older seniors. One attendee was nervous about ordering printer supplies on-line but Cohasset coordinator Conrad Feldt showed her how easy it was and dispelled her anxiety. Cohasset is continuing the Technology Nights. Attendance is always a guess, but those attending have found it to be a “great” thing. Someone wrote an editorial to the paper saying “I think it is great what the city of Cohasset is doing with the “Get Broadband Project.” They were referring to the Technology Nights. The committee is now working with one of the local ISP’s on the next project, which will be included in the next edition of e-news. The Grand Rapids area Steering Committee has met all three of the original goals set with the initiative! The last goal was accomplished by a lunch presentation to the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. The steering committee is very excited about the efforts made for this year and look forward to accomplishing some additional projects in 2006. The committee will be meeting in November to discuss plans for 2006. The Grand Rapids & Cohasset broadband committees co-hosted the November 7 Chamber Luncheon. Two members from the Grand Rapids Steering committee will be attending and participating at the St Cloud Growing with Gigabits Conference. Prairie net Cluster Projects RFP’s where extended to October 19th, which resulted in 18 RFP’s submitted to the PNCP Steering Committee. The committee selected 10 projects and contracts were sent to those selected. The Steering Committee
included expansion of current Internet speed to Broadband levels, attendance
at ten training sessions, follow through with stated business plan and
allow access for one year to PNCP committee for evaluation as stipulations
for approval. Training sessions will be held in Minneota and Tracy during
the month of November. Contracts for the training sessions with Minnesota
West were secured. Committee member John DeCramer was excited about the
interest and the diversity of projects.” I feel like we have made
substantial progress in getting small businesses attention to this important
issue,” said John. |
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