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JAN
5 2005
* Charlevoix: Website to
'feature' parents behind in child support
Charlevoix County Sheriff George T. Lasater is
teaming up with officials with the county's Friend of the
Court office to use the Internet to help track down people
who are behind on their child support payments. According to
a news release, beginning this week the sheriff's office Web
site will feature a person each month who is wanted on a
non-payment arrest warrant. Lasater said the Web page, which
can be found at www.charlevoixcounty.org/sheriff.asp,
will include a photograph, description, information and
amount the person owes. The sheriff's office will also offer
a reward of $50 to the person who submits information that
leads to the arrest of the featured person.
Source: Petoskey News-Review, http://www.petoskeynews.com/articles/2005/01/05/news/local_regional/news03.txt
JAN
6 2005
* Canton: Canton's Web site
keeps residents connected
"Information in three clicks or less."
That's the motto of Lori Rysdorp, Canton Township's Web
designer. "People scan Web sites, they don't read
them," she said. "They want information quickly,
with as little distraction as possible." She updates
the site daily to keep it current and relevant, and has
"beefed up" the homepage (www.canton-mi.org)
since taking over the job in August 2004. According to
Rysdorp, the target audience for the township Web site
includes more than just current residents. It also includes
businesses, builders, contractors, media and future
residents. The most popular sections are employment, the
property tax and assessment database and the media release
section. Rysdorp said the garbage pickup portion of the site
also gets plenty of visitors.
Source: Canton Observer, http://www.hometownlife.com/Hometownlife/NewsSearch.asp?pageType=Story&StoryID=78498
*
Jackson County: New system helps officials map county
With the click of a computer mouse, road
commissioners or township officials can find property
information that once took hours of research. Maps that
merge zoning, soil quality, voting patterns or any number of
factors can be printed in minutes. By next year those will
be joined by aerial maps, partly three-dimensional, of the
entire county. The information explosion is the result of
the Jackson Community Geographic Information System, or GIS.
The nearly two-year effort aims to bring together worlds of
information, giving people in local government the tools to
make decisions and do their jobs better.
Source: Jackson Citizen Patriot, http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1105031140197860.xml?jacitpat?NEJ
*
West Bloomfield: Course helps moms hone skills, gain
confidence for job market
Orthodox Jewish women find support in new course in
computer at the year-old David B. Hermelin ORT Resource
Center inside the Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield. "We need a skilled workforce, so to the
extent ORT can bring its global expertise and
technology-based education to this community, we're happy to
do this," said Patti Aaron, chairwoman of the Hermelin
center's advisory board.
Source: Detroit Free Press, http://www.freep.com/news/cfp/8/xorth6x_20050106.htm
JAN
9 2005
* Grand Ledge: City first in
state for broadband over power lines
A New York company is opening an office in the city
to be the first in Michigan to offer broadband access to the
Internet over power lines. The high speed system will be
available to the city's businesses and residents in
early-to-late spring. The service will be offered by David
Shpigler, president of the Shpigler Group, a consulting firm
that specializes in advising utility companies. Grand Ledge
was selected to be the first place to deploy broadband over
power lines technology because it is centrally located and
because it is served by Consumers Energy.
Source: Grand Ledge Independent, http://www.hometownlife.com/Hometownlife/NewsSearch.asp?pageType=Story&StoryID=79380
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Garden City: Handhelds put prints, mugshots on 'the
street'
During traffic stops, an officer can take a
photograph and fingerprints of suspects to verify their
identity and check their criminal record, all within minutes
and without going to the police station. Garden City Police
will soon have that capability as part of the increasing
technology and database sharing local police departments
have through the Courts and Law Enforcement Management
Information System. The system, known as CLEMIS, is
connected to the state database and through the state to the
federal database. Eventually, an officer in the field will
have a handheld unit to photograph and fingerprint the
suspect, then use a mobile in-car computer to access state
and national databases to get information on that person.
Detectives working inside the police department will be able
to access the databases at their desks, rather than having
to use a centrally located dedicated computer terminal as
has been the case.
Source: Garden City Observer, http://www.hometownlife.com/Hometownlife/NewsSearch.asp?pageType=Story&StoryID=79064;
Related story: Farmington Observer, http://www.hometownlife.com/Hometownlife/NewsSearch.asp?pageType=Story&StoryID=79050
JAN
11 2005
* Rochester: Hospital's
addition is just part of bigger plan
In addition to a major construction project,
Lynn Orfgen, president and CEO of the medical center said,
"We are in the process of installing a new $13 million
computer system for the whole hospital." Eventually,
Orfgen sees an all electronic medical records operation,
which he said will hopefully cut down on errors and the
misreading of doctor and staff hand-written notes.
"Also," he said, "physicians will have the
ability to pull down (on computers) information from their
homes or offices, but it will be done securely to protect
patient confidentiality."
Source: The Oakland Press, http://theoaklandpress.com/stories/011105/loc_20050111010.shtml
JAN
12 2005
* Ann Arbor: Ocean-going
teacher
Science teacher Judy Malley was overseeing a lesson
Monday morning that involved dropping grapes, packing
peanuts and LEGO pieces into a beaker of vegetable oil,
water and corn syrup. By the end of the week though, she'll
have left room 131 at Ann Arbor's Clague Middle School for a
three-week Caribbean cruise. It won't be a typical cruise
though, or even a vacation. Instead, Malley will be taking
photos, collecting data and answering e-mail questions from
students nationwide while she travels the ocean with about
20 scientists and crew members aboard a 204-foot research
ship called the "Seward Johnson."
Source: Ann Arbor News, http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1105542601248690.xml?aanews?NEA
JAN
13 2005
* Pleasant Ridge: City's Web
site pulled off-line for overhaul
Check out your city's Web site. Chances are, it'll let you
click on a link that shows you the next council meeting
agenda. It'll probably also remind you to mark your calendar
for the party at the recreation center and maybe even let
you download a permit for that home-improvement project. The
Web site for Pleasant Ridge doesn't do any of that -- for
now. Pleasant Ridge officials said they hope to debut a
revamped site by the middle of this year that will provide
contact names and phone numbers, information on local
volunteer groups and the book of city codes to address
questions about building and zoning.
Source: Detroit Free Press, http://www.freep.com/news/cfp/13/sweb13s_20050113.htm
*
Center Line: 3D Animation class brings creativity to
life
If someone enjoys computer technology and learning
a new career with potential financial rewards, then 3D
Animation is the class to take. The program has been in
existence three years. Richard Dziurda, Center Line High
School Vocational Department chairman, heads the program,
aided by fellow teacher Steve Martines. 3D Animation is a
year-long class worth two credits toward graduation.
Consortium students work on 3D modeling to create virtual
landscapes, houses, airplanes and cars.
Source: Macomb Daily, http://macombdaily.com/stories/011305/loc_animate001.shtml
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Ann Arbor: Laptops for Scarlett students
Starting next week, students at Scarlett Middle School in
Ann Arbor will get new laptop computers as part of an
initiative to make the school's student-computer ratio one
to one. The 600 student laptops will be distributed Tuesday,
Wednesday and next Thursday during mandatory meetings for
Scarlett students and their parents. Each family is being
asked to pay a $50 fee per computer, half as a user fee and
half as a deposit that will be refunded when the computer is
returned at the end of the school year. Scarlett families
who can't pay the fee will still be able to get the laptops
for their children, administrators said Wednesday.
Source: Ann Arbor News, http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1105630856299790.xml?aanews?NEA
*
Dowagiac: IT center still SMC (Southwestern Michigan
College) goal
Southwestern Michigan College continues to
aggressively pursue funding for creation of an Information
Technology (IT) certification center, President Dr. David M.
Mathews reported to the Board of Trustees Tuesday night.
Goal of this center will be to provide IT training and
certification beyond what is currently available anywhere in
the region. This center will be designed to serve individual
students, businesses and the community.
Source: Dowagiac Daily News, http://www.leaderpub.com/articles/2005/01/13/news/dowagiac_news/dnnews4.txt
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Sylvan Township: Municipal Web site takes shape
A new Web site for Sylvan Township, located online
at www.twp-sylvan.org,
recently launched. Although the site is in its infancy and
has room for development, it already includes an aerial
photo of the township, contact information for township
staff and committees as well as other local governmental
bodies, job postings, and links to other local Web sites of
interest to Sylvan Township residents. Among the sites are
the Chelsea Area Fire Authority and the Western Washtenaw
Recycle Authority. Washtenaw County provides hosting,
infrastructure, technical support and training for the Web
site free of charge to the township.
Source: Chelsea Standard/Dexter Leader, http://www.chelseastandard.com/news/20050113C09ISPR.asp?ID=162
*
Belleville: SMS (South Middle School) gets new lab
and computers for students
Students of South Middle School are benefiting from the
generosity of local businesses. At the Nov. 8 board of
education meeting, Principal William Houston accepted nearly
$50,000 in donations from Visteon, Cisco and IBM to
re-establish the school's computer lab. "With hardware
and software of this caliber, our students will be able to
have the necessary classroom training to develop information
technology skills to talk them forward into the 21st
century," Houston said at the November meeting.
"Such business and school relationships are paramount
to the development and training of our students and their
future as employees of such respected corporations."
Source: The View, http://www.bellevilleview.com/stories/011305/loc_20050113014.shtml
JAN
16 2005
* Dearborn: Education is now
24-7
Dearborn schools are using some smart thinking when
it comes to helping students. The district announced that
soon, eighth through 12th-grade students will be able to use
an online tutoring service called SMARTHINKING from any
Internet connection, to access live tutors 24 hours a day,
seven days a week. Students can log on and get one-on-one
help from "e-structors" with math, science,
writing and even get their questions answered in Spanish.
Shana Heikes, account manager for SMARTHINKING said the
company, based in Washington D.C., is working with about 18
school districts, libraries and 200 colleges and
universities nationwide. Dearborn is the first school
district in Michigan to offer the program, Heikes said.
Source: Press ande Guide, http://www.pressandguide.com/stories/011605/loc_20050116001.shtml
*
Westland: New computer would link city departments
Westland city leaders are embarking on a new technology plan
that will streamline city business and ultimately improve
services for residents. Using $247,850 in cable-TV franchise
fees, city officials plan to start implementing a new
computer system that will link city buildings and make it
easier for employees to communicate. The plan will
dramatically boost e-mail capabilities and allow departments
to quickly share information about issues ranging from
broken water lines to building department documents to which
streets need snowplowing. Eventually, as other
technology phases are implemented, local residents will be
able to pay their taxes and water bills online or handle
other business, such as getting a pet license, Westland City
Councilman James Godbout said. The new computer system and
software will follow a city effort to install fiber optic
lines that will make the improvements possible.
Source: Westland Observer, http://www.hometownlife.com/Hometownlife/NewsSearch.asp?pageType=Story&StoryID=80504
JAN
17 2005
* Saline: Heritage students
explore business with e-mentors
Some adults might find revelations about new
puppies, Christmas gifts and planned vacations trivial, but
for 10-year-olds, such information is crucial. It's what
fifth-graders at Saline's Heritage Elementary School choose
to share with their mentors in the business world. And
that's fine with the adults who read the students' e-mails.
The Web designers at Fry, Inc. in Pittsfield Township didn't
really expect questions about html code. Fry is one of three
Saline area businesses participating in a pilot e-mail
mentoring program with two classes at Heritage. McNaughton
& Gunn Inc., a book manufacturer, and St. Joseph Mercy
Saline Hospital are also participating, said Kristin Judge,
program coordinator. The students and mentors have exchanged
e-mail three times and met in person Thursday. The goal is
to help students improve their writing skills as well as
develop a positive relationship with a working adult, Judge
said.
Source: Ann Arbor News, http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-11/110597648159900.xml?aanews?NEA
*
Royal Oak: Hospital sites easy way to share news
Beaumont Hospital is offering a new service offered
to its patients -- a secure, password-protected Web site
they could use to share the latest progress reports and post
pictures. The free service is called CarePages, and Beaumont
is one of more than 100 hospitals around the country that
uses the service. Besides patient updates -- which are
posted like a blog, or online journal -- a message board
displays comments from well-wishers. There are also links to
send thank-you notes to hospital workers. But it's the photo
gallery feature that is probably the most visited part of
the sites, especially for newborns. The CarePages service is
as popular with the hospital as it is with patients and
family members. With information online, there are fewer
phone calls for hospital operators and nursing staff to
field.
Source: Detroit Free Press, http://www.freep.com/money/tech/mwendland17e_20050117.htm
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Clarkston: Clarkston kids send message about bullying
with DVDs
Use friendship to combat bullying. That's the message a
group of local sixth-grade boys wants to get across as the
children write and perform scenes for their newly produced
series of DVDs focusing on virtues. The students from
Everest Academy hope their efforts will not only spread
among the student body at their own school, but also make
waves elsewhere. More than 100 copies of the first DVD have
been distributed, and the 20-minute program is running on
Media Network of Waterford (Channel 10), a public access
channel for Waterford Township, through this month.
Source: Detroit News, http://www.detnews.com/2005/schools/0501/17/C04-61159.htm
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