A Broadband Future: Your Community, Your Voice

Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:29:47 -0400
From: Sam Groce
Subject: High Speed and Broadband Public Hearings

A Broadband Future: Your Community, Your Voice

Do you have ideas about how to increase Internet access and usage throughout North Carolina?

We’re listening…

In follow-up to the recently released Baller Herbst report, the e-NC Authority is planning a series of eight community summits to be held across the state in September 2008. We invite you to join us at one of these regional summits to provide local-level ideas on how to increase Internet access and usage for citizens. The findings from these summits will be included in a strategic Internet plan under development by the e-NC Authority, which will be presented to the N.C. General Assembly and the House Select Committee on High-Speed Internet in Rural Areas during the 2009-2011 legislative session.

Summits are free and open to the public, and lunch will be provided at no charge. However, space is limited at each facility, so please register in advance here, or contact Carol Torian with the e-NC Authority at (919) 250-4314 or .

Thursday, Sept. 4 – CASWELL Co.                   Monday, Sept. 15 – MECKLENBURG Co.
10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.                                       10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Caswell County Courthouse                                Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County
Historic Room                                                    Main Library Branch, Francis Auditorium (Parking)
144 Court Square                                               310 North Tryon St.
Yanceyville, NC 27379                                        Charlotte, NC 28202

Friday, Sept. 5 – PASQUOTANK Co.                Tuesday, Sept. 16 – JACKSON Co.
10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.                                       10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
The College of the Albemarle                               Western Carolina University
Auditorium                                                         Ramsey Regional Activity Ctr., Hospitality Room
1208 North Road Street                                      1601 Ramsey Center
Elizabeth City, NC 27906                                    Cullowhee, NC 28723

Monday, Sept. 8 – EDGECOMBE Co.                Monday, Sept. 22 – ALLEGHANY Co.
10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.                                       10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Edgecombe Community College                          Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation
McIntyre Auditorium                                           Conference Room
2009 West Wilson Street                                    1889 U.S. Highway 21 South
Tarboro, NC 27886                                             Sparta, NC 28675

Tuesday, Sept. 9 – BLADEN Co.                       Tuesday, Sept. 23 – CHATHAM Co.
10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.                                       10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Bladen County Cooperative Extension Ctr.           Central Carolina Community College
Auditorium                                                         Multi-Purpose Room
450 Smith Circle Drive                                        764 West Street, Building 2
Elizabethtown, NC 28337                                    Pittsboro, NC 27312
Why Should I Attend?
North Carolina, and much of the country, has been hard hit by the loss of economic mainstays – tobacco, textiles/apparel and manufacturing, and recovery from this has been slowed by lack of educational, physical and connectivity infrastructure resources needed to support the transition to a knowledge-based economy. There is currently a critical need for broadband expansion in North Carolina and across the United States. As the world moves to a truly global economy, access to broadband infrastructure is vital in order for communities to become and remain competitive and participate in the global market. The rural areas of North Carolina, as well as the United States as a whole, are being left behind.

Brought to you by the e-NC Authority. Created by the N.C. General Assembly, the e-NC Authority is dedicated to increasing prosperity for North Carolina citizens and businesses by creating jobs through technology-based economic development, which requires a broadband Internet platform for success. To unsubscribe from future messages about this event, please send an e-mail to . For more information about the event, please contact Cary Edgar at (919) 250-4314 or . For details about registration, please contact Carol Torian at (919) 250-4314 or .

Samuel E. Groce
Extension Agent – Agriculture
Livestock & Forages, Field Crops, Pesticide Education
Chatham County Center
N.C. Cooperative Extension
North Carolina State University
45 South Street
Post Office Box 279
Pittsboro, NC  27312
Telephone:  919.542.8202 FAX:  919.542.8246
e-mail:  mailto:
http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu

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