North Dakota

The Griggs-Steele Empowerment Zone Tourism Committee is hosting this conference for all interested on March 27, 2008 from 9-4 PM at the Cornerstone Community Church in Cooperstown, ND.  The one-day conference will focus on providing tourism related information to anyone interested in learning more about opportunities in the tourism industry.  Pre-registration is required and a fee of $25 is requested for each participant.  Horizon’s communities can use their local budgets to attend this informative event.

Beyond Tourism Brochure

Steele, ND will host a regional housing roundtable on Thursday, April 10, 2008 from noon - 3 PM.  Lunch will be served at noon for attendees and we ask that you register for the session by April 3 to help plan for numbers.  Registration can be done by calling Alva Schoepp at 701-475-2133 or e-mailing her at steelecc@bektel.com.  This roundtable will help participants learn about solutions for rural community housing needs and all are welcome. 

Steele Roundtable Invitation

Randy Parry and Kathy Callies of Miner County, South Dakota will share information on how their community has reversed 90+ years of population decline to population increases being predicted by the SD Governor’s Office of Economic Development.  Miner County’s grassroots efforts have been similar to those Horizon’s communities have taken so please consider attending their presentation to learn more about what they have done. 

To be held in Gackle at the American Legion from 7-9 PM on March 6th and in four videoconferencing sites from 10-12 AM on March 7th.  Video sites include Bismarck, Wahpeton, Devils Lake and Watford City.  Please refer to the brochure for more information on where these sites are and pre-registering to attend a site.

Miner County Story Brochure

Hamburger Helper (yes the hotdish mix), provides grants of up to $15,000 for community projects.  They are giving away a total of $100,000 this spring so please check out www.myhometownhelper.com if you are intersted in learning more. Yet another way to potentially finance the great things happening in your towns.

The Dig Into Tourism Conference held on March 11, 2008 in Devils Lake has a slight time change I was just informed of.  Please note that the new start time is 9:00 am instead of 8:30 am as mentioned earlier.  You are still welcome to arrive at 8:30 am to get registered and enjoy a continental breakfast.  The sessions will begin at 9:00. 

Dig Into Tourism Conference Brochure

With many questions coming in regarding this new thing called “Blogging”, I am beginning a new forum for your questions, comments, or anything else you want to get off your chest.  I am hoping this will be of interest and helpful to all.  I will also be putting up links to some interesting free programs that you may be able to use to help you in your Blogging.  Feel free to start a new message,  respond to a previous message, or whatever turns your crank. 

Just go to the Blogroll, on the right side of the page at northdakota.communityblogs.us , entitled “Questions and Answers for Bloggers“.

I will check back regularly for new posts, If I nod off a bit, feel free to shoot me an e-mail please!,  and I will get the question and answer posted as soon as I can. 

Mike.Miller@ndsu.edu

TTFN and I hope you are enjoying your Blogging experience!!

If you are attending this ND Housing Conference on Feb. 20-21,  you may want to consider staying for a post-conference session we just got set up.  Curt Heidt of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines will be at the Governor’s Room in the Ramkota Hotel from 2-5 PM to do a seminar on the Affordable Housing Program grants.  He will walk through the grant application with interested individuals and answer questions as needed.  There is NO CHARGE for this session and community members can certainly attend EVEN IF THEY DO NOT go to the ND Housing Conference.  Other communities in your region may also be interested and I would ask that you spread the word.  Please register with Sandy Erickson at 701-328-9718 by Feb. 15th.  More information in the  brochure linked below.

 Affordable Housing Program Grant Writing Seminar

On Feb. 15-16 in Carrington, ND, the ND Farmers Market & Growers Association will hold their 4th annual conference and member meeting.  The registration fee is $30 and I would encourage you to look at the brochure below for more information.

ND Farmers Market & Growers Association, Inc.

Hi to all North Dakota Horizons communities and I want to express my thanks and kudos to all for some very nice vision statements and community plans.  They all made their way to the Northwest Area Foundation yesterday and you should be very proud of how many people you had involved and the great work you all did!  From my quick caluculations - 3,930 North Dakotans participated in our community visioning.  Whether you used the Group Decision Center, did paper surveys or however you got that input, this number is pretty amazing!  - Lynette 

Nice work everyone on your blogs!  Mike is working on a little different instruction sheet so as new bloggers get signed up, there will be a picture of exactly what to type in and click on.  Watch for that!  Keep up the great work.