Business Notes Jan. 29

CAREER

Magazine editor next guest

for Lifelong Learning at CLC

Jodi Schwen, editor-in-chief of the Lake Country Journal Magazine, will share insight from her award-winning, 14-year writing career Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at Central Lakes College in Brainerd.

Schwen’s talk, “Sparking Your Creativity,” is part of the series hosted by the Center for Lifelong Learning based at CLC. The program will be held in room E151 near Entrance No. 6 (Business and Industry Center).

Where does creativity come from? How can one capture it? Schwen will demonstrate the value - and fun - of using words to express yourself. The goal of the program is to stimulate writers to preserve memories by blending written word and images to produce creative photo books, quilts, collages, and products of purpose and permanence.

Schwen has written a variety of stories, dramas, narratives, and documents journaling personal experiences and well-researched, individual histories.

She believes that each of us has a story (or stories) needing to be told. She supports the creative spark behind the stories and will use her workshop experience toward that end.

The speaker series hosted by the Center for Lifelong Learning is offered at no charge to those who become members of the public enrichment enterprise. Otherwise, admission is $5. For information, contact Bill Brekken, coordinator, at 855-8146 or email bbrekken@clcmn.edu .

Walz, Rathe join Cuyuna

Regional Medical Center

CROSBY - Dr. Joe Walz and Dr. Laura Rathe joined the Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby

Walz is medical director of the Emergency Department and serves as one of the emergency room staff physicians and Rathe joined the Internal Medicine Department.

Walz’s career in medicine started in Stillwater in 1985 as an Emergency Room physician. In 1987, Walz relocated his family to Aitkin and began practicing as a family medicine physician at the Ripple River Medical Center until 1996. That same year he began a new career at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd as a staff physician in their Emergency Medicine Department. He then served as the Emergency Department medical director at St. Joseph’s from 1998 to 2008. Walz also served the community of Pierz as a Family Medicine physician in 1999 until joining Cuyuna Regional Medical Center.

Rathe began her medical career studying at the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed residency at Emanual Hospital in Portland Ore. In 1990, she began an 11-year solo practice in Craig, Colo. before joining the Department of Internal Medicine at the Billings Clinic in Billings, Mont. where she practiced most recently for the past 10 years. Rathe joins current Internal Medicine physician Dr. Kuhlmann along with Gail Seeker, CNP, and the experienced Internal Medicine Department staff.

Seed grants available for energy efficent/renewable projects

The Clean Energy Resource Teams, or CERTs, are kicking off 2012 by announcing seed grant awards in each of their seven regions in Minnesota. Each region awarded $10,000 worth of seed grants, catalyzing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects across the state. The 27 grants fund projects that span a multitude of technologies and approaches, and the grantees are diverse, CERTs reported. Aside from pure implementation, many projects also include components of education, outreach, community building, and research.

Projects range from solar heating for mobile homes in Pine River to energy-conserving building controls for Jefferson Elementary in Winona; from a small wind turbine bulk purchase program across southern Minnesota to a solar hot water system for student housing at Vermillion Community College in Ely; from energy-efficient building improvements for city-owned buildings in East Grand Forks and Warren to the creation of clean energy community centers in Milan, Shakopee, and Oakdale; and from energy reduction programs in low-income, multi-family housing in Minneapolis to a biomass heating feasibility guide for southwestern Minnesota. For more information, go online to http://cts.vresp.com/c/?CleanEnergyResourceT/19582acfe5/361bff1a58/adbe7... .

The funding is provided by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources. The Clean Energy Resource Teams are a non-partisan, non-advocacy group that works with people across the state to strengthen their communities by supporting money-saving energy efficiency projects and building entrepreneurship around Minnesota’s growing renewable energy industries.

EVENT

Airport to host grand opening

The Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport Commission is hosting a Grand Opening 4:30-6 p.m. on Feb. 14, at the airport, 16384 Airport Road, Brainerd, to celebrate the completion of the terminal construction project.

This special event will take place in conjunction with the Brainerd Lakes Chamber’s Business After Hours event, and include ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5 p.m.

Appetizers and beverages will be served as participants mingle with area business leaders and governmental officials. Tours of the new terminal also will be available.

This community celebration is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are encouraged. Participants may register with the chamber at hholm@explorebrainerdlakes.com or call 829-2838.

WORKSHOPS

CLC offers QuickBooks

Pro accounting payroll

The Business and Industry Center at Central Lakes College scheduled QuickBooks Pro Accounting Payroll for the Brainerd campus Tuesdays, Feb. 14 and 21.

The class is planned from 6 to 9 p.m. in C221 with tuition of $99.

This class will provide the skills necessary to implement payroll tracking in QuickBooks. The students will learn employee set up and customization (vacation/sick days), time sheets, tax calculations for federal and state, monthly tax payments, quarterly reporting and year end processing. This is a two-week course, one night per week. Classroom size is limited.

The instructor is Jay Bock. Registration deadline is Feb. 7.

For more information, call (800) 933-0346 ext. 8142 or 855-8142, or email bberg@clcmn.edu , or go to http://clcmn.augusoft.net .

Real Estate 1 to start Feb. 13 at CLC

Real Estate 1, a three-course series required for obtaining the Minnesota Real Estate license, is planned at Central Lakes College in Brainerd from 6 to 10 p.m., Feb. 13 - March 1, on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

The principles of real estate series subjects include listings, contracts, agencies, purchase agreements, and financing.

Bob Welch is the instructor for classes in the Business and Industry Center on the Brainerd campus. Use entrance No. 6.

A single book covers Real Estate 1, 2, and 3.

Tuition is $300, including the book that covers Real Estate 1, 2, and 3.

Registration must be completed by Feb. 6. Class will not meet Feb. 20.

Participants missing more than one class per 30-hour session of the pre-licensing class will not receive a certificate for attendance nor be able to continue with the series.

For more information, call (800) 933-0346 ext. 8142 or 855-8142 or email bberg@clcmn.edu . Online registration is available at http://clcmn.augusoft.net and clicking on courses.

CLC offers QuickBooks Pro accounting payroll

The Business and Industry Center at Central Lakes College scheduled QuickBooks Pro Accounting Payroll for the Brainerd campus Wednesdays, Feb. 15 and 22.

The class is planned from 6 to 9 p.m. in C221 and tuition is $99.

This class will provide the skills necessary to implement payroll tracking in QuickBooks. The students will learn employee set up and customization (vacation/sick days), time sheets, tax calculations for federal and state, monthly tax payments, quarterly reporting and year end processing. This is a two-week course, one night per week. Classroom size is limited.

The instructor is Jay Bock.

Registration deadline is Feb. 7.

For more information or to register call (800) 933-0346 ext. 8142 or 855-8142, or email bberg@clcmn.edu , or go to http://clcmn.augusoft.net .

‘Power Limited’ continuing ed course offered at CLC

Central Lakes College, Brainerd, will host a continuing education course for holders of the Minnesota Power-Limited Technician License from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 16 and Feb. 17 in the Business and Industry Center.

The course consists of 16 hours of instruction covering applicable articles and sections of the 2008 National Electrical Code, Minnesota statutes and rules governing electrical work, and a review of the basic elements of electricity and electrical calculations.

This course has been approved by the Minnesota State Board of Electricity.

Objectives include: a review of the 2008 National Electrical Code, particularly Articles 725-730, wiring methods, grounding, transformers, over-current protection; articles 800-830, installation methods, separation from power, fireproofing; also to review Ohm’s law, series and parallel AC and DC circuits, meter operation, and systems theory with a review of coaxial, Cat 5, HVAC and/or speaker wiring.

Participants must have a calculator and the 2005 or 2008 NEC Code Book. Code books are available in class for $82. Cost for the course and lunch is $300.

Deadline to register is Feb. 9. For more information, call (800) 933-0346 ext. 8142 or 855-8142 or email bberg@clcmn.edu , or go to http://clcmn.augusoft.net .

Vehicle inspector re-certification class Feb. 17 set at CLC

Commercial vehicle inspector re-certification will be offered at Central Lakes College, Brainerd, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 17 in the Business and Industry Center.

The state of Minnesota requires that all commercial vehicles or combination of vehicles more than 26,000 pounds are to be placarded and registered in Minnesota, display a valid safety inspection decal issued by an inspector certified by the Commissioner of Public Safety, or carry proof that the vehicle is in interstate commerce and a certificate of compliance has been issued. Inspections may only be performed by a person who is not an employee of the Department of Public Safety or Transportation and must be certified by the Commissioner of Public Safety.

All certified Minnesota Commercial Vehicle Inspectors must be re-certified every two years if they wish to continue as certified inspectors.

People cannot attend the re-certification class if: Their certification has been expired for more than six months; if certification is under revocation; or if they have already attended and failed a re-certification class.

The class fee is $90, including a $10-per-student fee required by the state and all course materials. Instructor is Douglas Brown of the Minnesota State Patrol.

Questions about the Minnesota Annual Inspection program may be answered by contacting the Minnesota State Patrol at (651) 405-6171.

Registration is requested no later than Feb. 10. For more information, call (800) 933-0346 ext. 8142 or 855-8142 or email bberg@clcmn.edu , or go to http://clcmn.augusoft.net .

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