■ Aitkin County begins update of multi-hazard mitigation plan
AITKIN - Aitkin County has received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to prepare an update of its multi-jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (MHMP). Aitkin County staff will convene a planning team in September to participate in updating the county’s plan. The planning team will be comprised of elected leaders and stakeholders from agencies and organizations involved in emergency planning and response.
Open public meetings will be scheduled in the spring of 2014 to engage local residents, businesses, agencies and organizations, providing them with an opportunity to learn about the plan, ask questions and provide feedback on mitigation strategies and recommended actions for implementation.
For further information on the Aitkin County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, please contact Karla White, Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office 927-7436 or kwhite@co.aitkin.mn.us .
The Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) is facilitating the development of the Aitkin County MHMP in cooperation with staff at the University of Duluth’s Geospacial Analysis Center, who are providing technical assistance on the project.
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■ CERTs provide seed
grants for energy projects
The Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) can help communities that need funding to get an energy efficiency or renewable energy project off the ground.
CERTs seeks to provide seed grants to support the labor costs for clean energy projects that spur community development in Minnesota. Project proposals should be for a community-based energy efficiency or renewable energy project that also provides a forum for community education about energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and their economic, ecological, and community benefits.
“Since 2006, CERTs has awarded more than $790,000 to over 189 projects,” said Lissa Pawlisch, Clean Energy Resource Teams director. “Those projects ranged from energy efficiency for city-owned buildings to solar power for schools, from on-farm wind power to renewably-heated greenhouses, and much more.”
Past projects may be seen at http://projects.mncerts.org , and case studies may be read at http://casestudies.mncerts.org .
CERTs offers many tools and resources to help communities plan their project. Proposals must be submitted no later than 4 p.m. Oct. 18. To learn more and apply, visit http://rfp.mncerts.org . Funding for these projects is provided through the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources.
The Clean Energy Resource Teams are a statewide partnership with a shared mission to connect individuals and their communities to the resources they need to identify and implement community-based clean energy projects. CERTs partners include University of Minnesota Extension and Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, Great Plains Institute, The Minnesota Project, Southwest Regional Development Commission, and the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources.
■ Brainerd library marks
its eAnniversary
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The Kitchigami Regional Library System (KRLS) is celebrating its first anniversary of providing eBooks for checkout through the 3M Cloud Library on Friday. The service has grown exponentially since it was introduced in 2012, both in users and eBooks available for checkout. KRLS eBooks have been checked out over 30,000 times, including titles by best-selling authors such as James Patterson, Nora Roberts and Lee Child, as well as Minnesota authors such as David Housewright, Monica Ferris and Lorna Landvik. From children’s picture books to mysteries for adults to cookbooks and self-help titles, there is an eBook for everyone at the tap of a screen or click of a mouse, library officials said.
Jolene Bradley, branch manager of the Brainerd Public Library, noted that “this service has expanded the reach of the library to people who may not have used the library for some time. The fact that these books can be accessed from home at any time is a big plus for many patrons with busy lives.”
In addition to eBooks, eAudiobooks and eBooks for kids, KRLS has recently added digital magazines from Zinio to its collection of online resources. Library patrons may download the latest issues of 75 popular titles directly to their tablet, computer, or smartphone, and keep it as long as they choose.
For more information, visit www.krls.org or visit your local library branch.
■ Mayor proclaims
Consitution Week
Brainerd Mayor James Wallin proclaimed the week of Sept. 17-23 as Constitution Week. A reception will be conducted from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sept. 22 at the Brainerd Public Library.
