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Labor and Workforce Development Technology Outreach Grants Connect Rural Alaska

Mar. 20, 2000
No. 00-42

At least 15 rural Alaska communities will be a little more "connected" thanks to a technology outreach grant from the Alaska Job Center Network (AJCN), the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development announced today. One-Stop implementation funds from the U.S. Department of Labor are being used to provide publicly accessible computers in remote areas of Alaska through member organizations of the Alaska Native Coalition on Employment and Training (ANCET).

"The Internet brings a world of information to a community's doorstep," Commissioner Ed Flanagan said. "With today's technology, there's no reason why every Alaska community shouldn't have access to the extraordinary services the State of Alaska offers on line."

Rural communities getting new computers as a result of the grant are: Bethel, Old Harbor, Craig, Metlakatla, Selawik, Dillingham, Togiak, New Stuyahok, Wainwright, Tok, Minto, Fort Yukon, Nulato, Holy Cross, and Northway.

"We are happy AJCN is making these computers available to some of our rural Alaska communities," said Sharon Olsen, Co-Chair of ANCET. "This grant is a small but significant step toward addressing a huge technology challenge in rural Alaska. As more state services are offered on the Internet, it is important to have the necessary tools to get online. These grants recognize the need of rural Alaskans to have access to information that is only available to them through the use of technology."

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