HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2014-11-05, Page 88 News Record • Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Rural Business
Network in Clinton
is going urban
The Rural Business Net-
work of Clinton is announcing
it has acquired a 50% holding
of Toronto web software com-
pany, Bridgelin Inc.
Bridgelin specializes in pro-
viding community website
software, training and support
for associations including
municipal BIAS, Chambers of
Commerce and trade organi-
zations throughout Ontario.
Bridgelin is the largest soft-
ware platform of its kind in
NorthAmerica. There are over
1.2 million listed businesses
on its system, covering a
broadcast population in
excess of 5 million people. It
also has a toehold in the US
market. According to RBN
spokesperson, Patrick Nagle
of Clinton, the industry buz-
zword for Bridgelin is "we got
data"!
Rural Business Network has
worked with the software for
the past five years, using it as a
platform for RBN's flagship
community website, "Com-
munity WebLine': RBN has
been working with a group of
Bridgelin developers to
develop the next generation of
the software. The learning
curve is very steep, so experi-
ence in this field counts for a
lot.
"Investing in Bridgelin
makes sense for us, since
this opportunity allows RBN
to scale up its operation and
tap into the rapidly expand-
ing urban market", says
Nagle. "We will be servicing
accounts in Canada as well
as the U.S., so I will be doing
a bit of travelling over the
corning months. What really
excites me is that this gives
us access to a number of
urban web developers who
are familiar with the tech-
nology and will be able to
quickly adapt to our newest
innovations. Our plans are
made possible by the high
speed internet connection
we have in Huron County.
This allows us to locate some
of the development and
backup servers right here in
our rural area. Of course, the
core data centre will remain
at a high security downtown
Toronto address."
RBN has no plans at the
present time to hire more
staff at its Clinton location,
but is willing to interview
web designers who may
want to expand their market.
Contact RBN at info@rbnet.
ca
Huron Bruce MP Ben Lobb recounts terror on the Hill
QMI Agency
The sound of heavy gunfire
in the Centre Block of Parlia-
ment Hill on October 22
shocked MPs in their caucus
meeting, but the silence after
the initial volley of shots was
just as scary for Ben Lobb,
Huron Bruce MP.
"When it went silent, I won-
dered if they were re -loading"
Lobb said from his office in
Ottawa, where, like other MPs,
he was back at work after the
attack, which killed a reservist
at the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier . The shooter,
described as a radicalized
extremist driven by religious
ideology was shot and killed
in the Centre Block by the
Seageant-at-Arms.
Lobb said they had no idea
who was shooting or why, but
caucus members quickly
defended themselves.
"A bunch of us grabbed the
chairs and threw them up
against the doors to make a
barricade to slow down who-
ever was doing the shooting,"
Lobb said.
"We kept quiet until the
security guard in our room
told us the immediate threat
had been eliminated and we
were more or less safe!'
Lobb said it all happened so
fast that he is unsure of the
timing, but once the doors
were locked it was approxi-
mately 20 minutes until they
were told the threat had
passed. Lobb was in lock-
down until approximately 8
p.m. that night.
"It is important that we con-
tinue business as usual in
Ottawa as the nation deals
with the stark reminder of the
radicalization of some of our
youth, not only in Canada, but
around the world," he said,
adding the attack was not a
wake-up call because the
world is well -aware of threats
from ISIS.
"Our thoughts and prayers
go out to Cpl. Nathan Cirillo
and the very brave Commons
guard who was injured," Lobb
said, adding MPs will "con-
tinue to march on, as all Cana-
dians, and be proud of the
country we have here today"
Huron County SWEA Intelligent Region Initiative — Prosperity through connectivity
The Southwest Economic
Alliance (SWEA) in associa-
tion with Huron County is
seeking input about our
region's access to, and utili-
zation of information com-
munication technologies for
earning an income, commu-
nication and training.
To remain competitive in a
global market place, busi-
nesses and individuals must
have greater access and use
of information and commu-
nication technology.
Huron County has many
areas that are well serviced
by ICT, but others areas have
limited internet access. To
better understand the need
in our region, we are launch-
ing a survey to ultimately
reduce gaps in access to
technology, and determine
ways to better utilize internet
technology for economic
development.
The information for this
study will be collected in a
short 10 minute survey. Sur-
vey questions will cover top-
ics such as: access to inter -
net usage, the ability to use
internet technologies for
learning, economic develop-
ment, supporting employ-
ment and business applica-
tions. Participants in the
survey will include various
community stakeholders
including: municipalities,
educational institutions,
health care and social ser-
vice agencies, small and
medium business, agricul-
ture, not for profit and com-
munity groups.
Survey results will be ana-
lyzed by a team of consult-
ants from CISCO who will
provide a benchmarking
report in late 2014, early
2015. A roadmap will be
custom designed for our
area by CISCO that will out-
line the path needed to meet
the criteria for Huron County
to be known as an Intelligent
Region.
For further information or
to participate in the survey,
please contact us at the
Huron Business Centre, Sea -
forth, 519-527-0305, Daisy at
ext #27 or Carolyn ext #34.
You can also visit www.swea.
ca.
Fall Rally at Knox Presbyterian Church
Kate Tormey
Special to the News Record
Discover St. Anne's!
Please join staff and students of
St. Anne's Catholic Secondary School
for our annual Open House.
Learn about programs and services available for the
2015 — 2016 school year. The night includes a welcoming
activity, guest speakers, and numerous workshops to choose from.
Where: St. Anne's Catholic Secondary School Cafeteria
353 Ontario St., Clinton
When: Tuesday November 1lth, 2014
6:45 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
We look forward to meeting you and your son/daughter.
All are welcome!
ST.Alf\TF
Huron -Perth Women's
Mission Society Presbyte-
rial held their Fall Rally on
October 20 at Knox Presby-
terian Church in Goderich.
The rally was conducted by
Mrs. Willy Drost of the St.
Mary's Friendship Auxiliary
taking the theme of 'Lest
We Forget - Now What?'
Members were wel-
comed with coffee and
muffins and the morning
program got under way at
10:00 a.m. Hymns were
sung and Emily Clutton
oGs
Ant
Come Explore Ways To
Create Youth Entrepreneurs
in the Municipality of Central Huron
In this final meeting of the 2014 Central Huron Feasibility
Study, we'll focus on Youth Entrepreneurs. Come learn more
about the study, get involved in the process, have your say and
network with your community members. Join in the discussion
to help create a strong community for the future.
Saturday, Nov. 8
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Holmesville Community Hall,
190 Community Centre Rd., Holmesville
For more information, contact Heather Boa at
519.440.9940 or email
hoscarboa@gmail.com
�_d I1O1i 11IKi]isK,ii1ii
spoke on this year being
the centennial of W.M.S.
and World War I and gave a
retrospective of interesting
events that occurred in
1914. Items from the recent
executive meeting were
discussed and a short book
review by Ethel Corry of the
Listowel group brought us
to lunch time, when deli-
cious food was served by
the ladies of Goderich
Arthur Circle. The after-
noon session began with
Bernice Richards of St.
Andrew's Presbyterian
Church Women, Stratford
introducing the keynote
speaker - Shirley Miller,
President of the W.M.S.
Synodical who spoke glow-
ingly of her years as a
W.M.S. member and a brief
outline of her personal his-
tory. Roll call 'Lest We For-
get - Now What?' was
answered by 48 members.
Offering was received,
treasurer's report, registra-
tion report, a few
announcements and cour-
tesies offered to all. The
meeting closed with a
hymn and prayer.