News Release Distributed 02/20/13

WELSH, La. – The LSU AgCenter will host a Connect My Louisiana meeting to explain options for high-speed access to the Internet in rural areas at the Welsh Community Center on March 5.

The meeting, starting at 9:30 a.m., will provide consumers, business owners and government officials information on broadband connectivity in rural Louisiana, according to Deborah Cross-Young, LSU AgCenter extension agent.

The community center is located at 101 Palmer St. The meeting is free and open to the public, but seating will be limited. To attend, participants must register by Feb. 27. To register, go to: http://cmlsouthwest.eventbrite.com/.

Lunch will be provided to all registered participants. The meeting ends at 3:30 p.m.

Speakers will include Diane M. Brown, deputy state librarian; Bertney Langley, administrator of the Coushatta Tribal Heritage Department; David Moore, Louisiana Division of Administration; Bruce Gardner, LSU AgCenter broadband awareness education coordinator; Tanya Ruffin, LSU AgCenter information technology coordinator; and David Woerner, LSU AgCenter assistant director of information technology.

Breakout session topics will include building an online presence, using social media for business and personal life, and mobile connectivity.

For more information please contact Deborah Cross-Young at dcross@agcenter.lsu.edu or 225-281-9470.

Bruce Schultz