Festival and Events Training Scheduled for Central Region

The University's festival and event management education course is coming to the Central Region!  The course comprises six full days of continuing education covering six core topics.  A "behind the scene" visit to an actual event is arranged along with a capstone seminar on a topic of special interest to the event industry.  The course, generally held during the fall semester on the St. Paul campus of the University, has previously be offered outstate, allowing tourism professionals an opportunity to attend the training nearer their residence.  The training this year is planned to be held in Fergus Falls and would be hosted by the Fergus Falls Visitors and Convention Bureau.  The Central Region Partnership is providing support for the training, underwriting part of the costs to provide a discounted rate to participants.  Additional support may be obtained from the Northwest Regional Partnership and the West Central Regional Partnership may have scholarships available for those who wish to attend from that region.  The training will be led by Kent Gustafson of the University's Tourism Center. 

Grape Growing Research Starts at Central Lakes College

This summer, several grape varieties will be planted at the Central Lakes College Energy and Agriculture Central in Staples.  The Central Regional Partnership recently approved support for this new project designed to evaluate ways to successfully grow winter hardy grape varieties in the north central climate.  Once established, the vineyard will also be used to train skilled workers for the rapidly growing grape and wine industry.  Led by viticulturist Dennis Emslie Drummond, the vineyard site will be prepared and planted during this 2011 growing season.  Plans are to test a number of grape varieties, including table grapes.  Once harvested, grapes will be tested for quality with eventual possible sale at local farmers' markets and to wine makers.  University horticulturist Terry Nennich and John Thull, vineyard manager at the University Arboretum will be participating in the research.

Central Region Participates in Sustainable Communities Regional Plan

Public task force meetings started in March on a region-wide sustainability planning effort, the result of a $835,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  Led by Region Five Development Commission, the project partners with the University of Minnesota including the Regional Partnerships and its Clearn Energy Research Teams, the Initiative Foundation, 1000 Friends of Minnesota, Ensearch consultants, the Central Minnesota Housing Partnership. A consortium of  of 200 individuals is participating in this strategic planning project. The project is to develop a framework for coordinating and sychronizing multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional planning and project implementation that is Community driven and University assisted.  Task force areas are housing, transportation, natural resources and land use, and economic development (including local foods and energy).