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Need for Bilingualism (2/24/2010) |
| With an evolving demographic amid a strong regional economy, some area businesses and experiencing more instances of language barriers. The 2000 North Dakota Census estimates the statewide population to be about 642,200, of which, 1.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Web site. We have a good variety of both the Hispanic population that's coming and staying and some that are transient workers. Dallas Henderson, who hold's a Bachelor's degree in Spanish education from DSU and served two years in the Peace Corps in Nicaragua, has designed a flexible program customized to train businesses and city employees. Henderson's plan would include 32 hours of instruction spanned over a month of four-hour blocks during work hours, as to alleviate any inconvenience. The idea behind this program is to open up more lines of communication, so that if I'm Hispanic and I need to go pay my water bill, I can go to City Hall and be greeted by somebody in my own language. In terms of educating more people it would be a great idea. There is all kinds of Spanish-speaking people that come up here for the oil business and other reelated services. Henderson said he is looking to open a classroom and training center in a vacant Prairie Hills Mall space, dubbing it KEC Center for Spanish.
Article By: Lisa Call with the Dickinson Press/February 20, 2010. |
2010 Census Awareness Campaign (11/30/2009) |
| Stark Development Corporation is taking an aggressive stance in creating an awareness campaign for the upcoming 2010 U.S. Census. Organizations and individuals are encouraged and welcome to jump on board to make our area Census count as complete as possible. A committee has been created called the Dickinson Complete Count Committee and its area of focus is the hard-to-count populations including snowbirds, university students, and those living in hotels and campgrounds. Both citizens and non-citizens living and sleeping here the majority of their time as of April 1, 2010 need to be counted.
Each person missed is a potential loss of federal and state funding in the amount of $10,000 for Dickinson. One hundred people missed equals a potential loss of $1 million for North Dakota. It is detrimental that everyone is counted. The Census count is used to calculate funding for improved schools, roads, health-care services, etc. The data is also used for market studies to attract new shopping centers, movie theaters, restaurants; all sources of new jobs. For more information contact Lori at Stark Development Corporation at 225-5997 or toll free at 1-888-880-7963.
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