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SOUTHA11 . BEND JANUARy 2006 a il,t 6 v Mayne SrcpNcn 1. Lucckc Olf Letter from the Mayor TH!SMONIH... Mayor's Letter Dear Friends: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive In an earlier newsletter,this year, I Dedication discussed a number of new technology New City Website Coming Soon! Ice & Snow Removal initiatives that we are implementing to Earned Income Tax Credit improve our economic position and the /� � State of the City Address quality of life of our community. One ( Important Information for Recycling of the most exciting projects that will ° <° °� U Customers keep South Bend on track with the rapid rise in technology is the Metronet. Throughout the summer and fall, the City Names Street in Honor City of South Bend has been making the companion infrastructure of Dr. Martin Luther King! improvements necessary for the implementation, in conjunction with St. On Friday,December 2, on a beautiful Joe Valley Metronet, Inc., of a 40-mile loop of carrier neutral fiber optic snowy morning, residents and community cable which is being installed in city conduit. The MetroNet will allow leaders gathered together to celebrate the communication companies,colleges and universities,medical facilities, dedication and opening of the new Dr. Martin financial institutions and other private businesses and public institutions to Luther King,Jr. Drive in South Bend. For- network with each other and provide broadband connectivity services merly Chapin St., from Washington St. to through the fiber. It will also connect users to the vast array of Lincolnway West, the drive was reopened transcontinental fiber that runs through South Bend along the railroad and under its new name after extensive infra- Toll Road rights of way. Because of our location, South Bend has access to structure and streetscaping improvements, several times the amount of long haul fiber than even much larger cities. including narrowing from four divided lanes One local entrepreneur has already utilized this fiber to provide local to two, and the addition of sidewalks, connectivity to transcontinental fiber lines in Chicago and serves as a host treelawn, and decorative lampposts. The center for more than twelve regional or national service providers in one future home of South Bend Fire Station#2 South Bend location. Another entrepreneur has a 24/7 Network Operating will also be located on the drive. Center and disaster recovery data center facilities. The Metronet fills in the The renaming was the result of efforts gaps of communications and data connectivity. Leveraging these assets is a by the Martin Luther King Foundation of St. key strategy to building a 21st Century City. Joseph County and honors Dr. King for his Through the implementation of the Metronet,we are creating a leadership in the American Civil Rights competitive environment that will make South Bend the most affordable and movement and his impact on our country. accessible location for broadband services. This will help local businesses Community leaders worked with Mayor to prosper as they take full advantage of the Metronet, gaining significant Luecke,the South Bend Common Council, connectivity and access to large bandwidth for less cost. One local and Near West neighborhood residents to institution doubled its intemet capacity and quintupled its research determine an appropriate location to honor broadband for the same price that it had paid before. The Metronet will Dr.King. spur innovation and growth because of the ease in transmitting large Joining in the dedication and celebration amounts of data. It will help us retain businesses and attract new was national Civil Rights activist Rev. Samuel investment and jobs to our city with the establishment of data centers and Kyles,who was with Dr. King on the day he real-time backup of critical business data. was assassinated, and who came to South -Mayor's Letter continued on back page- Bend to take part in the celebration of the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . anniversary of Mrs. Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man. • C a m in S'a a n The dedication ended with a silent march and inaugural bus ride up Dr. Martin Luther • • King,Jr.Drive,to radio station WUBS www. SouthBendIN . gov 89.7FM on Lincolnway West, for a reception • • and celebration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 0 0 0 4 . . . Visit the City of South Bend online at www.ci.south-bend.in.us