GIS News Headlines
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Coverage in the general news media of GIS and GIS issues, with an emphasis on U.S. news and novel GIS uses elsewhere.

• "Lincoln County Planner Updates Multi-County Group," Lincoln County, Maine News 23 Feb.: " 'If the state board approves it, the mapping system will be updated every six years,' Faunce told representatives of member counties Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and Knox... The GIS system operates in conjunction with the Maine Library of Geographic Information, he said."
• "Scott County Board of Supervisors," Eldridge, Iowa North Scott Press 23 Feb., second item, "GIS bonds": "County officials want to issue $2.5 million in general obligation funds to finance the GIS project."
• "Sewer study underway in Marysville," New Baltimore, Mich. Voice 23 Feb.: "The engineers investigating Marysville's storm and sanitary sewers are getting close to wrapping up the data collection portion of their study."
• "60 Nations Sign Earth Observation System Agreement," Space.com 21 Feb.

• "Project makes catching bus easier," Jackson, Miss. Clarion-Ledger 21 Feb.: "Web-based position monitoring and the Geographic Information System provide an interactive map that displays the location and the routes of each bus in real time."
• "GIS technology helps map needs of children," San Bernardino, Calif. Sun 20 Feb.: "Six layers of computer-based maps came together to help answer a question."
• "Data systems span 4 decades," San Bernardino, Calif. Sun 20 Feb.: "Geographic information systems mapping technology evolved in the early 1960s when the Canadian government set out to inventory farmland in its northern countryside."

• "Satellite confirms structures of Kota Gelanggi," Malaysia Star 19 Feb.: "The search for the lost city of Kota Gelanggi has taken a leap forward with satellite maps confirming the existence of structures on site."
• "GIS software training for high school students," Cohassett, Mass. Mariner 18 Feb.: "The Center for Student Coastal Research ... is offering free training to high school students interested in learning computer mapping skills utilizing GIS software."
• "Legionella hope," Illawarra, Australia Mercury: 18 Feb.: "We have requested a GIS (Geographic Information System) satellite map of the city from Wollongong City Council with the location of all registered cooling towers and we will overlay this with the results of our epidemiological investigations."
• "Mapping Marana," Tucson, Ariz. Marana Explorer 16 Feb.: "Town using volunteers armed with high-tech gizmos to give emergency workers more info."
• "Bay Area transit police map a better view of their beat," Government Computer News 16 Feb.: "The BART rail system carries more than 300,000 riders a day over 200 miles of track through four counties and 26 cities. None of the system's engineering schematics, maps or other documentation was in digital format."
• "Developer: Fear not; dome visible from I-93," Concord, N.H. Monitor 16 Feb.: "Figuring out definitively amounted to a real-life trigonometry problem that incorporated aerial photography, GIS mapping, old State House records and surveying data."

• "Firm may examine dispatch software," Council Bluffs, Iowa Daily Nonpareil 14 Feb.: "Carson Mayor Lyndon Taylor said one of the biggest problems that has occurred as a result of issues with the system is that emergency crews are dispatched to an area outside of their jurisdiction."
• "News Briefs: New Geoscience Ph.D. offered," Univ. of Texas at Dallas Mercury 14 Feb.: "Beginning next fall, UTD will offer a Ph.D. in geospatial information sciences (GIS)."
• "Open house will address property flooding risks," Peoria, Ill. Journal Star 14 Feb.: "[FEMA] recently completed a preliminary flood insurance study and flood insurance rate map for all the unincorporated areas within [Peoria County]."

• "Information in blink of an eye," York, Penn. Daily Record 13 Feb.: "York [in the late 1980s] was one of five cities chosen to take part in a federally-funded pilot program that became the foundation for a geographic information system, or GIS."
• "New town planner chosen," Framingham, Mass. MetroWest Daily News 12 Feb.: "Alfieri, [Franklin's] Geographic Information Systems administrator who has worked for the town since 1996, will begin his new position Monday."
• "Monorail tax bills going to residents outside Seattle," Seattle, Wash. Post-Intelligencer 12 Feb.: "[The Department of Revenue geographic-information] system isn't foolproof, however, particularly in cases where ZIP codes overlap Seattle city boundaries."
• "County Board raises GIS fees," Flora, Ill. Daily Clay County Advocate-Press 11 Feb.
• "Your Pink Slip is in the Mail," WTRF-TV Wheeling, W.V. 11 Feb.: "The pink cards will be sent to people who receive mail from a P.O. Box or live on a rural route and might not know their street address. MicroDATA will send a field crew out to map all the homes and businesses with pink cards."
• "Officials print 1.5 million copies of popular Nevada map," Reno, Nev. Gazette-Journal 9 Feb.
• "Canadian Bill Would Align Remote Sensing Law With U.S., Space.com Space News 7 Feb.: "Radarsat-2 will be the first imagery satellite to be owned by a Canadian company and not the government."
• "Kravis exhibit maps county's diverse past," Palm Beach, Fla. Post 6 Feb.: "In maps that date from the 16th century to the present, the exhibit shows how Florida was charted by different cartographers, some of whom initially envisioned the Sunshine State as almost a triangular peninsula."
• "Environmental scientists told to 'get the word out'," Nature 4 Feb.: "[Large] projects such as the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) and Washington-based National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) are now trying to tailor their data to the needs of the non-scientists who might use it."
• "The Map Ladies tells how: Teaching the art of cartography," Wilmington, Mass. Advocate 3 Feb.: "Susan Pietrantoni and Kathleen Cote ... travel to schools throughout the surrounding communities ... and introduce the art of cartography."

• "Officials propose tough litter control laws," Coalfield, Va. Progress 10 Feb.: "GIS mapping is playing a crucial role in the war on litter and illegal dumps [in Wise County]."
• "Public Works manager speaks to Kiwanians," Sulphur, La. Southwest Daily News 10 Feb.: "One of the most effective money- and time-saving tools the [Sulphur's Department of Public Works] utilizes is its GIS system."
• "Cape Town Launches GIS Project," allAfrica.com 10 Feb.: "The City of Cape Town says it is the first South African megacity to initiate a geographical information systems (GIS) project... The city hopes to complete scanning and storage of all 85 000 [road and storm water] plans in three years."
• "County moves closer to establishing visual database," Ionia, Mich. Sentinel-Standard 8 Feb.: "[Almost] half of Michigan's counties are connected to a GIS database in some form or another... 'Ionia County is the only county I know of where you can get a piece of property without a parcel number, an address or a property code,' [said Ionia County Drain Commissioner John Bush]."
• "What Exactly Is Under the Sea?" Wired News 8 Feb.: "The nuclear-powered submarine USS San Francisco was heading toward Australia on Jan. 8 when it hit an underwater mountain not marked on naval charts."
• "Budget Committee Gets Requests From GCP, 911, Library, Fire Departments," Greeneville, Tenn. Sun 8 Feb.: "[Greene County] 911 got a $50,000 grant to implement the geographic information system (GIS) and $25,000 more to implement computer-aided-design/drafting (CADD) mapping."
• "Ag mech show," Macomb, Ill. Eagle 10 Feb.: "Ag technology advances can be seen [at WIU’s 35th Farm Expo] in the realm of GPS (Global Positioning Systems) and GIS (Global Informational Systems) that can aid in yield maps and surveying."

• "Ionia County parcel Web site gets graphic update," Ionia, Mich. Sentinel-Standard 7 Feb.
• "Congress Considers Evacuation Tracking," RFID Journal 7 Feb.: "The House is seeking a real-time geographic information system (GIS) that would not only provide a 3-D graphical display of the buildings but also show the current position of all individuals within and around the buildings during an emergency."
• "County tax bills to take a hike," Eldridge, Iowa North Scott Press 2 Feb.: "With plans to begin a much-needed renovation of the county's antiquated jail and implementing a sorely-needed geographic information system (GIS), residents this year will see an increase in tax bills."

• "Heritage: He's put us on the map," Salisbury, Md. Daily Times 6 Feb.: "The map is drawn correct unto itself as far as he [Capt. John Smith in 1608] was concerned. The problem was we were trying to overlay a 400-year-old map over new maps to see where they aligned. We found some interesting evidence when we used 'rubber sheeting.' "
• "Initiatives continue in wake of lost personnel," Framingham, Mass. MetroWest Daily News 6 Feb.: "Alfieri estimated that in his nearly 10 years as GIS administrator for the town, he has worked with 10 planners, assistant and principal."
• "County renews insurance policy for employees," Alton, Ill. Telegraph 6 Feb.: "In other business Thursday, the County Board listened to a presentation ... concerning a Geographic Information Systems grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation to provide aerial mapping of Calhoun County."
• "What’s where in county at coordinator’s fingertips," Dearborn County, Ind. Register 4 Feb.: "At first integrating a geographic information system into Dearborn County government departments appeared to be out of reach [but] 'Piece by piece we have built a very significant GIS system,' said Miller. What was missing, however, has been someone to tie it all together."
• "Forks Township creates position of facilities manager," Allentown, Penn. Morning Call 4 Feb.: "Forks Township supervisors voted Thursday to create a job with the dual roles of managing township facilities and the municipality's geographic information system database."
• "County Begins Investigating Local Hazards," Springdale, Ark. Morning News 4 Feb.: "Dixon said [Benton County's] extensive geographic information system map will allow the planning team to transpose hazard information over details such as jurisdiction or property boundaries."
• "County displays landscape with GIS," St. Joseph, Mo. News-Press 3 Feb.: "Two separate geographic information systems are underway in Buchanan County."
• "Precision Farming hot topic at 2005 Toronto Farm Show," Stirling, Ont. Community Press 3 Feb.: "Precision Farming is the latest advancement in technology, with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), being put to use in aiding the agricultural community."
• "Caught at the border," Westerly, R.I. Sun 3 Feb.: " 'This property is one of several that may be affected by future legislative action needed to determine the Connecticut/Rhode Island state line,' North Stonington GIS Coordinator Joyce Elias said in a memo to town officials."
• "Surveyor mapping harbor hills area," Brookings, Ore. Curry Coastal Pilot 2 Feb.: "Surveying isn't what it used to be. In fact, it's beginning to look a bit like 'Star Wars.' "
• "Greene County Commissioners meet," Linton, Ind. Daily Citizen 2 Feb.: "Passage of the resolution ... is aimed to protect the county's geographic information system (GIS) mapping services."

• "Perry to purchase updated tax parcel maps," Carlisle, Penn. Sentinel 1 Feb.
• "Computer safeguards sought," Beaver, Penn. County Times & Allegheny Times 1 Feb.: "Should the boroughs get the grant, one factor in choosing a candidate would be knowledge of GIS... The highly detailed mapping software has many applications, and Ambridge and Economy are just starting their forays into that world."
• "High-tech trailer ready for disasters," Kalispell, Mont. Daily Inter Lake 1 Feb.
• "Polzella to Desmond Road residents: 'Don't shoot the messenger'," Sayre, Penn. Morning Times 1 Feb.: "That's the statement Bradford County GIS Coordinator Steve Polzella made Monday in response to criticism from Ridgebury Township residents who ... are displeased with the fact that their roadway is being renamed."
• "DPW restructuring included in '06 budget," Needham, Mass. Daily News Transcript 1 Feb.: "Keegan proposed creating the Infrastructure Management Department. The new department would focus on the rebuilding of Dedham's infrastructure, as well as oversee maintenance of town facilities... [The] DPW titles of operations manager, assistant town engineer and GIS coordinator would be eliminated."

• "Technology Uncovers A New Data Dimension," Insurance Networking News 1 Feb.: "Writing flood insurance policies is one common way that insurers have applied geographic information systems (GIS), but a new report suggests there are other areas where the technology can be applied to benefit carriers."