Busy Time for OK SCAUG

2010 is off to a great start for OK SCAUG. Earlier this week we had our first user group meeting in Broken Arrow. We had a great turn out with over 45 people registered for the event. Thank you to our wonderful presenters and ESRI for a great meeting.

Next week OK SCAUG will have a booth at GIS Day at the Capitol. If you are in the OKC area on Wednesday, stop by the 2nd floor rotunda of the State Capitol Building, grab a drink, and chat with the various SCAUG members who will be manning the booth. It will be a great chance to catch up with old friends as well as see some awesome GIS work going on in the state of Oklahoma.

Don't forget the upcoming events later in the year as well. The June meeting will be held at the National Weather Center on June 3 and our 13th annual OK SCAUG conference is scheduled for later in the fall. Be sure to check out www.scaug.org for all the latest OKSCAUG information.

We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming OKSCAUG event!

ESRI's ArcGIS Maps Its Way Into Amazon's Cloud

ESRI's ArcGIS maps it way into Amazon's cloud
Geographic information system software vendor Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) took a big step into the cloud space today with the announcement that its ArcGIS product will be offered as a service using the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud computing platform.

What's Coming in ArcGIS 10

ArcGIS 9.4 Renamed ArcGIS 10 - We have recorded a podcast in which Jack explains the decision to change the name of ArcGIS 9.4 to ArcGIS 10. You can find out additional information on What's Coming in ArcGIS 10 by clicking here.

Stimulas Reporting

GIS for Stimulus Reporting - As money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is invested in communities around the United States, all levels of government must show where and how they are spending taxpayer dollars. GIS provides transparency and context to this data, making it the ideal tool for accountability reporting.

ESRI ArcGIS Explorer

Get Started with the Latest Version of ArcGIS Explorer - Easier to use than ever before, the new version lets you explore, visualize, and share your GIS data. You also can place other types of information, such as photos, videos, and reports, on your map in a geographic context. New features, like an easy-to-use ribbon and presentations, let you share geographic information with an audience that may not be familiar with GIS.

GIS Aids in Haiti

The rescue and relief efforts to help those in Haiti are being helped with spatial data from various sources. Recently a report was issued from the USDA that outlines the type and source of geospatial data available for the country. It was compiled to serve as a resource for GIS-based land management and planning. Historical maps, recent satellite imagery, and thematic maps are described with sources including figures and tables. Sources also include on-site data collection as well as Internet searches.
The report also includes where gaps in data lie, as well as work in progress and unpublished data sources such as local government, university, and private projects. These missing datasets are requred for important soil and hazard assessments as well as conservation efforts.

Check out this interesting report to see how GIS Professionals are doing their part in the disaster.

Last Call for SCAUG Nominations

Call for Officer Nominations
The South Central Arc User Group is seeking nominations for the 2010/2011 Board of Directors. The positions up for election are President, Vice President, Secretary, Conference Coordinator Elect (two year term), Louisiana State Representative, Oklahoma State Representative, Mississippi State Representative, North Texas State Representative, and South Texas State Representative.

Please submit all nominations (name, email, and phone number) via email to jcure@ci.longview.tx.us by January 29, 2010. All individuals nominated will be contacted for more information.

Call for Founder’s Award Nominations
The Founders Award was created in 1990 to recognize exceptional contributions by an individual or agency, from either the private or public sector, that have significantly enhanced the importance of geospatial sciences and made significant contributions toward advancing the use of GIS. The individual or agency is identified as a GIS leader that has helped set a new standard of GIS within the SCAUG region. The award is based upon the innovative use of current technology, a creative approach to GIS business processes, the recent integration of major program initiatives, program effectiveness, the transferability of ideas to other organizations, education and training initiatives, and community outreach.

Please submit all nominations (name, email, and phone number) via email to jcure@ci.longview.tx.us by January 29, 2010.

Call for Thumb’s Up Award Nominations
The Thumb's Up award shall be given on an annual basis at the Regional SCAUG Conference. This award will be presented to a single person or agency, from the Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma region that has been a friend to the Association by donating significant time and/or resources; going above and beyond normal expectations.

Please submit all nominations (name, email, and phone number) via email to jcure@ci.longview.tx.us by January 29, 2010.