http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce The resources, tools, updates and links on this site are intended to assist the nation's workforce professionals in serving the needs of workers and business. http://www.doleta.gov http://www.doleta.gov/images/seal-rev.gif http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/awn-news/eta_default.cfm?id=1176 The Department of Labor has awarded a National Emergency Grant supplement of $448,197 to provide re-employment services to about 713 workers affected by layoffs at Electrolux in Jefferson and Webster City, Iowa, and three of its suppliers in Ames and Webster City, Iowa. <p> <a href= http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20120913.htm>News Release</a> http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/awn-news/eta_default.cfm?id=1175 <p> The Department of Labor has announced a $1,793,475 National Emergency Grant to assist approximately 570 workers who were affected by layoffs between Dec. 15, 2011, and March 31, 2012, that resulted from the closure of the Kimberly-Clark Corp. paper mill in Everett, Wash. <p> <a href=``http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20120696.htm``>News Release</a> <p> Other recent awarded grants: <p> <a href=``http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20120695.htm``>West Virginia (April 12, 2012)</a><br> <a href=``http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20120660.htm``>North Carolina (April 10, 2012)</a><br> <a href=``http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20120607.htm``>Washington State (April 3, 2012)</a><br> <a href=``http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20120610.htm``>Missouri (April 2, 2012)</a><br /> <P> <a href=``http://www.doleta.gov/neg/``>National Emergency Grant webpage</a> <p> http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/awn-news/eta_default.cfm?id=1174 <p>The Department of Labor has awarded a $16,532,485 National Emergency Grant supplement that will fund approximately 2,200 temporary jobs to assist with ongoing cleanup and recovery efforts following the tornado that devastated Joplin, Mo., on May 22, 2011, and storms that caused flooding in a number of Missouri counties between mid-April and early June 2011. <p> <a href= http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20120610.htm >News Release</a> <p> http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/awn-news/eta_default.cfm?id=1172 The Department of Labor has announced a $656,098 grant to provide employment-related assistance to about 150 workers laid off in November and December 2011 by window and door manufacturer Andersen Corp. A majority of the affected individuals worked at the company`s Bayport, Minn., facility, and a few worked at the Renewal by Andersen facility in Cottage Grove, Minn. News ReleaseNational Emergency Grants Webpage <br> <br><a href=http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20120474.htm>News Release</a><br> <br> <a href=http://www.doleta.gov/NEG/>National Emergency Grants Webpage</a> http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/awn-news/eta_default.cfm?id=1171 <p> The Department of Labor has announced an $8,563,333 National Emergency Grant increment to continue cleanup and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, which struck Puerto Rico in August 2011. <p> <a href=http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20120348.htm>News Release</a> <p> <a href=/neg/>Total NEG Awards by State</a> <p> <a href=/neg/faqs.cfm>NEG FAQs</a> </p> http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/awn-news/eta_default.cfm?id=1170 <p> The <strong>Appalachia Funders Network</strong> is a group of public and private grant-makers who envision an entrepreneurial-based Appalachian economy that provides opportunity for all while sustaining the environmental and cultural assets of the region. Members of the Network have come to: <p> <ul> <li>Learn and share information about promising development ideas, projects and efforts, <p> <li>Deepen collective analysis and understanding of entrepreneurial-based economic development issues, challenges and opportunities within Appalachia, <p> <li>Build trusting and meaningful relationships among Appalachia-focused grant-makers, and <p> <li>Discover new and innovative ways of working together for the purpose of accelerating the economic transition of Central Appalachia. <p> The work is focused in Central Appalachia, the region define as the Appalachian counties of Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. <p> <strong>The Network has announced that its 2012 Network Gathering will be on March 28th and 29th at the Historic Boone Tavern Hotel in Berea, Kentucky.</strong> <p><a href=/leave-doleta.cfm?target=appalachiafunders.org/?p=218>More</a> & <p> http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/awn-news/eta_default.cfm?id=1169 <p> The California Energy Commission has recently awarded $1,983,355 for two research projects, one targeting sustainable communities, while the other focuses on workforce training for smart grid jobs. <p> The University of California at Los Angeles will receive $1.9 million to develop the California Center for Sustainable Communities that would research the potential energy savings from better community design, integrated land use, and transportation practices. <p> The center would conduct and coordinate research and development activities on sustainable communities, serving as a statewide resource for metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and policy makers. UCLA`s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability will serve as the lead for the center, which will be a multi-campus effort that includes UC Berkeley and UC Davis. <p> The center would provide data, models, methods, tools, and case studies to support the creation of more sustainable communities and assist in developing regional land use strategies. Reducing the use of automobiles and trucks and vehicle miles traveled will cut greenhouse gas emissions. Better land use planning and design of community systems would increase the overall energy sustainability of cities. <p> The Commission also approved $83,355 to California State University, Sacramento to develop a workforce training and development program for the clean energy jobs needed to support California`s smart grid. The Commission`s funding leverages Sacramento State`s $749,992 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act award from the U.S. Department of Energy. <p> <strong>The project will identify the smart grid technologies requiring additional workforce training and support. The project will also create a smart grid workforce development model that can be replicated throughout the nation.</strong> <p> http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/awn-news/eta_default.cfm?id=1168 <p> The Department of Labor has awarded a $3,058,366 National Emergency Grant increment to continue providing re-employment services to about 1,450 individuals affected by the realignments and closures of military facilities throughout Texas. These facilities include Fort Bliss in El Paso, Fort Hood in Kileen, the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant and the Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, and multiple bases in San Antonio. <p> On March 1, 2011, a National Emergency Grant was approved for up to $6,116,896, with $3,058,530 released initially, to serve military personnel and their spouses who were impacted by the decisions of the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, as well as local dislocated workers needed to fill critical labor shortages in communities experiencing growth due to base realignment and closure actions. Today's increment, awarded to the Texas Workforce Commission, completes the total grant amount. <p> <a href= http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20120185.htm>News Release</a> <p> http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/awn-news/eta_default.cfm?id=1167 <p> Citing her tireless efforts to put people back to work, the U.S. Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council has honored Marléna Sessions with its first-ever Distinguished Service Award. <p> Sessions is the CEO of the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County. The recognition came at the mayors` 80th winter meeting this month in Washington, DC. <p> ``<em>Marlena is our first recipient and very deserving of this special recognition</em>,`` said outgoing council president Tom Phillips. He initiated the award for WDC board members who exemplify superior commitment and outstanding service to the organization. <p> ``<em>She continually went above and beyond</em>,`` added Phillips. ``<em>She not only serves as second vice president and co-chairs the Youth Committee, but also created a timely Youth Employment Survey for legislative outreach, and was a major contributor to the WDC`s report to Congress on an ideal 21st-century workforce system</em>.`` <p> The U.S. Conference of Mayors WDC is a group of workforce boards from large cities across the U.S. who work together to advocate for workforce development and support their mayors in matching the skills of the workforce with the skills employers need. <p> Under Sessions` leadership, the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County is recognized nationally for putting people to work in high-paying jobs through training programs that meet current employer demand and outreach to minority groups, youth and the homeless. <p> ``<em>I`m very honored and humbled by this recognition by my peers</em>,`` said Sessions. ``<em>We will continue to work with the U.S. Conference of Mayors to support workforce development across the U.S. and strengthen our own efforts here at home</em>.`` </p> http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/awn-news/eta_default.cfm?id=1166 The State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving government-industry programs that encourage economic growth through the application of science and technology. <P> SSTI this week has released a new report <br> <a href= http://www.ssti.org/Publications/tbedandstates2011.pdf><strong>``Tech-based Economic Development and the States: Legislative Action in 2011``</strong></a> which provides a look at various activities in specific States with respect to these topics: <ul> <li>Focus on Regions<br> <li>Reorganizing Economic Development Activities<br> <li>Providing Access to Capital<br> <li>Tax Incentives<br> <li>New Commitments to TBED<br> <li>Investing in Research<br> <li>Higher Education/STEM Investments </ul>