First Quarter 2003

Telecom Veteran, Steve Sanders, Looks at Internet Services Today

Dr. Sanders Writes Portion of Report NATCO President Dr. Steven G. Sanders wrote an article for the book he is holding, the International Engineering Consortium's "IP Applications and Services 2003: A Comprehensive Report."

The International Engineering Consortium has published an article by Dr. Steven G. Sanders of Mountain Home as part of a comprehensive report on Internet applications and services for 2003. His article is titled: "New Services on a Converged Network: What the End User Wants."

Dr. Sanders, NATCO's president for 25 years, frequently participates in the industry's seminars and has testified on telecommunications issues before state and federal legislative committees. He was a panelist at the latest IEC SuperComm in June, 2002 in Atlanta discussing emerging services.

According to the IEC, the 2003 report includes "real-world experiences of industry leaders" to provide insight into the ever-changing information industry.

Dr. Sanders writes that public acceptance of the Internet and digital cellular telephones has been amazing, but consumers have not accepted other high technology services. He says the telecom industry is rushing to create a converged Internet protocol network, perhaps before it knows what services the consumer will buy.

Among the services consumers want are e-mail and wireless phones, along with digital phone services such as call waiting, caller ID, voice mail, Centrex for businesses, and basic Internet services, Dr. Sanders says.

South Shore Web Site Redesigned

A brand new, redesigned South Shore Web site went online in mid-December. It has more pictures, new colors (that match the South Shore logo) and features that change each week. But, the main purpose of the new look is to make the Web site easier to use. Connect to area schools, colleges, city or county government, businesses, and explore the numerous resources of the Internet that are at your fingertips. And, you can get to know the South Shore Foundation. We help you find what you need.

Many of you use www.southshore.com as your home page, or portal to the Internet at your home or your business. We made it easier to go directly from the South Shore home page for your daily Weather or start a Search with Google. These items are across the top of the page along with the date, time of day clock, and new Online Yellow Pages.

Towns of the South Shore with their own Web sites can be found at the bottom left of the home page. Just click on a town and find out all about it - its mayor, its businesses, chamber of commerce, a city map, recreation and information about it that industries need to know. These sites are part of the Development Information Network of Arkansas (DINA), an online economic development project of the state.

In the center section of the home page are lead-in pictures to get to our What's New list of news stories, our South Shore Driving Tours, our community pages, and the youth news. The South Shore Youth page now contains South Shore Soccer Association news and pictures and the South Shore-Marion County Youth Leadership Team activities, including pictures in Scrapbook Memories, and the pictures of winners in the annual Coloring and Essay Contests.

To get to additional pages, use the bars above the picture of Bull Shoals Lake. The Calendar of Events is growing and is being constantly updated.

Useful Links contains our own picks of useful references on the Internet including encyclopedias, museums, health, medical, financial, and government functions you can do online.

On the Environment page, see a new map of the Bull Shoals Lake and White River Watershed and read about environmental issues that affect our area. Links to many ecology sites and research on the Internet are available, too, including Arkansas' Game and Fish Commission.

When you explore Visit Your Favorite Community, you can contact and learn about community services like hospitals, city and county government offices, your child's school, and colleges. Many have links to separate Web sites for even more information.

Want a souvenir for yourself or for business or personal gift-giving? Choose from South Shore T-shirts, caps, frisbees, insulated chiller beverage cups and more at Souvenirs.

The many programs the South Shore Foundation offers and has offered are featured on pages under the South Shore Foundation heading. Find out how to apply for a grant, what scholarships are available for high school and college students, grants awarded, and a wealth of information from our Grants Workshop 2000.

If you need to find something when you don't have time to explore the site, just go to the Site Map page, where you will find an outline. We hope we've made your surfing a bit smoother. If you would like to make a comment or suggestions, e-mail us at the South Shore Foundation page.

Y-S School Doing NatureMapping - With Funding from South Shore &
Forest Service

NatureMapping is State Pilot Project The Yellville-Summit Middle School has been chosen to test a new curriculum called NatureMapping for the state of Arkansas. Some who are involved in the pilot project this year are (standing, from left) teacher Kristen May; Dr. Becky McPeake, wildlife specialist; Len Bollman, U.S. Forest Service; Y-S teacher Ann Jones; student Tek Cackley; and Renee Myers, county Extension agent. Students in front are Kimberly Cross and Cecil Kitch. Students will observe and record sightings of wildlife in areas where oak trees have been affected by the red oak borer and in some areas where the oak trees have not had red oak borers. The project is made possible by an $18,000 grant from South Shore Foundation.

Yellville-Summit Middle School has been selected for a pilot project in environmental education called NatureMapping. The project has already involved natural resources experts including the Cooperative Extension, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Game & Fish Commission, and is a key step toward having NatureMapping approved by the state board of education for use in Arkansas schools.

About 60 seventh/eighth-grade students of science teachers Ann Jones and Kristen May (30 per semester) are collecting data about the decline of oak forests in Arkansas. Students are trained to become aware of their natural resources and record their observations. During a semester, students will start their observations by using binoculars and field guides and will move toward identifying and collecting data about species of wildlife using satellite-based technology (GPS) to reference their sightings. Students will keep journals and use handheld computers to help record their findings.

According to Rebecca McPeake, wildlife specialist, and Renee Myers, 4-H agent for Marion County with the Cooperative Extension Service, NatureMapping is a hands-on environmental education program with a proactive approach to exploring the diversity of local plants and animals. Dr. McPeake added that the goal is, "to keep common animals common and to maintain our quality of life."

Funds for the pilot project are being furnished by South Shore Foundation of Flippin ($18,000) and the U.S. Forest Service ($6,000). Previous funding for organizing the project came from the Arkansas Forest Resource Center ($20,000). Other agencies that have been involved in the planning include the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Forestry Commission, and the University of Arkansas.

Older oak trees in Arkansas forests have an increase in insect infestation by the red oak borer, which riddles oaks and kills them, according to Len Bollman of the U.S. Forest Service. Further, since oaks produce mast that is food for wildlife, the wildlife can be expected to change. Having a pilot project in northcentral Arkansas is a unique opportunity to look at wooded areas that have red oak borers and some that do not.

At the end of the pilot project school year, the Extension Service will invite additional agencies to join a steering committee to further develop NatureMapping throughout the state. That could include an online state database for NatureMapping information gathered, a Web site with resource information, and techniques for training teachers and volunteer instructors interested in conducting NatureMapping projects.

Spotlight: NATCO 'Hosts' Web Sites of Area Hotels

Most travelers coming into the South Shore area need a place to stay overnight. If they wish to plan for their stay before leaving home, the Internet can be a tremendous help. For example, if making Mountain Home the center of your vacation plans, three of the major hotel/motel properties have Web sites hosted by NATCO.

At www.bestwesternmtnhome.com, a traveler can log on to learn Best Western Carriage Inn's 82 rooms have all amenities, such as coffee pots, irons, ironing boards, hair dryers, etc. The swimming pool is in the courtyard surrounded by magnificent landscaping and lush tropical gardens, even a large man made fish pond filled with Koi and other fish. The property is a bird and butterfly sanctuary, so bring your binoculars and cameras. On the property is Chelsea's, a full service fine dining restaurant and lounge, open evenings for dinner. Guests are served a free breakfast in Chelsea's Terra Cotta Room daily, 7 to 10 a.m. Room availability and rates can be researched on the Internet or by phone, toll free, 877-425-6001 anytime.

A traveler may learn about the Gold Award-winning Comfort Inn, just a block away in Mountain Home. Owners Karyn and Ricky Johnson offer free pickup from the county airport. At Comfort Inn there is a free continental breakfast in the lobby daily. Guests will find an outdoor swimming pool, an equipped exercise room, a meeting room, and other amenities in this hotel. Group travelers and the handicapped will find services tailored for their needs. Fax service and dataports are available for the business traveler. Online reservations are accepted at Comfort Inn. Advantages of the Choice Privileges program offered to frequent travelers are online. The Web site address is www.comfortinnmtnhome.com.

A traveler may choose the 'Gold Key' Ramada Inn of Mountain Home with its indoor heated pool and attached restaurant featuring buffet style service. Ramada Inn also offers a Conference Center and meeting rooms. Most rooms have indoor access to the conference center and restaurant dining rooms. All rooms have in-room refrigerators and coffee pots. Two-room Jacuzzi suites provide luxury when travelers wish to pamper themselves a bit. Frequent travelers to Ramada Inns nationwide earn Return Rewards with the Ramada Club. Reservations can be made online through www.ramadainnmtnhome.com.

Today's traveler can find nearly everything he or she wants in a hotel/motel before arriving, just by using the Internet. If you are in the tourism business and do not have a Web site, the Internet may hold rewards for you, too. For information on Web site hosting, call a NATCO Customer Service Represen-tative at 1-800-775-6682. For information on Web site design and construction, call Brooks-Jeffrey Marketing at 870-425-8064.

Advertise in the Ozark Regional Directory 2003

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Cotter, Norfork and Mountian Home Junior Leadership Students have 'Tech' Session at NATCO

CPA David White and students look over fiber optic cable. Network Service Supervisor Travis Sullivan shows students the Central Office.

Members of the varsity leadership group from Cotter, Mountain Home, and Norfork at a NATCO "tech day"' program are front row (from left) Britni Bateman, Levi Honey, Nick Wilber, Eden Edwards; second row, Brandon White, Krista Fitch, Courtney Jones, Jacklyn Smith, Lynette Nagyiski, Kenneth Hurst, Kolt Jeffery; third row, Kris Kanatzar, Sheena Lumley, Laurie Arias, Katie Broskovak, Justin Applegate, Amber Schulz, Christy Rodgers, Micki Casper, Heather Jansen, Chris Yates; back row, William Ledbetter, Chris Roberts, and Amanda Wiggins.

Students in varsity leadership training through the Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce were guests of NATCO in the fall for a half-day program about telecom technology. NATCO calls the program a "Tech Day." The 24 students attending from Cotter, Mountain Home, and Norfork took tours of the NATCO plant, learned about digital technology, viewed a Power Point presentation about careers in telecommunications, and enjoyed lunch.

After meeting the NATCO staff, the students and adult advisors heard South Shore Foundation Trustee Jodie Jeffrey-Sanders explain the concept of the South Shore Foundation, which is the charitable organization of the telephone company. The foundation makes grants to nonprofit agencies and communities and funds scholarships for area high school graduating seniors and ASUMH college students.

A tour of the central office with Network Services Supervisor Travis Sullivan revealed the technology of a modern telephone company including how a dial tone works and how local and long distance telephone calls are made. Internet Services Supervisor Larry May demonstrated high-speed DSL telephone and "always on" Internet service, also showing the students the company's three informational Web sites: www.natconet.com, www.natcotech.com, and www.southshore.com.

Vice President/Plant Manager Steven Sanders Jr. made a Power Point presentation on careers at NATCO. NATCO managers told the students about their jobs and the necessary education for that position. Those participants included: Outside Plant Supervisor David Carson; Internet Services Supervisor Larry May; Engineer Doug Smith; Customer Service Supervisor Melissa Merkel; Accountant David White; and Dispatcher Monica Osborn.

Adult sponsors and Chamber of Commerce Adult Leadership participants attending were: Mike Parrish, Cotter schools; Vicki Hurst, Norfork schools; Mark Paden, Mountain Home schools; Tiffany Bauer, Karen Hopper, and Mike Ragland, of the chamber.

Students attending were: Cotter - Lynette Nagyiski, Jacklyn Smith, Courtney Jones, Christy Rodgers, Chris Roberts, William Ledbetter, Katie Broskovak; Mountain Home - Micki Casper, Heather Jansen, Kenneth Hurst, Krista Fitch, Laurie Arias, Justin Applegate, Amber Schulz, Levi Honey, Nick Wilber; Norfork - Sheena Lumley, Britni Bateman, Amanda Wiggins, Eden Edwards, Brandon White, Chris Yates, Kris Kanatzar, and Kolt Jeffery.

Students review South Shore Foundation information and Driving Tour brochure.	Students listen to managers of NATCO explain their jobs.
NATCO Vice President Steven Sanders Jr. shows high school students equipment NATCO technicians use on the job.

Elementary Students Receive Ecology Study Kits

Flippin third graders are shown reading "Audubon Adventures," part of the nature study kits provided to South Shore area elementary schools by the Audubon Society of North Central Arkansas and the South Shore Foundation. Pictured clockwise, starting with teacher Kerry Ponder (standing) are Jodie Jeffrey-Sanders, a South Shore trustee, students Erica Wise, Kanaan Hart, Chris Martin, Kayla Burns, and Shelby Chevallier. At far left is Marg Bangert from the Audubon Society.

Students in South Shore area elementary schools have received ecology study materials from the Audubon Society of North Central Arkansas through a grant from the South Shore Foundation of $2,318. Sixty-one classrooms of third, fourth, fifth and sixth graders receive "Audubon Adventures" study kits. Schools receiving the materials are Flippin, Yellville-Summit, Bruno-Pyatt, Lead Hill, Omaha, and Bergman.

The topic for this year is North American Bio-regions - freshwater wetlands; temperate deciduous forests and woodlands; coastal environments; and deserts. Classroom teachers use the materials to supplement their science textbooks or provide additional hands-on activities for students. The classroom kits contain 32 copies of four Audubon Adventures tabloid-style newspapers, posters, a teacher's resource guide with additional background information, lesson plans, and tips for outdoor study, and the Audubon Guide to a Healthy Schoolyard.

Yellville Junior Environmental Awareness Receives Grant for Water Testing

About 60 students at the Yellville-Summit Middle School are taking part in hands-on science learning projects this year, using equipment purchased with a South Shore Foundation grant of $4,197. Ann Jones and Neal Gibson, teachers at Yellville-Summit Middle School, applied for the grant. Ms. Jones said the grant will replace water-testing equipment that has been in use for the past five years and will purchase some additional equipment to expand the water testing to additional sites.

The students, who are in a conservation or EAST Lab class, are involved in two statewide projects - Arkansas WET (Water Education Team), which is an activity of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, and Arkansas Stream Team, a volunteer activity overseen by Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Students run chemical, physical, and biological tests on Crooked Creek at a site about 100 yards downstream from Kelly's Slab, a continuing project for the past five years. A second group of students has created an outdoor classroom behind the school on the east fork of Shawnee Town Branch. Chemical, physical, and biological testing will be expanded to this site and to selected springs in the area.

Ms. Jones said, "Students learn best when participating in meaningful hands-on projects."

Her students learn to collect accurate information, then report the information to the statewide projects to monitor area water quality. The outdoor classroom water quality testing will be done monthly during the school year and Crooked Creek testing is done monthly. Springs selected for testing will be tested quarterly, at least, the instructor said.

Web Sites of Interest
www.southshore.com
Useful Links

On NATCO's Web site - www.southshore.com/useful.htm, many sites of interest are linked for easy access. Various subjects and sources of information are listed and updated frequently.

South Shore's Web site also features tourism, relocation, and business information for communities in or near the south shore of Bull Shoals Lake. The site includes driving tours, a calendar of events, maps, online yellow page links, and news from the South Shore Foundation, the charitable foundation funded by NATCO.
 

Reduced Prices Now for Call Waiting, Voice Mail, Caller ID & More

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Monica Osborn is New Dispatcher

Monica Osborn

Monica Osborn has been named one of NATCO's dispatchers. Formerly a NATCO Customer Service Representative, she will now be dispatching technicians to the field to make service calls and take care of trouble in the system. "It is a great pleasure to be part of the NATCO team," Mrs. Osborn said about her new position.

A lifelong resident of the area, Mrs. Osborn is a 1995 graduate of Flippin High School and has an associate of arts degree from Arkansas State University Mountain Home. Before joining NATCO, she worked at Capital Mercury Apparel for five years.

Mrs. Osborn enjoys spending time with her family and friends, home decorating and shopping. She is also an independent contractor/displayer for Home Interiors & Gifts in the Flippin and Mountain Home areas. Her husband is Michael Osborn.

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Handy Pay Automatic Bank Drafts Are Popular

More and more NATCO customers are discovering a carefree way to pay their monthly telephone bill and Internet service bill. A recent billing encouraged automatic bank drafts, which we call "Handy Pay." The responses came in fast, about two a day at first, saying "yes" to the convenience of automatic bank drafts.

A sign-up form on the back of the "Handy Pay" billing insert allowed our Customer Service Representatives to sign up customers immediately. Customer Service Supervisor Melissa Merkel said the "Handy Pay" sign-up forms came back "by the handfuls." To all of you who have just signed up, if you contact us before the 10th of the month, your payments could begin that same month. In all instances, our customer service representatives will call you to inform you when the withdrawals will begin.

If you are interested in Handy Pay Bank Drafts but no longer have the sign-up form, just call NATCO Customer Service 1-800-775-6682 (Press #1).

Additional convenient ways to pay your NATCO and NATCO Tech bills are: online at www.natconet.com or www.natcotech.com, at any Bank of Yellville location, at any U.S. Bank location, and the NATCO office drop box or business office, or you can continue to drop your bill in the mail to us.

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Mapping NATCO Facilities on 4-Wheelers
 
NATCO has begun a project to map its service area, including the acquisition of GPS points to identify its facilities more precisely. As part of this project, contractors are being used to perform much of the GPS work and will be traveling through much of the service area on 4-wheelers. Contractors can be recognized by the NATCO logo on their vehicle, and they will also be carrying an identification card.

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High School Students Embark Upon Developing Scholars Project at ASUMH

Receiving Instructions South Shore high school "scholars" heard Dr. Eddie Dry explain some details of the new South Shore Developing Scholars project at the ASUMH campus in December.

Arkansas State University Mountain Home is reaching out to high school students in a new program called the South Shore Developing Scholars Project. It is funded by a South Shore Foundation grant. Now in its first year under the leadership of Dr. Eddie Dry, assistant professor of biology, 21 high school students from Lead Hill and Omaha schools are working on six research projects. Topics have titles such as "Fishy Business" and "Mosquitoes 2 Go."

Students met in early December with their mentors at ASUMH, and will have critiques of their projects in February and March. Projects are to be completed and submitted to ASUMH April 20. A project fair is planned so the public may observe the work of the students. Finished projects will be evaluated in April for awards such as tuition discounts to ASUMH or other college-rated items.

Goals of the Developing Scholars Project include: familiarizing the students with the many and different ways telecommunications technology can be used; familiarizing students with a college campus; and encouraging students to continue their education after high school.

The students from Lead Hill and Omaha are "pretty excited about these projects," Dr. Dry said. "I think the success of this year will advertise for next year." He said he will adjust the time-line in notifying schools of the South Shore Developing Scholars Project for next school year. Schools that are eligible to participate are located in Marion County and a portion of Boone County.

For more information about the South Shore Developing Scholars Project, contact Dr. Dry at Arkansas State University Mountain Home, (870) 508-6100.

South Shore Scholars From Area High Schools Gather at ASUMH
These are the first students in a new cooperative study project underway through Arkansas State University Mountain Home, funded by the South Shore Foundation. Students from Lead Hill and Omaha are pictured along with their high school sponsors. Front row, from left: Dr. Eddie Dry (project director), Donna Macri and Renee Clemmons (Omaha sponsors), Heather Jones, Megan Nutter, Celia Proctor, Heather Fason, Lacey LeBleu, Bridget Johnson, Caren Buckley, Crista Hermann, Rachel Reeves, Mary Milligan, Deloris Smith (Lead Hill sponsor). Back row, from left: B.J. King, James Ledgard, Grant Rivera, Keagan Chaney, Alex Parker, Jesse Courtney, Nathan Chaney, Justin Moug, Tony Perriman, and Josh Rand. Not pictured is Omaha student Jana Sinclair.

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Give Us Your Ideas - Win Free Service!
 
NATCO Technologies' annual Internet Service Survey is underway. You can find the survey form in the January and February e-newsletters for NATCO Tech customers. Those who complete the survey and submit it by March 21 will be entered in a drawing to win three months of free service from NATCO Tech, your Internet Service Provider.

The annual Internet Service Survey provides NATCO Tech management ideas for your ISP to better serve the current and future needs of our customers. If you do not wish to submit your name for the drawing, you may leave the contact information section blank. We appreciate your input!

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Three Months Free Internet!

Sign up with NATCO Technologies and you'll receive three months of free Internet service then pay only $19.95 per month for:

• Unlimited Internet Access
• Free E-Mail Account
• No Toll Charges
• Free Over-The-Phone Setup & Technical Support weekdays 8-5
• Free "Introduction To The Internet" Class
• Hurry - Offer Expires Feb. 28, 2003

1-800-775-6682	870-425-8064

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Businesses in Marion, Baxter and Boone counties are invited to participate in this
region's first online yellow page project sponsored by a telephone company.
There are three levels to the program:

1. Free Listing
All businesses listed in the Ozark Regional Telephone Directory (the official telephone directory of NATCO and Yelcot) will receive a free listing that includes: Business name, one mailing address and/or one physical address, and one phone number.

2. Link to Your Site and E-mail Address
In addition to your free listing, you will receive a link to your Web site and a link to one e-mail account. $5 per month* (for Ozark Regional Telephone Directory advertisers)
$10 per month* (for businesses who don't advertise in the Ozark Regional Telephone Directory).
*Ads will be billed monthly.

3. In Addition to 1 and 2, Your Online Yellow Page Ad May Also Include up to 25 Words that Describe Your Business and up to 15 Phone Numbers.
$10 per month* (for Ozark Regional Telephone Directory advertisers)
$20 per month* (for businesses who don't advertise in the Ozark Regional Telephone Directory). Changes to an ad may be made at anytime during the year for a fee of $10 ($5 for directory advertisers).

Sign up online, over the phone or in person

Visit www.natconet.com 1-800-775-6682 301 East Main Street, Flippin

 

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