Ryan Announces Tech Town's Grand Opening

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today opened Tech Town 2001 at the Illinois State Fair highlighting how technology enhances Illinois government.

"Tech Town provides fairgoers with a hands-on opportunity to learn about e-government services," said Governor Ryan. "Technology plays an integral role in how our state operates, and this exhibit will allow people to learn the benefits of that technology."

Each of the "neighborhoods" in Tech Town, "Public Service Parkway", "Learning Lane", "Public Safety Place", "Business Boulevard" and "Green Acres" accentuate state government services that are available via technology.

From the live interactive video feed with Chicago's Shedd Aquarium and Brookfield Zoo to the Illinois Skills Match job matching system to GIS Interactive Mapping, visitors will experience the vast amount of services technology offers Illinois residents.

"The Tech Town "neighborhoods" showcase Illinois' commitment to creating customer-friendly government," said Governor Ryan, "Tech Town's exhibitors prove that using technology can increase efficiency and service delivery to the citizens of Illinois."

Highlights of Tech Town 2001 include:

• Grand Entrance: Digital pictures at the Governor's Desk and CyberCafe for websurfing

• Public Service Parkway: National Register of Historic Places; Assistive technology for the disabled, including a Braille printer and a one handed keyboard

• Business Boulevard: "Illinois Skills Match" for locating new jobs; professional license renewal; electronic tax filing; virtual bank tour

• Public Safety Place: Digital ID card system; Hands-on computer applications about weather, road and traffic conditions; GIS Interactive Mapping, Internet Safety Quiz

• Learning Lane: Latest research in basic sciences; Illinois Reads passport photo stop, demo college registration, educational work stations

• Green Acres: VisionDome with Quick Time Virtual Reality; Agriculture technology

• Town Square: Shedd Aquarium and Brookfield Zoo on the new video wall; live "Sights of Illinois" shots from North Point Marina, SIU-Carbondale, James R. Thompson Center, State Capitol, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, and throughout the fairgrounds; Illinois tourism and trip planning

• News Studio: Channel 20 will conduct the nightly news broadcast from Tech Town and the Illinois Information Service will be filming daily State Fair highlights for the Internet

  Participants in Tech Town 2001 include: the Illinois Departments of Agriculture, Human Services, Natural Resources, Professional Regulation, Historic Preservation, Transportation, Revenue, Commerce and Community Affairs, Corrections, Banks and Real Estate and Employment Security, Argonne National Lab, Assistive Technology, Brookfield Zoo, Community College Board, Illinois Information Service, Illinois Online Leadership Council, NewsChannel 20, Shedd Aquarium, the State Board of Education, the State Library, the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka.

  Major Corporate Sponsors of Tech Town 2001 inlcude: Ameritech, Apple Computer, Dell, Insight Communications, Microsoft, S.E.A. Group/Enterasys, CDS Office Technologies, Chicago Systems Group, Lexmark, MSF&W Solutions and Novanis. For the latest information, visit:www.state.il.us/tech/town