Today at the Redhook Brewery in Portsmouth, over two dozen local and nationally renowned musicians will come together for Seacoast Concert for a Cure to support breast cancer research. Last year's event raised over $21,000 in support of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and two local charities. This year's event will also feature a silent auction and raffle, including a Lyle Lovett autographed guitar on eBay! My friend Marisa is the Web Mistress of the site, and my friends at Dynamic Internet are proud to provide free web hosting for this and other great causes. As always, I encourage businesses to support businesses that support non-profits! (Could I say that in a more convoluted way?) I'd be at the show myself, but it's my precious daughter's 10th birthday today. (Happy Birthday Erin! I'm so proud of you!) Anyway, I hope the show is a big success, i.e., makes lots of money. ;-)

It's a beautiful day in downtown Portsmouth -- 75 and sunny with a nice breeze -- what better way to celebrate the coming of summer than by logging onto our free wi-fi hotspot? Miracle of miracles, it was up and running today (we've had some connectivity issues -- signal is strong, but no circuit behind it). But yep, today I'm clipping along at 410kbps.

In other wi-fi news, last night the recommendation of our EDC subcommittee to expand the wi-fi was accepted by the City Council. Here's the official word as recorded in the official council minutes: "Report Back from Economic Development Commission Re: WiFi Referral – Voted to authorize the City Manager to work with the staff and the Chamber of Commerce to implement the plan and to provide a progress report back to the City Council and Economic Development Commission." So now apparently we'll work with City Manager John Bohenko from here... I'm very excited!

Another Rite of Summer -- woo-hoo! The eCruise is back! I'll be on-board... Will you?

I was surprised to read in the Portsmouth Herald this morning that the core wi-fi group -- Dave Gibson of Bay Ring, Steve Singlar of Single Digits, Erik Crago of Port City Web, and I -- had been named Volunteers of the Year by the Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce. So we've got that going for us, which is nice. ;-) Now I know why Ginny Griffith of the Chamber was so insistent that we attend their Annual Awards Dinner! Unfortunately I could not attend due to my persistent Bolivian/Bavarian/Brazilian Flu. (Somebody please put me out of my misery!) BTW, I know Ginny's job description covers a lot of territory, but I believe she's gone way above and beyond on the wi-fi project and even though she's not eligible for recognition from her employer, she deserves a slice of that recognition, too. Thanks for everything Ginny!

Addendum: The Foster's also picked up the story on the Chamber Annual Dinner and ran a great picture (see left) of my wi-fi partners in crime, Dave Gibson of BayRing and Steve Singlar of Single Digits.

Foster's Portsmouth Bureau Chief Michael Goot files this story on our wi-fi project following the EDC presentation to the City Council. (Site registration req'd.) Thanks Michael! The most interesting thing in this story is this bit here: "Commission member Everett Eaton wondered if downtown wi-fi areas would compete with companies that provide residential wi-fi services for a fee, creating a potential conflict with paying and non-paying service. Councilor Tom Ferrini, who is also on the commission, said there is nothing wrong with competition." Here, here Mr. Ferrini!