NETWORK ELSEWHERE GETS PRAISE

In hawking his Show-Me Net idea for Cape Girardeau County, Larry Loos uses a videotape about a similar network in Peoria, Ill.

Established about four years ago, Peoria's FreeNet was billed as a way to connect Peoria residents with local and national information.

Today, the FreeNet isn't exactly free anymore. Users who want access to the Internet pay a yearly $35 membership fee, and the network's name has been changed to Heartland Regional Network.

All-in-all, it did what it was invented to do, a reporter for the Peoria Journal-Star said.

Mike Miller has covered the network since its conception. These days, he uses it to get ideas for local news articles.

"It has been really good in terms of getting out community information," Miller said. "We have a lot of governmental participation, and a lot of people from outside the area have joined over the Internet."

But Heartland Regional Network hasn't been without its problems. First, the equipment didn't work properly. Later, financial support from local businesses petered out.

"At first, they were saying, `Wow! The Internet! Let's hop on!'" Miller said. "Then they lost their excitement."

Even without business support, Heartland has been able to grow through the $35 fee, and many Peoria residents enjoy getting e-mail addresses to communicate with local folks and receive answers to their questions.

Miller said there are no plans to stop providing services.