The 2007 CAR Conference will be held in Cleveland on March 8-11, featuring panels by the best in the business as well as hands-on classes. The Plain Dealer hosts the conference at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel. The conference is sponsored by the Gannett Foundation.

The best-practices panels will discuss using CAR to cover the census, crime, education, local and state government, Freedom of Information issues, and transportation, among others. In the hands-on classes, participants can learn to use spreadsheets, database managers, mapping, statistics and how to apply new technology and programming techniques in your work. IRE and NICAR welcome suggestions for panel topics, speakers or class offerings, too. Submit ideas to confideas@ire.org and reference the 2007 CAR conference.

The online registration form is available at www.ire.org/cgi-bin/secure-form.cgi?form=clevelandReg. Registrants who book their hotel rooms by Friday, February 9, can get the discounted rate of $119 plus tax per night.

If you have hotel or general conference questions, please contact Ev Ruch-Graham, senior conference coordinator at ev@ire.org or 573-882-8969. If you have registration questions, please contact John Green, membership coordinator, at jgreen@ire.org or 573-882-2772.