Community Broadband Media Roundup - April 15

California

Manhattan Beach takes first step towards installing city-wide fiber optic Internet by Kirsten Farmer, The Beach Reporter 

Michigan

Commissioners push for more high-speed Internet by John Matuszak, The Herald-Palladium 

Missouri 

Blunt expresses concern about rural broadband expansion in MO, KFVS 12

Pennsylvania 

Quest for high-speed Internet: Fiber optic close but out of reach for Valley business by Justin Strawser, The Daily Item 

"Lack of broadband access hinders our students’ ability to learn, it keeps our health care and EMS providers from delivering the best treatment possible, it drives away businesses, and it makes it more difficult for families and friends to connect with one another. Connecting Pennsylvanians to high-speed Internet is the most meaningful rural economic development initiative we can undertake today…” 

When the ‘homework gap’ hits home: How rural Pa. students learn with limited broadband by Sarah Paez, Centre Daily Times

19M rural Americans have little or no Internet access. Here’s how they hope to change that by Tim Johnson, McClatchy DC Bureau 

Tennessee 

State should let municipal fiber optic networks expand to meet demand by Deb Socia, Tennessean

General

Public Knowledge welcomes Digital Equity Act to help close digital divide by Shiva Stella, Public Knowledge

Questions over coverage plague rural broadband expansion by Anthony Izaguirre, Washington Post 

FCC “consumer advisory” panel includes ALEC, big foe of municipal broadband by Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica 

Senate tries to get a read on broadband mapping by John Eggerton, Multichannel 

Net neutrality vote passes House, fulfilling promise by Democrats by Cecilia Kang, New York Times

Net neutrality is fundamental to guaranteeing that every American has unencumbered access to the Internet,” the companies wrote. “This access is also essential to a competitive, free market for the technology economy to thrive as well as entrepreneurship in this country.”

Edtech leaders praise $250 million 'Digital Equity Act' for state and local government by Betsy Foresman, EdScoop 

“No matter who you are or where you live in this country, you need access to modern communications to have a fair shot at 21st-century success.”