Community Broadband Media Roundup - February 6

Idaho

First Ammon fiber district goes live by Kevin Trevellyan, Idaho Falls Post Register

Michigan

Community partnership opens up broadband potential by Jillian Fellows, Petoskey News-Review

Minnesota

Mapping out the future of broadband in Hibbing by Kelly Grinsteinner, Hibbing Daily Tribune

New York

Charter Sued by New York Over Internet Speeds by Shalani Ramachandran, Wall Street Journal

Oregon

Fix digital divide in rural America by Jordan Feyerherm, Chinook Observer

Tennessee

Tennessee Governor proposes rural broadband initiative by Andy Sher, Government Technology

Haslam plan tilts broadband playing field by Sam Stockard, Memphis Daily News

State Reps. Pat Marsh and Art Swann emerged from a meeting underwhelmed by Gov. Bill Haslam’s legislation to spread broadband internet access across Tennessee. “I thought there would be a lot more to it,” says Marsh, a Shelbyville Republican, calling the proposal “a drop in the bucket” financially but at least a starting point.

Swann, a Maryville Republican who proposed rural broadband legislation in 2016 but saw it stall, is a little more critical. “We’ve been guarding the haystack all this time and nobody’s been taking care of the customers,” Swann said, coming out of a meeting of the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, which provided much of the basis for Haslam’s plan.

Virginia

Fast-track broadband bill to dust bin by Virginian-Pilot Editorial Board

Byron — bowing to outrage from local governments, Internet giants and a veto promise from the governor — redrafted the bill and resubmitted it on Thursday. Her substitute should still die an ignoble death commensurate with her efforts.

Let's keep talking about broadband by Balley Dabney, Fauquier Times

Byron revises bill, but municipal broadband boosters still critical of it by Carmen Forman, News & Advance

Google, Netflix join forces to fight Virginia's municipal broadband restriction by Menahem Zen, Lawyer Herald

Caroline County officials fear bill in House of Delegates will affect county's broadband authority by Adele Uphaus-Conner, Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star

Revised broadband bill passes committee heads to full House by Carmen Forman, Roanoke Times

The most anti-growth bill in Richmond by Roanoke Times Editorial Board

West Virginia

FCC needs to help close divide by Senator Joe Manchin, The Inter-Mountain

General

Lawmakers push FCC chief to boost rural broadband by Ali Breland, The Hill

Picture of the cows at sunset courtesy of sneeze via pxaby.