Community Broadband Media Roundup - July 1

California

City approves high-speed Internet agreement by Tammy Murga, The Signal 

“The city of Santa Clarita, much like other businesses and organizations within it, has a growing need for a faster and more cost-effective Internet connection,” the report reads. “As the city continues to move toward Internet-based applications to provide improved and more efficient service options for its current, and growing, population, the need for faster and more diverse options for Internet services becomes of greater significance.”

Colorado 

Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem can sign broadband contracts over $100,000 without Board approval by Tyler Pialet, Estes Park Trail Gazette

Iowa

City council moves forward on improving Ames Internet service by Jake Webster, Iowa State Daily 

Kentucky 

KentuckyWired project overcomes squirrels to complete long-delayed initial phase by Alfred Miller, Louisville Courier Journal

‘Closing the digital divide.’ First part of long-delayed Internet project finally done by Bill Estep, Herald Leader

Maine

Selectmen talk broadband, endorse inter-town committee by Joseph Charpentier, Boothbay Register

Massachusetts 

Hilltown Voices: Broadband network largest infrastructure project in Plainfield’s history by Fran Ryan, Daily Hampshire Gazette 

New Hampshire

Legislature offers no clear path for municipal broadband advocates by Matt Pilon, Hartford Business Journal

New York

A DIY Internet network has drastically expanded its coverage in NYC by Karl Bode, Vice

North Carolina

Broadband provider RiverStreet begins contacting residents about possible service, Blue Ridge Now

Leveraging the best requires better broadband by Bob Scott, Smoky Mountain News

The towns across our region have so much to offer young entrepreneurs and young families, and we know that they see that. But how many cannot make a full-time transition to these towns because broadband access remains inconsistent and even unavailable in some places?

And how many of our existing businesses suffer lost opportunities or are unable to recruit those with specialized skills and knowledge for the same reason? Even our municipalities face these issues as they recruit people to fill local government jobs. That is especially the case when a spouse operates a home-based business requiring reliable, high-speed Internet to connect to the larger world.  

Our view: Spur better rates, service, The Dispatch 

Tennessee

Bradley County businesses say high speed Internet is key; one company relocates to Chattanooga for better service by Dave Flessner, Times Free Press 

Texas

Texas telecom law sets up legal showdown for cities, state by Tessa Weinberg, Fort Worth Star-Telegram 

Vermont

Vermont takes rural broadband into its own hands under new law by Katya Schwenk, StateScoop

“We have been waiting for the private sector to serve us, and it hasn’t come,” Clay Purvis, the director for telecommunications at the Vermont Department of Public Service, told StateScoop. “And we’ve waited for the federal government to bring us Internet service, and it hasn’t come. We’ve come to the realization that no one is going to do this for us, and we have to do it ourselves.”

Washington

Anacortes sets Internet fees for city network by Jacqueline Allison, GoAnacortes 

General 

Ajit Pai is working hard to make broadband users dumb again by Dell Cameron, Gizmodo

The FCC is siding with landlords and Comcast over tenants who want broadband choices by Ernesto Falcon, Electronic Frontier Foundation