Community Broadband Media Roundup - November 5

California

In San Leandro, we are building on public broadband investment for a brighter future by Corina Lopez, National League of Cities

In order to close the digital divide for all residents and further unleash economic growth, federal and state governments must invest more in broadband infrastructure of all kinds, including both fiber and wireless. Furthermore, we will need federal officials and their state counterparts to cease preemptive legislative trends that have tied cities’ hands and prevented public or public-private solutions from taking root. 

Colorado

More than half of Longmont has signed up for NextLight, and private Internet providers have reacted by Sam Lounsberry, Times-Call 

Idaho

Idaho Falls residents weigh cost/benefits of fiber network by Ryan Suppe, Post Register

Minnesota

Tina Smith talks drug prices, healthcare, broadband by Nathan Bowe, DL Online

Ely Broadband Coalition looking for more grant projects by Keith Vandervort, The TimberJay

Oregon

Details emerging on broadband network plans by Richard Hanners, Blue Mountain Eagle

Municipal broadband now before Portland City Council, NW Labor Press

Tennessee

Organization aims to bring community-owned rural broadband Internet to Sevier County by  Candice Fitzgibbons, Sevier News Messenger

Washington

Broadband committee ready to submit grant application by Diana Zimmerman, The Wahkiakum County Eagle

General

FCC falsely claims community broadband an 'ominous threat to the First Amendment' by Karl Bode, Motherboard

FCC Republican claims municipal broadband is threat to First Amendment by Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica

Of course, the Obama-era FCC prohibited ISPs—including municipal ISPs—from blocking legal content by enforcing net neutrality rules. O'Rielly and the rest of the FCC's Republican majority eliminated those rules after Donald Trump became president. In fact, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai justified the net neutrality repeal in part by saying the rules were too onerous for municipal ISPs.

An FCC commissioner attacks municipal broadband systems by falsely claiming they're a threat to free speech by Michael Hiltzik, LA Times

Why millions of teens can't finish their homework by Alia Wong, The Atlantic

The future of net neutrality by Evan Malmgren, The Nation 

Verizon just obliterated Ajit Pai's justification for killing net neutrality by Karl Bode, TechDirt