Community Broadband Media Roundup - October 22

Alabama

Opelika to sell OPS ONE in $14 million deal by Lily Jackson, O-A News 

Arkansas

Rural Americans struggle with poor broadband access by Theresa Krug, VOA

Iowa

Iowa: Rural broadband, and the unknown costs of the digital divide by Lyz Lenz, Columbia Journalism Review

Center For Rural Affairs study: parts of state still lack high-speed Internet By Matt Kelley, RadioIowa

"We know as agriculture changes, as manufacturing changes, consistently we see micro-entrepreneurs and small business creation as being a key element to employment and strong economies in rural areas,” Hladik says. “Frankly, today, having broadband and high-speed Internet is essential to a successful business.”

Kansas

Kansas legislators push FCC to fix broadband subsidy shortfall by John Eggerton, Multichannel News

Massachusetts

CEL brings high–speed service to the city by G. Michael Dobbs, The Reminder

Missouri 

Co-Mo wins support for broadband expansion, Lake News Online

The funding will be used to support the current efforts of Co-Mo Connect and to fulfill the hopes of many who weren’t going to see broadband in their area without us.

Chinn: High-speed Internet crucial to attract next-generation Missouri farmers by Brian Hauswirth, Fourstates Home Page

North Carolina

Wilson’s Gig East forum to explore future of work, innovation by Shannon Cuthrell, TechWire

For wireless broadband, Raleigh finds common ground through partnerships by Nicole DuPuis, CitiesSpeak

Oregon

A new way to finance fiber by Doug Dawson, POTs and PANs

Rhode Island 

Library may become hub for broadband use by Cassius Shuman, Block Island Times

Tennessee

Past the Gig City, a digital divide separates some Tennesseans by Michael Edward Miller, WUTC

County moving to ease Internet project hiccups by Autumn Hughes, Cleveland Daily Banner

We hear a lot about rural broadband. What is Tennessee actually doing? Emily West, Nashville Tennessean 

Are you one of the 800,000 Tennesseans without broadband service? Here's what the state is doing about it by Emily West, Nashville Tennessean 

Gig City milestone: EPB tops 100,000 fiber optic customers by Dave Flessner, Times Free Press

It is a powerful recruiting tool to attract new businesses that need reliable, high quality power and communications, as well as a catalyst for launching startups and expanding our existing businesses.

General

Expanding rural broadband a necessity, advocates say by Mike Richards, Lens

Congress, more than a dozen states consider legislation to expand broadband access by Anne Stauffer and Kathryn de Wit, PEW

New York Attorney General expands inquiry into net neutrality comments by Nicholas Confessore, New York Times

From hotspots to school bus Wi-Fi, districts seek out solutions to ‘homework gap’ by Emily Tate, EdSurge

Why rural communities of color are left behind: A call for intersectional demographic broadband data by Alisa Valentin, PublicKnowledge

Lack of broadband access can hinder rural telehealth programs by Elizabeth O'Dowd, HIT Infrastructure

For next-generation city infrastructure, consider partnerships by Skip Descant, GovTech