One Rancher on Why Broadband Matters to Rural America

‘It’s important to tell our own story’ by Jessica Denson Director of Communications, Connected Nation Grant County, Neb., (June 6, 2019) – Honest Beef is a family-owned beef business located in the Sandhills of Nebraska. Talk with owner Hannah Raudsepp for even a few minutes and it quickly becomes clear her family is not just trying to sell you beef—they’re …

After the Net Neutrality Debate Settles, Rural Texans Still Lack Broadband Access

The following was published by The Texan on June 4, 2019 by Brad Johnson  Over 30 percent of rural Texans are without high-speed broadband internet access in their homes and government-led approaches are dominating the debate. Austin, TX – In 2017, the world was ablaze with the issue dubbed “Net Neutrality.” The spark that lit the fire was the Federal …

How to Bring High-Speed Internet to Public Housing

Published by Institute for Local Self-Reliance on May 30, 2019 By Hibba Meraay This week we’re rebroadcasting an episode of our Community Broadband Bits podcast that details our recent report on San Francisco’s innovative efforts to close the digital divide in public housing. Host Chris Mitchell is joined by former ILSR intern and report co-author, Hannah Rank, to discuss how this model …

New Bill Would Improve Broadband Maps

The following was published by the American Farm Bureau Federation on May 22, 2019. Farm Bureau President, Zippy Duvall, recently joined Connected Nation’s board of directors partly because of our mission to bring broadband to all people in both rural and urban areas.  A recently introduced bill would enhance the accuracy of broadband coverage maps, a key step toward boosting …

Washington invests $6 million in rural broadband access, clean energy infrastructure

Published by KIRO 7 on May 22, 2019 Washington state announced a $6 million investment Monday in rural broadband internet and clean energy infrastructure in six counties. The investment included $3.2 million in low-interest loans and $2.67 in grants for infrastructure projects that target rural broadband, business growth and job creation in Clallam, Kitsap, Mason, Whatcom and Yakima counties. It was …

Grayson County poised for a broadband expansion via new state law

Published by GoDanRiver.com on May 21, 2019 By: Amy Friedenberger INDEPENDENCE — About 75 percent of the people in Grayson County lack access to quality broadband. Even for some connected to broadband, their internet speed is so slow that people in the rural county jokingly describe it as “advanced dial-up.” The county set a goal three years ago to provide broadband …

Why We Need to Rethink How We View Charity

Bowling Green, KY. (May 21, 2019) – Nonprofit organizations impact our world in ways you might not even think about. Nonprofits provide public and societal benefits such as health and human services, education and research, caring for the environment and animals, and providing access to arts, humanities, and religion. Nonprofits ultimately seek to improve lives, yet many are undervalued, operating on …

CAPITO, SCHATZ, MORAN, TESTER INTRODUCE BILL TO IMPROVE ACCURACY OF BROADBAND COVERAGE MAPS

The following press release was issued on Sen. Shelley Capito’s website on May 16, 2019  Bipartisan legislation would lead to more granular mapping, help close digital divide in rural America WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Brian Schatz (D- Hawai‘i), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Jon Tester (D-Mont.)—all members of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee—today introduced the Broadband Data …

UPDATE: List of States Funding Rural Broadband Gets Even Longer

by Jessica Denson Director of Communications, Connected Nation Bowing Green, KY (May 14, 2019) – Earlier this month, Connected Nation took a closer look at the action states are  taking to expand rural broadband access. Many state lawmakers are choosing to move forward now rather than wait for federal funding. Less than two weeks later, we can add nearly another …