Minnesota Public Radio has a nice story running today about the digital divide in Minnesota. The story quotes a recent report by Pew Internet & American Life that indicates that 70 percent of US adults are online. However the more telling statistic is that 90 percent of adults with an income of more than $75,000 a year are online while only 55 percent of those making less than $30,000.

The story demonstrates that computer skills and access to the Internet are roadblocks for individuals looking for jobs. (We talked about lack of broadband and the impact on economic development in rural areas in an earlier blog.)

The story gets even better (from the broadband perspective) when MPR interviews Mike Wassenaar, Executive Director of the Saint Paul Neighborhood Network. He points out that “closing the divide is about more than just basic computer skills, it’s about providing affordable broadband Internet access.” Continue reading →