According to the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus…

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced recipients of the 2017 Border-to-Border Broadband grant program this past Tuesday, which included funding for two projects serving Hubbard and Mahnomen counties.

The projects will help serve residents, businesses, and community institutions across northwestern Minnesota, providing critical access to high-speed internet connectivity. Funding for all 39 projects was secured in this year’s Jobs and Economic Development Bill, which passed with the support Senator Paul Utke (R-Park Rapids) during the 2017 legislative session.

Paul Bunyan Communications and Garden Valley Telephone Company will receive a combined total of $2,107,041 for their broadband expansion projects, allowing them to serve 1,001 households, 59 underserved businesses, and 13 underserved community anchor institutions in the area.

“In today’s world, families and businesses are becoming increasingly more reliant on devices that require access to a quality broadband connection,” said Senator Utke. “On top of that, we’ve seen the role that broadband service plays in our health, our education, and as an economic driver for the region. With funding from the 2017 Border-to-Border Broadband grant program, we’re connecting more underserved areas in our state and moving our state one step closer to providing reliable access for all.”