Part of becoming a Blandin Broadband Community (BBC), is the opportunity to show off what you’ve been doing related to broadband in your community. It was great to hear from folks in Aitkin today. Like all of the latest BBCs, … Continue reading
The Aiktin Age reports… It was announced by Governor Walz that Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative (MLEC) was awarded a Minnesota State Broadband grant, for a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Internet project. The project area will connect MLEC’s previous fiber project areas and … Continue reading
The Blandin Foundation recently published an inclusive assessment of the last cohort of Blandin Broadband Communities. Including a segment on Aitkin County… Aitkin County invested most of its first round of IRBC grant funds on improving broadband access in this … Continue reading
Aitkin County Age reports on Blandin Foundation’s support of My Chart enhancements for Riverwood Healthcare Center… Broadband grant money is a pass through that uses the county to help disburse money to worthy broadband projects. One of the projects submitted … Continue reading
The Aitkin Age is running a series of editorials on issues facing Minnesota’s aging population. Today they recommended some policy action points… Fully fund the Border-to-Border Broadband Program recognized as a critical factor in the economic and social sustainability of … Continue reading
I reported on the award a few weeks ago, AgWeek provides more details… In Aitkin County, USDA will provide a $1.95 million grant to Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative. The project will create a Fiber to the Premises Network to 235 … Continue reading
The Aitkin Age reports on five of the panel questions; two related to broadband… As you spend time with representatives from around Minnesotaand other states and listen to their ideas and bills, what three things would help Aitkin residents succeed … Continue reading
Brainerd Dispatch reports… Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, along with Congressman Pete Stauber, announced Wednesday, Sept. 25, over $1.9 million in funding for broadband deployment in Aitkin County. The Community Connect grant of $1,953,464 from the U.S. Department … Continue reading
Last week I followed Senator Klobuchar’s staff around to listen to communities talk about broadband, infrastructure and housing in Aitkin and other places. Aitkin Age recently wrote about the local meeting, highlighting some of the broadband conversation… Outreach director with … Continue reading
Aitkin County is not on track to make the MN State broadband goals for either 2022 or 2026. While the percentage of population covered at speed goals has increased, their ranking dipped this year and last, which indicates that they … Continue reading
Stop three on day one of following Senator Klobuchar’s staff around Minnesota as they hear from folks about their situation and needs for broadband, infrastructure and housing. I’ll post the whole meeting but only take notes on broadband issues. While … Continue reading
Minnesota has two broadband speed goals: Ubiquitous access to speeds of 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up (25/3) by 2022 Ubiquitous access to 100/20 by 2026 These are more aggressive than federal standards; the Minnesota Broadband Task Force suggested … Continue reading
Brainerd Dispatch reports… Rep. Dale Lueck, R-Aitkin, on Friday encouraged qualified organizations to apply for Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant funding designed to expand internet access in unserved and underserved areas of rural Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic … Continue reading
The Institute for Local Self Reliance recently highlighted the FTTH project in Aitkin County… The lakes and forests of Aitkin County in northern Minnesota make it an ideal location for a vacation home, but poor connectivity has historically limited days … Continue reading
The Mille Lacs Messenger posts a letter from Aitkin County Commissioner Don Niemi… This is an urgent request for you to contact your legislators to fully fund rural Minnesota broadband. It’s painful to admit our area is part of the … Continue reading
