Gov. Walz is asking state lawmakers for $50M to expand access. Written By: Karen Tolkkinen | ×
This state government map shows the haves and have-nots in Douglas County when it comes to high-speed internet service. (Department of Employment and Economic Development)
About 92% of Minnesota homes and businesses have internet service of at least 25 megabits per second download and three megabits per second upload, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
But that percentage drops to 83% in rural Minnesota, the agency said. And time is running out to meet the state s goal of ensuring those speeds for all Minnesotans by 2022.
Roundtable event held to discuss statewide plan for broadband katc.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from katc.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Kansas CTO Stacy Mill Champions State Agency Innovation
Chief Technology Officer and Deputy CITO Stacy Mill brings her many years of tech experience to Kansas to boost security, modernize legacy systems and encourage broadband accessibility.
When Stacy Mill came to state government from the private sector in 2019, she brought years of experience. Her skills in addressing IT risk management and enhancing operational excellence are serving her and Kansas well as the state works to address common challenges like bolstering security, modernizing legacy systems and supporting broadband accessibility.
1. Can you describe your role with the state?
In the CTO role, I lead the Office of Information Technology Services, which is the centralized services agency for the state of Kansas. That’s everything from operations of IT to all the different data services, as well as all the professional services we provide. Secondarily, I partner with all the CIOs in the various agencies, as well as
Minnesota Broadband Expansion Will Require Sustained Funding
Industry leaders say Minnesota s broadband access is growing on its own, but that federal action could mean better access far quicker than what Internet service providers could normally accomplish. by Trey Mewes, The Free Press / April 1, 2021 Shutterstock
(TNS) Telecommunications experts are happy to hear Congress is interested in broadband funding, but they say any federal dollars needs to be spread out over several years to make the most impact.
That s the message state broadband advocates and industry leaders gave to U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar Wednesday, the same day President Joe Biden unveiled a $2 trillion infrastructure plan that includes a Klobuchar-backed proposal to spend $100 billion on broadband projects throughout the U.S.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
As policymakers at all levels of government turn their attention to expanding broadband access, a number of state successes could inform their efforts. Chief among these is Minnesota: The state has long been praised for its robust, multifaceted approach to broadband expansion, which includes the Governor’s Broadband Task Force, a diverse group of constituents charged with representing the interests of their communities.
Task force member Bernadine Joselyn is director of public policy and engagement for the Blandin Foundation, based in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, which focuses on strengthening rural communities in the state. This interview with her has been edited for clarity and length.