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AAC


NEWS FROM NACO


— Photo from iStock Broadband demands during COVID-19 reveal disparities


Story by Rachel Looker NACo Staff Writer


counties are turning to public hotspots to meet the needs of residents. In rural Pope County, Minn., Com- missioner Paul Gerde said high speed internet needed for downloads and up- loads is a challenge. With hills and trees part of the county’s landscape, wireless internet does not work well in the area. With Minnesota under a stay-at-home


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order, the disparities in broadband have become even more apparent. “We have to be diligent and tell our leg- islators it’s important to us,” Gerde said. “Just because our area doesn’t have very good service, we shouldn’t be left out.” Gerde, who serves on the county’s


COUNTY LINES, SPRING 2020


s the COVID-19 situation brings increased demands in teleworking, virtual learn- ing and even telemedicine,


broadband committee, said the county is making efforts to get high speed inter- net through state grants. “In rural Minnesota with this tele- medicine and kids learning from home, it’s very important,” he said. Gerde said one of his constituents told him she brings her kids more than 15 miles each day to do homework in the parking lot of a school because she is un- able to get internet service at home. “You shouldn’t have to bring your kids 15 miles to get their homework done,” he said. “Tis day and age, we should be able to have similar service.” Across the country, many school dis- tricts have converted school buses into mobile hotspots that can drive to under- served areas of a county to provide inter- net access for students. School buses from Caldwell County, N.C. to Polk County, Fla. are being outfitted to serve as “rolling hotspots,”


specifically to meet the needs of students who are trying to complete assignments and communicate with teachers. In Pierce County, Wash., Pierce Tran-


sit launched a pilot program in partner- ship with Pierce County Emergency Management and local school districts to provide free mobile Wi-Fi hot spots for students via transit buses. With schools in Washington closed


for the remainder of the year, students can park near the buses, where the Wi-Fi extends 100 feet, to get their work done. Te buses have been parking at two loca- tions in the county. Sonoma County, Calif.’s Office of Edu- cation is working with schools to help con- nect students to the internet, specifically in rural areas of the county where the lack of broadband has been a long-term issue.


See “BROADBAND” on Page 46 >>> 45


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