Local Meetings On Broadband Planned for Fall

RISON - The Cleveland County Broadband Committee decided Monday afternoon to schedule a series of public meetings to inform people about the effort to bring high-speed internet to the rural parts of the county as well as let them know about ways they can get assistance on their internet bills and learn how to use different devices to get on the internet. County Judge Jimmy Cummings assigned the new committee in June to help put together the county's application to secure its portion of $1 billion in federal funding that is coming to Arkansas to expand high speed internet across the state. Glen Howie, director of the Arkansas State Broadband Office, told a gathering in Rison this past April that the state will consider three criteria in awarding the grants: expanding the infrastructure to provide the highspeed service; making that service affordable; and developing ways to improve "digital skills" for those who need. "Digital skills" refers to knowing how to use various devices to use the internet. While the state's goal is to have high-speed internet available throughout the state by 2028, Howie said it is his personnel goal to have it accomplished by 2026. The Cleveland County committee began putting together a strategy to address each of those three criteria during what was its second meeting Monday afternoon at the Veterans Building in Rison. The committee agreed to schedule a series of local meetings throughout the county beginning this fall that will provide information on the broadband expansion effort in the county as well as the Affordable Connectivity Program that provides up $30 per month for internet bills. In addition, the committee discussed reaching out to both the Cleveland County and Woodlawn School Districts about developing programs where students can help teach others on how to use smart phones, tablets, laptop computers, and other devices to get on and use the internet. That program w...