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4 days agoRural America's Connectivity: Interstates, Broadband And Livability
The COVID pandemic reversed rural brain drain as telecommuting allowed skilled workers to return for affordability and livability.
A 40% reduction in USF support would mean that broadband operators couldn't continue operations on existing networks, threatening the long-term viability of broadband access in rural areas. About half of the cost of network operating expenses are due to labor costs, which rise faster than inflation in rural areas.
The goal of the new USTelecom program is to show consumers, businesses, civic leaders, and policymakers why maintaining legacy copper for the small portion of end users is not an efficient approach. A key part of this is explaining why modern technology is better.
The study frames each of the models as 'emerging strategies' that can either complement or serve as alternatives to well-known sustainability certification schemes such as Organic, Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance.
Eight of the municipal networks studied beat their local provider competitors in median upload speed. Sherwood Broadband - in the town of the same name in Oregon - was the only one to beat its local competitor in median download speed.
When I came into this world and met her, I never really saw her smile. Having a focus in rural areas is really important because sometimes they're scared to go to the dentist. I'm not able to restore my grandmother's smile, but with my patients, I treat them like they're my own family members. Just showing them love and care-having that small interaction-can really change their trajectory.
If we did that today, it would be a hundred percent, because right now, without question, 2026 is riskier than 2025. So farmers really [face significant challenges]. The war in Iran continues and it works back to the world of agriculture. It's had an impact on fertiliser and diesel prices and commodity markets, as well as currency.
EirGrid, the semi-state company that manages and operates Ireland's electricity grid, has also predicted that data centres will be using 32pc of all the electricity consumed in the country by 2030. That compares to about 22pc now.
Understanding the difference in purpose Unlike private businesses, which exist to make a profit, public institutions are designed to create impact - especially social and economic outcomes that benefit everyone, not just paying customers. A public agency doesn't measure its success in revenue or margins, but in how much it improves lives, builds equity and maintains public trust. This doesn't mean budgets and spending don't matter - they absolutely do - but money is not the goal. It's the tool.
A Reg reader received an automated call warning of potential water discoloration during planned works from January 19-25. The message advised running taps for twenty minutes if the water appeared discolored - standard stuff, if a bit robotic. In the recording forwarded to us, a female voice told our reader what to expect. All good, if a little robotic. However, things went off the rails a bit when the robot attempted to read out the URL for Severn Trent: http://www.stwater.co.uk/discolouration.
Broadcasting from Calgary, Alberta, your host Shaun Haney is joined by Tyler McCann, managing director of CAPI, and Saskatchewan farmer Daryl Fransoo to talk about profitability in ag and the role of the biofuel industry from a Canadian agriculture perspective. Thoughts on something we talked about on the show? Connect with host Shaun Haney via [email protected], on X/Twitter by using the hashtag #RealAgRadio, or give us a shout or text on the response line, 1-855-776-6147.
When Specian dug into the data, he discovered that implementing energy-efficiency measures and shifting electricity usage to lower-demand times are two of the fastest and cheapest ways of meeting growing thirst for electricity. These moves could help meet much, if not all, of the nation's projected load growth. Moreover, they would cost only half-or less-what building out new infrastructure would, while avoiding the emissions those operations would bring.
When you think of farming, what ingredients do you generally associate with a successful harvest? The basics certainly come to mind: fertile soil, plenty of sunlight and lots of water. But there are other variables that can also mean the difference between a crop of healthy fruits and vegetables and a large heap of organic waste. And it turns out that one of those variables is a very small hawk.
A group of Illinois small farmers are meeting with members of Congress on Thursday in Washington to discuss their hopes for "transformational investments" in the next farm bill, which governs policy in the agricultural sector. As they see it, the new law could provide significant financial investment and protections that reduce economic inequality and racial injustice; build crop and human resilience to climate change and unpredictable weather; and improve access to nutritious food and sustainable, local systems.
Most recently, she served as the executive director of the South Central Ontario Regional (SCOR) Economic Development Commission, a regional organization representing the counties of Brant, Elgin, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Oxford. In this role, she oversaw strategic planning, board governance, stakeholder engagement, and the execution of high impact initiatives. In addition to her executive leadership, Earls teaches part-time at Fanshawe College and holds a Master of Public Administration from Western University.