Arkansas Democrat Gazette
In Saline County (AR), some residents still can’t access broadband; a local committee is part of an effort to change that
More than one-fifth of Arkansans don't have access to broadband, making the Natural State the third worst in the nation for internet access, according to BroadbandNow. Even in Saline County, home to many residents who commute to jobs in the Little Rock metropolitan area, officials and homeowners say some remain stuck with internet speeds that recall the dial-up era. County officials, though, recently formed a broadband committee to determine what steps are needed to get faster internet to residents
Arkansas approves $53.3 million in federal funds for 8 broadband projects
The Arkansas Legislature's Joint Budget Committee approved the state Department of Commerce's request to use $53.3 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds for eight broadband grant projects and $2 million for broadband administrative expenses. The proposed broadband grant projects are in Ashley, Baxter, Chicot, Clark, Columbia, Hot Spring, Logan and Lonoke (AR) counties.
Internet step feared to miss target in Arkansas; shift to cities in rural-broadband plan dismays lawmakers
State lawmakers unanimously voted in February to create a structure to use state grant funds to expand high-speed internet to Arkansas' farthest flung areas, but the program spawned by that law, as now proposed, would do the opposite, about a dozen legislators said. Local government officials, internet companies and other stakeholders had near-universal praise for Gov.