Daily Yonder

Popular narratives about the digital divide that separates our nation are too often anchored narrowly on the mere availability of broadband in a community. And now, emerging narratives about Census 2020 self-reporting issues routinely fail to look beyond the pandemic disruptions. Physical paper Census forms had been the traditional means of survey and reply, and the expectation for generations of respondents. But the Census Bureau made the calculation this year that 78.2% of households should want to, would be able to — and simply would just jump online to self-report crucial information.

Ashley Thompson, Fruit Horticulturalist at Oregon State University Extension Service in Wasco County, administered a survey to local orchardists to gauge interest in Wi-Fi hot spots. In response to orchardists’ interest in wifi, Dave Anderson, City of The Dalles Public Works Director, asked community businesses for help. Google, which operates a large data center in The Dalles and makes grants that provide internet access to underserved communities, responded with $12,600.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mountain Rural Telephone, Peoples Rural Telephone (PRTC), and Thacker-Grigsby Telephone are providing free hotspots for families that do not have broadband at home. The hotspots are primarily for school, community college, and GED students to complete their nontraditional instruction while face-to-face instruction is on hold.