Trenton, Chiefland, more win broadband grants

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The office of Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Trenton, Chiefland, Williston and dozens of other rural communities around the state will receive a combined $60 million as part of the Broadband Opportunity Program.

The federally funded program is aimed at expanding broadband internet access in Florida’s unserved communities. The latest round of funding covers 22 projects in 19 counties and will connect about 58,000 Floridians to broadband, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

“This $60 million in awards brings our total investment in broadband to more than $226 million to expand broadband internet access in Florida’s under connected communities,” DeSantis said in a statement. “With this investment, we are connecting more than 250,000 unserved homes and businesses and expanding opportunities in rural communities.”

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Friday’s announcement comes after the first round of grants in February and a smaller, second round in April. The February awards included Gainesville, Bell, Cross City, Trenton, Archer, Micanopy, Newberry, Starke, Williston, Bronson, Keystone Heights, Horseshoe Beach and Columbia County.

“Small and rural communities across the state will be able to connect to fast, reliable broadband internet at their home or business and can take advantage of the opportunities that accompany broadband Internet connectivity,” Meredith Ivey, Department of Economic Opportunity acting secretary, said in a statement.

The Broadband Opportunity Program is funded through Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, a part of the American Rescue Plan Act passed in 2021.

The state included the following North Central Florida projects on Friday:

  • Cities of Cedar Key and Chiefland, Towns of Otter Creek and Inglis, and Unincorporated Communities of Gulf Hammock, Old Town, Rosewood, Summer and Suwannee ($5,000,000) â€” to add 1,096.91 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,238 unserved locations within Dixie and Levy Counties with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.
  • Cities of Hampton and Starke ($5,000,000) â€” to add 89 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 960 unserved locations within Bradford County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.
  • Unincorporated Communities of Marion Oaks, Ocklawaha and Silver Springs ($2,428,013) â€” to add 122.12 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 1,061 unserved locations within Marion County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.
  • Unincorporated Community of Rainbow Lake Estates ($1,043,858) — to add 49.17 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 668 unserved locations within Marion County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.
  • Town of Mcintosh, Reddick and Zuber; Unincorporated Communities of Anthony, Blitchton, Citra, East Williston, Ematha, Evinston, Fairfield, Irvine, Lowell, Martin, Orange Lake, Spar and York ($2,980,000) — to add 701.1 miles of fiber optic cable to provide 11,920 unserved locations within Marion County with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 1 GB.
  • Cities of Trenton and Fanning Springs ($4,948,800) â€” to add 100 square miles of fixed wireless coverage to provide 1,981 unserved locations within Gilchrist County with minimum download and upload speeds of 100/20 Mbps.
  • City of Williston ($25,000) — to add 20 square miles of fixed wireless coverage to provide 1,000 unserved locations within Levy County with minimum download and upload speeds of 100/20 Mbps.

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John speece

Not one comment on how bad these frequencies are to humans and animals and everything else. silent weapons for quiet wars..