The federal government is giving a Sacramento-based agency Golden State Finance Authority $2.7 million to expand high-speed internet throughout California.
Patrick Blacklock heads the agency’s parent company, Rural County Representatives of California.
"We're very excited,” Blacklock said. “The funding of this grant will really accelerate and be a catalyst to our efforts to deploy broadband throughout our rural communities."
The grant will be focused on developing strategic plans to understand where high-speed internet exists in 26 rural counties throughout the state, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
"When you don't have that, the simplest of things can be difficult, up to and including your children participating in online education,” Blacklock said. “We recently met with a family in Alpine County that had been unable to fully participate in their school and was home schooling in an effort to maintain the children's education in the absence of access to high-speed internet.”
Money for the grant comes from the nearly $2 trillion American Rescue Plan passed by Congress last year.
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