Another funding boost toward making broadband available for at least 98-percent of Nevada County homes. County Supervisors have accepted a 50-thousand dollar grant from the California Emerging Technology Fund. Chief Information Officer Steve Monaghan told the Board it’s another step toward making the county a more attractive market for providers…

click to listen to Steve Monaghan

The money has been added to the second round of funding for what’s called the “Last Mile Broadband Grant Program” that was approved by Supervisors in late April. That was half-a-million dollars to four local internet service providers, with half coming from PG and E settlement funds. That’ll add 440 households in the next 12 to 18 months. Supervisor Heidi Hall recently released a letter urging the inclusion of Governor Newsom’s seven-billion dollar broadband package in the final version of the State Budget…

click to listen to Heidi Hall

Hall says 68-percent of county residents are stuck in broadband monopolies and another 31-percent have no access to high speed broadband at all.