Category: In the news

As with many other services and policy discussions, the COVID-19 pandemic has both emphasized and magnified the need to expand broadband access. That may sound trite, but it’s true. Internet connectivity has come to be a requirement in so many aspects of life: in business, in education, in health care, in growing the economy. While… Read more »

The longtime leader at the Island Institute is moving on from his 18-year tenure with the Rockland nonprofit, eight of those as president. Rob Snyder will leave at the end of April for a job in the private sector. Effective March 15, Rob Beams, chief operating officer at the Island Institute, will serve as interim president. Snyder’s… Read more »

Gov. Janet Mills’ proposal to add $1.8 million to Maine’s supplemental budget, earmarked for mapping and technical support, is being hailed by business and development leaders as necessary to help the state recover from the pandemic, as well as bolster the state’s economic growth. The supplemental budget money will help pinpoint geographic areas in need… Read more »

SULLIVAN — The $900 billion coronavirus relief bill President Trump signed on Dec. 27 includes $7 billion to help expand broadband access. The funding, which includes a subsidy of up to $50 per month for eligible families to help pay for internet services and $300 million to expand rural broadband access, is intended to help keep Americans… Read more »

Last month, the Mills administration awarded $5.6 million in federal coronavirus relief funds to connect more than 700 students and teachers in rural Maine with high-speed internet service to support remote learning. The ongoing public-private partnership, dubbed ConnectKidsNow!, involved seven internet service providers, 71 towns and a two-month window. It also provided a few lessons for… Read more »

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – The Maine State Chamber of Commerce held a webinar today about the future of high-speed internet access. Government, civic, and industry leaders discussed the challenges and potential solutions to rural internet access in Maine. The meeting highlighted the importance of internet access for education, the economy, and social services. In July,… Read more »

Just as pressing as the health concerns of the coronavirus pandemic are the economic concerns facing Maine. The Governor’s Economic Recovery Committee has just rolled out its state action plan. We talk with the committee’s leaders to find out what steps Maine will take, now and in the years to come, to create a healthy… Read more »

This year, many fishermen and fishing cooperatives used social media to market directly to their communities as the traditional channels for seafood sales dried up with the closure of restaurants and foodservice outlets. It was not uncommon to see posts from customers seeking deals, cheap seafood and the “best price.” How do you factor the… Read more »

ROCKLAND — The Island Institute is one of five organizations in the country recently awarded a contract for the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP), a new partnership sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to provide resources and access to on-the-ground support for remote and islanded communities in the United States seeking to transform… Read more »

“My only concern is if we do go red [status] and we’re fully remote, can my internet keep up with all the computers working around the clock?” asked Amy McGee of West Gardiner—a mom of five kids, all of whom are learning from home. “I had some trouble with the hot spot at home trying… Read more »