Ohio governor, who's from Appalachia, orders council to get broadband for every county in state

"Ohio's Appalachian governor has ordered that broadband Internet access be made available to every county in the state," reports Julie Carr Smyth of The Associated Press statehouse bureau in Columbus. Gov. Ted Strickland on Friday "directed the Ohio Broadband Council to coordinate an effort that will extend broadband access to all 88 counties and allow public and private entities to tap into the network."

"Ohio's economic future relies on our ability to compete in a high-speed, high-tech global marketplace," Strickland said in a statement. "The Ohio Broadband Council will partner with the public and private sectors to help make sure that every Ohioan has viable access to affordable, high-speed internet service, regardless of where they live, work or learn." For the news release and executive order, click here.

"Internet access in Ohio's Appalachian region has been particularly slow to arrive," Smyth reports. "The effort to expand broadband access is aimed specifically at regions of the state such as Appalachia, where the economy and education levels have fallen behind, the coal industry has faltered and manufacturing jobs have moved abroad. Some schools face a technology gap in a largely rural, mountainous region where high-speed Internet is spotty. . . . The Governor’s Office of Appalachia announced earlier this month it was partnering with The Ohio State University to bring broadband access to community-owned wireless networks in several Appalachian counties, and up to three communities will receive a community learning center with computers for public use at no charge." (Read more)