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What's PlayingFree Summer Concerts
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Live on the Lake
Burbank Park/Wed., 6 p.m.
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| July 8, Sirsy |
Concerts at the Lake
Windsor Lake/Sun., 7p.m. |
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Weather delay to July 5,
Pittsfield Eagles
Community Band
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Lawn Concerts
Clark Art/Tues., 6 p.m. |
| July 7, The Doerfels |
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Sales FliersDaily Digest
A local bruin looks forlornly at the birdfeeders far from her reach in Joyce Harsch's back yard. Have a photo to share? Submit as a member or e-mail to info@iberkshires.com. |
Public Hearings
Department of Public Utilities on National Grid's request for a 16 percent increase in distribution charges on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. at North Adams City Hall. What's this all about? |
Jobless Journey
Former Adams resident and radio host Sean Baker has been chronicling his adventures in unemployment on The Forecaster site in Maine. |
ObituariesSportsSoccer sign-ups
Hoosac Tunnel Youth Soccer League/NBYMCA fall soccer sign-ups for PreK-Grade 8 at Northern Berkshire YMCA until Aug. 1.; 413-663-6529 for more information. |
ColumnistsRelated Stories |
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Broadband Bill Unanimously Passes HouseStaff reports - July 01, 2008
iBerkshires
BOSTON — The state House of Representatives not only overwhelmingly passed a broadband initiative aimed bringing Internet service to underserved areas, it upped the pricetag by $15 million.
The measure was approved 144-0 on Monday afternoon. Rep. Denis E. Guyer, D-Dalton, earlier filed an amendment raising the bond bill's funding to $40 million.
"The additional $15 million in funding will allow us to reach further in our efforts to provide broadband access to both unserved and underserved communities, rather than having to choose one or the other," said Guyer in a statement. "This is incredibly important for my constituents and the commonwealth as a whole."
Many of the communities Guyer represents have no access to high-speed Internet.
The bond bill was unveiled last August by Gov. Deval Patrick as a way to encourage investment in broadband capacity in rural and suburban areas.
The legislation would create a broadband incentive fund for developing public and private partnerships to invest in broadband infrastructure tools like conduits, fiber and wireless towers. The fund would be managed by a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
Some 32 communities statewide have little or no Internet access, primarily in Western Massachusetts. Other regions are locked into monopolies with no choice of provider.
To view larger map, click here |
Advocates say dedicated, dependable high-spped Internet access is critical to economic development, likening broadband efforst to the massive federal initiative more than 70 years ago that brought electricity to small communities across the nation. As more and more financial and govermental transactions are being accomplished online, it also is becoming a primary way to deliver services and information to constituents and consumers.
Rep. Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams, a strong proponent of the measure and House chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, called the limited access to broadband "a detriment not only to those individual communities but to the state as a whole."
"Every day that they don't have access, we're losing the ability to cultivate our state's greatest asset – the ingenuity, creativity, and motivation of the state's residents," said Bosley in a statement. "I am very happy that the House has made such a strong commitment."
Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, said, "This is great news for our state. This is important for my district and the western part of the state in general. I share my colleagues excitement and look forward to a speedy implementation."
The bill awaits action in the Senate before being sent to the governor's desk. State Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, is also a strong backer of the measure. |
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