$5.483 Million In Federal Funding For Rural Broadband Projects In Fresno County
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Cities of San Joaquin, Tranquility and other rural West Fresno County towns will be seeing an expansion of broadband Internet connections thanks to a combined federal grant and loan of $5,483,010 announced today. It will provide access to approximately 1,500 households, local businesses and other institutions in West Fresno County.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}“Expanding broadband to rural communities is a win for the local economy, small businesses and families in rural Fresno County,” Costa said. “It is estimated that nearly 80 jobs will be created to build, support, manage and install the new infrastructure. Also, small businesses on the West Side will have greater and more dependable access to the Internet to solicit business from around the region and across the country. I am looking forward to seeing the results of this grant.”
The funds were awarded to Audeamus, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sebastian Enterprises, Inc., which is a parent company of Kerman Telephone Company. Audeamus estimates this broadband project will help the unemployment rate in West Fresno County and provide new economic, medical, telemedicine and educational opportunities that quality broadband access makes possible.
Funds were made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help bring broadband services to rural and un-served and underserved communities across the nation.