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Economy

Mercer County Broadband Summit

the poster for the broadband summit
MERCER COUNTY BETTER TOGETHER
the poster for the broadband summit

To make sure Mercer County can participate in the modern economy, a group of local leaders is trying to improve access to high-speed internet. Monday night the Mercer County Internet Initiative will hold a public meeting to talk about its plans to help residents become better connected.

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One of the members is Kyle McEwen, Executive Director of the economic development group Mercer County Better Together.

"Even in a small, rural county like ours the next jump for participating in the local economy is moving to broadband accessibility and really treating that as a utility"

He says the FCC estimates two-thirds of county residents currently have access to reliable service. It's not true, but that may discourage more potential providers from offering service in the county.

"Our speed tests so far are telling us yes, in some place in the county we do have that, but that percentage is not anywhere close to what the FCC purports."

A recent survey shows 65 per cent of Mercer County residents do not think there are enough choices available for internet service providers, and only 20 per cent say "yes."

Monday's meeting begins at 6 pm, at the Mercer County VFW hall, in Aledo.

A native of Detroit, Herb Trix began his radio career as a country-western disc jockey in Roswell, New Mexico (“KRSY, your superkicker in the Pecos Valley”), in 1978. After a stint at an oldies station in Topeka, Kansas (imagine getting paid to play “Louie Louie” and “Great Balls of Fire”), he wormed his way into news, first in Topeka, and then in Freeport Illinois.