By Todd Staples, Commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture
Jobs and improved quality of life — that’s what greater access to high-speed wireless service means and there are a lot of successes under way toward that end. Upgrades are in store for business, education, health care and home life.
Why should all Texans care about rural technology? Because rural Texas is where hundreds of billions dollars in Gross State Product (GSP) originate. About $100 billion, or around 9 percent of Texas GSP, comes from agriculture alone. More than 86 percent of Texas’ land mass is over rural Texas, and let’s face it; our need to communicate doesn’t stop because we’re traveling across our state’s huge geography. In this day and age, we want a reliable Internet connection no matter where we live, work or travel.
With a focus on broadband expansion being a priority these days, study after study is reiterating something critical — rural communities are often the last to gain access to the technology and tools that allow for job creation, enhanced health care and educational advancement. Many urban counterparts enjoy tremendous competitive advantages when they are the first to receive the technological infrastructure. READ MORE +
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 106 projects in 38 states and one territory have been selected to receive more than $34.7 million in grants to fund educational projects and expand access to health care services in rural areas through USDA’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program.
“Too many rural areas cannot take full advantage of the opportunities afforded by broadband for improved education and health care. These funds will help communities enhance their educational and training programs and deliver improved health care services for their residents,” Vilsack said.
“Schools and health care systems in rural Texas have increasingly tighter budgets each year. Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants are powerful tools for providing expanded educational and medical opportunities which otherwise may be unavailable to students and residents of rural communities,” said Paco Valentin, USDA Rural Development State Director of Texas. READ MORE +
By Jeremy Thacker, Communications Specialist, Connected Texas
There’s a new whirlwind of excitement energizing the Connected Texas initiative. That’s the official word after a recent meeting with the state’s Broadband Task Force members.
“Everybody involved with Connected Texas at the state level has been very supportive of our mission,” said Connected Texas Executive Director Don Shirley. “We’re anxious to see how we can work together with each of them.”
Shirley took Monday’s meeting in Austin as an opportunity to reiterate Connected Texas’ intensified focus on bringing about better broadband access, adoption, and use across the state. READ MORE +
Jacksonville Daily Progress
September 13, 2011
Lauren LaFleur
JACKSONVILLE — As more and more people rely on social media outlets and technology for daily life, Jacksonville’s local colleges are keeping up with the times through advances in their use of technology.
Both Jacksonville College and Lon Morris College have adopted the use of Google applications, or Google apps, for their students.
Google apps is a collection of software and storage on the Internet where users and create, store and share documents; use email; search online resources; organize and share calendars; and more.
“This year we decided to make it an effort to reduce space on our servers, to be cost effective, mindful of the environment and to use the incredible tools to make the classroom setting more interactive,” said Linda Gray, head librarian and member of the faculty development team. “We are utilizing Google applications for storing documents online that are used campus-wide, Google sites to create interactive class and department websites and online grade book systems. We hope that this will help students better communicate with their instructors while in and outside the classroom.”
Read the full article on the Daily Prgress web site
September 13, 2011
SHERMAN, TX–There’s a new Texas law to crack down on Copper theft. Lawmakers passed it to protect the property of homeowners and utility companies.
Customers are now required to provide documentation when bringing A/C units or other copper materials to a scrap yard.
Homeowners must show a proof of purchase or other paperwork to prove that a central heating or air conditioning unit is theirs.
License air-conditioning professionals are also authorized to recycle copper.
“The whole purpose of this law is to curb theft and to try to eliminate some of that, which we feel is a good thing,” James Reed said, 82 Metal Recyclers manager “Obviously, we don’t want to buy anything that’s stolen. Hopefully this helps law enforcement crack down on some of these people who have been taking this air conditioners and putting people out of pocket–or their insurance company–or what have you”
Metal recyclers must keep an item for 72 hours to five days from the date of purchase. Texas Senate Bill 694 has been in effect since September 1st.
Jen French, KTEN News
Amarillo Globe-News
By Don Rogers
Over the past several years and more recently during the 82nd Texas legislative session, numerous voices have addressed the importance of education and its impact on the future of the Texas workforce and economy. As Texans, we need to do everything in our power to ensure the highest-quality education for our children.
With improved technology and thus increased communication, schools in rural areas of the state will be much better positioned to teach the critical skills students need to compete in a global market. The proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile will be a giant stride toward providing all Texas children quality educational opportunities and experiences. Every Texas student, whether they attend school in inner-city Dallas or in rural West Texas, should have access to modern technological
advancements, including high-speed wireless Internet.
Reas more on the Globes web site
August 26, 2011
Governor Rick Perry has named Donna Nelson of Austin chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) for a term to expire at the pleasure of the governor. The board encourages competition and customer choice in Texas, and ensures electric and telephone operations, services and rates are fair and reasonable.
Nelson is a former special assistant and advisor on energy, telecommunications and cable budget and policy issues in the Governor’s Office, and has served on the PUC since 2008. She assisted the Governor’s Competitiveness Council with the preparation of the Texas 2008 State Energy Plan, and is past director of the PUC telecommunications section and former legal advisor to the PUC chairman. She is also a former assistant attorney general of Texas, where she specialized in antitrust lawsuits. Nelson is a member of the State Bar of Texas and a past member of the Texas Council on Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders.
Nelson received a bachelor’s degree from Black Hills State College and a law degree from Texas Tech University.
By: Roger Cheng August 21, 2011 9:01 PM PDT
The wireless carriers’ investment in 4G networks could be the salve that the ailing U.S. economy is looking for.
The carriers could invest between $25 billion and $53 billion in building out their 4G network through 2016, according to a study from Deloitte. That in turn could lead to the creation of 371,000 to 771,000 jobs, and gross domestic product growth of $73 billion to $151 billion.
“Investment in such a powerful form of communication contributes to the economic recovery and provides a job-creating engine for the future,” said Phil Asmundson a consultant for Deloitte. “Investment in such a powerful form of communication contributes to the economic recovery and provides a job-creating engine for the future,” said Phil Asmundson a consultant for Deloitte. READ MORE +
San Antonio Express-News
Express-News Editorial Board
Enforcement of a new state law aimed at cutting down on the sale of stolen scrap metal can’t come soon enough.
Copper thieves are a growing menace in the state and need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, along with the scrap-metal dealers who knowingly purchase stolen goods.
Copper thieves cost CPS Energy ratepayers in Bexar County $1 million last year and the number of reported copper thefts are on the rise for the first part of this year. CPS officials say the utility suffers at least one copper theft a week. During one 29-hour period last month it recorded four such thefts, the Express-News reported. Read the full article on the San Antonio Express News web site
A new report emphasizes the importance of Broadband to the state’s economy. The debut of Texas’ Business Technology Assessment was released this week by the nonprofit Connected Texas, in partnership with the Texas Department of Agriculture. The Business Technology Assessment is the first of its kind.
The assessment findings begin by substantiating the belief that Texas businesses with broadband generate hundreds of thousands more in revenue than businesses without.
According to the state assessment, found at www.connectedtx.org/_research/, companies with high-speed Internet connections report making about $200,000 more per year than those without this vital resource. Furthermore, median annual revenues among broadband-connected businesses with websites are $300,000 higher than those without. READ MORE +
